THE JOURNAL OF April-June 2012

HEALTH &

HAPPINESS

Soaking in the

Sunshine Vitamin How to improve your

grades in exams How toddlers behave

and learn better Overeating and

memory loss New "massage method"

to stop tooth decay Meditation helps in psychiatric problems

Health Miracles of Exercise

Should sugar be regulated like alcohol and tobacco

Atul Kochchar's Health & Happiness recipe

I recently spent a lot of time in India,

visiting some of the most fabulous

places from the magnificent temple

towns of Tamilnadu to the world

famous Mahabodhi temple in

Bodhgaya, where Buddha sat in

meditation to attain enlightenment and to discover the

middle-path to alleviate human suffering. India could be

crowded, chaotic and noisy, yet you might find places -

calm and quiet, unspoiled by waste and untouched by

vehicular pollution. One such place was Dhanushkodi, 14

km south of Rameswaram, the point where Lord Rama is

said to have built a bridge to cross over to Sri Lanka. You

could sit there for hours watching blue horizon, breathing

fresh air and soaking in the gentle sun.

Southall Health & Happiness Show: May I invite

all of you to this event at the Dominion Centre in

Southall on Sunday, the 20th May. You will have the

opportunity to learn how to save someone's life in the

event of a cardiac arrest. You will also have a Q&A

session with one of the UK's top cardiologists, Dr Sandy

Gupta. The event is organised in association with the

British Heart Foundation.

Vijay Rana Editor, The Journal of Health & Happiness

C O N T E N T S Spring, April - June 2012 Issue 6

04 - Overeating could cause memory loss

- Long hours of sitting is no good

05 - Vitamin D: The sunshine vitamin

06 - How tearjerkers make people happier

- Drink water in exams to improves grades

08 - Toxic truth about sugar

09 - Bollywood is fuelling alcohol craze

10 - 'Health Miracles' of exercise

12 - Rubbing toothpaste onto your teeth

13 - How toddlers behave and learn

14 - Diabetics have high blood pressure

15 - Music and art can boost stroke recovery

- Which type of Olive Oil

16 - Meditation reduces psychiatric disorders

17 - How to speed up stroke recovery

18 - Atul Kochhar's HNH recipe

How to get in touch

Editor: editor@ajivan.com Advertising enquiries: sales@ajivan.com Subscription enquiries: info@ajivan.com Tel: 07850 374 595 Website: www.ajivan.com The Journal of Health & Happiness is a publication of Ajivan: The Society for Health & Happiness, a voluntary group dedicated to positive health and wellbeing. Disclaimer: The information available in this magazine is for general awareness only. It is NOT a substitute for the knowledge and judgment of qualified medical experts. We make no warranty as to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of this information. Should you have any health or medical condition, you are strongly advised to consult a qualified physician or other health care professional. Views expressed by our contributors are their own and we take no responsibility for their

views.

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Overeating doubles the risk of memory loss If you can't resist potato chips, cheesy burgers,

chocolate cakes, samosas and parathas, think again. A

new study from Mayo Clinic, Arizona, has found that

elderly people, aged 70 and over, who ate more calories a

day had a higher risk of a type of memory loss called mild

cognitive impairment (MCI).

Researchers surveyed 1,233 people aged 70 to 89. The

participants were free of dementia, but 163 had symptoms

of MCI. Participants self-reported their daily caloric

intake in a food questionnaire, and the researchers divided

them into three groups accordingly. The lowest-calorie

group consumed 600 to 1,526 calories per day, the middle

group ate 1,526 to 2,143 per day, and the highest-intake

group reported consuming between 2,143 to 6,000 calories

per day.

Those in the highest-calorie group were twice as likely

to have MCI as those eating less than 1,526 calories a day.

“The higher the amount of calories consumed, the higher

the risk of MCI,” says study author Yonas Geda. The

results of this study werr presented at the American

Academy of Neurology’s annual meeting in April.

MCI is a stage of cognitive decline between normal

age-related memory loss and Alzheimer’s dementia.

People with MCI have problems with memory and

thinking that are noticeable to others, but that don’t

interfere with everyday life. The condition can be a

precursor to Alzheimer’s, but not all cases of MCI

progress into full-blown dementia. According to a recent

Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, more than 6% of Americans

between the age of 70 to 89 develop MCI each year.

It’s unclear why the amount of calories we consume

may affect memory, but some scientists theorize that

excessive calorie intake may stimulate stress proteins in

the brain, which may contribute to memory loss.

“Excessive calorie intake is the key here. Excessive

intake is associated with thinking and memory,” says

Geda. “The good news is consuming calories in

moderation will not negatively influence memory. A

healthy diet may prevent memory loss as we age.”

An Australian study, published in the Archives of Internal

Medicine, has found that adults who sat for more than 11

hours a day had a 40 per cent increased risk of dying

within three years, compared with those who sat for fewer

than four hours a day.

The study of more than 220,000 NSW residents has

found the longer you spend sitting down the greater your

risk of dying early, even if you otherwise do regular

exercise.

Professor David Dunstan, from the Baker IDI Heart and

Diabetes Institute, said health workers usually focused on

trying to increase people's participation in sports, and

trying to get them to do at least half an hour of exercise

every day. "We need to think more about what we do with

the 15 hours of non-exercise wake time," he said.

Sitting can be detrimental for our health because when

we sit down there is an absence of muscle contractions,

explains Professor Dunstan. These contractions are

required for the body to clear blood glucose and blood fats

from the blood stream.

