Winter 2014
HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 You
Meditation for improved genes Exercise for arthritis What to do with food addiction Computer eye strain
Lack of sleep is a national epidemic
How much sugar is in your food The global 'tidal wave' of cancer
5th Marlboro Man dies of smoking
What is health? Recently, I was participating in a group discussion when this question was raised. Having listened to others I jotted down the following. Health is a state of being physically, mentally and socially active and developing capacities to change and manage situations around us without physical or mental strain. Health is much more than the freedom from disease. Of course this may not be the full answer. I welcome your further thoughts. 3rd anniversary issue: It gives me great pleasure to offer you this third anniversary issue. Without your encouraging support we could not have achieved this milestone.
CONTENTS Winter 2014, Issue 12 5 - Food addiction 6 - Meditation and your genes 7 - Insufficient sleep - a public epidemic 8 - Computer eye strain 9 - Exercise to reduce arthritis 10 - Find out the sugar in your food 12 - Sugary drinks and the risk of diabetes 13 - 5th Marlboro man dies of smoking 14 - Health & Happiness in India 15 - Global 'tidal wave' of cancer 16 - Atul Kochchar's recipe 18 - Health & Happiness in Hounslow
How to get in touch
Vijay Rana Editor, Health & Happiness 4 You
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HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU
is 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 medical condition, you are strongly advised to consult a qualified health care professional. Views expressed by our contributors are their own and we take no responsibility for their views.
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Heat them up before you eat Tomatoes have been linked to lowering men’s risk of stroke, helping fight prostate cancer, and preserving brain power with age. Heating tomatoes significantly increases their levels of lycopene, the chemical that can up antioxidant levels. A recent study in The British Journal of Nutrition found that raw foodists—people who eat mostly uncooked produce—were deficient in lycopene. Cook tomatoes in olive oil for the biggest nutritional boost. Lycopene is fat-soluble, meaning you need fat in your diet for your body to absorb it properly.
A documentary film on your life Remember your childhood, your school, your close friends, your early career struggle. Record these precious memories to watch on your TV, put them on YouTube or share them with family and friends on social media.
Want a documentary film on your life by a documentary film maker Call 07664 511 388 or Email: mystory@ajivan.com
FOOD ADDICTION
"Certain types of food hijack our brain circuits and lay the foundation for compulsive eating habits that are similar to drug addiction." In a paper published recently in the journal Appetite, researchers found that people with impulsive personalities were more likely to report higher levels of food addiction -- a compulsive pattern of eating that is similar to drug addiction -- and this in turn was associated with obesity. "The notion of food addiction is a very new one, and one that has generated a lot of interest," said James MacKillop, the study's principal investigator and associate professor of psychology in UGA's Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. "My lab generally studies alcohol, nicotine and other forms of drug addiction, but we think it's possible to think about impulsivity, food addiction and obesity using some of the same techniques." "Modern neuroscience has helped us understand how substances like drugs and alcohol co-opt areas of the brain that evolved to release dopamine and create a sense of happiness or satisfaction," he said. "And now we realize that certain types of food also hijack these brain circuits and lay the foundation for compulsive eating habits that are similar to drug addiction." More than one-third of U.S. adults are obese,
according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, putting them at greater risk for heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. In the US the estimated annual medical cost of obesity was $147 billion in 2008 and obese people pay an average of $1,429 more in medical expenses than those of normal weight. MacKillop hopes that this research will ultimately help physicians and other experts plan treatments and interventions for obese people who have developed an addiction to food. The study used two different scales, the Yale Food Addiction Scale and the UPPS-P Impulsive Behaviour Scale, to determine levels of food addiction and impulsivity among the 233 participants. "Our study shows that impulsive behaviour was not necessarily associated with obesity, but impulsive behaviours can lead to food addiction," MacKillop said. "The contemporary food industry has created a wide array of eating options. Foods that are high in fat, sodium, sugar and other flavoured additives and appear to produce cravings much like illicit drugs," MacKillop said. 5 HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU
