I Quit Smoking

Eat away the craving

You've kicked the butt but can't seem to get rid of the occasional craving for a puff. You've tried to fight it with your sheer will power but nothing seems to work. "It's been five years since I quit smoking but sometimes the urge is strong. Thankfully I haven't given in yet," says Deepti Aggarwal, a 29-year-old engineer.

If you don't think your will power is as strong as Deepti's, nutritionist Naini Setalvad recommends you try nibbling on chocolate. "Chocolate calms me down just like a cigarette does and leaves me with a good feeling," says 25-year-old Aruna Dalvi, a former chain smoker.

Sugar-free solution

"If you want a less-fattening solution, try dates," says Setalvad. "They are rich in natural sugar which helps to curb the craving." Dates are also abundant in minerals and vitamins and they replenish lost phosphorous in the body. Setalvad also recommends eating fresh cucumber.

"The potassium helps to curb the craving for a smoke. Eating cucumber also restores the colour of your teeth and the quality of your gums," she explains.

This vegetable has another cosmetic advantage - it clears up your skin, which takes a heavy beating because of smoking.

Eating fresh cucumbers brings back its lost glow and keeps your body hydrated.

Detox with coriander

Your body needs detoxification after you have given up smoking. Coriander is a great cleanser that washes the remnants of cigarettes from your body. Add a bunch of coriander leaves to your food every day.

Lemon juice is also a good anti-oxidant. "The vitamin C in it prevents any throat infection that you may be susceptible to," says Setalvad.

Finally, you can keep that cigarette away by chewing gum or saunf. That gives your mouth something to munch on and keeps you from going back to your habit.

source:idiva.com

Smile Train program

SMILE PINKI, the captivating story of a desperately poor little girl in rural India whose life is magically transformed when she receives free surgery to correct her cleft lip has received a coveted Oscar nomination on January 22, 2009 in the category of best documentary short subject. Pinki, is a 5 year old girl who is living with a severe cleft in one of the poorest areas of India. Not allowed to attend school and ostracized because of her deformity, Pinki lives a life of quiet desperation as she waits and wonders if she will ever receive the cleft surgery her parents could never afford and that she so desperately needs. By chance, Pinkis parents meet a social worker one day who is traveling village to village, gathering patients for a hospital that provides free cleft surgery to thousands of poor children each year through the Smile Train program.

SMILE PINKI sheds light on the global problem of cleft lip and cleft palate. According to Smile Train, more than 4.7 million children in developing countries suffer with unrepaired clefts. Each child could be saved, just like Pinki, with a simple surgery that takes as little as 45 minutes and costs as little as $250.

Over the past 10 years, Smile Train has provided free cleft surgery for hundreds of thousands of children who would otherwise never have received it. The organization is the worlds leading cleft charity with thousands of partners and programs in 76 of the worlds poorest countries.

Hepatitis-B outbreak: Tragedy of neglect

The hepatitis outbreak has seen medical teams rush to Gujarat. But, rural areas are being completely neglected, increasing the threat of death. One such family has lost their mother.

For the family of Kokilaben Raval, it has been the worst time. Kokilaben, a health department worker, lost her life after she caught the disease through an infected syringe during pregnancy.

For this and over 50 other deaths, seven doctors have been arrested for negligence. Though Hepatitis-B can be passed on from mother to child, her son has tested negative.

"We haven't received any medical help nor did government officials visited us. I am nursing this baby along with my own children," said Sudhaben Raval, a villager.

Villages like Malpur, Meghraj and Dhansura -- where NDTV visited -- not a single medical team had visited, nor were there any vaccination booths. It is a stark contrast to the 62 booths set up in Modasa town. The state government has, meanwhile, claimed that 60,000 people are being vaccinated.

"There is no medical attention being given to us. Everyone is worried about the situation in towns and cities only," said Ganpat Rathore, another villager.

But the state government claims that they have made proper arrangements.

"We make differences between villages and towns. We have provided 24 hour ambulance service for villages which they should appreciate," said Jay Narayan Vyas, the Health Minister of Gujarat.

Gujarat government's much hyped vaccination programme is going on at Modasa town which is on the government radar. But, in these villages, dead bodies pile up for cremation.

Eye Health Care Tips For A Clear View

It's a strange old world that we live in, isn't it? Why is it that the population of the world still continues to have sight problems and why is vision loss on the increase? You'd think that the opposite would be true with the number of medical advances being made seemingly every day. Ironically, many researchers believe that about half of all blindness could be prevented! Eye health care, therefore, is obviously very important to everybody.

What causes these serious vision problems? Here's a short list:

1. Age-related macular degeneration.
2. Diabetic retinopathy.
3. Cataracts.
4. Glaucoma.

It appears that more and more people are falling victim to these eye disorders every day.

Eye Health Care Tips

It's important to prevent vision problems before they have chance to develop. Prevention is definitely better than cure and eye care is superior to eye cure. So, what can you do? Well, getting plenty of vitamins, especially vitamin A, is essential. Also, a decent supply of minerals will prove to be beneficial. Eye exercises can also help to keep your vision in tip-top condition.

