the journal of health & happiness
DESCRIPTION
Fixing Health through HapppinessTRANSCRIPT
Flu shot may cut the risk of heart attack by 50%
The Journal of Autumn 2012
HEALTH &
HAPPINESS Healthy Diwali Let's live 100 seasons...
For better grades
go to bed early 850,000 people in the
UK do not know they have Type2 diabetes
An apple a day keeps the bad cholesterol away Prolonged sitting is a big health hazard
How to improve memory
C O N T E N T S Autumn 2012, Issue 8
4 - For better grades: Go to bed early
5 - Healthy Diwali
6 - Flu vaccine can halve the heart
attack risk
7 - Type 2 diabetes among Asians and
Afro-Caribbeans
8 - An apple a day keeps the bad
cholesterol away
9 - Ban under-3 kids from watching TV
10 - How to live for 100 years
11 - Memory Tips to help forgetfulness
12 - Our diet is killing us
13 - Parental bonding for a happy child
15 - Southall Health & Happiness show
16 - Have your say on Hounslow's Health &
wellbeing strategy
17 - Atul Kochchar's Health & Happiness
recipe
18 - How to make fresh mint tea
How to get in touch
Editor: [email protected] Advertising enquiries: [email protected] Subscription enquiries:
Tel: 07850 374 595
Website: www.ajivan.com
The Journal of Health & Happiness is a publication of Ajivan: The Society for Health & Happiness, a voluntary group dedicated to spreading the message of positive health and wellbeing. Disclaimer: The information available in this magazine is for general awareness only. It is NOT a substitute for the knowledge and judgment of qualified medical experts. We make no warranty as to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of this information. Should you have any health or medical condition, you are strongly advised to consult a qualified physician or other health care professional. Views expressed by our contributors are their own and we take no responsibility for their views.
14 November World Diabetes Day
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Type 2 diabetes is a long-term
condition that affects approximately
3.7 million people in the UK. In
total, an estimated £11.9 billion is
spent each year on treating type 2
diabetes and its complications.
A new study suggests that half of
all people of South Asian, African
and Afro-Caribbean descent will develop diabetes by the age
of 80. And yet 850,000 people in the UK do not know they
have type 2 diabetes. Symptoms of type 2 diabetes often come
on gradually and can be quite vague at first. Many people have
diabetes for a long period of time before their diagnosis is
made. This stage is called pre-diabetes. Watch out for the
symptoms such as frequent urination, tiredness or lack of
energy, weight loss and excessive thirst.
If managed wisely a person with type 2 diabetes can lead a
normal life. They will have to take a balanced diet and
carefully manage their calorie intake. Thirty minutes of daily
exercise can considerably reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Funding this high quality publication is a difficult task and
we need to explore innovative fund-raising ideas. We have
instituted a Community Health Champion Award for
people who would like to sponsor at least 1,000 copies of this
magazine. Our latest Community Health Champion is Mr
Yash Batra of Ginni's. Could you follow his example.
Vijay Rana
Editor, The Journal of Health & Happiness
SMILE To reduce stress and
to help your heart
Researchers often class smiles as being of two types: standard smiles, where only the mouth shapes the smile, and genuine or Duchenne smiles, where the muscles around the mouth and the eyes shape the smile. (The latter was named after Guillaume-Benjamin Duchenne, who used electrophysiology to show how truly happy smiles also use the muscles around the eyes). Holding a smile on one's face during periods of stress may help the heart, suggests a new study. The study is the work of psychological scientists Tara Kraft and Sarah Pressman of the University of Kansas who invited 169 volunteers to undergo an experiment in two stages: training and testing. In the training stage, the researchers taught the volunteers how to either hold their faces in a neutral expression, hold a standard smile, or hold a Duchenne smile. They also got some of the volunteers to hold their face in a forced smile by holding chopsticks in their mouths. The researchers monitored the participants' heart rates as they performed their various tasks. They found the participants who were instructed to smile, and in particular those whose faces expressed genuine or Duchenne smiles, had lower heart rates after recovery from the stress activities than the ones who held their faces in neutral expressions. Even the volunteers who held chopsticks in their mouths, that forced the muscles to express a smile (but they had not explicitly been instructed to smile), had lower recovery heart rates compared to the ones who held neutral facial expressions.
For better grades: Go to bed early Teenagers who stay up late at night cramming are
more likely to have academic problems the
following day — doing poorly on the test they
studied for — finds a new study.
"If you’re really sacrificing your sleep for that
cramming, it’s not going to be as effective as you
think, and it may actually be counterproductive,”
says the study leader Andrew J. Fuligni, professor
of psychiatry and bio-behavioural sciences at the
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
The study involved 535 students from Los Angeles
high schools. For 14 days during each of three
school years — 9th, 10th and 12th grades — the
participants kept diaries tracking the amount of
time they spent studying, how much they slept at
night and whether or not they experienced academic
problems the next day, such as not understanding
something taught in class or doing poorly on a test,
quiz or homework.