"Doing at least 30 minutes of physical activity each

day is still important but it's just as critical for people to

reduce their sitting time," Dr Hidde Van Der Ploeg from

Sydney University, the lead author of the study said.

He said the average adult spends 90 per cent of their

leisure time sitting down. "We sit while eating our

breakfast, we sit as we drive, we sit behind our desk all

day, we're always sitting down and this is a health risk."

Professor Dunstan said, "We need to take those

opportunities to stand up, while on transport, at work,

during our leisure time."

He acknowledged that sitting for less than four hours a

day was no mean feat. "It will require people to drastically

change, which is hard," he said. "But that's the goal."

4 THE JOURNAL OF HEALTH & HAPPINESS

Long hours of sitting could lead to early death

Q: Why do we need to sleep? A: We need sleep to create memories, think clearly and react quickly. Insufficient sleep hampers our ability to remember and reason.

Vitamin D: The sunshine vitamin "When the days are sunny, go out for a few minutes and expose your face and arms to the sunshine."

Leading medical

research charity Arthritis

Research UK is using the

first day of British

Summer Time to remind

groups at risk of vitamin

D deficiency to beat

Britain’s grey skies and

top up their levels of the

essential ‘sunshine’

vitamin.

The main source of

vitamin D is through the

action of sunlight on our

skin, hence its ‘sunshine’

nickname. It is essential

to help the body absorb

calcium from food and

low levels can cause

serious problems with

bone health. A lack of

vitamin D can result in

bone loss, impairment of

muscle function and an

increased risk of falls and

fractures, and Britain’s frequently grey skies, particularly

in winter months, may put millions of people at risk of

vitamin D deficiency.

The Arthritis Research UK recommendation follows the

CMO’s advice earlier this year. Those at risk include

people over the age of sixty-five; pregnant and

breastfeeding women, children aged six months to five

years old, and those who rarely go outside.

Pigmentation affects vitamin D synthesis and darker-

skinned people, such as those of South Asian or Afro-

Caribbean origin, are at greater risk of deficiency. It is

among these groups that the UK has seen recent cases of

children with rickets.

Arthritis Research UK Medical Director, Alan Silman,

explains: “Vitamin D is essential for strong, healthy

bones. Our advice to people is to ‘Step outside!’ as this is

the best way to get vitamin D. When the days are sunny,

go out for a few minutes and expose your face and arms to

the sunshine. Don’t allow your skin to go red, and take

care not to burn, particularly in strong sunshine and if you

have fair or sensitive skin. From June to August just

fifteen minutes is generally enough time.”

“The country may have changed its clocks to British

Summer Time but it will be a few more months before the

sun’s UV levels are strong enough over Britain for our

bodies alone to make enough vitamin D.

“In less sunny months, we recommend that people top

up the vitamin D in your diet by eating more oily fish such

as salmon, tuna, trout, mackerel, pilchards and sardines,

and foods ‘fortified’ with vitamin D, such as breakfast

cereals and some margarines. You could also consider

taking a vitamin D supplement.”

There is significant research to suggest that bone

strength starts at birth or even in the womb. Arthritis

Research UK is currently funding research at

Southampton University to prove that giving vitamin D

supplements to pregnant women who are deficient in the

vitamin can increase the bone density of their babies at

birth and reduce the risk of their babies developing

osteoporosis in later life.

For more information about vitamin D and bone health

visit www.arthritisresearchuk.org. If you are concerned

about your levels of vitamin D visit your GP.

5 THE JOURNAL OF HEALTH & HAPPINESS

How tearjerkers

make people

Happier

People enjoy watching tragedy movies like 'Titanic' or

Veer Zara because they deliver what may seem to be an

unlikely benefit: tragedies actually make people happier

in the short-term. Researchers found that watching a

tragedy movie made people happier by bringing attention

to some positive aspects in their own lives. “Tragic

stories often focus on themes of eternal love, and this

leads viewers to think about their loved ones and count

their blessings,” said Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick, lead

author of the study and associate professor of

communication at Ohio State University.

The key is the extent to which viewers thought about

their own relationships as a result of watching the movie.

The more they thought about their loved ones, the greater

the increase in their happiness. Viewers who had self-

centered thoughts concerning the movie – such as “My

life isn’t as bad as the characters in this movie” – did not

see an increase in their happiness.

Knobloch-Westerwick said this study is one of the first

to take a scientific approach to explaining why people

enjoy fictional tragedies that make them sad.

“Philosophers have considered this question over the

millennia, but there hasn’t been much scientific attention

to the question,” she said. The study published in the

journal Communication Research, involved 361 college

students who viewed an abridged version of the 2007

movie “Atonement,” which involves two lovers who are

separated and die as war casualties. Before and after

viewing the movie, the respondents were asked several

questions which measured how happy they were with

their life.

After the movie, participants rated how much they

enjoyed the movie and wrote about how the movie had

led them to reflect on themselves, their goals, their

relationships and life in general. What people wrote about

was a key in understanding why people enjoy viewing

fictional tragedies, Knobloch-Westerwick said. “People

seem to use tragedies as a way to reflect on the important

relationships in their own life, to count their blessings,”

she said. “That can help explain why tragedies are so

popular with audiences, despite the sadness they induce.”

Drinking water in exams may improve your grades by up to 10%

Students who drink water

during exams may improve

their grade by keeping

hydrated, says a study led by

Chris Pawson from the

University of East London and

Mark Gardner from the

University of Westminster.

