If you like to drink red wine just drink it. Don’t make up false stories about its advantages or their effect on our health. That’s beyond acceptable. Since ages we have witnessed hearsay stories and theories about the advantages of drinking red wine on our heart health. The French paradox boasts about how the people of France live a healthy life despite their indulgence in high-fat foods and wine but no research has established a cause-and-effect link between alcohol and better health. A complete briefing about the French Paradox is given in the website www.firsteatright.com. We only have few studies showing a meagre link between consuming wine and reduced risk of death due to heart disease.
Any form of alcohol is injurious to health and causes negative effects on our well-being. We do say that dark chocolate helps in weight loss or red wine improves heart health but we don’t have concrete evidences supporting such theories. Physicians question whether red wine plays a role in promoting heart health or if coincidentally its those people who drink wine are also the ones who follow a healthy Mediterranean diet or other such diets that are said to be protective for the heart. What Makes us Think Red Wine is Good for the Heart? The common theory is that red wine contains an antioxidant called resveratrol which is also found in the skin of blueberries and peanuts apart from grapes-the main ingredient to prepare the wine. Antioxidants are substances that help in preventing or delaying cell damage and we have studies showing that resveratrol helps in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure levels-some of the contributing factors for heart disease in people. Let’s assume that this antioxidant protects the heart but even if does, how much of it is needed to perform this function? According to research we need to consume way above recommended levels (suggested levels include one drink in the case of females and 1-2 drinks in the case of males) of red wine to reap the benefits of heart health. Surprisingly, we do have studies showcasing the goodness of alcohol consumption in terms of raising good HDL cholesterol levels and decreasing risk of increased blood sugar levels. But our people don’t have the habit of stopping with 1-2 drinks but continue until they are ready to pass out. Such excessive indulgence increases the risk of obesity, liver damage, cancer, stroke and unwanted problems with the heart. Alcohol-related heart troubles are extremely bad as they increase blood pressure levels and promote arrhythmias, cause cardiomyopathy or result in heart failure. Contrarily, showing that moderate consumption of alcohol improves heart health is not an easy task as we need to monitor various factors such as gender, age, cardiovascular risk and diet, follow up on the participants for quite a long time and test between different alcohols such as the red wine, white wine, spirit and beer. So, we are good with two things: Firstly, there are no clear studies proving the positive effects of alcohol on heart health and secondly, if you wish to drink despite inconclusive results please do so in moderation to avoid harmful effects on health. If you are about to eat a mouthful of the delicious two-egg omelette its better to revisit your eating habits. According to me, eggs have joined the parade of coffee and tea-food items that spring up with some news either supporting or denying their advantages. Eggs have been everyone’s best friend since time immemorial due to their valuable properties-inexpensive, extremely healthy and easily available. Most of our days are incomplete without the oval-shaped attendee at the breakfast table. Until now, maximum studies have seconded the consumption of eggs as their benefits outweigh disadvantages but now, we have got a latest study that puts away all of these results to shreds.
Three or More, Your Cholesterol Numbers May go Sore Are you someone who eats more than three eggs a week? Then this study is definitely for you! The latest large-scale study published in the renowned journal JAMA proves something beyond doubt-we need to consume eggs in moderation. The focus of this study was mainly on the cholesterol content of eggs, especially the yolks that exist as the best sources of dietary cholesterol. One yolk provides an equivalent of 186 milligrams of dietary cholesterol. We’ve been debating for decades whether eggs are good for consumption in individuals with heart problems, those at an increased risk of cholesterol or in obese/overweight people. There have also been many issues surrounding the dietary cholesterol in eggs and their link to cardiovascular disease and death. There have been studies and research results previously stating that eating eggs did not raise the risk of cardiovascular disease and maybe its time to reconsider results. The latest study looked at the information of more than 29,000 people who were followed-up for up to 31 years with an average follow-up period of 17.5 years. During this period there were about 5,400 cases of cardiovascular mishaps and 6,132 cases of deaths due to different causes. Each of the participants were asked to fill up a questionnaire regarding their diet history and were probed into their eating habits during the previous month or even year. This questionnaire remained as the backbone of the study and this could be a limitation as there were no follow-ups on the eating habits and we have got aplenty chances that any of the participants could have changed their diet. Study results showed that consuming around 300 milligrams of dietary fiber was associated with a 17% increased risk of cardiovascular disease and an 18% increased risk of all-cause deaths. Cholesterol remained the top-contributing factor unallied of fat consumption. Also, greater the egg consumption higher the risk of heart health. Eating 3-4 eggs every week increased the risk of cardiovascular disease by 6% and the risk of any other cause of death by 8%. A Yes or a No? So, the question still remains whether we are allowed to eat an egg a day or not. Eggs contain a generous amount of cholesterol and health experts recommend eating less than one egg a day as we tend to include other foods such as breads too that contain eggs and eat processed meats regularly that makes the situation worse. This was only an observational study but we should also not forget the fact that it was a large-scale one followed up on a long-term basis. One thing is extremely clear-limit the intake of cholesterol-rich foods for better heart health. Keep your cholesterol levels low by consuming less of foods such as eggs and red meat but never take the numbers to zero as these foods are integral for good health (they are healthy sources of iron, choline and amino acids). Eggs are nutritious and we stay healthy by consuming a balanced proportion of nutrients. If you are going to eliminate eggs from your diet you are committing a blunder. If you are unable to examine your requirements and fix upon the number of eggs that can be consumed per week it is better to get in touch with reputed dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com. These experts are sure to set your calorie targets, LDL and HDL levels, exercise routines and nutrients intake depending on your body needs and health conditions. They also guide you on the right way to go about cooking them to obtain as much nutrition as possible. Please don’t succumb to hasty decisions regarding these golden treasures. A moody woman is a dangerous woman! You might not know what could irritate or trigger her anger and pent up emotions to explode. While any woman can act this way almost every woman undergoes these roller coaster ride of emotions every month before her menstruation begins. In this regard, we must appreciate every woman for moving on with everyday life despite various hormones playing tricks on her mental and physical well-being every time before the dreaded 3-day cycle and also every man for bearing up with all the tantrums thrown by his beloved queen!
It isn’t weird when we claim that women sometimes go into the self-destruct mode every month when she awaits her periods. We call it self-destruction because she troubles herself with suicidal thoughts, mood swings, hopelessness and anxiety all of which are symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a very severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMDD PMDD is the severe form of PMS that interrupts the woman’s ability to stay calm. It happens in 5-8% of the female gender causing extreme physical and emotional symptoms during every month a week or two before periods start. Known as severe PMS worldwide change in hormonal levels can cause physical distress. Though we are not sure of the cause behind PMDD until now its been assumed that hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle may play a role besides serotonin, a brain chemical. Its no deal that serotonin levels keep changing throughout the menstrual cycle but the difference comes in because some women are more sensitive to these changes. Such changes in sensitivity alter brain chemicals and neurologic pathway that control mood and well-being. Often, women with PMDD are misdiagnosed as there are no specific tests to prove the presence of the disorder. Sometimes they remain undiagnosed while some other times they are overdiagnosed even branding them to be suffering from bipolar disorder. Physicians make the diagnosis purely based on the type and timing of the symptom. Symptoms To be declared to be suffering from PMDD the woman should display symptoms including feeling extremely irritated or angry, very down or depressed, feeling very anxious, stressed or tense, or avoiding performing your regular day-to-day activities. Facing difficulties in concentration, feeling exhausted and tired, sleeping profusely (sometimes even for 15-18 hours), feeling overwhelmed, binge eating, craving for a specific food or experiencing breast tenderness, weight gain and bloating are common. If you experience these symptoms any time of the month without sticking to the two-week time frame then you are suffering from some other disorder that needs attention. Though an endocrine disorder, PMDD has recently been added to the list of mental health problems due to its different symptoms such as depression and suicidal feelings. Treatment Antidepressants are generally prescribed besides birth control pills for controlling mood fluctuations and hormonal changes. Physical pain in the form of joint pain, cramps, breast tenderness and headaches are resolved using over-the-counter pain killers. Women are also advised to take up stress management tips, involve in relaxation techniques and engage in activities that interest them to minimise their pain. Besides these, lifestyle changes do help the individual cope up with PMDD symptoms in a better way:
One good thing about weight gain is that it does not differentiate between people based on their age, sex, caste, creed or religion. It clings onto anyone who is inactive, eats unhealthy food and doesn’t exercise. A 4-year-old kid as well as an 80-year-old adult is obese these days and such inclusions in obesity statistics irrespective of the person’s age can be contributed towards changing eating trends, food habits and lifestyles. Unhealthy weight gain anytime is not advisable as it brings about a number of side effects and its even more concerning when it happens after 40 years-that’s because each of us are blessed with different basal metabolic rates that decrease with age. Even if your metabolism was high during 20s and 30s ageing can slow down the process automatically and this can increase chances of weight gain as the ability to lose weight quickly or slowly depends on the metabolic rate of our body. Moreover, our activity levels decrease, we remain sedentary for a greater time but stick to same portion sizes all of which bring down our capability to lose weight faster. That’s the reason why health experts, nutritionists and dietitians always advice individuals, especially women to regain normal body weight before the age of 40. Women are given the extra attention here as they have to go through an extra phase called ‘menopause’ that puts them through a roller coaster of hormonal changes increasing weight gain chances as well unless the woman forces herself to take extra precautions to maintain her health.
