Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Courtesy:
Fortis Hospitals

Vying for those perfect abs?

Ninety thousand rupees will fetch you a brand new six-pack. Ask Dr Mohan Thomas, a senior cosmetic surgeon and consultant at Mumbai's Breach Candy hospital.

Dr Thomas gets 20 to 30 people every month who want six-pack abs the easy way (by a surgery called injection lipolysis - see box). And a lot of men do want them the easy way, because, face it, working to get a six-pack is very hard.

But it's also apparently very desirable to have one. Blame it on luck, blame it on fate. actually, blame it on Shah Rukh Khan, who kicked off the trend less than three years ago with Om Shanti Om. And on Aamir Khan in Ghajini, Shahid Kapur in Kaminey and more recently, Imran Khan in I Hate Luv Storys.

The consensus among the people who do matter is: if you ain't got a six-pack, you ain't fit!

Fortunately, that kind of thinking is usually restricted to models and film people. "Sixty per cent of the people who come to me are aspiring models," says Dr Thomas.

"Everyone comes to Mumbai to try their luck in the world of glamour and naturally, they all want to look the best they can. I think people looked at SRK and Aamir and thought 'hey, these two went from being regular guys to being 'ripped,' so why can't I?'"

While the other 40 per cent of Dr Thomas's clientele comprises older men struggling with mid-life crises, it's primarily men in the glamour industry who are obsessed with six-packs.

"It's simple: an aspiring model who does have a six pack certainly has an edge over one who doesn't, even if the other person does have a flat, toned tummy," says Pranav Awasthi, who runs Glitz Model Management, a leading modelling agency.

"That's not to say that models don't require other skills. But at the end of the day, they're expected to be fit and today, the definition of fit includes having a six-pack."

Fashion designer Prasad Bidapa is one of those people who welcome the trend and take it seriously.

"The '50s and the '60s were the years of the prosperity paunch; the '90s were the years of the bulky macho man with huge shoulders. This decade, lean is in," he says.

Bidapa thinks that having a six-pack is a reflection of our changing perception of health and beauty. "I see it like this: sporting a designer bag with a six-pack works. Sporting a designer bag with a flabby body doesn't work. It's that simple," he laughs.

"So every model that comes to audition for me has six-packs - the serious ones have eight - and that's because the competition is so intense."

So is having a six-pack the be all and end all of making it big in the glamour world? "Unfortunately, that's exactly what the newbies feel," says Awasthi.

"But ultimately, acting skills is where the real money is because unless you become a supermodel, you're probably just one of the 10-15 guys walking the ramp."

Redefining fitness Some filmmakers believe that there's no novelty in actors having six-packs anymore. Shahid Kapur didn't flaunt his abs in Badmaash Company even though the film did have the mandatory beach scene. Director Parmeet Sethi claims that this was a conscious decision.

"Shahid Kapur has not shown his physique in my film because both of us came to the conclusion that it looked extremely pretentious, a been-there-done-that kind of a thing, you know. I mean, let's face it - Shahid's character is supposed to be your average kid from the '90s and at that time, abs were certainly not in vogue."

Sethi is point blank when airing his views about the trend. "For some strange reason, the younger generation today feels that having a six-pack somehow means you have arrived! I think actors today are competing in all the wrong areas - you know, abs, hair, dancing skills, rather than things that matter like the kind of films they do and the roles they play."

Having six-packs is not bad, he sums up. "But having only six-packs most certainly is." Punit Malhotra, the director who presents young Imran Khan in a most un-Imran Khan avatar in I Hate Luv Storys too claims that he "only wanted the actor to look fit and getting washboard abs wasn't a conscious decision at all.

But of course, by today's definition, 'fit' equals six-pack." It's a trend, not a requirement, says Malhotra, but adds, "I'm not sure if it's a healthy trend." It certainly doesn't seem very healthy. Even gym trainers warn people off it.

"Sometimes, Aamir used to shriek in pain and cry doing the stomach crunches while training for Ghajini, but he did not skip a single day," says his trainer Satya. It took Aamir 13 months of intense four-hour workout sessions daily and a carefully monitored diet regimen to achieve his look in the film.

"I'm not sure how safe that is for normal people to attempt," says Satya. The real meaty issue is the fact that at the end of the day, washboard abs are a modern-day, machine made construct (ever saw yesteryear wrestlers and even bodybuilders flaunting their six-packs?).

The odd part is that most females find them positively gross and claim that a six-pack is certainly not what they're looking for in their guy. But showbiz has its own rules - most of them made by men!