Their findings were presented

on April 18 at the British

Psychological Society Annual Conference in London.

The researchers observed 447 psychology students at

the University of East London. They found that only 25%

of the students brought a bottle of water to the exam hall.

Second year students were much more likely to bring a

bottle of water into the exam than those in the first year of

university - 31% did so compared with 21% of the first-

year students. The researchers say

that foundation students who

drank water could expect to see

grades improved by up to

10%.This improvement was 5%

for first-year students and 2% for

second years. Across the group,

the improvement in marks was

4.8% for water-drinking exam

candidates.

Dr Pawson said that there was a possibility that water

consumption may have a physiological effect on thinking

functions that resulted in improved exam performance. He

also proposed the possibility that consuming water may

alleviate anxiety, which is known to have a negative

effect on exam performance. 6 THE JOURNAL OF HEALTH & HAPPINESS

The toxic truth about sugar

Should sugar be regulated like alcohol and tobacco Like cigarettes it is readily available; like alcohol it is

highly addictive and like tobacco one has an irresistible

craving for it, so why shouldn't sugar be regulated and

controlled like tobacco and alcohol, asks a team of

scientists at the University of California, San Francisco.

In an opinion piece called “The Toxic Truth About

Sugar”, published in the February 1 issue of the science

magazine Nature, Robert Lustig, Laura Schmidt and

Claire Brindis have argued that sugar has much more than

“empty calories.” They argued: “There is nothing empty

about these calories. A growing body of scientific

evidence is showing that fructose can trigger processes

that lead to liver toxicity and a host of other chronic

diseases. A little is not a problem, but a lot kills —

slowly.”

Almost a decade ago average individual consumption

in the UK was 1.25lbs per week. And it has grown since

then. According to the American Heart Association an

average US adult consumes 22 teaspoons of sugar a day.

Across the world the sugar intake has tripled in the past

50 years. The authors argue that the increase has helped to

create a global obesity pandemic that contributes to 35

million annual deaths worldwide from noninfectious

diseases including diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

They have suggested a series of higher taxes on sugary

foods and controlling sales to children under 17.

These ideas may look preposterous now but Prof.

Lustig in a television interview argued that decades ago

the idea of a ban on passive smoking looked equally

inconceivable. Emphasising the metabolic effects of sugar

Lustig, a professor of pediatrics and director of the

Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health (WATCH)

program at UCSF, said, “Sugar is toxic beyond its

calories...Excess sugar can alter metabolism, raise blood

pressure, skew the signaling of hormones and damage the

liver — outcomes that sound suspiciously similar to what

can happen after a person drinks too much alcohol."

Some countries, including France, Greece and

Denmark, levy taxes on sugar laden sodas, and the

concept is being considered in at least 20 U.S. cities and

states. The team has also suggested government

intervention, similar to alcohol and tobacco, to reduce the

consumption of sugar. When obesity and diabetes are

becoming major global health concerns, policy makers

will have to think about levying special taxes, controlling

access and tightening licensing requirements on vending

machines that sell high sugar products in schools and

other workplaces.

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Boollywood is fuelling alcohol craze among Indian teenagers At present, on an average, Indians take their first sip of alcohol at the age of 19

compared to 28 in the 1990s. Experts say soon it will come down to 15 years.

Whenever a Bollywood hero fails

in love, loses his mother, is thrown

out of school or sacked from his

job, the first thing he does to

drown his sorrow is to pick up a

bottle of scotch and guzzles it in

one go. Then wandering

unsteadily on the streets, he sings

a heartbreaking song. For decades

Bollywood films have been

promoting such irresponsible

drinking - sending a message that

bottle is the way out for any

problem in life.

Now a new study presented at

the World Congress of Cardiology

in Dubai, has blamed Bollywood

movies for directly influencing the drinking habits of

India's adolescents. Fifty-nine popular Bollywood movies

were coded to record the number of alcohol use

occurrences and 3,956 adolescents were then asked if they

had seen these movies.

Overall 10% of the students (aged between 12-16 years)

surveyed in the study had already tried alcohol. But

students who had seen the greatest number of alcohol use

occurrences in these movies - were found to be 2.78 times

more likely to have tried alcohol compared with those

who were least exposed.

"These results show that exposure to alcohol use

depictions in Bollywood films is directly associated with

alcohol use among young people in India," said Dr GP

Nazar from Health Related Information Dissemination

Against Youth (HIRDAY). "While alcohol advertising is

banned in all Indian media and scenes that justify or

glorify drinking are not allowed in Bollywood films, there

is no dedicated health legislation that prohibits the

depiction of alcohol in these films and there is a clear need

for an immediate alcohol control policy," he added.

Meanwhile, the average age of alcohol consumption in

India has been constantly falling by nearly nine years over

the past decade. At present, on an average, Indians take

their first sip of alcohol at the age of 19 compared to 28 in

the 1990s. Soon, experts say it will come down to 15

years. Nearly 62.5 million people in India drink alcohol

with the per capita consumption being around four litres

per adult per year. For every six men, one woman drinks

alcohol in India. A WHO study recently said families with

frequent drinking husbands in New Delhi spend up to 24%

of family income on alcohol.

Bollywood films are hugely popular among the South

Asian youth in the UK. Campaigners say that there should

be a similar study in the UK, how irresponsible portrayal

of alcohol consumption is influencing the drinking

behaviour of the South Asian youth in the UK.

