Health Dose

Food For Thought

    There’s no firm causative relation between diet and inflammatory bowel disease. But certain foods and beverages can aggravate your symptoms, especially during a flare-up in your condition. It’s s good idea to try eliminating from your diet anything that seems to make your symptoms worse. Here are some suggestions that may help:
Limit dairy products.   Some individuals  with IBD may be lactose intolerant.
Experiment with fiber  For most people, high fiber foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains are the foundation of a healthy diet. But in inflammatory bowel disease, fiber may make diarrhea, pain and gas worse. If raw fruits and vegetables cause symptoms, try steaming or baking them.  Some can tolerate some fruits and vegetables, but not others. In genera, IBD victims tend to have trouble with foods in the cruciferous family, such as cabbage, cauliflower, and with very crunchy, fibrous foods such as raw apples and carrots.
Avoid problem foods   Eliminate any other foods that seem to make symptoms worse. These may include “gassy” foods such as beans, raw fruit juices and fruits, especially form the citrus family, spicy foods, popcorn, alcohol and caffeine in tea, coffee, chocolate and cola.
Eat small meals  You may find you feel better eating five or six small meals rather than two or three larger ones.
Drink plenty of liquids  Water is best. Alcohol and beverages that contain caffeine stimulate intestines and can make diarrhea worse, while carbonated drinks frequently produce gas.
Ask about multivitamins   Because IBD can interfere with your ability to absorb nutrients and because your diet may be limited, vitamin and mineral (calcium and iron) supplements can play a key role in supplying missing nutrients. They don’t provide essential protein and calories, however, and shouldn’t be a substitute for meals.
Talk to a dietitian.   If you begin to lose weight or your diet has become very limited.

Worth Its Weight

SAY CHEESE!    Numerous studies link a high calcium intake with a reduced risk of obesity. That’s because calcium deficiencies that not only help convert calcium, but also promote fat storage and retard fat burning. But does getting extra calcium help with weight loss? Michael Zemel,  PhD, of the University of Tennessee, divided overweight people into three groups and place  them on low-calorie diets containing varying amounts of calcium. After six months, the individuals with a daily calcium intake (mostly from diary products) of 400-500 mg lost an average of 15 pounds. Those getting 800 mg lost 19  pounds, while those getting 1,200 mg lost 24 pounds, ad well as a higher percentage of body and abdominal fat.
    Although calcium is not the whole answer, the fact remains that Indians get only 400-500 mg of he mineral a day. So, increase your consumption of  dietary calcium (nonfat cottage cheese is an excellent source of both calcium and protein), and make sure your daily multivitamin and mineral contains at least 1,000 mg of calcium not only for weight control but for overall health.

From Mr Bean To Big Hulk

BALANCING ACT    You’d think that all a skinny guy needs to do to pack on the pounds is eat a cheeseburger for breakfast, lunch dinner and in between. This modus operandi will certainly help certainly help you fain fat, but not muscle. And there are guys who have high body fat percentages and still manage to look skinny. That’s not the kind of weight you want. In order to pack on health pounds, you got to go attack it with a 2- pronged approach.
 DIET:   Get more protein. Men who take an amino-acid supplement (whey protein is rich in amino acids) before they weight train build more muscle than those who fuel up after they exercise. Mix one scoop of whey protein powder into a glass of milk before each workout. Lather snack all day, focusing on foods that are high in protein and low in saturated fat, like lean meats, nuts, egg whites, and low-fat dairy products. And have plenty, or you body will eat he muscle you’re trying to build.
EXERCISE:   Forget the biceps curls and triceps kickbacks. For skinny guys, isolation exercise are a complete waste of time. Instead perform exercises that  maximize the number of muscles used in each move. This means  front squats, seated rows, dead lifts, incline dumbbell  presses, which also target the major muscles of the body quads back hand, pecs. Use a heavy weight something you can lift no more than six times and stop at five sets.

SWEETS TAKES

  The scientific community has made so many flip flop on the safety of Aspartame that its enough to make anyone dizzy. The sweetener’s reputation has been on the line ever since its entry into the market 25 years ago. In case you haven’t been keeping up with the developments, here’s an update.
   Last July, the European Ramazzini Foundation of Oncology and Environmental Science announced the results of a 7 year study f rats fed with Aspartame. It had found that the sweetener was associated with unusually high rates f lymphomas, leukemias and other cancers in rats given doses of what would be equivalent to four to five 500 ml bottles of diet cola a day for a 68 kg person.
“If something is a carcinogen in animals,” said Dr. Morando Sofforitti who headed the research, “then it should not be added to food,” especially if so many people, children and pregnant women included, are going to be consuming it.
You can imagine why the study’s findings thoroughly rattled health experts.
   Aspartame is a highly popular sweetener that’s widely used in beverages like tea and coffee. It’s also included in thousands of manufactured foods such as sugar free chocolate, diet cola, “Diabetic’s” mithai, dairy  products, chewing gym, even many medicines.
Given its extensive usage it’s not inconceivable that many people’s daily aspartame intake could touch the so called cancer risk figure. Hence the worry.
    Luckily for us, the upsetting results caused government health agencies abroad to step in swiftly  and set up an immediate  investigation to reassess the  sweetener’s safety before the public pressed the panic button.
While  the European  Food Safety Authority (EFSA) evaluated Sofforitti’s study, the National Cancer Institute in the US analysed surveys of food and beverage consumption of over 6 lakh men and women to check for links between aspartame intake and cancer development.
   Both agencies, reports, released last month, send out a reassuring message Aspartame does not raise risk of cancer.
The EFSA  panel also noted that, based on their findings, there was little reason to revise the previously established Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for aspartame, which is 40 mg/kg body weight.
   So, for now, you may breather a little easy. The controversy appears to have been snuffed out and, hopefully, the cancer fears will not raise their malignant heads again.
   But does this mean you can go ahead and splurge on sugar free treats to you hearts’ content?
Not so fast. To quote the Center foe Science in the Public Interest, which was one of the non profit agencies that urged the US government to review aspartame’s safety. There’s still one potential hazard of the sweetener’s use: thinking  that calorie “saved” from using a sugar substitute justify “spending” more on unhealthy foods.
   In other would, having sugar free tea doesn’t mean it’s okay to indulge in a pastry to “chase” it down.
Don’t Hold Your Breath
AIR SUPPLY   Pranayama, the art of breathing correctly, is an ancient yogic exercise that practitioners believe can relieve stress, enhance creativity, combat insomnia, reduce aggression, left depression, and much more
Now modern science is confirming many of these claims. The average set of lungs is about the size of two footballs, but most people use only a third of that capacity, and in doing so, they lose what many experts say, is one of the greatest stress reduction tools at their disposal.
    “Slowing breath down and breathing to the bottom of our lungs begins to reverse the cascade of stress hormones and lower heart rate and blood pressure,” says James S. Gordon, MD, founder and director of the Washington D. C., based Centre for Mind. Body Medicine.
    Gordon has put these notions to a demanding test. For the past dozen years, he has taught breathing techniques and other methods of reducing stress to schoolchildren, medical school faculty, and health care professionals in trouble spots around the world, including Bosnia, Kosovo, and most recently, Israel. In Kosovo, Gordon says, a combination of breathing exercises and other relaxation techniques was taught to 128 high school students, 88 per cent of whom were suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. After the 6 week training, only 35 per cent still were.
    Richard P. Brown, MD, an associate professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, who claims Pranayama “can do in 20 hours what I can’t do in 10 years with people,” summed up the results of dozens of breathing studies in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
    Merely by controlling their breathing pattern, he found, people could significantly reduce levels of he stress hormone cortisol, improve sleep, and relieve depression.
    The studies Brown examined included several techniques you might find in a yoga class. In one exercise, ujjayi (loud breathing) you breathe in and out through your nose while tightening your larynx, so that you emit a long, continuous snore like sound. In another, bhastrika  you breathe forcefully and fast through the nose, taking a breath every second or so. But you don’t have to get that fancy, Gordon says. “Simply setting aside a time to pay attention to and focus on the breath can change the way you look at the world making you more relaxed and expansive, less defensive and fearful.” It’s easy to backslide, though. “We sit at the computer and tense up, we get in an argument and hold out breath,” Gordon days. It takes practice working the lungs just as you’d work a set of muscles before breathing deeply and well becomes second nature.

Who Are You Kidding?

APING ADULTS ISN’T JUST A GAME    Be extra careful about what you say and do around children, because they often see right in what you know is wrong. When Dartmouth University researchers had kids ages 2 to 6 use Barbie dolls to “shop” for a night out, 28 percent bought pretend cigarettes and 74 per cent chose alcohol. “I need this fro my man,” one 4 year-old girl said. “A man needs cigarettes.” Another 4 year-old girl explained that the male dolls would stay home and drink beer while the female dolls went shopping Kids whose parents smoked were four times as likely to buy make-believe cigarettes; those who’d watched movies rated for the 15 + section were five ties as likely to buy  pretend beer or wine.

New Stroke Predictor

TAKE THIS EYE EXAM    The trouble with high blood pressure is hat it is a silent condition. That’s why a debilitating stroke is often the first signal that a victim may ever have. Now research has found a new way to predict who’s in danger via an eye exam.
Scientists from the University of Sydney in Australia photographed the eyes of 3,654 healthy adults and screened them for sings of hypertensive retinopathy, which causes small ruptures in the eye’s blood vessels.
    After 7 years, those with retinopathy were three times more likely than others to have suffered a stroke. The vessels in the eye are similar to those in the brain.
Hypertensive retinopathy, like diabetic retinopathy, an often lead to blindness, which is another reason to check for it.

Just In Time For An Attack

OVERWORKED HEARTS     What’s your reward for hitting a high pressure deadline? A pat on the back, a raise and maybe a heart attack, says a recent study of nearly 1,400 Swedish heart attack patients. People who made it through an intense deadline at work were six times more likely to have a heat attack over the  course of the following day than after a less stressful day. “it seems to be single events that increase the risk, while an accumulation of stressful events that increase the risk, while an accumulation of stressful events during the previous  12 months do not,” says Jette Moller, a senior researcher at Karolinska  Institute in Stockholm.
1-    Minute Test For Alzheimer’s

 A NO- BRAINER  

    How many animals can you name in a minute? It’s a fun keep the kids occupied in he car game, but when UK scientists asked 136 volunteers to play, they found a way to detect early state dementia. People with early Alzheimer’s named an average of 10 to 15 animals or fruits within the time allowed. Healthy adults, however, listed 20 to 25. While the Alzheimer’s group thought of everyday words such as cat and apple, they left out others that aren’t used as often, such as zebra and kiwi. The pattern was so consistent that researchers correctly identified ill  patients based solely on word lists. The potential payoff: Early detection may someday give scientists a better shot at slowing disease progression.