The data showed that kids who didn’t get enough
sleep were not only more likely to have problems
understanding during class, a result the researchers
had expected, but they were also more likely to do
badly on tests, quizzes and homework — the very
outcome the students were staying up late to avoid.
4 THE JOURNAL OF HEALTH & HAPPINESS
Healthy Diwali Diwali is a very special day for millions of Indians
living all over the world and no Diwali celebration is
complete without the platefuls of burfi, besan, laddoo,
halwa etc. The vast array of traditional sweets means
the festival of lights might almost be called the
festival of mithai!
Is there such a thing as Healthy Diwali? This
depends on
who is
answering
your question.
Nani /daddima
and the
dietician are
probably not
going to agree
over this. If
you’re
watching your
weight, are
diabetic or
have heart
disease, then
ghee and sugar
laden mithai
and salt heavy
snacks are not
the best option. But this doesn’t mean you have to
suffer and forgo the fun. Just follow these simple tips
for a healthy Diwali.
Plan ahead: Many people don’t just celebrate on
Diwali itself, but the celebrations may continue for
many days. Set yourself realistic targets for the festive
period, such as keeping your weight stable or not
gaining more than 2lbs.
Limit the indulgence: Do not feel you have to
finish off all the leftover sweets and chocolates that
have been given to you by friends and family!
Nuts, dry fruits or a fruit basket: Ask friends
and family not to buy you mithai as their Diwali
greeting. Suggest a range of alternative gifts such as
nuts, dried fruit or a fruit basket, perfumed candles,
floating rangoli or pooja thali.
Moderation mantra: Have mithai and snacks in
small amounts. Eat slowly and drink a glass of water
before a festive meal to help start that feeling of
fullness.
Low fat ingredients and natural sweeteners: If you are making mithai yourself, use low fat
ingredients like lower fat milks and other dairy
products. Use natural sweeteners like dried fruit and
dates to make the sweets.
Healthier options: If you are hosting the Diwali
celebration why not include healthier options of
traditional dishes such as baked samosas or pani puri ?
Or impress your guests with a selection of salads such
as avocado salad, Indian salad, and other heart healthy
dishes such as soya
cocktail sticks,
dahivada, dhokri,
muttar paneer made
with tofu. Instead of
using fried
ingredients to make
chevda use roasted
shelled peanuts,
lower fat crisps, or
cornflakes, roasted
chick peas and
spices. If you are
having fizzy drinks
choose sugar free or
diet varieties. Be
aware that alcohol is
high in calories and is
also an appetite
stimulant, so can lead
to overeating.
More exercise: Fit in extra physical activity during
these celebrations. Why not join in the garba and
bhangra moves at the Diwali party? Great for burning
those extra calories.
Food plays an essential part in Diwali celebrations
so go ahead and enjoy yourself with family and
friends keeping the above tips in mind. Wish you a
very happy and healthy Diwali!
You can find some of these recipes in the
BHF ‘Healthy meals, healthy heart’ recipe book
to order your free recipe book just call the
British Heart Foundation orderline on 0870 600
6566 or email [email protected]. For more information on cholesterol management
go to www.heartuk.org.uk. You can also call the
helpline on 0845 4505988 Mon to Fri 10-3 p.m.
To speak to a dietetic advisor in Hindi, Urdu or
Punjabi you can call Baldeesh Rai RD on Fridays 10-
3. To talk about any issues relating to diabetes and
heart disease call the British Heart Foundation, Heart
Helpline on 0300 330 3311.
5 THE JOURNAL OF HEALTH & HAPPINESS
Our Heartstart Class
Flu vaccine may reduce the risk of
heart attack and stroke by 50% Two studies presented at the 2012 Canadian
Cardiovascular Congress have found that the influenza
vaccine could be an important treatment for maintaining
heart health and warding off cardiovascular events like
strokes and heart attacks.
The flu vaccine provided an approximate 50 per cent
reduction in the risk of a major cardiac event (heart attack,
stroke, or cardiac death) compared with placebo after one
year of follow-up. A similar trend was seen for the flu
vaccine reducing death from any cause (approximately 40
per cent).
Dr. Jacob Udell, a cardiologist at Women's College
Hospital and the University of Toronto, and his team from
the TIMI Study Group and Network for Innovation in
Clinical Research looked at published clinical trials on
this subject, dating back to the 1960s.
The combined studies examined a total of 3,227
patients. Half of the participants were randomly assigned
to receive flu vaccine and the other half received a
placebo vaccine.
Dr. Udell says these results provide support for current
guideline recommendations for influenza vaccination of
individuals with a prior heart attack, but for a different
reason than simply reducing flu risk.
This research could also boost use of the vaccine,
which Udell believes is still woefully low. "The use of the
vaccine is still much too low, less than 50 per cent of the
general population; it's even poorly used among health
care workers," he says. "Imagine if this vaccine could also
be a proven way to prevent heart disease."
