Wrong Number

Child: "Hello?"

Daddy: "Hi honey. It's Daddy. Is Mommy nearby?"

Child: "No Daddy. Mommy's upstairs in the bedroom with Uncle Paul."

Daddy: "Honey, you don't have an Uncle Paul."

Child: "Yes I do, and he's upstairs in the bedroom with Mommy."

Brief Pause.

Daddy: "Okay, honey. I want you to put the phone down on the table and run upstairs. Knock on the bedroom door and shout to Mommy that Daddy's car just pulled into the driveway."

Child: "Okay Daddy, just a minute."

Moments later the little girl comes back to the phone.

Child: "I did it, Daddy."

Daddy: "What happened, honey?"

Child: "Well, Mommy jumped out of bed with no clothes on and began running and screaming. She tripped over the rug, hit her head on the dresser and now she isn't moving at all!"

Daddy: "Oh my God! What about your Uncle Paul?"

Child: "He jumped out of bed with no clothes on, too. Then he jumped out the back window into the swimming pool. I guess he didn't know that you took out the water last week to clean it. He hit the bottom of the pool and I think he's dead."

***Long Pause***
Daddy: "Swimming pool? Is this 486-5731?"
Child: No its 484-2731.

Human Brain Analysis

LANGUAGE.
Women can easily learn many languages; Her brain set up.
But can not find the solutions to problems.

Men can not easily learn languages; he can easily solve the problems.

3 year old gal has three times higher vocabulary than 3 year old boy.

ANALYTICAL SKILL
Men's brain has lot of space for handling the analytical process.
So easily he can analyze and find the solution for a process.
He can design (blue print) a map of a building easily.

If a complex map is viewed by women, she can not understand it.
She can not understand the details of the map easily.
For her it is dump of lines in a paper.

CAR DRIVING.
While driving a car, men's analytical spaces are used in his brain.
He can drive a car fastly. If he see an object at long distance, immediately
his brain classifies the object (bus or van or car) direction and speed of
the object and driving accordingly.

Where as women take a long time to recognize the object direction/ speed.
His single process mind stops the audio in the car (if any), then concentrating only on the driving.

You can often watch, while men driving the car fastly, the women sit
next to him will shout, "GO SLOW" , "CARE FULL", "AAHHH", "OHH GOD.."
.etc..

LIE
Many times, when men lie to women face to face, they got caught easily.
Her super natural brain observe the facial expression 70%, and the body
language 20% and the words comes from mouth 10%. So he is easily caught
while lieing.

Men's brain does not have this.Women easily lie to men face to face.
So guys, While lieing to your girls, use phone, or letter or close all
thelights or cover your/her face with blanket.Don't lie face to face.

PROBLEM.
End of day, if men have lot of problems, his brain clearly classifies
the problems and put into individual rooms of brain, the problems in
individual room of brain and finding the solution one by one. You can
see many guys looking on the sky's for a long times. If you disturb him,
he gets irritated.

End of Day, if women have lot of problems, her brain can not classify
the problems. she wants some one to hear that. After telling everything
to a person she goes happily to bed. She does not worry abt the problem
solved or not.

WANTS
Men want status, success, solutions, big process... etc
Women want relationship, friends, family...etc...

UNHAPPY
If women unhappy with their relations, she can not concentrate on work.
If men unhappy with their work, he can not concentrate on the relations.


MAP
Men can easily locate the place in a complex map. His analytical brain
does this. While watching a cricket match in a stadium with full of crowd,
men can leave his seat to T shop and keeps everything in his mind and comes
back to his seat with out problems. He uses his analytical skills space
of brain.

Women can't do this. They often lost their way to their seat.

LIFE
Life is very easy to Men. One good job, one alcohol bottle is enough for
him.

Women want everything in life.

SPEECH
Women use indirect languages in speech.
Geetha asked Vijay, "vijay do you like to have a cup of coffee?"
This means, Geetha really want a cup of coffee.

In the morning......."Darling, do you think, will it be good to have an
Omlette for breakfast"

Men use direct language. "Geetha, I want to have a cup of coffee, Pls
stop the car when you see a coffee shop".

In the morning...."Darling, Can you please prepare an omelet for
breakfast".

HANDLING EMOTION
Women talk a lot without thinking, if they are in emotion.
Men act a lot with out thinking.

That's why many of prisoners are men all over the world.

Remembering Old Buddies

Just divorced?

Get used to being suave and sassy around new people

Your friends have been telling you to start looking for another partner, no one wants to go it alone, they say.

But before you do that, the first thing to do is to know exactly what you want – is it a fling, or something more serious? For starters, you can go out with friends, join dating websites or look around at your workplace, for, everyone starts somewhere.

You never know what might just click for you. There are many good people out there, who too, are looking for good partners like you, who want to make a success of a relationship.

Get used to being suave and sassy around new people. Start making new friends and hanging out in groups, and make sure you turn on that charm. And, you need to smile more often.

Find your single pals and move around with them. If you want something serious don’t go for the friend who hangs around with anyone and everyone – for, you don’t want to be clubbed as one who’s not serious about relationships.

Sometimes, even advertising can work. There are many out there who’ve found good partners through ads. Stop hiding the fact that you’re divorced, people around must know that you are now single, so matchmakers can spring into action. The more people who know about this, the more prospects you will have.

You need to start dressing for yourself. If you feel good and look good this will register with the people you’re trying to impress. Show off, take that extra few minutes in the morning and put on a little makeup and dress to impress.

But, remember to take it easy – just because you have a date does not mean that you have to get married. Go slow and explore, and have some fun as you go along.

Moral @ Work place.

A Junior Software engineer, a Senior Software engineer and their Project
Manager are on their way to a meeting. On their way through a park, they
come across a wonder lamp. They rub the lamp and a ghost appears. The
ghost says, "Normally, one is granted three wishes but as you are three,
I will allow one wish each". So the eager Junior Software engineer
shouted, I want the first wish. I want to be in the Bahamas , on a fast
boat and have no worries. "Pfufffff" and he was gone. Now the Senior
Software engineer could not keep quiet and shouted " I want to be in
Florida with beautiful girls, plenty of food and cocktails. "Pfufffff"

and he was also gone.

The Project Manager calmly said," I want these two idiots back in the
office after lunch at 1.30pm"
Moral of the story is:

"Always allow the boss to speak first"

The CBI is Behind Us!

New FRAUD Strategies - Keyboard

PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHENEVER YOU’RE USING A PC AT A PUBLIC PLACE (Like INTERNET CAFES..ETC).

CHECK THE BACK OF THE PC AND SEE IF THE BELOW DEVICE IS THERE..IF SO..DO NOT USE IT!!!!

New storing device fits at the end of the keyboard cable connecting to the PC specialized to save all typed keys in it…

Mostly could be used in net cafes, exhibitions, hotels and airports therefore be careful especially the people who use the internet in these places to enter their bank accounts online or any other important sites.

After you enter the bank account and leave the PC it will be easy to open your account again as all what you have typed has been saved in the Black device.

Therefore, you should check the PC for any suspicious piece behind it before using the net in public places for important sites.

Feng Shui for your kitchen

The Chinese medical model emphasises on the nutritional value of food and is often referred to as the “post natal Chi”. Chi, in this context, refers to the positive energy of an individual which is attained by having nutritional food, essential for maintaining proper and harmonious Feng Shui.
Everything that is brought into the kitchen is changed in some way and this process of changing includes a cycle of energy that symbolises the entire process of life.

In order to understand the world of Feng Shui and the art of Chinese cooking, it is important to understand the logic of landscape to live, cook and eat in accordance with the dynamic harmony of nature. The common expression, “you are what you eat”, has been part of the Chinese culture for centuries. You can change what you are and how you feel by what you eat. We do this every day without particularly thinking about it. The most common ingredients in Chinese food are onions, ginseng, ginger root, garlic, carrot and spinach. They are called “medicinal foods” and you will find at least one of these items in each meal being consumed by them.

