Month: August 2014

Addicted to your phone? You could be suffering from Nomophobia!

The urge to log onto to social networking sites or constantly check email can be a stronger compulsion than the desire to take drugs or drink alcohol.

The combination of Facebook and internet-connected smartphones can be highly addictive, outstripping even addictive drugs such as alcohol and tobacco, according to IT industry research.

Addicted to your phone You could be suffering from Nomophobia

In addition to smartphones’ alleged addictive qualities, too much screen time can also cause mental and physical health problems. Aside from well-documented everyday conditions such as “text neck and “iPad shoulder”, there are more serious consequences of the IT industry’s having fulfilled its 20-year old promise of delivering anything, anywhere, anytime.

Shin Dong-won, professor of psychiatry at South Korea’s Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, says the stimulation from smartphones doesn’t go through the frontal brain lobe, which processes information, but induces direct mental and physical reactions. He therefore believes that smartphones can interfere with children’s normal development during a time when they should be learning patience.

Despite consistent denials from mobile phone makers, there is also a growing list of other health risks associated with increased smartphone usage, including a potential increase in cancer caused by low but rising levels of radiation generated by smartphones and the wireless networks fuelling them.

In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, classified mobile phone radiation as possibly carcinogenic and recommend additional research into the long-term, heavy use of mobile phones. According to The Ecologist magazine, studies also suggest that our increasing addiction to smartphones may also be causing long-term ecological damage. For example, a Colorado researcher Katie Haggerty planted test plots of aspen seeds and shielded some from the RF radiation from a nearby town’s mobile phone masts. The difference, recorded by the International Journal of Forestry Research, was that those seeds protected from the RF radiation grew into healthy saplings while the exposed plants were small, lacked pigments, and had sickly leaves.

The Ecologist also reports that in Switzerland, the University of Zurich’s Michael Hässig recorded multiple cataracts in calves near mobile phone masts, while a Belgian researcher Joris Everaert of the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO) mapped striking declines in house sparrows in mobile phone masts’ main fields.

But while the IT industry jury may still be out on the long-term health and environmental consequences of such a new technology, there is little doubt we may be spending too much of our time hooked up to it. Last year, a team headed by Wilhelm Hofmann, a behavioural psychologist at Chicago University’s Booth Business School, published the results of an experiment, using BlackBerry smartphones, once named “CrackBerry” phones because of their alleged addictive properties, to gauge the willpower of 205 people aged between 18 and 85 in and around the German city of Wurtzburg.

The study found that, aside from sleep and sex, the urge to log into social networking sites is stronger than any other, including drugs and alcohol. The study found that while a compulsion for logging onto Facebook appears to be less physically harmful than, say cigarettes or alcohol, it still becomes an addiction that “steals” many people’s time.

Mobile phone addiction now has a name “nomophobia”. The first treatment and a facility for dealing with the condition in southern California, the Morningside Recovery Center in Newport Beach, has opened its doors to self-confessed mobile phone addicts. Doctors believe that needing “anything” to feel at ease or normal is technically a disability. The symptoms of nomophobia are generally recognised to include an inability to ever turn the phone off, obsessive checking for missed calls, emails and constantly topping up the power-hungry smartphone battery.

According to research from the United Kingdom-based mobile phone security company SecurEnvoy, 77 per cent of 18-24-year-olds suffer from nomophobia. The study showed that people on average check their phone 34 times a day, and 75 per cent take the phone to the bathroom. SecurEnvoy’s first study, conducted four years ago, revealed that 53 per cent of people suffered from nomophobia. Earlier research in the United States among smartphone users in their late teens and twenties revealed that smartphones and iPads produce roughly the same withdrawal symptoms as addictive drugs such as heroin.

“Addiction has a compulsive aspect that drives it, if you can break the compulsion (I have to respond ‘Right now!’) you can generally control addiction … Voluntarily walking away from the technology regularly reinforces that nothing bad will happen if you do,” says the Silicon Valley analyst Rob Enderle.

But he adds that there is little prospect of mobile internet usage declining in the foreseeable future.

“We are creatures of habit and these habits are being deeply set through repetition. If these services improve their reward structures … we will be even more tightly tied to them,” says Mr Enderle.