Who should have the flu vaccination? NHS in the UK suggests that you are eligible to
receive a free flu vaccine if you:
are 65 years of age or over (including those who
will be 65 by March 31 2013)
are pregnant (including women who become
pregnant during the flu season)
have a certain medical condition (see below)
are living in a long-stay residential care home or
other long-stay care facility (not including
prisons, young offender institutions or university
halls of residence)
are in receipt of a carer's allowance, or are the
main carer for an elderly or disabled person
whose welfare may be at risk if you fall ill
are a healthcare worker with direct patient contact
or a social care worker.
The four common symptoms are:
■ Being thirsty a lot of the time ■ Passing large amounts of urine ■ Tiredness and lack of energy ■ Weight loss
Half of all South Asians & Afro-Caribbeans will develop type 2 diabetes by the age of 80 Half of all people of South Asian, African and Afro-
Caribbean descent will develop diabetes by the age of 80,
according to a new study. The study is the first to reveal
the full extent of ethnic differences in the risk of
developing type 2 diabetes..
The findings come from the Southall and Brent
Revisited (SABRE) study, one of the largest and longest
running tri-ethnic study in the UK was
funded by the Wellcome Trust and
British Heart Foundation. The study
published in the journal Diabetes
Care, has followed nearly 5000
middle-aged Londoners of European,
South Asian, African and African
Caribbean descent for over 20 years.
Type 2 diabetes is a long-term
condition that affects approximately
3.7 million people in the UK. In total,
an estimated £11.9 billion is spent
each year on treating type 2 diabetes
and its complications.
It has been known for some time that people of South
Asian, African and African Caribbean descent are at
increased risk of developing diabetes in mid-life, but it is
not known why this is or whether this extra risk
continues as people get older.
By tracking the development of diabetes in the
SABRE, researchers led by Professor Nish Chaturvedi,
from the National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI) at
Imperial College London, have revealed that by age 80,
twice as many British South Asian, African and African
Caribbean men and women had developed diabetes
compared with Europeans of the same age.
The study looked at individuals who did not already
have type 2 diabetes at the start of the study, which began
following participants aged 40 to 69 from 1988 onwards,
and recorded those that developed the disease. The team
found that while African, African Caribbeans and
Europeans tend to be diagnosed at around the same age,
66-67 years, South Asian men were 5 years younger on
average when diagnosed with diabetes, meaning that
they are at even greater risk of
complications.
Risk factors Family history of diabetes is known to
be an important risk factor for all ethnic
groups. However, even though over half
of South Asian, African and African
Caribbean men and one third of women
had a family history of diabetes, this did
not explain the extra risk over their
European counterparts.
Increase in insulin resistance also
causes the onset of type 2 diabetes. In this case the body
becomes insensitive to the effects of insulin on glucose
metabolism, resulting in high circulating glucose.
Weight gain and obesity are known factors that can
underlie increases in insulin resistance.
Carrying fat around the trunk or middle of the body in mid-life together with increased resistance to the
effects of insulin explained why South Asian, African
and African Caribbean women are more at risk of
developing diabetes than British European women.
However, this explained only part of the increased risk
in South Asian, African and African Caribbean men,
suggesting that other factors that are as yet unknown may
also play a part.
850,000 people do not know they have type 2 diabetes Diabetes UK has warned that the number of people with
diabetes is expected to reach 4.4
million by 2020. The charity said
that at present around 3.7 million
people in Britain have diabetes,
including an estimated 850,000
people who have Type 2 diabetes
but do not know it.
The symptoms of type 2
diabetes often come on gradually
and can be quite vague at first. Many people have
diabetes for a long period of time before their diagnosis
is made.
The reason why one makes a lot of urine and becomes
thirsty is because glucose leaks into their urine which
pulls out extra water through the
kidneys.
As the symptoms may develop
gradually, one can become used
to being thirsty and tired and
may not recognise the onset of
diabetes. Some people also
develop blurred vision and
frequent infections, such as
recurring thrush. However, some people with type 2
diabetes do not have any symptoms if the blood glucose
level is not too high.
7 THE JOURNAL OF HEALTH & HAPPINESS
What is
Mindfulness
Mindfulness exercises or
mindfulness-based cognitive therapy
(MBCT) are ways of paying attention
to the present moment, using
techniques like meditation, breathing
and yoga. Mindfulness training helps
us become more aware of our thoughts
and feelings so that instead of being
overwhelmed by them, we are better
able to manage them.
MBCT is recommended by the
National Institute for Clinical
Excellence (NICE) for the prevention
of relapse in recurrent depression. It
combines mindfulness techniques like
meditation, breathing exercises and
stretching with elements from
cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) to
help break the negative thought
patterns that are characteristic of
recurrent depression.