Even if you set aside all of the above factors, we have yet another reason now to eliminate excess weight before the age of 40-to avoid the risk of cancer. It’s a long-established fact obesity/overweight increases the risk of several types of cancer but there has not been much focus on the degree, timing and duration of overweight/obesity in relation to cancer risk. An International study in Norway focused on these specifically by using data of more than 2,00,000 individuals from the Me-Can study. Each of the individuals were followed for at least 18 years during which more than 27,000 adults were diagnosed with cancer among whom 9761 (35%) were obesity-related. It was discovered that participants with a BMI >30 (classified as obese) at the first and second health examination were at the highest risk of developing obesity-related cancer compared to others. Obesity-related cancer includes 70% increased risk of endometrial cancer, 58% increased risk of male renal-cell cancer, 29% for male colon cancer and 15% risk for all obesity-related cancers. Again, men were at a higher risk (64%) than women (48%) for any of the obesity-related cancer types. Avoiding weight gain at any age has now become a top priority to avoid debilitating health conditions later in life. Below 40 years and suffering from obesity/overweight problems? Then its better to immediately get in touch with reputed dietitians and nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com to lose weight and protect yourself from cancer risk. Coffee might be the staple drink of South Indians and tea might be preferred by North Indians but our unity in diversity has spread its root in all domains of life-including the passion for tasting different beverages and eating various cuisines. We have heard enough about the benefits and disadvantages associated with consumption of both these beverages-there has been a whirlwind of thoughts and research results penned down that have confused us more strongly than ever. So, are coffee and tea good for the health or not? This question still lingers within each of us. Before we have reached upon a conclusion regarding this our food experts and over-enthusiastic manufacturers have showered upon us various tea varieties that are now becoming the latest passion for tea lovers! You’ve got multiple aisles in the supermarket shelves stocked with your regular tea dust, tea leaves and various other tea varieties that use color-coded names such as white, green and black with blue tea being the latest addition to the list.
Worldwide, people have been till date enjoying the relaxing and exhilarating qualities of tea. There is no other relief than drinking a hot cup of tea on a cold winter day. Some people look forward to drinking a cup of tea more to coffee as they don’t have quite the negative perception with tea as they have with coffee due to its excess presence of caffeine. Many even wake up to the freshly brewed smell of tea and some others call it a good morning only when they have their first cup of tea! The ‘chai wala’ sets his shop at early morning hours even during freezing winter months to make his daily living in Northern parts of India and an energetic tea vendor handing over cups of tea in a crowded train is a common sight there. But now, along with normal tea there have been some who even sell green tea for the health-conscious Indians! A couple of decades back, black tea shot into fame for its lesser calories but now green might be the new black! Tea Reigning Supremacy Tea is gaining solid grounds worldwide and even coffee shops have started putting down elaborate tea menus to attract attention. One of the critical causes for this is the health benefits associated with it. Green and black tea have almost more than 8 times the quantity of antioxidants present in fruits and vegetables. Though coming from the same tea plant, Camellia sinensis, each of them has its own uniqueness mostly differing on the way its processed. With the weight loss craze and the race to a glowing skin marketing people have commercialised green and black tea consumption to such an extent that these are fighting for a top spot among the most-preferred food list. Each of us have our opinions on different foods and choose them depending on our requirements and taste buds. When it comes to choosing between black or green tea the judgement has mostly been made based on personal opinions and taste requirements rather than understanding the scientific process behind it. Lets explore the world of green and black tea coming to conclusions based on their pros and cons. Green Tea From plucking the leaves to boiling them in your tea pot the tea leaves become more and more darker due to oxidisation and this darkening effect is minimized for green tea. Whereas, for black tea the leaves are fermented going through oxidation process. This lack of fermentation makes green tea extremely rich in EGCG (epigallactocatechin gallate), an excellent antioxidant that’s sought after for staving off cancer, cardiovascular risk and more. The lack of oxidation also makes it richer in polyphenols. A study by researchers showed that individuals drinking an EGCG-containing drink experienced increased brain activity, focus and attention comparatively. The study also proposed that it can nurture a relaxed state of mind (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-00398-1). Green tea also claims of weight loss but evidence of significant weight loss is not encouraging and neither does it support maintenance of weight loss that’s already been achieved. Contrary to hypes, its been proved that green tea catechins have no effects on HDL cholesterol, triglyceride levels or C-reactive proteins. Black Tea In general, all tea leaves that come from the Camellia plant brim with polyphenols, a type of antioxidant. But the EGCG in black tea is destroyed during the fermentation process making green tea without doubt the best in terms of antioxidant property compared to black tea. At the same time, black tea is rich in theaflavins, a group of antioxidants, that are unique to it. These antioxidants have the ability to protect fat cells from damage by free radicals and also support’s body’s antioxidant properties. There are even theories proposed that theaflavin might protect heart and blood vessels, help in obesity management and reduce cholesterol and glucose levels. A systemic review shows that while black tea did not reduce risk of endometrial cancer increasing green tea consumption by one cup a day reduced the relative risk by 11% (https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/06/upshot/what-the-evidence-tells-us-about-tea.html). Likewise, green tea and not black tea was linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer. Trials show that green and black tea reduce overall cardiovascular risk factors such as LDL levels and blood pressure levels. But it was also observed that people who drank either varieties were different from those who did not drink but what remains a mystery is whether it’s the effect of drinking tea or something else that lowers their risk of heart disease. Don’t rush into a hurry and choose a whole lot of green or black tea packets. Both have their own benefits. If you are looking for a caffeine boost, it is better to choose black tea but if you are sensitive to this stimulant green tea is the best pick for you. Both the varieties almost provide the same set of benefits despite green tea containing more powerful antioxidants. There is no harm in drinking 2-3 cups of any tea variety during the day but drink them in moderation. But many of the studies produce the desired effects only when we drink more than 10 cups of green/black tea daily. If you are going to heap them with spoonful of sugar during every drink then nothing can stop your body from becoming unhealthy. Green tea might be your preferred choice during afternoon breaks as it is less acidic, washes off acidic waste and also creates a detoxifying effect that gives you bright skin and strong immunity. Green tea is the second-most consumed beverage in the world only after water and we hope that we have every chance of using its properties to our advantage in the field of medicine to combat obesity, insulin resistance and memory impairment. Black tea could be the go-to beverage during morning hours as it gives you an extra dose of caffeine to make you energetic and start the day on a brighter note. References Green Tea Compounds May Protect Body & Brain: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2017/07/31/green-tea-compound-may-protect-body-and-brain/#3dace4f71c3b Flavonoids: The Secret to Health Benefits of Drinking Black and Green Tea? https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/brewing-evidence-for-teas-heart-benefits Green is the New Black: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2005/jun/07/foodanddrink.shopping Green Tea Vs Black Tea: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/diet/green-tea-vs-black-tea/articleshow/44753623.cms Maybe just like how heart attacks are to men strokes are to women. Men are the predominant victims of heart attacks and women who fight for equality might not find it so pleasurable to realize that stroke kills a greater number of women than men and more women have stroke than men. Statistics show that almost one in five women have stroke. Such high numbers are not due to her lifestyle or hormones but mainly because of risk factors of stroke that include pregnancy, preeclampsia, hormone replacement therapy, migraine with aura, birth control pills and atrial fibrillation. Stroke doesn’t ring a precautionary bell before striking and what’s more dangerous is that women experience different stroke symptoms that replicate common symptoms and this includes pain, seizures, hiccups, hallucination, nausea, vomiting, confusion, shortness of breath, general weakness, agitation and sudden change in behaviour.
Uncommon symptoms make stroke in women difficult to diagnose resulting in delayed treatment. Any delays beyond 5 hours after the first symptom occurs makes it very difficult for the treatment to be effective. We now have new research giving women yet another factor to worry-they benefit less from a surgery that’s primarily used to treat carotid artery disease, a key risk factor for stroke. Carotid Stenosis Carotid artery disease, also called as carotid stenosis contains fatty deposits called plaque that build up inside the neck arteries thereby increasing stroke risk. Physicians perform a surgery to remove fatty deposits by a procedure called endarterectomy. Researchers found that in those participants who had a risk for plaque build up endarterectomy proved to be more useful in men as the risk of stroke was only 8.9% in men compared to 11.1% in women. The study was conducted on more than 31,000 people aged over 65 years suffering from carotid artery disease-a condition that’s responsible for almost 15% of all ischemic strokes. Ageing, smoking, high BP, high cholesterol, diabetes and sedentariness increase the risk of carotid artery disease. The very presence of plaque doesn’t increase the risk immediately but when fatty deposits fill more than 70% of carotid arteries there is a chance of stroke within five years. Until the blockage becomes severe needing surgery medications to control risk factors are given. The best way to save yourself from all the complications of stroke and its effect is to lead a healthy lifestyle by practising the following:
Nimbu pani, fresh lime soda, cocktails, colorful mocktails, exotic ice creams and juices are naturally present throughout the city during summer months to provide some relief from the scorching sun. Caps, sunscreens and bottled water become essentials to provide relief from high temperature and outdoor activities. We go for a glass of water, especially cold water, every now and then to quench our thirst and safeguard us from dehydration that can happen anytime during summer owing to excess water loss from the body in the form of sweat.
