It is always good to stay Connected

Your friend is your needs answered. He is your field, which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving. And he is your board and your fireside.

For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace.

— Khalil Gibran (Friendship IXX)

Gibran’s words sum up the universal truth about friendship. The best of friends always laugh, dance, cry and help each other through thick and thin. Friends, in a way, counter stress.

"The answer to all my problems is just a call away, whenever I am low I just need to call up my best friend and speak to her about it," says Sheena Sippy, a 25-year-old, executive producer. She adds, "The best part about her is that she is a great listener and knows exactly how to bring a smile to my face."

Spending time with a good friend is said to help one rejuvenate. Research also reveals that friends have immense therapeutic value.

For instance, in 2004, researchers at the Ohio State University conducted a study to understand the physiological mechanisms by which social support improves health. They looked at the effect, social contact had on wound-healing in stressed hamsters. Results showed that skin wounds healed nearly twice as fast in the hamsters paired with a sibling. These animals also produced less of the stress hormone cortisol than unpaired hamsters.

Assistant professor of psychology Courtney DeVries, after the research concluded, "Stress delays wound-healing in humans and other animals, and social contact helps counteract this delay."

Television actor Vir Das says, "Family and friends are the two constants in my life. Though I am a celebrity, they do not treat me like one. They keep me grounded and are definitely my weakness as well as my strength." With work and hectic lifestyles, it gets really difficult to spend time with friends. But just sitting and talking about unrelated things with friends can brighten up your day and lift your mood.

Often it is not the amount of time but the quality of time that you share with these friends. Here are ways one can find time to kick it with friends:

1. Exchanging daily pleasantries: Kalpana Raman, college student says, "The best thing about college is friends. Usually we hang out in between lectures or during the end of the day, randomly gossiping and chatting. We actually feel uncomfortable, if we do not catch up on a particular day." Even at work, lunch and tea breaks help you bond with your colleagues.

2. Weekend breaks: Partying, movies, clubbing, coffee are all but an excuse to get friends under one roof and have a great time together. It is a great form of recreation.

3. Hanging out with old friends: Meeting old friends happens rarely but they bring along a sense of nostalgia and sometimes take you into another world altogether. The memories can make you cry, laugh and also relieve you from stressful situations.

4. Going on a holiday with friends: Ryan D’souza, a Mumbai-based banker says, "I have this group of close friends and we plan a holiday every six months. We just take off to some remote place in the outskirts of the city, even if that is a village. Sometimes our holidays are as short as two days, but it really helps us unwind."

5. Online networking: Internet and networking sites have made it possible to stay connected with friends and also discover new friends who share similar passions and ideas. Group chats, blogs, online communities and networking sites bring friends together virtually.

‘I do breathing exercises’

Q How do you deal with stress?
When I am really stressed, I do breathing exercises like pranayama. Otherwise I also do yoga every morning.

Q What stresses you out the most?
Work overload really distresses me. I cannot handle doing too many things at a time.

Q Does your job stress you out?
With my job it happens all the time.

Q How do you manage to find a balance between work and regular life?
I have just started acting and I am slowly getting into the flow. As a model I have learned to do things on my own.

Q Does spending time with your family or friends help you relax?
Sometimes when it gets too much, then I go to my hometown in Delhi where I catch up with my folks and friends.

Q Are there times when you just need to get away from it all?
At the end of the day, I really feel I need to go on a holiday. But somehow my work commitments make it impossible.

Q Is there any unique technique you use to deal with stress?
Hitting the gym.

Q Does spending time with you family or friends help you relax?
My family is in Pune, spending time with them helps me relax.