Is Blood like Your Waistline The Thinner, The Better?

   The old adage “Blood is thicker than water” makes sense for family ties. For the heart and circulatory system, though, thinner, more watery  blood might be better.
    Some tantalizing threads of evidence suggest that people with thicker (or more viscous) blood have higher chances of developing heart disease or having  a  heart attack or stroke. Viscosity measures a fluid’s resistance to flow; honey, for example, is more viscous than water. The more viscous the blood, the harder the heart must work to move it around the body and the more likely it is to from clots inside arteries and veins.
    This is a concern for people with disorders such as polycythemia vera, in which the body makes too many red blood cells, or multiple myeloma, a type of  cancer that creates too many  white blood cells. Extra viscous blood  may emphasis on the may also be a problem for the rest of us.
    In one European study, people with the thickest blood  (highest viscosity) were more likely to develop heart disease or die over an eight-year period than those with the thinnest blood. A  similar connection was seen in one of the original statin studies (along with a decrease in viscosity with long tern statin use).
    Mind you, the evidence isn’t nearly strong enough to put viscosity on  a par with high cholesterol or blood pressure as heart hazards (although that didn’t stop someone from writing The Blood Thinner Cure). It is strong enough, though, to keep viscosity in the back of your mind as another reason for drinking enough water and sticking with heart healthy habits. And, just for the record, capsacin, found in red chillies happens to be an excellent blood thinner.

Rejection’s a Real Pain

FEELIGN THE HURT?    A social snub really does hurt as much as a slap I the face. The same brain cells that register physical pain also respond when the injury comes in the from of rejection, UCLA researchers have found.
    The neuroscientists monitored brain activity in 13 UCLA  undergrads who played a computer ball tossing game with two unseen partners. In reality, the other “Players” wee computer generated and programmed to get nasty. After a while, they stopped tossing he ball to the students social rejection. At that, the anterior cingulated cortex (ACC),  a region of he brain that registers physical pain, lit up on the study volunteers brain scans.
    Evolution may have hardwired our brains to view a social slight and a broken arm as equally serious threats to out survival, the researchers believe. The antidote? A kiss or a hug could comfort a bruised ACC. “The ACC has a ton of opioid  receptors, and opioids, which are released upon tough, are the body’s most potent painkillers,” says lead study author Normal Eisenberger, a UCLA doctoral student.

Did You Know……….people with normal blood cholesterol levels have better hearing than people with high cholesterol levels. Small capillaries supply blood to the inner ear. So if they’re clogged with cholesterol it makes sense that you wouldn’t e able to hear as well.
Mayo Clinic researchers have found that acupuncture offers significant pain relief for fibromyalgia patients.
Laughter dilates the blood vessels and improves blood flow while emotional stress does the opposite.
High homo-cysteine and low folic acid levels are linked with increased risk of memory loss.
Using a hands free head set with your cell phone reduces radiation exposure by upwards of 53 per cent.

Speedy Results

SWEAT’S REWARDS     A spare tire doesn’t just make it harder to button your waistband it can hurt you heart and boost risk of diabetes and cancer. But  you can flatten it fast by speeding up your workouts.  In an   8 months Duke University study of 175 overweight 40 to 65 year-old two groups exercised and third stayed sedentary. The couch potatoes, deep, organ smothering abdominal fat spiked 8.6%. Those who did low intensity workouts (such as walking at an easy pace) for 30 ,omits a day 5 days a week, barely managed to keep their girth from growing they gained 1 ½  pounds in the 8 month period. The real rewards came with higher intensity workouts: In the same amount of time, the third group shrank their waistlines and belly fat by 7% and they lost 6 pounds. All exercise helps prevent fat gain, say the researchers. But to lose abdominal fat, you have to work harder.
How hard? In the study, successful losers  aimed fro an effort of 6 to 8 on a scale of 1 to 10. That’s what you muster for brisk walking uphill, jogging on flat terrain, or pedaling a bike about 12 MPH. Beginners should start with 10 to 15 minutes and slowly work their way up.

Get A Whiff Of This

A TRUST HORMONE?    Sniffing oxytocin a  brain chemical produced during sex, breastfeeding, and other bonding experiences increases trust. When 29 volunteers at the University of Zurich in Switzerland inhaled synthetic oxytocin, they were twice as likely to rely on others to safeguard their money, even with no guarantee of getting  it back. The chemical spray appears to help people overcome their natural wariness when forming relationships, but researchers say the effect lasts only about 2 hours. If they can prolong the response, it may benefit people who don’t produce as much or those who have impaired social skills, such as people with autism.
Botox Eases Back Pain

SPINE POISON   

    Botox, the popular injected wrinkle smoother, appears to lessen chronic lower back pain. Researchers at the Louisiana State University (LSU) Health Sciences Centre in Shreveport followed 19  people with lower back pain, nine of whom received Botox injections. Within 2 to 3 days. The Botox  group  reported less pain better daily functioning, fewer muscle spasms, and increased range of motion. Botox may kill never endings at the injection site, speculate the researchers and even whey grow back, pain does not return.

Less Stress, Better Healing

WOUND THERAPY    The stress you feel has a marked effect on how you heal, according to researchers at Ohio State University’s Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research. In recent experiments, scientists monitored the healing progress of small, deliberately placed blister wounds in married couples who responded to questionnaires and discussions designed to stir up disagreements and negative emotions. Levels of cytokines important elements in the immune system that are a factor in healing, but are also linked to inflammation were measured as well. The wounds of husbands and wives who showed higher levels of hostility and stress healed at lonely 60 per cent of the rate of wounds in coupes with lower levels of tension. A major implication of he experiment is that a positive, calm mind set can make a big difference in the recovery rate of a person going through surgery.

Chew On This

Tobacco is not just bad for your mouth. According to Mayo Clinic researchers smokeless tobacco may be hard on your heart as well, like cigarettes. A  new study finds that chewing tobacco causes a spike in blood pressure and adrenaline, which over time, can raise your risk of heart disease. That’s if mouth cancer doesn’t catch you earlier.

Got The Right Fight Fit?

YOUR COMRORT LEVEL
Forgetting to adjust the seat and back of exercise equipment to fit your body size is among the   most common workout mistakes people  make in the gym, according to the American Council on Exercise. An ill-fitted machine increases your risk of joint injury and can thwart your workout goals because the targeted muscles won’t be properly isolated. Adjust  the seat, back, or other components of any gym machine you use before beginning; if instructions are missing or unclear, ask a trainer to help set you up.
Look for an adjustable parts on gym machines, then choose the settings that fit your body size.

Super Size Your Muscles

LIFE 10% MORE   Your central nervous system is often the deal breaker on heavy lifts. Sometimes you have to trick it into allowing you to lift heavier loads. Try the following technique, in which you switch back and forth between sets with heavier and lighter weights, and between one and six repetitions per set.
The heavy weights don’t seem as imposing when you do one repetition following a six-rep set. And the lighter weights seem really, really light following the heavy lift.

1. Pick a weight that is the most you could lift once with good from. This is your maximum.
2. Do a series of warm up sets of two or three repetitions each, working up to about two thirds of maximum. Rest 2 minutes.
3. Do one repetition with 90 per cent of your maximum, the rest 2 minutes.
4. Do six repetitions with about  with about 75  per cent of your maximum. Rest 2 minutes.
5. Do one rep of your max. Rest 2 minutes.
6. Do six reps with about 80 per cant of your maximum. Rest 2 minutes.
7. Do one rep with 10 per cent more than your maximum. Rest 2 minutes.
8. Finish with a back-off  set of eight to 10 repetitions don’t make this a challenging weight, just something that allows you to finish with a nice pump.

Lean Streets

Turn your neighborhood into a faux fitness course with these 8 easy moves.
Wake up your walking or running routine by repeating any or these moves throughout your workout. For strength exercises, do 2-3  sets of 8-12 repetitions.
Cardio
1.  Hop-Over  
 Revive a childhood obsession: Jump with both feet back and forth over cracks in the sidewalk or pavement (or grass) for 30 seconds.
Red light, Green Light
2. Pick a landmark (such as a lamp post) and increase your pace until you reach it. Aim for an intensity of about 7 or 8 on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being all-out).
3.   Side-Stress Skip
You may not have skipped for a while, but sprinters do it all the time  to build leg, and core strength. Skip for 30 seconds, propelling yourself as high as possible; try to touch overhanging tree branches, flags, and street signs.
4.   Steeplechase
Pick out low-lying obstacles like shallow ditches, curbs, puddles, and shadows, and leap over them. Increase your pace 10 top 15 seconds before launching yourself into the air. (Extra points for grace and style).
Strength
5.  Park-Bench Press
For core, chest, and arms Facing family  anchored  park bench, place hands should width apart on the seat. Walk your feet back until your body is at  a 45-degree angle to the ground, keeping your posture straight and abs tight. Bend elbows, slowly lowering your chest toward the bench. Push up to starting position.
6.  Curbside Crouch
For glutes, thighs and abs Take a wide-legged stance facing the base of a curb or low step. Bend at the knees and hips, then jump up and forward onto the curb or step keeping knees bent when  lading. Return to string position (Note: If you have knees or hips problems, choose a wooden step and land with on foot slightly before the other.)
7.  Stop Steeps
For core and lower body stand with feet hip-width  apart, stop forward, and place your left foot on a step. Your weight should be in your heel. Bend your knees, lowering your right knee toward the ground. Hips, knees, and toes should face forward, and toes should face forward, and front knee should not go past the ankle. Pushing through your right heel, return to starting position. Switch feet and repeat to complete 1 repetition.
8.   Crunch in the Park
For abs Sit on the end of a park bench with your hands on either side of your body. Lean back slightly until you feel tension in your abs. Extend you legs in front of you, then slowly draw you knees up to your chest, contracting your abs throughout the move. Return to starting position.
Power  Central