Meditation can improve genes linked to inflammation, stress, and pain relief With evidence growing that meditation can have beneficial health effects, scientists are now trying to understand how these practices physically affect the body. A new study by researchers in Wisconsin, Spain, and France for the first time produces the evidence that mindfulness meditation could result in specific molecular changes in the body. The study investigated the effects of a day of intensive mindfulness practice in a group of experienced meditators, compared to a group of untrained people who engaged in quiet non-meditative activities. After eight hours of mindfulness practice, the meditators showed a range of genetic and molecular differences, including altered levels of gene-regulating machinery and reduced levels of pro-inflammatory genes, which in turn correlated with faster physical recovery from a stressful situation. "To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that shows rapid alterations in gene expression within subjects associated with mindfulness meditation practice," says study author Richard J. Davidson, founder of the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds and the William James and Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "Most interestingly, the changes were observed in genes that are the current targets of anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs," says Perla Kaliman, first author of the article and a researcher at the Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona, Spain (IIBB-CSIC-IDIBAPS), where the molecular analyses were conducted. The study was published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology. Mindfulness-based trainings have shown beneficial effects on inflammatory disorders in prior clinical studies and are endorsed by the American Heart Association as a preventative intervention. The new results provide a possible biological mechanism for therapeutic effects. The results show a down-regulation of genes that have been implicated in inflammation. What's more, the extent to which some of those genes were down-regulated was associated with faster cortisol recovery to a social stress
test involving an impromptu speech and tasks requiring mental calculations performed in front of an audience and video camera. “To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that shows rapid alterations in gene expression within subjects associated with mindfulness meditation practice. Our genes are quite dynamic in their expression and these results suggest that the calmness of our mind can actually have a potential influence on their expression." "Our findings set the foundation for future studies to further assess meditation strategies for the treatment of chronic inflammatory conditions," Davidson said. 6 HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU
Insufficient sleep a public health epidemic “I would say the importance of sleep is definitely pressure, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cognitive underestimated by the general public,” said Dr. Sandhya difficulties and other medical problems. Kumar, assistant professor of neurology at Wake Forest In fact, current trends, such as round-the-clock access Baptist Medical Center. “Some people may say all they to technology and the incidence of disorders such as need is five hours of sleep and if they’re getting that insomnia and sleep apnea, are responsible for insufficient they’re good to go, but what they’re sleep. Experts believe that lack of not realizing is that they’re probably sleep is now becoming a public not functioning at their fullest health epidemic. potential.” But what if following the tips – Sleep is much more than simple allowing sufficient time for sleep, rest. The brain and body don’t shut going to bed and waking up the same The amount of sleep a person down during sleep; rather, they time every day, removing distractions needs depends on his or her age. perform important tasks that from the bedroom – doesn’t help? promote both mental and physical The next step, Kumar said, should Newborns require 16 to 18 health, such as producing hormones be to see a doctor, either a primary hours nightly that help repair cells and fight off care physician or a sleep specialist, illness. Proper sleep contributes because many sleeping problems are significantly to feeling better and caused by other health or medical - preschoolers 11 to 12 hours functioning better when awake. issues. And “beauty sleep” is no mere Insomnia, for example, can be a - school-age children and myth: A 2011 Swedish study found reaction to a prescription drug, while teenagers at least 10 hours and that “sleep-deprived people appear restless leg syndrome is linked to iron less healthy, less attractive and deficiency. - adults (including seniors) more tired compared with when “Prescription sleep aids can be between seven and eight hours they are well rested.” helpful in the short term; they can Conversely, according to help with initiating and maintaining volumes of research, inadequate sleep can cause people sleep,” she said. “But taking a sleep aid and not doing to be irritable, have slower response times, make unwise anything else doesn’t help over the long term. It’s decisions, have trouble with relationships, perform important to find the cause of the problem, not rely on a poorly at work or school and become depressed more sleep aid alone.” easily, not to mention increasing the risk for high blood
How much sleep do you need
7 HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU
