Austin South Asian. November. 2022

On Oct.

the

Rishi Sunak was

Britain—less than a week

Truss’

the first person of

- First British-Asian PM

signing as prime minister, after serving only 44 days in office.

to lead

government

the coun try’s

will place economic stabil ity and confidence at the heart of the government’s agenda,” Sunak said in a speech after meeting with King Charles III. “This will mean difficult decisions to come. But you saw me during Covid doing everything I could to protect peo ple and businesses with schemes like furlough.

There are always limits, more so than ever, but I promise you this. I will bring that same compassion to the challenges we face today.” Sunak, 42, won the role of the Conservative Party leader after his sole competitor, Penny Mordaunt,

running program, with the kickoff of the upcoming session from Oct 2022 - Feb 2023 for beginner as well as experienced runners.

The session targets two Austin based half-marathon race events and one fullmarathon event.

Experienced coaches offer personalized coaching enabling both beginner and experienced runners to cross the finish line.

(Continued On Page 15)

Sunak’s new role comes just five days after Truss, 47, an nounced that she would be re

The former chancellor of the Ex chequer becomes the U.K.’s third prime minister in two months, af ter Johnson stepped down in early September and Truss’ resignation in late October.

“I recognize that given the situ ation I cannot deliver the man date on which I was elected by the Conservative Party,” Truss said in a speech on Oct. 20.

“I have therefore spoken to His Majesty the King to notify him that I am resigning as leader of the Conservative Party.”

(Continued On Page 24)

The Asian American Political Action Committee Endorses Candidates For 2022 City, County And State Level Elections

By Yvonne Lim Wilson

AUSTIN, TX – Multiple Asian American organizations, namely, Asian and Pacific Islander Ameri can Public Affairs (APAPA), Indian American Coalition of Texas (IACT), Network of Asian American Organizations (NAAO - an umbrella organization of 15

Asian American Organizations), Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce (GAACC), Korean American Association of Greater Austin (KAAGA), Austin Texans for Justice, Bangla desh As sociation of Greater Austin (BAGA), and As sociation of Austin Chinese American Network (ACAN) hosted a candidate forum at the main Austin Public Library in downtown Austin. (Continued On Page 24)

Are You At Increased Risk Of Getting Pneumococcal Pneumonia?

Pneumococcal pneumonia is a potentially serious bacterial lung disease that can be contracted any time of year. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pneumococcal pneumonia causes 150,000 annual hospitalizations nationwide. It can even be life-threatening in serious cases.

To help reduce the burden of this lung disease, the American Lung Association and Pfizer are partner ing to share important facts about pneumococcal pneumonia for adults 65 or older and adults 19-64 with certain underlying health con ditions. Here’s what to know:

What is pneumococcal pneumo nia? Many people think pneumo coccal pneumonia is a cold or the flu, but it’s not. Pneumococcal pneumonia is caused by bacteria that live in the upper respiratory tract, and it can spread to others through coughing or close contact. Common symptoms include high fever, excessive sweating, shaking

chills, coughing, difficulty breath ing, shortness of breath and chest pain. Some symptoms can appear quickly and without warning.

Who is at risk? While anyone can get pneumococcal pneumonia, some people are at higher risk of

getting severely ill, including those 19 or older with certain medical conditions such as asthma, COPD, chronic heart disease or diabetes, and adults who smoke cigarettes. Additionally, even healthy adults 65 and older are at increased risk because the body’s immune system

naturally weakens with age. Visit Lung. org/pneu mococcal to take a two-min ute quiz to determine if you are at elevated risk. How can you help prevent pneumo coccal pneumo nia? The CDC rec ommends pneumococcal pneumonia vacci nation for adults 19 or older with certain underlying medical condi tions, and for adults 65 or older. Unlike the flu shot, you don’t need pneumococcal vaccination every year. Your healthcare provider

can help you determine when you should be vaccinated against pneu mococcal pneumonia. Infection can strike anytime, anywhere, in any season, so now is the time to talk to a healthcare provider about pneumococcal vaccination.

“Low vaccination rates leave far too many people vulnerable to pneumococcal pneumonia,” states Dr. Albert Rizzo, chief medical officer for the American Lung As sociation. “Keeping up to date with vaccinations is important for everyone, especially those living with chronic health conditions such as asthma or diabetes.”

For additional information and resources, visit Lung.org/pneumo coccal.

Pneumococcal pneumonia is a potentially serious disease you shouldn’t ignore. Fortunately, you can help protect yourself by asking your doctor or pharmacist about vaccination. (StatePoint)

Can Automated Vehicles Pave The Way To Safer Roads?

Fatal car crashes are on the rise, causing over 35,000 deaths each year nationwide. In many cases, driver behavior and/or driver error contributes to the crash. Can selfdriving cars save lives? Experts say the answer is yes, but point out that automated vehicle technology will need to evolve from where it is today.

In particular, developing systems that allow pedestrians and com puter- or AI-operated vehicles to seamlessly communicate will be key to ensuring their broad adop tion. 2020 National Highway Traf fic Safety Administration data shows that pedestrian fatalities are up 3.9% compared to the previous year. At more than 6,000 deaths an nually, this is the highest this figure has been since 1989.

This is why Toyota’s Collaborative Safety Research Center (CSRC) has been working with the Mas sachusetts Institute of Technol ogy AgeLab and the University

of Wisconsin-Madison Cognitive Systems Lab to study how drivers and pedestrians signal their intent to one another. The teams broke down hundreds of hours of driving videos and footage from vehicle and intersection cameras to isolate, document and define the physical language used by drivers and pe destrians. The aim of the research

is ultimately to inform the devel opment of advanced vehicle safety and signaling features that perform similarly to existing drivers, as well as future automated vehicle technologies.

“Quantifying how, where and when interactions between drivers and pedestrians exchange social cues

will help us create profiles that we can use to simu late situations and adjust the vehicle behavior.

If we can do that well, it will help with advanced automated vehicle devel opment, and will allow vehicles to exhibit the right social cues to be come more integrated into society,” says Dr. Josh Domeyer, senior research er, CSRC.

Defining “vehicle com munication” as much more than turn signals and brake lights, this research is identifying and investi gating the number of small behav iors that drivers perform in order to indicate their intent through move ment.

For instance, drivers typically be gin stopping earlier and farther away for pedestrians than they

would for a stop sign. Similarly, a driver will often slowly inch for ward to indicate when they intend to proceed through the crosswalk. Such behaviors are important for safe and polite interactions and can be applied to automated vehicles in the future.

“For self-driving cars to become widespread and for people to be come comfortable with the idea of using them, we’ll need to design complex and intricate systems that allow these vehicles to behave and interact with pedestrians in ways that are already common,” says Dr. Domeyer.

To learn more about CSRC’s re search, visit amrd.toyota.com.

As researchers identify and plug the safety gaps created by new transportation technologies, they remain hopeful that the widespread adoption of automated vehicles will pave the way to safer roads and lives saved. (StatePoint)

A Family’s Harrowing Experience With RSV

Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, is so common that nearly 100% of children have been infected by age 2. Most people, in cluding infants, develop only mild cold-like symptoms. However for some, RSV can be severe and even life threatening. Many

me,” says Driscoll. “Thankfully, she got better. After five long days we were able to bring her home.”

Driscoll reports that today, Charley is a hap py, healthy 2-year-old who loves puzzles, watching “Moana” and taking walks. Want ing no other family to experience what hers did when Charley was so sick, she’s sharing a few tips she wishes someone would have told her before becoming a parent:

• Trust your gut. If you’re debating wheth er to go somewhere that could potentially expose your child to illness, don’t. It’s not worth it.

• Set ground rules. People who already had kids think they know everything there is to know about raising kids. But this is your kid, and you call the shots.

Expert Tips To Organize Your Home For Fall

From the walk-in closet to the kitchen pan try, catch-all spots make all the difference in daily routines -- but only if they’re kept neat and tidy.

Family organizing expert Jessica Litman, also known as “The Organized Mama,” is

waterproof and designed to keep surfaces dry while making them easy to wipe clean. Use the measurements to get an idea of what size bins will best fit the area. Store crack ers, cereal, oats and pasta in clear containers with labels, and put spices and seasonings in a slim organizer.

“Set up items similarly to gro cery store shelves by placing like items together,” Litman suggests. “When you do this, it’s like you are shopping in your pantry in stead of hunting for things.”

people are surprised to learn that RSV is the leading cause of hospitalization in infants.

The American Lung Association, with sup port from Sanofi, is raising awareness of RSV among new and expecting parents and caregivers of infants and toddlers. As part of the campaign, they’re sharing the story of a family impacted by RSV.

RSV was one of Sarah Driscoll’s biggest fears when her daughter was born. She’d heard about it from social media and tele vision commercials. So after learning a few family members had a cough, she was wary about attending a Christmas Eve gathering with her newborn.

“My wife and I debated whether to go, but of course everyone wanted to see us and we wanted to share Charley with the family. I remember telling everyone to wash their hands before touching the baby and to keep their distance if they weren’t feeling well,” says Driscoll.

Not every family member observed Driscoll’s wishes and shortly after the gath ering, Charley, six weeks old at the time, started to show symptoms of a respiratory illness, which worsened quickly.

“Charley was placed in the pediatric inten sive care unit while her tiny body fought against RSV. She was put on forced oxygen. They had to put in a feeding tube. I have a lot of memories like that, but mostly those days blend together in my mind. I did every thing in my power to have this baby, and I wasn’t going to let RSV take her away from

• Pay attention to symptoms. RSV can prog ress incredibly fast. New parents need to know that their baby could go from being cleared to go home from the pediatrician to hospitalized in hours.

Symptoms to Watch For

The American Lung Association wants you to know that in the event your child does get sick from a respiratory infection, knowing these signs and symptoms of RSV can help you care for them:

• Mild symptoms include congestion, runny nose, fever and cough.

• Very young infants may be irritable, fa tigued and have feeding difficulties.

• A barking or wheezing cough can be one of the first signs of a more serious illness.

• Infants with severe RSV will have short, shallow and rapid breathing. Their mouth, lips and fingernails may also turn bluish due to lack of oxygen.

Call your pediatrician if your child has a poor appetite, a decrease in activity level, cold-like symptoms that become severe, a shallow cough that continues day and night, or any new or lingering symptoms that you find worrisome. Seek emergency care if your child is having trouble breathing.

For more information, visit Lung.org/RSV.

Affecting millions of Americans each year, RSV is highly contagious. However, you can help protect your child by learning the facts. (StatePoint)

on a mission to help families declutter and stay organized. She’s sharing her pro tips for getting your home in shape for this busy time of year.

Clear Away Cabinet Clutter. ‘Tis the season for autumn chili, stew and other comfort foods. That means it’s also time to put your essential slow cookers and pans where you can reach them, so food prep will be hasslefree.

“When the weather starts to cool, I swap out summer cookware for winter bakeware,” says Litman. “I put the grilling items in the back of the cabinet and pull the turkey roast er and baking dishes to the front.”

For added storage, Litman recommends us ing a shelf rack or vertical organizer to keep cutting boards and pie pans neatly upright and easily accessible.

Prep the Pantry. Create a system that gives grab-and-go snacks and cooking necessities a home. This will help keep the kitchen tidy in the midst of busy work and school sched ules.

“Do a pantry cleanout,” Litman says. “Re move everything from the area and wipe down the shelves. Take the canned goods you didn’t eat and donate them to a local food bank.”

Use a combination of Duck brand’s Clear Classic EasyLiner shelf liner and new con tainers to restore order to the space. Mea sure the shelves, cut the liner to length and then lay it flat. The shelf liner is durable,

Out with the Old. Before pulling out your fall ward robe, declutter the piles of “stuff” from the closet. This will make your space seem big ger and more organized.

“Remove clothes from this past season,” Lit man recommends. “Look through each gar ment. If you didn’t wear it, donate, toss or sell it.”

Now that there is more room, hang an overthe-door shoe rack for rain boots and work shoes and use a closet organizer to store ac cessories, such as belts, purses and scarves. Litman also recommends dry cleaning winter jackets now so they’re ready to wear when cold weather comes.

Find Balance in the Bathroom. Whether it’s the primary bath or the kids’ washroom, make the most of your space by organizing everything into different categories, like tow els and haircare. Once everything is grouped, you can decide what will be kept where based on the available areas. Use a tray on the counter and bins in pullout drawers.

Litman says to wipe and line surfaces, espe cially under the sink, with Solid Grip Easy Liner with Clorox before putting essentials away. Antimicrobial agents inhibit mold and mildew growth to protect the liner, and will catch makeup smudges and water spills to give the area an extra clean feeling. She also recommends waiting until after the organiz ing process to buy bins and caddies, so you know exactly what you need.

Once these organizing projects are complete, your home will be ready for all the fun fall festivities and family gatherings. (StatePoint)

New Technology Is Ushering In An Era Of Sustainable Trucking

At a time when the ongoing fight against cli mate change has never been more critical, and new federal efforts are being made to address systemic environmental justice is sues, automotive industry insiders say that a recent engineering breakthrough could usher in an era of cleaner, more sustainable truck ing.

In a recent real-world demonstration, heavyduty, Class 8 fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), jointly designed by Toyota Motor North America and Kenworth Truck Com pany, have been proven to offer a viable zero emission alternative to diesel fuel.