GET GUTS OF STEEL  

     Regular  crunches can give you a rippling stomach, but they won’t develop the balanced strength you need for sports. Throwing, kicking, and the ability to change direction quickly all come from a midsection that can contract powerfully at all angles, not just up and down. To develop your power base for sports, try these moves. Use a medicine ball, a dumbbell or a thick phone book. Do the first three exercises without resting: If that’s too difficult, reduce the repetitions.
1. The TWISTER   Lie on your back, with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle and your feet flat on the floor.  Squeeze a light medicine ball (2 to 5 pounds) tightly between you knees. Cup your hands lightly over your ears, then slowly raise your head, shoulders, and feet off the floor (A). This is your starting position for the first three exercises. Slowly lower your knees to the right until you feel a comfortable stretch (about halfway to the floor) (B). Hold this position for 5 seconds, then lift  your knees back to the center. Lower your knees to the left for 5 seconds (C). Do six twists to each side.
2.  KNEW CIRCLES  Trains all your abdominal muscles to contract at odd angles, which helps in running.
From the starting position, move your knees in a circle three times as wide as you can. Do three circles in each direction.
3.   FIGURE-EIGHTS   Works all the abdominal muscles, strengthening your torso for the twisting running and kicking while playing soccer. Soccer.
From the starting position, move your knees in a wide figure eight motion, as shown above. Do three repetitions in one direction, then reverse the motion for three more repetition. Rest for 30 seconds, then move on to weighted crunches.
4.  WEIGHTED CRUNCH    Hardens your rectus abdomens and obliques, so you can absorb impact during  contact sports such as martial arts.
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Hold the ball between your palms, resting it on your forehead (A). keep your elbows out to your sides Slowly raise your head and shoulders off the floor(B). hold the position for 5 seconds, then lower yourself. Do three repetitions. Now perform the crunch again, but rotate your head and shoulders slightly as you rise (C), alternating left and right for six repetitions. Repeat the entire set of nine repetition centre, left, and right three times. Rest for 30 seconds then finish with straight-arm crunches.

5.  STRAIGHT-RAM CRUNCH
Trains your rectus  abdominis obliques  to contract with great force, developing overhead power for bowling, fielding and volleyball spikes.
Lie in a crunch position and hold the medicine ball high above your face (A). Raise your head and shoulders of the floor, and hold the crunch for 5 seconds (B). Do the repetitions. Now, just as you did for the weighted crunch, alternate this movement to the left and right (C), for three repetitions on each side.

Prescription Makeup

TAKE COVER  In a fit of romantic passion you tattooed  Tara on your biceps. Now Tara has become history, but the tattoo remains to taunt you  daily. What to do? Surgery is a solution, but it can be painful and mess up your arm as well. How about some make up, instead? That’s right. Dermacolor is a dermatologically approved camouflage system, developed by Kryolan in Germany, that can be used by any skin imperfections or discolorations caused by say, vitiligo, rosacea, birthmarks, burn marks, post surgical  scars, and yes, tattoos.
    The intermixable skin tones offer a natural appearance when applied as directed. The best bit they’re waterproof and weatherproof and weatherproof as well. So you don’t have  to worry about sweat ruining your covet. 

4 DAYS TO FAB ABS

MIDDLE MANAGEMENT  It’s Monday. And you want to look trim and great for that Friday night party you company is organizing. Is it possible to work miracles in such a short time? The answer is, yes. You can firm up, lose up to a pound, and banish bloat in 4 days. Here’s the healthiest fast acting plan to follow, plus some additional help from clothing tricks that will offer the illusion of a trim midsection.
Make the moves:    Prepare your abs for the big event by doing Pilates exercises. All it takes is a couple of workouts to remind you abs what they’re there for. Add on a daily 30 to 60 minute aerobic workout, alternating between moderate and high intensity intervals to burn more calories, and you’ll not only feel great but might even lose a pound (that’s nearly half a kilo).
Watch what you eat:   Don’t touch, under any circumstances, colas, dairy, fiber (beans, veggies, fruit) or salty foods that make you retain water and puff you up.
Keep meals very basic and unprocessed:  Get your sustenance from simple proteins such as egg whites and chicken and drinks loads of water all guaranteed to  keep you bloat free. 
Buy an extra 2 inches:   Platform heels will make you look taller and thinner,  and you can still walk in them.
Put on something black:    Trust us: It does prevent people from seeing your flaws. If you’re getting dressed up, go monochromatic the darker, the better and make sure the dress is fitted but not too tight.
For a casual clothes makeover so with low rise flat front jeans and khakis. Avoid high wasted jeans or pleats, which accentuate you belly.
Try layering:  Using thin layers is a good thing when you’re trying to cover flab. Start with a long, dark, thin tank top or T-shirt with some stretch I it tucked in. This will hold you in and smooth out you shape. The second layer should be a very simple wrap top, thin cardigan, or tailored polo shirt, also in a dark color.
Wear a V-neckline or a long scarf :   Anything vertical even vertical stripes will elongate your look and take the focus off any belly pooch.
Stand tall:  Rolling you shoulders back and down, puling in your tummy, lifting your chin, and standing up, straight using good alignment really can help you look learner.

The Great Unwashed

When you just don’t have time to shampoo your hair, try these strategies to keep it looking groomed.

1. Keep your hands out of your hair.
2. Oil from your palms and fingers can make hair look lifeless.
3. Give it the brush off.
4. Combing your hair in all direction with a bristle brush for 5 minutes in the morning will keep it fresh.
5. Get rid of the oil slick.
6. If your have an oily scalp, degrease it with a little astringent. Soak cotton ball and dab along you part and hairline.
7. Tame it.
8. Keep dry or frizzy hair under control between washings with a cuticle sealer, which smooth the rough outer layer of the hair shaft, making it more manageable. This will buy you another day of looking fabulous.
9. Tip it up.
   In between washings, learn to wear you hair up . It will look fresh all day, especially if you use subtle, decorative clips.
10. Cut it short.
    Short styles are easiest to maintain. If your hair is fine, have it layered and cut no longer than shoulder thick, consider a blunt cut.

From The Nail Files

THE POLISHED LOOK    Give yourself a perfect, long lasting manicure and keep  a professional  manicure chip and scratch free  for the rest of the week.
Stay short.   Trim you nails often. Keep them no longer than ¼ inch over the tip of your finger or you’ll greatly increase the odds of chipping.
Prep the plate.   The key to any stay put manicure is a clean, smooth nail plate. First, soften out the ridges with a nail buffing file, then use a cleanser or astringent to strip off any lingering oils from lotions, gels, or sprays, which can cause polish to go on unevenly or bubble. Let air dry.
Fill in ridges.   We can’t always manually buff away all the ridges, but base coat polishes can finish the job. Pick a brand specifically labeled “ridge filler” to create the smoothest surface.
Hold off.   Next come the actual color but wait! Applying wet polish over a not-so-dry coat is the quickest way to ruin a manicure. Allow 4 to 5 minutes between each layer to be safe.
Layer.   Always add second coat of polish for rich, deep color, then seal it off with a clear gloss topcoat for protection. Avoid “fast-drying” topcoats, which promise to speed drying time. They can make the underlying polish more prone to chipping.
 Lube up.    About 15 minutes after your topcoat sets, apply oil; any type works. Even live oil helps the polish dry and harden, prevents scratching, and softens cuticles.
Reseal.   Even 3 days, apply a clear topcoat to protect your color. Don’t do it more than twice a week, though, or you’ll end up with too thick a layer, which peels off easier.
Cover up.   Wear rubber gloves while doing dishes and gardening gloves when digging in he backyard.

ON RAZOR’S EDGE

GET SHARP.  You may be tempted to use disposable razors for longer than the prescribed week, but even if it’s still giving you a close enough shave, there are other reasons to switch blades more become a breeding ground for bacteria, which might cause an infection on newly shaven skin.
    Not only can a bacteria laden razor trigger razor rash (where hairs curl back into the follicle and skin breaks out in red bumps), to can also cause a condition known as folliculitis, an inflammation  and infection of hair follicles due to staph germs. To keep your razor clean and sharp for a  smooth shave, replace it at least once a week and rinse it thoroughly after every use Then let the razor dry, blade-side up, outside the shower where the air is less humid. Some brands like Gillette come with a reusable snap-on cap to keep blades clean and your fingers safe.

  OIL’S WELL  Overheated cooking oils can smoke and develop an unpleasant taste. And there’s been some concern that toxic substances, including some carcinogens, may develop in the high heat. But you needn’t worry, say food scientists at Kansas State University, because home cooking doesn’t usually reach high enough temperatures, and even in restaurant kitchen the risk is low. One small drawback to any heating of cooking oil also oxidizes over time when exposed to sunlight, which can make it turn rancid. Their advice: But oil in small quantities  to ensure freshness, and if you cook over high heat, use oil that has a high smoke point, such as groundnut, mustard.
The Other Sugars
BETTER BETS?  Sugar Alcohols found in many products labeled “sugarless,” include sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol , and isomalt. Many of these occur naturally in fruits and vegetables  sorbitol in berries, xylitol in lettuce and strawberries, for example. Their chemical structure is something like sugar, something like alcohol.  They have fewer calories per gram than sugar, because  body does not absorb raise blood sugar somewhat and have to be counted as carbohydrates in a diabetic diet. But sugar alcohols are absorbed into the bloodstream more slowly than sugar.
Most sugar alcohols taste less sweet than sucrose (table sugar), except xylitol, which is just as sweet. Sugar alcohols are less likely to promote tooth decay, because mouth bacteria  process them less readily. Xylitol even seems to suppress the bacteria. Over consumption of sugar alcohols can cause diarrhoea, gas, and cramps.
 

Mercury Rising?

FIGURE IT OUT   Measure your blood pressure at various times to determine when it’s typically highest, then check it at that time each day; that provides the best information about possibly worrisome elevation. But also measure your blood pressure if you experience symptoms such as lightheadness, which  might stem from too  much antihypertensive medication. To ensure reliable results, rest your arm in the same position whenever you take a measurement, and wait a half hour after exercising or consuming caffeine, which can increase your pressure, or after eating, which can lower it.

Seeing Pink?