-----------------------------------------------------

Snacking on raisins may lower blood pressure A new study presented at the American College of

Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session has found that

if you have slightly higher than normal blood pressure --

known as prehypertension -- consider eating a handful of

raisins.

In this investigation, Dr. Harold Bays, MD, medical

director and president of Louisville Metabolic and

Atherosclerosis Research Center (L-MARC), and his team

conducted a randomized controlled clinical trial to

compare the blood pressure effect of eating raisins versus

other snacks in 46 men and women with prehypertension.

Participants were randomly assigned to snack on raisins or

pre-packaged commercial snacks that did not contain

raisins, other fruits or vegetables but had the same number

of calories per serving three times a day for 12 weeks.

Data analyses found that compared to other snacks,

raisins significantly reduced systolic blood pressure at

weeks 4, 8, and 12, ranging from -4.8 to -7.2% or -6.0 to -

10.2 mmHg (p values <0.05). While pre-packaged snacks

did not significantly reduce systolic or diastolic blood

pressure at any study visit.

The study did not identify how raisins lower blood

pressure. However, raisins are high in potassium, and have

fiber, polyphenols, phenolic acid, tannins and

antioxidants. 9 THE JOURNAL OF HEALTH & HAPPINESS

Dr Hilal Fareed on 'Health Miracles' of physical activity and exercise

'Do qadam tum bhi chalo, Do Qadam ham bhi Chalen,

Manzilen phir pyar ki aaengi chalte chalte'

(If you walk a few steps, And I walk a few steps, Together

we shall reach …The destination!)

In this 1972 Bollywood hit the two souls in love are

vowing and urging to walk a few steps; they suggest that it

is only by stepping out that the final destination of

fulfilment can be reached. How true this is – both in love

and in life! And, for those friends who do not have a

poetic disposition, even if the metaphor is ignored and

only the literal meaning is taken – the proposition remains

equally valid. The physical act of taking a few steps can

change your life! How Exercise Effects Health The World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified

lack of Physical activity as the fourth leading factor for

global mortality causing an estimated 3.2 million deaths

globally every year. Physical Activity is important at all

ages but is often forgotten as we get older. Modern

Medical Science associates so many benefits to exercise

that it is sometimes referred to as a ‘Miracle’ or a

‘Wonder Treatment’.

Heart and Circulation (Cardiovascular) - Exercise

increases the size and strength of heart muscle making the

heart do the work (of pumping blood to various parts of

the body) more efficiently. It also increases the number of

red blood cells which improves the oxygen carrying

capacity of the blood. The density of blood vessels

(capillary bed) surrounding organs and tissues

also increases with exercise as more branches develop

leading to a better distribution of ‘oxygen loaded blood’

to vital parts of the body.

High Blood Pressure - Exercise helps to reduce high

blood pressure. Regular physical activity makes the heart

stronger. If your heart has to work less in order to pump

blood, the force on your arteries decreases and your blood

pressure is lowered. Becoming active can lower your

blood pressure by 5 to 10 millimetres of mercury. If you

have a normal blood pressure, exercise can prevent it from

rising as you get older. Regular physical activity can also

help in maintaining a healthy weight, which in itself is an

important way to control blood pressure. People who have

high blood pressure are more likely to have a stroke or

heart attack. It takes one to three months for regular

exercise to have impact on blood pressure and the benefits

last only as long as the exercise is continued.

Cholesterol - Exercise can help improve the balance of

your cholesterol. There are two types of cholesterol – low-

density lipoprotein or LDL (often called bad Cholesterol)

and high-density lipoprotein or HDL (often called good

Cholesterol). High levels of LDL and low levels of HDL

are associated with a higher risk of heart disease. There is

good evidence that regular exercise increases the levels of

HDL and decreases the levels of LDL.

Heart Disease and Stroke - People who maintain an

active lifestyle have a 45% lower risk of developing heart

disease compared to sedentary people. Studies suggest

that physical activity lowers the risk of stroke. Recent

studies also indicate that exercise performed under

medical supervision can be helpful in select patients of

stable heat failure. Inactive people have almost double the

risk of dying from heart disease compared with people

who are active. For people who don't do any exercise at

Did you Know? If you are in Europe

you can dial 112 to reach the

emergency services as you dial

999 in the UK.

all, even doing a little activity can significantly reduce

their risk of cardiovascular disease. Patients who modify

their lifestyle after heart attack to include regular exercise

have improved rates of survival and patients who remain

sedentary have the highest risk of dying early.

Lungs and Respiration - Exercise strengthens the

muscles involved in breathing. It increases the capacity of

the lungs so more oxygen can be taken in with each

breath. Exercise also leads to an increase in the number of

capillaries within the air sacs (alveoli) of the lungs

resulting in an increase in the efficiency of gaseous

exchange.

Brain and Emotions - Research shows that exercise can

cure many mental and neurological conditions. Exercise

improves blood flow to the brain and it helps the release

of certain chemicals called

neurotransmitters which are vital for

the function of brain. It also

enhances formation of brain cells,

helps development of connections

between cells and promotes

efficiency of signal transmission

across them.

Mood - Exercise, through the

effects of neurotransmitters,

improves mood, helps you feel

happier, improves self-esteem,

increases the sense of satisfaction

and gives you a feeling of energy. Stress and anxiety related disorders

- Regular exercise reduces stress and

improves your ability to cope with it.