Relax the body, mind and soul

To unwind at home, you can listen to soothing music, have a regular pre-bed routine, drink milk, eat regular meals and avoid spicy food. Yoga and exercise are great stress busters too. But if you’re in the mood for a proper pampering, go for one of these de-stressing treatments.
A salt scrub contains natural sea salt infused with pure essential oils of rose, vetiver (khus khus) and sandalwood. This is good to stimulate and strengthen the skin, and calm the mind.
Aromatherapy massage is a gentle nurturing treatment with pure essential plant and flower oils. It promotes superb physical and mental well being, and creates a deep sense of relaxation.
A traditional Thai massage, also known as yoga massage, combines assisted yoga postures, gentle rocking and rhythmic compressions with targeted point pressure and a variety of stretching movements. This massage revitalises both body and mind.
Reflexology is a holistic treatment which uses acupressure points on the feet to help restore and maintain the body’s natural equilibrium. This encourages the body to work naturally to restore its own healthy balance.
The Himalayan honey and rose facial is a stimulating and refreshing facial using a blend of sandalwood and rose essential oils. Pure Himalayan honey is massaged into the skin and a mask of cooling cucumber is applied.
Earth stone therapy draws on a rich tradition of employing stones of contrasting temperatures for therapeutic purposes. The therapy uses heated stones and chilled marble rocks combined with oil and massage. This assists with circulation and alleviates sore muscles while providing a sensuous experience.
In Shirodhara, luke warm herbal oil is poured in an even stream on to the forehead to pacify and revitalise the mind and the body.
Hatha yoga postures along with breathing (Pranayama) and meditation techniques are very potent tools to de-stress the body, mind and emotions. This has somato-psychic effects whereas meditation techniques like Yoga Nidra relax the mind and emotions directly.
(By Mark Sands)
(The writer is the spa manager of Ananda Spa in the Himalayas)

Alleviate neck pain with asana

Yoga can be the answer to your stiff neck problem. However, before you do anything, consult a doctor. Specific yoga exercises will help strengthen muscles and increase flexibility in the neck region. Even exercising your neck gently speeds nutrients to the area.
Neck Stretches

* Start in seated position.* Sit up tall, reaching up through the top of the head.* Draw shoulders back.* Exhale, drop the chin towards your chest, keeping elbows and shoulders pulled back.* Inhale, raise the head back to the centre.* Do this five times, then exhale, drop the chin and stay in this position for three breaths, breathing through the nose.* Inhale, raise the head back to centre.* Exhale, slowly drop the right ear towards right shoulder.* Inhale, raise head back to the centre.* Do this five times, then at last, exhale, drop the ear towards the right shoulder and stay in this position for three breaths.* Inhale, raise head back to the centre.* Repeat on the left side.
Half-Circle

Rolling your head around in a full circle can actually cause more damage, so avoid it. However, half circles in the front can be done instead. For this, first drop your chin to your chest. Move your chin towards the right shoulder, and then back to your chest. Then move your chin towards the left shoulder and back towards the chest. Repeat this movement three to five times.
Press

Place the palm of your hand against the back of your head and gently press while resisting with your head. Hold for a count of 10. Repeat with your palm on your forehead. Now place the palm of your right hand against the right side of your head and press, again resisting the movement with your head. Repeat on the left side. This exercise helps strengthen the muscles of the neck and makes them less prone to strain.

(By Sandhya Gupta)

Diet

Salads should be a must-have in your day-to-day menu. Not just because of their fibre content, which aids in bowel movement, but also for the benefits they bring to the skin. If you are looking for a glowing, smooth and toned skin, there’s no substitute for the naturally colourful ingredients of salad.
Cucumber: This most basic component for salad cleanses and relaxes the skin. Two slices of cucumber placed on each eye soothes the eyes too. It’s also beneficial for the liver.
Tomato: It helps detoxify the skin and has a cooling effect on the body. It’s far better to use real tomatoes for seasoning curries instead of using tomato sauce with loads of preservatives added.
Carrots: Its colour acts as a detoxifier. Carrots also increase the metabolic rate of the skin. Rich in vitamin A, carrots are good for the eyes too.
Beetroot: Like carrot, beetroot also de-toxifies, increases the metabolism of the skin and adds a pink glow to the skin.