The trend

2007: Shah Rukh Khan, of all people, kicks off the trend with Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om. The actor's six-pack creates much buzz around the film.

2008: Aamir Khan follows in his footsteps and unveils a pumped up new body and a brand new six-pack for the Hindi remake of the action flick Ghajini.

2010: Imran Khan is the latest entrant on the six-pack scene in the just-released romantic comedy, I Hate Luv Storys.

Some Quotable Marriage Experiences

A good wife always forgives her husband when she's wrong.
~ Milton Berle

"There's a way of transferring funds that is even faster than
electronic banking. It's called marriage."
~ James Holt McGavran

I recently read that love is entirely a matter of chemistry. That must
be why my wife treats me like toxic waste.
~ David Bissonette

When a man steals your wife, there is no better revenge than to let
him keep her.
~ Sacha Guitry

After marriage, husband and wife become two sides of a coin, they
just can't face each other, but still they stay together.
~ Hemant Joshi

By all means marry. If you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get
a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.
~ Socrates

Woman inspires us to great things, and prevents us from achieving them.
~ Dumas

I had some words with my wife, and she had some paragraphs with me.
~ Anonymous

"Some people ask the secret of our long marriage. We take time to go
to a restaurant two times a week. A little candlelight, dinner,
soft music and dancing. She goes Tuesdays, I go Fridays."
~ Henry Youngman

"I've had bad luck with both my wives. The first one left me and the
second one didn't."
~ Patrick Murray

Two secrets to keep your marriage brimming
1. Whenever you're wrong, admit it,
2. Whenever you're right, shut up.
~ Nash

Banta & Santa Singh

Banta Singh was talking to his travel agent Santa Singh.

Banta tells Santa, " I am about ready for a vacation. Only this year, I am going to do it a little differently.

The last few years, I have been taking your advice on where to go.

Three years ago you said go to Hawaii . I went to Hawaii and my wife Gurpreet got pregnant.

Then two years ago, you told me to go to the Bahamas, and Gurpreet got pregnant again.

Last year you suggested Tahiti and Gurpreet once again got pregnant."

Santa asks Banta "So , what are you going to do this year that is different?"

Banta smiles and says, "This year I'm taking Gurpreet with me!"

Homeopathy can cure swine flu, claims practitioner

At a time the country is grappling with H1N1 virus and Tamiflu tablet is belived to be the only solution, a well-known medical
practitioner today claimed that people can have a cost-effective treatment in homeopathy for swine flu.

"The people can take some of cost-effective and clinically proved homeopathic medicines for swine flu treatment as well as prevention," Batra's Positive Clinic's chairman and managing director, Dr Mukesh Batra, said.

Batra recommends `Oscilococcinium 30' and `Influenzium 200' for swine flu prevention as well as to improve the immune system among the general public towards the flu.

"The homeopathy medicine 'Gelsemium 30' has been proved effective clinically in the treatment of swine flu in France a decade back and has been reported in the British journal of Clinical Medicine," Batra said.

Similarly, treatment for swine-flu was done in Spain during 1917-18 war period with 'Bryonia 30' and proved effective, he said.

In the case of Spanish flu, homeopathy brought mortality rate from 30 per cent to one per cent, he claimed.

SOME HEALTH TIPS TO PREVENT SWINE FLU!

SCIENTIFIC PREVENTION 0F “SWINE FLU” USING HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS

Message 1 : TO PREVENT “SWINE FLUE”.

1) Use 1 to 3% Hydrogenperoxide Solution(available in in all chemist shops)
For gargling ( 2 times in a day)
2) Inhale 3% H2O2 (Hydrogenperoxide) 3-4 times a day.
3) Wash hands frequently with 1% Hydrogenperoxide.

Message 2: TO PREVENT “SWINE FLUE”.

1) Inhale food grade Vinegar for 1 second (3-4 times a day)
2) Frequently wash hands with 1% Vinegar (Food grade)
3) Mop floor, doors, windows, tiles, toilet floor with 1% Vinegar.

Message 3: TO PREVENT “SWINE FLUE”.

1) Inhale clove oil for 1 second
2) Chew 1 clove in a day (Specially in a public meetings)

Message 4: TO PREVENT “SWINE FLUE”.

1) Eat Raw Garlic ( 0.1 gms to 0.5 gms) 2 – 3 times in a day.
2) Eat Raw Onion
3) Eat fresh raw Ginger (0.1 gms. To 0.5 gms.) 2 – 3 times in a day.