It can also help to reduce anxiety,

phobias, panic attacks and anger.

Sleep - Exercise done during the daytime or early

evening can help you sleep better.

Depression - Regular exercise can cure mild depression

and can reduce it when the depression is severe. Many

researchers believe that in certain types of depression

exercise can be as effective as antidepressant medication

and cognitive behaviour therapy.

Dementia - There is growing body of evidence to

suggest that regular physical activity can prevent some

types of dementia and in patients who have dementia it

can improve mobility and reduce deterioration.

Bones, Joints, Ligaments and Muscles - As we grow

older our bodies change. The density of our bones

decreases making us more susceptible to fractures. Due to

a decrease in our activity levels the size of our muscles

and their strength also decreases; tendons and ligaments

become less elastic affecting our co-ordination. These

changes make us more prone to overuse injuries and falls.

To add to all this, due to the inflammatory and

degenerative changes, our joints also become painful and

stiff.

Back Pain - Eight out of ten people have back pain at

some point in their life. People who do not indulge in

exercise are more likely to have back pain than people

who do. Exercise is one of the important modalities of

treatment for chronic back pain. It helps back pain by

increasing muscle strength and endurance and by

improving flexibility.

Osteoporosis - This is a condition that makes bones

brittle, thin, and easier to break. Osteoporosis is a natural

aging process, starting earlier in women than in men.

Regular weight bearing exercises can help slow the

process of osteoporosis by preventing bone loss and

making the bones stronger.

Arthritis - Arthritis is a term used for a variety of

conditions in which joints become painful and stiff; most

prevalent of these is the degenerative or mechanical

arthritis commonly known as 'Osteoarthritis'. Exercise

helps improve flexibility and muscle strength leading to

better function and long term relief of pain. It also helps in

early recovery after major surgical procedures like joint

replacements. Chronic Diseases

Overwhelming evidence from a variety of

sources links many chronic diseases

prevalent in the modern world to lack of

physical activity and inappropriate diet.

These include coronary artery and heart

disease, high blood pressure, diabetes,

metabolic syndromes and some cancers.

Diabetes - Over 2 million people in the UK

have Diabetes. Physical activity can help in

lowering the risk of developing non-insulin

dependent or Type 2 Diabetes. In people who

already have diabetes Physical exercise can

control blood sugar levels and protect from

serious long term complications.

Obesity and Weight - Being physically

active helps to reduce body fat by building

or preserving muscle mass and improving the body's

ability to use calories. Moderate exercise improves

physical fitness and helps in preventing weight gain and

obesity. When moderate to high intensity exercise is

combined with proper diet, it can help in losing weight.

Cancers - Physically active people are less likely to

suffer from certain types of cancers. Evidence suggests

that exercise protects against colon cancer and against

breast cancer in women. Physical activity may also help

prevent lung and uterine cancers. In patients who are

cancer survivors physical activity improves physical

fitness and promotes a better quality of life.

Other Benefits - There are numerous other benefits of

Physical activity. It may have a positive influence on our

immune, digestive, hormonal, enzymatic and several other

functions. Some of the effects are proven and others are

being studied. It is not possible to discuss all these in a

small article like this one.

11 THE JOURNAL OF HEALTH & HAPPINESS

Dr Hilal Fareed

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

West Middlesex Hospital

THE RESEARCHER´S TOP TIPS

• Use toothpaste at least twice a day,

after breakfast and before going to

bed.

• If necessary, brush a third time or

rub on some toothpaste instead.

• If you have problems with cavities,

choose a toothpaste with a higher

fluoride content.

• Avoid rinsing out the toothpaste

with water.

New "massage method" quadruples

protection against tooth decay “Rubbing toothpaste onto your teeth increases the fluoride protection by 400%.” Massaging your teeth with a finger

after every meal is a common

practice in India. In fact, before the

introduction of toothpaste, most

Indians used, and many still use,

various kinds of tooth powders and

rubbed it onto their teeth with a

finger. Interestingly, now western

researchers are suggesting a similar

practice.

If you really want to avoid

cavities in your teeth, try massaging

them with a high-fluoride

toothpaste after lunch. “Rubbing

toothpaste onto your teeth increases

the fluoride protection by 400%,”

says lead researcher Dr Anna

Nordström from the Sahlgrenska

Academy at the University of

Gothenburg, Sweden.

Eight years ago a new brand of toothpaste was launched

in Sweden with more than three times as much fluoride as

standard toothpaste. Researchers have now performed the

first scientific evaluation of the effect of this “high-

fluoride toothpaste”.

Four times better results

In the study, 16 volunteers tested a

variety of brushing techniques, using

either high-fluoride or standard

toothpaste, and brushing either two

or three times a day.

“The study revealed that those who

used a high-fluoride toothpaste three

times a day had four times better

fluoride protection in the mouth than

those who used standard toothpaste

twice a day,” says Nordström.

Rub your teeth after lunch Also tested was a new method

developed in collaboration with

professor Dowen Birkhed, which

Anna Nordström explains, “Rubbing

the front of your teeth with

toothpaste can be an easy way of

giving your teeth a third “shot” of

fluoride during the day, after lunch for example. But this

should not replace brushing with a fluoride toothpaste

morning and evening.”

Daily use is essential There is strong scientific evidence that daily use of

fluoride toothpaste has a pronounced preventive effect.

The study was published in Acta Odontologica

Scandinavia.