Source: beperkde starling

 

10 Tips for Packing Healthy School Lunches

During the school year, perhaps the most important meal after a good breakfast for our kids is the mid-day lunch. While a healthy breakfast can help propel them through the morning, lunch helps them maintain focus and energy during the most challenging time of the day – the afternoon. This is when fatigue starts setting in and packing a high carbohydrate meal with processed foods will cause blood sugar levels to drop leading to sleepiness and inattention.

10 Tips for Packing Healthy School Lunches

When packing lunches for school, we all face challenges in making sure that what we give our kids is delicious, nutritious and will help get them through the hardest part of their day.

The nightly task of planning the next day’s school lunches can be an added stress at the end of an already long day filled with after school activities, homework, and dinner. It’s a tall order to prepare a meal that’s healthy, tastes great hours after you make it, and appeals to your children.

10 Tips for Packing Healthy School Lunches

Skip processed meats like sliced lunch meats, chicken nuggets, and hot dogs. Processed meats are a leading cause of cancer, especially colon cancer and the intake of processed meats is significantly higher in children as compared to adults. Read this editorial from Dr. Neal Barnard, published in Good Medicine:

  • Avoid meats treated with hormones or antibiotics and pack low fat options like turkey and chicken. Try other forms of protein like hummus, nut butters, and whole nuts.
  • Pack more fruits and vegetables. Avoid the Dirty Dozen – fruits and vegies with high pesticide residue and go for the Clean 15. Learn what to avoid and what to eat in the Environmental Working Group’s Shoppers Guide to Pesticides in Produce. Rotate items through the week to provide an interesting variety and prevent boredom.
  • Avoid foods with artificial food dyes and sweeteners. Many artificial food dyes are petroleum based products (think gasoline and tar L) and are linked to behavioral problems such as ADD/ADHD and mood swings as well as health problems like obesity, asthma and diabetes. Some kids can also have allergic reactions to these artificial food additives.
  • Instead of sodas, bottled water or juices, serve water and almond milk in reusable stainless steel bottles to avoid exposure to Bisphenol A, a harmful chemical substance that leaches into food and liquids it comes in contact with.
  • Even juices labeled 100% fruit juice area significant source of sugar, so substitute with water to keep them hydrated. Hydration is of vital importance for proper brain functioning as the human brain is approximately 80% water.
  • Remember when lunch boxes used to contain a thermos? They are a great way to pack healthy meals such as soup, chili and spaghetti with meat sauce.
  • Plan the week’s lunches the weekend before to have all the necessary ingredients on hand. This reduces the chance of your kids walking out the door with a less than optimal lunch.
  • Get recipes for healthy school lunches. A great reference book such as Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed Our Children by Ann Cooper and Lisa M. Holmes can help get the creative juices flowing.
  • Get your kids involved in the process of planning and packing lunches. By understanding their preferences, you increase the chance that they will consume their lunch rather than having it end up as waste in the cafeteria trash can.

SOurce: Javani

The Same 10 Weight Loss Mistakes All Women Make

The biggest weight loss mistakes
by Alyssa ShafferDropping pounds boils down to a simple-sounding formula: burn more calories than you take in; eat less and move more. But anybody who has ever cut calories and ramped up an exercise plan in an effort to slim down knows it’s a lot harder than it sounds. All dieters inevitably make mistakes along the way—and most of the time they don’t even realize it. Here are the 10 flubs that everyone makes when they’re trying to shed fat.

The Same 10 Weight Loss Mistakes All Women Make

OD’ing on protein
“Protein is important, but if you have too much, the excess gets stored as fat,” says Felicia Stoler, RD. “And high-protein shakes and bars tend to be sugary and fatty.” Women need about 46 grams a day, per the CDC.

Skimping on veggies
Many of us fall short of the recommended 2.5 cups daily, Stoler says. A no-brainer: Work some into every meal, whether it’s sliced tomato on your morning toast or spinach on your turkey sandwich.

Having just a big glass of juice for breakfast
“Most juice raises blood sugar, so your body produces more insulin. You’ll get hungry and overeat later,” says Louis Aronne, MD. Get in protein and fiber, such as eggs and whole-grain toast.