Winter wrecks your system in quite other ways-leaves your skin dull and parched and your body becomes dehydrated. Yes! Dehydration is not a condition that’s monopolized by summer but is a significant health concern during cold winter months as well. While we at least attempt to drink some water during summer the lack of thirst prevents us from sipping water even through an entire day during cold months creating greater concerns for us. Environmental humidity plays a critical role and central heating systems cause drier environments that lead to greater water loss that’s caused simply by the act of breathing. The lack of sweat tricks us into believing that we are replenished with enough water but what we don’t realize is that during winter months sweat evaporates much quickly in the cold, dry air that can lead to dehydration. We tend to wear heavier jackets, sweaters and other clothing to keep us warm but the added weight produces more sweat leading to fluid loss. Surprisingly, colder the place higher is the water consumption required to compensate for the water vapour lost from the body. Another important contributor to water loss is increased water expelled out of the body in the form of urine. We keep forgetting the frequent visits to the restroom that’s made during the cold winter months that contribute to increase in dehydration risks. For us, sweat is the only indication of water loss. Maybe its time now to reverse this opinion and consider all other options too that trigger water loss from our body. Eviction of Dehydration Increased water loss in comparison to water consumption leads to dehydration. We don’t stop exercising during winter but lack of sweat prevents us from drinking water voluntarily after workout. We are likelier to drink hot beverages such as coffee and tea but neglect water consumption fearing its chillness or absence of thirst. But we need to realize that mild dehydration can impair functioning of cells lining blood vessels as much as smoking a cigar, lead to kidney stones, UTI and chronic kidney disease. While mild or moderate dehydration can be reversed by drinking more fluids severe dehydration needs medical attention. Know more about the debilitating health effects of dehydration by visiting the website www.firsteatright.com. On an average, women need around 2.5-3 litres of water while men need around 3.5-4 litres of water per day. Fruits and vegetables are good sources of water and hence it is recommended to eat them during any time of the year for health and hydration. Irrespective of the season, set a water goal for yourself and work towards achieving it. If cold water hurts you slightly warm it up and drink. You can also go for hot beverages such as green tea, cinnamon tea and homemade smoothies to elevate water consumption in an interesting way. Prepare healthy warm soups and drink them to boost your spirits, energy and soothe your throat as well. Ensure to drink enough water after exercising to replenish lost water stores. Keep hold of a water bottle that stays with you all through the day and sip it every now and then. The little growing bundle of joy inside the mother’s womb is smarter than we imagine. During my pregnancy, I was overwhelmed with happiness and got an array of books, play things and more to engage my growing fetus inside my belly. Evenings were dedicated to hearing soothing music, taking a walk; mornings involved chatting with my little one who was growing steadily and bedtimes included reading a favorite bedtime story (of mine of course!). The baby even moved positions when I tickled him/her for fun. Researchers studying fetal development say that the stimuli received by the fetus in the womb prepares the baby steadily for the outside world. We are also presented with a list of stimuli that a fetus would love to get at the right time during development. While this is happening, using a headphone could definitely impact the growing fetus. Rather talk to you baby, play its favorite music, sing a song or narrate brave stories which would definitely ring a bell in the child’s mind once it comes out.
Though a baby’s hearing skills are intact by third trimester studies show that babies can hear sounds right from the 20th week of pregnancy which is why the pregnant lady is suggested against hearing loud voices. Extreme blaring sound can change the heart rate and movement with some even causing the fetus to empty the bladder. Besides external factors there are plenty other internal factors such as movement of blood, thumping of the heart and your very own voice that could be heard above normal rates. Besides all these, noises from outside though they might sound muffled, can also be clearly conveyed to the fetus inside. Usually, a man’s voice is more clearly heard than a woman’s voice and music is embraced. There are even studies showing that babies after birth feel safest when they hear stories and music that were once audible to them when residing inside the mother’s womb. Such stimulations help the child become more attentive and involved. Every trimester helps the baby grow a little more and by the second trimester even before the baby’s eyes can see images it can detect light. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have found that simple cells talk to one another as part of an interconnected network which provides the retina with more light sensitivity than once imagined. It also increases the influence of light on behaviour and brain development in multitudinous ways. As the eyes are developing 3% of ganglion cells (cells in the retina that deliver message through optic nerve to the brain) are sensitive to light. Till date, there are six different subtypes that communicate with various places in the brain. Some tune our internal clocks to the right day-night cycle and some others send signals to that area of the pupil that constrict in bright light. Some others are linked to those areas that regulate mood and the amygdala that regulates emotions. Certain foods too are proposed to elevate mood and for a complete list of them please visit www.firsteatright.com. Retinal Ganglion Cells Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) were discovered more than a decade back. Scientists assumed that mouse, pups and human fetus were blind at the time of development. According to the researchers, the ganglion cells were there in the eye connected to the brain but not much connected to the rest of the retina. But now its been seen that they are connected to each other. The researchers could see that six types of ipRGCs in the newborn mouse link up electrically via gap junctions to form a retinal network that helps not only in detecting light but also responds to the intensity of light. Fetus can detect light changes and hear you out even before you realize that. Talk good things and don’t expose yourself to hazardous lights and reactions that could affect the developing fetus. Every day brings about new challenges in life which each of us face with great determination. Why do we need to complicate our lives even more by bringing upon problems to our health as well in terms of increased risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other health problems due to increase in weight? There are even research studies showing that Alzheimer’s might also be the outcome of increased obesity rates and sedentary lifestyle. Our food habits and eating practices have taken a 360-degree turn for the worse. We might call our diets modern but the foods that we eat now are capable of packing the entire calorie content of a full meal into a small volume-for instance, a giant soda or a brownie might look small in size but the calorie content is extremely high. Eating a single portion of such foods can shoot up total calorie intake leading toe excess weight gain and higher obesity risk-which in turn lands the person in innumerable health problems in life.
Our diet trends have taken a giant leap for the worse in the last couple of decades-we have got 24-hour coffee shops offering cream-filled cappuccino, burgers and fries and processed foods available anytime during the day or night-all of these foods are ridiculously high in sugar, fats and sodium which not only increase calories consumed but also affects your health. How do we differentiate between tasty and bland foods? Why does our brain always choose high-calorie foods? Taste buds in our tongue are one reason. But how is it that even 5-year-old kids love the smell of noodles and drool over French fries? Brain centres that control the desire to eat substantially also influence our food consumption and the dopamine reward system is one such brain centre-for instance, you feel full after eating a meal outside but still crave for an ice cream for dessert because of the dopamine reward system. The desire to eat overrides the need to eat thus contributing towards obesity. A new study on the pleasure centres in the brain shows that these centres that produce dopamine and the brain’s biological clock that regulate daily physiological rhythm are linked and that high-calorie foods (that trigger pleasure) obstruct regular feeding schedules resulting in overconsumption. The research was done on a group of mice-the group that was fed a diet comparable to a wild diet in calories maintained normal weight and exercise schedules. But those mice that were fed a high-calorie diet full of fats and sugar snacked at all hours and became obese. Also, another set of mice that had their dopamine signalling disrupted (knockout mice) did not seek the pleasure of the high-fat diet despite being presented with high-calorie foods all through the day. The dopamine signalling in the body regulates circadian biology increasing the consumption of energy-dense foods between meals. Mankind started life as hunter-gatherers seeking food, shelter and protecting themselves from animals eating food whenever available storing all the energy they could. But now food is readily available anytime and anywhere. Also, our body that was used to regular day-night schedules nowadays no more follows appropriate sleep, work or meal timings due to difference in job requirements that alter our metabolism. All of this affect our intake levels and weight changes greatly. Read more about circadian rhythm and its effects on our body health by visiting the website www.firsteatright.com. Contagious has been a term always associated with disease-cold, measles and strep throat are highly contagious and often in a classroom or at work we start sneezing in course of time when we have a friend/colleague suffering from a bad cold. That’s because these diseases spread easily via physical contact (Even touching or hugging) or when a person sneezes or coughs. But there are other infections and diseases such as Psoriasis and Poison ivy that seem to look bad but this doesn’t imply that they are contagious as well. Seeing a poison ivy rash might make your hands scratch but technically it does not spread even if you touch the patient’s rash or fluid that oozes out of it. But are diseases the only contagious things in this world? Absolutely not! You are in for a surprise when you look at the list of things that can spread from one person to the other and it is definitely not restricted to germs. Emotions make us humane and every person has a different emotional quotient that defines him/her. In a wedding or a party there is an air of festivity, cheer, laughter and goodness whereas people seem concerned, bereaving and dull when one of their closed relatives/friends is ill or dying. These are common emotions that are shared based on circumstances but moods and behaviours too spread from person to person. It does strike many of us that yawning is something that often causes a ripple effect on people when one person starts to yawn. But there are other things that cause a similar effect and even research shows that traits and choices of our loved ones or friends of our dear ones can affect us. Cascade of Emotions Causing A Ripple Effect Among Individuals Happiness is indeed contagious. You automatically become happy when you are surrounded by a group of happy people who talk animatedly, sing, laugh and dance. As per a study conducted by researchers at Harvard and University of California happiness effect can be measured up to three degrees. A study on 5000 individuals showed that when one person is happy his/her friend living within 1.5 kilometres is 25% likelier to feel happy while neighbours are 34% likelier to feel happy. Though extra income or pocket money boosted happiness by 2% it was ultimately not good enough to surpass the joys of having a happy friend around who can boost your good feelings by as much as 10%. Laughing and smiling too are reciprocated. Join a laughter class and you are sure to start laughing amidst a group of people who treat laughter as an exercise. Simply too, when we hear someone laughing our brain responds to it by provoking laughter in us even when we did not hear the joke. “Smile, and the world smiles with you”. Research shows that being with people who smile makes us try the facial expression automatically. Stressed out? Maybe your friend too might feel the same in a while. Watching someone handle stress (even on the television screen) makes you feel stressed out yourself. Our brains can detect stress in others and hence, triggers a cascade of our own stress hormones. Positive and negative feelings are extremely contagious. Be positive with a promising outlook and I am sure that this doesn’t stop benefitting you but also spreads to your friend, friend’s friend and so on. At the same time, spending your valuable time with someone who always focuses on the negative aspects of life makes you feel the same and you start feeling exhausted and follow the same path as your negative-minded friend. A study conducted in the University of Notre Dame showed that first year students randomly paired with students who were highly prone to brooding were likely to catch their ‘negative’ style thinking in a short span of three months. This brings us to the important point of how people around us affect our thoughts, actions and outcomes. It is essential that you choose or stay with those people who increase your positive feelings and bring out your best in life. Feeling cold? Research shows that looking at you might make someone else feel the same way. A study made participants watch two videos-in the first video someone’s hand was getting dipped in cold water and in the second video hands were dipped in warm water. After watching the video of cold water, the participants felt cold themselves and hence, it was proved without doubt that when you see someone shivering in front of you there is every possibility that you might end up feeling cold too. But feeling warm did not evoke the same feelings in any of the participants. Gambling, smoking or even envy can be passed onto others easily. Seeing someone take big risks with betting lifts our spirits too making us bet high-risk ones too. Likewise, seeing your friend purchase a new pair of shoes or clothes makes you wish for one too. A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that people desired an object more if someone else wanted it too and the basis of this is none other than envy. Smoking too is contagious. We feel like taking a puff when someone smokes and quitting smoking too has the same ripple effect. Studies confirm that quitting smoking made friends and family members 36% less likely to smoke. We are living in a world that significantly affects our emotions and well-being despite constant efforts from our end to ignore them. This is true unless and until the individual has no emotions or feelings for people around him/her. Hence, it depends on us entirely to distance ourselves from negative people, become friends with positive and happy people and spread happiness and optimism wherever we are. References Surprising Things that are Contagious: https://www.readersdigest.co.in/health-wellness/story-surprising-things-that-are-contagious-124253 7 Things that are Contagious and you had No Clue About: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/7-surprising-things-that-are-contagious-and-you-had-no-clue-about-it/photostory/66649130.cms?picid=66937732 7 Behaviours that are Actually Contagious, According to Science: https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/contagious-behaviors_n_56f400d7e4b04c4c37616ff4?ri18n=true 12 Things that you think are Contagious but Aren’t: https://www.rd.com/health/things-that-arent-contagious/ Staying fat throughout one’s existence is an altogether different story which is now becoming a regularity but it’s generally perceived that individuals start gaining fat and losing lean muscle once they cross middle age. That’s probably because they eat the same portion size but the major difference comes in the form of decreased activity and exercise, especially once they pass 50s. As we grow old, there are a number of factors affecting our cognitive skills for which researchers have also come up with equally strong solutions in the form of board games, puzzles and exercises to counter the side effects. But now, a latest study has found one factor that could negatively affect cognition during older age.