Health & Happiness Art

Amisha says: "I have eaten my 7 pieces of fruits and veg, have you." If you are under 12 years of age, we

would like you to take part in this exciting art competition. Send us your drawings with an inspiring Health & Happiness message and win a mystery gift. Email us on:kids@ajivan.com

12 THE JOURNAL OF HEALTH & HAPPINESS

Low cost aspirin may reduce the risk of some cancers In three new studies published in the Lancet, researchers

from the University of Oxford say a daily dose of aspirin

can reduce people’s risk of developing a variety of cancers

and also lower the chance of their cancer spreading.

The studies looked at patients who were participating in

several long-term, randomized trials on the effect of daily

low-dose aspirin (75 mg to 300 mg) for the prevention of

heart disease. The researchers examined how many of the

participants went on to develop cancer. In one study,

patients taking aspirin had a nearly 25% lower risk of

cancer after five years, compared with those taking a

placebo. That translated into a 15% lower risk of dying of

cancer during the study period; after five years, the risk of

death was 37% lower in patients who remained on aspirin.

In another study, which included five large trials in Britain

that followed patients over an average of 6.5 years, aspirin

users enjoyed a 36% lower risk of developing metastatic

cancer and a 46% reduced risk of being diagnosed with

colon, lung or prostate cancer.

A third study, published in Lancet Oncology, looked at

findings from observational studies and found that regular

use of aspirin reduced the long-term risk of several

cancers and prevented the metastasis of tumors. Taken

together, the findings are the first to show the benefits of

aspirin in lowering cancer risk in short periods of time.

“These findings add to the case for use of aspirin to

prevent cancer, particularly if people are at increased

risk,” lead researcher Dr. Peter M. Rothwell, a professor

of neurology at the University of Oxford.

The benefits of the low-cost therapy have to be

balanced with its risks, however, which include

gastrointestinal bleeding. That type of evidence is what

some experts are still waiting for. “I think he’s on to

something. I just want to be cautious, and I don’t want to

exaggerate,” Dr. Otis W. Brawley, chief medical officer

and executive vice president of the American Cancer

Society, told the New York Times. “I’m not ready to say

that everybody ought to take a baby aspirin a day to

prevent cancer.”

Still, the idea that an inexpensive and relatively safe

medication can prevent a range of cancers is powerful,

and the results should launch a deeper look into aspirin’s

potential chemoprotective effects. Whether such trials will

be undertaken is another matter, considering the expense

of clinical trials and the lack of profitability of generic,

over-the-counter aspirin.

Toddlers behave and learn better when parents respond positively to their attention-seeking Toddlers often employ various tricks to draw your

attention. They might cry, make irritating noise, kick a

ball at you while you are watching your favourite soap to

seek your attention. In fact, that is their way to say, "look

at me". If you react annoyingly or angrily you might be

slowing down their collaborative and learning skills.

New research published in the journal Child

Development suggests that toddlers whose parents have

consistently responded positively to their attention seeking

attempts are more eager to collaborate and learn.

Collaboration in toddlers has been linked to the

acquisition of social rules and norms later in childhood.

The study was carried out at Concordia Universty's

Department of Psychology and the Centre for Research in

Human Development.

During the study, parent and child were put in the same

room and the parent was asked to complete a long survey

with questions that required attention and focus. This

usually provoked attention-seeking behaviour in the child.

Some toddlers pointed at and shared objects with their

parent, laughed and smiled while talking to the parent, and

used phrases like, "excuse me, mummy." This constituted

high-quality behaviour in the researchers' eyes. Low-

quality attention-seeking behaviour was shown by

toddlers who cried, screamed, or even took the parent's

pen and threw it across the room.

"The study shows it is important to encourage positive

or high-quality, attention-seeking in toddlers because it

predicts their motivation to collaborate and participate in

skill building activities", says lead author Marie-Pierre

Gosselin. 13 THE JOURNAL OF HEALTH & HAPPINESS

Wasteful spending on diabetes may 'bankrupt' the NHS

A new report published in the journal Diabetic Medicine says that the NHS’s annual spending on diabetes

in the UK will increase from £9.8 billion to £16.9 billion over the next 25 years, a rise that means the NHS

would be spending 17% of its entire budget on the condition. The report suggests that 80% of the NHS's

£9.8bn annual UK diabetes bill goes on the cost of treating complications - many of which are preventable

with health checks and better education. According to the report, the total cost associated with diabetes in the

UK currently stands at £23.7 billion and is predicted to rise to £39.8 billion by 2035/.

Barbara Young, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, said, "This report shows that without urgent action, the

already huge sums of money being spent on treating diabetes will rise to unsustainable levels that threaten to

bankrupt the NHS. But the most shocking part of this report is the finding that almost four fifths of NHS

diabetes spending goes on treating complications that in many cases could have been prevented."

Half of the

people with

diabetes have

high blood

pressure

Diabetes UK has issued a warning about the hugely

damaging effect of high blood pressure, as a new analysis

reveals that half of the people with the condition are not

meeting their blood pressure target.

Just 50.7 per cent of people with diabetes met this target

during 2009/10, according to the analysis, which has

barely improved since the previous year when 50 per cent

of people met the target. This is despite the fact that high

blood pressure increases the risk of diabetes-related

complications such as heart disease, kidney failure and

stroke.