Evidence
Mindfulness meditation has been
shown to have an affect on the
working of the brain and even its
structure. People undertaking
mindfulness training have shown
increased activity in the area of the
brain associated with positive emotion
– the pre-frontal cortex – which is
generally less active in people who are
depressed.
More than 100 studies have shown
changes in brain wave activity during
meditation and researchers have found
that areas of the brain linked to
emotional regulation are larger in
people who have meditated regularly
for five years.
Research shows that Mindfulness
can help with: * recurrent depression
* anxiety disorders * addictive
behaviour * stress * chronic pain *
chronic fatigue syndrome * insomnia *
plus more mental and physical
problems.
There is growing evidence that
Mindfulness in the workplace can
improve productivity and decrease
sickness absence, and employers are
increasingly looking to benefit from its
effect on workplace wellbeing.
Prolonged sitting is a health hazard.
Don’t do sitting what you can do
standing or walking.
An a day keeps the bad cholesterol away A new study of middle-aged adults has found that eating one apple a day
could stop the hardening of the arteries by up to forty percent. Scientists at
Ohio State University have found that apples could reduce the blood levels
of iodized LDL ("bad" cholesterol).
This study, published in Journal of Functional Foods, enlisted
nonsmoking, healthy adults between the ages of 40 and 60 who had a
history of apple consumption that was less than twice a month, and also did
not take plant-based concentrates or supplements with polyphenols.
In total, 16 participants ate one Red or Golden Delicious apple from a
grocery store daily for four weeks; 17 took a pill containing 194 milligrams
of polyphenols daily for four weeks; and 18 took placebos. In those taking
the placebo, there was no beneficial result on oxidized LDLs.
Lead researcher Robert DiSilvestro, professor of human nutrition at Ohio
State University and a researcher at the university's Ohio Agricultural
Research and Development Centre explains, "When LDL becomes
oxidized, it takes on a form that begins atherosclerosis, or hardening of the
arteries. We got a tremendous effect against LDL being oxidized with just
one apple a day for four weeks."
DiSilvestro noted that apple consumption was much more effective at
decreasing oxidized LDL than any other antioxidant-rich food, including
tomato extract, green tea and curcumin.
Apples have been previously seen to lower LDL cholesterol levels,
especially in women. Researchers from Florida State University reported in
April 2012 that older women who ate apples everyday experienced a 23%
reduction in LDL cholesterol within six months.
Combing the records of more than 120,000 people, American Cancer
Society researchers found that women who sat more than six hours a day
were at a 37 percent increased risk of an early death, compared to women
who sat less than three hours. And a 2010 study led by the University of
South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health showed that men who
reported more than 23 hours a week of sedentary activity had a 64 percent
greater risk of dying from heart disease than those who reported less than
11 hours per week.
Being sedentary for hours at a time increases the risk of diabetes, heart
disease and premature death.
So leave your chair now and walk around.
8 THE JOURNAL OF HEALTH & HAPPINESS
Ban under threes from
watching TV Doctors and government health officials should set limits,
as they do for alcohol, on the amount of time children
spend watching screens – and under-threes should be kept
away from the television altogether. In a review of the
available evidence, published in the Archives of Disease
in Childhood, Dr Sigman says a child born today will have
spent a full year glued to
screens by the time they
reach the age of seven. The
critical time for brain growth
is the first three years of life,
he says. That is when babies
and small children need to
interact with their parents,
eye to eye, and not with a
screen.
The average 10-year-old
has access to five different screens at home, he says. And
some are becoming addicted to them or depressed as a
result, he warns. He adds: "In addition to the main family
television, for example, many very young children have
their own bedroom TV along with portable hand-held
computer game consoles (eg, Nintendo, Playstation,
Xbox), smartphone with games, internet and video, a
family computer and a laptop and/or a tablet computer ."
British teenagers are clocking up six hours of screen
time a day, but research suggests the negative impacts
start after two hours viewing time.
Dr Sigman says prolonged screen time can lead to
reductions in attention span because of its effects on the
brain chemical dopamine.
Dopamine is produced in response
to "screen novelty", says Dr
Sigman. It is a key component of
the brain's reward system and
implicated in addictive behaviour
and the inability to pay attention.
Facebook Depression And there are other psychosocial
problems associated with excess
screen time. These include
"Facebook depression", reported by
the American Academy of Pediatrics, which develops
when young people spend too much time on social media
sites and then begin to exhibit classic symptoms of
depression. Dr Sigman says: "The advice from a growing
number of both researchers and medical associations and
government departments elsewhere is becoming
unequivocal - reduce screen time."