A fundamental principle of Feng Shui is that there should be a clear distinction between different functional areas inside a home and especially in the kitchen where different kinds of energies exist. It is mandatory to demarcate the areas of each function. It is important to keep the stove away from the water source. There should be a large window behind the sink and not behind the stove. Colours like brown and beige are good for the kitchen. A darker brown shade is good for the floor.

All equipment which rely on water should be put together in one corner of the kitchen as this makes any plumbing work easier and also ensures that there is no clash of elements. Remember a good and healthy kitchen is not just about good food but a harmonious environment, that supports the occupants and connects them with the energies of the premises.

How to access your PC remotely

There are a variety of situations for which remote control of your home PC via the Internet can be helpful.

When you're visiting friends far from home, for example, but forgot to transfer the promised vacation photos onto your laptop, gaining access to your PC can be invaluable.

Several Windows versions offer remote access through the Remote Desktop function. But, there are also stand-alone programmes allowing PCs to be controlled from any browser.

This latter category includes VNC (Virtual Network Computing Protocol) and the variants based upon on it. The most recent version of VNC sends a small programme onto the other computer, known as a client or remote computer, which is used to control the home PC.

The client's browser then displays a view of the desktop back at home and with it full access to the PC. That said, access via browser is more sluggish than if the VNC software is also installed on the client machine.

During installation it must be indicated whether the PC being used is a client or server PC. For security reasons the access password should be set on the server PC.

The user must also ensure that the software will not be blocked by a firewall.

Internet service providers generally assign their customers a new IP address for each new online session. To make remote control possible, a so-called dynamic DNS service must be employed.

Many routers come ready-made for services like DynDNS. The ISP provides the user with a domain name, including information on host, user name, and password, to enter into the router. The base service is generally free.

During a comparison of several VNC variants, Munich-based PC Professionell magazine found UltraVNC to be the best. The software is available for Windows and Linux. The chat options provided by the software as well as the simple exchange of files and folders are calling cards of the cost-free software.

CSpace is also available as a no-cost remote software option. The software must be installed on the Client PC, and only works with Windows and Linux.

It does not offer browser support. Remote control then works without configuration -- even through routers and firewalls and without port forwarding. One of several cost-free VNC client programmes for Mac OS X is Chicken of the VNC. Microsoft primarily worked its Remote Desktop service, including remote control and remote servicing, into the pro versions of its operating systems. "Where available, Remote Desktop is without question the best choice for remote control of current Windows systems," Hanover-based c't magazine found. It is quick, convenient, and seamlessly integrated into the system.

Addicted to the Internet? Watch out

Internet addiction is turning into a clinical disorder, with more and more people visiting hospitals to curb the time they spend on the web, says a leading psychiatrist.

About five to 10 per cent of online users have been dubbed as 'Internet addicts' by psychiatrists. Pervious studies have shown highly educated, socially awkward as the most likely sufferers, however, now increasing number of middle-aged women are getting addicted to Internet.

Internet addiction turning into a 'clinical disorder'.

While writing the editorial in American Journal of Psychiatry, Dr Jerald Block, of the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland said that web users have been spending unhealthy amounts of time playing online games, viewing pornography or emailing.

The victims forget to eat and sleep, have more arguments and start feeling isolated from society. They need more advanced technology and spend more hours online as they develop 'resistance' to the pleasure given by their current system.

Moreover, Internet addicts experience fatigue and are more likely to get lower marks in tests. Dr Block said some sufferers were so addicted to the Internet that they required medication or even hospital treatment to curb the time they spent on the web.

"The relationship is with the computer. It becomes a significant other to them. They exhaust emotions that they could experience in the real world on the computer through any number of mechanisms: emailing, gaming, porn."

"It's much more acceptable for kids to talk about game use, whereas adults keep it a secret. Rather than having sex, or arguing with their wife or husband, or feeding their children, these adults are playing games."

Don't say the C-word

From trips down the red carpet with his (now ex) girlfriend to making statements about being ready for parenthood, George Clooney seemed all set to give up his bachelor status.

But, just when the world thought Sarah Larson would finally get Clooney down the aisle, the two headed for splitsville, with the Hollywood heartthrob saying he was relieved it’s over. Apparently, the world’s sexiest man just didn’t want to be tied down.

“Shying away from commitment in terms of a relationship, is more an issue with the West,” feels actor Sammir Dattani. “It’s got to do with our conditioning. Commitment and family are values instilled in us. So, getting into a long-term relationship comes much easier to us,” he says.

Though Sammir claims he hasn’t had an issue with commitment with the people he’s been involved with, actor Ashmit Patel does believe men can be fickle-minded and indecisive in relationships. “I have seen many of my friends grapple with whether to go the whole hog or not when they are in a relationship. I’d say it is more to do with a man’s inherent quality of wanting to sow his seed wherever possible. After all, variety is the spice of life,” says Ashmit.

Model Karan Rao, however, refuses to call the reluctance to commit a phobia. “The moment you call it a phobia, it becomes a problem and it’s not,” he avers. Karan believes that for any kind of relationship to work, there should be some level of commitment. “People get together because they like spending time with each other. The comfort and compatibility quotient also comes into play. But then, sometimes, things don’t work out. You can’t be forced into a commitment once a problem crops up,” says Karan, who claims he won’t shy away from settling down.

But, confirmed bachelor Chippy Gangjee, a noted artist, says that if there is even a hint of incompatibility, the couple should be frank and speak about it. So also, if you’re not looking at a long-term relationship and just want some fun. “You can’t keep someone wondering indefinitely about whether you’ll ever pop the question,” he says.

But, does a man have an obligation to settle down? Sammir doesn’t think so. “Gone are the days when settling down was a moral obligation to the family and society. Today, it is a very personal choice. For me, settling down and having a family is important. Maybe not now, but it is definitely on,” he winds up.

Fashion porn: Dressing to titillate?

We’re chronicling times of unrest in fashion.

The classic designs are getting weird, there’s no classic aesthetic anymore. In Sex and the City, Sarah Jessica Parker rightly says, “It’s all a circus! Two hundred people, Page 6! This is my third marriage. How do you think it makes me look!” The girls are making a statement that resembles Fashion Porn, reports the New York Metro.

They’ve redefined the chaotic look. Those who watched the movie, confess they only watched the clothes. The movie’s Look Book has broken every rule in the book. Designer Raakesh Agarvwal agrees, “There’s nothing vulgar about Fashion Porn, it’s a dirty word but it defines the fashion mood for extreme, bold dressing. Like Tom Ford’s latest advertisement. This is the rise of black fashion and being outrageous. It’s about sexy dressing, styled to the hilt breaking all rules. In the movie SATC, Sarah Jessica Parker epitomises the mood. It’s saluting women like Madonna, who is the godmother of Fashion Porn, she’s the lady who made conical corset popular.”

But, we’re curious, now how did fashion ever become porn? We asked India’s young designers, how they interpret fashion porn? Is it all about pink-carpet fashion and over-dressing? The look is stupendous — it’s an over-obsession with style, dressing and looking perfect. Says designer Gaurav Gupta, “When I was studying in London, clothes, I realised, had sexual titillation. New age fashion had no rules. It had no trends. It was fashionable to be unfashionable. The LBD (Little Black Dress) has been re-invented. It’s not about vulgar clothes but wearing something sexually exciting.”

Sure, after all, that’s the definition of porn, something that excites. The buffet of expensive clothes, big hair, and killer stilettos is hard to resist. Says designer Khushali Kumar, “Style wise, everyone’s dressing more expensive, more funky and more futuristic. You’ll be wearing hot blue Manolos looking gorgeous, sexy, and maybe a bit impractical.”