EYE – Q    Pink eye, or conjunctivitis is an inflammation of he membrane that covers the inside of the eyelid and the white part of the eye.
    Your eye becomes bloodshot swollen and irritated and may be sticky with discharge, especially when you wake up. How you treat it depends in part on whether it’s caused by bacteria, a virus, or an allergy.
Symptoms

• Lost of thick discharge in both eyes
• Not much discharge, tearing only one eye
• Tearing, itching, and redness in both eyes, that respond  to an antihistamine
• Likely cause
• Bacterial conjunctivitis
• Viral conjunctivitis
• Allergic conjunctivitis
• Solutions
• Prescription antibiotic drops or ointment
• Bathe the eyes with either warm water or water mixed with a pinch of salt several times during the day.
• Apply warm compresses (cotton pads dipped in warm water or chamomile) to the affected eye for five to 10 minutes three or four times a day.
• Eye drops of sterilized saline water in a clean glass eyedropper or eyecup can also ease the itchiness.
• Same as for viral conjunctivitis

WARNING     Bacterial and viral conjunctivitis are extremely contagious and can spread through families and daycare centers like wildfire. If you or your child is infected, make sure the entire family practices scrupulous hygiene. Wash hands often, don’t share towels, and change pillowcases daily. Above all, be patient. Conjunctivitis usually clears up in a few days.

Pack Away Pain

      Make your own frozen gel pack for icing injuries by partially filing a heavy duty plastic freezer bag with a mixture of one quarter rubbing alcohol (spirit) and three-quarters water. Seal the bag, then seal it inside a second plastic bag. Place it in the freezer. The gel will remain soft (the more alcohol you use, the softer it will be), making it gentler on injuries than hard ice packs.

Burnt Your Tongue?

COOL IT:  For quick relief after you’ve rushed too. Hot food into your mouth, an over the counter cough lozenge containing benzocaine will lessen the pain. The tannin released from sucking on a cool, wet, black tea bag also has a pain-relieving effect and may slow bleeding from a bitten tongue, as well.

Put a can on Canker Sores

AH! RELIF AT LAST.  Over the counter treatments will reduce pain immediately, but if you don’t have one on hand, hold a pinch of instant coffee crystals to the spot. To speed healing and keep canker sores form coming back, rinse with warm salt water and baking soda several times a day. And check you toothpaste. Lost o froth might make you mouth feel clean but pastes that bubble when you brush can increase your risk of canker sores and herpes outbreaks. The foaming agent sodium lauryl  sulfate (also listed on labels as SLS) strips a protective coating from your mouth, leaving you open to infection. If you’re prone to outbreaks, avoid this ingredient.
Cracking the joints can wear them out   Wrong. Cracking knuckles may actually be good for you., say researchers f Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore. They found that people who cracked the neck, back, hip and ankle joints were less likely to develop osteoarthritis there later in life. (knuckle-crunching, however, make no significant difference.) The explanation isn’t clear; it may just be that more-active people have more-poppable joints, ad it’s the exercise that staves off arthritis. Regardless, experts agree the habit is harmless.

Never get Writer’s Cramp 

 Protect you wrists by adjusting your keyboard so your arms bend at 60 to 80 degrees, and stretch your hands every half hour at work. Intertwine your fingers and extend your arms, plans out; hold for 5 seconds. Repeat five times.

Are Veggies The New Statin?

FOOD AS MEDICINE   If you are trying to improve you health with a low-fat diet, be sure it includes lots of vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains. A study reported in the Annals of Internal  Medicine found that people who ate a low-fat diet high in these healthy foods experienced twice the drop in total cholesterol and bad LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) as people who ate a low-fat diet based primarily on reduced-fat prepared foods. Both diets were identical in total fat, saturated far, cholesterol and energy derived from protein and carbohydrates; they differed primarily in the amount of plant based foods included.
    The plant-eaters enjoyed butter, cheese and eggs that had been added to their menus to raise the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol to match that of the convenience-food diet. The researchers concluded that avoiding saturated fat and cholesterol is not as effective at lowering total cholesterol and LDL-C as simply limiting saturated fat and cholesterol and eating more plant based foods.     The American Heart Association and American Cancer Society agree with this approach.

Vision-clouding Carbs

LOOKING BAD   It’s no secret that refined carb overkill in bread, cookies white potatoes and rice contributes mightily to our obesity epidemic. New Tufts University research links those empty carbs to cataracts, too. In a study of 417 women those who ate 200 g of carbs or more per day for 14 plus years had more than double the rate of cataracts compared with those whose intake was closer to the USDA recommended 130 g per day. Excess glucose may damage lens proteins, animal studies show.

Here Comes The Sunflower

TOP SEEDS  Move sunflower seeds and pistachio nuts toward the top of your list of hear healthy foods. In a recent analysis in the Journal  of Agricultural  and Food Chemistry scientists compared levels of cholesterol lowering substances called phytosterols in 17 kinds of nuts and found that while all were good sources, these two ranked highest. Nuts and seeds have 150 to 200 calories per ounce, however, so limit portions to an ounce or two. Look for unsalted varieties.

Putting Out The Fire

THE SALTY TRUTH    The trick for the millions suffering from heartburn  has been figuring out which foods to avoid. Finally, a new Swedish study offers some answers and they’re not what you may have expected. When researchers studied the habits of 3,153 acid reflux patients and more than 40,000 healthy people, they found that longtime smokers and those who used extra table salt daily were 70% more likely  to have developed the chronic from of heartburn,  gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). But usual suspects such as coffee, alcohol, and tea didn’t boost risk of the disease. The researchers also discovered that 30 minutes pf exercise at least once a week and a high fiber diet slashed the risk of GRED in half.

 Protein Gets A Plus

LEAN ON LEUCINE    A diet that’s reasonably high in protein (similar to the Zone, Atkins, and South Beach plans) may help you lose more flab and less  muscle. new studies show. In a University of Washington  study helped 19 overweight people lost an average of 11 pounds, 8 of them fat on a 30% protein diet. Remarkably, the subjects consumed 441 fewer calories per day in 3 month on this regimen than they had during 2 weeks on a 15% protein diet despite the fact that they could eat as much as they wanted, provided they maintained the 30% protein ratio. This study is the latest to show that protein can suppress appetite in ways that carbs and fats can’t the scientists say, for reasons yet to be determined.
    But one of protein’s amino acids, leucine, found mostly in animal foods, may be the key to keeping muscle and losing fat, according to University of Illinois research
    Studies show that Leucine can promote muscle building when overall calories are low. Although animal protein is richest in leucine (1, 700 to 2, 100 mg per serving), it’s also a prime source of heart-harming sat fats. So stock up on good, lower-fat sources like those in the chart below.
6 protein foods high in fat-fighting leucing

1. Tofu, firm, ½ cup                                        1,511 mg
2. Low fat Paneer 1% fat, ½ cup                 1,440 mg
3. Fat-free milk 200 ml                                  818    mg
4. Low  fat Mozzarella, cheese 30 gms     670  mg
5. Low fat Cheddar,  30 gms                       608 mg
6. Egg, hard or soft-boiled, large                538  mg  
    

Ready For Your Does Of Vinegar?

SWEET ‘N’ SOUR NEWS   Some people will do anything to lose a few pounds sip vinegar, for instance. “You get the hang of it after a couple of days,” says Carol S. Johnston, PhD,  RD, a nutrition professor at  Arizona State University. She recently ged a group of study participants 4 tablespoons of the stuff daily for a month to see if their cholesterol would dip. It didn’t; but they did drop about half a pound a week, on average , without changing their diets. No one who drank placebo lost weight. Experts think vinegar’s acetic acid probably interferes with carb digestion. In earlier research, Johnston found that vinegar blunts post meal spikes in blood sugar among prediabetics  just  as well as diabetes medications. Of course, it might be that vinegar simply suppresses appetite, but that didn’t seem to happen in the study.
Vinegar  has been a folk remedy for everything from infection to indigestion. Johnston says, and it appears to be perfectly safe. But if you just can’t fathom downing  vinegar shots, she suggests a salad with a vinaigrette dressing before each meal. 

 

Going Against The Grain

RASH REACTION   Listlessness. Skin rashes. Migraines. These aren’t symptoms you’d associate with stomach upset. But along with the usual afflictions of abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea, they plagues people with celiac disease, a digestive disorder. When sufferers try to digest gluten a protein found in all foods that contain wheat or barley the body mounts an autoimmune response, attacking villi, hair like projections that line the small intestines. This hampers digestion and can bring on the baffling symptoms. Over time, malnutrition, infertility, and osteoporosis can result.  The facts are alarming, but once a diagnosis is made usually with a blood test and a biopsy of the small intestine a gluten free diet can completely heal the villi and clear up the symptoms.

Fall Plans

LEARN FROM JUDO.   Falling on outstretched hands can snap you collarbone. Ask a martial arts instructor to teach you the “tuck and roll.” The basics: Tuck you arms close to your sides and shield you face with your forearms, then roll to absorb the fall’s impact. Learn the proper technique and you shouldn’t break anything during a tumble. Except wind.

  Take The Leap

SEX WITH HERPES     First the good news: You don’t have to give up sex. But you do need to make some changes in how and when you have it. Unlike other sexually transmitted diseases such as herpes is incurable. So it’s your responsibility to take precautions, so you don’t transmit the virus to a partner. Here’s how to keep the sex smart:
Read  up  Herpes can cause painful, blister like sores on the lips and inside the vagina, on areas covered by public hair, and around the anus. Lean all you can about. How it’s spread and ways to prevent transmitting it.
    Take first, love later   Explain to your partner what herpes is and the steps you’re willing to take to avoid passing the virus to him/her.
Avoid skin-to-skin contact,   including oral, vaginal, and anal sex. During an outbreak it’s during the “active” phase that herpes is most contagious.
Set limits    You can still transmit the virus between outbreaks through “viral shedding,” when small amounts of the virus come to the surface of the skin. And condoms don’t provide 100% protection. Instead try what sexologists call VENIS: very erotic non-insertive sex (including manual genital stimulation, kissing, and hugging).
Get a prescription    Antiviral medication can either be taken at the first sign of an outbreak  to reduce the severity and duration or be taken every day to suppress outbreaks (which may also reduce viral shedding).
Room For Love 2  
    Why keep sex in the bedroom when, with a little imagination, you  can turn  and nook, corner or pieces of furniture in your home as props for some rollicking fun. This month, for eg., try the
LAWN CHAIR.  You’ll need one of those armless, three-panel reclining ones. You take the bottom position, then let her straddle you and the chair. Her legs will do all the real work you can just sit back and watch
Not a PID-dling Issue
    If your partner suffers form recurrent pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), an infection that can cause chronic pain and infertility were a condom for her protection. A study had found that this lowers risk of recurrent PID  by 30 to 60 per cent.