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10 steps to a longer life
1. Don't smoke. 2. Build physical and mental activities into everyday life. 3. Eat a healthy diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, and substitute healthier monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats for unhealthy saturated and trans fats. 4. Take a daily multivitamin, and be sure to get enough calcium and vitamin D. 5. Maintain a healthy weight and body shape. 6. Challenge your mind. 7. Build a strong social network. 8. Protect your sight, hearing, and general health by following preventive care guidelines. 9. Floss, brush, and see a dentist regularly. Poor oral health may lead to poor nutrition, unnecessary pain and possibly a higher risk of heart disease and stroke 10. Discuss with your doctor whether you need any medication—perhaps to control high blood pressure, treat osteoporosis, or lower cholesterol—to help you stay healthy.
जीवेम शरद: शतं : Let's live 100 seasons...
Harvard Medical School advice for a longer life जीवेम शरद: शत ं(Let's live 100 seasons...) This used to be
the favourite prayer of ancient Indians. Lately, experts
from Harvard Medical School have been pondering over
the same question.
At the turn of the millennium, more than a third of
deaths in America were related to smoking, poor dietary
choices, and inactivity. This report attests that the actions
you take today matter. Simple lifestyle choices have an
enormous impact on your longevity and quality of life.
What is essential for healthy aging? Full engagement with life.
People who are curious,
open, and eager to make
connections with the world
most enjoy the last decades of
their lives. Even in the face of
disabilities, these people seem
to thrive and find joy despite
their challenges.
Depressed, anxious, or
grumpy people in good health
can also live long lives, but
take far less pleasure in them.
No magic pill, no secret
potion can make us live long
and healthy life. But if you
bring appreciation and respect
to your life, and embrace
aging with good humour,
grace, vigour, and flexibility,
you will— at the very least—
be happy while growing old.
The secrets of centenarians
What’s the centenarians’
secret? Not surprisingly,
genes play a role. A study of Swedish twins ages 80 and
older attributed about half of the changes in mental
function to genes. Other twin studies suggest genes are
responsible for up to 35% of the physiological changes of
age and that longevity itself is 25% to 35% inheritable.
But remember genetics is only part of the equation.
Simple math tells you there’s plenty of room left for the
role that other factors — such as your diet, exercise
routine and regular medical check-ups play in how you
age.
Extending your life
How well you age will help dictate how long you stay
alive and how happy you are to do so. Whether or not
your family is long-lived, the answers lie less in your
genes than in your actions. Do you smoke? Do you eat
well or poorly? Do you stay active? Are you a healthy
weight? What ailments do you have now and, judging
from family background and your current lifestyle,
which ones are you likely to get?
If your answers seem discouraging, take heart.
It’s not too late to make changes. A 2007 study in
the American Journal of Medicine focused on
adults who adopted a healthier lifestyle during
middle age. The researchers followed 15,700
adults (ages 45 to 64) for a decade and noted that
970 of these people embraced a healthier lifestyle
by the sixth year of the study. These individuals
ate five or more daily servings
of fruits and vegetables,
worked out at least two and a
half hours per week, didn’t
smoke, and avoided obesity.
Benefits appeared quickly. Just
four years later, the group of
individuals who made these
four changes had a 40% lower
rate of death for any
reason and 35% fewer cases of
heart disease compared with
the participants who made
fewer of these changes.
No matter what your age or
stage of life, you have the
power to change many of the
variables that influence
disability and longevity.
Optimism and survival If optimism actually
improves health, it should also
boost longevity — and
according to studies from the
U.S. and the Netherlands, it
does.
The first American study evaluated 839 people in the
early 1960s, performing a psychological test for
optimism–pessimism as well as a complete medical
evaluation. When the people were rechecked 30 years
later, optimism was linked to longevity; for every 10-point
increase in pessimism the mortality rate rose by 19%.
A Dutch study reported similar results. In one,
researchers tracked 545 men who were free of
cardiovascular disease and cancer when they were
evaluated for dispositional optimism in 1985. Over the
next 15 years, the optimists were 55% less likely to die
from cardiovascular disease than the pessimists, even after
traditional cardiovascular risk factors and depression were
taken into account. 10 THE JOURNAL OF HEALTH & HAPPINESS
Don't get frustrated by forgetfulness
MEMORY TIPS As we grow older, the ability to learn new information
and recall it declines somewhat. Most people notice it
around age 50. One reason for the change is that the rate at
which the brain processes information slows down a bit
starting in middle age.
Another possible memory spoiler is medication.
Though it is uncommon overall, medications can impair
memory. Top offenders include anti-anxiety drugs
(tranquilizers) and sedating medications.
A lack of restful
sleep can also make
you more forgetful.
Forgetfulness can
be a serious issue if
it's starting to
interfere with daily
tasks and routines,
such as managing
your healthcare,
finances, or home
life. If you have
concerns, ask your
doctor if memory
testing is required.
If you are well
rested and
functioning fine, but
increasingly
forgetful, try these
essential tricks and
tips to get more from
your memory.
Follow a routine: Leave your wallet, keys, mobile
phone, glasses, etc., in the same place every day. This
makes it a "no brainer" to remember where your
belongings are.
