ALTERNATE-DAY DIETING HELPS To shed kilos, try feasting & fasting

London: You might want to try the latest craze of 'alternate-day dieting' to shed flab!      This new trend involves eating to your heart's content one day and literally starving on the next. It's known as 'intermittent fasting' or 'alternate-day dieting' and fans claim the pounds just drop off.      The diet soared in popularity after featuring in a BBC2 Horizon documentary a few weeks ago by health journalist Dr Michael Mosley, the Daily mail reported.      After a month of eating normally five days a week and eating just 600 calories the other two days — known as the 5/2 diet — Mosley lost nearly 6.35kg, reduced his body fat by about 25% and improved his blood sugar and cholesterol levels.      Scientific data seems to show that as well as helping to shift pounds, this alternate-day dieting can help you live longer and reduce the risk of diseases such as cancer.      Some nutritionists believe that those on the alternate day diet could end up over-indulging on 'feast' days, and actually put on weight. But Dr Krista Varady of the University of Illinois in Chicago, one of the scientists involved in research into intermittent fasting, insists that this doesn't happen.      "Our studies show that people end up losing weight because they can't fully make up for the lack of food on the fast day on the feed day. And people in our studies didn't binge. They only ate about 100% to 110% of their calorie needs," Varady sad. PTI

NUTRITION FILE WHEN DOES MALNUTRITION OCCUR?

When your body doesn't get enough nutrients. Malnourished children are stunted, underweight or wasted (extremely low weight for height)  SYMPTOMS  Loss of fat | Breathing difficulties | Depression Abnormal low body temperature | Longer healing time for wounds | Tiredness, fatigue | Pale, inelastic skin | Fertility problems | Low sex drive | Reduced muscle mass | Dry or sparse hair, hair loss  HOW SERIOUS?  WHO estimates malnutrition accounts for 54% of child mortality. Single biggest threat to global health  WHY IS IT A KILLER?  Even mild malnutrition doubles risk of mortality from malaria, respiratory and diarrheal diseases  FORMS OF PROTEIN-ENERGY MALNUTRITION  Kwashiorkor: Identified by swelling of extremities and belly, depigmentation of skin and hair  Marasmus: Causes severe wasting. Traditionally seen in famine, also among those with food restrictions or anorexia  WHERE DOES IT OCCUR?  More common in developing countries. In wealthier countries, generally caused by unhealthy diets with excess energy, fats & refined carbs  TACKLING MALNUTRITION      Fortify foods with micronutrients (vitamins & minerals)      Increase food availability through high-yielding seeds      Encourage youngsters to eat healthy      Prevent overeating  THOSE AT HIGHEST RISK      Lower income groups      Elderly people in hospital or convalescents, socially isolated      Those with eating disorders  CAUSES  Inadequate or unbalanced diet (lacking calories and protein)  Problems with digestion, absorption  Certain medical conditions  Starvation  Eating a single vitamin in diet  Abnormal nutrient loss (due to diarrhoea or chronic illness) or increased energy expenditure  Eating too many calories (overnutrition)

Aspirin may Aid Cancer Recovery

Men treated for prostate cancer who took aspirin regularly for other medical conditions were less likely to die of their cancer than patients who weren't taking aspirin, according to a new study published in The Journal of Clinical Oncology.  The new report is not a randomised controlled clinical trial of the kind considered the gold standard in medicine, but it adds to an intriguing and growing body of evidence suggesting that aspirin may play a beneficial role in the treatment and possibly the prevention of a variety of cancers. Much of the earlier research on aspirin focused on colon cancer.  "This is another piece of evidence suggesting aspirin does seem to have this effect against cancer across different body sites," said Dr Andrew T Chan, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.  6,000 SURVEYED  In the new study, researchers used the national database of a project known as CaPSURE, for Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor, to look at nearly 6,000 men who had localised prostate cancer and were treated with surgery or radiotherapy. Just over one-third of the men, or 2,175 of the 5,955, were taking anticoagulants, mostly aspirin.  Those taking aspirin were less than half as likely as those who were not to die of prostate cancer over a 10-year period, researchers calculated; the prostate cancer death rate for those taking aspirin was 3%, the researchers found, compared with 8% for those who did not. The aspirin users were also significantly less likely to experience a recurrence of prostate cancer or have the disease spread to the bones.  The study is not the first to find a reduction in recurrence among prostate cancer patients who took aspirin. Researchers at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia reported this year that among 2,051 prostate cancer patients, those not using aspirin were twice as likely to experience a recurrence within 18 months, as detected by rising scores on the prostate-specific antigen test, a strong predictor of metastasis and survival.  Though the new study reported only on deaths from prostate cancer, researchers went to great lengths to make sure that aspirin users were not experiencing fewer deaths from prostate cancer simply because they were more elderly and therefore more likely to die of other diseases before prostate cancer had progressed enough to kill them, said Dr Kevin S Choe, the paper's lead author. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer occurring among men and the No. 2 cancer killer of men.  RISKY FOR THE HEALTHY  While many Americans use baby aspirin to reduce their risk of heart disease, taking aspirin regularly is risky. Patients generally are advised to do so only when their cardiac risk is presumed to outweigh the risks, which include an increase in gastrointestinal bleeding and hemorrhagic stroke.  But while doctors are reluctant to prescribe it to healthy patients, adding it to a cancer treatment regimen would involve a different set of calculations. Since the patients already are ill, potential benefits are more likely to outweigh possible harms.  Dr Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, said he believes that aspirin's anti-inflammatory properties may play a role in the prevention of both heart disease and cancer. "Inflammation may not cause a cancer, but it may promote cancer – it may be the fertiliser that makes it grow," said Dr Brawley.  © 2012 The New York Times Aspirin: New life-saving drug?

