COLAS- DO NOTHING BUT HARM TO THE BODY

Colas - the soft drinks also known as soda in US.

It is a fad among misguided and untutored youth of our country.
Parents are to be blamed, since knowingly they encourage their children, often blaming their kids saying " They like colas and nothing else". In the first place who taught them and allowed them to indulge in drinking colas. Parents of children should think, youth should refrain from colas. The notion that drinking colas is the fashionable trend nowadays, is nothing but very pathetic to say the least. If they just give their time to the ill effects it does to the body, they will stay away from it.

A can of cola, 330 ml, contains 10 teaspoons sugar and about 50 mg of caffeine, along with artificial colours and sulphates.

Cola's effects on the body:
1)In 10 minutes, after having cola, body system is hit by a huge dose of sugar and in another 10 minutes, body sugar level shoots up and liver does it work and turn it into fat.

2)In 40 minutes, 50 mg of caffeine dilates the pupil, raises blood pressure. This high sugar and pressure gives the body a feeling pf 'high'. But soon afterwards the sugar level crashes and body feels fatigue, tiredness and lethargy. When cola taken twice or thrice a day, the body will also have to awing between high and low sugar levels, the whole day.
3) A can of cola a day, adds a pound or more weight to the body mass.
4)risk doubles for diabetes.
5)phosphoric acid, added to colas to give a 'tang' to it, weakens the bones by depleting calcium from them. In addition it dissolves tooth enamel causing cavities. It also promotes formation of kidney stones.
6)The caffeine is cause for jitters, insomnia,high blood pressure,
7)Colas can bring down the level of potassium in blood, thereby leading to mild to profound muscle paralysis.
8)Sodium Benzoate- the preservative- can alter DNA
9)Diet Soda- packed with about 25% more caffeine- is not an alternative to regular ones,and is also a misnomer.
10)Aspartame- the chemical in diet soda- causes about 92 side-effects, of which a few are; brain tumors, birth defects, diabetes,emotional disorders,epilepsy/seizures.

SO ERASE COLAS FROM YOUR MEMORY.

DEPRESSION- MOSTLY MISUNDERSTOOD AND HIDDEN

Depression is referred to ' mood disorder' and it affects for more people than we think. On rough estimates it affects nearly a third of us, either they are in early stages or are in a state of depression, unaware of it. Our unhealthy lifestyle is a major contributor for depression, but other factors also play their part. Even, by genes, depression disorder run in the family. when our feeling run for a longer period, even after persistent efforts to shake it off, than be sure that you are in depression. This long period of feelings will also have to be accompanied by other symptoms to really find that your are in depression. Some of the symptoms are:



a) No interest in all or almost all usual activities.

b)Unprovoked crying

c) Difficulty in sleeping or feeling excessively sleepy during the day.

d) Difficulty in concentrating in normal activities.

{above given is not a full gist of the symptoms}

Never attempt to diagnose yourselves. It is best to, and must consult a good psychiatrist, before it is too late.

TYPES AND LEVELS OF DEPRESSION.



Dysthemia - which is longstanding mild or moderate depression.

Major Depression - which is major and lasts for about 8 months.

Endogenous Depression - which is caused by prolonged stress.

Depression is also mostly undetected because there is no fever or disability.
When the neurotransmitters, Serotonin and Noradrenaline, if not produced adequately, the cells in the Limbic System, in brain are not able to communicate with each other and the result is that people experience a feeling of depression.

Depression is also a part of another illness - Biopolar disorder, where people experience wild mood swings. Sadness is part of depression.

Anti-depression medication is prescibed and usally depending upon the individual, has to be taken from a few weeks to a couple of years. In a few cases "mood Stabiliser" is also prescribed, as the name suggests, to ensure that mood goes not go for a swing. Please note that anti-depressents are not addictive.

All said, family, friends and surroundings play a major and purposeful role in treating the sufferers.

Raghu Natrajan

RUNNING- MANTRA FOR ALLROUND FITNESS

Running is recommended more than other fitness activities, since it needs nothing more than a good pair of shoes, and you can begin running from day one. It does not put you back in terms of money also. All you need is the interest to do it. This is also life- changing. Running is more relevant nowadays what with sedentary lifestyle with each passing day. With each zero added to the bank balance a few inches is also added to the midriff. this i tell not for making fun of people increasing their bank balance, but only to stress the point that the amount of time and attention given to that activity , is not given to body weight maintenance. With this added midriff comes calling diabetes, heart disease, low fitness levels, stress, tension, etc.,

BENEFITS OF RUNNING ARE SEVERAL:

Immediate benefits are healthier heart, bones, reduction in cholesterol and body weight, blood sugar, stress, tension and asthma is controlled.

As you progress with your running days, and seeing the benefits by yourselves, your confidence gets a boost and you overcome the obstacles one by one in your personal life.Continuing further with your running your perseverance also gets a boost as you now are able to understand yourselves physically as well as psychologically well.

All these benefits is your, and to earn these, you need only to spend about 45 minutes of your time, say about 3-4 times a week. The best time to take to running will be in the morning.

The right kind of running shoes and attire, will phychologically give you a high and the right shoes prevents you from damaging your feet. Keep in mind that you will be hitting the ground with an impact of 3-4 times your body weight each time your feet lands down.

