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Back pain ? – Fight back with proper diet & yoga
Jul 26th
Back pain is one of the most common complaints among people of all classes, affecting both men and women. Earlier the vanguard for old age, back pain has now become a major cause for concern for the late 20’s to 40’s age group. Back pain affects any of the 26 bones connected by muscles, ligaments and discs that constitute the spine.
Back pain?
Back pain is mainly of three types. When the soft tissues in the spinal column get stressed due to poor posture, it is called Postural Syndrome. When the fluid nucleus in the disc gets pushed out of the normal position, or ‘slipped disc’, the other tissues come under tremendous pressure. This is called Derangement Syndrome. Dysfunction Syndrome is the shortening of the muscles, joints, ligaments and other soft tissues resulting in limited movement and sporadic back pain.
Dr Kaushal Malhan, Joint Replacement Surgeon says, “75 per cent to 80 per cent patients today complain of severe back pain due to poor posture. The changes in occupation, a more sedentary lifestyle, long hours of sitting in offices, minimal exercising are the chief reasons for this ailment. 80 per cent to 90 per cent of the cases involve the overuse of the back.” Not surprisingly, office-goers form the bulk of those afflicted. Rehanna B., 24, a bank employee, says “I have been suffering from back pain for the last three months.” She agrees that this could be a lifestyle problem.
In addition to this, the weakening of the core muscle group that comprises Transverse Abdominus (TA) and the Multifidus, lessens the stability of the back. “The TA is the deepest layer of muscle in the abdomen and takes maximum weight strain off the spine. When you strengthen this core group, backache reduces,” says Dr Crystal, Physiotherapist.
But help is at hand. Most doctors agree that most back pain can be cured by some simple exercises and precautions, along with some clinical guidance. Walking, hip-rolls, stretching help a great deal. Pilates, the choice of stars like Madonna and Melanie Griffith strengthens the abdominal muscles and the spine. “It helps you connect with the muscles close to your spine”, says Richard Ruia, health expert.
The benefits of a good diet cannot be overlooked. She says, “Calcium and magnesium are key minerals in the strengthening of the bone. Fish, grains, pumpkin, til seeds (sesame) and leafy vegetables are a good source of these. Drinking a lot of water and having a balanced diet go a long way in preventing backache. Mariah Setalvad, nutrition expert recommends vitamin D3 and Vitamin C, calcium and phosphate to strengthen the spine. “Ragi or nachni, sesame seeds, dried figs, beet and prunes are all good for the back.”
Not to be forgotten, yoga has proven its worth innumerable times. Rick Stevenson, a 67-year-old man, says, “I have been doing yoga since the past 3-4 years. Also, walking for an hour daily and eating meals at the right time helps a lot.” Currently, surgeries like the minimally invasive surgery, spine fusion and navigation are recommended by doctors for severe cases of back pain. However, the pros and cons of these surgeries need to be considered. Apart from these, simple stretching exercises can help.
Being vegetarian helps you gain a lot
Jul 21st
Spinach - The ultimate veggie
Rather than a suntan, a vegetarian diet will help you score more with the opposite sex, claim scientists.
Soaking up the sunrays won’t make you as popular with the opposite sex, as will a healthy glow which ” a fruit and vegetable diet gives you.
Research shows the English Rose skin of model Rosie Huntington Whiteley gets temperatures rising much faster than the perma-tan of celebs like Kate Price, 32.
The study at Bristol University is the first of its kind that establishes a link between sex appeal and a healthier lifestyle.
TV babes Holly Willoughby, 29, and Louise Redknapp, 35, set the trend for healthy skin.
Excessive suntan can cause “leathering” of the skin – which is a major turn off. Instead a diet of fruit, vegetables and snacks such as cereal and salads – which Willoughby is following currently, can do wonders for your skin.
“We find people prefer the golden effect from diet, rather than the darker effect from the sun,” The Daily Star quoted Scientist Ian Stephen as saying.
A healthy amount of sun plus a vegetable and fruit-rich diet are the key to a beautiful skin.
The top fruits for skin care include melons, apricots, and grapefruit.
Best veggies are peppers, chillies and spinach.
Food that prevents insomnia & anxiety
Jul 20th
The meal you choose tonight could mean the difference between counting sheep and getting some serious shut-eye. So order the salmon. Stop taking too much salt !!
There are certain nutrients in salmon, as well as in beans, yogurt, and spinach that help you sleep better.
Salmon
The healthy fats in this fish (namely docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA for short) may boost levels of the sleep-regulating hormone melatonin.
Beans
Beans and other legumes provide a nice sampling of B vitamins, including B6, B12, and folic acid, all of which help the body regulate sleep cycles and produce relaxing serotonin. In fact, studies have shown that boosting B vitamins may help people with insomnia.