Of Dull Jacks And Jills This National Sports Day, we should begin a campaign demanding public playgrounds for our children

    As a mother, do you know what i pray for most for my twins Rengpa and Nainai? That they lead a happy, free and healthy life. My prayer is no different from that of every mother across our country. 

    Health is the key to success. If we are healthy, there are immense possibilities before us. The mind is capable of magic, but we need physical stamina and energy to transform this magic into reality. As a sportswoman, i can tell you with conviction that there is no better route to health than robust physical activity. Where i come from, and where my children are growing up, nature is all around us. 
    It's a common sight to see children racing down hills, playing in the rain, chasing each other through fields, or walking through the meadows to school. Rarely would you come across a child howling because of a scraped knee or a hurt elbow. Kids grow into strong, sturdy people with lots of physical energy and stamina. I attribute this glory of well-being to the region's open spaces and grounds that allow us to grow up in the midst of nature. 
    Following my recent Olympic win, i had the good fortune of travelling across the country, attending various felicitation programmes. In that time, i saw kids playing on roads with traffic zipping past them. I went to schools which had only one concrete building and not even a compound, leave alone a playground. High-rise apartment blocks were surrounded by roads but had no access to gardens or grounds. This lack of open playgrounds has amazed me. I find it strange to be in closed spaces all the time. How must little children feel, being confined in closed spaces with no outlets for their immense physical energy? 
    I have noticed how sluggish the 'healthy' urban children are, especially in comparison to children in my village. Children in cities look incapable of climbing even one small hill – something that would be child's play for many of us. 
    When i ask most people at these felicitation parties what their kids are doing, they proudly tell me how busy these kids are with their studies, tuitions and TV! It makes me wonder if after all this, they have any time at all to play. Video games and computer games hardly classify as play or sport. Childrenusually play in open spaces – parks, playgrounds, backyards – not in balconies, corridors, or worse, streets. 
    It's good to see our country progress with urbanisation and modern development plans, like in the West with its high-rises and skyscrapers. But progress can't come at the cost of freedom and childhood. As more villages become towns, more towns become cities and cities explode into metropolises, do we want our children to spend their childhood in jail? 
    We have all heard that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy or Jill a dull girl. This isn't just a maxim but a reality. I urge you all to look at play not as a waste of time but as a necessity. Playing encourages children to participate, socialise, cooperate and team up. It allows them to experiment with situations, toughening them up physically and mentally. Children are not trophies to be displayed, showcasing their excellence with a report card of 99% in all subjects. Children are free spirits who must conjoin with nature. Playgrounds allow children to get away from the drudgery of daily routine, to mingle with other kids, explore and enjoy their differences and similarities. 
    Playgrounds allow for imagination to grow – and with it creativity comes alive. Open playgrounds are a world where every child is an equal, with access to everything. They are often the first spaces that unearth hidden talents and sporting geniuses. Watch kids race, wrestle, box and scramble, all in fun, and you will know what reflexes your child uses the most and to best effect. School playgrounds are where first trophies and medals are won, where talents are spotted and groomed. Imagine our land without the delight of such fertile grooming spaces and the loss it means for children and childhood. 
    Why do cities, centres of wealth, succumb to greed and convert every open piece of land into vertical structures? Can't these cities be an example of how nature and growth can co-exist by showcasing the benefits of both? Why can't we as mothers demand playgrounds as a right to free living and an expression of childhood? As mothers, the guardians of our children's best interests, we would do well to take up cudgels for creating playgrounds. 
    We should insist that schools are not schools without open playgrounds. We need to build a movement with collaborative efforts. I know of corporate giants who are coming forward to build and maintain playgrounds. We as mothers can give direction to this attempt to protect our local spaces. This would indeed be the best gift we can give our children; a gift of healthy, energetic physically active adulthood, which will surely get them to say "Thank you, mom". 
    The writer is an Olympic medal winner.

Let children have a field day

STAY YOUNG FOREVER Face yoga, a fun and painless way to keep wrinkles away

Melbourne: Ladies, you might want to give those expensive moisturisers and painful botox injections a miss as face yoga might be the simplest and fun way to get rid of wrinkles, experts claim.      Like regular yoga, the moves in face yoga are named. The Marilyn, bumblebee or lion are all designed to turn back the ageing clock and reduce wrinkles.      Women are increasingly turning to YouTube, books such as 'The Yoga Face' and now an iPhone application for fresher-looking faces, The Daily Telegraph reported.      Josie Goldberg, a health nutritionist from the Gold Coast said that face yoga was a fun activity with great benefits. "I tried it with a group of friends and it was great fun. We sat around in a circle pulling all these funny faces. It was hilarious," she said.      "We are always looking for the quick fix (solutions), which are often detrimental in the long term. Techniques like this and so many others are far more beneficial in the long run," she said.      Author of 'The Yoga Face' Annilese Hagen has designed an app — ifaceyoga — which is helping people across the globe to turn back the clock. "A lot of people do face yoga. Celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston are advocates and anyone who likes to look good and be healthy and natural." PTI