Take time: Slow down and pay attention when
learning new things. Give the brain's memory system the
time it needs to get the job done.
Do one thing at a time: Multitasking and
absentmindedness often go together. If you take on too
many mental tasks at once, it overwhelms your memory.
Rehearse names: In conversation, say a person's
name at least once or twice before you part, as in, "It's
been nice talking to you, Tom." Or silently repeat the
name in your head while looking into the person's eyes.
Learn memorization tricks: Associate a
person's name with a physical feature. For example, "Jim
Brown has brown eyes." Or link it to a vivid image:
Imagine Bob bobbing out in the middle of the ocean. Or
invent a funny rhyme with the name—the stranger, the
better.
Be a better listener: In conversation, really focus
on what you are hearing. Use active listening techniques:
"So, if I hear you right, what you are saying is…"
Avoid distractions: Noisy or activity-filled
environments, like busy public buildings, make it more
difficult for a person
to understand and take
in information. Don't
have important
conversations, listen
to podcasts or the
radio, or read in a
noisy, distracting
environment.
Circle back: Learning in stages
works better than
cramming. When
learning new
information, start with
a leisurely skim, then
circle back the next
day and study the
material again closely
while jotting down a
few notes.
Make a note
of it: Write things
down in a small pocket notebook instead of assuming that
you will remember them later. The act of writing the
information down burns the memory deeper into your
brain. Pocket audio recorders are also a great way to take
notes without having to fish for reading glasses.
Use a digital brain: Transfer some of the demand
on your memory to a "digital brain." The calendar and
reminder tools in smartphones or tablets can take on some
of the responsibility for the mundane memory tasks that
forgetfulness affects.
Create memory cues: Use an object, place, or
event to remind you to do something else. The classic
example of this memory trick is to put your prescriptions
next to your toothbrush. That will remind you to take
evening drugs when you brush your teeth before bed and
also your morning prescriptions when brushing in the
morning.
11 THE JOURNAL OF HEALTH & HAPPINESS
'Our Diet is killing us,' warns Canadian stroke expert
High-fat, high-sugar, high-salt intake creates 'a ticking time bomb of health problems' A new study presented to the Canadian Stroke
Congress have found that a high-calorie, high-sugar,
high-sodium diet induced most symptoms of metabolic
syndrome -- a combination of high levels of cholesterol,
blood sugar, blood pressure and obesity -- in rats after
only two months. The animals were at an age roughly
equivalent to 16 to 22 years in humans at the time of
disease onset.
Lead researcher Dr. Dale Corbett, scientific director
of the Heart and Stroke Foundation Centre for Stroke
Recovery said, "We'll soon start to see people in their
30s or 40s having strokes, having dementia, because of
this junk food diet. Young people will have major, major
problems much earlier in life."
Researchers gave sedentary rats unlimited access to
both nutritional food pellets and a daily selection of
common junk food items including cookies, sausage and
cupcakes. Animals were also given access to both water
and a 30 per cent sucrose solution designed to imitate
soft drinks. Like humans, the animals greatly preferred
to consume the treats.
Dr. Corbett highlights the importance of preventing
metabolic syndrome with regular exercise and a
balanced diet. "We're not sure whether metabolic
syndrome can be reversed. If it can't, and we continue to
live and eat like this, then we're each a ticking time
bomb of health problems."
"Metabolic syndrome and stroke are huge health
concerns for the public," says Dr. Mark Bayley, Co-
Chair of the Canadian Stroke Congress and Medical
Director of the Neurological Rehabilitation Program at
Toronto Rehab. "We cannot afford to continue making
poor nutritional choices. Our diet is killing us."
Parental bonding makes for happy
and socially well-adjusted Child Children with intimate relationship with a parent are less likely to be troubled, aggressive
or experience other emotional and behavioural problems when they reach school age.
That's the message from
a study by the
University of Iowa.
Surprisingly, the
researchers found that a
young child needs to
feel particularly secure
with only one parent to
reap the benefits of
stable emotions and
behaviour, and that
being attached to dad is
just as helpful as being
close to mom.
The study bolsters the
still-debated role of the
influence that a parent
can exercise at the
earliest stages in a
child's mental and
emotional development,
the authors contend in
the paper, published in
the journal Child
Development.
"There is a really
important period when a
mother or a father
should form a secure
relationship with their
child, and that is during
the first two years of
life. That period appears
to be critical to the child's social and emotional
development," says Sanghag Kim, one the researchers at
the UI. "At least one parent should make that investment."
The researchers assessed the relationship of 102 infants
(15 months old) with a parent and then followed up with
86 of them when they reached age 8. Separate surveys of
the parents and the child were taken at that time. The
infants and parents were drawn from a broad spectrum of
income, education, and race.
The authors also solicited feedback from teachers about
the children, which ranged from concerns about inner
emotions, such as worry or sadness, to more outward
displays, such as disobedience and aggression.