Overestimating weight-loss rate
Most people shed a lot of pounds in the first couple of weeks of a program, a combo of carbs and water. It’s an artificially high drop, so don’t get discouraged when progress peters out.

Slacking on shut-eye
“Appetite and hunger hormones are greatly influenced by how much sleep you get,” says Pamela Peeke, MD. “Skimp and you’re more likely to eat everything that’s not tacked down.”

Considering workouts license to binge
One recent study in Marketing Letters found that people who were told a one-mile walk was for exercise ate about twice as much afterward as those informed the outing was for fun.

Underestimating how much time you have
Some weeks, finding that extra half hour to slip in a workout isn’t easy—why it’s good to have a backup plan. “Even a 10-minute cardio video on YouTube can keep you on track,” Stoler says

Always doing the same routine
“You can’t perform the same exercises over and over and expect the same benefits,” Stoler says. To get better results, follow the FIT principle: Vary the frequency, intensity or time.

Ignoring weights
Women who are getting started on an exercise program often think they should stick with just cardio, Stoler notes—but you need strength training to keep your metabolism revved up.

Giving in to your energy drain
A top excuse for not exercising: “I’m too tired.” Fake yourself out, urges Holly Wyatt, MD: “Say you’ll walk for only 10 minutes and you’ll likely go longer. Exercise energizes you!”

Source: Health

Medical marijuana laws may reduce painkiller overdoses

States that have legalized marijuana for managing chronic pain have significantly fewer deaths from prescription painkiller overdoses each year, according to a new study published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Medical marijuana laws may reduce painkiller overdoses

Researchers looked at medical marijuana laws and death certificate data in all 50 states between 1999 and 2010. During that time, just 13 states had medical marijuana laws in place.

“We found there was about a 25% lower rate of prescription painkiller overdose deaths on average after implementation of a medical marijuana law,” lead study author Dr. Marcus Bachhuber said.

In 2010 alone, he said, states with medical marijuana laws had approximately 1,700 fewer overdose deaths than would have been expected based on the numbers before such laws were passed.

Bachhuber, a primary care doctor at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center, has treated many chronic pain patients.

“It can be challenging for people to control chronic pain, so I think the more options we have the better,” he said. “But I think it’s important, of course, to weigh the risks and benefits of medical marijuana.”

Opioid analgesics are a class of drug that includes painkillers like morphine, oxycodone and methadone. According to the study, the number of patients in the United States with chronic pain who get prescriptions for one of these drugs has nearly doubled over the last 10 years, and overdose rates have risen dramatically.

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tell the story of a problem they say is now an epidemic: Deaths from drug overdose have been rising steadily over the past two decades and have become the leading cause of injury death in the United States. In 2011, 55% of drug overdose deaths were related to prescription medications; 75% of those involved opioid analgesics.

“Prescription drug abuse and deaths due to overdose have emerged as national public health crises,” said Colleen Barry, a senior author on the study and associate professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “As our awareness of the addiction and overdose risks … grows, individuals with chronic pain and their medical providers may be opting to treat pain entirely or in part with medical marijuana.”

Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia currently have medical marijuana laws on the books. They address a gamut of conditions — from cancer, HIV, multiple sclerosis to glaucoma — where cannabis provides relief. In most states, chronic or severe pain is the primary reason.

According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, more than 1.5 billion people worldwide suffer from chronic pain, including 100 million Americans.

The academy’s website describes chronic pain this way: “Chronic pain persists. Pain signals keep firing in the nervous system for weeks, months, even years. There may have been an initial mishap — sprained back, serious infection, or there may be an ongoing cause of pain — arthritis, cancer, ear infection, but some people suffer chronic pain in the absence of any past injury or evidence of body damage.”

Dr. Lynn Webster, a past president of the academy, said he’s not surprised by the study results or that marijuana might be a safer alternative to opioids for some people.

“AAPM believes that we need to do research on cannabinoids to determine its safety and efficacy,” he said. “The problem with medical marijuana is that we never know using marijuana what chemicals are being ingested. That makes it really unpredictable, but the use of cannabinoids may well have a place in the treatment of pain and other diseases. The AAPM believes that the DEA should reschedule cannabinoids from Schedule I to Schedule II so that it will make it easier for research to be conducted.”