The hydrogen-powered T680 FCEV has a range of 300-plus miles when fully loaded to 82,000 pounds, and with no downtime for charging, and a short 15- to 20-minute fill time, it could run multiple shifts a day, covering up to 400 to 500 miles.

Why is this so significant? Trucks are cur rently responsible for more than their fair share of vehicle-related emissions. In Cali fornia, for example, home to the busiest con tainer port in North America, medium-duty

and heavy-duty trucks make up only 3% of vehicles on the road, yet they produce 23% of the overall emissions for the state. Vehicle emissions contribute to climate change, im pacting everybody, and, because of where highways and industrial operations tend to be located, truck emissions disproportion ately and unfairly impact low-income com

munities and people of color.

When compared to diesel-fueled trucks of similar range and power, the T680 FCEV, codenamed “Ocean,” reduced greenhouse gases by 74.66 metric tons of CO2 per truck annually. Its designers say this highlights the clean vehicle’s potential to change the game.

And the recently completed demon stration project was just scratching the surface of what could be possible in a future where hydrogen serves as a fuel, taking a bigger role in various applications, from heavy-duty trans port to industrial power generation and passenger vehicles.

“Having a successful real-world dem onstration of FCEV trucks for actual customers opens the door to broader deployment. The use of hydrogen helps eliminate CO2 from heavy-du ty transport, while offering a cleaner alternative that keeps the vehicles in service -- a win for all parties,” says Andrew Lund, Toyota chief engineer, zero emission advanced product plan ning.

“The potential for this technology to replace higher-emission powertrains is real, which helps us achieve our goals of carbon neutrality, while supporting both regulatory and societal initiatives to combat climate change and foster environmental justice.” (StatePoint)

3 Steps To Take For Better Health This Fall

As people return to their fall routines, eco nomic concerns are top of mind, and many are finding themselves spending more time worrying about the health of their things than the health of themselves.

According to new research by MDLIVE, an Evernorth company and leading provider of virtual care services, most people (67%) view fall as a time to get back into routines, pointing to reprioritizing schedules, getting kids started in the new school year and prep ping for winter.

However, only 20% of people say they are on top of routine doctor visits. Instead, they’re prioritizing the health of their homes (71%) and their cars (63%), more so than are focused on routine, preventive care for their personal health (57%).

Why are Americans so avoidant when it comes to caring for their physical wellness? Time, or lack of it, is one major factor. De spite 56% of people recognizing that putting off personal health affects how well they can care for other aspects of their lives, 47% say they put off routine health tasks because they are too busy. Another factor is cost -- 39% of respondents say prioritizing health would be too expensive or force them to dip into

money they have earmarked for other things.

“The majority of people with employersponsored health insurance have access to low-cost or no-cost preventive care, and mil lions can now access routine preventive care virtually through their health plan,” said Dr. Vontrelle Roundtree, interim chief medical officer, MDLIVE. “It’s incredibly conve nient to fit into busy schedules and enables people to stay on top of important preventive care like wellness screenings and chronic care management.”

Accord ing to Dr. Roundtree, there are three simple steps people can take as part of a fall preventive health rou tine that are low-cost and require little time:

1. Keep up on vaccines: Some experts

predict a challenging flu season combined with the risk of other infectious diseases, all while bracing for a potential COVID surge. It’s critical to get your flu shot and stay cur rent on COVID boosters.

2. Stay current on screenings: Routine screenings are the first line of defense against many common illnesses, and addressing ear ly signs of those conditions can often keep them from becoming chronic. However, since the start of COVID, screening rates for a number of conditions have fallen. Take

an inventory of any overdue doctor visits or preventive care, such as screenings for breast and cervical, colorectal and skin cancer, and make the time to get them done.

Check your health plan to see your options, such as virtual wellness screenings that can save you a trip to the doctor’s office and may be available to you at a $0 copay depending on your health plan. For example, MDLIVE, a leading U.S. provider of virtual health care services, offers convenient, affordable access to medical and behavioral health care 24/7 from the comfort of home. More than 62 million individuals nationwide have access to the service as a covered benefit through their health plans and employers. To learn more, visit mdlive.com.

3. Take control of chronic conditions: Those living with chronic conditions should review their medications and dosages with their doctor to ensure they are up to date and to determine if anything should be changed or stopped.

“The fall season, with its focus on fresh starts, is the perfect opportunity to turn your attention to preventive healthcare,” says Dr. Roundtree. “After all, your health is your most valuable asset.” (StatePoint)

3 Ways A Physical Therapist Can Help You Manage Long COVID

Long COVID can affect anyone who’s had COVID-19, even those who’ve had mild illness or no symptoms initially. New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that nearly 1 in 5 U.S. adults who have had COVID-19 experience new or lingering symptoms that last three or more months after first contracting the virus. Physical therapists can play an essential role in managing symptoms of long COVID.

Long COVID is unpredictable, and research is evolving, however common symptoms in clude extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, racing heart, dizziness, muscle aches and pains, brain fog, problems completing every day activities and poor exercise tolerance. It’s also important to note that certain types of physical activity may not be appropriate for everyone living with long COVID.

“A highly-personalized plan of care that in cludes working with a physical therapist is important,” says Leo Arguelles, PT, DPT, American Physical Therapy Association spokesperson. “People with long COVID can benefit from being monitored during ex ertion and should follow prescribed exercise dosing that helps them gradually progress,

rather than pushing through fatigue on their own, which could potentially set them back.”

Physical therapists are movement experts who regularly treat individuals with the kinds of symptoms that people with long COVID experience. Here are three reasons to consider including a physical therapist on your long COVID care team.

Physical therapists:

1. Take a full-body approach. Physical therapists assess your overall wellbeing. They can develop a personal ized treat ment plan to address issues such as fatigue, respiratory function and cardiac endurance. They can work and com municate with your primary care physician and can refer you to other health care pro viders if they feel you’d benefit from seeing another specialist. Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants collaborate with each other, and with other health profession als, to ensure that you receive the best care.

2. Help you move safely. Movement is es sential to your recovery and your mental health. However, for some people, long

COVID includes post-exertional malaise, or PEM, a worsening of symptoms after physical or mental activities. Your ability often may fluctuate — an activity that’s eas ily tolerated one day may exacerbate symp toms the next. Physical therapists develop prescribed exercise programs based on your symptoms and how your body responds and can monitor your symptoms, blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen levels to ensure your safety while doing exercises. This may in clude low-intensity stretches, strengthening exercises and balance training.

3. Help improve your quality of life. Through patient education, a physical therapist can help you find the balance between rest and activity and identify the right kind and amount of movement you should get to im prove your tolerance for everyday activities.

More research is being done on long COVID every day. Your physical therapist will re view available research findings and can ad just your treatment plan as needed. To learn more and find a PT near you, visit Choos ePT.com. (StatePoint)

How To Protect Your Home And Valuables This Holiday Travel Season

Whether you’re visiting your in-laws or tak ing a tropical vacation over the holidays, you’ll likely be leaving your house and the majority of your belongings unattended while you’re gone. Recent research suggests that if you’re like many Americans, you may not be doing enough to protect your assets when you hit the road.

According to a study conducted by The Har ris Poll on behalf of Selective Insurance, 59% of U.S. homeowners have a home se curity system or device, yet less than half (49%) use one to protect their unoccupied homes when they are on vacation.

However, most homeowners do take some safety measures before departing for extend ed periods. For instance, 68% lock all their windows when they leave town. Additional precautions include having someone check their home (61%), setting lights on a timer (39%), shutting off water (21%), and hiring a house sitter (13%).

Nevertheless, risk experts say you’re best off with a system that monitors for break-ins and other mishaps, including fire and flood ing from storms or leaky pipes.

“Vacations are a great time to create new

memories, but they are quickly forgotten if you return to a damaged or burglarized home. Taking sensible home safety prepara tions before leaving is as important as pack ing the right items in your suitcase,” says Allen Anderson, senior vice president of Personal Lines at Selective Insurance. “Our research shows that home security systems and devices are widely under-used across the country, but they are powerful tools to miti gate against unoccupied home theft, fire and water leaks.”

According to Anderson, here are some steps you can take this holiday travel season for greater peace of mind:

• Install and use a smart home security sys tem or device. Doing so provides a vital line of defense and could save you money. Many insurers, including Selective Insurance, will provide a homeowners policy discount to policyholders with a professionally moni tored security system.

• Lock your ga rage and all of your doors and windows – and dou ble-check them.

• Install outdoor lights. Use an automatic timer to set your inte rior and

exterior lights and give your home the ap pearance of occupancy.

• Stop your mail, package and news deliver ies.

• Stow away your valuables.

• Consider waiting until you return from your trip to share vacation photos to social media, or use privacy settings to control who sees your posts.

• Unplug all unnecessary electronics.

• Bring all house keys with you, or leave one with a trusted friend to check up on your home while you’re gone.

• Turn off your water! Some of the most fre quent and costly homeowners’ claims are due to water damage.

For more home protection tips, visit selec tive.com.

As you make your holiday travel arrange ments, think beyond airline tickets and hotel bookings. Be sure that your plans also in clude home protection in your absence. (StatePoint)

Window Weatherization 101

Prepping windows for cold, gusty weather is essential no matter your home’s age, but what exactly needs to be done? Read on for the ulti mate breakdown of how to seal windows and protect your home from the winter chill.

Step 1 – Test for Air Leaks. Any style of window could have small air leaks that allow drafts and moisture to enter without your knowledge.

Check your windows’ seals by lighting a match or candle and see ing if the smoke is affected by a breeze.

The smoke trail can help pinpoint any small cracks you should ad dress while weatherizing.

Step 2 – Fill the Seals. Reinforcing the seal around the entire window frame will ensure it’s ready for cold weather.

Using a product such as Duck brand Foam Weatherstrip Seals will help

SCRIBBLINGS BY ARUN

ELDERS

PREDICAMENT

Elders some with passing age, Are conscious of reaching end, As they lose their kith and kin, One by one in succession.

Some are truly fortunate, Abruptly leave this planet, Sans sickness and sufferings, Never troubling any one.

Those who have little time left, Feel lucky to survive still, But with depressive feelings, With stress of life carry on.

Young and strong at this juncture, Be with them and give them care. Make them feel not neglected, In peace let them meet their end.

For those born end is certain, Wish all meet this without pain. (arunsunderraj@gmail.com)

form a solid barrier around window edges, thanks to self-adhesive foam strips that block drafts.

This can help lower utility costs by stop ping leaks. Updating these seals every few years helps keep the win dow frame in the best pos sible shape and main tains protec tion from the winter winds.

Step 3 – Restore with Paint. Updat ing your window with a fresh coat

of primer and either paint or stain helps keep it in great condition for a change in season.

rier for pinhole cracks or air leaks.

Step 4 – Insulate the Frame. Win ter weather can be brutal in certain regions.

Rolled Window Insulation Kits are crystal clear and create an additional coldair barrier for when you need extra protection on top of foam seals.

The window kit film comes in an easy-to-use roll of shrink film, which means no measuring is needed, and excess film can be cut once applied.

warmer weather arrives.

Step 5 – Add Thermal Protection. After preparing your window for the approaching winter winds, swap out your everyday curtains for thicker, thermal fabric window treatments.

These insulating curtains typically have two or three layers of thick fabric, combined with a layer of acrylic foam, to prevent air infiltra tion and cold.

Not only will it provide a new look, but paint or stain also creates a tight seal around the wood frame work and acts as an additional bar

Once secured to indoor window frames, the film provides an air tight seal that can be removed once

Precautionary steps to seal in warm air and keep out potential drafts will help reduce energy costs this winter – and help protect the lon gevity (and comfort) of your home.

(StatePoint)

Using Family Volunteer Day To Deepen Children’s Civic Engagement

November 19, 2022 is Family Vol unteer Day, a global day of service that empowers families to work together to support their communi ties. Increasingly, parents of young children are placing a larger fo cus on civic engagement and giv ing back, and this annual event is a great way for your family to get started or strengthen your involve ment.

Need some guidance? The follow ing actions draw upon Points of Light’s Civic Circle, a framework that helps people understand the many facets of civic engagement and provides an opportunity to show children the variety of ways they can support causes they care about this Family Volunteer Day. Combine these ideas to engage your whole family, strengthen your community and amplify your ef forts:

1. Volunteer. Hands-on action is always an impactful way to get in volved, especially on Family Vol unteer Day. Whether you find time to volunteer at a local organization or use one of Points of Light’s DIY project guides, there are plenty of options for families of all ages and abilities. Consider projects that fo cus on issue areas that children can easily understand and get involved

with, such as food insecurity, ani mal welfare and climate change.

2. Donate. Most organizations need financial support to continue their operations and deliver on their missions. Having a family fund raiser can be a great way to support

gift giving is on many people’s minds. Have young people help you select gifts from small local businesses or BIPOC- or womenowned businesses. You can also find and support companies that give back – either with a percent age of proceeds or by working sus

You can also read books, listen to podcasts or watch documentaries about the causes you wish to sup port.

5. Use Your Voice. Helping kids find their voice is important be cause they can use it to harness their power in bringing awareness to important causes. Kids can share information by tell ing friends and family what they learned over a dinner, sharing a re port at school, or pro viding information for others with an action item to take.

an organization or cause. Whether you run a lemonade stand, plan a virtual fundraiser, sell friendship bracelets or do something else creative, activities like these help youth learn planning skills and the value of supporting organizations financially.

3. Purchase Power. With the holi day season quickly approaching,

tainably.