The researchers were surprised to find out that infants
who had felt attached to both parents did not enjoy
additional mental and emotional advantages into
childhood, compared to those who had been close to one
parent. The UI psychologists' best explanation is that a
warm, secure, and positive bond with at least one primary
caregiver may be enough to meet the child's need for
security and to provide a solid foundation for
development.
The study appears to be good news for single mothers
and stay-at-home dads, two marked parenting shifts that
are defining this generation. Kim says the study shows
that either parent can serve as a secure, attachment figure
for the infant, thus providing the closeness and support to
promote the child's healthy emotional growth.
"Some people think the father is not good enough to be
the primary caregiver," says Kim, who earned his
doctorate in sociology at the UI last year. "Our data show
otherwise."
13 THE JOURNAL OF HEALTH & HAPPPINESS
Health & Happiness Show Community learns emergency life support skills Following the success of our first show in May, more
than 200 people came to take part in our second Health &
Happiness Show, held at Vishwa Hindu Temple, Lady
Margaret Road, Southall. The Show was organised by the
British Heart Foundation in association with our group,
Ajivan: The
Society for
Health &
Happiness.
Addressing
the audience
Qaim Zaidi,
the BHF
Black and
Minority
Ethnic
Project
Manager
emphasised how important it is for ordinary citizens to
learn emergency life support skills.
Sharma said that he would like more and more people
from Southall to learn ELS. He commended the work of
the BHF and Ajivan as their innovative inspirational
approach to health and wellbeing is fulfilling a vital
community need.
Popular broadcaster Ravi Sharma motivated people by
enthusiastic learning of CPR skills. Sharma said to the
temple audience that spiritual health could only be
ensured once people have good physical and mental
health.
GLA member Dr Onkar Sahota (First right) said that
diabetes and heart disease have seriously impacted the
community and we need more Health & Happiness shows
to make people aware that they cannot afford to ignore
their health.
Emergency Life Support (ELS) training was provided
by a team of volunteers from the BHF. It included
performing CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) which
is about chest compressions and rescue breathing.
Dr Sandy Gupta , Consultant Cardiologist, Whips
Cross University Hospital (4th from the right) in his
inspirational presentation emphasised the need of a
balance lifestyle with at least 30 minutes of exercise
every day and a diet with low fat, sugar and salt and a
sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables.
Celebrity dietician Azmina Govindji gave a fascinating
presentation on healthy cooking. She gave example of
how spicy
Indian food
could be
cooked with
less saturated
fat.
Vijay Rana
the editor of
this magazine
gave special
thanks to
Sudarshan
Bhatia,
President of the
temple committee for hosting the show in the magnificent
settings of the temple conference hall
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Community Health Champion Award goes to Yash Batra, the sponsor of 1,000 copies of this magazine Yash Batra is the managing director of the Ginni's, a premier brand for high quality
nuts, snacks and sweets. Established in 1980 and based in Southall, Ginni's has focussed
on sourcing high quality products from around the world and takes great pride in the
range of nuts, snacks, confectionary and popcorn. Mr. Batra currently supplies Ginni's
high quality products to major cash and carry names such as TRS, Dhamecha and
Bestway and also to more than 1,500 independent stores.
Mr Batra has sponsored 1,000 copies of The Journal of Health & Happiness. He says:
"All our life we work so hard that we tend to forget about simple pleasures of life, we
ignore our family and friends and we even neglect our physical and mental wellbeing.
Later on as we age, we pay a very heavy price for this roller coaster life. This magazine
restored some balance in my life. There cannot be a bigger cause than making people healthy and happy. I am really
proud to be associated with this project. This is the best charity I have ever done."
Mr Batra came to this country as a young man in the late 60s. He began working as a salesperson at a local clothing
shop in Southall Broadway. He says, "I immediately realised if I had to succeed in this country I must learn English as
well as sales skills. It really worked for me." Mr Batra will be given Community Health Champion Award on Dec 2 at
our next Health & Happiness Show at Brent Indian Association, Ealing Road, Wembley.
Could you also sponsor 1,000 copies of this magazine? Contact 07850 374 595
Broadcaster Ravi Sharma learning ELS
Southall MP Virendra Sharma learning ELS
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HAVE YOUR SAY:
Hounslow’s Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy Our health and wellbeing is important because it helps
us to do things that we want to do in life. It also enables us
to play an active role within our families, our communities
and our city. We know that health and wellbeing could be
affected by poverty, education, employment and the
physical environment as well as individual genetics.
Wellbeing is not just about being free from illness. It’s
about feeling physically and mentally well and being able
to be part of our local community.
The Hounslow Health and Wellbeing Board is agreeing
a new Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Hounslow.
It sets out our vision for how we want to help improve the
health and wellbeing of local people and reducing
inequalities at every stage of people’s lives over the next
five years.
Throughout October 2012, we would like to find out
what you think about our plans. We need you to help us
make Hounslow a good place to grow up and grow older.