Identification and control: We have used National

Diabetes Audit information about England, but if the

percentage was mirrored across the UK then it would

mean that more than 1.4 million of the 2.9 million people

with diabetes have high blood pressure. In contrast, just 30

per cent of the general population is estimated to have

high blood pressure.

A recent survey by Diabetes UK showed that most

people with diabetes (91 per cent) are getting the annual

blood pressure check that is part of our 15 healthcare

essentials that every person with diabetes should receive.

However, once people with high blood pressure have been

identified, not enough is being done to help them bring it

under control. This could include medication, as well as

support in improving diet, losing weight if needed and

stopping smoking.

"Extremely worrying":Barbara Young, Chief

Executive for Diabetes UK, said, "Given the link between

blood pressure and diabetes-related complications such as

stroke, kidney failure and

heart disease, it is extremely worrying that half of the people

with diabetes have high blood pressure. People with diabetes

need to be aware that high blood pressure can have a

hugely damaging effect on their health.

A top priority: "We need to get the message across that

if you have diabetes then not only should you be aware of

your blood pressure, but if it is high then reducing it

should be one of your top priorities.

"It is also important that healthcare professionals realise

that measuring the blood pressure of people with diabetes

is the start of the process rather than the end of it. Once

people with high blood pressure are identified, healthcare

professionals then need to work with that person to bring

it down to an acceptable level."

Blood pressure targets: For someone without diabetes,

their blood pressure should be no higher than 140/85 but

when you have diabetes (or if you have had a heart attack,

stroke or coronary heart disease) your blood pressure

should be no higher than 130/80.

(www.diabetes.org.uk)

Music and arts boost chances of stroke recovery

Listening to music and appreciating art is not only good

for your soul, it's good for your body too. A new study

found that stroke survivors who enjoyed music, painting

and theatre had better chances of recovery than patients

who did not.

Researchers from the University Tor Vergata School of

Nursing in Rome asked 192 stroke survivors whether they

did or did not like art. Among the participants 105

reported an interest in music, painting and theatre, and 87

said they had no interest in arts. The researchers then

compared quality of life for both of these groups.

Overall, art lovers reported a range of positive physical

and mental health benefits. They had more energy, better

general health

and improved

mobility. They

were also

happier, less

anxious or

depressed and

had better

memory and

communication skills.

“Stroke survivors who saw art as an integrated part of

their former lifestyle, by expressing appreciation towards

music, painting and theatre, showed better recovery skills

than those who did not,” said the lead author Dr. Ercole

Vellone, assistant professor in nursing science at the

University Tor Vergata.

Introducing art to patients during post-stroke care may

also help by boosting mood . Previous research has shown

that listening to a favourite piece of music stimulates the

release of dopamine in the brain, which causes feelings of

pleasure. “Dopamine improves quality of life each time it

is released in the brain,” said Vellone.

The new findings, presented at the annual Spring

Meeting on Cardiovascular Nursing in Copenhagen,

Denmark, fall in line with a 2008 study from Finland that

reported that patients who listened to music had easier

stroke recovery. That study looked at 60 stroke patients

and found that those who listened to music for a couple of

hours a day had better verbal memory and attention

recovery as well more positive moods, compared with

those who didn’t tune in.

“Music works like a megavitamin for the brain. Results in

the Finland study showing improved mood is important

for recovery,” says Dr. Wendy Magee, associate professor

of music therapy at the Boyer College of Music and

Dance at Temple University in Philadelphia.

Lung cancer among women still rising in UK

Cases of lung cancer among women in the UK continue to

rise, according to new figures released by Cancer

Research UK. The charity says the rate of lung cancer

among women in the UK has risen from 22.2 in every

100,000 women in 1975, to 39.3 today. In 1975 there were

fewer than 8,000 cases of lung cancer diagnosed among

UK women, in 2009 this figure was more than 18,000.

The disease is still more common among men in the

UK, where there were more than 23,000 cases in 2009.

But unlike women, rates of lung cancer among men in the

UK have been falling steeply. In 1975 the rate of lung

cancer among men in the UK was 110 per 100,000,

whereas now it is 58.8. The figures also show nearly

35,000 people (19,410 men and 15,449 women) died from

lung cancer in the UK in 2010.

In the 1960s, around 45% of UK women were smokers.

Nowadays the prevalence of smoking among UK women

is 20%. During World War II and the rest of the 1940s,

65% of UK men were smokers, nowadays that figure has

fallen to 22%. Lung cancer was the most common cancer

in the UK until the mid-1990s when it was overtaken by

breast cancer. However, it still accounts for 11% of all

new cancer cases among women, and 14% among men.

Olive Oil: Which type is best? Among cooking oils, olive oil is touted as one of the

healthiest. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fat, which

can lower total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein

(LDL or “bad”) cholesterol in the blood.

Choosing olive oil is a bit like choosing wine. There are

different grades, and some are more flavourful and offer

more health benefits. Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource

offers tips on choosing an olive oil.

Virgin, extra-virgin or refined: Virgin and extra-virgin

olive oils tend to be higher in polyphenols (a powerful

antioxidant) than are the more-processed, refined olive

oils. Antioxidants are considered beneficial because they

help the body rid itself of unstable molecules called free

radicals and

minimize harmful

cellular

inflammation. A

recent study

comparing virgin

olive oil, refined

olive oil and the

combination of

both found that

virgin olive oil

appears to have

greater heart-

health benefits.

Freshness: The

fresher the oil,

the greater the

antioxidant

properties.