Computer vision syndrome or screen-induced eye strain The term describes a host of symptoms, including eye fatigue, burning and itchy eyes, blurred vision and sensitivity to bright light. People who spend two or more continuous hours at a computer every day are at greatest risk for developing the syndrome, according to the American Optometric Association. For most people, symptom treatment is enough — managing their reading position, taking rest breaks or using eye drops to relieve dry eyes. That said, dry and irritated eyes are associated with disorders of the cornea, the transparent layer at the front of the eye. Though there is no evidence that there is any long-term damage from reading on a screen, if you feel any eye strain while working on a computer you must see a doctor. The question is how computer screens strain or irritate your eyes? Here are some possible answers. Blinking. Many studies have found that when reading on screens people tend to stare more than they do when reading on a printed page. More staring means less blinking, which means your eyes get less refreshment from tears. “When you blink, you spread a layer of tears over the eye,” says Mark Rosenfield, a professor at the State University of New York College of Optometry. With less blinking, eyes get dry and sore. Another difference between the printed page and the computer screen is where the words are positioned relative to the eyes. People generally look down while reading a book or newspaper, but staring at screen usually means staring straight ahead. When you look down, more of your eye is covered by the eyelid, but when you look straight ahead more of your eye is exposed to the drying effect of air. Coupled with reduced blinking, this leads to dry eyes. Reading on mobile devices may be more book-like in terms of positioning, but blink rate is still a concern. Distance. People reading on their smartphones tend to hold the device much closer to their eyes than they would a book or magazine. In a 2011 study, Rosenfield found that the 219 participants held their phones 14 inches from their eyes to read text messages and 12 1/2
inches for a Web page. Typically, people read printed text from a distance of 15 3/4 inches. The result is that “your eye has to work much harder to focus at close distances,” Rosenfield says. The eyes turn in more (not quite cross-eyed) and that takes effort. Over time, that can lead to fatigue. Other considerations are resolution, brightness, and glare, says Alan Hedge, a professor of ergonomics at Cornell University. “The resolution of print on paper is higher than any screen out there.” Brightness should be adjusted for comfort, either on your screen or the lamp by your reading chair. As for glare, it is easier to read a book or an e-reader in the sunshine. But if you’re reading late at night in bed, you might prefer the backlit screen of a tablet. The good thing about electronic reading is that you can change so many things to make the experience more comfortable, such as increasing the size of the text and fiddling with the brightness, which can also help you keep the words at a distance. Salz says 18 inches is ideal. Common sense goes a long way too, Salz says. “As soon as you feel fatigue, look away.” Indeed, workplace advice for people who read on computers for a large part of their days, comes in the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. 8 HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU
Exercise to relieve arthritis Arthritis is a painful problem that can interfere with your ability to do the things you enjoy. But you can take steps to protect your joints, reduce discomfort, and improve mobility. Regular exercise not only helps maintain joint function, it also relieves stiffness and reduces pain and fatigue. There are simple things you can do for yourself, starting today. Here are five of them: 1. Keep moving. Avoid holding one position for too long. When working at a desk, for example, get up and stretch every 15 minutes. Do the same while sitting at home reading or watching television. 2. A better range of motion (improved joint mobility and flexibility). To increase your range of motion, move a joint as far as it can go and then try to push a little farther. These exercises can be done any time, even when your joints are painful or swollen, as long as you do them gently. 3. Stronger muscles (through resistance training). Fancy equipment isn't needed. You can use your own body weight as resistance to build muscles. For example, the simple exercise described below can help ease the strain on your knees by strengthening your thigh muscles. Sit in a chair. Now lean forward and stand by pushing up with your thigh muscles (use your arms for balance only). Stand a moment, then sit back down, using your thigh muscles. 4. Discover your strength. Put your strongest joints and muscles to work. To protect finger and wrist joints, push open heavy doors with the side of your arm or shoulder. To reduce hip or knee stress on stairs, let the strong leg lead going up and the weaker leg lead going down. 5. Better endurance. Aerobic exercise — such as walking, swimming, and bicycling — strengthens your heart and lungs and thereby increases endurance and overall health. Stick to activities that don't jar your joints, and avoid high impact activities such as jogging. If you're having a flare-up of symptoms, wait until it subsides before doing endurance exercise. 6. Better balance. There are simple ways to work on balance. For example, stand with your weight on both feet. Then try lifting one foot while you balance on the other foot for 5
seconds. Repeat on the other side. Over time, work your way up to 30 seconds. Yoga and tai chi are also good for balance. 7. Ask for help. People with arthritis often worry about the possibility of growing dependent on others. But only a very small percentage of people with arthritis become severely disabled. Still, the emotional burdens of arthritis can be considerable. Educate family members and friends about how arthritis affects you, and don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Arthritis doesn't have to keep you from enjoying life.