4. Listen and Learn. A critical ele ment of civic engagement is listen ing to and learning from the com munity you hope to serve. Before taking action, learn about what’s really needed. If you can’t talk to those directly impacted, ask a local nonprofit organization if they have suggestions or more information.

If you’re looking for tactical ideas, Points of Light’s website has family-friendly toolkits for youth of all ages that incorpo rates some of these elements. Visit www.pointsoflight.org/familyvol unteerday/ to find a project that’s right for you.

Family Volunteer Day can be just a starting point. Taking action and understanding the impact of your work can lead to a lifetime of civic engagement and service. (State Point)

Pain Management Options For Youth Sports Injuries

Youth sports are an important part of a child’s social and emotional development and fuel a healthy and active lifestyle.

However, sports can result in in juries that may leave players side lined. As parents, it’s important to be prepared before an injury hap pens—and that includes being in formed about opioid risks.

A child might be prescribed opi oids—oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, etc. -- to manage pain after an injury, or following sur gery or another procedure to treat their injury.

In fact, sports-related injuries are often one of the first times children and teens are exposed to opioids.

Opioids have side effects like nau sea and dizziness, and can also lead to addiction and dependence.

As millions of children face sportsrelated injuries each year, the risk

of opioid exposure increases -- un derscoring the need for education and awareness of non-opioid op tions and a plan for how to talk to providers.

Treating an injury with opioids can lead to misuse. Opioid misuse is 50% higher in kids who participate in high-injury sports than those who don’t.

The National Survey on Drug Use

and Health found that 9.7 million people ages 12 and older misused prescription opioids in 2019. Im proper disposal of opioids is an other factor that can lead to misuse.

Almost 90% of patients with left over opioid pills didn’t dispose of them properly, with many keeping them in their homes and some shar ing them with family or friends.

Fortunately, there are safe and ef fective non-opioid options avail able for children that can help reduce, or eliminate the need for opioids after surgery.

In fact, 94% of surgeons agree non-opioid options can positively impact recovery and the ability to return to normal function follow ing surgery.

Conversations about pain manage ment should happen long before in jury or surgery, and families should have plans in place around injuries and how to navigate opioids and alternative options.

Recently, the National Safety Council and Pacira BioSciences, Inc., which sponsored this article, partnered to launch Connect2Pre vent, a program that aims to edu cate employees and their family members on the importance of pre venting opioid misuse. Launching publicly following a pi lot program, enrolled participants

will receive weekly lessons that provide information, action steps and ways to connect and com municate with teens, including evidence-based motivational inter viewing strategies.

The curriculum is focused on iden tifying opioid misuse, safe storage and disposal, stigma, talking to providers, refusal skills, harm re duction and more.

Programs like Connect2Prevent and informative discussion guides can help prepare families for these important conversations. To learn more, visit nsc.org.

With fall sports season in full swing, the risk of injury increases. Understanding safe pain manage ment can keep young athletes re cover and stay healthy for years to come. (StatePoint)

Footwear Fashion Essentials To Try This Fall

Elevated heights, neutral hues and eye-catching embellishments are

wardrobe by selecting a few key pieces -- without feeling the need

suggestions for how to pair them with boots.

• Update Feminine Pieces with Edgy Accents: Floorsweeping skirts, maxi knits and maxi dresses are all popular pieces for fall.

Pair them with ankle boots to add an edgy flair to an overall feminine look.

For example, try this season’s ontrend maxi skirt with wedge boots in black.

Boot to try: XAp peal Elise Women’s Wedge Boot.

Boot styles featuring sculpted heels and updated toe shapes -- including square, pointed and rounded forms -- serve as some of the most versa tile accessories when transitioning to autumn outfits.

Children can enjoy the variety, too, as different toe shapes appear in kids’ styles, including Western-in spired styles, booties and Chelsea boots.

Boot to try: Cupcake Couture Girls’ Lazer Bootie.

• Select Top Seasonal Colors: The current palette for the fall season features a variety of neutral hues, from taupe and tan to mocha and espresso.

Rack Room Shoes recently intro duced new boots in more inclusive shades to complement a broader range of skin tones.

Bootie.

• Explore Updates to Chelsea Boots: The chunky Chelsea boot remains front-and-center as a fall wardrobe staple.

This season offers a variety of new options, including updates with colored outsoles and lug bottoms.

Boot to try: Limelight Women’s Kamila Chelsea Boot.

For more inspiration for venturing into the fall season in style, visit rackroomshoes.com.

“The best thing about fall fashion is that there aren’t any rules regard ing wearing boots.

making appearances in footwear, accessories and ready-to-wear items this fall.

As a result, fashion lovers will have the freedom to update their

to overhaul their entire closets.

Nichole Duck, senior women’s buyer for shoe retailer Rack Room Shoes, shares her list of top essen tials to update outfits, along with

• Explore Different Toe Shapes:

Boot to try: Michael by Michael Shannon Women’s Hope Dress

It’s all about mixing it up,” Duck says. “Pair boots with jeans and a blazer, leggings with a knit sweat er, or a dress with a sequined jacket – the options are endless.” (State Point)

Cut The Stress Out Of Holiday Travel Planning

The holiday travel season is just around the corner, and experts are expecting it to be a busy and expensive one, with airline ticket prices for the winter holidays increasing nearly 30% since last year. While travel experts recommend you start organizing trips at least three months in advance, do not fret if you’re a last-minute planner. There are still a few ways to maximize your travel plans and save a few dollars while you’re at it.

Hit the High way: For those plan ning on tak ing a road trip this sea son, make sure your vehicle is up to date on all registrations and mainte nance so you don’t expe rience any road bumps.

If you’re planning a road trip and you’re a T-Mobile customer, you get a year of AAA membership for free with all Magenta plans. This means you can get from point A to point B with the confidence and safety of 24/7 roadside assistance, if you need it. Plus, T-Mobile customers also save $0.10 per gallon of gas from Shell via the T-Mobile Tuesdays App. (Continued On

Styles On The Horizon For Your Home In 2023

With travel returning to normal, there’s a renewed interest in seeing the world but you don’t have to go far to bring the beau tiful details of faraway destinations into your home’s spaces.

With this in mind, FrogTape brand paint er’s tape and celebrity interior designer Taniya Nayak have identified the top de sign trends for 2023, all with an eye to how travel can inspire home décor.

1. Redrock Renewal: Breathe fresh air

handcrafted goods with soulful experiences by encouraging the mixing of patterns and colors.

3. Nordic Nature: “Nordic Nature” encourages a pure, clean and fresh space by bringing ele ments of the outdoors into your home. The pal ette is reflective of a Scandinavian aesthetic, consisting of concrete, wood and crisp white walls to create a space with natural, modern and organic appeal.

Look for unique opportunities to make natureinspired but daring statements that balance the rustic feel with an uncluttered and contempo rary vibe.

and renewed energy into your space with “Redrock Renewal,” which incorporates both nature and spirit through earthy tones paired with bold influences of turquoise, clay and olive.

Embrace a clean, light slate layered with simple textures to create a room that is calm, joyful, serene and spiritual. This trend can make a big impact in any space through small details like textured pil lows, cozy blankets and clay vases.

2. Bohemian Bazaar: The “Bohemian Ba zaar” style is about creating an environ ment that emboldens everyone in it to live a vibrant, authentic life. To achieve this look, add a pop of color where it’s least expected, like mixing chairs in different shades of fabric around the table or adding bright, bold hues to an otherwise small, dark hallway.

Inspired by the people, culture and food of destinations like Morocco, India and Africa, this trend merges the details of

Apply a subtle concrete layer to your walls for added inter est, movement and texture. Be fore you begin, tape the edges with Nayak’s preferred paint er’s tape, Frog Tape, to keep lines sharp and neat.

4. Midtown Modern: It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and excitement of a fast-paced, on-the-go lifestyle, but the “Midtown Mod ern” movement is about turning your place into a space to pause and savor every moment of each day. Implement saturated hues like black or navy to create an urban, contemporary vibe. Elevate the look with plush fabrics like velvet, wool and satin. Complete the room by adding a special sparkle, with statement pieces that have bright, brass or metal finishes.

“If your hardware is losing its luster, remove it and spray paint it with a new finish for a fresh new look,” recommends Nayak.

Interested in refreshing your home’s interior with the latest trends? Visit https://www.frog tape.com/inspiration/2023-trends for more in formation and ideas.

Let the sights and experiences of the world not only inspire your adventures, but also your home. (StatePoint)

Austin South Asian Invites Contributions From Readers And Community

4 Things You Need To Know About Open Enrollment

Open enrollment season is upon us. Whether you’re choosing benefits for the first time, adding coverage for a new family member or fac ing a passive enrollment, it’s likely your benefits decisions will look a little different this year.

According to a June 2022 Con sumer Sentiment Study by Lincoln Financial Group, 45% of employ ees expect inflation will impact their benefits decisions this year. In today’s constantly changing eco nomic climate, people are looking for stability and protection — for their family, their finances and their health — with more than 85% of those surveyed indicating they would like to better understand what they can do to protect against the impact of inflation.

“Benefits offered at the workplace can help provide financial stability when it comes to the unexpected,” said James Reid, executive vice president, president of Workplace

Solutions at Lincoln Financial Group. “It’s important to take a ho listic look at your options and the resources available, and then make the elections that will help protect your today and help secure your tomorrow.”

Lincoln Financial Group offers four tips to keep in mind during open enrollment:

1. Life changes — make sure the benefits you enroll in are changing

too. Just like your personal situa tion can change from year to year, the benefits you enroll in should change with you. Maybe you had a new baby or are thinking about buying a house – now is the time to ensure you are protected for the future and that the benefits you choose make sense for your current situation.

2. Take a complete look at your benefits — including supplemen tal coverage. Lincoln’s June 2022

Consumer Sentiment Study also showed that Americans’ interest in supplemental coverage offered by an employer has increased over the past year: 89% of consumers re ported being interested in Critical Illness insurance, and 86% would be interested in Hospital Indemnity and Accident insurance. Accident insurance can help pay for expens es that aren’t covered by health in surance, like high deductibles. And critical illness insurance provides funds to cover day-to-day expenses while someone is recovering from an illness, including mortgage pay ments, childcare, food and more. Check to see if these coverages are offered by your employer and if they make sense for you and your family.

3. Education is essential. Choos ing the right benefits during open enrollment can be a complicated process — having access to digital enrollment guides and pamphlets can make the process much easier

and give you the time needed to fully review and select coverage. Reach out to your employer for information on the coverages and tools they have available; digital calculators can help estimate life insurance and disability coverage needs, and tell you the impact each coverage will have on your pay check.

4. Focus on financial wellness. To plan for the future, it is impor tant to have an accurate picture of where you are today. A good place to start is with financial wellness tools, which many employers of fer their employees. With these tools, you can create a personal ized action plan and improve your financial wellbeing, whether that’s a plan to pay down debt or create an emergency savings fund. And for those struggling with compet ing financial priorities, Lincoln Fi nancial’s debt calculator can help, available at lincolnfinancial.com under Planning.

(StatePoint)

Quick Repair Projects To Prep Your Home For Winter

It’s fall, which means it’s time to roll up your sleeves, make minor fixes and prepare your home before it’s time to hunker down for winter.

Here are four easy DIY projects that will ensure your humble abode

rior for any damage.

Take a walk around the grounds and look at the siding and the con dition of the roof, including the ga rage and porch.

stretch up to 700% of its original length, so it can be used for any in door or outdoor job that requires a waterproof seal.

Making quick repairs will save you from expensive water damage costs down the road and help pre vent any further issues arising dur ing the cold weather season.

Lawn Improvement

As the leaves fall off the trees and onto the ground, an alternative to raking is to pull out the lawn mow er.

Trim the leaves into smaller pieces, which can then be used as natural mulch around the yard and garden.

Layer the compost around peren nial beds or other plants to provide

insulation and protection through the winter.

Mid-to-late fall, with the warm soil and cool air, is also an ideal time for planting grass seed, and fertil izing and filling in holes with the leaf compost. This will put you on a path to a greener lawn next spring.

is in tip-top shape before the cold weather arrives.

Patch It Up

If you experienced storms this past season, survey your home’s exte

Use T-Rex Waterproof Tape to tem porarily patch small holes in vinyl siding, loose shingles or leaks in your gutter.

The tape is formulated to withstand extreme temperatures and can

Why Experts Say Plastic Recycling Won’t Save The Planet

In the last two years, the global plastic pollution crisis has gotten worse, with more plastic being pro duced and an even smaller percent age of it being recycled, according to a new report.

While a 2020 Greenpeace USA re port anticipated that the declining cost of plastic production would lead to declining rates of recycling, its follow-up report, “Circular Claims Fall Flat Again: 2022 Up date,” not only proves this predic tion true, but highlights additional barriers to plastic recycling that make it an untenable solution.

As the report notes, the high recy cling rates of paper, cardboard, and metals in the United States show that recycling can be an effective way to reclaim valuable natural material resources. However, un like these other materials, plastic waste is extremely difficult to col lect, virtually impossible to sort, environmentally harmful to repro cess, and often made of and con

taminated by toxic materials.

Complicating matters is the fact that the self-reported data of cor

by Americans in 2021, only 5-6% was recycled.

“The plastics and consumer goods industries have worked with indus

be recycled,” says Lisa Ramsden, senior plastics campaigner, Green peace.