A group of researchers have discovered that less muscle and more body fat might affect our cognitive capabilities as we grow old-and changes in the immune system could also be a partial reason for this. The study was conducted on more than 4,000 men and women, middle-aged and above, whose measurements of abdominal fat, lean muscle mass and subcutaneous fat showed that higher amounts of fat in the mid-section paved way for worse fluid intelligence as they grow old (in this study it was after 6 years of study). Fluid intelligence is the thinking, problem solving and reasoning capability of the individual in unexperienced situations irrespective of the knowledge acquired by the person. So, higher abdominal fat led to lower fluid intelligence whereas more muscle mass was protective against such decline. It is to be noted that, muscle mass had a stronger effect than body fat which is encouraging. We all grow old which is an irreversible process-our chronological age! But our biological age is in our hands-they reveal how old our cells really are and hence, stand as a real indication to our real age. Here, the biological age is the amount of fat and muscles which depict our ageing nature. It is seen that chronological age doesn’t impact our fluid intelligence over time but it’s the biological age that sure does. In the study here, in the case of women, the connection between more abdominal fat and worse fluid intelligence was explained by changes in two types of white blood cells-lymphocytes and eosinophils and in men, it was basophils that explained for half of the fat and fluid intelligence link. We have studies reporting that higher BMI causes more immune system activity in the blood which in turn activates the immune system in the brain disrupting cognitive capability. But researchers in this study found that the immune system was not involved in any way in the protective effect of higher muscle mass. What is still a concern is whether the same body fat that decreases fluid intelligence could increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Irrespective of this, it is always recommended to stay active, eat right and be fit. It is not that fitness is measurable only in terms of gym exercise or aerobics. The grocery you carry from the shop, activities you do at home, the walk from the parking lot to your house and taking the stairs also account towards increased cognitive functioning. But any time, brisk walking always has its benefits-its free, easy and achievable. Benefits of walking is not restricted to weight loss but has a host of other benefits as well, all of which are described in detail at www.firsteatright.com. Don’t miss your workout and your nutritious eating schedules for anything as this would keep you hale and healthy for a longer period. You are forced to pick and choose from different problems surrounding you that hold top priority in your life that sperm health remains the last concern in the minds of most men in today’s world. But if you ask me why this sudden interest in one of the least publicly discussed topics, a recent study shows the blatant truth behind reproduction-average sperm count has decreased by 59% in the past 40 years that United States’ national public health institute states that its something to do with a male factor in about 35% of couples with infertility.
A drop in fertility rates and rise in assisted reproductive technology has become extremely prominent in the last few decades which coincides with the increased use of technology. Some say decrease in sperm count is probably due to frequent use of laptops which men rest on the lap while some others blame it on the heat generated by our dear most smartphones that go with men everywhere cosily sitting in the pant pocket. There might be truth to this but laptops have become our means of survival and smartphones have become inseparable. There is always one thing that could be changed by us and its our food habits and lifestyle. Obesity rates are high and its been shown that obesity is a likely factor for decrease in sperm count and quality. We are not in short of news and studies that show that consuming certain foods harms sperm health but at the same time it is also possible to improve sperm quality by consuming certain other foods as well. By telling that sperms influence diet I mean to convey that there is an immediate if not instant effect following the consumption of certain foods. This is the result of a new study published in the PLOS journal that researched on healthy young men who were fed a diet rich in sugar. Sperm quality can be affected owing to various environmental and lifestyle factors including obesity and type 2 diabetes, both of which have pronounced effect, and the new study involved physical properties or levels of gene expression changing while the genetic material, the DNA sequence, remains unchanged. If you are surprised by the fact that type 2 diabetes affects sperm health please visit the website www.firsteatright.com for authentic research and study proofs backing it. We already have study showing that fruit flies which consumed excess sugar just before mating produced overweight offspring and other studies have shown that small fragments of RNA known as tRNA play a role in these epigenetic phenomena that appear in the next generation. The new study wanted to test whether increased consumption of sugar had effect on the RNA fragments of human sperm. The study included 15 non-smoking young men who were given a diet based on Nordic Nutrition Recommendations with the only exception that during the second week each participant was given a diet containing excess sugar in some form, a drink or some confectionary. Sperm quality was analysed at the start of the study, after the first week (consumed a healthy diet) and after the second week (participants consumed large amounts of sugar). 1/3rd participants had lower sperm motility at the beginning of the study and in due time motility rates of all participants became normal. The RNA fragments that are linked to sperm motility also changed. Eating the right foods, choosing a well-balanced diet, leading an active lifestyle and being stress-free are ways to improved health and better sperm quality. Being unique is commendable but none of us like to be abnormal. While we love to achieve rare feats none of us like to take pride in owning rare diseases. Every country has a specific definition for rare disease quoting it to be rare based on the number of individuals in a population suffering from the problem. Most rare diseases are genetic and appear during early stages of life. The Global Genes organization of the US has declared that there are more than 300 million people suffering from one of the 7,000 diseases that has been declared ‘rare’ in the United States. There are a number of rare diseases enumerated at www.firsteatright.com which can be helpful for those interested.
Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) PBC is a chronic progressive liver disorder mostly affecting women in their middle age. Though considered as a rare disease it is the most common chronic cholestatic liver disease in adult women as 1 in 1000 women above the age of 40 suffer from PBC. PBC is the destruction of the bile duct in the liver leading to the formation of scar tissues within the liver that results in affecting the liver’s functioning capability. Our liver produces bile and this fluid travels via these ducts into the small intestine where it helps in the digestion of fat and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K). When this duct is destroyed there is a build-up of the fluid in the liver contributing to inflammation and scarring (fibrosis). This finally leads to cirrhosis as scar tissue replaces healthy liver tissue impairing normal liver functioning and ultimately liver failure. PBC is divided into four stages with stage 1 being early disease (there is no prominent scarring) to stage 4 (presented with cirrhosis). While the exact root cause behind the disease remains unknown its assumed to be due to a combination of factors such as genetic, autoimmune and environmental factors. Almost 95% of people with PBC produce antibodies that act upon the body’s own mitochondria. Symptoms PBC is a disease that progresses slowly over time and not many people realize its presence until they are diagnosed by chance. Sometimes, it can even take as long as 20 years for the symptoms to appear but advancements in medical field helps in slowing the progress of the disease thereby extending your quality of life. Common symptoms of PBC include:
Treatment PBC might even initiate the occurrence of other autoimmune diseases such as thyroid disease, Sjogren’s disease (causes dry eyes and mouth) and celiac disease (allergy to gluten affects the small intestine). While there is no cure for PBC the use of various medications can minimize the progression of the disease to enable the patient to live a better quality of life. It was in 2004 that the drug ursodiol (Urso) also called as ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) was approved by the FDA for treating PBC as the drug helps the bile in moving through the liver into the small intestine. In 2016, another drug called obeticholic acid (Ocaliva) was approved to treat PBC in adults alongside UDCA to treat those whose response for UDCA was not appreciable. Certain other medications and fibrates are used to decrease symptoms such as itching, fat malabsorption and portal hypertension. Office might be your second home but indeed it’s got its share of restrictions and rules. We’ve been given our tiny own cubicles at workplace and introducing liveliness into this place entirely depends on our taste and efforts. Some individuals’ cubicles are like a whiff of fresh air which makes your feel peppier, eager to work more and lifts your spirits whereas some other workstations are mundane. In between all the important discussions, meetings and personal work comes the inconspicuous lunchtime hours which are not even listed in some employees’ itinerary. Either they grab a bite on their way back home or munch down something sitting in their desk working away. But how good is it on your health and above all, how hygienic is it? The Relentless Worker Though we keep insisting that smart work is better than hard work the number of hours you sit at office and make people aware of your presence do count in few work settings. Individuals are also of the concept that a person sitting at his/her desk without breaks (or eating at his/her desk) and working diligently is a hard-working person who definitely needs a praise! But there is nothing good about eating snacks or meals at the desk. It’s not only bad for your health but can also be annoying for other employees. The second part is very much true. For instance, let’s say that it’s around 12 pm or so and you open a box of garlic rice which sends out an aroma instantly to all other people in the room. Already some of the guys have started feeling hungry but keep working anyways to wait until official lunchtime. While you might apologize for eating at your desk its necessary to remember that all others are immediately disturbed. If you feel the need to eat at your desk, do it inconspicuously. Its advisable to take a small break at least every two hours to flex the body, take a short walk during lunch and be energetic. Abstaining from taking a lunch break limits even the little exercise that we could get from walking to the cafeteria for lunch. Even if your office permits you to eat at your desk others might find the aroma of strong foods such as garlic, chilli, onion and radish to be disturbing. While you have the right to eat any food of your choice it is also necessary to remember you have no rights to disturb others. Go easy on the spices and keep everyone happy at your office. Despite all these, if you still insist on eating at your desk at least avoid getting yourself attacked by foodborne illnesses with the tips given below:
Some of the tips given here can help you ward off bacteria and germs from laying their hands on your food:
Your lunchbreak can have a psychological effect on the mind affecting your thinking and emotional state. This is the result of a research study done on 32 female participants of whom half of them ate alone at office and another half went out for a leisure meal together. At office, the participants ate their meal in a short span of time in the absence of any company but at the restaurant the participants took time to select and eat the meal along with others. Those who went out also had to walk back a short distance to reach office. After their meal, the participants were measured their sematic memory, cognitive control and error processing and processing of facial expressions. Those who ate outside reported feeling much relaxed and displayed improved facial processing which improves their creativity and connectivity to others. Many officers and managers might see a prolonged lunch break as a potential threat to productivity, but it can help the employee work better, stress little and improve output. Your lunch can actually determine the course of events that might happen during the rest of day. Going off for a relaxing lunch break with your colleagues can improve bonding with them. A strong relationship at work gives you happiness, a soul to rely upon during tough times and someone who can give you suggestions. All these in turn improve your job performance, work satisfaction and mental health. It doesn’t surprise me when someone who has been healthy (on the outside) all these years despite being sedentary suddenly suffers serious health problems. It also doesn’t bother me when some people try convincing me that it’s all in the gene whether we would fall victims or not to health problems in life despite our regular activity schedules. All said and done, staying active and being energetic will never go in vain and every person who takes every effort to lead an active lifestyle will surely witness the fruits of his/her efforts one fine day in life. Though the quote ‘better late than never’ is true and starting to be active sometime in life is better than not taking any steps for the same, there are indeed differences in the benefits that we reap too! A study tried to analyse how differences in the time we pursue physical activity and start becoming healthy affect our scope of protection against diseases and health problems.