Romancing The Phone

With so man ways to reach out and love someone, will physical presence soon be optional?
    Loving across long distances can be difficult, as geographically challenged suitors (and military spouses)  well know. But these days e-mail unlimited minutes, and picture phones confer intimacy across the miles, and Internet dating unites people who are worlds apart. Erin M. Sahlstein  PhD, an assistant professor of communication studies at the University of Richmond, says it’s time to recognize the benefits that can be gained from relating at a distance.  Her research shows that couples have more time to focus on career advancement and reflect, objectively on their relationships. And absent hearts growing fonder, may even produce a better sex life. But success isn’t easy. Sahjlstein;s research reveals a clear “relational dialectic,” she says. Put another way: There are pluses and minuses to such romances. Some tips:
Connect for couple time   Establish rituals, such as talking on the phone for 10 minutes at a specified time each night. Couples who did so seemed to fare better than couples that randomly connected,  Sahlstein says.
Maintain your own network   Each of you needs to cultivate relationships with friends and family, whose proximity helps to support you and your partner as a couple when you can’t be together, Sahlstein says. That support can come from simply talking about your absent partner or proving advice when problems arise.
    “What I hear you saying is…..”  Even during separations, you need to work on problems as they arise, so that all of your time together isn’t spent hashing out your issues.
Don’t cocoon  When you do find time  to get together, Sahlstein advises, couples should still attend to individual needs and interests. Bracketing off your relationship from other areas of your life makes the transition into  and out of your time together that much harder.

A Singular Attraction

WHAT LIES BENEATH    Men who identify themselves as bisexual are, in face, much more attracted to one sex than the other, researchers say. And findings published recently in the journal Psychological Science seem to support this theory. In the study, bisexual men who watched films of couples engaging in hetero or homosexual sex said they felt substantially aroused by both types. But their overall genital responses, which the researchers measured, indicated they were  much more around by males than females.
 

Warm Fuzzies

  SPREAD THE LOVE   People who make others feel carried for  (by being good listener, for instance) are more emotionally healthy than aloof folks, shows a study of churchgoers in Psychosomatic Medicine. Those who are giving may be less self-centered and so more able to keep problems in perspective. When you mood is sour, bolster someone else’s. It will make you happier in the long run.
Bad News for Couch Potatoes
SOFA-CUM-BAD  Step away from the remote. New research published in the Journal of physiology suggest that just 2 consecutive days of slacking is enough to mess up your body’s sensitivity  to insulin,  possibly increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and some forms of cancer. That’s all the time it took for normally active rats kept from using their lifelong sedentary cousin. Yes, we know rats aren’t people,. But the findings make sense. So turn off Jhalak Dhikla Ja  and go sweat a little.
And talking of insulin resistance, don’t hit the snooze button too often either. Lack of sleep is bad  for health, but too much of it can also be injurious. A Yale study found that men who slept longer than 8 hours per night had triple the risk of diabetes, comported with those logging 6 to 8 hours. Excess shut-eye may lower testosterone levels, leading to insulin resistance.

Coffee for the Heart?

JAVA JOLT Caffeine may protect older hearts by curbing the drop in blood pressure that the occurs after meals.
Scientist followed roughly 6,600 men and women in the US National Health and Nutrition examination Survey Epidemiologic Follow-up Study for nine years. Among those aged 65 or older the risk of  heart disease was roughly 30 per cent lower in those who drink half cup to 3 ½ cups a day. The risk was 53 per cent lower in those who drank 4 cups a day or more.
    Only regular coffee appeared to protect against heart disease, perhaps because regular tea and cola have less caffeine.
    Caffeinated beverages weren’t linked to less heart disease in anyone with Stage 2 hypertension (blood pressure of 160 over 100 or higher) or in younger people.
What to do:  If you’re an older coffee drinker, don’t stop unless it gives you insomnia or the jitters. Other studies suggest that coffee may help lower the risk of Parkinson’s disease and diabetes.

XXL Risks

MIDDLE ORDER  Need another reason to lose that “spare tire”? A large European study suggests that adults who carry much of their fat around the middle may be at increased risk  for colon cancer.
    The findings come form the EPIC study (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition), a large ongoing study of nutrition and cancer risk  among European adults. Researchers found that among 368,277 adults from nine European countries, men and women with more abdominal fat-carrying the proverbial “spare tire” were more likely  to develop colon cancer  than those who were trimmer around the middle. Simply having a large waistline also heightened the risk.
    The study, published in the Journal of the National cancer Institute, suggest that abdominal fat holds particular weight when it comes to colon cancer risk. Tobias Pischon,  MD, MPH, a researcher at the German Institute of Human Nutrition and the lead author of the study, said abdominal obesity in particular, as that type of fat is more “metabolically active.” Abdominal fat may raise colon cancer risk by increasing the levels of certain hormones that affect cells.
    The researchers found that body weight and body mass index (BMI) were related to colon cancer risk in both men and women. One explanation, according to  Pischon’s team, may be the difference  between the way men and women carry extra weigh. When a man has a high BMI, it’s typically because of fat around the  middle. But women tend to carry  their fat around the hips and thighs, so waist size  may be a more accurate predictor of colon cancer risk than overall BMI, particularly for women, according to Pischon.
“Our study shows that it’s more important to keep an eye on the waist circumference, especially in women,” he said.

Spit It Out

NO BLOOD LETTING Researchers have found that saliva contains as many diagnostic molecules as blood does, and now they’re creating a more convenient way to measure at the University of Pennsylvania are developing portable saliva tests that can reveal  viruses and bacteria, as well as antibodies to HIV, in about an hour. They hope the mew tests will help in the diagnosis and containment of contagious infections before they become pubic health emergencies.

JOINT ATTACK

PILL PROTECTION  Doxycycline  yes, the same antibiotic that’s used to treat leptospirosis,  among other diseases may slow the progression n osteoarthritis (OA), according to a report in Arthritis & Rheumatism.
    OA is marked by the  breakdown of the cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones in joints. Doxycycline  works degradation that will stop the disease from progressing. However the drug did little to reduce pain.
 

On-your-duff Bone Builder

THE ROW DOWN  A bout on the rowing machine in the gym can be just as effective as a barbell for preventing osteoporosis. In an Oregon State University study of 54 women in their 50s, those who rowed competitively for at least a year had up to 6% greater bone density inn their spines and 23% greater back strength than active non rowers. This study shows that weight lifting and running aren’t they only ways to bolster bones.
    Researchers say the force of muscles tugging on vertebrae when you row stimulates those bones to toughen up.

Moving News
HEART-TO-HEART   Numerous studies show that aerobic exercise reduces the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), but the exact biological mechanism is  not fully understood
    A new study, led by Columbia University Medical Centre in New York, found that exercise decreases a marker of inflammation.          Systemic inflammation is linked to a buildup of fatty deposits in arteries atherosclerosis) that leads to most cases of CHD.
    The researchers took  blood samples from 46 healthy young adults (aged 20-45) both before and after they participated in a 12-week programme of moderate or high intensity aerobic exercise. The blood samples were stimulated with an infectious agent and then analyzed for levels of the  inflammatory  chemical tumour  necrosis factor (TNF), produced during the first stage of the chemical cascade that causes systemic inflammation. Substantially lower levels of INF were found after aerobic training in both the moderate and high intensity exercise groups, reports lead author. Richard P. Sloan, PhD, professor of behavioral  medicine at Columbia.
Inflammation may  not only lead to a buildup of tatty plaques, but may  also play a role in plaque  rupture, which can form blood clots and block already narrowed arteries causing heart attacks.
    Meanwhile other research indicates that exercise might ward off colds. The  authors suggest two possible   explanations. One previous study  showed that walking for 30 minutes temporarily increases counts of disease-fighting immune cells called leukocytes. Some research suggests that exercise also may increase levels of an antibody in saliva called lgA, which was associated in one study with a reduced risk of upper respiratory infections. So get your butt off that couch and start making tracks.

Take Your Last Puff

SHAPE UP OR BUTT OUT  Smoke-free offices (Health & Nutrition happens to be one of them) have proved a god send for  people who can’t stand tobacco, and now there’s evidence they’re also a blessing for employee  trying to kick the habit. Smokers in offices that banned cigarettes were a whopping 38 per cent more likely to quit within sex months than those toiling in places without such restrictions.
 

CHROME FINISHES FIRST

THE FORGOTTEN MNERAL  It’s one of the most common elements in the earth’s crust and in seawater, but only tiny amounts are present in the human body. To date, its dubious claim to fame is weight loss. Chromium may finally get some respect because of new studies.
Chromium and cholesterol  Although many medications do an excellent  job of lowering  LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels, most are much less successful at boosting HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels. Niacin is an exception,  but it can have unpleasant side effects. But if lifestyle changes don’t help, chromium may be worth a try. Four randomized clinical trials  have reported a benefit; form chromium supplements in doses ranging from 200 mcg to 600 mcg a day. More study is needed to sort things out, but since chromium supplements are inexpensive and safe, it is  reasonable for people with low HDL to try them for two  four months to see if they  can help, researchers says.
Chromium and heart disease  Despite interesting hints of clinical importance, chromium has been on the scientific back burner, but a new study of chromium and hear disease may restore some of its shine.
    Scientists from the United States, Europe, and Israel  evaluated 1,408 men form eight European countries and Israel. Nearly half  were enrolled in the EURAMIC study shortly after suffering their  first hear attacks; the other men had not had heart attacks. The researchers collected toenail clippings form all ten toes of each volunteer. The clippings were stored carefully until they could undergo neutron activation analysis, a precise way to determine chromium levels. The men were also  evaluated for obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, smoking, and alcohol use.
    When the results were analyzed, low chromium levels  were linked to an increased risk  f heart attacks: the lower the level, the higher the risk. The association between low chromium and heart attacks did not depend on diabetes or dietary patterns that affect chromium consumption. In all, men with the highest chromium levels were 41% less likely to have a heart attack than men with the lowest levels.
    A Harvard study of 1,247 American man supports  the hypothesis that chromium may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. As in the EURAMIC study, the Harvard scientists used chromium levels. Compared  with  healthy men, those with diabetes had lower chromium levels, while men with both  diabetes and coronary artery disease had the lowest levels, of all.
Is chromium right for you?   When it comes  to dietary chromium, the answer is yes.
    The mineral is present in many foods, including high-fiber bran cereals and other whole-grain products, coffee, nuts, green beans, brewer’s yeast. The chromium content of fruits, most vegetables, fish, poultry, and meat varies widely. Foods made with refined grains and simple sugars are a double whammy for the body’s  chromium balance, since they are low in the mineral and they  also promote chromium loss.
 