Order your copy of Living Well with Osteoarthritis, Harvard Health Publications, Harvard Medical School. Print copy $20, PDF download $18. 9 HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU
How much sugar is in your food? What is sugar? Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that belongs to a class of chemically-related sweet-flavoured substances. It comes in many different forms. The three main types of sugar are sucrose, lactose, and fructose. Even though our cells need sugar (glucose) to survive, consuming too much of it can cause numerous different health problems. Added sugar contains no beneficial nutrients and in excess only contributes to tooth decay, diabetes, and obesity. The American Heart Association (AHA) have said that added sugars "contribute zero nutrients" and are just empty calories "that can lead to extra pounds, or even obesity, thereby reducing heart health." Being aware of the existing and added sugar contents of the foods and drinks we consume is vital for our health - even more so today because so many products have sugar added to them. The AHA currently recommends that men consume no more than 150 calories from added sugar per day, and women 100 calories. To help you keep track of how much sugar you're consuming here is a list of some common everyday foods and drinks, together with their sugar content. Some of these may surprise you:
How much sugar do chocolates and candy contain?
Milk chocolate bar (44g) - 5.75 teaspoons of sugar
Snickers bar (57g) - 7 teaspoons of sugar
Milky Way bar (58g) - 8.5 teaspoons of sugar
Marshmallows (100g) - 14.5 teaspoons of sugar
Caramel piece (10g) - 1.7 teaspoons of sugar
Butterfinger bar (60g) - 6.9 teaspoons of sugar
Dove chocolate bar (37g) - 5 teaspoons of sugar
Starburst packet (45 grams) - 5.5 teaspoons of sugar
Twix bar - 2.75 teaspoons of sugar
M&Ms packet (45 grams) - 5.75 teaspoons of sugar
Boiled sweets bag (100 grams) - 11.5 teaspoons of sugar
How much sugar do soft drinks contain? Soft drinks often contain a high amount of sugar.
Coca cola (one can) - 7 teaspoons of sugar
Red Bull (one can) - 7.5 teaspoons of sugar
Lemonade (one glass) - 5.5 teaspoons of sugar
Orange squash (one glass) - 2.5 teaspoons of sugar
Hot chocolate (one mug) - 4.5 teaspoons of sugar
Fruit smoothie (one glass) - 3.5 teaspoons of sugar
A study published in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association, identified a link between drinking more than one soft drink a day and increased risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.
How much sugar do breakfast cereals contain?
