Health Bytes
Some studies have found that “active” video games -- the kind that involves standing up and moving around, are more effective at conjuring intense physical activity in young children. Data from the tests suggested that participants experienced greater physical intensity when playing active video games (games that required full body participation) compared to outdoor physical activities. The study does not promote the idea of ONLY playing video games but means to provide people with options to make informed decisions while buying video games for their kids. Outdoor games should, however, always be encouraged as those would never be available on the Play Store!
Nutella-lovers might have probably heard this by now, but yes, the latest scoop is that our very own beloved Nutella might have the disadvantageous potential to cause Cancer. A report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has declared that palm oil – one of the key ingredients used in the Nutella for its smooth texture and considerably long shelf life – to be more carcinogenic than any other oil. Even though Ferrero, Nutella’s manufacturer is fighting back the claim slammed on it, this news has had an adverse effect as profits have already taken a 3% hit. We just hope that the issue is resolved after giving highest priority to consumers’ food safety.
Ice-cream sellers will agree with this one, obviously. A research conducted by Mr. Poortvliet, a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in Neuroscience, has stated that humans are endothermic animals, meaning that we can control our body temperatures, irrespective of the weather outside. Poortvliet’s research shows that Ice Cream ends up warming the human body when eaten due to its caloric content. The initial cooling effect is rapidly replaced by heat generated by digestive processes needed to break down the calories and that leads to an increase in body temperature. The bonus? It won’t melt like it does in summers! The cold never bothered us anyway.
According to research found in the Journal of Advanced Medical and Dental Science, ten million is a number of bacteria crawling on the average toothbrush right this second! Using your old toothbrush for an unreasonable period or not swapping it regularly (every 3 to 4 months) with a new one might lead to unfavorable outcomes – old brushes with frayed bristles can damage the gum tissue, they are also a host of harmful pathogens, especially if stored in bathrooms. Simply put, a dirty brush will leave your mouth dirtier with each use. We’d prefer changing our brushes over the dreaded dentist visits any day!
Sure, contact lenses are a great boon to millions – especially to those with high vision power who end up looking like nerds in their thick glasses, no matter how stylish the frame. However, using contacts comes with an equal set of responsibilities and even any minute negligence, like that related to wearing contacts for too long, would imply sight-threatening disasters. ‘Overwear’ of contact lenses might lead to eye pain, blurred vision, red eye, excessive tearing, eye ulcers or overgrowth of surrounding vessels. The proper way to handle contacts is by using them according to the time period prescribed, handling them with hygiene and disinfecting them regularly.
As dog lovers or owners, we are aware of the levels of happiness and energy that dogs bring into our lives. Apart from enriching our lives in big and little ways, being a parent to a fur baby also translates to incredible health! Several studies have shown that dog owners have lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure and fewer heart attacks as they tend to get more exercise. The calming effect that dogs have on humans also assists in handling stress, anxiety or loneliness. So go on, be responsible and adopt a furry companion or give your existing one a big, sloppy kiss today!
Even though it is very convenient to use ear-buds to ‘clean’ your ears in a jiffy, they are actually quite harmful to delicate areas inside the ears. Did you know that statistically, children are more likely to harm themselves with cotton buds than with a sharp razor? The irony is that while using cotton swabs, we push earwax – which is, in fact, good for the ears, deeper into our ears – leading to hearing loss, blockages, and infections. Ears have the ability to clean themselves and earwax protects the ears by keeping dust and debris away from the eardrums and ear canals.
Do you want that top job that you’ve been working endlessly hard for? Smile, and you just might get it! A study from Penn University has found that when you smile, you appear more courteous, likable and even more competent! It suggests that a well-placed and well-timed smile doesn’t go amiss in any situation – be it with your local vegetable vendor or your CEO. Whether awkward or natural – a smile will be welcomed heartily – especially in a business environment where everyone would anyway be bored with their monotonous schedules. So just let your smile work its magic!
A new study from the National Institutes of Health has discovered a complex of genes that may make certain women susceptible to PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) – one of the most severe forms of PMS. The women in the study who suffered from PMDD had a gene that reacted differently when exposed to hormones like estrogen and progesterone and was thus defenseless against the typical PMS syndromes of depression, anxiety, irritability and mood swings. Overall, the study connected PMDD with the biological functioning of the body and established an intrinsic difference in the molecular and genetic apparatus of women suffering from the same.