Get the most from food

Beyonce Knowles loves her food but always makes sure she has a balanced diet. Some food experts believe, carbs and proteins produce acid, which must be balanced or neutralised with fruit and vegetables. Eat: Neutralise acid by eating leafy green vegetables, including spinach, parsley and cabbage. Avoid tea, coffee, soft drinks, sugar, flavourings, artificial sweetener and preserved meat, which are all said to be very acidic.
My top tip: Eat a rainbow of food —raw is best, or steamed is better than boiled as it retains the vitamins and minerals.

Stubbornness runs through the veins of some: Study

People who are stubborn and never seem to learn from their mistakes may have a mutated gene that makes them bull-headed, according to scientists in Germany.
About one-third of the population has this mutation, which may be nature’s way of ensuring that there are always some people who will not give up trying when at first they do not succeed, say the researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, Germany.
"Where would we be without those few individuals who refuse to accept defeat and who continue to soldier onwards when common sense tells the rest of mankind that there’s no use trying?" one of the authors of the study, Tilmann Klein, said in an interview.
About 30 per cent of the population has the mutation, called the A1 mutation, said co-author Markus Ullsperger.
The A1 mutation, the researchers say, leaves people with fewer D2 receptors in the brain that are activated when levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine drop. Dopamine is not only responsible for signalling fun and pleasure in the brain, but the neurotransmitter also helps in learning.
Klein and Ullsperger theorise that the lower output of dopamine means that some people simply are not satisfied when a decision or action turns out to be a mistake. So they repeat their mistakes. People with more D2 receptors in their brains are satisfied the first time around that a mistake is a mistake. They do not feel any desire to repeat it.
The researchers studied a group of 26 men, 12 of whom had the A1 gene mutation for low numbers of D2 receptors. As a part of the study the subjects were shown sets of two symbols on a computer screen, and were asked to select one. The choice was followed by either a smiling face or a frown flashing on the screen. The researchers then tested to check whether the men had learnt to choose the symbol that was the most positively reinforced and avoid the one that was the most negatively reinforced.
According to results of the study, they found that men with fewer D2 receptors had trouble avoiding their mistakes. Brain imaging then was used to confirm that the region called the rostral cingulate zone was involved in learning from mistakes. This particular region was found to be more active in the volunteers with normal D2 levels during the learning sessions, compared to those with the D2 mutation. A brain region key to forming memories, the hippocampus, was also more active in the volunteers with normal D2 levels.
"The fact that nearly 30 per cent of the population has this A1 mutation, we can only surmise that it must offer some genetic advantages," Klein said. "Some individuals persist even in the face of negative feedback, and doggedly persevere as long as it takes until they finally succeed," he said. (IANS)