We want to know “have we got it right?” We would like
to hear from you before we finalise our strategy. There are
several ways for you to tell us what you think:
Online questionnaire
Copies of our draft joint health and wellbeing
strategy and our online or printable questionnaire can
be found at http://www.hounslow.gov.uk/jhwbs
Talk to us on the telephone
If you would like to talk to a council officer on the
telephone about the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy,
please call 020 8583 5389 on either Tuesday 30 October
between 10am and 1pm or Wednesday 31 October
between 1pm and 4pm. We will be able to run through the
questionnaire with you over the telephone.
Email us or contact us by post If you would like to email us your comments on the Joint
Health and Wellbeing Strategy, or if you have any
questions, email us at [email protected]. If
you would like to post your comments, please send them
to: Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy Consultation, c/o
Tammy Macey, Public Health Directorate, Pavillion BF,
Civic Centre, Lampton Road, TW3 4DN. Please make
sure your response reaches us as soon as possible and no
later than 1 November 2012.
What we will do next Your views will be used to produce the final version of the
Health and Wellbeing Strategy. The completed strategy
will be launched in December 2013. You will be able to
download copies from www.hounslow.gov.uk
20/20/20 Computer Rule Take 20-second break every twenty minutes and look at something 20 or more feet away from your computer screen.
Moira's Holistic Message Magic Reviving the body's own healing powers
Atul Kochchar's Health & Happiness recipe
TETUL DIYE MACHER
SHEEMER TORKARI Pan-fried Turbot with Broad Beans (East India) The recipe of Turbot and Broad Beans is a complete and balanced meal. I’ve used a
combination of healthy fats, protein, carbohydrates and vegetables. Specifically,
Turbot is a fatty fish that is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids, which have many health benefits and are something
that your body cannot produce. Omega 3’s are essential to ensure full brain function and can help concentration as
well as mood. The turbot is served with broad beans which are a great source of fibre, potassium and protein. Beans
are often lower fat and have more protein than most meat which makes them and ideal meal choice. I recommend
serving this dish with a simple side salad and you’ll be full without any of the guilt!
Serves: 4
Ingredients: 4 small fillets of turbot, skin and bones removed
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp butter
Small pinch of English curry powder
400 grams Broad beans, blanched and peeled
200 grams potatoes, cut in ½ inch dices and blanched
2 Green chillies, sliced diagonally
2 Tbsp Mustard oil
½ Tsp Nigella seeds
½ Tsp Cumin Seeds
1 Knob of ginger, cut into thin strips
2 Tbsp Tamarind Pulp
½ Tsp Turmeric powder
2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
2 Tsp Sugar
1 Tsp salt
Method: Heat oil in a wok, add Nigella & cumin seeds, sauté until
they pop, add sliced chillies and ginger strips. Add sliced
beans and potatoes, sauté and add turmeric, sugar and salt sauté well. Add 2/3rd tamarind pulp and chopped coriander.
Keep hot. In a non-stick pan, heat oil and fry turbot fillets. Turn and cook on other side and add butter. While basting
with butter, add curry powder and remaining tamarind paste. Remove and keep the fish warm.
To plate, place the broad beans and potato mixture in the centre of the plate. Place fish on top and garnish with pea
shoot and other mixed cress.
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Ayurveda: Pudina
How to make mint tea Mint or Pudina has been used in Ayurveda as a
medicinal plant for many centuries. The plant has
been used for treating several ailments. Mint tea is
enjoyed by millions of people around the world. It
makes a refreshing, caffeine-free drink that can aid
digestion, help relieve stomach gas and bloating and
prevent flatulence.There are many varieties of mint.
Spearmint and Peppermint are two common
varieties. Mint is a cooling herb, with a sweet taste
and a pungent after taste. According to Ayurveda
most varieties of mint are pacifying for all three
doshas, and especially helpful for balancing Pitta
dosha, which controls how we digest food through
digestive "Agnis" or fires of the body. Mint is good for digestion as well as for respiratory system health. Mint is
extensively used to make digestive lassi and chutneys.
Making mint tea
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil on the stove in a saucepan. Wash the mint leaves under warm water to remove any dirt
and debris. Add 8 to 10 mint leaves to the water. Stir with a spoon for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the
stove and leave it to brew for 3 to 5 minutes. Strain the tea through a tea strainer and discard the mint leaves. Add
sugar or honey to sweeten the mint tea as desired. You can add more or less mint leaves if you desire. The more mint
leaves you add, the stronger the tea will taste. Add a small amount of orange or lemon juice to the tea to add zest. You
can cool the tea by pouring it into a cup with ice to make iced tea.
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Community Health and Wellbeing Champions Award: Sponsor at least 1,000 copies of The Journal of Health & Happiness to win this prestigious award in our next Health & Happiness show. There is no better way of charity than spreading the message of health and wellbeing. Contact 07850 374 595