If you are feeling stressed or depressed for any kind of circumstances in your life, following are the things you can do that will instantly cheer up you up and make you happy, according to science. Listen to music from the happiest time in your life, to which a beautiful memory is associated. Think about your goals, it releases happy chemicals in your noggin and changes the way you look at the world. Get proper sleep. Beat procrastination by doing simple things first. Smile and wear glasses.
Long nails, especially in women, are often symbolic of beauty and grace. However, if not well-maintained, they can be an open invitation to diseases, pathogens or health problems. A study states that nails longer than 3 millimeters carry more bacteria and yeast under them which may cause pneumonia, urinary tract infections or blood stream infections. It recommends one to be extra-attentive while washing hands or to simply keep nails short. That someone desirous of keeping long nails however, must keep them clean at all times, isn’t a nail-biter (though that is NOT how we recommend you to trim them)!
Dentists in the UK are criticizing the presence of the “workplace cake culture”. They consider the sharing of sweet treats in offices to be unhealthy and detrimental to basic dental ideologies of safeguarding oral health and hygiene. The Faculty at UK believes that eating cakes and sweets at work discouraged healthy eating habits and instead acted like an irony in the oral care industry. While many people defend this proposal by citing practical reasons for bringing in sweets to work – occasions like birthdays or gatherings, we are just glad not to be working in a dental workplace in the UK right now.
We sometimes wonder if “radishes” could be the equivalent of the broccoli in India – crunchy red and white discs that adults leave behind in salads or those nasty, stick-like veggies with bony long hands and bare fingers- avoided and feared by little children since times immemorial. This much-disliked vegetable however, is extraordinarily healthy - it lowers cancer risk, regulates blood pressure, blood sugar, aids digestion, weight-loss and keeps kidneys healthy! Rich in anti-oxidants, radishes keep skin looking younger! Now you know why we were being so dramatic. Do not fear the humble mooli – dig into one right now!
We all have both short-term and long-term memories. A recent study by a group of investigators at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, shows how synapses may be the answer to strengthening latent memories. The work isn't just useful for understanding not memory but can also benefit other cognitive functions like perception, attention and goal maintenance.
Greens and purples, berries and fruits, winter is full of fresh colors and even fresher fruits and veggies! As the winter season sets in and spreads its chilly hands all over the city, we thought that we’d embrace winter with equal zest by gorging on the best and healthiest food items of the season. So go on and take a bite of those deep-purple, bulb-shaped sweet beetroots or feast on those deliciously fleshy and mouth-watering pink strawberries! Pick out a few bunches of the long spinach or methi leaves and use the fiber to beat all your stomach blues away. Have you tried the gajar ka halwa (a carrot dessert) this winter yet?
A lot of cases of HIV go undetected because of the stigma attached to the testing. WHO has recommended a home self-testing kit for improving access to diagnosis. This testing can be done via oral fluids or finger pricks and the results can be seen in less than 20 minutes. India is considering the adoption of this HIV self-testing kit.
It is true that coffee is the biggest source of anti-oxidants. However, whether it is truly beneficial or addictive and unhealthy has been a much debated issue. While you may get most of your antioxidants from coffee, those found in fruits and vegetables are of a different kind. These are also required by your body. Hence, don’t rely fully on coffee for your daily dose of anti-oxidants.
The best way to combat dryness is an oil massage. The right kind of oil will relieve the itchiness caused by dryness and help retain natural moisture of your skin. Oils that can be very effective and helpful in this process include olive oil, mustard oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil and tea tree oil. Smooth and soft skin is just a massage away.
While there is no formal research that validates that a juice diet is an effective way of losing weight, the calorie content is very low. Initially, it does help with rapid weight loss but may have harmful effects in the long run such as inadequate fiber, fatigue and weakness, deficiencies and reduced muscle mass. A juice diet is also not capable of inducing the feeling of fullness like solid foods.
There are a lot of myths attached to what you must and mustn’t do when you’re pregnant. Things you should definitely avoid are, eating more than your daily requirement, taking medication without seeking medical advice, not succumbing to your cravings, not getting the right exercise and not sleeping regularly and adequately. Stay away from these for a perfectly healthy baby.