There have been studies associating continuing physical activity with longevity in adults but most of them probe into the individual’s activity levels only once before the study. Isn’t it only fair that physical activity is a continuous process and also might change constantly in people depending on their time and availability? Hence, looking at it from a longer perspective on how such changes have an impact on risk of death is the need of the hour and the HUNT study in Norway did exactly this. The study invited all citizens of Norway aged 20 years and above to participate in the study at three different intervals: 1984-86, 1995-97 and 2006-2008. All the participants were asked about their physical activity levels during all three times and the study used data from first and third surveys alone. The study included a total of 23,146 men and women whose physical activity levels were categorized as inactive, moderate (less than 2 hours per week) and high (two or more hours per week) and each participant was put into one of the three groups depending on the activity level. Researchers analysed the risk of death in each group compared to the reference group (where individuals performed high levels of exercise). It was seen that compared to the reference group, individuals who were inactive in 1984-86 and 2006-08 were at a 2-fold higher chance of all-cause death and almost had a 3-fold increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease while moderately active individuals had a 60% and 90% increased risk of death from all-cause and cardiovascular problems respectively. This clearly shows the importance of exercise in our everyday lives. While the recommendations stand at 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week it is essential to realize that there is more to physical activity beyond the stipulated duration. It depends on the individual to use his/her time available and perform maximal activity during that time. Any activity, even those done below recommended levels are sure to garner only advantages. Perform activities that suit you and choose the right activities that can give you maximized results by visiting the website www.firsteatright.com. Use every opportunity possible to stay active-it might be taking the steps instead of the elevator or getting down a stop ahead of your destination and walking. It was also seen that those who moved from being inactive to highly active had a mortality rate that was between those who were continually active or sedentary. On the other hand, those who shifted from being highly active to inactive were at a similar risk of dying like those who were inactive. Staying active since childhood attunes the body to well-being and good health that’s beyond death. Living a good quality of life with utmost cognition and well-performing body organs is the ultimate requirement of every individual residing in this world. The hero can knock down a hundred men simultaneously but the heroine always lingers in the shadow of the hero even when she is an athlete! Such is the depiction of women in Indian cinemas in general. Culturally, we seem to have sown the seeds of incapability in women and many of us even support the notion that women are the weaker sex and need someone to rescue them. We feel that we have advanced as a society but still women are advised to carry chili powder packets to escape from an intruder in case of emergency, use gadgets to send SOS signals to family and friends to come to their rescue or use a spray to get off the ghastly situation. Never have we encouraged our girl children and young ladies to enroll themselves in karate or Taekwondo classes to learn self-defense! These have always been set aside for boys while girls are forced into singing, dancing or arts. Exercise is generally good for all offering various benefits in the form of improved physical fitness, strength and flexibility. Walking benefits overall body health, jogging increases life expectancy and yoga keeps you at peace. But it is not known to many that beyond benefitting physical and mental health martial arts can boost your brain’s cognition too. Marketing industry has commercialized safety products too advertising useless products that are designed with the only aspect of minting money by counting on a woman’s fears and manipulating her chances of assault. Women empowerment doesn’t reach a solution by simply providing our ladies with certain tools to deter an assault but also by removing the fears residing inside them altogether which these marketing people use as a base for producing commercial products. The time, money and attention in turn must be invested in self-defense classes for our women citizens. Rather, a woman’s basic self-defense tactic is defined to be blaming. We want the men in this world to change, become better humans, stop raping, assault and violence but sadly, not any of the attackers even consider what women think. Fighting and attacking have never been a woman’s forte but now, growing evidence suggests that self-defense training can help women avoid and overcome the threats of sexual violence as it provides them with complete control of their safety (https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/09/can-self-defense-classes-ease-rape-survivors-trauma/598237/). At the same time, we do have another body of research analysing whether the same self-defense training can benefit sexual assault survivors who get into depression and other traumatic side effect. While we don’t have many evidences backing this theory results seem to be supportive of this fact and the answer would be a definite ‘yes’ in the long run. Martial Arts According to researchers there are two ways to improve attention-through attention training (AT) and attention state training (AST). AT helps in practising a specific skill and mastering the skill through repeated practise. AST is all about entering into a specific state of mind that allows for a stronger focus which is possible only with the help of exercise, yoga, meditation and other such things. Martial arts is also one form of AST and research shows that any form of martial arts including karate is associated with better performance on a divided attention task. A study in US on kids aged 8-11 years training in martial arts as a part of an anti-bullying programme found that practising this arts form reduced aggressiveness in boys and they were even inclined to interfere and help when someone was bullied. Girls did not show much changes as their aggressiveness was not on par with the boys. The results were similar when it included adolescents too in the study. Even older adults training in karate displayed lower levels of depression and higher levels of self-esteem. Apart from strength training and cardio it is time now that we include self-defense classes too as part of our regular workout schedules to benefit both the mind and the body. Its time to encourage women and remind them of the fact that they are no lesser than men. Until we don’t do this it is an indication that we are accepting our women to be damsels in distress waiting for the prince to come and rescue them which might never happen except in fantasy. And, by doing this we are creating a solid ground for the assaulters to take advantage of our precious gems in life. References Self-defense for Women is no Gimmick: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/self-defense-for-women-is-no-gimmick/2018/02/02/a5f9d360-0605-11e8-aa61-f3391373867e_story.html Martial Arts Offers Brain-boosting Benefits for All Ages, Research Finds: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/healthy-living/martial-arts-physical-mental-benefits-health-exercise-tai-chi-karate-a8342756.html Having an inclination to look younger and age slower? Maybe, you have the inclination to keep your heart younger as well! There might be innumerous creams, lotions and other stuffs marketed to seduce people into buying anti-ageing products. Where do we stand in terms of regenerating heart muscle cells and renewing heart health?
Be Smart, Keep Yourself Young at Heart Heart attacks are not a pleasant sight to watch! It is in fact a scary experience, be it whether you’re facing the issue or you are with someone who is experiencing the attack. A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is reduced severely or even nulled. The specific heart muscle that’s lost blood flow is stuck with injury. The extent of damage to the heart muscle depends on the area covered by the blocked artery and also the time between the attack and start of treatment. Heart muscles heal by forming scar tissue and the healing process takes a couple of weeks. These scar tissues don’t pump good enough as other healthy tissues. The difference in the pumping capability is determined by the size and location of the scar tissue. The quantity of time taken to heal depends on the impact of the attack and the individual’s healing capability. While it normally takes around 8 weeks for the heart muscle to heal there has been research studies showing that exercise helps in healing the muscles at a better adept rate comparatively. When an individual performs exercises at the correct time for a correct duration there are chances of reversing the ageing of heart and blood vessels. Arteries carry blood and these become stiff when we don’t lubricate it with the required amount of exercise. Unhealthy lifestyle practices and sedentary life are worse contributors of stiffening of arteries. Studies show that compared to those who exercised for 2-3 times a week, individuals who exercised for more than 4 times every week had healthier arteries. Enabling Development of New Heart Muscle Cells Every heart attack patient is required to create new heart muscle cells to heal. It is no secret that physical activity and exercise are good for the heart but the lingering question of ‘why’ still remains a mystery. A research team now has one of the many reasons why exercise is good for the heart-it stimulates the heart to make new muscle cells-with or without a heart attack. Generally, the human heart has less capacity to regenerate comparatively. While youngsters can regenerate 1% of their heart muscle cells annually the same decreases as a person grows old. This decrease is greatly associated with increased risk of heart failure and we need to curb this risk by bringing in ways to increase heart cell formation. Exercising is a great and inexpensive way to keep your health at its best. When a group of researchers analyzed different ways to bring about an increase in heart cell formation the first thing that struck their mind was exercise. They decided to put it into test on a group of healthy mice which were allowed to run on a treadmill for about five kilometers every day. Another group of healthy mice were not allowed such actions and remained sedentary. The team found that the healthy group of mice which exercised produced over 4.5 times the number of new heart muscle cells compared to the sedentary group. So, we are now assured that exercise promotes growth of healthy heart muscle cells but what about those who have experienced a heart attack? To check this, the research team again checked on a group of mice that had experienced a heart attack. This group ran 5 kilometers and when they were compared to their sedentary counterparts, were shown to exhibit improvement in the area of heart tissue where new muscle cells were formed. The concept is simple-if you wish to maintain heart health you need to compensate for the loss of heart muscle cells due to injury or ageing by provoking the birth of new heart muscle cells. The study above proves that its practically possible to make the heart younger by exercising more daily. Along with exercise please ensure to follow a healthy diet schedule to protect your heart. Get in touch with reputed dietitians and nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com to get the best suggestions and recommendation in terms of eating habits and physical activity plans. Fruits, natural sources of sugar hold an impeccable record for being one of the healthiest sources of nutrients available to mankind. Don’t we realize that any food holds better value and nutrition when its consumed in its original form than giving some twists and turns to it? So do fruits but surprisingly dried fruits can boost our nutrition levels given the fact that certain X factors are adhered to!