So, how do you decipher the language of fashion? Is fashion without rules such a dirty word? Christina Binkley writes in The Wall Street Journal that women wear work attire that’s more liberal. Says designer Paras of Geisha Designs, “Fashion is about sensuality, but it becomes sexual, if there’s a Carrie Bradshaw around. We’re all fashion victims. There’s a certain vibrancy — we’re breaking away from Ally McBeal’s boring style.

Style is constantly about overhauling the self, exciting people around you with your fashion make-over strategy.”

A Gene that orders Obese to eat more

If you think obese people eat more just because they are greedy, you are wrong, for a study has revealed that their bodies are genetically programmed to demand more calories.

Researchers at Aberdeen University have carried out the study and discovered that people who carry a variation of a gene linked to increased obesity eat more food as compared to those without it.

"We have found the first hard evidence linking the 'at risk' variant of the gene with increased food intake in humans - our data clearly suggests that people with this variant of the FTO gene may become fatter as they are driven to consume more food.

"Because this over consumption may be driven by their genes, it may be far harder for such people to control their intake than people who do not carry 'at risk' variants of food intake control genes.

"Greater consumption of food doesn't mean that people are being greedy," lead researcher John Speakman was quoted by British newspaper the Daily Telegraph as saying. The researchers came to the conclusion after analysing 150 people in the north-east of Scotland, aged 21 to 60.

They monitored their food intake over seven days and took blood samples and other measurements of physical fitness and then calculated the amount of energy burnt while they were actually resting.

The results showed that people with the variant gene ate between 120 and 290 calories per day more than those who did not have the "at risk" variant.

Legal and Logical Explained

After having failed his exam in "Logistics and Organization", a student goes and confronts his lecturer about it.

Student: "Sir, do you really understand anything about the subject?"

Professor: "Surely I must. Otherwise I would not be a professor!"

Student: "Great, well then I would like to ask you a question.

If you can give me the correct answer, I will accept my mark as is and go. If you however do not know the answer, I want you give me an "A" for the exam. "

Professor: "Okay, it's a deal. So what is the question?"

Student: "What is legal, but not logical, logical, but not legal, and neither logical, nor legal?"

Even after some long and hard consideration, the professor cannot give the student an answer, and therefore changes his exam mark into an "A", as agreed.

After wards, the professor calls on his best student and asks him the same question.

He immediately answers: "Sir, you are 63 years old and married to a 35 year old woman, which is legal, but not logical. Your wife has a 25 year old lover, which is logical, but not legal. The fact that you have given your wife's lover an "A", although he really should have failed, is neither legal, nor logical."

Insomniac

A man went to the doctor complaining of insomnia. The doctor gave him a thorough examination, found absolutely nothing physically wrong with him and then told him, "Listen, if you ever expect to cure your insomnia, you just have to stop taking your troubles to bed with you."

"I know," said the man, "but I can't. My wife refuses to sleep alone."

Paji Jokes

Santa talking on cell.
Banta: kis se baat kar raho ho. Santa: biwi se.....
Banta: itne... pyar se....?
Santa: tumhari hai. . .!!!
**************************************************************************

SLAM BOOK filled by Santa.
1.Strength:My wife,Jeeto.
2.Weakness:Banta's wife,Preeto.
3.Oppurtunity:When Banta is on tour.
4.Threat:When I am on tour
**************************************************************************

Sardar's Son - Papa jaldi-2 mera viya kra deo nahi ta main DAADI nal viya
kra lavanga.
Sardar:oye tu meri MAA nal viya krayenga.!
Son:-kyo tusi meri MAA nal ni krayea..
**************************************************************************

Sardar was travling in train,
A woman sat on his son's berth & didn't getup...
Sardar shouted:"THIS LADY IS NOT GIVING BIRTH TO MY CHILD !"
**************************************************************************

Santa: meri biwi mujhe chorr ke chali gayi.
Banta: tu uska khyal nahi rakhta hoga.
Santa arre yaar....sagi behan ki tarah rakhta tha usko!
**************************************************************************

Santa goes to hotel & orders Omlette..
Waiter :french or spanish ?
Santa: jera marji le aa,
Main kehra galan karniya ne...
**************************************************************************

2Sardar were watching a beautiful girl.
1st Sardar=kya maal hai yaar..!
2nd Sardar=Arey ha.Maal se yaad aya bhabiji kesi hai. . .?
**************************************************************************

Santa Singh sends sms to all his friends...
"My cell no. has changed.. earlier it was Nokia 1100 .. now it is Nokia
6600"
**************************************************************************

NASA ne 3sardar chaand pe bheje.Rocket uda,magar aadhe raste se vapas!
Jab sardaro ko pucha gaya,toh unhone kaha:'AAJ AMAWAS HAi,CHAAND TO HOGA Hi
NAHi NA'!!
**************************************************************************

Santa-yaar kal main tenu kini waar phone kita par tu nahi chukiya.
Banta-kyon chukan, jehda main 30 Rupaiye de ke gaana luwaya hai, ohnu tera
peo sunuga. ...
**************************************************************************

Santa:Preeto chal honeymoon te chaliye
Preeto:main velli nahi,main halle kapde v dhone e,te pande vi manjne e,tusi
beeji nu le jao.
**************************************************************************

Santa- yaar maine apni girl friend ko gift dena hai, kya dun ?
Banta- Gold ring de de
Santa- koi badi cheez bata
Banta- M.R.F ka tyre de de. .
**************************************************************************

Santa: oye tera viah ho gaya?
Banta: haan.
Santa: kuri naal?
Banta: oye munde naal v hunda hai kya?
Santa: haan, meri behen da hoya si....!
**************************************************************************

SARDAR:: Beta ye kaisi machis lay kar aaye ho ek bhi nahi jal rahi
SON :: kya baat kartay ho pappa sub check kar kay laya hoooon
**************************************************************************

Gurdware waleyan ne e elan kita hai k gurdware ch 5,10,20,50,100,500,de
note nahi chadae jange. . .
.
.
.
.
KyonKi
.
.
.
GANDHI de sir te rumal nahi hai .
**************************************************************************

English teacher: "One cute and young girl is walking on the road." Change
this into an punjabi exclamatory sentence.
Sardar student:- "Oye,pataka !"
**************************************************************************

A donkey kicked sardar & ran away sardar ran to catch the donkey. He saw a
zebra & started beating it & said 'SALA Tracksuit pahan ke dhoka de raha
hai'.

Kenyans sing India's National Anthem

In Honour of Stupid People

In case you needed further proof that the human race is doomed through stupidity, here are some actual label instructions on consumer goods.

On Tesco's Tiramisu dessert (printed on bottom) -- 'Do not turn upside down.'
(well...duh, a bit late, huh!)
=======================

On Boot's Children Cough Medicine --'Do not drive a car or operate machinery after taking
This medication.'
(We could do a lot to reduce the rate of construction accidents if we
Could just get those 5 year-olds with head-colds off those bulldozers.)
=======================

On Marks &Spencer Bread Pudding --
'Product will be hot after heating.'
(...and you thought????...)
=======================

On a Sears hairdryer --
Do not use while sleeping.
(That's the only time I have to work on my hair.)
=======================

On a bag of Fritos --You could be a winner! No purchase necessary. Details inside.
(the shoplifter special?)
=======================

On packaging for a Rowenta iron --'Do not iron clothes on body.'
(but wouldn't this save me time?)
=======================

On Nytol Sleep Aid --'Warning: May cause drowsiness.'
(..I'm taking this because???.....)
=======================

On a Japanese food processor --'Not to be used for the other use.'
(now, somebody out there, help me on this. I'm a bit curious.)
=======================

On an American Airlines packet of nuts --'Instructions: Open packet, eat nuts.'
(Step 3: WTF?)
=======================

On a child's Superman costume --'Wearing of this garment does not enable you to fly.'
(I don't blame the company. I blame the parents for this one.)
=======================

On a Swedish Chainsaw --'Do not attempt to stop chain with your hands or genitals.'
(OMG..was there a lot of this happening somewhere?)
=======================

Engineering Failure In Korea

(Click on the Snaps to get full screen Images)

Example for need for clear definition of requirements

OFFICE MEMO:

May all members of staff please note that there will Only be one drink per person at this year's Annual Party.