1 in 7 cardiac arrest patients is below 40

Mumbai: An estimated one out of seven individuals who suffer a sudden cardiac arrest is under 40, city doctors told TOI. Today, even those in their late 20s have been known to get cardiac arrests.      Doctors blame the frightening trend on rising stress and sedentary habits. What is required is higher awareness. Though a cardiac arrest may occur because of heart attack or a coronary blockage 80% of the times, a cardiac arrest, unlike a heart attack, can cause brain death within four minutes.      Dr Ameya Udyavar, consultant cardiologist and electrophysiologist at P D Hinduja Hospital, says in a cardiac arrest, the heart's electrical function suddenly stops. "Because of this, blood circulation stops and if the patient is not revived — on his own or with the help of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) — then it may even cause brain death. It is thus important for a person to understand when to seek medical help," he said.      Dr Ganesh Kumar, chief interventional cardiologist with L H Hiranandani Hospital, said most people mistake cardiac arrest for gas. "We get at least five patients below the age of 40 years each month who suffer from cardiac problems. Even if a person gets a sudden excruciating pain in the chest, which is very different from what they have suffered ever before, they call it gas and sleep over it. What they do not want to accept is that they may have a heart condition at their age."      A young heart is far more damaged and suffers a more dangerous heart attack than that of an older person. In an older person, calcium settles on cholesterol over a period of time and the heart gets used to the condition. In younger people, even if the vessel has little cholesterol, it bleeds; as a result, arteries expand and the heart suddenly suffers an attack.      Dr N O Bansal, head of cardiology at J J Hospital, blames sedentary lifestyle, high blood pressure and arterial blockages. "More and more women too suffer from cardiac problems these days."

Mumbai’s H1N1 cases cross 300 mark this year

Mumbai: With the H1N1 influenza virus making a surprising comeback this year, the number of positive cases in the city so far has crossed the 300 mark. Till Saturday, 308 Mumbaikars had tested positive for the virus as against six in the previous year. This, when the monsoon is not yet officially over.      While the incidence of positive cases is surely seeing a downward trend in the city, experts say people should not drop their guard. The virus had affected seven persons in March and 20 in the following two months. The number started multiplying with the onset of monsoon with 35 cases being reported in June. It, however, peaked in July when 151 or 49% of this year's positive cases were reported.      Civic reports suggest the virus is on its way out, given the drop in the number of positive cases in August (95). On Saturday, three persons, including a four-year-old boy from Borivli, tested positive. An 82-year-old man from Mahim had to be admitted to a private hospital while a 45-year-old woman from Andheri was treated on an OPD basis. Over 655 positive cases and 36 deaths have been reported across Maharashtra since April.      Explaining the spurt in H1N1 cases this year, the director of Parel's Haffkine Research Institute, Dr Abhay Chowdhury, said, "The trend in the number of people getting affected will be different every season. Yes, it was more this year but nothing unusual. Influenza B, which is a milder strain, is as much in circulation as H1N1," he said. "Virologists have not noticed any major changes in the behaviour of the H1N1 virus."      Despite scanty rain, two confirmed deaths were attributed to the influenza virus in August.      Infectiousdiseasesexpert Dr Om Srivastava said since H1N1 is an influenza variant, one must always be careful. "Any delay in seeing a doctor could complicate cases," he said, adding, "In another coupleof weeks,the virusshould not pose much of a threat."

Heavily pencilled eyebrows voted worst makeup faux pas

Heavily pencilled eyebrows were voted the biggest beauty blooper of the 21st century, according to a UK poll. Researchers who polled 2,000 women found dense, false-looking dark brows were the ultimate makeup no-no, a UK-based tabloid reported.      Sporting a tidemark of foundation around the jaw with makeup not blended in properly was declared the second blooper. In third place were cosmeticallyenhanced lips. Overplucked eyebrows came fourth and dark lip liner combined with a lighter shade of lipstick was fifth.      "It's really interesting that brow blunders make up three of the top ten, whether brows are too big, too light or too dark," Sara Wolverson of a British beauty and health retailer, which commissioned the study, said. Other mistakes in the list were fake beauty spots, clumpy mascara and matted hair extensions. Black roots with fair hair, yellow teeth and sunburn also made it to the top 25.      The study also found 85 per cent of women follow the mantra that 'less is more'. PTI

WHICH HOT DRINK IS THE HEALTHIEST?

HEALTH FLASH     So which hot drink is the most healthboosting and how can you make them better for you? While both tea and coffee come with various health benefits, they can be bad for you and even fattening. So which hot drink is the most health-boosting?  HOW HEALTHY IS YOUR BEVERAGE?      Of all the hot drinks out there, coffee can do the most damage, according to James Duigan, personal trainer. "That's because it contains the most caffeine. A small amount of caffeine is beneficial — I often have a coffee before I exercise, because it helps you exercise for longer plus it revs up your metabolism. But an excess causes your body to become very stressed so it starts to pump out the stress hormone cortisol. This causes your body to cling to fat."      Pregnant women should stick to two cups of coffee per day. "The types of coffee you get in high street coffee shops can be incredibly calorific," says Dr Carina Norris, a nutritionist. "A large latte can contain up to 350 calories. Two a day is the equivalent of a full meal." Choose skimmed milk, no sugar and sprinkle cinnamon on your latte. "It helps keep blood sugar levels steady and reduces hunger cravings," says James.  COFFEE MAKES YOU FAT  While a small and skimmed latte won't do your waistline too much harm,James advises staying away from what he calls 'junk caffeine'. "Frappuccinos, mochas, iced coffees and anything with flavoured syrup can add hundreds of calories to your diet," he says. A strawberries and cream frappuccino with whipped cream contains 459 calories and a double chocolate frappe contains 483 calories. "Treat these drinks as you would a slice of cake," advises Dr Norris. "Have them occasionally."  IS TEA BETTER?  Regular English breakfast tea seems to have more health benefits than coffee, according to several studies. A recent one from Harvard University has discovered the immune cells of people who drink tea in the morning responded five times faster to germs than coffee drinkers. The scientists think tea reduces stress levels, whereas other caffeinated drinks, like coffee, can raise them. Another study — published in a health journal , discovered that regularly drinking tea can reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes. It's also a natural source of fluoride to protect against tooth decay and gum disease. "Tea also counts towards your daily liquid intake," says Dr Norris. "So it's very good at keeping you hydrated."      However, James recommends sticking to five cups a day and avoiding it before bed.  SO, HERE'S WHAT WORKS...  "Herbal teas are a fantastic addition to your diet," says James. "They can help improve your digestion, clear up your skin and help you sleep." Studies show ginger tea is good if you're feeling run-down, thanks to its warming effects. Fennel tea is great for digestion and relieving constipation because it works on the internal muscles that help your digestion. "It's also a diuretic; helps your kidneys flush out impurities," say Dr Norris. Peppermint tea is great after a heavy meal because it will help you de-bloat. If you're feeling stressed and heading for burnout, try nettle tea which is a source of iron and can boost energy. Make your last drink of the day a chamomile tea. It contains tryptophan, which promotes sleepiness.  Daily Mirror Tea is said to reduce stress levels