As these realities are becoming more difficult to ignore, discussions about what to do regarding singleuse plastics and plastic packaging are underway at the global level through the United Nations En vironment Programme’s plastics treaty, in the U.S. Congress, in city halls and state capitals across the country, and in corporate board rooms.

Advocates say there is a way for ward. In addition to calling for a Global Plastics Treaty to set inter national standards, Greenpeace is also calling on companies to take the following steps:

packaging and build shared reuse systems and infrastructure.

• Phase out all single-use packag ing and products.

• Be transparent. Annually release verified data about the company’s single-use packaging footprint. Disclose where plastic originates and report on the full lifetime cli mate footprint of packaging pro duction, use and disposal.

• Advocate for political action to drive industry-wide transforma tion.

Ramsden notes that consumers can also get informed and foster change by contacting their political representatives and their retailers. To read the full report, visit www. greenpeace.org.

porations is often misleading, as it relies on the theoretical possibility of recycling a plastic item rather than actual plastic waste process ing rates. In reality, of the 51 mil lion tons of plastic waste generated

try front groups to promote plastic recycling as the solution to plastic waste for decades. Today, as plastic waste mounts, chokes our planet, and pollutes our communities, it is clear: most plastic simply cannot

Cut The Stress Out Of Holiday Travel Planning

(Continued From Page 08)

Opt for Low Traffic Travel Days: When booking airline travel, CheapAir.com recommends avoid ing Thursdays-Sundays.

Instead, book airline travel on Tuesdays or Wednesdays if possi ble, as those are the slowest travel days of the week.

According to ChearAir.com, traveling on actual holidays like Thanksgiving Day or Black Fri day can save you $75-$90 in flight ticket prices.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are also expecting lower airfare prices this year.

Check the Cancellation Rules: Make sure you can cancel your hotel, airline, or car rental reser vations if you need to, and under stand what additional fees you may be subject to if you do need to ad just your trip.

Plans can change at the drop of a hat, especially in the post-COVID world.

Use Those Travel Perks: Many credit card companies offer ben efits like points and frequent flier miles, which you can redeem on flights, hotels and more.

If you’re a T-Mobile customer, you can save up to 40% on select hotels and car rentals by booking through T-MobileTravel.com.

Most come with free, flexible can cellations. You can also save your travel perks to use for your holiday travel plans and save even more.

Stay Connected: The internet can be hit or miss when traveling abroad, so make sure you’re wellversed in the details of your data plan before logging on.

Luckily, T-Mobile customers with Magenta MAX plans can get 5GB of free high-speed data worldwide in more than 215 countries and

destinations, plus free in-flight WiFi and streaming all flight long on four of the biggest U.S. airlines.

Visit https://www.t-mobile.com/ travel to learn more about T-Mo bile’s travel benefits.

Pack Smarter: Make sure all your tech items are within arm’s reach during your trip.

Pack charging cables, headphones and tablets to keep children enter tained on trips.

Packing a portable charger in your carry-on is a game-changer when all the outlets at the airport are in use.

Holiday travel can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Do your research, take advantage of deals and you’ll cut out the hassle of planning your upcoming travels. (StatePoint)

• Urgently move to reuse systems and packaging-free approaches. Set targets to have at least 50% re usable packaging by 2030.

• Commit to collaborating with others to standardize reusable

“We cannot rely on the recycling myth to solve the plastic crisis. It is time to accept that plastic recy cling is a failed concept and turn to reuse and refill solutions,” says Ramsden. (StatePoint)

Quick Repair Projects To Prep Your Home For Winter

Prepare the Deck

Before the first cold front ap proaches, make sure to clean up the patio or deck and store outdoor umbrellas, cushions and rugs in a safe spot in the garage or shed.

If you notice any rot or wetness on the deck, it can be a simple fix by replacing the wood boards or us ing a wood filler to prevent further damage.

Winterize large patio furniture and protect items that are staying out side with a weatherproof cover. To keep the covers in place, secure them to the bottom of the furniture.

If there is a small tear in the fabric, mend it with T-Rex Clear Repair Tape.

The all-weather, crystal clear tape has a waterproof backing and an aggressive adhesive to stick to wet

surfaces – plus, it applies securely at below freezing temperatures. Squeaky Clean Exterior

Once the patio is prepped, turn your attention to the rest of the ex terior. Debris and stains collected on the outside of the house during summer can set over the winter, so it’s a good idea to power wash away the dirt.

Start with the driveway, deck and windows and then take time to wash the siding and gutters, as long as you spray water in a direc tion that won’t force it behind the siding or under shingles.

This project will help remove lin gering grime, mold and mildew and ensure the outside area is clean and ready for winter.

After checking off these projects on your fall list, your home will be properly prepped so you can relax, slow down and enjoy the season. (StatePoint)

(Continued From Page 10)

India Vaccine Maker Destroys 100 Million Doses Of Expired Covid Jab

Indian vaccine maker Serum Insti tute of India (SII) has said it had to dump 100 million doses of their Covid-19 vaccine after they ex pired.

The firm stopped producing Cov ishield in December last year due to low demand, CEO Adar Poon awalla said on Thursday.

SII, the world’s largest vaccine

“The booster vaccines have no de mand as people now seem fed up with Covid,” Mr Poonawala told reporters. “Honestly, I’m also fed up. We all are.”

According to Mr Poonawala, the SII had around 100 million doses of Covishield in stock.

The vaccines - which have a shelf life of nine months - expired in

a flu shot every year, they may take a Covid vaccine along with it,” Mr Poonawala said.

“But in India, there is no culture of taking a flu shot every year, like in the West.”

Meanwhile, Mr Poonawala said the SII had completed trials for the Covid vaccine Covovax as a booster dose.

Friends Could Be Key To Finding Fitness Motivation

By Annabel Rackham BBC News

Social interaction could be key to kick-starting a fitness regime, US research suggests.

After analysing data, including from the US Military Academy, scientists at Kean University rec ommended social activities that boosted interactions between lessand more-active people.

When the less active interacted with those who exercised regularly, they felt encouraged, the research ers found.

But those who were less social ended up exercising less.

Regular exercise has already been cited as something that improves mental health significantly, with many finding group activity help ful.

“Everyone is on their own individ ual journey,” Andre says. “Rather than looking at someone as compe tition, look at them as a benchmark of what you want to be and don’t be afraid to ask them about it and see how they got there.

“We’re all pushing for the same purpose, whether it’s mental im provement, physical improvement, fitness or performance - everyone is here to improve.”

‘Really changed my life’ Kai Hunter, 25, who lives in Car diff, started exercising regularly six months ago - after finding mo tivation from his group of friends.

“Because I work from home, I didn’t really get out much - so I started to put on weight and wanted to do something about it as it was affecting my confidence quite a lot,” he tells BBC News.

maker, has been making the local version of AstraZeneca’s Vaxzevria jab.

Covishield accounts for over 90% of the doses given in India.

India has administered over two billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines.

More than 70% of the Indian popu lation has taken at least two doses, according to the federal health ministry.

In January 2022, India began giv ing boosters to healthcare and frontline workers, and those above 60 years with comorbidities. It was later expanded to all adults.

In July, free booster doses - or pre caution doses as the government calls it - were provided to all adults for 75 days to mark 75 years of In dia’s independence.

But so far, India has administered just 298 million booster doses, ac cording to the health ministry.

September this year.

The CEO was speaking on the side lines of the annual general meet ing of the Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network (DCVMN) in the western Indian city of Pune.

“Going forward, when people take

The company expects the vaccine to get approval within the next two weeks.

It has also partnered with the US biotech company Novavax for an Omicron-specific booster, he said.

(Courtesy: https://www.bbc.com/)

There are many ways to combine socialising and exercising, such as: walking with friends playing five-a-side taking a fitness class

Exercising with a friend requires commitment and accountability, Andre Bates, of Barry’s Bootcamp, which holds group exercise classes across the UK, says.

“It’s very easy not to go and exer cise when you’re relying on your self - but with a friend, you can use each other for motivation to make sure you stick at what you set out to do,” he says.

“You can make friends in a group exercise environment - and then if you’re not there for your usual 06:00 class on a Monday or Tues day, they might ask, ‘Where are you?’ so there’s that little bit of guilt that makes sure you’re there next time.”

And although some might be at a different level of fitness to others, everyone is trying to achieve the same thing.

“I asked a few people in my social circle who were into fitness already how they had got into it - and asked for workout routines.”

Kai also gained a lot of motivation sharing progress with friends in a group chat.

“All the people around me were al ways supporting me,” he says. “It was good to have that around me and to feel the results myself.”

Kai’s friends have also helped him gain confidence going to the gym, which he used to “really struggle with doing”.

“I’ve done a couple of leg-day workout routines with friends and have been shown how to use the different machines,” he says.

“It’s really changed my life and helped a lot with my self-confi dence and anxiety.

“I wouldn’t ever have thought about stepping into a gym - wheth er with someone or not - and now I’m almost looking forward to it.”

(Courtesy: https://www.bbc.com/)

Colas And Aerated Drinks Can Drop Your Fertility Level

Why is following a good diet key to staying healthy?

Diet has a significant influence on our health, which cannot be de nied. What we eat and drink great ly affects not only our physical health but also affects our ability to conceive. Consumption of soda and other aerated drinks has been linked to hamper fertility in both males and females.

The not so sweet effects of sweet eners

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that has properties of disrupting the endocrine glands. This leads to hor monal imbalance causing infertil ity issues in females. Almost all the soft drinks and sodas contain such

sweeteners to make them sweeter. When consumed in excess, it leads to hormonal imbalance and fluc tuation that causes ovulatory disor

menstrual symptoms). Aspartame is linked to many health problems including infertility, malformations and miscarriages.

Phenylalanine and aspartic acid are the 2 amino acids present in aspartame and are considered natural and harmless when eaten in combination with other amino acids. However, they cause death of cells, when consumed alone be cause they promote the production of free radicals. Sperm and ovum being cells, have 90% chances to die when this is consumed in ex cess. It is advised by many doctors and experts to avoid anything that helps in the formation of free radi cals in the body for the significance of your reproductive health.

Wreaks havoc on the immune sys tem

ders and even worsens PMS (Pre

Can cause death of cells

Consumption of such sugary aerat ed drinks restrains the immune sys

Diabetes And Dementia: Is There A Link?

Diabetes and dementia are inter linked

Diabetes has been the culprit with an increase in the risk for cardio vascular disease and brain stroke. Now with the increasing diabetic population across the globe, few ongoing cohort studies have linked it with the early onset of dementia.

A 2021 study by Epidemiology of Ageing and Neurodegenera tive Diseases, Université de Paris, France looked at the link between a person’s age at the onset of dia betes and the development of de mentia.

The study concluded a high rate of dementia in those with diabetes.

Younger diabetics more at risk of dementia

Dr. Rahul Singh, Chief Medical Specialist at Care4Parents, says “Dementia being prevalent in the ageing population is the precursor of neurodegenerative disease.

Young age diabetic population has higher chances of dementia in sim ple terms if you are diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 30 years you will have a higher chance of early onset of dementia compared to a

person who was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 50 years.”

Is heart health related to brain health?

Clinical jargon of hypoglycemia is defined as low sugar levels that can damage the memory centre of the brain. Heart health and brain health are interlinked. Uncontrolled dia

of both the diseases have a strik ing similarity. Insulin resistance in the body causes Diabetes. Insu lin resistant brains cause amyloid plaques of Alzheimer’s disease.

What’s the best way to prevent diabetes-led dementia?

The best way to beat dementia for

the numbers to watch out for in de mentia too.

Can exercise help?

Physical activity of 7500 steps per day goes a long way in maintaining healthy glucose levels in the body. You may also take up any aerobic exercise of 30 minutes to keep your blood sugar in control.

Maintaining healthy BMI and working out on a daily basis for at least 5 days a week can show significant results.

A definite diet plan works better

tem causing weight gain and hor monal imbalance, which strongly contribute to fertility issues. Wom en have more chances to suppress their appetite for healthy food by paving their way to nutrient insuf ficiency, thereby increasing their odds for unhealthy pregnancy, mal formations and even miscarriages.

More cola, low sperm count

“Men who drink soft drinks more frequently have a four times great er risk of having reduced sperm counts, motility, and concentration. Due to its strong alkalinity, soda can change the pH of the body when consumed in excess. Sperm cells may suffer damage result ing in their irregular form and low quality or finally perish in a high pH environment due to a lack of nutrition.

Moreover, Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a chemical that reduces the male semen quality, and is found in the lining of plastic bottles and most canned goods,” says Dr. Gunjan Gupta Govil, Gynecological & IVF Expert, Founder and Chairman, Gunjan IVF World Group.

Can lead to ovulatory disorders

Most of the soft drinks are caffein ated and contain fructose, which is associated with a higher risk of ovulatory disorders and infertility among women.

betes increases the risk of heart disease caused by a stroke which may lead to dementia. Some doc tors call Alzheimer’s disease Dia betes Type 3.

The molecular and cellular features

a diabetic patient is to control glu cose levels. Keeping a tab on your glucose levels is imperative.

The golden parameter is to keep your Hba1c at 6.5. In range, BMI, blood pressure, and cholesterol are

In endocrinology practice, clinicians observed patients vis iting clinicians with regular blood work were healthier than the ones missing appoint ments and eating a poor diet. Scientific customization of the diet with the help of a dieti cian goes a long way in managing diabetes.