And please bring your own cup !

Regards,

Management
*
*
*
And what happened at the annual party !!!

The specifications were missing in the memo ( size of cup)

Moral of the story : Be very specific in your daily life including project work. Give proper specifications…

Depression can lead to diabetes

People with depression have a higher risk of developing the most common form of diabetes than others, according to a study that sheds light on the interplay between the two conditions.

The study published on Tuesday indicated that the relationship between type-2 diabetes, the form of the disease closely linked to obesity and sedentary lifestyle, may be a bit like a two-way highway. Not only can diabetes lead to depression, as has been well established, but depression can also lead to diabetes.

US researchers led by Dr Sherita Hill Golden of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore tracked an ethnically diverse group of about 5,000 men and women between ages 45 to 84 for about three years.

They found that people with symptoms of depression were 42% more likely to develop diabetes by the end of the study than those without such symptoms. They also found that the more serious the symptoms, the higher the risk of diabetes. The researchers statistically accounted for factors including obesity, lack of physical activity and smoking, and found that the risk for diabetes was still 34% higher in patients with depression.

"When we looked at the people in our study who had elevated symptoms of depression, they were more likely to eat more calories, they exercised less, and they were more likely to be current smokers. And as a consequence, they were also more obese," Golden, whose study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, said in a telephone interview.

"And those are all known risk factors for type-2 diabetes. So it seems that some of the adverse health behaviours associated with depressive symptoms were an important component of that relationship (between depression and diabetes)."

Golden added that depression also pushes up the levels of stress hormones such as cortisol. Diabetes is a disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood. In type-2 diabetes, the body becomes resistant to the effects of the hormone insulin or the body produces some, but not enough, insulin to keep a normal blood sugar level.

The World's most Expensive Silk Saree.....

(Click on the Snap for Full Screen Images)

How often have you come across a Rs. 40 lakh ($100,000)

silk saree?

Chennai Silks, a textile unit has come up with one of its kind and it is seeking an unmistakable entry into the Guinness Book of World Records for being the most unique and expensive saree.

The exceptionally stunning saree is meticulously woven with 12 precious stones and metals to depict 11 of Raja Ravi Verma's popular paintings.

Explicitly projected is 'Lady Musicians', one of the painter's very famous works that displays women belonging to diverse cultural backgrounds.

Besides, the border of the saree pictures 10 other paintings of the artist that pays tribute to 20th century artist.

The best part of the saree being that the women in the paintings are intricately hand-woven and beautified with jewels of gold, diamond, platinum, silver, ruby, emerald, yellow sapphire, sapphire, cat's eye, topaz, pearl and corals.

Already in the Limca Book of Records, this 40 lakh saree will be the first silk saree that required the use of 7,440 jacquard hooks and 66,794 cards during the weaving process. Moreover, a group of consummate workers took nearly 4,680 hours .

'Hunger hormone' fights depression

Ghrelin, the "hunger hormone", might help ward off stress-induced depression and anxiety but it will cause you to put on weight.

A new study on mice has found that chronic stress causes ghrelin levels to go up and that behaviours associated with depression and anxiety decrease when ghrelin levels rise.

An unfortunate side effect, however, is increased food intake and body weight, said Jeffrey Zigman of University of Tennessee, the study's senior author.

"Our findings support the idea that these hunger hormones don't do just one thing. Rather, they coordinate entire behavioural response to stress and probably affect mood, stress and energy levels," said Michael Lutter, co-author.

It is known that fasting causes ghrelin to be produced in the gastrointestinal tract and that the hormone then plays a role in sending hunger signals to the brain.

Research groups, including Zigman's, have suggested that blocking the body's response to ghrelin signals might be one way to help control weight by decreasing food intake and increasing energy expenditure.

"However, this new research suggests that if you block ghrelin signalling, you might actually increase anxiety and depression, which would be bad," Zigman said.

Zigman said the findings make sense when considered from an evolutionary standpoint. Earlier, the one common human experience was securing enough food to prevent starvation.

Our hunter-gatherer ancestors needed to be as calm and collected as possible when it was time to venture out in search of food or risk becoming dinner themselves, Zigman said.

Findings of the study are slated to appear in the forthcoming issue of the journal Nature Neuroscience.

Coffee drinkers may live longer

Here's some good news for coffee buffs -- drinking large amounts of the caffeinated concoction does not increase the risk of an early death, and, if you are a woman, it may protect you from developing heart disease.

A new research has revealed that drinking up to six cups of coffee a day has no negative effect on the health of a person and it could reduce the risk of women dying from fatal heart attacks and stroke by almost a quarter.

Researchers have based their findings on an analysis of 84,000 women and 41,000 men who were tracked for 20 years. The participants completed questionnaires every two to four years about their coffee intake and habits like diet, smoking.

According to study's author Esther Lopez-Garcia of the School of Medicine at Universidad Autonoma de Madrid in Spain, "Coffee consumption was not associated with a higher risk of mortality in middle-aged men and women.

"(However) The possibility of a modest benefit of coffee consumption on heart disease, cancer, and other causes of death needs to be further investigated."

Depressed? Binge a little

Next time when you are a bit low on energy or in a depressive mood and you feel like gorging on all the sin-ful foods; just give in to the ‘Hunger’ urge and you’d feel better.

Recent studies have shown that a certain hunger hormone called ghrelin, when released can help fight anxiety and stress related depression. Scientists’ findings support the idea that these hunger hormones coordinate entire behavioural response to stress and probably affect the mood, stress and energy levels.

The ghrelin hormone is produced in the gastrointestinal tract when the body is fasting and it then plays a role in sending hunger signals to the brain. A new study on mice has found that chronic stress causes ghrelin levels to go up and that behaviours associated with depression and anxiety decrease when ghrelin levels rise.

However, an unfortunate side effect is increased food intake and body weight. While blocking the body's response to ghrelin signals might be one way to help control weight, but this may actually increase anxiety and depression, which would be bad. Our ancestors had just one common notion which was securing enough food to prevent starvation.

They needed to be as calm and collected as possible when it was time to venture out in search of food, or risk becoming dinner themselves. This is where it is guessed that the anti-anxiety effects of hunger-induced ghrelin may have provided a survival advantage. Researchers are now interested to see whether ghrelin treatment could help people with anorexia nervosa, with the idea being that in a certain population, calorie restriction and weight loss could have an anti-depressant effect and could be reinforcing for this illness.

Sex: The Stress Buster

According to a survey, revealed at an Indian Psychiatrists Society (IPS) seminar held recently, more and more couples are turning away from sex simply because they are too tired after work.

This is especially true of young couples in metros who are too busy running the rat race to devote time in the bedroom. The keeping up with the Joneses syndrome has overtaken all desire for physical intimacy.

So, is it time to push the alarm button? Yes, say experts who feel that physical intimacy between couples is the key to a happy and stress-free relationship. Sex is much more than just a physical act and is very important for one’s physical and emotional health. Some recent studies claim that sex practiced in a cozy atmosphere works as an effective stress buster.

Because of deep breathing and touching involved in sexual activities, our body produces hormones called ‘endorphins’. These hormones are also known as ‘feel-good’ hormones, because of the moment of pleasure they bring along. Therefore, sex does not only bring in a feeling of well-being but a calming effect too.