Quit spanking kids in public

According to a study, parents tend to get physical while reprimanding their children in a social setting. Experts explain why doing so, can do the children more harm Lisa Antao      It's not an uncommon sight to spot parents embarrassed of their child's naughty behaviour in public. In some cases, parents are oblivious to their child's bad behaviour and as a result, don't correct them and in turn encourage them. However, in many cases one gets to see that parents are overly strict with their child in public. For example, when eating at a restaurant or while visiting a relative/friend's place, if the child engages in some mischief, parents tend to discipline him/her in a very harsh manner — by either scolding the child in front of everyone or, worse, by spanking him/her. Research too, supports this fact.      According to a study, parents get physical while misbehaving with their kids. The findings of the study shows that 23 per cent of children received some form of "negative touch" when they failed to fufill parental request in public places like restaurants and parks. This negative touch includes pinching, pulling, spanking and slapping, too. BT sought an analysis from experts as to what makes parents so strict with their kids in public and how the behaviour can affect the children in turn.  WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN?  When children go out of house or are in a public setting, they tend to get insecure and do certain activities or behave in a way which gives them more pleasure or a sense of security. For example, thumbsucking or cuddling to the parents. The child behaves nicely at home but at an insecure place he/she shows signs of social distress that make the parents panicky and they fail to stop the kid from being errant, explains consultant psychiatrist Dr Dhananjay Gambhire.      Clinical psychologist and trauma expert Seema Hingorrany agrees with the study. "Parents are more strict with their children in public, as their parenting skills are in question. Also, they feel their child's behaviour in public, speaks volumes about his/her upbringing. Some parents are frequently frustrated themselves and are trying to live their own dreams through their child. In such cases social pressures are very high," she says.  COMMON AMONGST URBAN WELL-TO-DO      FAMILIES  Hingorrany often sees this amongst urban well-to-do families vis-a-vis lower strata families. That's because the former ones are more uptight when it comes to their social image. Also, it is commonly seen that in such families, people generally discuss and dissect each other's children's behaviour in public. For example, "Oh look, this child still cannot eat with a knife and fork. What have the parents taught him/her?" The  public is too  judgmental  a n d  constantly waiting to catch the parental flaw, which is not as common in middle-class families as they are too busy making their ends meet. For them, a social gathering or visit to a park is not a priority.      Agrees Dr Gambhire. He recounts the case of a patient: "A four-year-old girl was brought to me for passing urine all the time whenever she went out with her parents and the mother was very irritable. However, when the father went alone with the daughter she didn't face any problems. Later, we counselled the mother to respond to the daughter's nature's call in a positive manner and the problem was resolved in a span of three months."  REPERCUSSIONS ON  CHILDREN  Parents should be cautious while disciplining their kids in public and not pressurise them so much. Dr Gambhire warns that this has a      very negative impact on      children's psychological      health. It leads to anger,      frustration and withdrawal from social      situations, which      further lead to isolating behaviour and selfstimulation like thumb sucking to avoid nonacceptance by  parents.  TIPS FOR PARENTS  • Do not set very stiff and unachievable targets for them. Help them set achieveable goals so they can achieve it.  • Never reprimand the child in public for his behaviour as the child's self-esteem completely gets eroded.  • Teach the dos and don'ts of public behaviour slowly and gradually as a learning process, not as a strict rule they have to comply to.  • Give them proper explanation to their questions as to why they need to have a certain decorum in public and different behaviour at home.  • Be a good role model yourself. Children are a reflection of their parents and usually behave the way their parents do.      — Seema Hingorrany,      clinical psychologist and trauma expert CAUTION: Never reprimand the child in public for his behaviour as the kid's self-esteem gets eroded completely IT'S TRUE: Well-to-do families are more uptight when it comes to their social image

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU EAT?

Three meals a day or eight? BT speaks to experts who seem to have contrary opinions

 In our race to be the biggest loser, most of us go after different diets. The trusted and age-old three-meals-a-day concept works for some, while others swear by the new-age eight-meals-a-day. Most of us have been brought up on the notion that having untimely in-between meal snacks, is one of the major causes of weight gain. Of late, however, a number of trainers, nutritionists and dieticians have come up with the 'six-to-eight-meals-a-day' plan. And many Bollywood actors and actresses claim that following such diets have made them the biggest losers. They believe that inbetween snacks help them stay slim and this regular intake also boosts metabolism. However, there arehealth gurus and trainers who believe that eating too many meals may just work against you and increase your weight. Read on to find out what the experts have to say...