(Courtesy: https://timesofindia.in diatimes.com/)

It is well known that caffeine is a vasoconstrictor, which lowers uter ine blood flow and shortens the menstrual cycle by lowering men strual bleeding. The interaction of caffeine, aspartame, and fructose alters the hormone receptors and sex hormones, even causing infer tility.

The takeaway

So, paying attention to your diet is extremely important, especially when you are trying to conceive. Cutting on aerated drinks can re ally help avoid adverse impact on fertility in both men and women. When pregnant, say no to colas and aerated beverages completely. (Courtesy: https://timesofindia.in diatimes.com/)

Post COVID Fatigue: Expert Shares Tips To Manage This Lingering Symptom

How to manage post COVID fa tigue?

Even though COVID-19 has taken a milder turn, the symptoms con tinue to affect our lives and pro ductivity.

This means, although scientists have suggested that mild Omicron infections cannot cause severe symptoms and therefore do not leave any lingering effects, some people continue to battle sluggish ness and fatigue while recovering from an infection.

This condition is called long CO VID or post-COVID syndrome.

What is long COVID or post CO VID syndrome?

According to the US Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), long COVID or post-CO VID conditions are a wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems that people experience after being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19.

While some people recover in a matter of days, there are those who take weeks and even months to get rid of the symptoms induced by the SARs-CoV-2 virus.

As per the health body, post-COV ID conditions are found more often in people who had severe COV ID-19 illness or those who are not yet vaccinated.

Fatigue can be a lingering symp tom

A common and discomforting post

COVID ailment is fatigue. It can deprive you of your energy, while leaving you tired and inactive throughout the day.

Dr Lola Tillyaeva, an Uzbek dip lomat and philanthropist, says, “When recovering from any ill

An Easy Appetizer To Add Holiday Cheer

Before the big meal, gifts and cherished moments at the family table, almost every holiday party starts with an important tradition: breaking the ice. This year, you can serve up a smile and start the party with this crave-inducing appetizer to get everyone talking.

The sweet touch of Roasted Garlic Whipped Feta Crostini from Milk Means More can be your delightful way to brighten the season of gifts and gatherings. With its creamy cheesiness from a homemade whipped topping boasting the rich ness of feta and whole milk, it’s an easy and tasty way to invite friends, family and neighbors into your home.

This shareable treat comes togeth er in a cinch while adding pops of cheerful color to plates and plat ters.

Find more holiday recipe inspira tion at MilkMeansMore.org.

Roasted Garlic Whipped Feta Crostini

Recipe courtesy of Liz Della Croce of “The Lemon Bowl” on behalf of Milk Means More

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

“It relieves stress effectively and naturally which can help you to feel more positive and energised,” she adds.

Furthermore, the expert shares that yoga can be a great way to ‘boost’ energy levels and connect ming and body.

“Slower forms of yoga, like Yin Yoga offer deeper access to the body’s functioning which can be beneficial for fighting fatigue,” she explains.

Servings: 16

1 bulb garlic (about 12 cloves)

salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Wrap foil tightly around garlic and roast until caramelized, about 30 min utes.

Place ba guette slices on large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake

ness, including COVID-19, you may experience fatigue, as report ed by Express.co.uk.

“Fatigue is a normal part of the body’s response to fighting an ill ness, and it is likely to continue for some time after the infection has cleared,” she adds.

So what do you do to relieve post COVID fatigue?

‘Rest and nourishment’ are crucial

According to Dr Tillyaeva, “rest and nourishment” are very impor tant while recovering from CO VID-19.

Getting ample amounts of rest and eating foods that help with recov ery can help manage the fatigue that lingers on after initial infec tion.

What kind of food should you have?

The doctor notes that fatigue can also occur due to low levels of iron in the body, which is why having a plant-based diet rich in iron can help with recovery from lethargy.

“Low iron levels may be linked to fatigue, and when we get iron from plants (non-heme iron), our bodies are better able to regulate absorp tion – if our iron stores are low, we absorb more, and vice-versa,” she says.

“Iron is abundant in many plant foods, including lentils, soybeans, spinach, oatmeal, quinoa, and seeds,” she shares further.

Make sleep a priority

4 tablespoons olive oil, plus addi tional for drizzling, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons pepper divided

32 baguette slices

8 ounces feta cheese

1/2 cup whole milk, plus addition al, if necessary (optional)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

1/4 cup parsley, minced

Preheat oven to 400 F. Slice garlic bulb in half, exposing garlic heads, and place in center of large piece of tinfoil. Drizzle each half with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon

on second rack in oven until golden brown about 10 minutes; set aside.

In high-speed food processor, pulse feta cheese, milk, lemon juice, re maining salt, remaining pepper and roasted garlic cloves until whipped and creamy, adding more milk as needed to reach desired consisten cy. Check for seasoning and adjust, to taste.

To serve, spread each baguette slice with whipped feta and sprin kle with pomegranate seeds and minced parsley. (Family Features)

Furthermore, the doctor highlights some of the lifestyle changes that can help “boost your energy lev els and restore your overall wellbeing”.

Deep breathing and gentle exercise are key

Taking deep breaths and indulg ing in mild exercises can also help keep the body in shape and fasten recovery.

“The daily habit of deep breathing from the belly generates vast im provements in our overall health. It delivers fresh oxygen to cells. It slows the heartbeat. It lowers blood pressure. It relaxes the muscles,” says Dr Tillyaeva.

According to the doctor, “Another important aspect of sleep, which could help with fatigue is the day time nap.”

“Researchers have found that a midday nap can improve our brain’s efficiency and help us sort through unconscious information we’ve taken in without necessar ily realising it, in the same way that night-time sleeping does,” she says.

(Courtesy: https://timesofindia.in diatimes.com/)

Harish Kotecha Awarded

By Sonia Vadlamani, Vishakhapatnam, India

First Tee Austin, a youth develop ment organization based in Austin, and the Amarillo National Bank recently honored Mr. Harish Ko techa, Founder and President of EC4A, with their Perseverance Award.

FirstTee enables young, under served people build character strength to help them overcome life’s challenges.

The award was presented at the organization’s 14th annual 9 Core Values Awards Luncheon on Octo

This award was bestowed in rec ognition of Mr. Kotecha’s relent less efforts to com bat homelessness and poverty in Austin by provid ing scholarships for education and vocational train ing for the eco nomically challenged students and young adults.

Mr. Kotecha arrived at in the US several decades ago from Uganda with an engineering degree and less than $200. and He believes he was able to live the American Dream thanks to his education and support from others in his commu nity.

He has worked at IBM from “chips to system” and holds more than 20 US Patents. here to this date.

Mr. Kotecha noted the dire prob lems associated with poverty and

low-income households prevalent in Unites States, and particularly in Austin.

Upon his retirement, he decided to make a difference with through his endeavor, namely Hindu Chari ties for America, now known as Education and Careers for America (EC4A).

EC4A is a is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports young people in homeless situations and those living below the poverty line with educational aid and vocation al support.

Mr. Harish Kotecha has also been honored with the President’s Life time Achievement Award in 2017, and the 2020 Sandra Neese Life time Achievement Award from the National Association for the Edu cation of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY).

First Tee Executive Director Ms. Jennifer MacCurrach congratu lated Mr. Kotecha, and remarked, “We are very excited about honor ing you and all that you have done for the community!”

Team Asha’s Strides Of Hope 2022 - Get Fit. Run So They Can Read

15)

Team Asha also provides a mentor ship program to work closely with the runners to help them keep up with their training schedule and guide them in their fund-raising efforts to meet their commitments, over the entire session.

100% of the funds raised go di rectly to support education-related projects for the underprivileged children amongst the underserved societies in India.

To date, hundreds of beginner and experienced runners have success fully trained with Team Asha Aus tin to achieve their fitness goals while raising funds.

Our main objective is to help you cross the finish line as you take on this challenging personal quest to wards completing your first half / full marathon.

The chapter has disbursed $1.4M

towards 32 project partners, all providing basic education to thou sands of children, since inception in 1997.

Asha Austin currently supports eight projects and a fellowship, fo cusing on special needs education, alternate education, girls educa

tion, vocational training, in rural and urban areas, and has disbursed $181,000 to date for the 2023 fis cal year.

The support is to provide salaries for teachers, coordinators and ther apists; cover costs of teaching and learning material, and Covid-19 2nd wave relief. Navjyoti’s Kish ori Kendra (UP) and Sankalp-EkPrayas’ Garima (Chattisgarh) work with adolescent girls to impart supplemental education, health and hygiene counseling, and/or vo cational training.

Gramin Shiksha Kendra (Rajas than), Antyodoy Anath Ashram (West Bengal) and Reward Trust (Tamil Nadu) provide alternate ed ucation in rural parts of India.

Sangamam (UP) is a comput er-based intervention program amongst government schools.

Khushboo Welfare Society (Gur gaon) and GDOHWA-Samarth

(Chatrapur), work with children of mental and multiple disabilities.

Siddamma, an Asha Fellow, works on freeing bonded Irula laborers, education of their children, and empowering communities.

Austin half marathon is in Feb 2023. Our training starts soon! Join us at our first kick off run

WHEN: Saturday, October 29th at 7:00 am

WHERE: Murchison Middle School, Austin, TX

Begin your journey. Come join Team Asha’s Strides of Hope to day. Train with the best for a great cause!

For more details: contact austin. marathon@ashanet.org or visit http://austin.ashanet.org/soh or call 1-919-349-1335

2022.

Ensuring Every Child In America Has Access To Healthy School Meals

Starting in early 2020, every child in the United States became eligible for school meals at no cost, regardless of family income level -- no forms, no questions asked. That policy, along with other inter ventions, including increased Supplemen tal Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants,

“Providing healthy school meals for students at no charge is a recipe for success that re duces food insecurity, improves children’s diets and academic performance, generates critical revenue for schools and decreases stigma,” according to Nancy Brown, CEO, American Heart Association. “Action by the federal government is long overdue. It is a necessity for families and schools to feed children the healthy meals they need for success.”

Confronting the Epidemic of Drug Overdose Deaths in Our Communities

As America’s drug overdose and death epi demic continues to impact communities of every size in every corner of the country, new challenges have emerged.

In 2021, more than 107,000 people died from drug-related overdoses, according to the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, the bulk of which were from illicitly manu factured fentanyl, which shows up in fake pills, methamphetamine and cocaine.

Since its founding in 2014, the American Medical Association (AMA) Substance Use

“No community has been—or will be— spared the pain of this epidemic. The spik ing mortality numbers—with young people and Black and Brown Americans dying at the fastest growing rates—add yet another urgent call to remove health inequities from the health care system.

We know policymakers have not exhausted all remedies. Until we have, we must keep advocating for humane, evidence-based re sponses,” said Bobby Mukkamala, M.D., chair of the AMA Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force.

Children Program benefits, kept millions of children and families from going hun gry during the pandemic. But support for school meals ended this September, put ting healthy school meals increasingly out of reach for children who rely on them for nearly half their daily calories and a con sistent source of good nutrition.

Amid soaring food prices, rising rates of nutrition and food insecurity, and families having a harder time accessing nutritious foods in their communities, advocates at the American Heart Association say that Congress’s failure to extend healthy school meals is already having profound consequences.

For more than two years, the country has seen food insecurity rates stay relatively stagnant. Pandemic-era assistance helped ensure that already high rates of families struggling to feed their kids did not wors en. However, with these policies ending and food costs skyrocketing, early data from 2022 suggest that food insecurity is quickly on the rise.

Food insecurity disproportionately af fects households with children (14.8%), Hispanic households (17%), Black house holds (21%) and households living at or below the federal poverty line (35%). This crisis also comes at a time when house holds across America are facing delayed health care, barriers to affordable housing, and a general financial squeeze caused by rising prices on consumer goods.

Kids who eat well perform better in school. However, ac cess to food is just part of the issue. The American Heart Association points out that with prepandemic numbers of more than 15 mil lion school breakfasts and 30 million school lunches served every day, what children put on their plates has a significant impact on their overall health and well-being.

“Federal programs including SNAP and the Summer Food Service program have been integral to addressing hunger, but many poli cies focus on improving access to sufficient quantities of food,” says Brown.

“While this goal is critically important, espe cially in mitigating the effects of poverty, we must modernize these policies and programs to also focus on food quality, so people have access to enough nutritious food.”

There are opportunities for the federal gov ernment to change course and ensure that every child across the country has access to free, nutritious foods at school. The White House recently released a national strat egy to end nutrition and food insecurity and mitigate the effects of diet-related chronic diseases in the United States by 2030, mak ing the recommendation for healthy school meals for all and strong nutrition standards.

Additionally, a key committee in the House of Representatives has passed a child nutri tion reauthorization bill that would protect and strengthen nutrition standards for school meals and help millions of children gain ac cess to healthy school meals, among other updates to child nutrition programs. Advo cates at the American Heart Association say that the Senate now needs to do its part to give children the best chance to succeed. To learn more, visit https://act.yourethecure.org/ tqmwpbx. (StatePoint)

and Pain Care Task Force has brought togeth er medical societies and practicing physicians to develop and implement strategies that can help end this epidemic. The task force’s rec ommendations include urging physicians to enhance their education as well as advocate for comprehensive care for patients in pain and for those with a substance use disorder. The AMA also strongly urges states to update laws to make the opioid overdose reversal medication naloxone more readily available, decriminalize fentanyl test strips, and take other harm reduction initiatives to save lives from overdose.