Shriya Gupta, a homemaker opines, “Though it’s only for a short period but sex actually relives you from all your worries and you feel much better. Not only intercourse but foreplay also helps in decreasing the stress level to a certain extent. Sex is a way of expressing your feelings with your physical self involved in it. I think it is a very romantic way of relaxing with your spouse. Above all, it really helps you in burning so many calories.”

Many individuals believe that because of their healthy sex life, they feel more emotionally involved with their partner. However, we cannot forget that only pleasurable sex can increase the sense of attachment between couples.

Noted psychiatrist Dr Sameer Parikh says, “There is a very scientific way to look at it as merely sex will not help much. If you consider sex as one of the daily chores then you will not get any satisfaction out of it. Sex demands your physical as well as mental involvement. I think it is an extension of a relationship which strengthens the bond between two individuals.”

Model Amanpreet Wahi, who is all set to tie the knot shares, “I know a lot of couples who have a healthy sex life and it does translates into great chemistry between them. It is a beautiful thing that binds two people together. Sex is also one of the ways of loving each other as saying ‘I love you’ is not enough sometimes. I know a couple, both of them are approaching 50 but they still have sex regularly as they think it enhances their bond.”

Unfortunately, in the quest of attaining a stress-free life, sex is taking a back seat. The desire for material pleasures is killing the basic desire of pleasuring each other.

Kunal Sharma, software professional admits, “After a close encounter with my wife I feel relieved and sleep well at night. However, many a times, my mind is so occupied with several other things that I can’t concentrate on sex. If I push myself for sex, I don’t enjoy it and it becomes tough to keep myself involved.”

Sex is a dimension of love and experts believe that ignoring yours and your partners’ sexual desires can be hazardous for a relationship.

Dr Rachna Singh, holistic medicine and lifestyle management expert says, “With today’s fast paced life, pressure on relationships has increased. With demanding professional lives, most of us end up ignoring our personal needs. Not having a good sex life can result into dissatisfaction between couples. ”

Priyanka Tiwari says, “My husband and I work with a BPO. Our timings are completely different and we hardly get time for each other. Most of the time, we end up fighting or yelling at each other over petty issues. We hardly have any sex life now. Whenever I want to make love, he says he is too tired and when he pursues me, I think of my early morning shift and prefer to sleep. ”

The fast pace of life today is leaving us with no time for basic and simple pleasures. With our busy schedules, it is quite easy to forget about your partner’s needs. Experts feel that couples should set themselves extra time for those special moments – after all, there is no simpler and effective stress buster than some action between the sheets.

Ramneek Pantal, model thinks, “If you don’t get time on weekdays you can always plan out something special for weekends like a small vacation, a long drive or simply a romantic dinner. Sometimes you have to go out of your way to please your partner but it’s worth it.”

AROMA ALARM:Coffee smell can wake up genes

If you’re the type of person who perks up in the morning at just the smell of fresh-brewed coffee, you are not alone. There are some laboratory rats you should meet.

While countless studies have looked at what occurs when we drink coffee, far fewer have examined the effects of sniffing the aroma, which contains many volatile compounds.

So Han-Seok Seo of Seoul National University and colleagues exposed stressed-out rats that had been deprived of sleep to coffee bean aroma and then evaluated the effects by performing genetic and protein analyses on brain tissue. They compared the results with tests on other rats, including some that were sleep deprived but not exposed to coffee.

As they report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, they found that the expression levels of 13 selected genes were different between the stress-with-coffee rats and the stress-only animals. With 11 of the genes, levels were higher for the stress-with-coffee group; with the other two the levels were lower. Since proteins are among the products of gene expression, the researchers also identified proteins that were differentially expressed between the two groups of rats. For instance, one protein known to have an antioxidant function had a higher expression level among the stress-with-coffee group. The researchers say the study is a first step toward understanding the effects of coffee aroma.

Cool Horror Joke

A guy was driving from Mumbai to Pune and decided not to take the new expressway as he wants to see the scenery. The inevitable happens and when he reaches the ghats his car breaks down - he's stranded miles from nowhere.

Having no choice he starts walking on the side of the road, hoping to get lift to the nearest town. It's dark and raining. And pretty soon he's wet and shivering. The night rolls on and no car goes by, the rain is so heavy he can hardly see a few feet ahead of him.

Suddenly he sees a car coming towards him. It slows and then stops next to him - without thinking the guy opens the door and jumps in seated in the back, he leans forward to thank the person who had saved him - when he realizes there is nobody behind the wheel!!!

Even though there's no one in the front seat and no sound of any engine, the car starts moving slowly. The guy looks at the road ahead and sees a curve coming. Scared almost to death he starts to pray, begging the Lord for his life.

He hasn't come out of shock, when just before he hits the curve, a hand appears through the window and moves the wheel. The car makes the curve safely and continues on the road to the next bend.

The guy, now paralyzed in terror, watches how the hand appears every time they are before a curve and moves the steering wheel just enough to get the car around each bend.

Finally, the guy sees lights ahead. Gathering his courage he wrenches open the door of the silent, slowly moving car, scrambles out and runs as hard as he can towards the lights. It's a small town.

He stumbles into a dhaba, and asks for a drink, and breaks down. Then he starts talking about the horrible experience he's just been through.

There is dead silence in the dhaba when he stops talking .....

...and that's when Santa and Banta Singh walk into the dhaba. Santa points and says "Look Banta - that's the weird guy who got into our car when we were pushing it."

Programmer Poetry

Nokia laments that world knows it only as a brand

NOKIA (SOUTH-WEST FINLAND): Listen up. Nokia is more than just the phone in your pocket. Even though nearly two billion people around the world rely on and recognise the brand because they own the mobile, few know its story began in a town called Nokia.

Even fewer know that this quiet conurbation of 30,000 people, three hours away from Helsinki, is not just the birthplace of the sprawling multi-national Nokia Corporation, but the very roots of Finland’s industrialisation. And that there may be some corporate magic still in the heavily-wooded, green surrounds of Nokia town, fed by an important river and carpeted with wands of lupins growing wild.

For Nokia town continues, as it did back in 1868 when Nokia company began as a groundwood mill, to nurture unlikely global success stories and great corporate ambition.

It manufactures the world-beating winter tyre, the Hakkapeliitta. Its locally-produced Nanso clothes and Nabo leather bags are brand leaders in Finland and Scandinavia. The local paper mill produces the widely-used Lotus brand of face tissues and toilet paper. And it is home to Molok, the company that invented the eponymous revolutionary deep-waste collection bins now sold in their hundreds of thousands throughout the world from China to Canada, Australia to Europe and possibly coming soon to an Indian airport near you.

“We call Nokia town and nearby Tampere the Manse or Manchester of the Nordic world,” says Johanna Saksala of Molok. But she adds, in a lament increasingly heard of late in this town, “yet, few know about the town, few know that it is both a town and a brand name. Nokia town should advertise itself more, tell the world that this is where the phone company came from. It should get more out of the name”.

Marjo Paaskynkivi, who works for an aluminium company that feeds Molok’s busy and expanding Nokia factory, says the Nokia town should encourage tourism because visitors mean the chance to make connections and spread the word.

The complaint that Nokia town is failing to connect with the world sits oddly with its famous namesake’s advertising tagline, “connecting people”. But the local press is increasingly pointing out the town’s profit-less anonymity even as the brand continues to be the world’s largest mobile manufacturer. Two-fifths of the 3.3 billion handsets currently in use worldwide are Nokia but locals say the town whose name is now a trademark gets little recognition.

Paaskynkivi says the phone company’s success story may not have been possible elsewhere. The Nokia river, she points out, connects two lakes, which allowed the newly-founded Nokia company to expand on either fertile bank in the late 19th century. Crucially, it was able to grow food for its workers. This kept Nokia company’s labour costs low and gave it a stable workforce, allowing it to grow from fledgling paper factory and rubber-tyre manufacturer into the behemoth that bestrides the world. In a reflection of local angst Paaskynkivi says “Some here believe Nokia’s mobile phone success was paid for by Nokia paper factory”.