Pooja Makhija, 
Consulting Nutritionist and Clinical Dietitian EAT SIX TO EIGHT MEALS A DAY 
    Eat to burn! T h i s can be one of the easiest and most r e l i a b l e ways to ensure fat l o s s. D i g e s t i o n itself is a c a l o r i e - bu r n i n g activity. For every calorie you ingest, your body uses some to burn what you are eating. The question is, how do you make this wonderful feature of your body work for you? This is the essential principle behind the practice of frequent eating where eating at shorter intervals (six to eight meals a day or more!) enables your body to use more calories to aid digestion. When you constantly provide fuel to your body, it means you are also tickling your body to work. Keep working, keep burning. This is called the thermogenic effect of food and it is not only an incredibly smart way of losing weight, it also helps you increase your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). 
    I like to call this the Internal Workout — because by continually making it work for digestion, you're giving your body a workout. And while you may not be able to see the furious digestive activity going on in your body at any point in time, trust me, your body is working way harder than if you eat at longer intervals (three-to-four meals a day).

Dr Shikha Sharma, MBBS Doctor and Wellness Expert MORE MEALS MEANS LESS STORED FAT 
    Eating six to eight meals a day rather than three, is better because it boosts metabolism, controls blood sugar levels and helps in weight management. 
    Consuming three meals increases the likelihood that one will start an exercise regime with a low blood sugar level. For instance, if we eat lunch around noon, generally our second meal of the day, we would not have much energy for an optimal, calorie-burning workout in the evening. 
    On the other hand, if we follow a six-meal-a-day plan and have a small meal around noon and another meal around 3 pm, our blood sugar level would be more stable, providing us with more energy for our workout. Cortisol, a hormone, breaks down body fat. However, if we eat a large, highcalorie meal, cortisol is produced in large quantities, but transports the fat from under the skin to deep within the abdominal cavity. This increases the risk of chronic diseases including abdominal obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Incorporating a six-meal-a-day plan into one's routine decreases the magnitude of cortisol production. Eating within 30 minutes of every exercise session enables our muscles to maximally replenish the glucose we used during the wo rko u t . Consuming another meal two hours after the postworkout meal further enhances p o s t - e xe rc i s e recovery andreplenishment. 
    Eating every three-to-four hours can ward off hunger and prevent binges that lead to weight gain. It also maintains metabolism and can help regulate proper digestion to prevent gastrointestinal discomfort. 
    When people consume the same number of calories in one single daily meal rather than three, they show significant increase in blood pressure, total cholesterol levels and levels of 'bad' LDL cholesterol. 
    Eight meals increase our energy levels, accelerate muscle growth, and speed up our metabolism without storing fat. In fact, frequent eating will actually allow us to eat up to 50 per cent more calories without storing an ounce of it as fat.

Rujuta Diwekar Celebrity nutritionist and author OUR BODY WAS ALWAYS ACCUSTOMED TO BEING FED AT REGULAR INTERVALS 
    There is this common perception that I have come up with this radical idea of multiple meals a day. But most of us, apart from the three main meals, have always eaten in between, just that we never thought of those as "meals", a terminology of the new age nutrition. By default, the body was and is accustomed to being fed at regular intervals as evident in newborn babies who need to be fed constantly. At the basic physiological level, this ensures a steady level of blood sugar in our body and sends a signal that 'all is well' and it can continue with its regular processes. On the other hand, not eating for long hours sends the body into a state of panic and it reacts by converting food into fat for any eventuality (read — scarcity of food). 
    The act of eating often during the day can only happen when communication is established with the stomach, the biggest diet guru on earth. This process is facilitated by the four principles of eating right. 
    Eating as soon as we are awake kickstarts our metabolic rate and signals our bodies that our nightly fast is broken. Tea, coffee, or any other stimulant, does the exact opposite by suppressing the signals of hunger. 
    Eating at regular intervals post this reassures our bodies that nourishment is readily available and that it no longer has to convert every meal into future fuel i.e. fat. 
    Eating more when we are more active and less when less active will happen naturally once we are in tune with our appetite. Everybody is unique so we can't standardise the number of meals a day. For most of us there is the call of hunger every twothree hours. It is up to us whether we want to listen to it or ignore it. 
    Of course, as all good things come to an end, eating the last meal of the day a few hours prior to bedtime allows our body to digest and assimilate all the nutrients it needs before focusing on its essential function of recovery during our sleep. If the last meal is too heavy or eaten too close to bedtime, the body will be unable to carry out its recovery and thus will leave us feeling uncomfortable the next day.

Mickey Mehta, Holistic Health Guru FOLLOW YOUR HUNGER, DON'T EAT MECHANICALLY 
    It is ve r y important to u n d e r - stand the circadian rhythm of the body. As per our a n c i e n t s c i e n c e, Ayurveda, it is all ab o u t ap p ro p r i - ate time for appropriate food in appropriate quantity. 
It is also important to understand that the body needs time to utilise the fuels released from our food. Our body has its own natural rhythm which is as follows: 
    12 pm to 8 pm is the ideal period for human digestive capability. So, most nutrients must be consumed at this time. 
    8 pm to 4 am is assimilation time, where the body begins to slow down. 
    4 am to 12 pm is elimination time/detox time, if you are following a proper and disciplined lifestyle. 
The body's digestive process slows down after sunset as the energy on that side of the earth is ebbing. So, all the food eaten post suns e t b e c o m e s difficult to digest. The later you eat, you must make sure to ch o o s e your food sensibly. 
    T he t h u m b rule of eating small meals six to seven times a day, which occidental science suggests is rooted only in the shallow system of addressing the BMR / calorie counting. Even the book Fit For Life by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond suggests the vedic principles of food discipline. 
Always remember, to never eat by the rule of the thumb. Go by the bio-feedback and follow your hunger needs. Hunger is the need of the body, and appetite for more meals, is the greed of the body. Eating mechanically should never be the case. Eat with awareness as you are not only consuming cosmic energy but cosmic intelligence too.