Yummy dried cranberries, kiwis, jackfruits, mangoes, mulberries, apricots and peaches are now available in supermarkets. Its no wonder that we are able to carry a kilo of apricots in a little pouch inside our handbags or lunch boxes when they exist in a dried form. I guess many of you by now would have guessed the primary disadvantage of these dried versions-excess consumption due to their smaller sizes and ignorance of portions. Smaller Size, Bigger Price, Greater Buys No food is devoid of calories and we can forget the zero-calorie concept which exists only virtually. Eat a cucumber or a piece of cake, both contain calories and it is the differentiation between healthy and unhealthy calories that bring upon the contrast. Fruits as we know are a source of healthy calories and dried fruits too belong to this category! Beware, these dried versions come with their very own clauses for using them. Beyond differentiating between calorie-rich from calorie-less foods our minds are tuned towards focusing on big versus small sometimes. If we were to follow the same concept with our favorite dried fruits as well the math is going to be worse and we land up consuming a lot of calories eating them. Being comparatively smaller than their fresh counterparts its easier to munch upon an entire bowl of dry raisins but not possible to finish off an equal quantity of fresh ones. The nutrients and fiber in dried fruits are concentrated as water content is removed from the fruit. So, a half-cup of dried fruit is equivalent to one cup of the fresh variant. Also, being naturally dried is different from adding sugars and other convenient ingredients to enhance taste. Fruits already contain natural glucose and adding more sugars will only increase their calorie value. But these tiny variants are rich sources of fiber, antioxidants and B vitamin folate. While we talk about overeating them there is a large-scale study that shows that individuals consuming dried fruits show improved nutrient intake and weight loss compared to others. It can even be a quick source of fuel for athletes who look for energy on the go. For you and me, we need to handle dried fruits cautiously. For example, a cup of fresh apricots is around 80 calories whereas a cup of dried ones is 212 calories. Similarly, a cup of fresh grapes is around 100 calories whereas a cup of dried ones is around 450 calories. Isn’t it surprising that there is so much variation in calories (almost 5 times in some cases) between dry and fresh ones? Fulfilling Portion Requirements Every dietitian and nutritionist requests individuals to eat at least three portions each of fruits and veggies which amounts to around 2 cups of each per day. So, if you are planning to consume dried fruits remember that half a cup of dried fruits counts as one cup of fresh fruits. In case of dietitians it is better to discuss with a nutritionist/dietitian at www.firsteatright.com before consuming them as dried fruits are rich sources of carbohydrates. For that matter, in case of anyone who is bothered about calories, carbs and sugars it is recommended to make note of portion sizes as there is every possibility that you can keep munching those tiny cranberries or sweet dried mangoes forgetting about calories and carbs. Avoid those fruits that are available in candied forms as they are sure to contain excess sugar. For this, reading the ingredients and the nutrition label given at the back of the package helps greatly. Some dried fruits also contain preservatives in the form of sulfites that enhance the color and appearance of the fruit. Their presence can give stomach cramps, rashes or even asthma when some people allergic to sulfites consume it. So, dried fruits are good in the context that they are enriched with nutrients but disadvantageous when we weigh its calorie values, carbs and sugar content. Eating a handful of them is suggested as they bring about goodness and help the individual fulfill antioxidant requirements of the body too. Ensure to avoid candied fruits and don’t go beyond the suggested calorie intake. If you feel there is something fishy going on about something it’s better to think over it. But if you are unable to retrace your memory and bring back details then there is something very much fishy about your memory. It’s time for a serving of fish maybe-a food that’s suggested for improved memory has many other benefits on the human brain as well.
Fish is packed with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, vitamin B2, calcium, iron, zinc, iodine, phosphorus, magnesium and proteins that have the ability to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases and lower blood pressure. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least twice a week to acquire their advantages. Omega-3 fatty acids add benefits to our body and one especially, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is most-trusted for brain health. Our body doesn’t produce omega-3 fatty acids and we are bound to fulfill the required levels by consuming foods rich in these nutrients and fish, especially fatty fish such as salmon, trout, sardines, herring and canned mackerel are rich in these. DHA is much needed to keep the brain functioning normally. Our brain and nervous system have fats stored in them and in particular, they prefer DHA over other fats. This also brings us to an important part of the discussion where DHA levels affect brain health-not only in terms of remembering things and keeping our memory intact but also securing us from the risk of dementia and other serious mental problems. So, next time you remember to buy fish from the supermarket shelves you are saving your embarrassment of forgetfulness and long-term mental problems as well. But, the idea to consume fish must strike you even before signs of memory-related issues crop up here and there. Strike before the iron is hot, likewise eat fish before it ruptures your brain health. Research studies favor the consumption of fish: long-term consumption of DHA improves memory, learning abilities and reduces cognitive decline. Remember that fish is not a pill for forgetfulness. It is a lifeguard against memory loss. The DHA content in fish and other sources such as fish oil, algal supplements and other DHA-fortified foods are all great for your brain health. Fishy Advantages Lean proteins are a great advantage of these aquatic creatures. Besides being low in saturated fats compared to red meat, replacing burgers with tuna gives you added sources of omega-3s-that work wonders on your heart, lowers blood pressure and helps you stay energetic through an exercise session. Cooking fish is not a big deal once you know the basics but if you are interested in reaping total benefits from your food it is advisable that you think of broiling or grilling it as fat from deep frying can prove to be disastrous on your health due to the presence of lean proteins. Try to choose ones that are low in mercury-maybe something like sardines and wild Alaskan salmon while choosing not to consume shark and swordfish as their mercury levels are above nominal. Pregnancy too restricts the pregnant woman from eating a number of fish varieties and for a complete ‘to avoid’ list please visit www.firsteatright.com. Concerns arise for vegetarians/vegans in terms of consuming DHA. There’s no need to worry as algae is a great source of DHA and has been increasingly used in making DHA supplements. Another source of omega 3, AHA is present in walnuts, chia seeds and ground flax seeds and it is in our body that AHA is converted into DHA. The catch here is that our body can convert only 5% of AHA to DHA. For those who eat veggies and other non-oily fish for fulfilling omega-3 requirements it is better to consult your physician for any additional supplementation to fulfill the required omega-3 levels. What if I told you that each of us need to experience pain to survive through the ups and downs in life? Some of you might brand me as pessimistic, some others might not even try to judge me as they believe I have got out of my mind and there are a very few who accept this fact. Yes! Pain indeed is the brain’s way of informing us to react when there is something wrong. Pain is nature’s way of helping us stay alive by sending warnings whenever required. The body’s reflex reaction of moving the leg when we step over a sharp pin or removing our hand away from gas stove before it hits the flame are defense mechanisms against danger. Else, the pin could send a seething flow of blood and the skin in our hand could peel off both of which surely decrease the quality of life. Until now, I have been only talking about acute pain-the type of pain that’s the result of some injury or illness that goes away on its own once the health problem is resolved. But the world presently is dominated by another type of pain that’s debilitating the quality of life of people to the extent that it results in depression and suicide as well! Chronic Pain: Grassroot Changes in the Brain Women generally suffer from persistent knee pain and back pain while men are more prone to neck and shoulder pain. The perfect example for explaining chronic pain might be my very own one! Some six months back, I had a small sense of unease in my right wrist and felt shooting pain when I tried to lift something not every time but at a specific angle. Though I ignored it or tried to suppress it with anti-inflammatory applications the pain worsened when I tried to play badminton or every time I carried something in my hand. On my visit to the doctor, he gave me the most depressing news that steroids are the only solution to this problem but I did not lose hope and went ahead with physical therapy and manual exercises. Nothing proved to be helpful and now, I am still suffering from the pain-the only difference is that I have minimized performing pain-aggravating chores with my right hand! It took a long time for me to realize that I am suffering from chronic pain that could last a lifetime! Any pain that persists for more than three months is defined as chronic pain which doesn’t always originate from an injury and might persist even after the injury is healed completely. Such lingering pain is associated with physical changes in the brain at the cortical level pushing the individual to experience what’s called ‘central sensitization’ (sensations that were once normal generate intense pain now). Until now, we don’t have evident explanations as to why chronic pain attacks some people but there are studies that show that psychological and personality traits are risk factors for chronic pain conditions. If you notice, many people with chronic pain are those who suffer from an emotional imbalance in life-maybe owing to the loss of a loved one, the presence of some chronic disease or such others. These individuals learn to filter emotions and actions through the lens of pain which is mainly due to the environmental, early lifetime and epigenetic factors. It has been assumed until now that emotional disturbances can affect only the mental health of people but they can have a strong effect on the brain and pain levels too! The raging pain in turn once again affects the emotional well-being of the person. Again, the pain experienced differs person to person. Some might be extremely tolerant to advanced pain while some others cannot bear even a simple headache. The doctor’s handles pain and prescribed meds based on how well you explain your pain. The doctor might ask you to rate pain on a scale of 0 to 10, choose different emotions to represent them or even respond with appropriate words that express your pain. Pain is subjective and no two people experience the same pain which makes it worse for a particular course of treatment. Pain is a condition that can never see the light of day in laboratory science as studying pain in animals is impossible. How can we bring about solutions without speaking with these creatures? This makes it almost impossible to study pain and come up with relevant solutions (https://psmag.com/environment/rats-cant-say-ouch). Stopping Pain by Hook or By Crook The first reaction from anyone when suffering from pain would be to stop it