Archaeologist Vadim Adel is currently excavating the grounds of Nokia Manor, where the company’s founder Knut Fredrik Idestam lived within a stone’s throw of Factory Island, the place its first ‘global’ headquarters was built in 1908. He believes the Nokia Manor “is a very important archaeological site — there was activity in the stone age, metal age and early middle ages”. And now, the information Age.

The Manor continues to be owned by Nokia corporation, which still flies its top executives in for meetings to the place where it all began.

But even though the company has shifted its loyalties by moving headquarters to the capital Helsinki, Nokia town continues to be partisan about the brand. Says Tommi Heino, owner of the larger of Nokia town’s two mobile phone shops, “more than 95% of the phones we sell are Nokia”.

How to keep tabs on your Net addiction?

Monitoring addiction is the first step to curing

Almost everyone who logs on to the internet these days claims some level of internet addiction. Be it addiction of constantly checking emails, reading news sites or some mindless surfing. PageAddict (pageaddict.com) is one tool that will let you keep your internet addiction. The application sits on your Firefox explorer as an add-on extension. Once installed it gives you a detailed category wise summary of the time you’ve wasted on each web site. And there is even an option to restrict how much time you spend in each category in a day.

Late-night snack kills sleep, reveals study

High-Fat Diet Through The Day Also Keeps You Awake

Is the Euro 2008 fever keeping you awake? Make sure you stay clear of that bowl of chips and repeated refills of cola while catching the football action. An international study, released on Wednesday, says that late-night snacking and a high fat diet through the day lead to poor sleep at night.

According to researchers at the Federal University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, positive and statistically significant correlations were found between total energy intake, late-night snacking and repeated awakenings during sleep.

The study focused on 52 healthy volunteers between 20-45 years of age. Their food intake was analyzed by a three-day food record.

An overnight polysomnogram or sleep test was performed to determine their sleep pattern. Said lead author Cibele Crispim, “We found that increased fat intake was associated with a lower percentage of sound sleep, a higher arousal index and increased sleep apnea. This confirms high fat intake and dinner fat intake negatively influence the sleep pattern.’’

The findings were announced at Sleep 2008, a global meet of professional sleep societies in Baltimore, US.

An adult needs roughly eight hours of night sleep to feel fresh.

Nutritionists say chips and cola taken at night can make people toss and turn in bed. The reason - fried food and drinks that contain caffeine take 12 hours to digest as against fruits that take half an hour and raw vegetables that take an hour.

“When we consume fried food late at night, the digestion process takes place constantly within us, seriously affecting our sleep. We recommend a person should hit the bed at least three hours after the last meal. Fried food late at night also leads to acidity that again hampers sound sleep and adds to your body weight,’’ Dr Charu Dua, chief nutritionist at Max Hospital, told
An Indian adult should acquire 1,600 calories a day through his diet while a woman should get at least 1,400 calories. Recommendations say less than 25% of our diet should be fat.
However, when we consume just 10 pieces of chips, we take in 4 grams of fat that translates to 36 calories.

“Usually we consume hundreds of strips of chips in every sitting, which means we are taking in roughly 40 grams of fat or 360 calories. Usually in an Indian palate, 45% of the food consumed is fat, which takes our calorie consumption to more than 2,000,’’ Dr Dua added.

When the Brazilian team analyzed data of people who consumed fatty food all day and tried to sleep, they found that these subjects woke up more times, tossed and turned through the night.
It has a powerful negative effect on your daytime performance, thinking and mood.

Inadequate sleep decreases performance, concentration, reaction time and causes memory lapses, accidents and injuries.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
An adult needs roughly eight hours of night sleep to feel fresh. Inadequate sleep decreases performance, concentration, reaction time and causes memory lapses, accidents and injuries. An Indian adult should acquire 1,600 calories a day through his diet while a woman should get at least 1,400 calories Those who consumed fatty food all day and tried to sleep, the study showed, woke up more times, tossed and turned through the night

No strings attached

There she goes, there she goes again. There she goes, good riddance! Sorry Sixpence None the Richer, but she leaves for such month-long periods very rarely. It’s been a few years together now, a reasonable portion of which we have now spent living in.

She still doesn’t know how to iron clothes, deal with the servant, make tea or even Maggi! I’ve spent so much time satiating her sudden afternoon desires and midnight hunger pangs (hmmm), missing MY work and sleep to take my “protected” girl to her workplace, appeasing her consistent mood swings, cleaning my (read: our) room, that now when she’s gone, I have suddenly realised how it feels to be single.

Not that she has stopped calling every third hour, but I feel an almost certain shade of redemption. Yes, redemption, because now I will not be pinched, slapped, have my hair pulled and plucked, every time I stop to admire some strange beauty. And yeah, because men will be men, I will try to not keep it to innocent distant appreciating anymore. I will not trip on guilt or any such virtues. I will no longer evade the hot girl at work who has been rather keen on a binge drinking session. I will also allow my sister’s new roommate to come check my music collection—not that she asked but I’m sure she would like it. And of course, I will go out partying with the boys and be as promiscuous as I can. This is really a cool albeit temporary lease of life and every morning I wake up, I will think aloud, “Carpe diem!”

She has been wise enough to leave behind spies but those friends she has left this duty to are probably more unimaginative than a dead cow. More importantly, I have collected their dirty secrets from my dear girlfriend herself which will be a good barter in case things go wrong or if I become way too nonchalant when I’m high. So all the backups are well in place and I’m behind an impenetrable firewall of my lofty intelligence. Besides, I will continue to butter up my dear girlfriend at least once everyday about how much I really miss her. This will also ensure that she doesn’t go spying on what I’m up to here. It’s a win-win situation.
Honestly, it’s not that I would enjoy doing something like this and I’m not too sure whether I would end up actually fulfilling these ambitions. I really love my girl but this is not about love. This is about being a man and accepting the temptations, this is about being the tragic hero. This is about looking sin in the eye, and enacting that extremely hard expression.

And if you are wondering what I would say to the new girlies in case they asked about all the feminine paraphernelia in the house, I’m going to be extremely honest. I will certainly tell them just the truth of how badly she dumped me and left me in a world still plastered with her reminiscence—it has to work! But I hope it doesn’t really get down to that and I get to hang out with the beautiful blithe species of the opposite sex, no strings
attached. Maybe someone who’s boyfriend is out of town for a month or so.

When to say 'I love you'

When you are totally smitten by him, those three little words are waggling at the tip of your tongue, threatening to tumble at the slightest provocation.

But, you may want to be on guard, unless you want to scare away the poor fella! 'I love you' may be the most natural thing to say when you are dating, but once those words are said, you take your relationship to a whole new plane. There is a world of difference between 'I like you' and 'I love you'. It's time you use them with caution.

They are definitely not the golden words to say when...

The drinks are talking

It definitely may be easy to get those words out and loosen your guard when you are drunk, but the question is if you really mean them, or is it just the vodka that you downed showing its colour!? It is hard to believe anything out of some one who's been hammered. Save the proposals for the pre-party bit. That way, you'll have an even better reason to rejoice.


The love mist is between your eyes

Murmuring sweet nothings into his ear may set the mood for a session of rolling on the mat. But, along with those nothings, it is quite natural to yell 'I love you!' This may leave him baffled into thinking, is it really him that you love?! Don't get heady and impulsive; this will only blur the lines of distinction between love and lust. Hold those reigns, and if you feel the same even when the lust fog lifts you have found true love!