Proper eye health care can slow down the natural degenerative processes of the eyes as we grow older. In particular, macular degeneration can be reduced with the correct preventative treatments. With correct eye exercises and good nutrition, it is possible to reduce the affects of injury, accident, disease and vision loss caused by strain.

Vitamins, minerals and many foods can play a major part in maintaining eye health care. There seems to be a direct link between nutrition and the health of your vision. There are many tips and exercises to be aware of. Start early, in childhood, and avoid eye strain caused through reading. Remember, children have the added burden of learning new words, learning how to scan text and other new reading skills that need developing. Make sure there is plenty of light to read by and experiment with different colored backgrounds to the text. There is evidence that, for some kids, a white background (ie paper!) is too glaring against black text, especially if there is a tendency towards dyslexia. Avoid glare and try a cream-colored paper! Taking the right precautions when young can prevent a multitude of eye care problems in later life.

Which Supplements are the Best?

Vitamins A, C and E all play their part in looking after your eyes. Consider these eye care nutrition tips:

1. Vitamin A: can reduce cataracts and night blindness.
2. A lack of vitamin A has been linked to corneal ulcers and blindness.
3. Vitamin E: can reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.
4. Vitamin C: needed to reduce the pressure in glaucoma, to resist the onset of cataracts, and to slow down the effects of degeneration caused by aging.

In short, vitamins are extremely important in the fight to maintain eye health care. They are rich in antioxidants and thus reduce the effects of oxidation which can lead to the destruction of healthy tissue.

So, there is certainly a lot that you can do to prevent eye and vision problems. Take steps now to prevent more serious conditions in the future.

Eat well and exercise for healthy blood pressure

If you're like many Americans, your blood pressure has crept up as you've gotten older. But it doesn't have to. Our lifestyle has an impact on blood pressure; in fact, in parts of the world where people still live as their ancestors did, high blood pressure is rare. Things that contribute to a healthy blood pressure include a diet high in fruits and vegetables.

It's not clear how fruits and veggies exert their effect, though it likely has something to do with vitamin and mineral content. A new study from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute sheds light on this, suggesting that higher vitamin C levels are linked to healthy blood pressure. In the Growth and Health Study, 242 girls ages 8 to 11 were followed for 10 years, and their blood pressure and vitamin C blood levels were measured regularly.

Researchers found that the girls with the highest blood levels of vitamin C had lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures. It wasn't clear if the vitamin was helping to lower blood pressure or there was a marker for some other healthy nutrient. More research is needed.

In the meantime, multiple things will help keep your blood pressure normal as you age, and also protect your heart. Here are some lifestyle tips:

• Eat lots of fruits and veggies every day, especially those high in potassium and vitamin C, such as citrus; dark green, leafy veggies; and melons.

• Keep up that fiber intake. Aim for at least 50 grams per day. Some studies suggest that fiber such as psyllium and wheat bran can help lower blood pressure. It's estimated that prehistoric folks got about 100 grams of fiber per day in their diet; the average American now gets about 10.

• Eat calcium-rich food every day. Calcium also seems to help regulate blood pressure. Or take a calcium supplement twice daily with food.

• Fish oil may help to reduce blood pressure, so try to eat high-fat fish at least twice per week or take a fish oil supplement daily.

• Consider taking garlic, coenzyme Q-10 and dark chocolate. These all help to relax blood vessels and may help to lower blood pressure as well.

• Watch that sodium! If you have high blood pressure, keep your dietary sodium intake under 1,500 mg per day; otherwise, try to stay under 2,000 mg per day.

• Exercise every day and maintain your weight, two of the most powerful things you can do for your blood pressure.

If you are already taking blood pressure medications and you decide to try some of the above, be sure to talk to your doctor — you may need an adjustment in your meds. By leading a healthy lifestyle, you're bound to need less medication, which is good news for the health of your body and your wallet.

source:tampabay.com

What ways can I increase my metabolism?

Two ways:

First is eat smaller meals, more frequently. Most people find this hard to do, but if you can eat 5 times a day, you're body will always know food is near and burn it efficiently. How many times are you ravenously hungry before you get home to make dinner? Carry an apple or a snack-sized bar for eating between meals (SoyJoy, etc.).

Second is strength train. Muscle uses up a lot more calories than fat does. If you increase your muscle size by a few pounds, you'll burn a lot more calories. Of course strength training also burns calories, but AT REST muscles burn more calories than fat does. Most people focus on their biceps or calves, but the bigger muscles of your abdomin are the easiest to strengthen and have burn lots of calories. Strengthen your core and your metabolism will increase.

Gujarat in the grip of Hepatitis B, 19 killed

Sabarkantha district in western Gujarat is suspected to be in the grip of the deadly Hepatitis B virus. At least 19 have died in Modasa taluka in the last two weeks. Gujarat state food and drugs department conducted search operations in various medical stores in Modasa taluka, collected samples of drugs and syringes and sent them to their laboratories for testing.