Quality olive oils

generally include a packaging date. At purchase, it should

be no more than one year old.

Price and flavour: You could opt for lower cost, less

flavourful virgin olive oil for cooking and invest in the

pricier and more flavourful virgin or extra-virgin oils for

use in vinaigrettes or drizzling over salads or side dishes.

15 THE JOURNAL OF HEALTH & HAPPINESS

How meditation helps to switch off areas of brain linked to anxiety and other psychiatric disorders A new brain imaging study, published

in the Proceedings of the National

Academy of Sciences, shows how

people who regularly practice

meditation are able to switch off areas

of the brain linked to daydreaming,

anxiety, schizophrenia and other

psychiatric disorders. The brains of

experienced meditators appear to show

less activity in an area known as the

"default mode network", which is

linked to self-centered thinking.

Meditation can help deal with a

variety of health problems, from

quitting smoking, to coping with

cancer, and even preventing psoriasis, one of the researchers

said in a statement. For this study, they wanted to look further

into the neurological mechanisms that might be involved. Lead

author Judson A. Brewer, assistant professor of psychiatry at

Yale, and colleagues, used FMRI (functional magnetic

resonance imaging) scans to observe the brains of both novice

and experienced meditators as they practiced three different

forms of meditation.

They found that the experienced meditators, regardless of the

type of meditation they practiced, seemed able to switch off the

default mode network, which has been

linked to lapses of attention, and

disorders such as attention deficit and

hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and

anxiety.

This could be the result of meditators

constantly monitoring mind-wandering

and the emergence of "me" thoughts,

and suppressing them. These are the

kind of thoughts, when in extreme or

pathological form, are associated with

diseases such as autism and

schizophrenia.

The FMRI scans showed the

experienced meditators' brain activity

was the same both during meditation and when they were just

resting, or when they were not being told to do anything in

particular. Thus the researchers concluded that perhaps

experienced meditators have developed a new default mode,

which is centered more on the present than on the self.

Meditation has been a central part of philosophical and

contemplative practices for thousands of years: it helps the

practitioner to be mindful of the present moment, Brewer told

the press, and studies have shown it is also linked to increased

levels of happiness.

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Treating stroke in ambulance

can speed up recovery Stroke costs the economy an estimated £8 billion per year in England alone Treating stroke in specialised ambulances en route to hospital could make a big

difference in the recovery of stroke patients. Mobile stroke units can halve the time

it takes a patient to get clot-busting drugs, a small German trial found. A report

published in The Lancet Neurology says that clot-busting drugs (thrombolytics)

can be effective if the stroke is caused by a blood clot (the cause in about 80% of

cases), but not if it is due to a bleed. The faster an eligible patient receives clot-

busting treatment, the better their chances are of surviving and reducing long-term

disability.

In the study, patients

treated by mobile stroke

units, were given thrombolysis within 35 minutes.

Whereas those sent to the hospital for treatment in the

usual way waited 76 minutes. Experts say larger studies

are needed to explore what impact earlier treatment can

have on prognosis. Only a minority of stroke patients reach

hospital and undergo brain scanning within a few hours,

which is necessary if these drugs are to be administered.

Stroke is the third biggest cause of death in the UK and

the largest single cause of severe disability. Each year

more than 110,000 people in England will have a stroke,

which costs the NHS over £2.8bn.

17 THE JOURNAL OF HEALTH & HAPPINESS

F A S T

If somebody is having a stroke around you then

look for: "FAST"

► Facial weakness - has the person's face

drooped, usually down one side

► Arm weakness - is the person able to lift

both arms above their head

► Speech problems - does the person's speech

sound slurred

► Time to call 999 - if one or more of these

symptoms are present call 999 immediately

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Atul Kochchar's Health & Happiness recipe

PAN ROASTED DUCK WITH GREEN

PEA AND PUFFED RICE SALAD "Spring and summer brings a new energy in our lives. As a chef, I look forward to these seasons to

make my plates full of flavours and colours. This recipe just does that! Duck is a lighter source of protein (ignore its

skin) and new season Savoy cabbage with light south Indian spicing makes all the boxes tick. - Bon Appetite !"

PORTIONS 4

- 4 Gressingham duck breast dressed

- Salt

- 10 gm Pepper

- 10 no Curry leaves

- 5 gm Red chilli powder

- 2 gm Turmeric powder

- 10 gm Coriander powder

- 100 ml Grape seed oil

SALAD

- 200 gm Duck confit prepared and shredded

- 50 gm Fried onions

- 15 gm Pickle spice paste

- 10 gm Coriander chopped

- 50 gm Onions cut in macedoines

- 50 gm Cucumber deseeded & cut in macedoines

- 50 gm Green peas blanched

- 50 gm Tomatoes deseeded and macedoines

- 5 gm Green chilly chopped

- 2 no. Lemon juice

- 5 gm Chaat masala

- 10 gm Tamarind chutney

-10 gm Mint chutney

-20 ml Cold pressed mustard oil

- 20 gm Puffed rice

-10 gm Gramflour sev

Marinate duck with spices and grape seed oil.

Slowly render fat in a pre heated pan and finish duck in oven at 180 C till

core temperature of 56 c. hold in a warm place.

Mix shredded confit with fried onion & pickle paste, leave it for a while.

Add all cut vegetable with chopped coriander and chilies.

Dress with chutneys, lemon juice, chaat masala and mustard oil.

Just before serving fold in rice and sev.

Carve duck and serve with salad.

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