The researchers of this latest study said the link between medical marijuana laws and overdose deaths is not completely clear. There were some limitations to the study. For example, death certificates may not classify overdose deaths correctly and opioid analgesics reporting on these certificates may differ state-to-state.

Bachhuber said more research is needed before any recommendations can be made. “We can’t know directly the underlying mechanism of our findings, but based on what we know, we think it could be due to safer treatment of chronic pain,” Bachhuber said. “We found that medical marijuana laws might provide unexpected benefits to public health. As more states pass these laws, it will be important to continue collecting information to see if what we found may be happening in other states as well.”

Source: cnn

Spatial attention skills don’t seem to decline over time

At least one part of an older person’s brain can still process information as well as younger people, according to new research.

Researchers compared the spatial attention skills of 60 older adults and younger people. Spatial attention is important for many areas of life, from walking and driving to picking up and using items.

Spatial attention skills don't seem to decline over time

“Our studies have found that older and younger adults perform in a similar way on a range of visual and non-visual tasks that measure spatial attention,” Dr. Joanna Brooks, who conducted the experiments as a visiting research fellow at the University of Adelaide in Australia, said in a university news release.

“Both younger (aged 18 to 38 years) and older (55 to 95 years) adults had the same responses for spatial attention tasks involving touch, sight or sound,” noted Brooks, who is now a research fellow in healthy aging at the Australian National University.

The findings were presented at a recent conference in Australia organized by the Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society.

“When we think of aging, we think not just of the physical aspects but also the cognitive [mental] side of it, especially when it comes to issues such as reaction time, which is typically slower among older adults. However, our research suggests that certain types of cognitive systems in the right cerebral hemisphere — like spatial attention — are ‘encapsulated’ and may be protected from aging,” Brooks said.

The results challenge current thinking, she said. “We now need to better understand how and why some areas of the brain seem to be more affected by aging than others,” she added.

This type of research could also improve understanding of how diseases such as Alzheimer’s affect the brain, the researchers said.

Data and conclusions presented at meetings are typically considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

Source: web md

Improper nutrition linked to oral health problems

Today, taking care of teeth is about more than going to the dentist every six months. In fact, what a person eats outside of those two visits is essential for oral and overall health.

Improper nutrition linked to oral health problems

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, “. . . nutrition is an integral component of oral health” and “collaboration between dietetics practitioners and oral health care professionals is recommended for oral health promotion and disease prevention and intervention.”

Oral health problems that can occur with improper nutrition

While the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics stresses that the most common chronic oral health condition is the development of cavities, they also note that tooth loss caused by periodontal disease is a serious concern.

Both tooth decay and periodontal disease can be caused by a variety of factors including poor at-home oral hygiene habits, infrequent dental visits, certain medications and smoking. Regarding diet, it’s no secret that consumption of sugary foods plays a role since they leave a sticky residue that can erode teeth.

Even stress, which can be kept at bay with the help of a balanced diet, can contribute to oral health problems. When stressed, a person often grinds and clenches teeth, which can produce wear over time.

Finally, jaw development can change based on diet. One study by the University of Kent showed a correlation between types of foods consumed and the chewing habits required to ingest those foods. The findings showed that the lower jaw specifically grew too short with a “soft” diet, demonstrating an association between societal shifts regarding reliance on wild plants and foods compared to today’s reliance on domesticated choices. Today’s modern foods typically consist of more traditional, softer junk food diets: think of ground up burgers and soft donuts and the finding makes sense.

Best foods and vitamins to keep oral and overall health in shape

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends “Eating a healthy balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, lean protein and low-fat dairy products and whole grains that provide essential nutrients for optimum oral health and overall health.”

Some fruits and vegetables include oranges and strawberries since their vitamin C helps fight gum inflammation. Raisins and cranberries have polyphenols that have been shown to keep plaque from sticking to teeth.

Non-soft foods such as celery and carrots are also important. Christine D. Wu, pediatric dental researcher from the University of Illinois, says that “Things like carrots and apples aren’t only loaded with antioxidants, they can help mechanically clean your teeth” by breaking up plaque.

Also, when pregnant, know that a baby’s teeth start to develop as soon as the fifth week of pregnancy. Its suggested that a pregnant mother consume vitamins A, C, D, protein, calcium and phosphorous.