Run marathon & keep in mind these 10 handy tips

Myth Number 1: Indian food is a good pre-race meal
Fact: Pastas and carbs are the best foods for this long distance running. Pastas consisting of carbohydrates are the most important fuel for energy. It’s stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen and if these stores run low it can often cause tiredness when you’re running. Carbs don’t make you fat. They are actually your major source of energy. A typical marathon training diet is one that is around 65 per cent carbohydrates, 25 per cent protein and 10 per cent fat. The idea behind a carefully orchestrated eating plan is to ensure optimum hydration, nutrition and protein building for a runner whose needs for muscle repair and building is much higher than usual.
Myth Number 2: You don’t really need to train to do a marathon
Fact: While runners and walkers do complete marathons on training that’s often less than ideal, they suffer during and after the event. There are tales of stress fractures, pain, not being able to walk for a week and psychological burnout from those not well-trained. A good training programme takes some time and commitment to be successful.
Myth Number 3: Training on cardio machines at the gym is good preparation for a long run
Fact: It is always better to take the practice on the roads to train up your muscle for two months. A workout for 90 minutes on various machines like treadmills, stationary bikes and stair climbers is not equivalent to a half-marathon which would take almost the same time.
Myth Number 4: You can train with shorter distances if you train faster. You can slow down and go farther on race day
Fact: The marathon takes different physiology to provide energy to go to the 26.2 miles than that of shorter distance races. Those energy systems are best trained by running long and slow. It takes runs longer than 16 miles and slower than marathon race pace to get the physiology of endurance. Training short and fast or even up to 20 miles at a fast pace guarantees that you will "run out of energy" on race day.
Myth Number 5: You don’t want to waste time in the marathon taking in water or other fluids or energy sources
Fact: The body needs water to work. Losing small amounts of fluids leads to devastating losses in work capacity. The exercising body needs a minimum of 236 ml of water every 20 minutes during exercise. This is true in training as well as racing. The replacement can come from sports drinks such as gatorade, energy bars, gels or candy. They need to be the proper concentration to be absorbed making it essential to drink water when using bars or gels.
Myth Number 6: To get faster in the marathon, you need more speedwork
Fact: Marathon performance is usually dictated by endurance, not speed. The endurance to maintain the speed is what most runners need. The body needs to be trained to burn more fat and spare glycogen to have enough energy to get to mile 26.2. Time spent doing short distance speed work takes away from the endurance work the body needs to go the distance. The speedwork that is essential for marathons is miles done at marathon pace.
Myth Number 7: Cold weather is good for runners
Fact: When you are running in cold weather, you breathe through your mouth and the air that hits your lungs is colder and drier. The contrast between the warm air in the lungs and the cold inhaled air can trigger an attack of asthma. Runners generate their own warmth a few miles into the race.
Myth Number 8: Old people can’t run fast
Fact: Try telling that to the 60-year-old gentleman who sprinted past a runner about 25 yards before the finish line. Age is no bar for running these marathons. It’s continuous practice that builds the stamina and makes them run faster.
Myth Number 9: Weight training is not required for marathon training
Fact: Running in a marathon is not the same as running a short distance. It is much more demanding and calls for strong muscles which are the ammunition for completing the run. Strengthening the muscles is important in order to avoid cramps and injury, Hence weight training is vital to develop muscular strength and endurance.
Myth Number 10: It does not matter what kind of running shoes you wear for a marathon
Fact: Good shoes are very important to run a successful marathon. Good running shoes absorb shock ensuring that you do not get injured while running on rough, uneven surfaces, thus protecting you from harm.