Message 4 : TO PREVENT “SWINE FLUE”.

1) Drink hot milk with 2 gms of Turmeric ( 2 -3 times in a day)

Message 5 : TO PREVENT “SWINE FLUE”.

1) Consume plenty of Vitamin ‘C’ fruits like Lemon / Amla.
2) Consume L-Lysine (Minimum 500 mg.) ( Ask your doctor for dosage).
3) Drink water about 2 – 3 liter / day.

Eating with chopsticks 'helps lose weight'

Want to shed the flab? Move over, pills and workouts. Try out an easy option. Just start eating with chopsticks it will help you lose
weight, according to a new diet book.

Losing weight has long been never been such a hot topic. And, the health complications of being overweight, include type 2 diabetes, many cancers and heart disease, many experts say.

But, according to Kimiko Barber, the author of 'In The Chopsticks Diet', "Eating with chopsticks slows you down, and so you eat less."

Moreover, when it comes to proper meals, eating with chopsticks also means taking smaller mouthfuls, which tend to get chewed better, slowing down the meal, and making it easier to digest, the book says.

It's not that it's impossible, with practice, to pick up huge gobbits of food with chopsticks, just that it's precarious and it just doesn't feel right, a newspaper reported.

Then there's the matter of sauce. Delicious though they are, most sauces are the enemy of the waistline, loaded with butter and oil. Chicken in creamy béchamel isn't on many diet plans, but at least if tackled with chopsticks much of the evil artery-clogger will stay on the plate, it says.

Dining on a plateful of risotto with chopsticks feels like trying to relocate the Sahara with a pair of tweezers.

"So, a chopstick regime will make you slow down, think about your food more, and maybe even lose weight. None of which can be a bad thing. I shall not be binning the knife and fork just yet,"

This is priceless!

A married couple in their early 60s was celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary in a quiet, romantic little restaurant.

Suddenly, a tiny yet beautiful fairy appeared on their table.

She said, 'For being such an exemplary married couple and for being loving to each other for all this time, I will grant you eac h a wish.'

The wife answered, 'Oh, I want to travel around the world with my darling husband.'

The fairy waved her magic wand and - poof! - two tickets for the Queen Mary II appeared in her hands.

The husband thought for a moment: 'Well, this is all very romantic, but an opportunity like this will never come again.

I'm sorry my love, but my wish is to have a wife 30 years younger than me.

The wife, and the fairy, were deeply disappointed, but a wish is a wish.

So the fairy waved her magic wand and poof!...the husband became 92 years old. :)


The moral of this story: Men who are ungrateful should remember fairies are female......

Drink Water on Empty Stomach

DRINK WATER ON EMPTY STOMACH It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases: Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat diseases.

METHOD OF TREATMENT 1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water 2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minute 3. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal. 4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours 5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day. 6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the s ick and others can enjoy a healthy life.

The following list gives the number of days of treatment required to cure/control/reduce main diseases: 1. High Blood Pressure (30 days) 2. Gastric (10 days) 3. Diabetes (30 days) 4. Constipation (10 days) 5. Cancer (180 days) 6. TB (90 days) 7. Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment only for 3 days in the 1st week, and from 2nd week onwards – daily. This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times.

It is better if we continue this and make this procedure as a routine work in our life. Drink Water and Stay healthy and Active.

This makes sense .. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals ...not cold water. Maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating!!! Nothing to lose, everything to gain...

For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. H owever, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion.

Once this "sludge" reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

A serious note about heart attacks: · Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting, · Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line. · You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. · Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms. · 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. · Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive...

A dash of lime

Lime has several health benefits. Here’s how a dash of it can help improve your health.

Digestion: Lime has an irresistible scent which causes the mouth to water. So, it aids primary digestion (the digestive saliva floods your mouth even before you taste it). The acids in it do the rest.

Constipation: Primarily, ample acids present in lime help clear the excretory system by washing and cleaning the tracts. The roughage in the lime also helps ease constipation. An overdose of lime juice with salt also acts as an excellent purgative without any side effects, thereby giving relief from constipation.

Peptic Ulcer: In addition to vitamin-C, lime contains special compounds called flavonoids (limonoids such as limonin glucoside) which have antioxidant, anti carcinogenic, antibiotic and detoxifying properties to help heal peptic and oral ulcers.

Respiratory disorders: The oil containing flavonoids and certain oils extracted from lime are extensively used in anti congestive medicines such as balms, vaporisers and inhalers.

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.

'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.”

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

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.”

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.