(per 100 grams)
(per 100 grams)
Alpen - 5 teaspoons of sugar
Cheerios - 1.1 teaspoons of sugar
Corn Flakes - 2.4 teaspoons of sugar
Cocoa Krispies - 9.6 teaspoons of sugar
Froot Loops - 10.6 teaspoons of sugar
Raisin Bran - 7.8 teaspoons of sugar
Frosted Flakes - 8.9 teaspoons of sugar
Honey Smacks - 14 teaspoons of sugar
Rice Krispies - 2.5 teaspoons of sugar
Special K - 3 teaspoons of sugar
Wheaties - 3.8 teaspoons of sugar
Trix - 8 teaspoons of sugar
Lucky Charms - 9 teaspoons of sugar
Rice Chex - 2 teaspoons of sugar
Wheat Chex - 2.6 teaspoons of sugar
Corn Chex - 2.8 teaspoons of sugar
Honey Nut Cheerios - 8.25 teaspoons of sugar
Reese's Puffs - 8.9 teaspoons of sugar
Golden Grahams - 8.8 teaspoons of sugar
Cocoa Puffs - 9.3 teaspoons of sugar
Mangos - 3.2 teaspoons of sugar
Bananas - 3 teaspoons of sugar
Apples - 2.6 teaspoons of sugar
Pineapples - 2.5 teaspoons of sugar
Grapes - 4 teaspoons of sugar
Lemons - 0.6 teaspoons of sugar
Kiwi fruit - 2.3 teaspoons of sugar
Apricots - 2.3 teaspoons of sugar
Strawberries - 1.3 teaspoons of sugar
Raspberries - 1 teaspoon of sugar
Blueberries - 1.7 teaspoons of sugar
Cranberries - 1 teaspoons of sugar
Tomatoes - 0.7 teaspoons of sugar
How much sugar do cakes and desserts contain?
Banoffee pie (1 medium portion) - 4.25 teaspoons of sugar
Carrot cake (1 medium slice) - 3 teaspoons of sugar
Custard (1 medium portion) - 3.25 teaspoons of sugar
Chocolate mousse (1 medium portion) - 3 teaspoons of sugar
Cookie Crisp - 8.7 teaspoons of sugar
Cornetto (1 cone) - 3 teaspoons of sugar
Shredded Wheat - 0.1 teaspoons of sugar
Donut (1 jam doughnut) - 3.5 teaspoons of sugar
Cocoa Pebbles - 8.6 teaspoons of sugar
Fruit pie (1 medium portion) - 3.5 teaspoons of sugar
Banana Nut Crunch - 4.7 teaspoons of sugar
Fruit cake (1 medium slice) - 5 teaspoons of sugar
How much sugar does fruit contain?
Muffin (one chocolate chip muffin) - 4.75 teaspoons of sugar
Fruits contain fructose, a type of sugar. Fresh fruit have no "added sugar", but as you can see below, their levels of sugar range from 1 teaspoon per 100 grams in cranberries to 4 teaspoons in grapes.
Ice cream (1 scoop) - 3 teaspoons of sugar
Rice pudding (1 portion) - 3.75 teaspoons of sugar
Sponge cake (1 medium slice) - 5.5 teaspoons of sugar
11 HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU
One can of Want to reduce sugary drinks per your stress? day increases Share it diabetes risk by 22 %
If you get scared when you go skydiving, perhaps a good way to cope is to team up with someone who feels the same. A new study suggests sharing your feelings of stress with someone having a similar emotional reaction to the same situation reduces levels of stress more than sharing them with someone who is not. Drinking Study leader Sarah Townsend, assistant professor of just one can a day management and organization at the University of of sugarSouthern California Marshall School of Business in Los sweetened soft Angeles, says their findings could be helpful for people drinks may experiencing stress at work: "For instance, when increase the risk you're putting together an important presentation or of developing working on a high-stakes project, these are situations Type 2 diabetes that can be threatening and you may experience by 22 per cent, heightened stress. But talking with a colleague who according to a shares your emotional state can help decrease this new study. stress." The study, which is published in the journal She and her colleagues invited 52 female Diabetologia, aimed to establish if there is a link undergraduates to take part in a study on public speaking between consumption of sweet drinks (including fruit where they had to prepare and give a speech that would juices and artificially sweetened soft drinks) and be recorded on video. Before giving their speeches, the developing Type 2 diabetes. Using data from a wider participants were placed in pairs and encouraged to European health study, the researchers examined the discuss with each other how they felt about the situation. drinking habits of nearly 30,000 people, with and without The results, write the authors, "show that sharing a diabetes. threatening situation with a person who is in a similar They found that, after adjusting for other factors such emotional state, in terms of her overall emotional profile, as body mass index (BMI), drinking just 12oz (336ml) buffers individuals from experiencing the heightened per day of a sugar-sweetened soft drink led to a 22 per levels of stress that typically accompany threat." cent increase in the chance of developing the condition. Researchers who spoke recently at a conference of the This increase was not found for either fruit juices or British Psychological Society urged employers to take artificially sweetened soft drinks. Dr Dora Romaguera of note of the importance of emotion at work. They said Imperial College London, who led the study, said, employers who offer schemes that support workers' well"Given the increase in sweet beverage consumption in being outside the workplace may reap benefits during Europe, clear messages on the unhealthy effect of these working hours. drinks should be given to the population."