There is a state of panic and emergency in the region, as hundreds of people have been spotted with symptoms of the disease. Hepatitis B virus, also called serum hepatitis, spreads through infected body fluids such as blood, saliva and breast milk. Infection occurs through contaminated blood transfusion, and sharing of contaminated needles or syringes.

Till the evening of 17 February seventy cases of Hepatitis B had been registered and 19 people were officially confirmed dead. People in the state are blaming negligence of doctors and unhygienic conditions responsible for the outbreak. Though use of vaccines and safe injection practices greatly decreases the incidence of this infection, good personal hygiene and proper sanitation are also necessary for its prevention.

The Sabarkantha administration has declared it an outbreak of suspected Hepatitis B. The condition of the affected patients is said to be serious. Most of them are in the district's civil hospitals.

The circumstances have forced the state administration to call state and national level health teams to look into matter. Moreover, an FIR has also been lodged against seven doctors in the district under different clauses of Medical Act.

The science of romance: Brains have a love circuit

Like any young woman in love, Bianca Acevedo has exchanged valentine hearts with her fiance. But the New York neuroscientist knows better. The source of love is in the head, not the heart. She's one of the researchers in a relatively new field focused on explaining the biology of romantic love. And the unpoetic explanation is that love mostly can be understood through brain images, hormones and genetics.

That seems to be the case for the newly in love, the long in love and the brokenhearted.

"It has a biological basis. We know some of the key players," said Larry Young of the Yerkes National Primate Research Center at Emory University in Atlanta. There, he studies the brains of an unusual monogamous rodent to get a better clue about what goes on in the minds of people in love.

In humans, there are four tiny areas of the brain that some researchers say form a circuit of love. Acevedo, who works at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, is part of a team that has isolated those regions with the unromantic names of ventral tegmental area (VTA), the nucleus accumbens, the ventral pallidum and raphe nucleus.

The hot spot is the teardrop-shaped VTA. When people newly in love were put in a functional magnetic resonance imaging machine and shown pictures of their beloved, the VTA lit up. Same for people still madly in love after 20 years.

The VTA is part of a key reward system in the brain.

"These are cells that make dopamine and send it to different brain regions," said Helen Fisher, a researcher and professor at Rutgers University. "This part of the system becomes activated because you're trying to win life's greatest prize — a mating partner."

One of the research findings isn't so complimentary: Love works chemically in the brain like a drug addiction.

"Romantic love is an addiction; a wonderful addiction when it is going well, a horrible one when it is going poorly," Fisher said. "People kill for love. They die for love."

The connection to addiction "sounds terrible," Acevedo acknowledged. "Love is supposed to be something wonderful and grand, but it has its reasons. The reason I think is to keep us together."

But sometimes love doesn't keep us together. So the scientists studied the brains of the recently heartbroken and found additional activity in the nucleus accumbens, which is even more strongly associated with addiction.

"The brokenhearted show more evidence of what I'll call craving," said Lucy Brown, a neuroscientist also at Einstein medical college. "Similar to craving the drug cocaine."

The team's most recent brain scans were aimed at people married about 20 years who say they are still holding hands, lovey-dovey as newlyweds, a group that is a minority of married people. In these men and women, two more areas of the brain lit up, along with the VTA: the ventral pallidum and raphe nucleus.

The ventral pallidum is associated with attachment and hormones that decrease stress; the raphe nucleus pumps out serotonin, which "gives you a sense of calm," Fisher said.

Those areas produce "a feeling of nothing wrong. It's a lower-level happiness and it's certainly rewarding," Brown said.

The scientists say they study the brain in love just to understand how it works, as well as for more potentially practical uses.

The research could eventually lead to pills based on the brain hormones which, with therapy, might help troubled relationships, although there are ethical issues, Young said. His bonding research is primarily part of a larger effort aimed at understanding and possibly treating social-interaction conditions such as autism. And Fisher is studying brain chemistry that could explain why certain people are attracted to each other. She's using it as part of a popular Internet matchmaking service for which she is the scientific adviser.

While the recent brain research is promising, University of Hawaii psychology professor Elaine Hatfield cautions that too much can be made of these studies alone. She said they need to be meshed with other work from traditional psychologists.

Brain researchers are limited because there is only so much they can do to humans without hurting them. That's where the prairie vole — a chubby, short-tailed mouselike creature — comes in handy. Only 5 percent of mammals more or less bond for life, but prairie voles do, Young said.

Scientists studied voles to figure out what makes bonding possible. In females, the key bonding hormone is oxytocin, also produced in both voles and humans during childbirth, Young said. When scientists blocked oxytocin receptors, the female prairie voles didn't bond.

In males, it's vasopressin. Young put vasopressin receptors into the brains of meadow voles — a promiscuous cousin of the prairie voles — and "those guys who should never, ever bond with a female, bonded with a female."

Researchers also uncovered a genetic variation in a few male prairie voles that are not monogamous — and found it in some human males, too.