Simple tips to over come light glare

A five-year-old girl has a pathetic tale to tell. Like her two elder sisters, she can't tolerate light.
Bright light makes her virtually blind. The three girls were diagnosed by doctors at LV Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad as suffering from a strange eye problem called cone dystrophy.
Their father, a daily labourer, deserted the girls after he noticed that the eye defect could not be rectified. The girls' mother took care of them and admitted in a local government school. But soon the problems began for the girls as they could not see the black board or move freely in the open.
The mother then took the girls to LV Prasad Eye Institute where doctors prescribed some simple techniques to reduce the problem. The girls now have an improved vision and play with other children. The doctors helped the girls overcome the defect by advising sunglasses. The girls were given absorptive or tinted lenses that reduce glare.
They were also advised to wear hat for shade from sunlight.
"There is no permanent treatment or cure to photophobia but better eye management and eye care techniques will reduce the trouble. Lubricant eye drops will also help. Patients find it difficult to drive during night because of headlights glare. Even during the day time they feel uncomfortable in the sunlight," says senior ophthalmologist Dr Sreekumar Reddy.
The problem with these three girls was that they are extremely sensitive to light and lower their gaze while walking.
They squint and blink at the slightest glare. Cone dystrophy in their eyes has led to this rare condition called photophobia or hyper sensitivity to light.
Andhra Pradesh has thousands of children and adults with photophobia and the number is increasing with the each passing year. Neglect of ophthalmic care by parents in case of young children is said to be one of the causes for low vision coupled with sensitivity of light. As many as five crore people suffer from the low vision problem in the country and quite a considerable number of them complains of photophobia.
Though there are no official statistics on the number of photophobia patients in the country, the problem is quite common in albinos or "moon-children" and those with low vision. People who suffer from various eye diseases like ocular albinism, cataract, retinitis pigmentosa and diabetic retinopathy also complain of sensitivity to light like these girls. "For a clear image to appear on the retina a clear medium is needed. In case of opacity in the eye the intraocular light gets scattered bringing down the vision levels. Such eyes become extremely sensitive to light and glare. People with photophobia see glare in light that appears normal for healthy people," says ophthalmologist Dr Altaf Akbar.
Eyecare specialists suggest that coloured lenses with specific tints to restrict different wavelengths of light will do wonders. The patient may choose from a wide range of colours that suit his or her eyes.
Filters, that come in different tints at various levels of absorption and different cut-off points, provide contrast enhancement and help in light adaptation. Corning photochromic filters are also useful since short wavelength light has been shown to cause hazy vision, reduced contrast and discomfort. The photochromic filters filtering out blue light in the visible portion of the spectrum, at the wavelengths that create problems for the photophobic patients.
They are specially designed to filter short wavelength light.
Some ophthalmologists are of the view that ultra violet shields (of blue spectrum) provide protection for 100 per cent UV and visible light. The filter in the shields eliminates near infrared 100 per cent UV and provides visible light protection.
For those who find it a problem while reading because of reflection from white pages may go in for typoscope (a black, non-reflective plastic card with a rectangle cut out of it).
A hat with a wide brim or a sun visor can help cut down glare and facilitate mobility outdoors.
When photophobic patients move between places of different lighting levels (say from sunlight to a closed room or vice versa), doctors suggest that they pause a while, take off or put on the sunglasses depending whether they are moving in or out of sunlight. This allows their eyes to adjust without causing any visual discomfort.

Patients with 100% blocked

As many as 60 leading, practising interventional cardiologists from all over the country recently gathered at Mumbai’s Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre to get acquainted with a newer technique and hardware developed by the Japanese medical fraternity to ease even 100 per cent blockage of coronary artery.
The latest in the treatment of chronic heart ailment amongst all the interventional cardiology procedures, it is called "chronic total occlusion," and it is the most demanding and challenging one. A live demonstration of three different operations was conducted by Dr Toshiya Muramatsu who is the chief director of cardiovascular division, Saiseikai Yokohama City Eastern Hospital, Yokohama, Japan and Dr A.B. Mehta, director of cardiovascular division at Jaslok Hospital, played the role of moderator.
The rare kind of live demo workship was conducted on the 17th floor of the hospital, and the attending cardiologists listened to Dr Mehta speak on a screen on the third floor. Dr Mehta, who has already literally touched hearts of most of the leading corporate leaders, politicians and film personalities in the country including J.R.D.Tata, Morarji Desai and Lata Mangeshkar, just to mention a few, said, "We, at Jaslok, have already achieved a higher rate of success and intend to transfer this technology to a wider section of the cardiology community by holding this workshop for cardiologists.
Chronic Total Occlusion
Chronic total occlusion (CTO) is defined as an artery that has been completely occluded for greater than 30 days. Chronically occluded coronary arteries account for approximately 20 to 30 per cent of the documented coronary disease encountered in coronary catheterisation labs today. In simple words, CTO is a condition of complete obstructions or blockages of an artery that can lead to worsening conditions.