Tone is time

The move   The Pledge Curl  How to do it  Stand with knees soft, arm at sides, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Keeping shoulders back, bend right elbow and slowly lift weight lift weight across chest  to left, palm in (as though pledging allegiance), Lower weight. Repeat on left. Do three sets of 15. You’ll have buff biceps on our honor.

Functional Fitness

MUSCLE WITH A PURPOSE  You can load up the shoulder press  machine at the gym to the limit and pump out umpteen repetitions, but they won’t prepare you for anything that you’ll encounter in real life.
    You want useful muscle, not just stuff that looks great for the camera. The workout below is designed to build bulk and core strength, and an injury resistant platform. By hoisting heavier weights than usual, you’ll also make big gains in size (use light weights in the Scapular Stabilizer however, which is a complex move). Perform these exercises back-to-back in three circuits, resting for 2 minutes after each cycle.
Dumbell Deadlift
Stand with a heave dumbbell on the floor beside each foot. Bend your  knees and grab the weights with your palms facing in. Keeping your head and chest up, your torso leaning forward no more than  45 degrees, push your feet against the floor and stand up. Then  lower yourself, maintaining the arch in your back.
Floor Press
Grab a pair of heavy dumbbells  and sit on the floor with your knees bent, feet on the floor. Lie down with your upper arms in contact with the floor and hold the dumbbells next to your shoulders, as if you were about to perform a bench press. Press. Press the  weights up over your chest, then lower them.
Negative Situp
Sit on the floor with your knees bent 90 degrees and hold a dumbbell with both hands close to your chest. Take 5 or 6 seconds to lower your back toward the floor, one vertebra at a time. (Try, not  to increase speed as you get closer to the floor). Sit back up using a little momentum as possible.
Scapular Stabilizer 
Holding dumbbells in each hand, lie facedown on a bench with you head over the edge. Extend dumbbells out in form of you, thumbs up (A). Then bring them down to the floor and back up for the assigned, number of re[s. Move into the second position, arms straight out to the sides at a 90-degree angle, thumbs still up (B), and then brig arms down to the floor; repeat. Move into the third  position, arms at sides, palms facing up, and extending your arms toward the ceiling, bring them behind your back and try to touch hands (C). Lower arms to the floor and repeat.

 
CAN WEIGHT TRAINING BE SUBSTITUTED WITH YOGA FOR A TONED BODY?

    If you love the flexibility and relaxation of yoga, it’s OK to occasionally re[lace one of your weekly  strength  workouts with it. Just don’t ditch weight training altogether. It’s vital for keeping you toned and firing up your body’s metabolism. Another option: Do yoga in place of one of your weekly cardio workouts you’ll burn about 270  calories per hour for traditional hatha yoga versus 235 calories for an hour of moderate-pace walking (based on a  150-pound individual). If your body isn’t going in the direction you want, though, return to your original strength and cardio routines.

YOU DON’T NEED AS MUCH EXERCISE IF YOU’RE THIN

   For motivation, nothing beats the goal of dropping a few pounds. Yet there’s a very compelling reason why the trim should work out even harder than their heftier brethren. Yes, exercise offers protection against aliments that strike the slim and the stocky alike, such as cancer, depression, and arthritis. But it’s especially key in warding off  osteoporosis, a disease that disproportionately  affects thin people, esp women. To prevent the wasting of bone and lessen the risk of a broken hip, you must do weight bearing workouts. For people on the heavy side, just about every step they take counts. If you’re trim, you’ll have to schedule plenty of walking, jogging, and resistance training. No one can afford  to skip exercise.

Gym Gems

IT’S  SPREADING!  Some pro athletes have started sporting their bling  while in action . Superstar  beach volleyballer  Elaine Young  and golf phenom Anika Sorenstam have been spotted wearing necklaces made with bloodstone, a gemstone said to increase endurance and improve performance (from “jewelry with a purpose” company energy Muse). And U. S. Olympic volleyball  Player Stacy  Sykora now wears bracelets (from Phiten) embedded with titanium for extra energy. Most experts don’t buy the jewelry’s placebo effect, either.

Green Tea For Grey Cells?
  BEAUTY OF THE BREW.   Green tea protects your memory, according to a Japanese study. Scientists found that people who drank 1 cup of green tea daily were up to 37 per cent less likely to suffer age-related cognitive decline than those who consumed less. Researchers credit a compound in the tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate  (EGCG), with may help prevent the buildup of plaque on brain cells, a charactereistic of Alzheimer’s To get the most benefit, steep you least 3 minutes; any less results in lower amounts of EGCG.

Freshen Up Your H2O
   GET JUICED. If you’re bored with bottled water and crave mote flavor, fix yourself a tray of fruity juice cubes. Pour 1 ½ cups pure cranberry or Lehberry juice into an ice-cube tray, drop a wedge of lemon, orange, mosambi, strawberry (or other berry) into each cube  provides at least 10 per cent of your daylily vitamin C needs and turns water into a delicious drink, all for only 13 calories.

Label Alert
  FAUX FRUIT.   Don’t assume that packaged foods with fruit in their names or images of frit on their boxes contain real fruit. According to the Strategic Alliance in California, 19 of 37 products surveyed including cereals, yogurts, and beverages did not contain any, despite references to fruit. For instance. Yoplait’s Strawberry Splash Go-Gurt Yogurt had no strawberries; Fruity Cheerios and Berry Kix had no fruit of any sort. In place of fruit, manufacturers often use natural flavorings, which have no nutritional value, plus lots of added sugar. If there is fruit, It’s usually very little. Read the ingredient list and make sure that fruit is toward the top and comes before any added sugar. And for the record, “Fruit juice concentrate” doesn’t const as fruit it’s just a sweetener.

Make A Healthy Snack
    A banana pop has only 124 calories and 4 grams fat and is loaded with protein, potassium. Fibre and calcium. For two pops: Peel a banana and cut in half. Slide a popsicle stick into each piece. Dip them in hung curd sweetened with a sugar substitute. Roll in a mixture of 1 tbsp wheat germ and 1 tpsp chopped al almonds. Wrap in wax paper and freeze. Yum.

Golden Honey Granola
  This granola is much lower in fat and calories than most store-bought brands because it has less oil; and it’s cheaper. It’s also packed with almonds, which means it’s full of fiber, magnesium, and vitamin E.
You Need
3 cups oats
¾ cup sliced unbalanced almonds
½ cup honey
1 tablespoon oil (peanut/sunflower/mustard)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3 cups wheat bran flakes cereal (such as Kellogs bran Flakes)
¾ cup golden raisins or dried mixed fruit
Top Prepare
Preheat oven to 160 C.
Spread oats and almonds evenly on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Stir well; continue to bake until lightly to wasted, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the honey, oil, cinnamon, salt, and cloves in a large bowl. Add the warm, toasted, oat mixture to bowl; toss well. Line the previously used baking sheet with parchment paper, or coat with oil. Return the mixture to the pan, and bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Break the oat mixture into chunks; toss with the cereal and the raisins. Store tightly covered at room temperature up to 2 weeks.
Serves 18 (Serving size: ½ cup)
Energy: 163 Kcals
 Never Get A Hangover!
   Tis the season to overdo it from eating to talking to whooping it up. So how do you survive the morning after? Try our sneaky little tricks.
There’s more than one way to overindulge from here till the New Year rings in than  downing too many glasses of champagne. You can Karoke at your umpteenth X’ mas party until you get a sore throat, or scarf too many cookies at the office party. You can stress over the perfect slice of Belgium nougat, or try to work off 5 pounds in a day so you can fit into that slinky cocktail dress that night. Sometimes you go too far and then comes the morning after. But don’t despair: We’ve come up with easy cures for almost every imaginable holiday hangover. Before you know it, you’ll feel ready to deck the hall over again.

You eat the whole thing
Paneer zafrini tikka, roast leg of lamb, double-fudge macaroons. It was your neighbor’s holiday shindig, and you didn’t want to insult her by not trying everything at least once. Now you feel bloated, nauseated, and disgusting. “It’s the ultimate yuck feeling,” says Cindy Yoshida,  MD, a gastroenterologist in  Charlottesville, Virginia, and author of No More Digestive Problems. “Higher-fat foods empty a lot more slowly form the stomach,” she says, which means part of last night’s meal might still be with you the next day.
Our get-better-plan
GIVE YOUR TUMMY A BREAK.  Don’t eat until you’re hungry. “And then have smaller meals that are relatively low in calories and fat and high in fiber for the rest of the day,” Yoshida says. That will stimulate your gastrointestinal tract and get things moving
REHYDRATE EARLY AND OFTEN. Not only will fluids help rebalance your body’s salt-to-water ratio, which fights bloating, but “they also empty form the stomach better than solids do,” Yoshida explains.
MELLOW OUT WITH MINT.  A peppermint lozenge or peppermint tea can increase gastric emptying, which will relieve pain, Yoshida says. (If you have heartburn, skip peppermint, which can aggravate it. Try an antacid instead.) 

You’re stressed to the max
  Your father-in-law the master manipulator insisted on a holiday visit this year. As usual, he showers the kids with love and loot and drives you insane with subtle cut downs. After 24 hours you’ve turned into a snapping turtle, you’re exhausted, and you can almost feel the steam coming out of you ears. Yes, you have a stress hangover. Stress hormones sweeping through your body can make you restless, wound-up, and unable to sleep, says Amy flowers, PhD, a psychologist in private practice in Macon, Georgia.
Our get-better-fast plan
TAKE A WALK.  Exercise can help the stress hormones beat a hasty retreat, Flowers says.
DIATRACT YOURSELF. Do  something you enjoy. Even 30 minutes of cooking, painting, or reading can lighten your mood and help you cope.
LET IT OUT.  Jot down your feelings in a journal or talk  to a trusted friend about what you’re going through.