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Eric Lawson, the fifth Marlboro Man dies of smoking "Tobacco will kill you, and I am living proof," said the Marlboro man Wayne McLaren before his death Eric Lawson, who portrayed the rugged Marlboro man in cigarette ads during the late 1970s, has died. He was 72. Lawson died on 10 January at his home in San Luis Obispo of respiratory failure due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Lawson, a television actor, was hired to appear in print Marlboro ads from 1978 to 1981. A smoker since age 14, Lawson later in life appeared in an anti-smoking commercial that parodied the Marlboro man. After his death his wife said, "He knew the cigarettes had a hold on him, yet he still couldn't stop." Lawson was the fifth Marlboro man who have died of smoking-related diseases. They include David Millar, who died of emphysema in 1987. Miller played a cowboy in TV spots for Marlboro in the 1950s. Another Marlboro man David McLean died of lung cancer in 1995. He played the Marlboro Man in television and print ads throughout the '60s. In 1996, his widow unsuccessfully sued Phillip Morris, alleging that the company forced McLean to smoke "up to five packs per take" while filming Marlboro TV spots. Wayne McLaren, also a Marlboro man, died of lung cancer in 1992 at the age of 51. He became a ferocious
anti-smoking campaigner in his dying years educating children on the dangers of smoking, he warned an interviewer, "I've spent the last month of my life in an incubator, and I'm telling you, it's just not worth it."
According to his mother, his last words were "Tobacco will kill you, and I am living proof." Richard Hammer, who played the Marlboro Man during the 1970s, died of lung cancer in 1999.
Tripling tobacco taxes 'would avoid 200 million deaths by 2025' According to the World Health Organization, tobacco use is a cause of death for more than 5.4 million people worldwide every year. But a new review published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that by tripling the taxes on tobacco globally, 200 million tobacco deaths could be avoided by 2025. Authors of the review, including Dr. Prabhat Jha, director of the Center for Global Health Research of St. Michael's Hospital and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, say that the tax increase would double the retail price of tobacco in some countries, as well as reduce the price difference between the cheapest and most expensive cigarettes. They add that rather than pushing smokers to swap to a cheaper cigarette brand, the strategy would encourage them to quit smoking and discourage young people from taking up the habit. Dr. Jha says tripling tobacco taxes would be particularly effective in low- and middle-income
countries, where smoking rates are on the rise and the price of tobacco is relatively low. But he adds that high-income countries would also see benefits from the approach. He uses France as an example, noting that the country halved its cigarette consumption between 1990 and 2005 by increasing taxes to well above inflation. Dr. Jha adds: "Death and taxes are inevitable, but they don't need to be in that order. A higher tax on tobacco is the single most effective intervention to lower smoking rates and to deter future smokers." Sir Richard Peto, co-author of the review from the University of Oxford in the UK, says All governments can take action by regularly raising tobacco taxes above inflation, and using occasional steep tax hikes starting with their next budget. Young adult smokers will lose about a decade of life if they continue to smoke - they've so much to gain by stopping." 13 HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU
Health & Happiness in Indore, India During my recent visit to India I was invited by Prof. DP Singh, the Vice chancellor of Devi Ahilya University of Indore for a series of lectures on positive thinking among the university students. I made two presentations, one at the Prestige Institute of Management and Research, Indore and the other at the Economics Department of the university. I spoke on 'Creating a mindset for success through positive thinking'. The lecture was hosted by Pro Ganesh Kawadi, the Head of Economics Department and was presided over by Prof. DP Singh. The lectures were widely covered in the local media and were greatly appreciated by an enthusiastic audience of students, faculty members and invited guests.