Those men with the variation ranked lower on an emotional bonding scale, reported more marital problems, and their wives had more concerns about their level of attachment, said Hasse Walum, a biology researcher in Sweden. It was a small but noticeable difference, Walum said.

Scientists figure they now know better how to keep those love circuits lit and the chemicals flowing.

Young said that romantic love theoretically can be simulated with chemicals, but "if you really want, you know, to get the relationship spark back, then engage in the behavior that stimulates the release of these molecules and allow them to stimulate the emotions," he said. That would be hugging, kissing, intimate contact.

"My wife tells me that flowers work as well. I don't know for sure," Young said. "As a scientist it's hard to see how it stimulates the circuits, but I do know they seem to have an effect. And the absence of them seems to have an effect as well."

Hepatitis D Claims 12 lives in Modassa

Health department officials have swung into action in Modassa town, where 12 persons have died and 35 fallen ill due to the deadly hepatitis D virus since a week. Officials raided premises of 10 private medical practitioners and initiated a process of filing an FIR against one doctor, who was not using disposable syringes and not even sterilising them.

The raids were conducted by a three-member rescue team of B J Medical College, Ahmedabad, led by Nayan Qadri, which arrived at Modassa on Thursday.

"We had taken samples of syringes and other equipment from different medical practitioners to ensure that proper medical norms are observed when injectibles are being used," said epidemic medical officer, Sabarkantha, A K Bhati.

Presently, 27 paramedics and five doctors are surveying the area and local administration has distributed over 25,000 pamphlets to create awareness about this disease.

A team from National Institute of Communicable Diseases & Director General of Health Services (NICD & DGHS) is also expected to arrive soon.

Around 25 patients are undergoing treatment at various hospitals in Modassa taluka and others, whose condition is critical, are being rushed to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. State health minister Jaynarayan Vyas also visited Modassa on Saturday to take stock of the situation.

Meanwhile, a suspected case of death due to hepatitis was also reported from Palanpur on Saturday. Victim Vinodbhai Panchal, who was admitted to Sterling Hospital in Ahmedabad, died and his body was brought to Palanpur for final rites.

Avoid scannings of healthy hearts

People with healthy or sound hearts should avoid going in for various scans, warns an advisory committee convened by the American Heart Association. The panel cautioned that cardiac scans that use ionizing radiation should, in all cases, be used judiciously, and are not recommended for people without chest pain or other symptoms who are at low risk for heart disease.

"There is a false sense of security among physicians that the radiation dose received by individual patients, and the potential health risks that may come with it, can be determined precisely," said Thomas Gerber, Mayo Clinic cardiologist in Florida.

The uncertainty, and long-standing controversy, centres on how to connect the low doses of ionising radiation received by patients
from medical imaging procedures to the possibility of cancer development, said Gerber.

"There is no question that large doses of radiation, such as from the atomic bomb blasts in Japan, are linked to cancer, but there is a lot of unresolved debate about whether or not, or to what degree, low doses carry cancer risks," he said.

The American Heart Association asked the Writing Committee to explain to doctors how radiation dose to patients is determined, as a way of helping cardiologists understand and explain the risk and benefits of imaging procedures that use ionizing radiation.

Additionally, the authors cite a hypothetical scenario where, if every person aged 50 to 55 in the US (about 1.8 million people) were screened for heart disease with cardiac CT every five years until age 70, the estimated total increase in the number of fatal cancers over the entire 20 years might be about 43,000, said a Mayo Clinic release.

Yet, if doctors could use that screening information to prevent only 10 percent of the unexpected deaths from heart disease, 35,000 fewer deaths would occur per year.

Top Exercises for Good Sex

Exercise for a better sex lifeRegular exercise can boost your performance in bed.

Sex therapies, Viagra or energy pills, yoga classes etc ... you may have tried countless ways to boost your sexual performance.

What not try routine exercises that can add spark to your sex life? Several studies have shown that fit adults have a more electrifying sex life than individuals who lead sedentary lifestyle.

Exercise not only piques sexual desire, but also makes sex more enjoyable. It enhances sexual functioning and increases testosterone levels in both men and women, which ensures a better sex life. We bring you a few simple (s)exercises that will not only enhance your performance in bed but also let you enjoy the act like never before.

Pelvic lifts : One of the most common and important exercises, it improves sexual performance by strengthening the pelvic area. It also helps in evoking powerful sexual feelings and enhancing your endurance. Vijaya Shetty, a clinical pathologist and a gym-ball trainer elucidates, "During any floor exercise, we train the core muscles and when a same thing is repeated again, it strengthens the body part being worked upon. As for sexual benefit, it's a fact that a strong body can sustain for long, so more the endurance of your pelvic muscles, the more you'll enjoy the prolonged act."

Technique : Lie on your back with your knees bent and slightly apart, feet flat on the floor and arms at your side. Inhale clenching in your stomach and hips and lift the pelvic from the floor until your back is straight. Hold this position for 10 seconds and exhale as you lower your body. Repeat this at least 4-5 times for desired results.