When it comes to helping patients with a substance use disorder (SUD) so they can lead satisfying, productive lives, the science shows what works: medication prescribed by a physician or dispensed at Opioid Treatment Programs, combined with behavioral coun seling and other services.

Despite certain positive trends and clear sci ence, of the 40.3 million people nationwide with a substance use disorder, 93% receive no treatment, according to federal officials. A 2022 report from the U.S. Department of Labor found that health insurance companies regularly violate state and federal laws de signed to provide coverage for substance use disorders and mental illness. Health insur ance companies also continue to but up bar riers to accessing medications for opioid use disorders (MOUD) and deny care to patients with pain—or make it so expensive that pa tients cannot access care.

The AMA stresses that while physicians are leading in areas where they can have an in fluence, they cannot end the epidemic alone. To combat the issue at the state and national level, the organization has issued a national “roadmap” to policymakers and regulators focused on these specific actions:

• Remove barriers to evidence-based care for patients with an SUD. This includes remov ing prior authorization, step therapy and dos age caps for MOUDs, continuing federal flex ibilities for take-home medication for opioid treatment programs, continuing audio-visual and audio-only telehealth options for patients to begin treatment, and removing regulations that prevent most physicians from being able to prescribe MOUDs to their patients.

• Take immediate steps to protect families by focusing on increasing access to evidencebased care rather than using punishment and the threat of family separation for persons with an SUD who are pregnant, peripartum, postpartum and parenting.

• Enforce laws that require mental health benefits to be on par with other health ben efits, thereby broadening access to treatment related to mental health and substance use disorders.

• Pharmacy chains, health insurance compa nies and pharmacy benefit managers should remove arbitrary barriers to opioid therapy as well as ensure patient access to affordable, accessible non-opioid pain care.

• Patients and physicians should have con versations about safe storage and disposal of opioids and all medications; and increase access to naloxone to patients at risk of over dose.

• Develop and implement systems to collect timely, adequate and standardized data to identify at-risk populations, fully understand polysubstance drug use, and implement pub lic health interventions that directly address removing structural and racial inequities.

To learn more about efforts to end the drug overdose and death epidemic, visit end-over dose-epidemic.org. (StatePoint)

Muktinath

Muktinath is a Vishnu temple, sa cred to both Hindus and Buddhists.

It is located in Muktinath Valley at the foot of the Thorong La moun tain pass in Mustang, Nepal. It is one of the world’s highest temples (altitude 3,800 m). Within Hin duism, it is one of the 108 Divya Desams, and is the only Divya Desam located outside India. It known as Mukti Kshetra, which literally means the ‘liberation are na’ (moksh) and is one of the Char Dham in Nepal.

This temple is considered to be 106th among the available 108 Di vya Desam considered sacred by the Sri Vaishnava sect. Its ancient name in Sri Vaishnava literature is Thiru Saligramam. The Gandaki river near by is considered the only source of the Saligram shila, con sidered to be the naturally avail able form of Sriman.

Buddhists call it Chumig Gyatsa, which in Tibetan means “Hundred

Waters”. For Tibetan Buddhists, Muktinath is an important place of dakinis, goddesses known as Sky Dancers, and one of the 24 Tantric places. They understand the murti to be a manifestation of Avalokiteśvara, who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas.

The site is close to the village of Ranipauwa, which is sometimes mistakenly called Muktinath.

The central shrine of Sri Muktinath is considered by Hindu Vaishnavas to be one of the eight most-sacred shrines, known as Svayam Vyakta Ksetras. The others are Srirangam, Srimushnam, Tirupati, Naimis haranya, Thotadri, Pushkar and Badrinath. The temple is small. The murti is made of gold and has the size of a man.

The prakaram (outer courtyard)

Raman’s Salutation To The Donkeys

their face, he would be a donkey in his next birth. Hearing this, Tenali found a way to teach Tathacharya a lesson.

After a few days, Tenali had ac companied the King, Tathacharya, and all the courtiers for a picnic. When they were returning, he saw some donkeys on the way. On see ing them, he rushed towards the donkeys, and he bent down to sa lute them.

has 108 bull faces through which water is poured. The sacred water that flows in 108 pipes around the temple complex denotes the sacred Pushkarini waters (Temple Tanks) from the 108 Sri Vaishnava Divya Desams, where devotees take their sacred bath even in freezing tem peratures.

Worship is conducted by Bud dhists, with a Buddhist monk pres ent. A local nun manages the pujas (prayer rituals) in the temple. Pil grims are expected to offer a prasad (religious offering of food) to the deity.

The Muktinath Temple is consid ered to be a Shakti Peetha for a yatra. It is one of the 108 Siddh peeth and is named Mahadevi [De vibhagwat 7.14]. Shakti Peethas are sacred abodes of Shakti (pri mordial cosmic energy), formed by the falling body parts of the corpse of Sati Devi, when Lord Shiva carried it as he wandered. 51 Shakti Peethas are revered by Shaktism, connecting them to the 51 alphabets in Sanskrit. Each Shakti Peetha has a Shakti shrine and a Bhairav shrine in its temple. The Shakti of Muktinath is ad dressed as “Gandaki Chandi”, and the Bhairava as “Chakrapani”. Sati Devi’s temple on the forehead is believed to have fallen there.

Hindu and Buddhist traditions claim this site to be the only place on Earth to host all five elements (fire, water, sky, earth and air) from which all material things in the universe are made. Along with the ambient earth, air, and sky, there is a water spring co-located with a flame fueled by naturally occurring gas outflow -- giving the appear ance of the water itself burning. No other co-located water source and burning gas is known to exist.

The riverbed of the Gandaki river has Shaligram stones that are used to worship Lord Vishnu.

According to Sri Vaishnava philos ophy, it is considered to be one of the most-sacred places of worship of Lord Vishnu, praised by Thiru mangai Alwar in the compilation of Nalayira Divya Prabandha 10 Pasurams in Mudal pathu Iyndham thirumozhi. It is said that one has to be gifted to get the darśan (di vine presence). Lord Sri Vishnu murthi and Goddess Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi are believed to give Jeevan Mukthi, hence it is called Mukthinath.

The Royal teacher Tathacharya be long to Vaishnavite sect and wor shipped Vishnu. He disregarded the Smarthas who were followers of Sri Adi Shankaracharya.

Since he looked down on the Smar thas, Tathacharya always covered his face with a cloth while going out so that he may not have to see the face of any Smartha. Everyone, including the king, was angry be

cause of his behaviour. So, the peo ple and the king himself requested Tenali to solve this problem.

So, after listening to everyone, Te nali went to Tathacharya’s house to pay him a visit. As soon as he saw Tenali, he covered his face. Seeing this, Tenali asked him why he was covering his face in front of his dis ciple. Tatacharya told him that Sm arthas were sinners and if he saw

Everyone, including the king, was shocked to see that. The king asked Tenali what made him do so? Tena li told the king that he was paying his respect to Tathacharya’s ances tors and forefathers who had be come donkeys after having sinned by looking at the face of Smarthas.

The king understood Tenali’s humour, and Tathacharya was ashamed of himself. Tathacharya never covered his face from then on.

The Tibetan Buddhist tradition states that Guru Rinpoche, also known as Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, meditated at Muktinath on his way to Tibet. This temple is praised by many saints of the Hindu tradition. Scripts narrating the temple’s im portance are available in Vishnu Purana with the Gandaki Maha thmya. It has 108 water springs, a number that carries great signifi cance in Hindu philosophy. As an example of the mystery surround ing the number 108, Hindu astrol ogy mentions 12 zodiacs (or Rashi) and 9 planets (or Graha), giving a total of 108 combinations. 27 lunar mansions (or Nakshatras) are di vided into four quarters (or Padas) each giving a combination of 108 Padas in total.

The temple is revered in Nalay ira Divya Prabandham, the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by Kulasekhara Alvar in one hymn. The temple is classified as a Di vyadesam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the book. Many devotees have con tributed to it, most prominently the Alvars. Thirumangai Alvar could not reach Muktinath, but sang 10 pashurams from the nearest place, in praise of Lord Sri Murthy. Periy Alvar sang in praise of Sri Murthi as “Salagramamudaiya Nambi”.

The pontiff of Srivilliputtur (the most venerated Srivaishnava pil grim centre in Tamil Nadu), Sri Manavala Mamunigal Mutt 23rd peetam Sri Sri Sri Satakopa Ra manuja Jeeyar Swamiji installed the idols of Andal (Sri Gotha Devi), Ramanuja, and Manavala Mamunigal there during the yagna performed between 3 and 6 August 2009. This is considered by devo tees to be a milestone in the history of Muktinath.

Kids Corner

A Different And Proud India Trip This Time!!

By Vijay K Banda

Author: Skill Up India, Amazon Best Seller, Founder YesMentor. org

rus Sri Sivananda Murthy Ji Kaa ashram at Warangal, it wasn’t just my regular pilgrimages to Shirdi, SriSailam, It wasn’t just enjoy ing gully cricket along with local

Vasundhara Varadarajan

Abhiveer Annoji

I was able to spend time in India from the middle of August until the first week of October (until Vi jayadasami)...looking back on the proudest and sweetest moment!!!.

It wasn’t just savoring time with family and friends including at tending my brothers-in-law’s re tirement ceremony; it wasn’t just celebrating important holidays like Ganesh Chaturthi and Dussehra; it wasn’t just visiting my upper pri mary school after 40 years near a village called Shyampet in Wa rangal; it wasn’t it just visiting a world heritage site Ramappa, It wasn’t just visiting my Sathugu

delicacies including paan....... the proudest of all was .. where I got to see a sight of high flying Indian flags on pretty much every Indian home/business/transport (from busses to cars to autorickshaws to cycles) and from farmers to milk man to businessman.

Thanks to the #harghartiranga ini tiative by honorable PM Sri Nar endra Modi as a part of the Azaadi Ka Amritha mahastov, campaign to encourage people to bring the Ti ranga home and hoist it to celebrate 75 years of India’s independence!! Way to go PM sir for reviving the national spirit. Jai Hind!!

Austin South Asian

Editor: Bala Kumar

Marketing: Jayachitra Vijay -512-828-6709

Production: Jyothi Mariswaran Admin: Sharada Dayanidhi

Publisher: Vidya Kumar Circulation: Vasooda Kumar

info@austinsouthasian.com

©All rights reserved.

No material herein or portions thereof be published without the wirtten consent of the publisher. The deadline for advertisement and article is 20th of every month.

Yoga Asanas That One Could Practice For Stress Relief

With everyone having so much on their plate, it is inevitable for peo

ple to end up overthinking things. Being pessimistic all the time can

harm your emotional well-being.

If you are constantly overthinking, you are bound to look at things with a negative outlook. As a result, we get trapped in a cycle that attracts dissatisfaction and negativity.

If you believe that you are on the verge of getting stuck in the loop, this article may help you. Juhi Kapoor, a fitness trainer, recently dropped a post on her Instagram space where she suggested three yoga asanas for dealing with over thinking and negativity.

Butterfly pose: Juhi claims that this pose releases trauma. While per forming the asana, you can either hold still or drastically move your legs.

Padma Mudra: According to the fitness trainer, Padma Mudra symbolises a “beautiful bud leaning toward the light, growing out of the deep dark muck of the pond water.” For this pose, place your hands in the centre of your chest in a form of a flower.

According to her, this pose brings happiness and peace and clears out emotional baggage.

Bhramari pranayama: This pose in volves chanting a humming sound. The sound, as a result, facilitates activating the parasympathetic ner vous system. It can help in relax ation and improve digestion.

Besides helping you get rid of overthinking, negativity and stress, the aforementioned poses put you in a better mood. It also helps peo ple with anxiety. (Courtesy: https:// www.news18.com/)

6 Health Benefits of Walking That You Should Know

alking is excellent for the body. Just like any other exercise, walk ing burns calories and helps you lose weight.

You can add walking to your regu lar fitness regime or inculcate this as your regular activity in your sed entary life.

Walking keeps you fit and healthy aids in digestion and also improves cardiovascular health.

boost the health of your heart by reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. The farther you walk and longer the duration, it will be bene ficial for your heart as well as your overall body.

Regulate blood sugar levels: Regu lar walking can keep your sugar levels in check.

As per a study published by the American Diabetes Association, short and intermittent bouts of

To lose a significant number of ki los you need to burn a lot of calo ries, which depends on a couple of factors like - your weight, pace, speed of walking, and terrain to name a few..

Here are the benefits of walking:

Losing calories: Walking helps in burning calories and losing weight. A brisk walk is more beneficial than a leisure walk.

Same way, if you walk on an in clined path, you will burn more calories than by walking on a straight path.

Toning: Walking can strengthen the muscles of your legs and make them look more toned. For more strength pair it with other exercises like jogging, cycling, squats, and lunges among others.

Improve cardiovascular health: A 30-minute walk every day can

walks proved effective to control blood sugar. You can consider walking after your meals as well for exercise and health.

Boosts energy: Instead of your regular caffeine intake to boost en ergy, choose to go for a short walk, whether at home or at the office.

A walk is more effective in boost ing your energy when you are tired or sleepy as it increases the flow of oxygen and levels of energy hor mones like cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine in the body.

Allows you to be creative: Walking may help with mental blocks and clear your head. It allows you to think clearly.