Vijay Rana speaking on the power of positive thinking
Prof. Ganesh Kawadia, Vijay Rana, Prof. DP Singh
Get ready for the Big Exercise Day
Health & Happiness 4 You invites local organisations working to promote health and wellbeing to participate in our Big Exercise Day. For more details and your invitation to join this great summer event write to: info@ajivan.com
Date to be announced soon We might not have enough space for all, so your organisations participation will be on the first come first served basis.
The world is facing a "tidal wave" of cancer Consider restrictions on alcohol and sugar, say World Health Organization scientists. The WHO report predicts that the number of cancer cases will reach 24 million a year by 2035, but half could be prevented. The WHO said there was now a "real need" to focus on cancer prevention by tackling smoking, obesity and drinking. The World Cancer Research Fund said there was an "alarming" level of naivety about diet's role in cancer. Fourteen million people a year are diagnosed with cancer, but that is predicted to increase to 19 million by 2025, 22 million by 2030 and 24 million by 2035.The developing world will bear the brunt of the extra cases. Chris Wild, the director of the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer, told the BBC: "The global cancer burden is increasing and quite markedly, due predominately to the ageing of the populations and population growth. "If we look at the cost of treatment of cancers, it is spiralling out of control, even for the high-income countries. Prevention is absolutely critical and it's been somewhat neglected." The WHO's World Cancer Report 2014 said the major sources of preventable cancer included:
Smoking Infections Alcohol Obesity and inactivity Radiation, both from the sun and medical scans Air pollution and other environmental factors
Delayed parenthood, having fewer children and not breastfeeding
For most countries, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. However, cervical cancer dominates in large parts of Africa. The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a major cause. It is thought that wider use of the HPV and other vaccines could prevent hundreds of thousands of cancers. One of the report's editors, Dr Bernard Stewart from the University of New South Wales in Australia, said prevention had a "crucial role in combating the tidal wave of cancer which we see coming across the world". "The extent to which we modify the availability of alcohol, the labelling of alcohol, the promotion of alcohol and the price of alcohol - those things should be on the agenda." He said there was a similar argument to be had with sugar fuelling obesity, which in turn affected cancer risk. Meanwhile, a survey of 2,046 people in the UK by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) suggested 49% do not know that diet increases the risk of developing cancer. A third of people said cancer was mainly due to family history, but the charity said no more than 10% of cancers were down to inherited genes. Amanda McLean, general manager for the WCRF said: "In the UK, about a third of the most common cancers could be prevented through being a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet and being regularly physically active. It advises a diet packed with vegetables, fruit, and wholegrains; cutting down on alcohol and red meat; and junking processed meat completely." 15 HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU
ALOO TIKKI Pan-fried potato cakes Yes, the recipe involves no deep-frying.