Venice A Fulton, Personal Trainer and author 'BREAKFAST KICKSTARTS YOUR METABOLISM' IS UTTER NONSENSE 
    London-based personal trainer Venice A Fulton negates the notion of sixto-eight meals a day and says that one should only eat three good meals a day and no in-between snacks. In his book Six weeks to OMG: Get Skinnier Than All Your Friends. Venice (real name Paul Khanna), claims he can help you lose upto around 10 kgs in six weeks. Venice states that the belief — "each time we eat we boost our metabolism and our chances of losing weight' — is wrong and just wishful thinking". He adds that our snacks have become meals and we eat more than we realise during the in-betweenmeal times. There is no point in eating six or more times a day because just sticking to three meals also controls our appetite as it releases leptin (a chemical that tells our brain we are full). Venice says in an interview on a video-sharing website, "The belief 'breakfast kickstarts you metabolism' is utter nonsense", and goes on to state that metabolism begins the moment you wake up. A cold bath or shower in the morning helps burn calories too. 
WHY NO MORE THAN THREE MEALS 
You will end up in the toilet more often. 
You will be fatter because your inbetween snacks may be much bigger. 
All that food will make you visit your dentist more often!

Apple peel can help stave off high BP

 Eating an apple a day without removing the peel can help prevent high blood pressure. Canadian scientists have found that the fruit is more effective than other "superfoods" including green tea and blueberries as a source of antioxidants and chemical compounds called flavonoids that combat the potentially life-threatening condition. 

    In a study, researchers from Nova Scotia Agricultural College tested the peel and the fleshy fruit of apples separately. The peel was found to be up to six times more effective in inhibiting an enzyme called ACE, which is known to cause hypertension and high blood pressure, according to the team's results in the journal Food Chemistry. 
    "Apples are one of the most popular and frequently consumed fruits in the world," the researchers stated. "Apple peel is a rich source of flavonoids which provide numerous health benefits — apple peel flavonoids inhibited the enzyme ACE," they added. ANI

BITE RIGHT: Apples are one of the most popular and frequently consumed fruits in the world

HOW TO READ YOUR OWN BODY LANGUAGE

A team of physicians and nurses have outlined a few lessons that they feel could help keep you healthy     Your body is a reflection of your health, and every day it sends out signals about how healthy or unhealthy you may be. If you can read the signs correctly, you will be better equipped to detect and prevent the onset of illness. However, if you are like most people, you may be getting your signals crossed. The doctors at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital of ABC's hit summer series NY MED have offered help to help you read your own body language.      According to Dr Guy McKhann, neurological surgeon, NewYork-Presbyterian /Columbia, if you experience the sudden onset of "the worst headache of your life", this could actually represent a brain hemorrhage or ruptured aneurysm. Any sudden change in the appearance of your breast or nipple could be a sign of possible breast cancer.      Check with your doctor if you see any dimpling of the skin or any retraction of the nipple. The best way to catch these changes is by doing self breast exams every month, Dr Mia Talmor, plastic surgeon specialising in breast reconstruction, has said. It's easy to ignore the early warning signs of colon cancer, such as changes in bowel habits, blood in your stool, persistent abdominal discomfort, weakness or unexplained weight loss.      The best way to prevent colon cancer is to get colonoscopies beginning at age 50 to remove benign polyps that may become cancerous, over time, if left in place, Dr Fabrizio Michelassi, gastrointestinal surgeon, said. If you are resting and suddenly feel a severe pain or extremely uncomfortable pressure in your chest, back, neck, left arm, or jaw, these are sure signs of a heart attack.      Swollen legs, erectile dysfunction and sleeping troubles are all indicators of poor circulation and often spell heart failure. You may want to see your cardiologist to get to the root of the problem before trying to address the symptoms, Dr Hiroo Takayama, cardiothoracic surgeon, said. If women feel pressure in their chest or shortness of breath when they are exerting themselves, see a doctor, but they should also consider nausea and excessive sweating as signs that there may be a problem with their heart, Dr Allan Stewart, director aortic surgery programme, said. Unusually long periods of shortness of breath after exercise in children, and fainting, especially after exercise, are signs that your child may have a heart condition. A pediatrician may also suspect a heart condition if a child suddenly develops a heart murmur or has unexplained hypertension, Dr Emile Bacha, pediatric cardiac surgeon, said.  Cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver, is a very silent disease that often does not have any obvious symptoms in the beginning. Once the condition has progressed to an advanced stage, you may experience yellowing of the eyes, vomiting blood, a tarcoloured stool, abdominal bloating and feeling confused or disoriented, Dr. Tomoaki Kato, chief of abdominal organ transplantation, said. Mini-strokes are characterised by numbness or shaking of one part of your body; loss of your ability to speak; or an alteration in consciousness, Dr Guy McKhann, neurological surgeon, said.  ANI See a cardiologist if you have chest pain

HEALTH FLASH Eggs healthier, safer than 30 years ago

 Eggs today are healthier, safer and more nutritious than they were 30 years ago because the feed given to hens has changed over the years, leading to less cholesterol and saturated fat, experts say. Institute of Food Research scientists believe eggs are healthier now because the new feed also helps the hens to absorb more vitamin D and other nutrients. A study funded by the UK Department of Health found the average mid-sized egg now has nearly 25 per cent less saturated fat — which is linked to heart disease — than one sold in the 1980s. Better technology also helps more accurate analysis of the nutritional content. The eggs also contain more vitamin D than before. 