immediately either by using anti-inflammatory drugs or opioids, both of which have harmful side effects on the individual in the long term. Opioids usage is reaching dangerously new levels and its side effects have even resulted in death. With 1 in 5 adults suffering from chronic pain it has become a necessity to come to some close solution to at least minimalize its effects. While some feel pain with the same intensity that they had been experiencing for the last couple of years there are some others who have gotten used to it to such an extent that it has become a part of their lives. Physical therapy, physiotherapy using manual techniques and machines and practice of daily exercise has been able to keep pain under control for a lot many people, has helped some immobile patients to walk a few steps and has also improved the quality of life of many. Besides these, there have been various studies on how to alleviate pain using mind techniques-after all, pain is a personification of our brain isn’t it? A new study published in a reputed journal shows mindfulness to be promising option and a powerful tool for decreasing the effects of chronic pain. It’s a type of meditation that can play an integral role in helping you reduce and cope with stress (this has an effect on how he individual perceives pain). Meditation can regulate blood pressure, heart rate and autonomic nervous system all of which have a major role on increasing or decreasing pain. Practising mindfulness also keeps the individual out of emotional anxiety and distress which are other aspects that can intensify pain. Patients suffering from chronic pain normally don’t stop with one physician but keep going to a couple of them until they finally realize that there is no 100% cure for the pain. While a physician might try to solve the problem by dispensing pain-relieving medications there are others who try to alleviate pain by removing the emotional conflict that’s happening inside each of their patients. According to a reputed psychiatrist, chronic pain is shaped by their experience of life-their personality, environment, family and social class and can be treated by using a combination of non-addictive medication, psychological therapy and physiotherapy. Pain generally takes so much of an individual’s attention that the patient is forced to attend to its needs and, when you are attending to physical pain you have no obligation to other things simultaneously. Maybe that’s the primary reason why many people with emotional disturbances are more affected by chronic pain-the pain makes them forget their mental problems and their focus is directed more towards physical health problems. But we also have other physicians who are trying to revolutionize medicine by researching for drugs that can alleviate pain without any side effects. Only time can tell the success rate of every kind of therapy for minimizing pain! Pain is complex. We might learn to live with it but it is better to look out for reasonable approaches when we can find a solution to the problem and improve our quality of life. Some problems are unavoidable-death or terminal illness-and we must take care to ensure that these don’t further deteriorate health by manifesting as chronic pain too! References To Cure my Chronic Pain, I had to Learn about the Links between Mind & Body: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jul/01/chronic-pain-links-mind-body-brain-physical Will there Ever be a Cure for Chronic Pain? https://www.economist.com/news/2019/09/20/will-there-ever-be-a-cure-for-chronic-pain Is Mindfulness a Promising Option for Treating Chronic Pain? https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertglatter/2019/01/31/is-mindfulness-a-promising-option-for-treating-chronic-pain/#58b1c0d25008 Polyps are small lump of cells that grow inside the body which can be either benign or malignant (cancerous). These can form on different body organs including your bladder. Bladder is a hollow organ in the pelvis that stores urine and polyps that occur in the bladder are called urinary polyps.
Bladder Polyps Polyps formation occurs when cells begin to grow abnormally and until now, we are unaware of the reason behind such abnormal cell growths. Some children are born with the polyp while in some other cases it might be due to an infection, irritation or injury of the bladder. Rarely, individuals injected with collagen for dealing with stress incontinence can develop a bladder polyp. Incontinence affects quality of life badly and for more details about it please visit www.firsteatright.com. Cell growth restricted to their origin are benign and those that spread to other organs (usually other areas in the urinary tract or the surrounding tissues) are usually cancerous. Bladder cancers are very common and it is recommended that individuals with bladder polyps get them checked regularly even if they have been labeled as benign initially. Some common reasons for bladder cancer include:
Bladder polyps do not show any symptoms in the early stages and they start appearing as the polyps grow. Though they often don’t cause prominent symptoms most common of them include:
Risk Factors The underlying reason behind bladder polyps is unknown but there are common risk factors for a polyp to grow:
Growing old becomes a pain not only physically but mentally too as you start forgetting important things, names and events. Memory fades gradually to the extent that some even forget to remember whether they have consumed their meal or not. Such a loss of memory that hinders daily activities is a sign of Alzheimer’s-the most common cause of dementia that comprises of 60-80% of dementia cases. Alzheimer’s is a brain disease that affects the reasoning, thinking and memory skills of an individual. The affected individual suffers from various symptoms and the most common among them include memory loss that affects routine life, failure to solve problems or face challenges, finding it difficult even to complete simple jobs at home, work or even while playing a board game, lose track of time, date or place, vision becomes a problem thereby affecting driving, find trouble holding a conversation or uttering words, misplace things quite often, challenges in decision making, seclusion from society and mood swings. Worse, some even forget how to eat and drink and try eating inedible items as well. Read more about Alzheimer’s at www.firsteatright.com.
Every person above the age of 65 is at a 2-time risk of suffering from the disease and more than a third of the population above the age of 85 is sure to develop the disease. Genetics, head injury and increased consumption of tobacco and alcohol increase the risk of Alzheimer’s whereas performing physical activity daily, staying socially active and eating a healthy diet decreases the risk of the disease. This brings us to the very question of whether diet changes can affect the risk of the disease. The Alzheimer’s Association has an answer to this based on research evidence. It recommends eating the DASH diet and the Mediterranean diet to minimize your risk of suffering from dementia or heart disease. DASH Diet Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet was basically created for helping patients suffering from high blood pressure problems. DASH diet includes consuming plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and restricts the consumption of saturated fats, salt and added sugars. It is quite similar to the Mediterranean diet except for that olive oil is not used mainly and it also does not encourage regular consumption of alcohol. In general, there are not many studies on the DASH diet regarding its role in delaying or preventing Alzheimer’s but from the research data available, there is a positive correlation between DASH diet and decreased risk of cognitive decline. A greater pool of research exists linking DASH diet with preventing health problems such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The DASH diet handles cardiovascular problems by reducing blood pressure and blood lipid levels. Cardiovascular health directly affects brain health and Alzheimer’s risk. Maybe this is a strong motivating factor for the Alzheimer’s Association to endorse DASH diet as a protective measure against Alzheimer’s. Mediterranean Diet This diet focuses mainly on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, foods containing heart-healthy fats such as olive oil, occasional indulgence in fish, poultry and dairy while limiting the consumption of red meat and salt. Numerous studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet helps in preventing or delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease by 1.5-3.5 years. A 2018 study consisting of participants between 30 and 60 years who suffered from no dementia clearly shows the demarcation in dementia risk when an individual follows/not follows this diet. While half the participants diligently practiced eating the Mediterranean diet the other half caved into the whims and fancies of the Western diet. The participants received a brain image scan at the start and end of the two-year study. Those who followed the Western diet had higher betaamyloid protein deposits and lower energy use-both of which are early signs of dementia. Several reviews come up with ample data supporting the fact that eating a Mediterranean diet decreases the risk of brain-related problems that includes Alzheimer’s too. Though the reason behind this diet’s advantage on brain health remains to be excavated there are different theories pouring in. Some feel that the increased levels of antioxidants might serve the purpose while some others feel that the increased levels of healthy fats promotes vascular health which in turn promotes brain health. Still, we need more complex studies to come to definite conclusions regarding the effect of the Mediterranean diet on brain health. MIND Diet Researchers have combined elements from the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet to create the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) Diet. A group of 900 seniors were involved in a study and they followed either the MIND, DASH or Mediterranean diet. After a 5-year follow up results showed that those seniors who followed a MIND diet reduced the risk of developing Alzheimer’s by as much as 53% and when they followed the other two diets, still the risk reduced by as much as 35%. The MIND diet comprises of 15 elements-10 foods to eat and 5 foods to avoid. The 10 foods to eat include berries, beans, fish, green veggies, nuts, poultry, olive oil, veggies, whole grains and wine. The 5 foods to avoid include butter, cheese, fast/fried foods, pastries & sweets and red meats. Still, we need more research to back us on the advantages of the MIND diet. Overall, it is advisable to follow a healthy diet, avoid viewing television, refrain from having many items on the plate, avoid plates that have geometric patterns on them, serve only 1-2 food items at a time, ensure the individual has ample time for the meal and make changes to the diet to include some of the individual’s favorite foods. For those of you out there who hate the term ‘fats’ and run away from foods containing this nutrient let me make this clear: Firstly, fat is a nutrient and in fact a macronutrient that’s essential for the body’s functioning and secondly, not all fats are created equally bad, there are good ones too that you need to pick up for your well-being. At the same time, every individual needs to incorporate essential fat portions in his/her meal, regulate meal contents to include a combination of macronutrients and micronutrients and enjoy the food for a well-balanced meal that’s also mentally satisfactory. But when these practices are not in place and you are all over the foods that you enjoy, obesity and other health conditions are not far away! This imbalance has indeed resulted in an obesity-driven world which is not far away from witnessing an obesity epidemic without proper intervention methods. If you are obese/overweight you can lose weight in a scientific way by getting in touch with registered dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com.