Wired communication

Avoid voicing your inner feelings through the telephone, e- mail or instant messages. Simply because, it is a thrill killer. It is a chicken thing to do. It doesn't show how serious you are. Also spare those emoticons, they are hardly romantic!
Let him see it in your eyes, and judge for himself about how serious you are. If you are indeed serious, there is nothing like looking him in the eye, holding his hand and professing how you feel.

Building bonds of love

To sustain a human relationship requires a lot of effort on the part of both the partners involved. And to counteract the tendency for your love relationship to fall apart you need to work towards it. Here’s how you can do it:

Be intimate psychologically by sharing your innermost experiences and deepest feelings with the person you love. Talk everyday about your impressions of the people and events you encounter, reveal your most important goals in life, share your reactions to the triumphs and failures you experience.

Maintain physical intimacy. Express your feelings of love. You could hug and kiss in private and hold hands in public.

Talk and discuss each day about your ‘other lives’ that includes your work, your families, your hobbies, and any other areas of life you may not always experience together.

Have a sense of humour. Make each other laugh especially in a mature relationship where you may have forgotten the importance of being funny.

Try to express love in ways your partner considers important. Some need to see proof of love (for example, gifts or things you do); some need to hear proof of love (for example saying “I love you” or giving compliments); some need to feel the proof of love (for example, through hugs and kisses). Explain to your partner which of these expressions you consider important to feel loved.

Both of you should make a list of things the other can do to reinforce the feeling of being cared for. Do at least one thing on your lover’s list every day.

View the flaws you see in your lover as coal that hasn’t yet turned into diamond. Don’t plan or hope to change a thing. If you can’t accept that “what you see is what is what you get”, leave the relationship before it’s too late.

Women prefer shopping to sex!

Women think of shopping as much as men think about sex

A fascinating survey has revealed that most of the young women think about shopping nearly as often as men think about sex.

A survey involving 778 women aged 19 to 45 showed that seventy-four per cent of them think about shopping every minute. Previous studies have claimed to support the widely-held belief that young men think about sex every 52 seconds, while the subject crosses some women's minds only once a day.

In the latest survey by a online fashion magazine, two out of five women described themselves as shoe and bag "addicts", while the thoughts of more than one in ten focused on accessories or make-up. On average, those surveyed spent at least 30 per cent of their annual income on clothes.

"People think about things which bring them pleasurable feelings. The pleasure is usually in the anticipating and planning," psychologist Jane Prince of the University of Glamorgan was quoted as saying by the Mail online of Britain.

"But so many women displaying this level of preoccupation, thinking about something once a minute, would indicate widespread addictive behaviour," she stressed.



Perhaps the most troubling aspect of the poll for men was that half of women surveyed said they preferred going to the market to spending time with their partner, and nearly as many acknowledged that they kept their shopping escapades secret from their partner to hide their level of spending.

Apply ice to relieve back pain

Use a commercial ice pack or make your own with ice cubes. Take a clean cloth and place the cubes or ice pack inside it. Secure the cloth and it’s ready for use.

Position the ice on your back. Either hold the ice on the spot or prop the ice so that it stays directly on it without moving. It may be easier to prop the ice if you lay on your stomach.

Leave the ice on your back for 20 minutes. You can cause additional damage if you leave it on the injury longer.

Wait an hour and reapply again, if necessary. If you plan to use ice as your course of treatment for the back pain, then you’ll want to repeat the process over the next two days. Take an hour break between icing periods and then reapply.

Remember, you should ice your back only for the first 48 hours following an injury. If you still feel discomfort after this period, consider heating options to find some relief.

If the ice pack feels too cold on your back, you can moisten the cloth in lukewarm water to ease your discomfort.

What's making you angry?

It’s common to read in newspaper stories about a usually calm and intelligent person who “snaps” and commits a violent act.

Some people lose their tempers in this way, repeatedly and dramatically, causing serious physical harm to others. It’s a pattern in which tension builds until an explosion brings relief, followed eventually by regret, embarrassment, or guilt feelings.

In this sudden outburst, people might do things they normally would not even think of doing —they might break things, abuse others, hurt or try to hurt someone else or even try to harm themselves. The degree of aggressiveness expressed during the episodes is grossly out of proportion to any precipitating psychosocial stressors. Yes, we are talking about a disorder called Intermittent Explosive Disorder.

What is intermittent explosive disorder?

On the way to work, you hurl abuses at the driver who just cut you off. At the office, a trivial problem gets your blood pressure high. That night at home, you fight with your spouse and throw a bottle of water against the wall.We all have a propensity to get angry and upset. But then, there are people who react to situations with a sudden outburst without thinking about repercussions. This little-known disorder marked by episodes of unwarranted anger is more common than previously thought, a study funded by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) has found. Intermittent explosive disorder (IED) affects as many as 7.3 percent of adults in their lifetime.

Why people suffer from IED

Research findings suggest that IED may result from abnormalities in the areas of the brain that regulate behavioural arousal and inhibition. Impulsive aggression is related to abnormal brain mechanisms in a system. Persons with IED have a set of negative beliefs strongly embedded in their personality, often resulting from harsh punitive methods inflicted by the parents. The child grows up believing that others “have it in for him” and that displaying anger is the best way to restore damaged self-esteem. There is some evidence of that the neurotransmitter serotonin may play a role in this disorder.

Symptoms of IED

Many people diagnosed with IED appear to have general problems with anger or other impulsive behaviors. They may experience racing thoughts or a heightened energy level during the aggressive episode, with fatigue and depression developing shortly afterward. Some report various physical sensations, including tightness in the chest, tingling sensations, tremor, or a feeling of pressure inside the head.

Diagnosis

A psychologist who is evaluating a patient for IED would first take a complete case history. One has to rule out head trauma, epilepsy, and other general medical conditions that may cause violent behavior. Series of psychological tests are conducted to rule out other personality disorders.

Treatment

Anger management skills through a combination of cognitive restructuring, raising endurance levels, and relaxation training looks promising. And because intermittent explosive disorder often begins in early adolescence, parents need to be vigilant in tapping aggressive symptoms in their teens. Treatment could involve medication, with the best prognosis utilising a combination of the two.

Some Tips


Better communication : Angry people tend to jump to and act on conclusions and some of those conclusions can be very inaccurate. The first thing to do if you're in a heated discussion is slow down and think through your responses.

Get away from the situation : Sometimes our immediate surroundings give us cause for irritation and fury. Problems and responsibilities can weigh on you and make you feel "trapped"; making you resentful." Give yourself a break.

Be tolerant : All you have to do to practice tolerance, accept other people as they are, not as you would like them
to be. When you are tolerant, your actions will almost always become more logical and reasonable.

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.”

Finally! It has happened!

Foods that change your mood

Have you ever experienced a day when in the morning you felt great, but after lunch, you felt down and tired? What if we told you that eating certain foods could improve your mood, provide uplifting energy and make you feel like a fresh daisy?

The key to understanding the connection between the food we eat and our mood and level of alertness, lies in knowing a little about how the brain functions. The brain communicates by chemical substances passed from one nerve cell to the next. These chemicals, called neurotransmitters, are made in the brain from the food we eat. The neurotransmitters that are most sensitive to diet and influential in affecting the mood are serotonin, nor epinephrine and dopamine.

Dopamine and nor epinephrine are alertness chemicals. When they are produced we think and react more quickly, we feel more motivated, we are more attentive and overall, we are more mentally energetic. Serotonin is a calming and relaxing chemical. When produced, feelings of stress and tension decrease.

Now that you have a better understanding of the role neurotransmitters play in brain function, let’s look at the relationship between these neurotransmitters and the foods we eat.


Foods that make you feel alert:
The best way to eat for alertness is to have meals that contain protein, are low in fat, and have carbohydrates that won’t drag you down. In the afternoon your brain’s supply of dopamine and nor epinephrine begins to wane.