Source: natural news

Pistachios – not cheap, but incredibly healthy!

Pistachios – not cheap, but incredibly healthy

8 Healthy food facts-Pistachios

This nut is a veritable source of health. Although 100 grams pistachio has even 540 calories they are a great choice for a healthy and a good line and for much more than that.

Meet the eight super powerful properties of this green fruit that is always half hidden in shell!

1.For a healthy heart.

It has been proven that pistachios lowers bad cholesterol and increases the good one, all that in a short period of moderate consumption.

It is full of antioxidants, such as vitamins A and E, which fight inflammation, protect blood vessels and reduce the risk of heart disease.

With their consumption levels of lutein increases, which is a powerful antioxidant, who protects against bad cholesterol and also protects the health of the most important organ in the body – the heart!

Pistachios – not cheap, but incredibly healthy 2

2.Regulates blood sugar.

Pistachios reduce the chances of occurrence of type 2 diabetes. in 1 cup of pistachios is even 60% recommended daily doses of phosphorus.

Besides that this mineral breaks proteins into amino acids, phosphorus improves glucose tolerance.

Pistachios – not cheap, but incredibly healthy3

3.Healthy blood.

They are an excellent source of vitamin B. This vitamin is essential for the production of hemoglobin, a protein that is responsible for the transfer of oxygen through the bloodstream to cells.

Pistachios – not cheap, but incredibly healthy4

4.Good for the nervous system.

Vitamin B6 found in these nuts have a positive effect on our nervous system.

Vitamin B6 allows the creation of several neurotransmitters that transmit messages in the nervous system. It is also required for the adoption of vitamin B12 and the creation of red blood cells.

Pistachios – not cheap, but incredibly healthy5

5.For healthy eyes.

Pistachios contains two carotenoids that are hard to find in other nuts. Zeaxanthin and lutein are antioxidants that protect the eyes and reducing the risk of degeneration of the eye and prevent the development of cataracts.

Pistachios – not cheap, but incredibly healthy6

6.Healthy immune system.

A healthy immune system requires adequate intake of vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is one of the eight B vitamins that help the body to convert food into energy.

Deficiency of vitamin B6 is rare and manifests as muscle weakness, nervousness, depression, poor concentration and short-term memory loss.

Pistachios are also an excellent source of fiber and in 100 grams is 10.3 grams of dietary fiber, which are crucial for accelerating the metabolism and which prevents bowel cancer.

Pistachios – not cheap, but incredibly healthy7

7.For healthy skin.

Pistachios are a good source of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that protects the skin from harmful UV rays, essential for the health of cell membranes and are often recommended for healthy and beautiful skin.

Pistachios holds the record among nuts because they contain large amounts of antioxidants that are key for the recovery of body cells and are therefore called natural Botox. Five to ten pistachios a day is recommended for the fight against wrinkles.

8.Protects against cancer.

Vitamin E protects against certain types of cancer, and pistachios contains allot of gamma – tocopherol (vitamin E type) which may reduce the risk of developing lung cancer as much as 30%. 68 grams of pistachios a day is an excellent prevention of malignant diseases.

And considering that it is an excellent source of fiber, are crucial in accelerating metabolism and also reduce the chances of colon cancer.

Source: secretly healthy

South Koreans defend instant noodles after U.S. heart-health study

Kim Min-koo has an easy reply to new American research that hits South Korea where it hurts – in the noodles. Drunk and hungry just after dawn, he rips the lid off a bowl of his beloved fast food, wobbling on his feet but still defiant over a report that links instant noodles to health hazards.

South Koreans defend instant noodles after U.S. heart-health study

“There’s no way any study is going to stop me from eating this,” says Kim, his red face beaded with sweat as he adds hot water to his noodles in a Seoul convenience store. His mouth waters, wooden chopsticks poised above the softening strands, his glasses fogged by steam. At last, he spears a slippery heap, lets forth a mighty, noodle-cooling blast of air and starts slurping.

“This is the best moment — the first bite,” Kim, a freelance film editor who indulges about five times a week, says between gulps. “The taste, the smell, the chewiness — it’s just perfect.”