You talked too much
  Maybe you led the caroling at the office bash, or stayed up all night with the guys the be time a year you get together. But today? You are hoarse, and even a whisper is painful. That’s your vocal cords red, irritated, and swollen telling you they’re overused, says C. Richard Stasney MD director of the Texas Voice Center and a clinical associate professor of otolaryngology at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
Our get-better-fast plan.
SHH. Ideally, rest you voice for a day or two. But even a few hours will help, Stasney says.
DRINK UP. If people were smoking at the party and you were downing wine, you’re probably dehydrated, and your vocal cords may be irritated.
Consume 2 litres of water during the day to rehydrate your body and lubricate you pipes.
SOOTHE THE SORENESS.  A steaming bowl of chicken soup will pamper your poor cords. Or, gently gargle for 2 minutes with a solution of 150 ml of warm, distilled water mixed with half teaspoon of self, half teaspoon of baking soda, and half teaspoon of light corn syrup; this strange-but-potent combo ma help stimulate mucous flow in your dry throat.

You went a little wild
   Who has time for  bedroom gymnastics when you’ve got a gazillion stuff to do? Certainly not you……..  until last night, that is, when you and your mate caught Julia Roberts and Jude Law in Closer on DVD. By the flick’s end, you were so charged up you had the best sex of your life. You’re not too sorry except that your penis burns when you pee, and your wife is complaining that it’s uncomfortable even to sit down this morning. Just one night of passion can cause tiny tears in the entrance to her vagina, says David E. Soper, MD, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Medical University of South Carolina in  Charleston. And if you’re both running to the bathroom every 30 seconds and it burns when you pee, you have typical symptoms of “honeymoon cystitis.”
Our get-better-fast plan
BABY YOUR BOTTOM.  A warm bath or cool compresses can be soothing; afterward, pat the area dry. Also, were loose cotton clothes to avoid friction
CALL IN FOR HELP. If you’ve got a peeing problem, take a trip to the clinic. Your doctor will probably prescribe a 3-day course of antibiotics and perhaps an oral painkiller that relieves urinary tract pain.
AVOID IRRITANTS. Don’t put crams or even strong soap on the vagina, Soper says. They’ll dry it out, which can make tiny cracks in the skin worse.

You hoisted a few too many
    A glass of your favorite pinot noir seemed like the perfect way to celebrate the season. But that second bottle probably wasn’t such a good idea. Now you have a classic hangover:  headache, nausea, fatigue, and shakiness. Otherwise known as veisalgia, these symptoms are the result of dehydration (because alcohol impairs the kidneys’ ability  to hold onto fluids), poor sleep (because alcohol alters levels of certain neuro-transmitters, causing brain cells to be hyperexcitable),  and inflammation (because the impurities in most alcoholic drinks lead to on inflammatory  response that produces flulike  symptoms like achy muscles), says hangover researcher Jeffrey Wiese, MD, an associate professor of medicine at the Tulane University Health Sciences Center in New  Orleans.
Our get-better-fast plan
SELEEP IN OR TAKE NAP. “It may help to try to get a couple of extra hours of sleep in the morning,” Wiese says. “Every  additional hour you can get will help you recover.”
SIP RIGHT.  Replenishing fluids is important. Sports drinks, which contain essential nutrients, are best, followed by juices, and then water, Wiese says. “The more you can drink, the better, since it will help the hangover go away faster,” Start before you go to sleep.
TAKE VITAMINS. Popping 50 to 100 milligrams of thiamine, or B and 10 milligrams of B per day may make up for deficits and ease hangover symptoms, says Bankole  Johnson, MD, PhD, chairman of the department of psychiatric medicine at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Keep taking them for a couple of days to restore the losses caused by overindulging. 
RELIEVE PAIN. It’s fine to take ibuprofen to reduce aches and aches and underlying inflammation, Wiese says. You can even take it at bedtime. But stay away form paracetamol, “because it won’t help  with inflammation and can damage the liver if used with alcohol.

You OD’d on caffeine
     The boss won’t fault you for gulping down 10 coffees as day, so you can finish all your projects before the New Year. But your body probably will. You might feel restless and nervous, and you thoughts may race at breakneck speed. “Caffeine in high doses can feel like a panic or anxiety attack,” says Jim Lane, PhD, a professor of medical psychology at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. So when the boss has a few questions about those projects, you may overreact. “Caffeine also triggers the release of adrenaline, which seems to magnify the stress response,” Lane explains.
Our get-better-fast plan
KNOW THE SIGNS. The kick typically starts within 20 to 30 minutes, and it takes about 4 hours for half of the Caffeine in  your blood sot be eliminated, Lane says. You can’t hasten its exit, but it might help to acknowledge why you feel jumpy and realize the feeling will go away.
DE-STRESS. Soothing music may help while you’re waiting for the buzz to wear off.

You’re running on empty
   Sitting up all night chatting on the net is sure to cheat you out of major shut-eye. That means you’ll wake up feeling foggy, groggy, and totally unprepared to tackle a to-do list. “If you sleep only 4 hours a night, you’ll perform as well as if you were legally drunk,” says Joyce Walsleben, RN, PhD, a sleep expert at the New York University School of Medicine. A lack of sleep can also curb your ability to fight off infections.
Our get-better-fast plan
LIGHTEN UP. The morning after, sit near a sun-drenched window or take a walk in the sun for 20 minutes; the light promotes alertness by turning off your body’s production of melatonin, which makes you sleepy.
TAKE A NAP.  “A 10 to 20 minute nap helps you collect sleep and revive, especially before you drive,” Walsleben says.
CARRINATE. Have a cup about 20 minutes before you want you performance to kick into high gear.
EAT LIGHTLY. Stick with small meals of complex carbohydrates (vegetables, fruits, whole grains) and lean protein. Avoid dairy, fish, and peanuts; they have an amino acid (tryptophan) that makes you sleepy.

You hit the gym….. and it hit you back
   A kickboxing class plus you usual routine seemed like a perfect way to work off holiday bloat. But supersizing  your workout can lead to delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS  when it hurts to get out of bed. “You may actually have caused some microscopic tears to the muscle tissues and the tendon attachments,” explains Cedric Bryant, American council on Exercise. “While your body tries to repair itself, inflammation impinges on the nerves surrounding the muscles, producing pain.” DOMS usually goes away in 48n to 72 hours.
Our get-betters-fast plan
HOP BACK ON THE HORSE.  Whole-body exercise (swimming, for instance, or riding a stationary bike with moveable handlebars) at a gentile intensity will restore range f motion to your muscles, Bryant says.
STRETCH CARERULLY.  Target the sore areas and do some gentle stretching.
TREAT YOURSLF. Get a massage. The kneading of sore muscles can boost blood flow to the tissues, which can speed the healing process.

Salt Solutions
 COMPOUND ACTION   It’s cheap, and it can solve a clutch of grooming problems. Here are 4 handy uses for baking soda yes, the same stuff that goes into breads and muffins.
Bad odour.   Your deodorant quit working? Take a pinch of baking soda and rub it on your underarms.
Stinky feet.  Sprinkle baking soda inside your socks and shoes  to absorb perspiration and eliminate odor.
Grease, ground-in dirt, or fish stink. Add three parts baking soda to one part liquid soap. The gritty bicarbonate scrubs away dirt and neutralizes bad smells.

Take The Plunge
   NECK DEEP.  You lavish care on your face, but you often forget the important real estate just below you neck, shoulders and chest. The outcome; “It develops wrinkles and blemishes, and it’s the number one spot for sun damage,” says Regina Viotto, spa director at the Paul Labrecque Salon and Spa in New York City. To get flawless skin from chin to cleavage, stick to these strategies.
WASH WISELY “A common mistake is using an ordinary body wash on the décolleté,” Vitto says. “It strips oils that keep skin youthful.” Let  your face cleanser or a moisturizing body wash or gel do the job.
AMOOTH OVER.  Many people don’t apply sunscreen below the chin, says Paula Moynahan, M. D., of SkinKlinic in New York City. To prevent a crepey look, protect exposed skin with SPF 15 or higher.
BUST BUMPS. The chest area is often covered by clothes trapping pore clogging sweat. You can treat zits there with a facial product containing salicylic acid. Your concealer, however, is likely too light for your chest, so invest in a palette with an array of hues. Bring on the plunging necklines.

The Age Of Titanium
   METALLICA. History has been kind to meta is, naming the ages of human evolution after them. Humanity has lusted after the rarer ones, like gold and silver, and latterly, platinum has become the most desired credit card.
While the more utilitarian aluminium,  chrome stainless steel have had their heydays. Titanium has lately emerged as top dog. It  literally launched itself to prominence in the Cold War (because it is so durable and ultra-light, it was ideal for missile hull). Now the metal is used for everything form nuclear waste storage to car engine parts, form hygienic bone implants to super light bicycle frames. An early application was for watches, and everyone from Citizen to Breitling produced models, Today its allure has caught on at almost every level of technology  fetishism.
There is a good reason for this: Titanium has special qualities. In its natural form it is a dull grey color, but when published is shiny grey. It is one of the few metals that is easily assimilated into the body due to its porosity. It has long been used in dentistry and increasingly in surgery as pins for broken bones cells can actually enter the small pores in the metal and bind to it.
Now titanium is having an extended run as a must-have metal, with the glamour gadgets, laptops and cellphones.

Beer Frizz Tamer
  Grab: 25 ml beer
  Go: Pour the beer into a spray bottle (you can use the leftovers form last night’s binge). After showering, spritz it on wet hair form roots to ends. Spread it evenly with a comb, then blow-dry hair as usual. If you’re worried about the smell, choose a light beer, which has a milder scent.
How it works:  Beer yeast is rich in protein and vitamin B, which help fly-away hairs stay put and add shine.