    IANS

EGGED ON: Eggs are good for health 

Smart move to drive cadaver donations

Your Driving Licence Will Soon Double As Organ Donor Card; GR Likely In A Month     In a ground-breaking move that hopes to lift the state's dismal cadaver donation count—which stands at less than 300 organs in the past 15 years—the state government will soon make it mandatory for a driving licence-holder to mention his or her consent to organ transplantation in the licence itself.      This is to ensure that in the event of a person's death in an accident, there is no delay in retrieving organs for transplant as well as to forestall opposition from relatives, if any.      This was one among several major decisions taken at an advisory committee meeting held on Wednesday on the Transplantation of Human Organs Act. Officials said the decisions are in consonance with the Central government  Act. "All that the state government needs to do is issue a government resolution allowing it. The GR will be issued within a month,'' a senior Mantralaya official told TOI.      In a long to-do list to facilitate human organ transplantation in the state, particularly cadaver donations, the public health department will also discuss with the home department ways in which a postmortem and organ retrieval can be done at the same time, sources said.      "The government will designate a non-transplantation hospital with an intensive care unit and an operation theatre as an organ retrieval centre to increase the  number of retrieval centres. The condition of a minimum of 25 beds applicable in Tamil Nadu will not be applied here."      In an effort to ensure better coordination and dissemination of information, a transplant hospital will have to inform all other registered transplant hospitals about a braindead person and provide organs on the basis of the waiting list. The government will not only revive the Zonal Transplant Coordination Centre at Pune, but also set up new ones at Amravati and Nashik. It will work on providing wide publicity to the issue and publicize the good results.      Besides additional chief secretary (public health) T C Benjamin, the committee comprises the director of Directorate Medical Education and Research, secretary of medical education, Hinduja Hospital medical director Gustad Daver, former medical education secretary Aziz Khan and former dean of Sion Hospital Dr Armita Fernandes, among others.  Times View: Strike a balance      Organ transplants are a sticky domain, where the government and doctors have to deal with difficult ethical issues that have no black-and-white solutions or answers. The government is bound by law and ethics to prevent forced donations. But things could become a little simpler if every party in a transplant, including the government and potential donors and recipients, starts with a fundamental premise: No emergency patient should be denied a transplant for delay in paperwork. There needs to be a fine balance between the two necessities, preventing forced donations and saving lives by effecting speedy transplants. RED-TAPE & LONG WAIT      Surat's Mohammed Arshad (32) was asked to go for a kidney transplant five months ago. His wife is ready to donate her kidney but Arshad first had to get a state NOC from Ahmedabad, a character certificate from the police and one more from the taluka and an NOC from Bihar where he lived earlier. He finally got the NOC, but not yet from the hospital committee.      Sabera Khokar (28), a Kenyan national, has been waiting since four months to donate her kidney to her husband (32). But unlike other women, she decided to swap her kidney with a Kenyan donorrecipient duo due to certain medical reasons. Though they have the required documents and even a consulate NOC, they are finding it difficult to get one from Rajasthan, from where they hail. "They called us three times for meetings but have not given an NOC yet." WHAT THE LAW SAYS ON TRANSPLANTS  Kidney donations fall under three categories under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act: Cadaveric, live related and live unrelated donations  Live include the closest family — a patient's mother, father, siblings and spouse  Unrelated include the extended family, including uncles, aunts, grandparents and friends  Cadaveric donations are coordinated in Mumbai by the Zonal Transplantation Coordination Centre that uses a computer-based points programme to decide who will get a kidney, liver, lung or heart  Live-related donors are cleared at the hospital level, if from the state  Unrelated donors from outside the state face problems with paperwork, which delays transplant  Unrelated donors must have an interview with the authorization committee to establish that the donor isn't being coerced to donate WHY DRIVING LICENCE AS DONOR CARD?      This would ensure that in the event of a person's death in an accident, there is no delay in retrieving organs for transplantation as well as to forestall opposition from relatives

Chewing on supari can get you diabetes

Those who like chewing supari as a mouth freshener now have another disease to worry about apart from cancer. Studies collated recently show that supari, or areca nut, can also cause metabolic syndromes, including obesity and diabetes. 

    "Out of eight studies (conducted at a Saudi university for 6-20 years), two associated areca nut chewing with hyperglycemia and type 2 diabetes, while five reported an association with metabolic syndrome. Four studies related it with obesity and increased body mass index (BMI). Meanwhile, higher triacylglycerol levels were reported in one study among areca nut chewers compared to non-chewers," said the review. 
    According to it, the sample size of the selected studies ranged from 210 to 56,116 individuals (their age range being 15-83 years). The frequency of areca nut chewing reported by the users ranged from 1 to 76 times a day. Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi from Tata Memorial Hospital said, "Many animal studies have shown that feeding areca nuts to young adult mice induces permanent glucose intolerance in a significant proportion of the animals." 
    "The new populationbased studies suggest an independent effect of areca nut chewing on the development of type 2 diabetes. Recent population survey data from UK, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands strengthen the argument for the diabetogenicity of areca nut use." 
    One of the studies included in the review (published in the medical journal Diabetologia), which was conducted in Taiwan in 2004, said an active arecal agent was directly toxic to beta cells, which store and release insulin. "Prevalence of hyperglycaemia was found to be 11.4% in (areca nut) chewers and 8.7% in nonchewers. Moreover, compared to non-chewers, the risk of type 2 diabetes was 1.41 times higher in those who had chewed areca nuts for more than 20 years and 2.02 times higher in those who had chewed more than 20 pieces of areca nuts per day," the study stated. 
    Another study, conducted in London and published in the British Journal of Nutrition showed a direct association between supari and waist size. 
    Nitrosamines—chemical compounds formed by the areca nut—are harmful for the human metabolic system. Doctors say that since crores of people chew supari in India, it is important to educate consumers and physicians about these associations.