Blink to avoid vision problem

(By Dr Himanshu Mehta)
Just when the world is witnessing scientific breakthroughs and technological advancements, computers have become an extension of our hands, eyes, ears and even mind. People working long hours on computers undergo eye fatigue, eye strain, redness, watering of eyes, blurring of vision and an occasional headache. All these symptoms lead to what we call computer vision syndrome or CVS.
SOME EYE-CATCHING FACTS
A lot of parents enquire with us whether TV or computers are harmful for the eyes. The answer is a firm no. But as too much of anything is good for nothing, when we work for long hours on computers, we tend to blink less and go close to the monitor. Effectively what happens is that long hours of work fatigue the eye muscles, especially if one is not wearing the right type of glasses required for correction, and it might give you a headache.
Hence while working on computers, one should wear the correct glasses, sit at a comfortable distance, blink consciously a few times more, look outside the window, look at the horizon. Take a few frequent short breaks from the screen and take a quick walk around the office which will help the back muscles and avoid spondylitic pain.
EYE CARE FOR BOLLYWOOD
In this glamorous field there were many movies with eyes being central to the subject. But there is little knowledge on the safety and hygience of eyes.
Here are some good tips for the industry:
* Do not put drops in your eyes, just because it is freely available. It may not be meant for you.
* Do not put drops with contact lenses on.
* Wash off the glycerine from your eyes with clean water.
* Do not use semi-soft lens solution with soft lenses because you ran out of solution or that was the only one available.
* Do not use and abuse steroid eye drops like Pyrimon.
* Working on the sets with halogen light will not spoil your eyes, but do not stare at it.
* It is normal for 70 per cent of individuals to have a glass number and there is no magical cure for removing numbers.
* Lasik laser is safe but not everyone is a good candidate.
* Every diabetic should have his eyes examined regularly.

Ginger up your life with Maha-aushadhi

(By Dr Anjali Mukherjee)
Some people who were highly prone to motion sickness were put on a spinning chair. Twenty minutes before the test they were given some capsules which contained one of the three ginger powders, empty capsule (placebo) or Dramamine (a drug that controls motion sickness). The results were amazing. Those who look a placebo or Dramamine became extremely nauseated. Half of those who took ginger root powder managed to survive the rotating test without much discomfort proving that ginger prevents motion sickness.
Ginger has several medicinal qualities apart from being an anti-nausea dry. It helps relieve pain, reduces blood pressure, stimulates, prevents vomiting, blocks cancer, cleans mucous, aids digestion, lowers cholesterol, and like asprin has anticlotting and blood thinning properties.
Ginger has been used both as spice and medicine. In India ginger is called maha-aushadhi, meaning the great medicine. It has been used for thousands of years in China to treat numerous health conditions. It is mainly used to eliminate gas problems and it relaxes and soothes the intestinal track. It aids in digestion and elimination. Ginger juice is also known to improve liver functions. Africans drink a ginger preparation as an aphrodisiac.
MEDICINAL USES OF GINGER
It is a regular home remedy for coughs and colds. Ginger juice mixed with honey helps as a remedy for coughs and colds.
For painful and irregular periods try taking ginger tea thrice a day after meals.
To avoid or eliminate gas, indigestion and burping take one teaspoon of freshly squeezed ginger juice in one glass of water along with one teaspoon of honey and juice of half a lime. This helps to avoid bloating and gas and flatulence. You could repeat this after every meal to aid digestion. Ginger juice can help reduce any type of pain. Even arthritic patients greatly benefit by regular intake of ginger juice in water, which help reduce their joint pains.