Running as such does not involve very special technical aspects but proper running is to be prat iced from initial stage itself, so that later you do not cause damage to your feet and knees. So do gather information about running and do not hesitate to take advice from experienced runners. Better join a group in your locality.

Running can be branched as one for general body fitness and other for serious competitive running. Training for competitive running is very methodical. Here a nothing down your training schedules, food, your thoughts, etc will help you in the long run. so also is the valuable advice from experienced competitive runners.


BENEFITS THAT YOU GET FROM RUNNING
1) Weight reduction 2) Lowers cholesterol in body 3)Improves your appearance 4) Get good developed and healthy bone structure 5)Controls blood sugar 6) Reduces colds, coughs and flu 7) Improved immune system 8)Improved memory, reduces stress

Raghu Natrajan

FIBRE IN DIET FOR BODY FITNESS

Fibre is a food component from plants and is present mainly in fruits, vegetables whole grains and legumes. Fibre in diet is just as important as the other nutrients like protein, vitamins and minerals. Fibre is an integral part when a healthy diet is considered. fibre, when taken, gives a feeling of fullness, and it gets slowly digested, so it passes ,as it is, through the stomach and small intestines and enters colon, where bacteria ferments it.Consuming high fibre content diet protects one against diabetes, cancer, heart disease, obesity and helps in maintain bone and health.

TWO TYPES OF FIBRE

1) Insoluble fibre ;- These are found in the cell walls of plants. they are cellulose, hemicellulose and lingin.

2) Soluble fibre :- these are found inside the plant cells. They are beta-glucan, psyllium, pectins and gums.

These fibre promotes the growth of good and beneficial bacteria in the colon. While being fermented they form short chain facty acids, which are the source of energy for the intestinal mucosa. Pectin is an important antioxidant and protects the gastrointestinal mucosa from free radicals.

Fibre, especially insoluble fibre, makes the stool soft, bulky and easy to eliminate.

In 2005, a study suggested that fibre when taken, prevents hypertension. This also reduces the absorption of cholesterol, lowers blood cholesterol while increasing the excretion of cholesterol.

Fibre in mals lowers the insulin requirement in patients. they also help to reduce the body weight. Fibre is responsible for a gradualrelease of glucose anto the blood. this controls the blood glucose levels, while inturn lessens the demand for insulin.

There is a lot of evidence to suggest that fibre plays a potential role in weight eduction. Firstly it gives a fullness feeling and so food consuption is drastically reduced. Then the calorie value of fibre is very low , when compared with fats and carbs. More recent studies also suggest that fibre has beneficial effects on chornic respiratory symptoms and lung function. They also enhance immunity, adsorption of calcium and magnesium by the body.

The National institute of Nutrition has recommended a daily intake of 40 gms of fibre. This daily dose of fibre intake will greately help in glycemic management in diabetes.

WOMEN FITNESS MATTERS

Women and heart disease - Facts

women and men are not affected in same manner by heart attacks. there are some difference in the manner it affects them. Women usually get teart atteck much later than men, say 10 years hence, but the surrival rate for them sfter the attsck is much lower than that of men. Second attack is more likely in women than men. If she emokes, she increases her risk for early heart disease. this smoking and fatal heart disease go about as companians unseperable. there are some factors such as family histroy, which is unchangeble, that makes one much more prone toheart disease. It is found that heart disease is the leading cause for death in women older than 40, in this menopause plays its role. Loss of estrogen is a cause of heart disease after menopause and theresfter the risk factor for heart disease increases after 50 years of age.

BE SOCIAL- HAVE HEALTHY CHILDREN.

In a study on chacma baboons, baby ckacma baboons of females having a emotional bond with other females, lived for longer, than babies of those who did not mingle with other females.So this social get together and attitude in females, is the cause for, as per this study, kids to remain helther than other kids. This finding by the reserchers is in line with other previous studies showing that friendship reduceses mortality and improve health in humans, especially women. Here it is apt to quote Dr.Joan Silk, of University of california, as saying "Here we provide the first direct evidence that social relationships amoung female baboons convey fitness benefits. In a group of free-ranging baboons, the offspring of females who formed strong social bonds with other females lived significantly longer than the offsprings of females, who formed weaker bonds", likewise females who formed stronger bonds with their mothers and as well as with their adult daughters experinced higher survival rates. This parallels with results from other human studies, which show that greater social relationship is generally assiciated with reduced mortality and getter physical and mental health, particulary for women. Friends eliminate your lonliness. So ciltivate more social or family integration with other women to have a getter physical and mental health.

Raghu Natrajan

EXERCISE TO EASE YOUR BACKACHE

According to a new study exercising more is an effective way to ease your chronic backache

A study involving 240 men and women with chronic lower back pain was done by University of Alberta, revealed that all of those who exercised for four days a week had better quality of life, 28% less pain and 36% less disability. Professor of exercise physiology, Mr.Robert Kell, at the University of Alberta, said that those who exercised only for two or three days did not show the same level of relief. Further in another study involving 60 men and women with sore lower back were asked to exercise with weights for 4 days, 3 days, and 2 days a week. their progress was measured over a 16 weeks period. The results was, pain decreased by 28% for four day schedule,18% for 3 days, 14% foe 2 days a week. The quality of life, defined as general physical and mental wellbeing rose by 28%,22% and 16% respectively, says a University of alberta release.