Another pelvic raise could be where you lie down on the bed and as you inhale, you raise your legs to a 90 degree angle. Then while exhaling, you pulse them towards the ceiling. For those, who can't take their legs up to this angle, they can just make an L-shape angle and push their legs upwards along with a proper breathing technique, thus making the abdomen and pelvic area very strong.

Kegel Exercise : Many might not know about the 'secret' muscles that are active during sex and by strengthening these, couples can enjoy intense sex. Kegels are very safe and simple and work on the entire pelvic floor area. Neesha Bukht Choksy, fitness trainer and a dietician confirms, "Kegel is basically a contraction of the internal muscles attached to the pelvic bones, so it tightens the vaginal muscles, helping women gain better control, prolong sex and reach orgasm more easily. It tightens the entrance of the uterus, which evidently enhances your gratification level during sex."

Technique : Contract your pelvic muscles and inhale as you squeeze (as though stopping urine), hold them for 5 seconds and release as you exhale. Start with just 10 or 20 squeezes. The best part is that you can do Kegel nearly anytime, anywhere. Try them while having your meals, sitting at your desk, talking to people or watching television, do at least 100-200 squeezes a day. It's very effective for women in their post delivery stage, as it tightens the loosened muscles."

Butterfly Stretch : Another important part that works actively during sex is the inner thigh area. During a butterfly stretch, the emphasis is on strengthening the inner thighs to make them flexible. Vijaya explains, "Apart from greater flexibility, as you stretch out your legs during this exercise, it's almost a similar position that you have during a sexual act."

Technique : Sit on the floor with your feet together, as the souls touch each other and the knees are kept apart. Try and take your feet as close as you can to your hips and use your elbow to push down your knees below, so that your inner thighs are under pressure.

Cat Pose : In addition to the lower area of the body, the abs and abdomen are also highly functional during sex. Cat Pose works well

for the abs as throughout the exercise, you flex your abs. Neesha adds, "As you round your spine in both an inward and outward position during this exercise, you strengthen your abs a lot many times. Simultaneously, it also works on your back."

Technique : Lie down on the floor, arch your back with your head and abs dangling down (inward position), pull your abs inside to make them look nicely arched, and ensure that your belly is not hanging loose. Then reverse the pose by rounding the other way with your abs elevated and stretched out (outward position. In both the positions, you are on your fours (hands and feet) and the abs area is flexed.

Superman Pose : A gratifying sexual act needs a fit body and the lower back forms an essential area that needs to be stable. The Superman Pose works mainly on your lower back, as this is the most active body part for maintaining various postures. Vijaya explains, "As you are holding all fours (hands and feet) going against gravity, the full load to maintain the position makes the back muscles strong. If you're lower back has any problem, you'll frequently shift around to other side to be comfortable, so this exercise helps a lot and lets you enjoy more."

Technique : Lie down on the floor, place your hands in an upfront position, and raise the upper portion of the body as much as you can without putting any strain on any of the muscles. You can also raise your feet, so that only central part of your body is on the floor. It strengthens your lower back area.

Cardiovascular Workouts : Since sex is an act of endurance, improving cardiovascular fitness with exercises like walking, running, cycling or swimming helps both partners perform longer. Neesha states, "Cardio exercises help in improving blood circulation and works on the overall body muscles. For, women who stay dormant at home, these cardio exercises are really helpful, as it activates the entire body muscles. Cardio workouts also keep the heart and arteries healthy, thus reducing the risk of erectile dysfunction by ensuring a good flow of blood to the genital organs."

Technique : Anything such as running, cycling, jogging and swimming that ups your heartbeat rate is useful. Practice the cardio workouts for at least 30 minutes in a day. Apart from ensuring proper blood circulation to all body parts, it also tends to warm up your body. Factors like age, ailments, breathing rate and clinical history must be considered before practicing any cardiovascular exercise.

Regular Combo workouts : To have a satisfying sex experience, the body in totality needs to be fit. Hence, once can't ignore the benefits to be derived from routine exercises like crunches combined with push-ups and sit-ups. These not only help in a better physical appearance, but help in achieving better endurance. Neesha says, "The combo of these three regular exercises is really helpful, as it works on your shoulders, chest and abdominal area, all of which are active during sexual intercourse. By strengthening these muscles, you add to your stamina, which further adds to prolonged and more pleasurable sex."

Technique : Crunches in particular works on the upper and lower abdominal area by tightening them and adding more strength. Do at least 3 sets of 10 each for crunches. Push-ups and sit-ups are more relevant for men, as they need to be strong with their arm muscles. Do at least 4 sets of 10 each for sit-ups and push-ups, taking a little break between the two workouts.

source:timesofindia

No time for gym? Lose weight anyway

Keen to lose weight, but no time to hit the gym?

"It often happens that we end up missing on time to indulge in calorie-burning in an anticipation of triggering off a full-on fitness regime," says fitness exert Kiran Swahney.