There are three different fat cells in the body: white fat which is the most common of all and associated with conditions such as obesity and diabetes. Brown adipose tissue is integral to heat production in all mammals and has been the apple’s eye of researchers as it provides scope for weight loss. The brown fat cells are packed with energy-producing mitochondria that aid in burning fuel efficiently. Beige fat cells too contain more mitochondria and are found dispersed within white adipose tissue but are induced in response to certain environmental conditions and external cues such as cold climate and exercise. Though brown cells have been known to us since sometime beige cells are quite new and are gaining popularity as they promise to hold the key to weight loss treatments and help in understanding how environmental factors control cell specifications and maintenance. Releasing Gene Inhibitors Though previous research shows that white fat tissue that overexpresses early B-cell factor 2 (EFB2) recruits more beige fat cells, there are many other factors that trigger the release of the protein-coding gene. Transducing-like enhancer 3 (TLE3) is a protein located at the same region as EFB2 and this protein acts like a switch stopping EFB2 from converting white to beige fat and also preventing energy expenditure and glucose use. A group of researchers were interested in the functioning of the TLE3 protein and looked into ways to inhibit its functioning to enable methods for preventing type 2 diabetes. These researchers deleted the TLE3 protein from a group of mice and placed them in cold conditions for several days together. The environment maintained was such that the animals kept trying to develop beige fat cells and, in the process, these mice were successful in developing more beige fat cells. Through this process the research team got to understand the effect of the absence of the TLE3 protein and also were able to examine the impact of the abundance of beige fat cells on the mice’s health. Results showed that these mice experienced increased energy expenditure under normal conditions and weight loss during cold conditions but it was also proved that the mice did not gain much weight even in the absence of a cold environment. The primary goal of these researchers was to use these results to create interventions for metabolic disorders. Maybe we would be able to release a drug in the market sometime in the future that targets TLE3 thereby serving to cure metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes-two diseases that are spreading like wildfire in human beings owing to our haphazard lifestyle practices and eating habits. There hasn’t been a change in the well-established fact that women have a longer lifespan than men but there has been a monumental change in the way these women lead their lives compared to men. Isn’t it natural for men to blame their wives to be always demanding, frustrated, anxious and even angry while they boast of being cool, composed and ready to handle any situation with composure? That’s true but its only one side of the story. How about switching over the roles for a day and maybe both men and women would come to understand the stress and pain faced by each other everyday. While we debate, speak about gender inequality and brood over the unjust life of women who are forced to juggle between office and household chores multitasking ample things simultaneously there is rock-solid evidence from scientists that women’s health has significantly decreased since the 1990s while that of men has improved since 1990 due to gender disparity in the society that’s causing harm to a young woman’s well-being (https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/study-shows-womens-health-worsened-since-1990-4955984/). Two decades back, almost 8.5% women reported a downslide in health compared to their peers and the rates increased to almost 20% In 2014. On the other hand, men reported an improvement in their health. Expectation Chock-a-block The health discrepancy doesn’t stop with general health problems but is deep-rooted in obesity, anxiety and dissatisfaction issues. The National Women’s Health Survey (Australia), 2019 doesn’t cheer us up in any way with its results and in fact, is a cause for deep worry! Almost a third (36%) of women complained of anxiety and depression; 42% women reported feeling nervous, anxious or on the edge of an emotional breakdown every day or at least once a week in the past 4 weeks; women aged between 18 and 35 reported maximum anxiety levels and loneliness and more than 50% of women (aged 36-65) consider themselves to be overweight/obese. Such staggering health hazards in women are a clear indication that our young ladies are trying their best for an unequivocal work-life balance but at the end of day, unable to achieve it. They are chocked from all sides with work pressure, relationship tangles and naughty kids which reaches the ultimatum with peer pressures and societal posts on their physical appearance and lifestyles. Most of the women worry over any or all of these issues almost on all days of the week and it’s those women under 36 who are maximum affected by its effects. These younger ladies find trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, staying seated for a while and can be easily annoyed. Most women also feel lonely despite having a distinct social media presence and being online constantly. If family commitments and worries take out every inch of energy left out in women workplace demands are even more annoying. Gender disparity remains an unsorted issue even in 2019 with men being paid extremely high packages compared to these poor souls who given their heart and soul into work commitments. 35-40 hours of work is the standard protocol but this can only be a reality in our dreams! Most of us work for a minimum of 40 hours and it can go up to 55 hours for some and these women face graver risks of developing depressive symptoms compared to others. Men, on the other hand, don’t face the slightest symptoms of depression even after working for the longest number of hours. A study also showed that married women with kids were less likelier to work for longer hours but marriage did not affect the work timings of men in any way which is a clear indication that women are still burdened with primary responsibility of household work even now and I guess, each of us (myself included) agree to this without the slightest hesitation! Despite this, the domestic duties, care given to family members and housework is not given the slightest consideration which makes her situation pathetic. Taking into account all of these it is seen that women in fact work harder and longer than men owing to unequal work distribution which can be linked to their poorer physical health. Four of every 100 people experience anxiety around the world and one of every four women suffer from anxiety. This clearly shows that anxiety not only affects those with chronic disease such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease but it can have a lasting impact on healthy, young people as well. Depression has been a pivotal topic of interest in recent times but we need to focus on anxiety as well as it can lead to suicide and have debilitating effects on the individual. Young Versus Old Ageing can be gruelling filled with loneliness and health issues but despite these older people are in fact happier than younger adults, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry (https://time.com/4464811/aging-happiness-stress-anxiety-depression/). We believe that young age makes us happy with the happiness going for a dip around middle age and sinking deep into the ocean (like a ship) during older years but this study disproves all these. Though older people face disability issues, cognitive decline and economic crunches they have better mental health whereas, people in their 20s and 30s suffer from problems related to depression, anxiety, stress, satisfaction, happiness and well-being. After readjusting to changes during adolescence younger adults enter their next phase of life ready to face challenges in their financial, educational, romantic and career goals. They are always in a race ready to jump ahead of others and win but social media has made people competitive which is good but they have become comparative which makes them unhappy over some issue always. Changes in the society, technology development, globalization, competition for higher education, changes in roles played by women and economic crunches affect young women more than the elderly population. We proudly state that we are modern people who live a forward-minded life in the 21st century but when you think deeply not much has changed in the base-many women still face domestic violence, are treated not as equals despite earning higher than their spouses sometimes, take up most of the household chores, bear responsibility for kids, are looked down when they spend some time for their well-being and are still treated as unpaid servants when it comes to household chores. Then how can we not expect our young women to not face anxiety and depression issues? The key to the problem lies with both the genders-while men should start treating women with a fair view and start taking up every chore possible women too should think of themselves as equals, should start delegating work to all family members, shun away comments from the society or family elders and consider themselves worthy. This could help resolve anxiety-related problems and help younger women become happier citizens. References Its’s Not Easy Being a Young Woman these Days: Levels of Anxiety Higher Among Young Women than Seniors: https://www.smh.com.au/national/it-s-not-easy-being-a-young-woman-these-days-levels-of-anxiety-higher-among-young-women-than-seniors-20191022-p53387.html Women who Work After Office Hours are More Prone to Depression: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/relationships/work/women-who-work-after-office-hours-are-more-prone-to-depressive-symptoms/photostory/68579061.cms?picid=68579062 Why Women are Way More Likely than Men to Suffer Anxiety: https://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/08/health/women-anxiety-disorders/index.html Mental Health: One in Four young Women Struggling: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-46295719 Faces of Chinese Youth: Why are They Anxious? http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201811/15/WS5becd3c2a310eff303288d6e.html Study Shows Women’s Health Worsened Since 1990: https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/study-shows-womens-health-worsened-since-1990-4955984/ Want to shed away those extra kilos? Planning to start dieting and workout? There are thousands of people around you who think on similar lines and are unable to keep up their goals or plans. This article is exclusively for those people who seem to be lost in search of their health goals.
We don’t forget to bathe, eat, go to school/office or sleep as these activities are long-established routines that have been injected into our minds since childhood. But physical activity or healthier meals are never included in our to-do list of daily activities. Old habits die hard. When you set your mind on exercise and healthy foods just like your brushing/bathing activity, things become simpler. But the process of change involves several stages and you may face manifold hurdles before you accomplish this change. The Different Stages of Change Initially, you might not even think of a change in your lifestyle or habit (precontemplation). Secondly, you might reach a stage in which you think about some change (contemplation). At this juncture, you start planning for all activities that help you achieve this change (preparation) and then start executing these changes one by one (action). Finally, you do what it takes to stick to the change (maintenance). We are human beings and our memory and motivation might fail sometimes. Instead of just telling yourself that you need to follow (contemplation), it is better if you set a smart reminder (preparation stage) and link the new habit with an age-old habit. Just as brushing is a reminder to floss your teeth, you can plan your physical activity just after your morning cup of steaming hot coffee and make your meal healthier by eating a small bowl of colorful veggies during your lunch (action). This way you don’t need any more reminders to follow the recently added habit. Once you start practicing your newly formed habit, you are sure to face numerous impediments along the way. These are testing times and you need to stay strong. When you feel demotivated or stressed out, think of the rewards:
These reminders are more than sufficient to bring you back on track. Practice rewarding yourself for your efforts after reaching a milestone. Choose nonfood rewards such as a new pair of sneakers, a workout device or a new dress to celebrate your lost weight. You can also choose to update your achievements in social media sites and this can motivate you further when people acknowledge your achievements. Never try to indulge in high-calorie foods or skip workout sessions as part of your reward system. Make it a Lifetime Activity Once you feel that you have become habituated to these healthy habits, try adding variety to them. You can opt for group workouts, attend healthy recipe classes or try new physical activities (maintenance). Never forget to check your weight at least once a week. The lost weight can also be a motivation for you to work out more and eat healthier food. Setbacks are sure to occur during your change process. You may be travelling or dining out with your friends. In such cases, you can pack a small meal for yourself or choose between healthy food options available and stick to smaller portions. Physical exercise and healthier foods are a lifelong activity and not a target to be achieved. It is essential that you follow the ‘maintenance’ stage throughout your lifespan. |
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Dr. Nafeesa Imteyaz of First Eat Right clinic, is the Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Bangalore. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Pune. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Hyderabad. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Chennai. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Mumbai. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Delhi. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Kolkata.