Low-fat yogurt
Yogurt is a good source of calcium and magnesium – two important sleep-supporting minerals that together help you fall asleep faster and ratchet up your deep-sleep time. And skimping on both may lead to muscle cramps, higher stress levels, and worse sleep.
Spinach
Dark leafy greens are a great source of iron – a nutrient that may help protect against the sleep robber known as restless legs syndrome.
Chilled Water
Born enemy of insomnia. Drink chilled water until your abdomen says “Dude ! it’s enough for today.”
Comparing Sachin with Dhoni ? No chance.
Jul 16th
No one matches Sachin. It means No one can either think of.
It was Sachin who lost his father during the 1999 World Cup, came home for three days, and returned to play for the country and score a century! Guess why he looks up every time he crosses a milestone. His greatness lies in what the greats have to say about him. Sir Donald Bradman had said: “He reminds me of myself.”
Hailing his heroics, Mark Taylor, the former Australian captain had said: “We didn’t lose to a team called India. We lost to a man called Sachin Tendulkar.” And Mathew Hayden had said, “I have seen God, and he bats at number 4.”
The famous incident in former Indian opener Navjot Singh Sidhu show why Sachin is at the place where he is. Once Navjot visited his village in a very remote area in Punjab. The village is not so much rich and hence everyone embraces Navjot for owning big mercedes and having lots of money. Someone asked what he does for living. Navjot was unable to make people understand what cricket is, as the villagers were living in dark side of river knowing nothing about the word. Then Navjot asked them if they knew Sachin? And guess what Everone knew the man.
Sachin doesn’t play cricket. He is cricket. He is game !!
Indian rupee gets a symbol, joins elite currency club
Jul 15th
Indian Rupee Symbol
The Indian rupee will soon have a unique symbol — a blend of the Devanagri ‘Ra’ and Roman ‘R’ — joining elite currencies like the US dollar, euro, British pound and Japanese yen in having a distinct identity.
The new symbol, designed by Bombay IIT post-graduate D Udaya Kumar, was approved by the cabinet today — reflecting that the Indian currency, backed by an over-trillion dollar economy, was finally making its presence felt on the international scene.
“It’s a big statement on the Indian currency… The symbol would lend a distinctive character and identity to the currency and further highlight the strength and global face of the Indian economy,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters after the cabinet meeting.
Though the symbol will not be printed or embossed on currency notes or coins, it would be included in the ‘Unicode Standard’ and major scripts of the world to ensure that it is easily displayed and printed in the electronic and print media.
Among currencies with distinctive identities, only the pound sterling has its symbol printed on the notes.
Unicode is an international standard that allows text data to be interchanged globally without conflict. After incorporation in the global and Indian codes, the symbol would be used by all individuals and entities within and outside the country.
The symbol will be adopted in a span of six months in the country, and within 18 to 24 months globally, Soni said, adding that it will feature on computer keyboards and softwares for worldwide use.
Soni said that the symbol, which reflects the Indian ethos and culture, would help distinguish the currency from the rupee or rupiah of other countries like Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
Besides this, state governments would be asked to proactively promote the use of the new symbol, she added.
Kumar’s entry was chosen from 3,000 designs competing for the currency symbol. He will get an award of Rs 2.5 lakh.
“It is a perfect blend of Indian and Roman letters — capital ‘R’ and Devanagri ‘Ra’ which represents rupaiah, to appeal to international and Indian audiences… My design is based on the tricolour, with two lines at the top and white space in between,” a visibly-happy Kumar said.
The jury, which had sent the five short-listed entries for the cabinet’s approval, was headed by a Reserve Bank Deputy Governor.
World Cup 2010 South Africa – Tournament of firsts
Jul 8th
World Cup 2010
Either Spain or the Netherlands will become the eighth nation to be crowned World Cup champions on Sunday as one team will win their first world title.
South Africa 2010 is slowly becoming a tournament of firsts.
It is the first World Cup on Africa soil. The South Africans are the first host nation to bow out in the group stage. And for the first time, a European nation will win a World Cup outside of Europe.
But Spain’s victory over three-time winners Germany means either Spain or the Netherlands will be the first nation since France in 1998 to claim a World Cup crown for the first time.
Here a breakdown of the past World Cup champions:
Brazil: Five world titles – 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002
Italy: Four – 1934, 1938, 1982, 2006
Germany: Three – 1954, 1974, 1990
Uruguay: Two – 1930, 1950
Argentina: Two – 1978, 1986
England: One – 1966
France: One – 1998
Indian Currency to have a symbol like dollar and euro
Jun 24th
The Indian rupee is all set to join the elite club of major currencies — dollar, euro, pound sterling and yen — to have a unique identification symbol, with the Union Cabinet expected to take a call on the matter on Thursday.