To curb gas, take less carbohydrates

Do you know what ingredient in your diet keeps you going all day long? Well it is carbohydrate, which is an excellent source of readymade energy for all cells of our body (one gram of carb gives 4 k/cal of energy). But an overdose of carbohydrate in the diet can cause indigestion, which leads to gas problems.
However, it must be remembered that functioning of digestive enzymes in the body depends upon one’s genetic constitution, age, climate, lifestyle and food habits.
Elaborating on the effect of excess carbohydrates in one’s diet, consultant dietician Sampa Chakrabarty says, "Since excess carbohydrates are not digested completely, it results in the production of methane gas, which causes flatulence. Digestive problem arises from this incomplete combustion of carbohydrates. Since the body can take maximum ingestion of 50 grams of sugar at a time, the excess carbohydrate may produce fatty acid that causes obesity." "Also certain types of carbohydrates containing cellulose, lignin, polysaccharides and stachyose and scorodose can’t be digested easily. They get fermented and produce colon gas," adds another dietician Sumona Basak.
Dieticians and nutritionists list the dos and don’ts of diet to control gas problem: These include avoiding over-fried or greasy meals, maida, excess of whole grains, starchy and fast food, alcohol and coffee and carbonated beverages. It’s advisable to avoid excessively chilled water after meal as it lowers our body temperature and creates indigestion or gas problem. There should be a minimum interval of 4-5 hours between large meals to aid the digestion process. Drink water at least half an hour before or after the meal. Soups and salad can precede while green tea, sour curd, skimmed milk can follow a meal to help digestion.
Nutritionist Dr B. Shivaji points out that the symptoms of gas problems could include nausea, vomiting, headache, vertigo, heartburn, temporary loss of eye-sight, abdominal colic, constipation or dysentery. Antacid tablets can bring temporary relief to gas patients but ultimately leads to peptic ulcer by causing bleeding in the stomach wall. So, "nothing can be better than the natural antacid like honey water," says Dr Shivaji and adds that a balanced diet and drinking 3-4 litres of water daily can keep gas problems at bay.

Pump up the power with Tai chi moves

(By Ranga Rao)
A survey among the practitioners of tai chi and non-practitioners between the age group 50 and 89 showed that among tai chi students, the cardiovascular level was much better, breathing was deeper and more efficient. The strength of the bones and use of joints was remarkably superior and metabolism in general was better. Among various types of tai chi exercises, Yijinjing is a wonderful therapeutic exercise for orthopedic patients during convalescence, where Yi means strengthening tendons. Jing means method or essence. This exercise is designed to strengthen flaccid and frail muscles and tendons and joints as it brings into play the legs, hip and spine and also stimulate the respiratory and circulating functions.
Method
Stand with both feet together. Move the left foot to left side and bend both legs to a double shoulder width. Sit in a half squat in "Horse Riding Stance," arms crossed at chest level. Extend right arm outside. Extend left arm to the left with index finger pointing upward and other fingers half clenched. Turn your head and look at left arm while simultaneously making a fist with the right hand, extend it to right shoulder level with the arm bent as if you were drawing a bow. While pulling right hand to right shoulder breathe in and breathe out when the hand goes back to the starting position. Repeat this 8 to 12 times on both sides.

Kick up your heels

If you are ready to kick up your heels for really sexy, shapely legs, try the decline single-leg cable curl. The cable’s movement is regulated by your leg. You’re forced to balance and control the movement.
Set the cable machine to a low setting. Then, position a decline bench far enough away from the low cable pulley on the weight stack so that the plates do not make contact at the bottom of the movement when you perform the exercise. Attach an ankle strap to the low cable and wrap it securely around your left ankle. Lie prone on the decline bench with your left leg extended. Place your right foot on the floor with your knee slightly bent.
Contract your hamstring and curl your leg up toward your glutes while keeping your thigh in contact with the bench. Further squeeze and pause at the top of the movement. Then, slowly control your leg back down to the starting position. Maintain a slight bend in your leg at the bottom of the rep and go immediately into the next repetition. Finish 12 to 16 reps with your left leg and then switch to your right.

Water is best, so bottoms up

(By S.M. Murthy)
Water is not only used for the external cleansing of the body but also as medicine for various diseases as it helps in washing out toxins and micro-organisms.
As water enters our system, the movement of the vital fluids, the blood and lymph gets accelerated, the heart movement becomes more energetic and the function of the glands, kidneys, lungs, skin along with secretions from sweat and urine glands get activated.
Thus the body gets rid of different water-soluble toxins such as urates, sodium salts, oxalates and other nitrogenous wastes. Moreover, with increased moisture under its surface, the skin becomes soft and looks bright. Increased movement of blood through the lungs enables greater absorption of oxygen.
Depending upon seasonal variations and food habits, a person needs minimum 2-3 litres of water a day, which should be taken at equal intervals.
In diseased conditions, this requirement rises to detoxify the system. The soda water gets absorbed faster than normal water and relieves exhaustion caused due to excessive perspiration during summer. A glass of soda water mixed with lemon juice, sugar and a pinch of salt is really a refreshing drink.