Instant noodles carry a broke college student aura in America, but they are an essential, even passionate, part of life for many in South Korea and across Asia. Hence the emotional heartburn caused by a Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital study in the United States that linked instant noodles consumption by South Koreans to some risks for heart disease.

The study has provoked feelings of wounded pride, mild guilt, stubborn resistance, even nationalism among South Koreans, who eat more instant noodles per capita than anyone in the world. Many of those interviewed vowed, like Kim, not to quit. Other noodle lovers offered up techniques they swore kept them healthy: taking Omega-3, adding vegetables, using less seasoning, avoiding the soup. Some dismissed the study because the hospital involved is based in cheeseburger-gobbling America.

The heated reaction is partly explained by the omnipresence here of instant noodles, which, for South Koreans, usually mean the spicy, salty “ramyeon” that costs less than a dollar a package. Individually-wrapped disposable bowls and cups are everywhere: Internet cafes, libraries, trains, ice-skating rinks. Even at the halfway point of a trail snaking up South Korea’s highest mountain, hikers can refresh themselves with cup noodles.

Elderly South Koreans often feel deep nostalgia for instant noodles, which entered the local market in the 1960s as the country began clawing its way out of the poverty and destruction of the Korean War into what’s now Asia’s fourth-biggest economy. Many vividly remember their first taste of the once-exotic treat, and hard-drinking South Koreans consider instant noodles an ideal remedy for aching, alcohol-laden bellies and subsequent hangovers.

Some people won’t leave the country without them, worried they’ll have to eat inferior noodles abroad. What could be better at relieving homesickness than a salty shot of ramyeon?

“Ramyeon is like kimchi to Koreans,” says Ko Dong-ryun, 36, an engineer from Seoul, referring to the spicy, fermented vegetable dish that graces most Korean meals. “The smell and taste create an instant sense of home.”

Ko fills half his luggage with instant noodles for his international business travels, a lesson he learned after assuming on his first trip that three packages would suffice for six days. “Man, was I wrong. Since then, I always make sure I pack enough.”

The U.S. study was based on South Korean surveys from 2007-2009 of more than 10,700 adults aged 19-64, about half of them women. It found that people who ate a diet rich in meat, soda and fried and fast foods, including instant noodles, were associated with an increase in abdominal obesity and LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol. Eating instant noodles more than twice a week was associated with a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome, another heart risk factor, in women but not in men.

The study raises important questions, but can’t prove that instant noodles are to blame rather than the overall diets of people who eat lots of them, cautions Alice Lichtenstein, director of the cardiovascular nutrition lab at Tufts University in Boston.

“What’s jumping out is the sodium (intake) is higher in those who are consuming ramen noodles,” she says. “What we don’t know is whether it’s coming from the ramen noodles or what they are consuming with the ramen noodles.”

There’s certainly a lot of sodium in those little cups. A serving of the top-selling instant ramyeon provides more than 90 percent of South Korea’s recommended daily sodium intake.

Still, it’s tough to expect much nutrition from a meal that costs around 80 cents, says Choi Yong-min, 44, marketing director for Paldo, a South Korean food company. “I can’t say it’s good for your health, but it is produced safely.”

By value, instant noodles were the top-selling manufactured food in South Korea in 2012, the most recent year figures are available, with about 1.85 trillion won ($1.8 billion) worth sold, according to South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

China is the world’s largest instant noodle market, according to the World Instant Noodles Association, although its per capita consumption pales next to South Korea’s. The food is often a low-end option for Chinese people short of money, time or cooking facilities.

Japan, considered the spiritual home of instant noodles, boasts a dazzling array. Masaya “Instant” Oyama, 55, who says he eats more than 400 packages of instant noodles a year, rattles off a sampling: Hello Kitty instant noodles, polar bear instant noodles developed by a zoo, black squid ink instant noodles.

In Tokyo, 33-year-old Miyuki Ogata considers instant noodles a godsend because of her busy schedule and contempt for cooking. They also bring her back to the days when she was a poor student learning to become a filmmaker, and would buy two cup noodles at the 100 yen shop. Every time she eats a cup now, she is celebrating what she calls “that eternal hungry spirit.”

In South Korea, it’s all about speed, cost and flavor.