When you supply the tyrosine (from eating protein), your brain will be ready to make it into more of the two alertness neurotransmitters (dopamine and nor epinephrine). Please do not avoid carbohydrates, as it is your main source of energy, especially the B group which is the energy-giving vitamin. Therefore, have a combination of complex carbohydrates, fibre (vegetables and salads) and a bit of protein. Some healthy protein-packed foods are: fish, sprouts, nuts, pulses, low fat paneer, skim or low-fat milk, low-fat yoghurt.

Lemons: The smell of lemons can induce the feeling of alertness. So, add lemon to all your food.

Apples, nachni, rajma, and broccoli: These foods contain boron, which is responsible for hand-eye co-ordination, attention and short-term memory. Boron-rich foods also maintain healthy bone and blood-sugar levels.


Foods that make you feel energetic for a longer time as they are low in glycemic index:

Low-glycemic carbohydrates: Brown rice, sweet potato, nachni, bajra, oats.

High-glycemic carbohydrates should be avoided: Sugar, white bread, rice cakes, wheat crackers, bagel, instant rice, rice, pasta.


Foods that make you smart:
Prunes — they contain twice the antioxidants of most other fruits. Antioxidant-rich diets disable reactive oxygen molecules linked to memory loss and mental deterioration. They prevent mood swings. As they are low in glycematic index, they supply energy for a longer time. They are also high in fibre, prevent constipation, maintain blood pressure levels being high in potassium and an excellent source of iron. Low iron causes fatigue. Look for California prunes as they have no sugar added.

Foods that make you feel energised:
Oranges, apples, and yoghurt — these foods are slow digesting carbohydrates and can supply a steady source of fuel for your body. Sunflower seeds contain magnesium which helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, and keeps heart rhythm steady and bones strong. It is also involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis. Just a handful of sunflower seeds will give you half of your daily magnesium needs.

Foods that make you happy:
Bananas: Bananas contain vitamin B6, which is known to build serotonin levels. They contain no fat, and are available everywhere.

Nuts: Walnuts (Kashmiri) are high in antioxidants, omega 3 fatty acids, prevent ageing, and are excellent sources of vitamin E.

Pistachios (Californian) are low in glycemic index, high in vitamin B and fibre, low in fat and maintain blood sugar levels. Almonds are high in antioxidants and vitamin E.

Dark chocolate: This treat releases pleasure-enhancing endorphins into the brain and also contains phenyl ethylamine, a stimulant associated with love. Hence, it makes you feel good. The higher the content of cocoa, the better you feel. It’s cocoa which contains the chemicals. Head for the darkest chocolate.

While all of the above will help you feel better throughout the day, there are also foods you should avoid if you find that you’re feeling sluggish more often than you’d like.

Water: At least eight glasses a day is the highest pick-me-up. Many times fatigue is related to thirst and not hunger. So, reach out for water.

Avoid large, high-fat meals. Fats stay in the stomach longer, diverting blood away from your brain, muscles, and other tissues, which in turn can make you feel sluggish for up to six hours.

Have at least one iron-rich food per day. Iron helps transport oxygen to your tissues. Good sources of iron include prunes Don’t eat too little. A low caloric intake leads to fatigue and irritation.

Watch your intake of alcohol and coffee. Alcohol is a sedative that can also cause dehydration. Coffee can pep you up in the short term, but can cause you to drop like a ton of bricks later on.

Avoid white sugar and white flour. It leeches the body of Vitamin B and calcium, causes constipation, and white sugar causes restlessness, lack of concentration and a quick feeling of fatigue.

Control that Aggression

If you have ever felt restless over not finishing something as fast or as perfect as you would have liked to.


If you frequently find fault with and criticize other people. If you perceive life’s little aggravations as personal threats. If you come unhinged just thinking about the plumber’s next visit. If you frequently feel like taking a cricket bat and breaking someone’s windshield when their car gets too close to yours, you must read on. Chances are that you belong to the Type A personality and there are also chances that you are more prone to coronary heart diseases (CHD) due to the extra tension that you put on yourself.

Type A personalities are very hurried, impatient and rigid. They become irritated by others’ differing line of thinking. Type A’s are very competitive, and tend to be tense and edgy when it comes to work. They have poor impulse control and feel that they always need to be hyperactive in something or the other. When it comes to expressing emotions they express their anger with outburst and verbal comments, display strong emotional reactions, can be unpredictable with emotional consistency, and experience negative emotions. They may let their guard down only for business prospects and meetings.

Ask yourself if you display two or more of these behavioural traits
l If you are not multitasking, you think you are wasting time?
l Do you eat fast and leave the dinner table immediately
l Does it bother you a lot to wait in line or to be seated in a restaurant?
l Do you find that you are often highly alert, mentally as well as physically?
l Do you try to control and change situations and people according to how you want them to be?
l Do you always rush to finish tasks?
l Do you find it difficult, if not impossible, to relax, even on scheduled downtime?
l Does the car-driving errors of other drivers, the indifference of other people, or the tardiness of mail delivery upset you significantly?

The Type B personality, in contrast, is patient, relaxed, and easy-going. There is also a Type AB mixed profile for people who cannot be clearly categorized and have a combination of both types of personality. They know how to react and when to retract in certain situations.

What makes a person a Type A personality?
A variety of social, biological, psychological and behavioural factors influence the development of our character. Scientists agree that a largely genetic personal chemistry, or in-born temperament, influences a person to react to its environment in ways that can be assertive or shy. Such tendencies are further influenced by experiences. The combination of inheritance and experience form an individual's characteristic way of behaving, feeling and thinking — his/her personality.

Negative Effects of Type A Behaviour:
Over the years, the type of extra stress that most ‘Type A’ people experience takes a toll on one’s health and lifestyle. The following are some of the negative effects that are common among those exhibiting TAB:

l Hypertension: High blood pressure is common among “Type A” personalities, and has been to be as much as 84% more of a risk among those with Type A characteristics..
l Heart Problems: Some experts predict that, for those exhibiting Type A personality, are more prone to heart attacks.
l Occupation Stress: ‘Type A’ people usually find themselves in stressful, demanding jobs (and sometimes the jobs create the Type A behaviour!), which lead to metabolic syndrome and other health problems.
l Social Isolation: Those with TAB often alienate others, or spend too much time on work and focus too little on relationships, putting them at risk for social isolation and the increased stress that comes with it.

Dealing with your personality
Identify what makes you stressful and uneasy. Making a list of your stressful experiences is useful. Immediately deal with the issues that you can change, for instance delegating tasks in case you are taking responsibility for everything. Trying to be king of the hill is OK so long as it remains a game. When it becomes a stressful, obsessive and competitive desire to win no matter the cost, you’ve got a problem in your personality.

We sometimes catastophize every bump along life’s highway and anticipate the worst. Don’t paralyze yourself by magnifying your fears of the unknown and the uncontrollable. Give yourself a license to be imperfect.
Put the “vacate” in your vacation. Remember to get away from the ties to your stress and work. Put companionship, laughter, reflection and freedom into the vacation plans.

Follow your grandma's advice: healthy food and a good night’s sleep, backed up with regular exercise, is nature’s best prescription to combat a stressful lifestyle. Stay away from alcohol and caffeine, which actually increase your body’s stress reaction. When it comes to exercise, 30 minutes of daily aerobic activity is best, but anything that works for you-meditation, yoga, or even just going for a walk-is a step in the right direction.

Mental imagery relaxation, or guided imagery, is a proven form of focused relaxation that helps create harmony between the mind and body. Guided imagery coaches you in creating calm, peaceful images in your mind -- a "mental escape." Identify your self-talk, that is, what you are saying to yourself about what is going on with you situation. It is important to identify negative self-talk and develop healthy, positive self-talk. By making positive affirmations, you can counteract negative thoughts and emotions.