So, why not dig out occasions some where in the course of the day and cash in some real time to burn the fat. We recommend you 20 physical and foodie alterations for weight loss... embrace them and staying fit won't be a long cherished dream any more!

"On foot is a stylish way to exercise as its easy, versatile, kind to your joints and doesn't require conjuring too much of paraphernalia. So involve walking as much as you can in your routine." says L.Balasubramaniam, Technogym Olympic Master Trainer.

1. Get up and walk around your office or home: This should happen at least every two hours for 5 minutes. This brisk five-minute walk every two hours will give you an extra 20-minute walk by the end of the day without making any special efforts.

2. Wash something thoroughly once a week: Be it the floor, a couple of windows, the shower stall, bathroom tiles or your car...anything that makes you don your cleaning gloves and exert some pressure on your hands and elbows burns nearly four calories for every minute spent on cleaning. A washing session of 30 minutes and you've worked off nearly 120 calories.

3. Drop a movie for an active date: Yes, it's a weekend and you're planning to spend time with your love. Why not head to the local park rather than sit idle in a movie hall? This will not only give you a chance of walking hand in hand, but will also avoid the calories that a large bucket of butter popcorns holds in. What's more? Explore other active dating ideas like cycling together; enjoying a tennis match or a swimming championship...even losing to your love will be fun here!

4. Take a walk before dinner: Yes, you are reading it right! Walking post dinner helps in digestion and burning calories, walking before gorging on your favourite dinner cuts down on your appetite. "Twenty minutes of walking reduces appetite and increases sensations of fullness as effectively as a light meal," informs Balasubramaniam.

5. Make the most of your TV time: This one is for the cricket crazy men and soap obsessed women who spend hours being a couch potato. Now make the most out of the commercial breaks to burn some calories and tone-up your body with the following set of exercises:
• As the break starts, do 25 jumping jacks.
• Then jog on the spot for the count of 30.
• Do 25 abdominal crunches.
• Lastly, get on the floor and place your feet up on your coffee table and do 25 hip lifts. By the time the break ends, you would have burnt a major chunk of calories.

6. Kiss your partner passionately: Lock your lips in passion at least 10 times a day. Not only it will keep your love life buzzing, but every minute spent kissing will burn 6.4 calories. Ten minutes a day of kissing can burn approximately 23,000 calories in a year...that's the power of love!

7. Anywhere tummy workout: For this you have to create a vacuum in your belly by sucking it in and holding it for as long as you can.

"Your tummy will be exposed to powerful isometric tension rather than the normal concentric tension, which you get from your regular crunches and sit-ups. This adds up to quicker results as the sucking focuses on the lower abdominal and not your upper abdominal," explains Balasubramaniam. Holding it for anything more than 15 seconds gives good results.

8. Shrink your stomach fat: Rub your hands together vigorously until they become hot. Now, rub the hot hands on your belly for about 30 seconds. Repeat the procedure for a total of 3 minutes, twice a day. This should be the first thing you do as you wake up in the morning and last thing you do before going to bed. "The heat from your hands reaches the fat cells of your stomach and destroys them. Also, this practice improves digestion and you end up losing weight," explains Balasubramaniam.

9. Love the stairs: If you are an elevator lover, opt for the stairs now! Instead of regular climbing, try these variations:
• Take two stairs at a time for one flight and then one step at a time for the next.
• Turn sideways and go up the stairs one step at a time using the leg that faces the top of the stairs. Switch directions on the next flight.
• Start on one side of the steps and as you step up, step all the way to the other side of the next step up, like a zigzag. Continue this until you reach the top.
• For a more advanced variation, hop up one step at a time.

10. Happy baby exercise: This can be done at your bedtime, sans any extra effort. Lie on the bed; hold your legs close to your chest in bent-knee position by clasping your hands together across your shins. In this small "ball" position, close your eyes and breathe slowly for 10 seconds, then release the position and lie flat on the bed for 10 seconds (continuing to breathe slowly with your eyes closed). Repeat this sequence 5 to 10 times.

Ten food variations to help you fit into that treasured 'hope' couture:

1. Water your flab away: Drinking water is the easiest way to put your body in the weight losing mode. It boosts your metabolism, and higher metabolism helps you lose weight even while you sleep. Water acts as a natural appetite suppressant and replaces false sensation of hunger. Drink a good amount of water during the day, especially in the evening to raise your metabolism while you sleep.

2. Let high-calorie foods be moderated: Want to eat fruit cream or fruit salad with ice cream? Let a spoonful of ice cream be the jewel and a bowl of fruit the crown. In case of salad, make veggies the crown and cheese the jewel. When munching on chips, pair each bite with veggie dip and fresh salsa.

3. Instead of three, eat five or six small meals: Distributing the same number of calories into six meals keeps you full through out the day.

4. Go for restaurant eating even at home: Keep those bowls off and stick only to the plate and as the plate goes empty, don't reach for second round.

5. Most calories before noon: Go heavy in the morning so that you don't crave for food at night. Following this routine will help you ensure that the body consumes the morning calories rather than working on the evening ones.