If at the office, try to go for a walk outside or initiate meetings with colleagues over a walk. (Courtesy: https://www.news18.com/)

5 Changes You Can Make To Stay Healthy

Women are often surprised by the life-altering side effects from their cancer treatment that can continue for years after, such as pain and fatigue. And many live with the dread of their cancer returning, even after they pass the celebrated five-year survival mark

Every year, more than 20,000 Australians – mostly women – are diagnosed with breast cancer. If you’re one of them or know some one who is, the great news is that 92 out of every 100 women will survive for five years or more after their diagnosis.

But women are often surprised by the life-altering side effects from their cancer treatment that can con tinue for years after, such as pain and fatigue. And many live with the dread of their cancer returning, even after they pass the celebrated five-year survival mark.

1. Stay physically active

Move more and sit less. Ideally, this includes gradually progress ing towards and then maintaining about 150 minutes (two and a half hours) of planned, regular exercise a week.

This involves a mix of aerobic ex ercise (such as walking) and resis tance exercises (that target specific muscle groups), done at a moderate or high enough intensity to make you huff and puff a bit.

Observational studies show asso ciations between exercise and liv ing longer and prevention of can cer recurrence. And there’s some preliminary evidence from clinical trials to support this too.

Women with breast cancer who exercise and are more active, have better quality of life, strength and fitness, and fewer and less severe side effects during active treatment.

2. Eat a high quality diet

Women with better diets – that in clude a high intake of vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, whole grains and fish – have been shown to live longer after a breast cancer diagno

sis than those who have a diet high in refined or processed foods and red meat.

This is due mainly to the benefit of a good diet on reducing the risks of other health conditions, such as heart disease, rather than having a direct effect on the risk of dying from breast cancer.

Many women, particularly older women or those with early stage breast cancer, are actually at higher risk of dying from heart disease than their breast cancer. A high

However, compliance with the diet was difficult – only one in five women in the study were able to stick to the fasting diet for all their chemotherapy treatments.

3. Maintain a healthy weight

Besides these well-established tips, a small body of research suggests two more behaviours, related to our body clock, can impact health after a breast cancer diagnosis.

4. Get good sleep

risk of breast cancer coming back. But the study’s authors note ran domised trials are needed to test whether increasing the amount of time fasting at night can reduce the risk of disease.

Small steps to big changes

quality diet can help maintain a healthy body weight and heart health.

There has been growing interest in specific diets (such as ketogenic or low-carbohydrate diets) and fast ing during cancer treatment. But the most recent guidelines state there’s no evidence yet to say these are of significant benefit.

More research is being done fol lowing findings from a 2020 study, which suggested a “fasting mim icking diet” (low calorie, low pro tein) on the days prior to and of chemotherapy, produced a better response to treatment.

Excess body weight has also been linked to poorer survival after breast cancer diagnosis. But so far there haven’t been any clini cal trials to show the opposite: that weight loss following a breast can cer diagnosis can improve surviv al. Trials are underway to answer this question.

Weight gain is common following breast cancer treatment.

The causes for this are complex and carrying extra weight can make some of the side effects of treatment worse.

Our recent study of women follow ing breast cancer treatment, found that when they are supported to lose a modest amount of weight (5% of their body weight), they im proved their physical quality of life and reduced their pain levels. They also reduced their risk of heart dis ease and diabetes.

Disrupted sleep – common among women with breast cancer – can re main for years after your treatment has ended.

Women with breast cancer who regularly struggle to fall or stay asleep at night – compared those who rarely or never – are at greater risk of dying from any cause.

And it’s not just about how well, but also how long you sleep.

Sleeping longer than nine hours per night – com pared to seven to eight hours – is associated with a 48% in creased risk of breast cancer returning.

But, studies are yet to tease apart the possible rea sons for this. Is increased risk of cancer recurrence a result of sleep ing longer or is sleeping longer a consequence of progressing or re current disease?

5. Be mindful of when you eat

Preliminary research suggests when you eat matters. Delaying the time between the last meal of the day (dinner or supper) and first meal of the next (breakfast) may help reduce the chances of breast cancer returning.

When women reported fasting overnight for fewer than 13 hours – compared to 13 or more hours – after a breast cancer diagnosis, it was linked to a 36% increased

The World Cancer Research Fund has developed a list of recommen dations to reduce cancer risk and reduce the risk of cancer coming back. But our research has found most women aren’t meeting these recommendations after their breast cancer diagnosis. Changing hab its after breast cancer can also be harder, mainly due to fatigue and stress.

Starting exercise after treatment can be intimidating and even frightening. It’s a good idea to start small, for example: aim to increase exercise by 10 to 15 minutes each week. Having an exercise buddy really helps and there are lots of ex ercise programs for people who’ve had breast cancer.

Common questions about exercis ing after a breast cancer diagnosis include how to avoid the swelling and discomfort of lymphoedema, which develops in about 20% of breast cancer survivors who have had lymph nodes removed.

People also worry about exercise and wig discomfort or irritation from radiation. Specific advice is available.

Similar to exercise goals, rather than striving for a perfect diet, you can aim to eat more vegetables each week.

Sleep can be challenging if you’ve been worrying about a cancer di agnosis or treatment but tips for getting the recommended seven to nine hours sleep each night include exercising earlier in the day, avoid ing snacks before bed and good sleep hygiene.

(Courtesy: https://indianexpress. com/)

Foods & Healthy Practices For Fall Season

Here in Austin, Texas it may not seem to be happening just yet (or soon enough!) but we all know it will – the much anticipated arrival of Autumn.

As the leaves change color, float down to the ground, as our plants and trees get ready to slow down - it would be wise to observe these changes and take action.

In fact, observing nature’s cycles and incorporating a good rhythm into our lives is exactly what Ayurveda recommends for keeping good health.

The thing is that fluctuations and change are always going to hap pen and with more frequency in our busy, modern world. The great thing is that we have natural tools and tips available to us!

Ayurveda recommends seasonspecific practices to minimize those fluctuations and how they might affect us on various levels.

These seasonal practices are tradi tional, but need not be complex or hard to understand as they have a

knowing the reason behind it all. Either way, it’s never too late to start incorporating a few practices

These two together create what is known as Vata dosha, the sibling of Pitta & Kapha doshas.

Vata is more likely to fall into a state of imbalance during this time of the year as its natural qualities already include coldness and dry ness. For those who aren’t familiar or would appreciate a gentle re minder, the Ayurvedic practice is rooted in the understanding of the five elements (air, ether, fire, water and earth).

It’s the multitude of ways these elements are combined and how they affect what is both within our human mind-body as well as what surrounds us that we can come to know our own “state of health”.

plenty of fresh fruits and vegeta bles that are in season Include healthy oils in your diet

Stay hydrated with warm water, add warming spices such as cinna mon, jeera, clove

Minimized cold, frozen and dry items (remember the season has plenty of cold & dryness already!)

Eat according to your digestive strength (not more than you can handle)

Maintain exercise, yoga, walking, etc.

Do daily meditation and pranaya ma, even if only for 10 - 15 min utes.

Spruce up your home & living space with seasonal colors (bur gundy, orange, browns, earthy tones)

lot of relevance in our world today.

Now, you may be familiar with some of the practices surrounding seasonal changes if you grew up in a household where ritucharya was observed.

Maybe you participated without

into your life and share them with your family.

According to Ayurveda the shift into the cooler seasons such as Au tumn & Winter is very likely to in crease the vayu & akasha elements in our systems (air & ether).

This is, of course, a very basic and general explanation of the elements but shared to give some context.

With all of this in mind, let’s see what helps to keep our Vata doshas happy and balanced … Have warm & well-cooked foods,

Try aromatherapy with Fall scents (think pumpkin spice!)

Foods & Healthy Practices for Fall Season Article by Annelize Mach ado. Mother, Advocate for Wellbe ing, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Certi fied Yoga Instructor & LMT

How To Keep Pets Happy And Healthy This Holiday Season

The holiday season means fun and festivities for all, but getting wrapped up in all the excitement and celebrations can lead to for getting about safety and pre cautions, espe cially for pets.

Consider these seven tips to help you spot potential hazards around the holi days and keep your pets healthy and hap py.

Food for Thought: Sweet treats and sa vory bites are treasured holi day pastimes for humans, but that can also mean things like choc olates, nuts and animal bones should be super vised carefully so your pets don’t ingest something toxic or harm ful. Other human foods to put on

October 2022 Sudoku Answer

the do-not-share list include garlic, onions and grapes. It’s also wise to keep your trash in a tightly sealed container or hidden somewhere your pet can’t access.

Mr. Yudhveer Bagga

Keep Calm and Carry On: The hol iday season brings people together for milestones and celebrations, but all the hoopla can be stressful for pets. From the loud music and new visitors to kids running around or fireworks going off, some pets can become overwhelmed. To help keep your pets comfortable and calm, try turning on a TV or some soothing music in a quiet room away from the noises or let them curl up on their favorite bed with a toy or treat to distract them. You can also try introducing a calming supplement like Zesty Paws Calm ing Bites for Dogs that may help with normal stress, nervousness and hyperactivity during stressful situations.

Watch Out for Tree Trimmings and Poisonous Plants: While poinset tias and festive fir trees are holiday classics, they can also be extremely hazardous to pets. It’s important to be careful about what you’re bringing inside your home. Many holiday plants like holly, lilies, amaryllis and even pine needles from trees can be toxic if ingested. If ingestion does occur, contact a pet poison hotline or your veteri narian. If it’s after hours or in the event of an emergency, find your nearest 24-hour emergency veteri nary clinic.

Watch the Weather: Changing tem peratures and harsh conditions can wreak havoc on human skin, so it’s no surprise it can also affect pets’ skin and coats. You can try reducing

their bathing frequency, keeping up with brushings and providing extra hydration to keep them feel ing their best. Another way to keep your pet’s skin and coat healthy is to add supple ments that con tain es sential fatty acids. A fish oil, like Zesty Paws Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil, pro vides omega-3s for dogs to help nourish their skin and coats.

Stick to a Routine: Pets thrive on routines for feeding, potty breaks and exercise, so be conscious of how your holiday plans may shake things up. Try to stick to your regular schedule as closely as pos sible or consider asking a friend or relative to help if you’ll be away during regular feeding or outdoor break times.

Spend Some Quality Time: In ad dition to providing companion ship and love, spending time with pets can also reduce stress, anxiety and depression; ease loneliness; and encourage exercise and play fulness. Even though you may be traveling or partying with friends, be sure to spend some quality time with your fur babies this holiday season, too.

Give Them Gifts: Humans aren’t the only ones who love to get gifts. Few things beat the look on dog’s faces when you pull out a new toy or treat for them to enjoy. Whether it’s a new leash, ball or cozy bed, be sure you have a little something to give your furry family members this holiday season as well.

For more information and ways to keep your pets happy and healthy, visit ZestyPaws.com.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images (family with dog) (Family Fea tures)

The Asian American Political Action Committee Endorses Candidates For 2022 City, County And State Level Elections

(Continued From Page 01)

This forum was attended mostly by members of the Asian Ameri can community but was open to all residents of Central Texas.

The stated purpose of the meet ing from the point of view of the sponsoring organizations was to introduce the candidates to the community and for the candidates to meet the community, and let community members de cide who they wish to vote for.

Also in attendance at this meeting were members of the Asian Ameri can Political Action Committee (AA PAC).

Candidates running for elected of fices in Austin, Travis County and also state representative level were interviewed at the events.

The sponsors of this event, as well as the attendees, deeply appreci ate that so many citizens who have declared their candidacy with the

goal of working for the betterment of the city, county and state attend ed this event and suggested various solutions during the Q&A period.

Following the forum, AA PAC members met both face-to-face and over Zoom to evaluate the written responses from the candidates that were returned prior to the candi date forum and also comments from the different candidates at the forum and decided on the fol lowing endorsements only, based on a minimum 2/3 super-majority voting by the PAC members in at tendance at this latter meeting to endorse a candidate in a particular position.

The list of the candidates endorsed by the AA PAC are listed below:

City of Austin: Mayor: Kirk Watson Council District 1: Council Mem ber Natasha Harper-Madison Council District 3: Daniella Silva Council District 5: Ken Craig

Council District 9: Linda Guerrero

Travis County: County Judge: County Judge Andy Brown

Texas State House of Representa tives: District 20: Raul Camacho District 46: Tom Kost District 47: Rep. Vikki Goodwin District 48: Rep. Donna Howard District 50: Rep. James Talarico District 51: Rep. Maria Luisa (Lulu) Flores District 136: Rep. John Bucy III

ACC Board of Trustees:

Place 4: Sean Hassan Place 6: Steve Jacobs

AISD Board of Trustees: District 4: Kathryn Whitley Chu District 6: Geronimo Rodriguez At-Large Position 9: Arati Singh

Truss added that she would remain as prime minister “until a succes sor has been chosen.” Truss was appointed as prime minister by Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 6, just two days before the monarch’s death.

Truss also appeared in one of the last public photos that were taken of Her Majesty from her last offi cial engagement before her death at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

Following the queen’s Sept. 8 death, Truss was among those who

paid tribute to the late royal.

“We’re all devastated by the news that we have just heard from Bal moral,” Truss said in a statement.

“The death of Her Majesty the Queen is a huge shock to the nation and to the world. Queen Elizabeth II was the rock on which modern Britain was built.

Our country has grown and flour ished under her reign. Britain is the great country it is today because of her.” (Courtesy: https://www.ya hoo.com/)

To Indicate Intake Status

Austin Animal Center (AAC) has developed a new tool to display current shelter capacity levels.