1000 DAYS A HEALTHY FOUNDATION FOR LIFE

Give solid food to baby when it's 6 mnths old

New Delhi: Every year, malnutrition kills thousands of children in the country. Those who survive, go on to suffer from health problems because of nutritional deficiencies. Experts say, to check malnutrition, efforts need to be made to create awareness about complementary feeding — preferably comprising of homemade semi-solid food items like mashed potato, bread and dal — when the child is six months, in addition to breastfeeding. Children with severe vitamin or mineral deficiencies may require additionalhealth supplements. 
    "An appropriate diet is critical for the growth of children, especially in the first two years. It can reduce infant mortality and prevent malnutrition," said Dr K K Kalra, medical superintendent, Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya (CNBC), a super-specialty pediatric hospital. 
    Introducing complementary food at the right age, in adequate proportion and at right intervals is important. "We come across many parents, working couples in particular, who don't pay attention to their child's dietary requirements, often due to lack of time. Infants and young children need someone to not only offer them appropriate food, but also encourage them to consume it in sufficient quantity," he said. 
    Complementary food should be given two-three times a day to children in the age group of six to eight months, and the proportion should be hiked to three to four times a day when the child is between nine and 11 months, say experts. Between 12-13 months of age, threefour meals should be given. Depending on the child's appetite, one or two nutritious snacks can be offered between the meals. 
    According to Dr Anupam Sibal, senior pediatric gastroenterologist and group medical director, Apollo Hospitals, says maintaining good hygiene is crucial in checking infections. "Caution must be taken while preparing food and one should wash the child's hands with soap before a meal," he said. 
    Dr Sanjeev Bagai, pediatric nephrologist, CEO and dean, Radiant life, said that vitamin or mineral supplementation in babies should be administered under medical guidance. "Some kids who have severe iron deficiency may require supplements but one should always consult a doctor. Excess dosage can damage the kidney," he said. 
    A study done on 200 infants at Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in Delhi to assess the reasons for inappropriateness in timing, quantity and consistency of complementary feeding showed lack of knowledge among mothers. 
    About one-fourth of the mothers interviewed were aware of the right consistency and followed it, 46.55 per cent knew about the right quantity and 54 per cent had knowledge about the recommended time for starting complementary feeds. Only eight per cent (16) mothers had proper knowledge of all aspects of complementary feeding. Health experts call for increasing female literacy and implementing educational programmes on nutrition to reduce the knowledge gap.

START EARLY

Trauma: Can you sleep it off?

New Research Suggests Sleeping Immediately After A Traumatic Incident May Not Help Victims Forget     Wh e n yo u a re stressed, all you may be longing for is a good night's sleep. Similarly, if you have just had a really traumatic experience, it's natural to think that sleep would help heal. But recent research at Jawaharlal Nehru University's School of Life Sciences questions this idea.      It claims that making a person sleep immediately after he has experienced trauma will only make the memories of the incident stronger. The JNU sleep research team will be formally publishing this finding in a journal soon.      In a series of experiments on mice, the team discovered a unique relationship between sleep and trauma by creating what they call "a cued fear conditioning". Team leader Sushil Kumar Jha explains: "We first scared them by making a sound followed by a fear stimulus. The conditioning was very much like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in humans. The next day they were only made to hear the sound and the physical stimulus was notgiven. They still got scared." One group of mice was then allowed to sleep immediately after while another group was not allowed to sleep for six hours. "We again made the sound to see how they respond," says Jha. Once again, the group that slept got scared; the group that was not allowed to sleep did not respond with fear. According to Jha, sleeping right after the traumatic event may have helped in consolidating memories of the trauma in the first group.      "In real life, when people suffering from PTSD are taken to hospital they are made to sleep immediately. Instead, if they are given painkillers and kept awake for some hours it may help them deal with the trauma better. We are still working on the study and will be ready with the results soon," adds Jha.      However, H Chandrasekhar, head of psychiatry at Bangalore Medical College, says it's too early to say if sleep has any role in trauma management. "I can only say that the more you sleep, the more you remember. In case of trauma patients, the immediate need will be pain management than sleep. Also, the findings of the JNU research I think will vary with the kind of trauma a person experiences," he says.      JNU researchers are also working on various aspects of sleep's impact onhealth and learning. Disturbed sleep due to stress can lead to conditions like obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular problems and a compromised immune system. A global study by Warwick Medical School estimates that over 150 million people aged 50 and above in the developing world — including 5% of Indians — suffer from sleep disorders.      Sleep also affects cognitive capabilities. One study currently underway at JNU shows that learning sessions lead to deep and sound slumber. The team also advocates a 15 to 20-minute power nap after lunch for people at work. Especially if their work involves multitasking and decision-making, such as people in managerial roles. "Tiredness affects decisiveness. If you are groggy, you will obviously experience attention deficit. Even the caffeine high of tea and coffee cannot give you the same alertness that you experience after a short nap," says Jha.      He explains that their findings are based on animal experiments and there is a growing body of evidence that power naps are good. "But we perceive sleeping at work to be a crime. Anyone who is seen to be falling asleep is criticized. I think companies should start looking at power naps differently," says Jha.  NAP WRAP      There are five stages of sleep. Stage 1 is very light sleep while stage 5 is the deepest      Sleep brings down body temperature      Stress-induced  sleep deprivation can cause obesity & hypertension; immune system is compromised      The notion that a glass of milk before going to bed may induce good sleep may be false. A neurotransmitter called serotonin is released in milk that is actually a wake inducer. So milk before sleep may lead to lighter sleep  Sleep consolidates memory. So sleeping after a session of learning leads to better recall  Power naps help you become alert and decisive. A 15-20 minute power nap after lunch is ideal