6. Fruit instead of fruit juice: Eating whole fruits not only keeps you satisfied for longer hours than a mere glass of milk but also adds fibre to your diet.

7. Go for loads of vegetables: Another way to include water in your diet is to gorge on water-rich veggies. Start eating tomatoes, soups, salads and cucumbers during meals to reduce your overall calorie consumption.

8. Don't eat by time, but by feeling the hunger: Eating should be induced by actual hunger rather than boredom, nervousness, habit or frustration. So, the next time you plan on eating wait until your stomach is growling.

9. Avoid white foods: Chuck the white flour, white breads, white rice and sugar from your diet and indulge in plenty of whole grain breads and brown rice.

10. Carry a notebook: Do this for 10 days. Write down every single thing that you eat or drink - even water in your diary. By the end of ten days you'll know why you are putting on weight.

source:timesofindia

Weight loss cures sleep apnea

Losing weight could be the most effective way of reducing obstructive sleep apnea or OSA symptoms and associated disorders, says a new study.

Weight loss may not be a new miracle pill or a fancy high-tech treatment, but it is an exciting therapy for sufferers of OSA both because of its short- and long-term effectiveness and for its relatively modest price tag.

The prospective, randomised trial found that, in 81 patients with mild OSA, the 40 patients who were in the intervention arm underwent a diet that strictly limited caloric intake combined with lifestyle counseling lost more than 20 pounds on average in a year - and kept it off, resulting in markedly lower symptoms
of OSA.

"Very low calorie diet (VLCD) combined with active lifestyle counseling resulting in marked weight reduction is a feasible and effective treatment for the majority of patients with mild OSA, and the achieved beneficial outcomes are maintained at one-year follow-up," wrote Henri P.I. Tuomilehto, department of otorhinolaryngology at the Kuopio University Hospital in Finland.

The 41 patients in the control arm, who only received lifestyle counseling and lost on average less than 6 pounds, and were much less likely to see improvements in their OSA. And not only does sustained weight loss improve OSA, it also improves the many other independently linked co-morbidities such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes, said a Kupio release.

"The greater the change in body weight or waist circumference, the greater was the improvement in OSA." In fact, mild OSA was objectively cured in 88 percent of the patients who lost more than 33 pounds, a statistic that declined with the amount of weight lost, said Tuomilehto.

Octuplets mom identifies clinic that helped

The mother who gave birth to octuplets has identified the California fertility clinic that she says provided in-vitro fertilization for all 14 of her children.

Nadya Suleman said in an interview aired Monday morning on NBC's "Today" show that she used the West Coast IVF Clinic in Beverly Hills for all of her pregnancies.

Video from 2006 aired Monday morning on KTLA-TV in Los Angeles shows Dr. Michael Kamrava from the clinic treating Suleman and discussing the implantation process.

Without identifying the doctor, the Medical Board of California said last week it was looking into the matter to see if there was a "violation of the standard of care" for implanting so many embryos.

There was no answer to a telephone call placed before business hours to the clinic Monday. Kamrava did not immediately return a pager message.

International Rescue Committee hospital in Hagadera camp near Daadab

A refugee from Somalia sits in a ward at the International Rescue Committee hospital in Hagadera camp near Daadab, about 80km from Liboi on the border with Somalia in north-eastern Kenya. The growing flow of Somalis fleeing conflict at home has led to overcrowding in refugee camps in neighbouring Kenya and the United Nations expects the influx to continue, an official said.

Md. surgeons remove donated kidney through vagina

Kim Johnson, who donated a kidney to her niece four days earlier, poses for a portrait at a relatives home, Monday, Feb. 2, 2009, in Baltimore. Surgeons at Johns Hopkins University removed Johnson's kidney through her vagina, eliminating the need for an abdominal incision that normally leaves a 5- to 6-inch scar.

Surgeons removed a woman's kidney through her vagina so she could give it to her ailing niece, an unusual operation they hope will encourage others to donate because it reduces pain, scarring and recovery time. Doctors at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine said donor Kimberly Johnson, 48, and her niece, Jennifer Gilbert, 23, were both doing well following operations Thursday.

"It was easier than childbirth," said Johnson, who has three children.

Transvaginal kidney removals have been done before to remove cancerous or nonfunctioning kidneys, and other diseased organs have also been removed through mouths and other orifices. Many donated kidneys are removed laparoscopically, through small keyhole incisions.

But hospital officials think this may be the first time a donor kidney was removed through the vagina.

The operation left three pea-size scars on the Lexington Park woman's abdomen, one hidden in her navel. Surgeons hope the procedure will lead more women to become donors, said Dr. Robert Montgomery, chief of the transplant division at Johns Hopkins, who led the team that performed the surgery.

Johnson said the operation was less painful than gall bladder surgery and she is recovering more quickly than Gilbert's father, who gave his daughter a kidney 12 years ago.

Gilbert, of Baltimore, needed the first transplant because repeated infections had destroyed the kidneys she was born with. She needed the second after she began suffering chronic rejection.