“Our capacity often changes hour to hour. We needed a way to com municate to the public about our intake status, so we worked with City of Austin Communications and Technology Management on creating these meters,” said AAC marketing and communication manager Kelsey Cler.

There are three meters indicating the capacity levels for cats, small dogs, and medium/large dogs. The meters are updated every hour.

“Shelters nationwide are struggling with capacity,” said Chief Animal Services Officer Don Bland.

“One of our goals with this new tool is to help the public under stand our capacity limits and pro vide a better picture of intake sta tus.”

The capacity meters can be viewed at austintexas.gov/lost-found-pets

About Austin Animal Center

Austin Animal Center, operated by the City of Austin Animal Services Office, is the municipal shelter for the City of Austin and unincorpo rated Travis County.

Austin Animal Center provides shelter and care to more than 11,000 animals annually, and safely places more than 95% of all pets.

Rishi Sunak Becomes U.K.’s First British Asian Prime Minister After Liz Truss Resignation

(Continued From Page 01)

Combining Fun with Function: Easy Home Office Updates

Brightening up your home office can bring a sense of fresh energy to your workspace, but making changes can seem overwhelming if you’re not sure where to begin. Family orga nizing expert Jessica Litman, also known as “The Organized Mama,” shares her pro tips to creatively update your home office with out stress.

Unique Storage Options, Large plastic tubs can offer practical storage solutions, but for a more stylish look, change things up with wo ven baskets or colored boxes instead. “Regu lar tubs can be a quick way to organize,” Lit man offers. “But if you’re looking to create a chic appearance, try storing your files in a wire-framed basket for texture, or collaps ible storage cube for a cool burst of color.”

Label the baskets to keep things organized. Make bright, removable labels with mul tipurpose Duck Masking Color Masking Tape, so finding office supplies is a breeze.

Power of Plants. Add nature-inspired hues to your office with a houseplant, either fake or real. Faux plants require no maintenance at all (which removes a task from the to-do

list) and can brighten a workspace to bring some color to a room. Real plants provide the added benefit of clarifying the air and can be tailored to the environment of your office, whether you have a sunny window or a more shaded space.

reduce stress, especially during those win ter months! Adding a fresh, easy-to-care-for plant is a great way to help boost morale on long work-from-home days.”

Case Closed. Create a tablet or laptop case

or bags,” Litman offers. “But creating laptop or tablet cases with colorful, printed Duck Tape can add personality and vibrance to of fice equipment.”

Duck Tape brand prints are fun, trendy and available in a huge variety of colors and pat terns to craft almost anything you can imag ine.

Shifting Schedules. Schedules are a part of everyone’s life, but that doesn’t mean getting your calendar organized has to be a chore. Use acrylic or dry erase boards, poster boards or cork as a blank slate to customize into a weekly or monthly chart. Adding items with colored markers or tape can be a way to stay ahead of due dates and meetings, as well as highlight important assignments or contacts.

Litman adds, “Plants have been proven to

that’s completely customized to you. “So many people like to personalize phone cases

Pens & Pencils Down. Who says students get to have all the fun? Jazz up your desk décor with some pencil cups, a stapler or sticky note holder to keep office supplies organized and fabulous. There are no rules when it comes to how artistic you can get – make your home office as unique as you. (StatePoint)

Bidens Host Largest Ever Diwali Reception At White House

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr Jill Biden on Monday hosted a Diwali recep tion at the White House in what they called the largest since the People’s House started celebrating the festival during the George Bush administration.

More than 200 eminent Indian Americans attended the reception at the East Room, a venue which has witnessed some of the landmark events related to the India-US relationship, including the signing of the nuclear deal and the joint press conference by then US President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in November 2008.

The reception saw some enthralling cultural events, including performances by sitarist Rishab Sharma and dance troupe The Sa Dance Company. The guests, dance troupe The Sa Dance Company. The guests, dressed in traditional Indian attires such as saree, lehenga and sherwani, relished some mouth watering Indian delicacies.

“The room is full at the East state dining room... This is a real celebration of what the Indian American community has achieved in

the United States. It’s a wonderful recogni tion by the President and by the White House to host all of us on Diwali. I feel very privi

leged to be here as an Indian American,” Atul Keshap, president of US India Business Council told PTI during the reception.

“It’s an honour and a privilege to be here to celebrate Diwali. Indian Americans thank the

President and the First Lady for this,” said H R Shah, chairman and CEO of TV Asia, the largest South Asian television channel in the US.

Ajay Jain Bhutoria, a member of the Presi dent’s Advisory Commission on Asian Ame ricans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Island ers, said the event was held to recognise the

South Asian community’s contributions in economic development and managing Covid crisis among others.

Biden has appointed a record number of over 130 Indo-Americans at various levels of the administrations, he said.

Lauding the Diwali celebration, Bhutoria said it sent a message “how much President Biden and this administration loves and re spects the South Asian community”.

Earlier, welcoming the guests, Biden said it was the first Diwali reception to be held at the White House on such a scale.

“The incredible South Asian community all across America has helped the country emerge stronger from this pandemic, build ing an economy that works for everyone, teaching children and caring for elders, re sponding to the cry for action on climate, working to fix immigration system, defend ing rights and freedoms, building a more just and equitable country, serving and protecting our communities and the nation, informing, entertaining and inspiring,” he said. (Cour tesy: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)

‘Varisu’ Makers Confirm That Movie Will Release For Pongal 2023

Vijay just completed shooting for his Tamil and Telugu bilingual film

‘Varisu’. The movie is set for its release in January 2023 on Pongal.

The film makers on Diwali, Octo ber 24 finally made the official an

nouncement that the movie will be released for Pongal.

The poster had Vijay in a full-on action mode. Earlier last month, the production house had report edly informed that the fans that the movie has two important action se quences and also stated that it will be high on energy.

The movie went on floors earlier this year and the final leg of the shooting has been wrapped up and it is currently in its post-produc tion.

The music for the film has been composed by Thaman S. It was also earlier confirmed by the music director Thaman that the first sin gle from the movie is set to release today. However, there has been no update on that.

‘Varisu’ features Vijay, Rashmika Mandanna, Sarathkumar, Prabhu, Prakash Raj, Yogi Babu, Shyam, Jayasudha, Sangeetha Krish, Sri kanth and Samyuktha Shanmuga nathan.

‘Ponniyin Selvan 1’: Movie That Broke All Box Office Records

It has been three weeks since the release of Mani Ratnam’s magnum opus ‘Ponniyin Selvan’.

The movie is a blockbuster and it has made more than Rs 450 crore at the box office.

The movie makers took to social media to announce that across the country, the film is performing well and added that ‘Ponniyin Selvan’

has become the highest-grosser Tamil film this year.

‘Ponniyin Selvan’ was made with a budget of Rs 500 crore and the film

Karthi, Trisha and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the lead roles along with Jayaram, Sarathkumar, Part hiban, Rahman, Prakash Raj, Aish warya Lekshmi and Sobhitha Dhu

film will be released in the Summer next year.

The biggest opening of Mani Rat nam’s films

‘Ponniyin Selvan’ has reportedly marked the biggest opening ever in 20 years for Mani Ratnam.

The film on its opening day made a box office collection of Rs 80 crore worldwide and nearly Rs 25 crore in Tamil Nadu.

The film also became the first high est-grosser Tamil film to cross the Rs 100 crore mark at the box of fice.

A big hold in the overseas market

‘Ponniyin Selvan’ has reportedly surpassed all Indian films to be come the first Tamil film to top all big box office collections.

The film also overtook Rajini kanths’s ‘2.0’ collection in the US,

UK, Singapore, and Australia.

Still running in theatres

Even at the end of the third week, the film is still running with a sub stantial number of shows in the atres that are running houseful.

The demand for the movie has not slowed down even after 20 days and it is expected that the film will continue to perform well till the month’s end amidst Diwali re leases.

500 screens in the third week

Over the years, films that perform well in theatres in the first and sec ond week will have the number of shows reduced.

However, even at the beginning of the 4th week, ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ is being released on nearly 500 screens around the world. (Courte sy: https://timesofindia.indiatimes. com/)

has not compromised on the story while focusing on visuals. Movie fans and audiences were pleased with the film’s adaptation of the novel.

Starring Vikram, Jayam Ravi,

lipala in supporting roles, the film has broken many box office re cords as well as created new ones.

The music for the movie is com posed by AR Rahman. It is ex pected that the second part of the

Austin South Asian Invites Contributions

Readers And Community

Sooraj Barjatya Moves Away From Family-Dramas With ‘Uunchai’

The trailer of the upcoming film ‘Uunchai’ was unveiled on Tues day.

The trailer packs in a surprise in

a story of four friends in their old age.

It features the characters played by Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher,

But, disaster strikes when Danny’s character passes away because of old age. After this, the three friends decide to take the trek in his mem ory. Parineeti Chopra plays the character of a trek guide, and ex plains the difficulties of the trek but unsure of the group of friends’ pos sibility of completing the trek.

The film also stars actress Neena Gupta and Sarika. ‘Uunchai’ is Sooraj Barjatya’s 7th film as a di rector, who is known for largerthan-life sets, costume dramas and musicals. But, this time he has cho sen a different mood and settings with ‘Uunchai’.

Ram Setu Movie Review : A Lopsided Argument On Mythology Versus History

Ram Setu for commercial gain, but there’s a catch. He needs evi dence that can prove in the Su

naturally formed. If proven so, no religious sentiments would be hurt on its destruction.

He ropes in atheist Aary an assuming his verdict would definitely go in his favour. However, surprisesurprise, that’s not the case. Even a five-year-old can tell what Aaryan dis covers on this mission.

terms of genre from director Sooraj Barjatya, who is otherwise known for telling stories with the back drop of family drama.

The trailer of ‘Uunchai’ presents

Boman Irani and Danny Denzong pa, who are longtime friends. The trailer establishes Danny’s wish to take his friends to the Everest Base Camp, wanting to relive his child hood with his friends.

Shot at 17000 plus feet above sea level, with a senior star cast, and produced by Rajshri Productions in association with Mahaveer Jain Films and Boundless Media, ‘Uun chai’ is set to arrive in theatres on November 11. (Courtesy: https:// timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)

preme Court, that the bridge is not man-made (or Ram made), instead

Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali Declared The Best Indian Film Of All Time By FIPRESCI

A poll conducted by the India chapter of the International Fed eration of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) has decided the top 10 films in the history of Indian cinema. Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali has topped the list.

Based no Bibhutibhushan Bandyo padhyay’s 1929 Bengali novel of the same, Ray’s 1955 film marked his directorial debut, and was the first installment in his Apu Trilogy of films.

The film drew from the Italian Neorealism movement started by filmmakers such as Vittorio de Sica, Michelangelo Antonioni and Roberto Rosselini. Pather Panch ali is often regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, and has admirers in Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese and Wes Ander son.

It was followed by Aparajito and Apur Sansar. The rest of the top 10 was dominated by filmmakers

synonymous with the parallel film movement in India, which focused

Bhuvan Shome.

The number four, five and six films

spot, and was followed by Shyam Benegal’s 1974 film Ankur, Guru Dutt’s 1954 film Pyaasa, and the Hindi blockbuster Sholay, directed by Ramesh Sippy and released in 1975.

The FIPRESCI was founded in 1930, and gives out awards at film festivals such as at the Vienna In ternational Film Festival, the To ronto International Film Festival, the Cannes Film Festival, the Ven ice Film Festival, the Warsaw Film Festival, and the International Film Festival of Kerala).

The poll was conducted in se cret, and involved 30 members of FIPRESCI – India.

on social strife and politics and not mainstream entertainment.

Ritwik Ghatak’s 1960 drama

Meghe Dhaka Tara was the number two film on the list, and was fol lowed by Mrinal Sen’s 1969 drama

on the list were Adoor Gopal akrishnan’s 1981 Malayalam film Elippathayam, Girish Kasaraval li’s 1977 film Ghatashraddha, and MS Sathyu’s Garm Hava, which was released in 1973. Ray’s 1964 film Charulata took the seventh

No Tamil language film found a spot in the top 10, which includ ed five Hindi films, three Bengali movies, and one each from the Ma layalam and Kannada languages. (Courtesy: https://indianexpress. com/)

A lop sided argument on mythology versus history, Ram Setu is the kind of film, where you can pre cisely tell the final out come in the first scene.

There is no joy of discov ery because it plays out like a poorly scripted re ality show that isn’t even discreet about its agenda. The film is pain fully predictable and blatantly ma nipulative. Even if you overlook the motive, the supposed surviv al- drama, is way too dull and farfetched for a mythical adventure movie.

Characters locate ancient hidden caves, floating rocks, manuscripts, sanjeevni booti and Ravana’s Lan ka faster than services of food de livery apps.

There’s also a poor man’s, Iron Man like (minus Jarvis) underwa ter suit that Akshay slips into for this expedition that fails to height en your curiosity and awe. If the build-up is disappointing, the cli max only gets worse.

Set in a courtroom, Aaryan rants about ‘progress not at the cost of sanskriti’. In its desperate attempt to reframe mythology as history and vice versa, it does a lot of dis service to Shree Ram’s legacy and faith in general.

Barring a few decent chase se quences, Ram Setu has no spark and is way too preachy. Lord Rama doesn’t need a salesman or films acting as Instagram influencers for him. (Courtesy: https://timesofin dia.indiatimes.com/)