Hair flair: Black is back

Lindsay Lohan did it and so did Jessica Simpson. We are talking about the sudden obsession with jet black locks. In fact, our own Amrita Arora too went all black after sporting a blonde look for years. So, black clearly seems to be the flavour of the season. That said, one must add that just because we are born with darker hair, it doesn’t mean that we can carry off a jet black look with ease. If you want to join the black bandwagon, here are some tips.
* Go slow. Especially if you have been dyeing your hair a lighter shade for a long time now. sudden transformation has a shocking effect which can be avoided if you opt for a gradual change.
* if you are of a darker complexion, avoid the jet black look. It will only make you look darker and your skin will look sallow. Jet black hair looks best on very fair skin.
* For those who have a wheatish complexion, dark hair colours with a natural base (black) and highlights like walnut, honey or copper work wonders.
* Just because black is closest to the natural colour of our hair, it doesn’t mean you can treat your dyed hair as natural hair. Even though the colour doesn’t stand out, you still have to take care of your locks with sunscreen shampoos and conditioners for coloured hair.
q Again, just because black doesn’t give an immediate impression of coloured hair, many like to do it at home. But you must remember that the black hair dyes that you buy off the shelves leave metallic colour residue on your hair. Opt for professional hair colour mixes.
(By Javed habib)

Let night cream work magic while you sleep

Beauty sleep has a whole new definition these days with a lineup of lotions and potions specially designed to work wonders while you snooze. It’s a category of skin-care products that’s growing as women opt for even more ways to repair and rejuvenate stressed skin.
"The reasoning for a nighttime product is that they go on clean skin without interference from make-up, daily grime or perspiration, so the active ingredients are working better," explains Dr Richard G. Glogau, a clinical professor of dermatology at the University of California-San Francisco and an expert in cosmetic dermatology.
Without the environmental distractions and with your cells’ natural ability to renew during the night, the right treatment can help make your complexion look fresher and brighter, he adds. But the proliferation of night creams means you have to do your homework to choose what’s best for you. Examine your skin and figure out what type of overnight product might be best for your skin type. Is it plagued by acne? Then perhaps a lotion with glycolic acid will be best. Do you need to correct hyper-pigmentation — brown spots — from too much sun? Look for a cream that contains hydroquinone, which corrects uneven skin color and blotches.
Skin experts recommend that we educate ourself on our skin’s needs first, then read ingredient lists carefully to make sure the cream contains the right formula.

Beauty routine

By Hansika Motwani
‘Homemade is best for me’
I follow a simple diet that consists of simple home cooked foods containing lots of green leafy vegetables. I also clean my skin regularly. I also drink a lot of water and fresh juices to clear my body of toxins and do not use make-up when not shooting. I completely believe in homemade packs and use a gram flour, milk and turmeric pack for my face.

Keep eyes bright with gentle care

(By Vikram Kumar)

The eye area, being the most sensitive area of the face, needs to be taken care of carefully. A basic moisturiser will work well as a hydrator for the eye area, but if you want to do a little more (in order to cure dark circles, crow’s feet and reduce puffiness), you’ll have better results with a moisturiser made specifically for the eyes. To avoid irritation, use eye creams which tend to have lower levels of active ingredients. They also contain substances not found in face creams — caffeine to reduce puffiness, vitamin K to minimise dark circles, plus light diffusers and silicone derivatives to plump up crow's feet. Always use eye moisturisers for the skin in the eye area. The writer is a cosmetic consultant