Johnson, an assistant sales manager for a St. Mary's County newspaper, said she was able to get out of bed Thursday night, the same day the kidney was removed.

Quicker recovery and less pain are the key benefits of the new technique, said Montgomery and Dr. Anthony Kalloo, the director of the Division of Gastroenterology at Johns Hopkins and a pioneer of the method of using natural orifices for organ removal.

Kalloo said more than 300 such surgeries have been performed worldwide, mostly gall bladder and appendix removal through the mouth, anus and vagina. Kalloo said there has been some resistance in the medical community because of concerns, for example, that stomach acid could leak into the abdominal cavity in operations where organs were removed through the mouth.

Dr. Jihad Kaouk, a urologist and director of the Cleveland Clinic's Center for Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery, is among those concerned about contamination. He was not involved in Johnson's surgery.

"There is the risk of infection having the kidney passing through a contaminated area and then going to another patient who is immunocompromised," Kaouk said. "That is the concern we have and we would like to monitor the outcome in that regard."

In Johnson's case, Montgomery said a plastic bag placed into her abdominal cavity through a tiny incision protected the donated kidney from contamination by bacteria and other organisms in her vagina. Johnson was chosen because she has had a hysterectomy, which made the operation easier, but the procedure could be used without affecting women's ability to give birth, he said.

More than 78,000 people are on the national waiting list to receive kidneys from deceased donors. The need is increasing as diabetes and obesity rise, threatening to further lengthen a wait that can last years. In 2007, more than a third of the 16,629 kidneys transplanted in the U.S. came from living donors, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing.

Montgomery said the number of living donor transplants has tripled since laparoscopic removal debuted in 1995, providing an alternative to so-called "shark bite" abdominal incisions. He hopes advances such as the vaginal removal will continue the increase.

"We think she'll be probably back to her normal activities within a week or two," the transplant surgeon said. Recovery from laproscopic surgery typically takes several weeks. "So, that greatly reduces the inconvenience of donating and we're hoping that will encourage more people to donate."

In Japan, you are what your blood type is

In Japan, "What's your type?" is much more than small talk; it can be a paramount question in everything from matchmaking to getting a job.

By type, the Japanese mean blood type, and no amount of scientific debunking can kill a widely held notion that blood tells all.

In the year just ended, four of Japan's top 10 best-sellers were about how blood type determines personality, according to Japan's largest book distributor, Tohan Co. The books' publisher, Bungeisha, says the series — one each for types B, O, A, and AB — has combined sales of well over 5 million copies.

Taku Kabeya, chief editor at Bungeisha, thinks the appeal comes from having one's self-image confirmed; readers discover the definition of their blood type and "It's like 'Yes, that's me!'"

As defined by the books, type As are sensitive perfectionists but overanxious; Type Bs are cheerful but eccentric and selfish; Os are curious, generous but stubborn; and ABs are arty but mysterious and unpredictable.

All that may sound like a horoscope, but the public doesn't seem to care.

Even Prime Minister Taro Aso seems to consider it important enough to reveal in his official profile on the Web. He's an A. His rival, opposition leader Ichiro Ozawa, is a B.

Nowadays blood type features in a Nintendo DS game and on "lucky bags" of women's accessories tailored to blood type and sold at Tokyo's Printemps department store. A TV network is set to broadcast a comedy about women seeking husbands according to blood type.

It doesn't stop there.

Matchmaking agencies provide blood-type compatibility tests, and some companies make decisions about assignments based on employees' blood types.

Children at some kindergartens are divided up by blood type, and the women's softball team that won gold at the Beijing Olympics used the theory to customize each player's training.

Not all see the craze as harmless fun, and the Japanese now have a term, "bura-hara," meaning blood-type harassment.

And, despite repeated warnings, many employers continue to ask blood types at job interviews, said Junichi Wadayama, an official at the Health, Welfare and Labor Ministry.

"It's so widespread that most people, even company officials, are not aware that asking blood types could lead to discrimination," Wadayama said.

Blood types, determined by the proteins in the blood, have nothing to do with personality, said Satoru Kikuchi, associate professor of psychology at Shinshu University.

"It's simply sham science," he said. "The idea encourages people to judge others by the blood types, without trying to understand them as human beings. It's like racism."

This use of blood-typing has unsavory roots.

The theory was imported from Nazi race ideologues and adopted by Japan's militarist government in the 1930s to breed better soldiers. The idea was scrapped years later and the craze faded.

It resurfaced in the 1970s, however, as Masahiko Nomi, an advocate with no medical background, gave the theory mass appeal. His son, Toshitaka, now promotes it through a private group, the Human Science ABO Center, saying it's not intended to rank or judge people but to smooth relationships and help make the best of one's talents.

The books tend to stop short of blood-type determinism, suggesting instead that while blood type creates personality tendencies, it's hardly definitive.

"Good job, you're done. So how do you feel about the results?" one blood type manual asks on its closing page. "Your type, after all, is what you decide you are."