Scent Of A Man
  OD’D  THE COLOGNE?  If you’re constantly smelling the fragrance, you’ve applied too much. People should have to get close to you to say, you smell nice. A couple of spritzes  or splashes is enough.
Where.  Pulse points like your neck and wrists will naturally diffuse a scent. Put it on you skin, no on you clothes.
When.  Heat intensifies any fragrance, and scents are stronger when combined with sweat. That’s why an aromatic or citrus scent works in the summer; you can go heavier in the winter.
What.  You don’t have  to use every variation on a fragrance cologne, aftershave, body wash, deodorant. One at a time is fine, But make sure the other products don’t clash with the scent you choose.
Body sprays like Axe fall between cologne and deodorant, but use them as a deodorant..
Women generally like cologne, but not too much of it.
Flowery Hair.   If your perfume is too strong for the office, spray it one you brush and run it through hair, Les Parfums de Rosine in Paris suggests. You’ll soften and disperse the fragrance, making it more work friendly.
Is it necessary to use shampoo and conditioner by the same company?
No, it doesn’t, so if you tend to finish the shampoo before the conditioner, as most people do, feel free to mix and match. But if you mix  brands, try to  find products with “complementing technologies,” says Chris Gummer, PhD., of Surrey, England, a researcher at Procter And Gamble.
If you have dry hair, for example, you want extra moisture all around. A same-brand combo gives you that conveniently, but hydration formulas from different labels work fine, too.
Zit Zapper.   Dab a drop of milk of magnesia on a pimple; it will draw oil from pores. 

How To Entertain A Client
  The boss has dropped this baby n your lap.
Now it’s your responsibility to keep the out-of-town client entertained and land the contract which will change the company’s fortunes. How do you navigate your way through the shoals of wheeling and dealing? Try these tricks:
Find out his interests.  Act as if your client wee a guest in your home. Use every resource to offer choices that show forethought. Don’t just presume he’d want to go pub hopping. Talk to his assistant. Ask coworkers what he did last time he was in town. He may prefer to talk shop at the club instead.
Listen and learn.  Tow extremes leave a bad impression: long silences and nonstop  babbling. Ask open-ended questions and follow up with brief comments. The more he talks about himself, the more likely eh is to have a good time.
Do the sales pitch.  Keep him entertained, but don’t forget he has to listen to your pitch, too to advance your company’s agenda, Get feedback on how you firm is doing, and how to do it better. And keep it brief.

Night Driving Made Easier
  ON THE ROAD.   Even  if your vision is 20/20, dark roads and the glare of bright headlight s especially high-mounted or high-intensity discharge (HID) types reduce you ability to see contrast and force you to avert you eyes from oncoming traffic. To keep nighttime  driving form becoming a white-knuckle experience, try these strategies:
Clean up  Grime on the glass windshield scatters light in all directions, making it even more difficult to see. Whip the glass clean inside and out.
Focus away   Don’t stare directly into oncoming headlights, but look to the white line that marks the edge of the road.
Blink often   To keep you eyes moist. The drier you eyes, the more light is scattered, and the harder it is to see. If you tend to have dry eyes, use artificial tears, available at chemists, before you get behind the wheel.
Get checked  Have regular eye exams to detect cataracts and other vision problems.
Topical eye drops that constrict pupils, reducing peripheral light rays room entering eyes may help.
Soothe Stiff Hands
They say cold hands signal a warm heart, but chilly weather takes a toll on joints. Ease the ache with a hot-towel treatment. Fill a bowl with 3 cups hot water, half cup Epsom (bath) salts and 3 tbsp witch hazel. Soak a terry towel in the mixture, wring it out and wrap hands (covering palms and fingers) until the towel cools. The witch hazel helps the salt’s sooth joints.

Shock Treatment
TOUCH AND  GO SITUATION.  Cold dry winter air can build up so much static electricity that touching a doorknob can be scarier than opining your post-Diwali credit card bill. To reduce you shock factor, try to stay wet. Be sure to drink sex to eight glasses of water every day (even if you’re not thirsty), and use moisturizing lotion and conditioner. If you have a rug that’s particularly static-ha[[y, try misting it with a solution of 1 teaspoon  liquid fabric softener in 1 liter of water. And consider this a chance to give your wardrobe a jolt: Choose natural fabric like cotton or wool  that produce less charge than synthetics, and replace rubber-bottomed shoes with leather-soled ones when you can.
Finally, if you can get hold  of one, invest in a humidifier for your home or office, or simply keep a pan of water in a corner of the room

Post Natal Hiccups?
Here are 5 simple tips that can ease recovery from C-section.
Get out of bed.  A C-section is major surgery, but it won’t leave you bedridden for long. You can start moving around within 12 hours. Movement lowers the risk of blood clots and jump starts digestion. Nurses will likely recommend a few minutes of walking several times a day.
Don’t skip pain relievers.  A few days after the procedure, you’ll taper off narcotic pain relievers and probably start taking prescription strength ibuprofen. Neither will harm the baby if you breast-feed. Keep taking over-the-counter ibuprofen when you get home because it reduces inflammation and eases uterine cramping. )Paracetamol won’t curb swelling.)
Sooth with a shower.  Hit the shower within 48 hours of your surgery, but don’t scrub your incision. Instead, let the soapy water run over it. Pat your skin dry with a clean towel or use a hair dryer on low heat. Keeping clean in this fashion reduces the risk of infection.
Take care, of the incision.  The scar tissue that builds up under the skin sometimes causes a tugging sensation long  after the incision has healed. Once the incision has closed completely (about 3 weeks after surgery), gently rub a dollop of cocoa butter or vitamin E oil in circular motions over the scar to lessen any discomfort. By the  time your baby celebrates her first birthday, any tenderness should be gone.
Don’t be she about accepting help.   Say yes to all offers of help  for cooking, babysitting, laundry, whatever and don’t  be afraid to ask for assistance. You’ll recover faster if you don’t push yourself.

FINGERNAP TIP
TONGUE DE-STRESSOR.  No time for a massage? Try this quick fix to  ease tautness in the jaw and face, where many people hold tension. Press you tongue against the roof of your mouth, hold it for several seconds, then rest.

First Aid Kit, Revamped
  IN THE BOX.  Sure, you have the Dettol, cottonwood and pain killers on hand. Now add these latest weapons to your arsenal, so that no medical emergency will catch you on the back foot.
Band-aid Foam.  Cleans and disinfects cuts on contact and doesn’t require water to apply of wash off.
Quickclot.  A potent, sand like substance useful in stanching bleeds from heavy-duty cuts. The stuff causes clotting as soon as it comes in contact with blood.
3m Holdfast Gauze.  Acts as a buffer between burned fingers, a  stabilizer for objects lodged in your  skin, and a bandage for larger cuts. Doesn’t require tape.
Antibacterial Bandage.  Helps you skip one step i.e. dig out the Betnovate. These come with the antiseptic ointment already on them. Look up Johnson and Johnson.
Water-get Sterile Burn Dressings.   This prepackaged burn dressing in various sizes comes with a water-based gel to keep heat away form the burn while keeping the germs out and skin clean and protected.
Ibuprofen.  Cuts down inflammation, thus reducing the pain of injuries. (Aspirin, while good to have on hand in case of a heart attack, should not be used for injures because it’s blood thinner.)
Ace Hot & Cold Compresses.  Cold therapy immediately following an injury helps reduce swelling and relieve pain. Once swelling subsides, use heat to help reduce pain and hasten healing. These compresses are soft on the outside, so there’s no need for a towel. And they’re reusable.

Through the Looking Glass
  KEEP THAT CRITICAL EYE.  Is the optician trying to talk you into expensive up-grades, every time you get new glasses? Here’s how to get past the sales talk.
Pricey add-one like scratchproof coatings, UV blockers, and such can be unnecessary, depending on whether your lenses are glass or plastic. The rule of thumb: The worse your vision, the thicker the lens, so the more likely you’ll need light weight plastic.
If you’ve  got glass, skip the scratchproof coat. Anything that will scratch glass will go right through it, meaning cause  a crack. Ditch the ultraviolet-light coating, too, since glass blocks UV rays without it.

Facts you should know about aspirin.
Time it right.  The painkiller Ibuprofen can blocks aspirin’s action. So if you take aspirin for your heart and ibuprofen for arthritis or another condition, take the aspirin first ad wait at least 30 minutes before taking ibuprofen. If that isn’t possible, hold off on the aspirin for eight hours or so after taking ibuprofen. Naproxen may have the same effects as ibuprofen.
Aspirin’s effects aren’t universal.  Some people’s platelets respond beautifully to aspirin; other people’s platelets-unsticking  effect.
Be alert for an aspirin allergy.  About 5% of people with asthma have an allergy to aspirin. It can cause a stuffy r runny nose, wheezing or other breathing problems, a flushed face, or swelling inside the nose.
It isn’t for kids.  Don’t give aspirin  to a child or teenager especially one recovering from chicken pox or flu like symptoms. In rare cases, aspirin can cause Reye’s syndrome, an illness that affects the blood, liver, and brain of brain of someone who recently had a viral infection.
It can interact with dietary supplements. A variety of herbal medicines and dietary supplements affect platelets or influence the body’s ability to absorb aspirin. Common ones include omega-3 fatty acids (such as those found in fish oil  capsules), vitamin E, garlic capsules,  policosanol, ginkgo, and tamarind. If you take aspirin, or plan to, make sure your doctor knows all of the medications, over-the-counter remedies such as ibuprofen and herbs and supplements you are taking. Medications, over-the-counter remedies such as ibuprofen, and herbs and supplements you are taking.

Losing Contacts
 WATCH IT:  If your disposable contact lenses last a few days instead of two weeks, the most likely culprit is an increase in protein deposits on their surface. Such accumulations can irritate the lining of your eyelids. Switching to daily disposables often solves the problem. But beware: Uncomfortable lenses can also be a warning  sign of more serious problems, such as an allergic reaction that may need to be treated with prescription eye drops. To be safe, you should check out any discomfort  with your eye doctor.

LIPOMAS ARE DANGEROUS
  No. Technically, a lipoma  is a  kind of tumor, but it’s not cancer. It’s simply a harmless deposit of fatty tissue that can occur just about anywhere
Nobody’s sure what causes them but they don’t progress into anything dangerous. In fact, lipomas are so common that diagnosing them doesn’t even require a lab test; a doctor can identify one simply by the way ti looks and feels.
A lipoma might get slightly bigger over time, and may be removed it becomes uncomfortable  because it’s pressing on a nerve or muscle, or for cosmetic reasons. This usually takes a simple office procedure with a local anesthetic.
Some people tend to develop multiple lipomas. To be safe, get them checked out.
 

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