Thousands of convenience stores have corners devoted to noodles: Tear off the top, add hot water from a dispenser, wait a couple minutes and it’s ready to eat, often at a nearby counter.

Some even skip the water, pounding on the package to break up the dry noodles, adding the seasoning, then shaking everything up.

“It’s toasty, chewy, much better than most other snacks out there,” Byon Sarah, 28, who owns a consulting company, says of a technique she discovered in middle school. “And the seasoning is so addictive – sweet, salty and spicy.”

Cheap electric pots that boil water for instant noodles in one minute are popular with single people. Making an “instant” meal even faster, however, isn’t always appreciated.
At the comic book store she runs in Seoul, Lim Eun-jung, 42, says she noticed a lot more belly fat about six months after she installed a fast-cooking instant noodle machine for customers.

“It’s obvious that it’s not good for my body,” Lim says. “But I’m lazy, and ramyeon is the perfect fast food for lazy people.”

Source: ctv news

Yoga can fight off obesity!

Most of us are suffering from health risks due to the sedentary life style and the busy daily routine that allows us to dedicate very less or no time for physical activity. The most common problem that we see today is obesity.

yoga prayer

Obesity refers to weight gain in which excess of body fat has been accumulated to an extent that it may have a negative effect on health. It could also lead to reduced life expectancy or increased health problems. While obesity is most commonly caused by wrong dietary and lifestyle patterns, it can also be caused by endocrine disorders, genes, medications, or psychiatric illness.

It is said that yoga can be very beneficial for obese people as it can help them to lose weight effectively. Exercises of yoga require movements such as stretching, twisting, bending and balancing,
which helps us to lose extra calories.
It also stimulates the heart and lungs, increasing intake of oxygen, which leads to enhanced energy for physical activity and in turn can result in greater weight loss.

Yoga is a tool that helps the body, mind and spirit. It has different types of postures set for individuals that fits all of age groups and health conditions. For better benefits of yoga to full extent, it is suggested to practise it under the guidance of professionals in the initial days until all the postures are known in right manner.Yoga is the best practice to lose weight slowly as losing weight in a short period damages your skin and makes it look saggy. Some of the yoga postures that help in your weight loss regime are sun salutations, dog pose, cobra pose, angle pose, squat and rise pose, the two alterations of bridge pose (face up and face down), spinal twist, tree pose and butterfly pose.

Meditation which is another form of yoga also helps us in losing weight. Practising of yoga regularly helps improve self control and hence, you can easily gain control over your food cravings and reduce your food intake. It also helps to strengthen and tone muscles, leading to greater physical activity.

Pranayama, a set of breathing exercises of yoga, has profound influence on our health.
It is a well known fact that most of the toxic elements which are eliminated from the body during breathing can help maintain good health.

Naturopathic, a treatment which involves the practice of regular yoga postures combined with treatment with things offered by nature. If yoga postures are used daily, correctly and consistently in combination with good food habits, then balance will return to the body and mind and the health of the practitioner will be restored quickly.

Source: zee news

Ebola scare at Delhi airport, 3 Indians taken for test

Three Indians who arrived at the Delhi airport on Tuesday morning from Ebola-hit Liberia have been isolated and taken for medical examination. A total of 112 people will be arriving on Tuesday at Delhi and Mumbai airports from the African nation.

Ebola scare at Delhi airport, 3 Indians taken for test

Government has taken elaborate precautionary arrangements. “As part of the tentative plan, the aircraft will be first taken to a remote bay and all passengers will be screened at the step-ladder exit after the arrival of flights at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA),” Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) said.

While the passengers without any symptoms will be cleared and shifted to the terminal for immigration and customs clearance, those coming from Liberia with symptoms suggestive of EVD will be shifted to designated hospital in ambulance from the bay, it said.

According to MIAL, Ethiopian Airline, Emirates, Etihad, Qatar, Jet and South African Airways are flying these passengers to Mumbai. Some of these passengers will first arrive in Delhi and then leave for Mumbai by domestic airlines flight, MIAL said.

Mial also said the baggage of the passengers needs to be kept separate by the concerned airline in their custody, adding disinfection of the flight will be carried out once all passengers would be deboarded.

Flights will be allowed to board the next batch of passengers only after thirty minutes of disinfection, it added.
Source: India Today