The proposal, said to be prompted by the growing influence of the Indian economy in the global arena, involves a shortlist of five symbols for the Indian rupee drawn up the finance ministry, reflecting the Indian ethos and culture. Sources pointed out that the Cabinet was expected to give its nod to a symbol reflecting the Devnagari (Hindi) alphabet standing for “R” with two lines (number 2 in the given images).
The rupee is only referred to by the abbreviation ‘Rs’ or ‘Re’ or sometimes as INR while major foreign currencies have their own distinct symbols, in addition to their abbreviations — USD etc. The same abbreviated forms — ‘Rs’ or ‘Re’ — are also used in neighbouring countries such as Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
The decision to have a symbol for the Indian rupee was taken by the government last year. The finance ministry wanted the symbol to represent the historical and cultural ethos of the country and called for entries from the public.
The five shortlisted designs are simple, easy to write and are designed to appeal to the Indian and international community. The shortlisted designers were asked to present their designs to a seven-member jury, comprising officials from the government and RBI and representatives from institutes like National Institute of Design, Lalit Kala Akademi, J J Institute of Applied Art and Indira Gandhi National Centre.
Pakistan 10th most failed state of the world
Jun 22nd
Just three places below Afghanistan, Pakistan has been ranked the 10th most failed state in the 2010 Failed State Index released by the prestigious Foreign Policy magazine on Monday.
The list is topped by Somalia, followed by Zimbabwe, Sudan, and Chad.
India is ranked 87 in a list of 177 countries. In India’s immediate neighbourhood, Burma has been placed at 13, Sri Lanka (22) and Nepal 25. China is ranked at 57th place. Norway is ranked at the bottom of the list.
“Shattered Somalia has been the No.1 failed state for three years running, and none of the current top 10 has shown much improvement, if any, since FOREIGN POLICY and the Fund for Peace began publishing the index in 2005,” it said.
“Altogether, the top 10 slots have rotated among just 15 unhappy countries in the index’s six years. State failure, it seems, is a chronic condition,” the magazine said.
The magazine said Somalia saw yet another year plagued by lawlessness and chaos, with pirates plying the coast while radical Islamist militias tightened their grip on the streets of Mogadishu.
“Across the Gulf of Aden, long-ignored Yemen leapt into the news when a would-be suicide bomber who had trained there tried to blow up a commercial flight bound for Detroit,” it said.
Afghanistan and Iraq traded places on the index as both states contemplated the exit of US combat troops, while already isolated Sudan saw its dictator, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, defy an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court and the war-ravaged Democratic Republic of the Congo once again proved itself a country in little more than name, the magazine said. [See original story]
Got married on 15th May 2010
Jun 3rd
Hi Friends!
I just got too much into my happiest moments of life with my family and near-n-dears. Now I am back again. I got married on 15th May 2010 with my lovely fiance Meenakshi and enjoying the new chapter with full swing.
Five foods every woman must eat
Apr 29th
Leafy vegetables
It is not possible to meet your nutritional needs without having leafy vegetables in your diet. Spinach, legumes, asparagus, lettuce, fenugreek leaves, broccoli are available in abundance and are huge sources of fibre, Vitamin C and K, folic acid. It is also a vision protector and provides four essential minerals, i.e. calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium. Try to have it daily in your diet and darker the better.
Whole grains
Whole grains have up to 96 per cent more fibre and essential nutrients and vitamins than refined grains. Advises diet expert Honey Shah, “I advise my clients to have whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, and brown rice as they are high in essential nutrients and do not contribute to weight gain. You can start your day with whole wheat cereal or a whole wheat bread toast.”
Nuts
Make nuts an essential ingredient in your diet. Sprinkle it on salads or breakfast cereals or stir them into yoghurt because they are an excellent source of protein, magnesium and B & E vitamins. They are useful in fighting heart disease and cancer. Nuts are high in fat calories, but their fat is the heart-healthy kind. You can also eat them as an evening snack. But make sure you don’t overdo them. About a quarter cup or about 15-20 almonds, cashews, walnuts are good enough a week.
Yoghurt
Low fat or plain yoghurt is a great source of vitamins, protein and calcium. It also has healthy bacteria which can fight diseases. “Three to four cups a week is good enough for your diet. But make sure you don’t add sugar to it. Instead choose plain yoghurt and add fruits or berries to it,” suggests famous dietitian.
Berries
Ever wondered why most of the diet fibre products have berries in them? Reason being berries are high in fill-you-up fibre and also helps curb weight. Berries have more protective plant antioxidants than almost any other food. These antioxidants not only lower your disease risks, but also help prevent memory loss. You can have a bowl full of them thrice a week. It could be fresh or frozen, benefits stay!