Serves 4 Ingredients: 400 Gm boiled potatoes, peeled and grated 1 ½ tsp toasted cumin seeds, crushed ½ tsp red chilli flakes 1 tbsp chopped ginger ½ tsp chopped green chillies 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 1 ½ tsp salt 2 tbsp vegetable oil for frying
Method: Mix all the spices with grated potatoes and mix it well. Shape the mixture into 2” diameter cakes with ½” thickness. Pat them well and rest in refrigerator for 20 minutes. Heat a non-stick pan or any flat pan and pour oil and pan-fry potato cakes on both sides giving a nice crisp brown surface. Pan shouldn’t be too hot or smoking hot. The beat results are achieved on medium heat. Serve with tomato chutney. Tomato chutney: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in pan, sauté 1 tsp chopped ginger, 3 tbsp chopped onions until translucent. Add 250 gm chopped tomatoes, ½ tsp red chilli powder and 1 tsp salt and 2 ½ tsp sugar. Cook the mixture till tomatoes are melted to form a sauce consistency. Blend the mixture with a mechanical blender and pass through a fine strainer. In a separate pan sauté ½ tsp nigella seeds or cumin seeds in 2 tsp of vegetable oil and add to the sauce and mix well.
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Health & Happiness in Hounslow
Type 2 Diabetes Management Advice If you have any concerns about diabetes symptoms you need to speak to your GP or practice nurse. If you have type 2 diabetes and you would like to learn more about the management of the condition, Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare Trust run 6 week XPert patient programmes in Hounslow, Feltham and Brentford. For more information call 020 8630 3564 or email hrch.diabetes@nhs.net
Want to quit Shisha smoking
Yes, the help is now locally available to those who want to quit shisha or cigarette smoking. Shisha Smoking is traditionally used by people from the Middle Eastern or Asian community groups. Shisha smoking is becoming increasingly popular in cafes/bars amongst students and young professionals. Some people believe Shisha is less harmful than Smoking cigarettes, but this is not true.
Health Facts about Shisha: Shisha smoking is not a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes and can be as harmful. Fruit flavours disguise the harmful tobacco in shisha. Smoking shisha through bubbling water will not filter out dangerous toxins. Shisha smoking during pregnancy can harm the unborn baby. Second-hand shisha smoke poses a serious health risk. Sharing a shisha mouthpiece can spread diseases. Tobacco-free shisha is not safe - smokers can inhale dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.
Charcoal and other heat sources applied to burn tobacco increase the health risk because they produce their own toxins when heated. Any product containing tobacco should have health warnings on it however this is not always the case with Shisha. If you smoke Shisha or Cigarettes and would like help quitting, contact Hounslow Stop Smoking Service on 020 8630 3255 or email us on: stop.smoking@hrch.nhs.uk
Hounslow Health Trainers A free health improvement service dedicated to helping residents of the borough to live healthier lifestyles.
Hounslow Health Trainers is a service tailored to meet your personal needs and provides access to advice and motivational support through a team of dedicated health trainers and specialist services.
Hounslow Health Trainers can help you: have a healthier diet feel less stressed be more active reduce your alcohol intake stop smoking improve your sexual health manage your weight
avoid drug misuse For more information contact Tel: 0208 630 3386 Email: RCH.healthandwellbeing@nhs.net, Visit the website: www.hrch.nhs.uk search 18 HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU
RIVERSIDE PHARMACY Ltd OFFERING HEALTHCARE TO THE COMMUNITY
PROVIDING NHS SERVICES FREE PICK UP AND DELIVERY SERVICE MEDICINE USE REVIEW MANAGED REPEAT PRESCRIPTION SERVICE FREE CONSULTAIONS NEW MEDICINE REVIEW (NMS) MANAGED LONG TERM CONDITIONS WELLBEING CONSULTATION ADVANCE COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY
OPEN 7 DAYS FROM 8 AM UNTILL 10.30 PM 1, Shrewsbury Park (off South Street), Isleworth, Middlesex. TW7 7DE Tel: 020 8560 2181; Email: arun.sharma@hotmail.co.uk
MAYA FOODS Widest range of fresh fruits and vegetables Finest quality of groceries All kinds of Hindu pooja materials Maya Foods: Serving the community with pride and dedication 364-65 Stains Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, UK, TW4 5BD Tel: 020 8577 6077, Email: mina.bhatt@hotmail.com