Avoid the use of Personal listening devices (PLDs):

Today, the danger of early hearing loss is found in one out of four teenagers which is the result of long listening music on their MP3 players and iPods. These devices are a fundamental improvement of the walkman, which provide the users with crystal clear sound at a high volume.

Professor Chava Muchnik of audiology at Tel Aviv University (TAU) faculty of Medicine and of the Sheba Medical Centre, the journal for Audiology report said that teens are in danger of early loss of hearing as a result of direct listening habits. The researchers of TAU marked these personal listening devices (PLDs) as causing serious health problems, especially for the teenagers. Professor Muchnik studied with his colleagues on teenagers ‘habits of music listening, taking acoustic measures of preferred levels of listening, as stated by TAU. The result clearly demonstrate that teens have harmful habits of music listening on iPods and MP3 devices. In the coming 10-20 years, teens will be suffering much early from loss of hearing, than the expected natural age.

Pupils who are misusing the PLDs will definitely understand their faults when their hearing ability will start detoriating while they reach their 30s and 40s. Muchnik took 289 teens of 13 to 17 years of age for his first stage of study. For his second stage, 74 teens took their participation for the measurement of the listening levels in an environment that was both noisy and quiet. The result made Muchnik worrisome.

It depicted that PLDs were regularly used by eighty percent of teens; about 21 percent use these for one to four hours and some about eight percent listen music for more than four hours. The data along with the result of acoustic measurement indicate that almost a quarter of the participants are at the risk for hearing loss.

The Kiwi way to good health

The world has gone gaga over the benefits of fruits. Since the earliest of times, man has been on the quest for diets that are supplemented by fruits that are seen as an aid to great hair, health as well as skin. The new era has discovered a whole lot of advantages of a much popular fruit that reminisces of a bird Down Under. Yes we are talking of the Kiwi fruit! The light olive like color and the serene appearance is actually based on the fact that the fruit is a storehouse of rich Vitamins-namely A, C and E.

How the Vitamins help?
The Vitamin A has been much read about ever since junior school. Besides being great for our eyes, these vitamins boost great skin. The two main vitamins which the tasty and tangy fruit comprises are active radical fighters and also have properties that prevent the onset of a number of disorders or diseases.

Remember, the benefits of a fiber rich diet you read back in school? This lesson is proven by the dietary fiber which the green yummy fruit called the kiwi has stored within. Therefore, with a few slices of Kiwi fruit, you can keep high bold sugar, colon cancer and the like, at bay.

Proven medical benefits of having Kiwi fruit:
• Prevents heart disorders
• Reduces the chances of cardiac arrests
• Low in calories
• Control weight issues in obese people
• Controls cholesterol levels
• Prevents mutations
• Helps children fight cough and cold

The best for the last
However, you need not simply believe that Kiwi fruit is to be eaten to fight such issues. Being juicy and yummy, you can try using the fruit in a number of interesting recipes as well. Use it in mock tails or use slices in homemade ice-cream or cheesecakes. The Kiwi takes away a number of calories with every slice placed in the cake.

Lose kilos by chewing gum

Scientists have revealed a new fact about losing weight by chewing gum. It is a misconception among many of us that gum can be fattening and so you may gain weight by munching on gums. Gum can give you fresh breath, enhance your memory helps you to quit smoking. It can also participate in your weight loss program by helping you in controlling the impulse of hunger.

Chewing gums contain softeners because of which we can hold them in mouth for a longer period. The softeners used in chewing gums are mostly glycerines. Glycerine is not bad for health if consumed in a proportionate manner.

Trying sugar free chewing gums can help you a great way to reduce weight. It has been found through research that if you chew sugar free gum after an hour of the meal you are less likely to have snacks. You don’t feel hungry at all and the urge to eat refreshments habitually minimizes. Consuming snacks between meals can add extra kilos to your weight. If you consume chewing gum 3 times a day in between your meals it will control your hunger and eventually you will not crave for food.


Scientists are also working on developing a chewing gum which can get rid of unwanted fat over your body. It was demonstrated that a hormone can be taken orally which will make feel people “full” after having that. This hormone is called PYY belongs to a system which is responsible for regulating the hunger and stamina of human body. PYY is released in the blood stream when people have meal or do some work out. The more the amount of PYY released in the blood stream, the more is the number of calories consumed. Past medical Studies indicate that obese people have low amount of PYY than people who are thin. Scientists are working hard on finding a way through which they can insert the B12-PYY into chewing gum or any oral tablet which can be eaten with less effort. The gum can be made available in nasal spray or injection form once it hits the market. The biggest advantage of having a chewing gum as your appetite loser is that you can carry it anywhere. Once you replace your purses full of high calorie chocolates and chips with a tiny chewing gum you will be shocked to see the results. No need to have tasteless juices or raw food to lose weight.

Goodness of Garlic

Garlic is an important ingredient used in various cuisines for adding flavour to several dishes. Garlic is rich in sulphur compound, allicin which is beneficial for our health. If you consume garlic daily according to research you can protect yourself from cold and improve your immune system. Taking garlic pills, or drinking garlic soup and tea can be a healthy precaution against cold. Garlic syrup gives relief from sore throat while drinking garlic tea in winter boosts your immune system.

Cooking garlic at low temperature can release many useful sulphur compounds but if the temperature is kept high then the enzymes cannot react to give the sulphur compounds. Garlic helps a great way in reducing cholesterol. It acts as natural antibiotic killing bacteria and other micro-organisms which are harmful for our body. It is equivalent to penicillin and other antibiotic medicines that are usually prescribed by the doctors.


Garlic has a rich content of selenium which acts as defence against cancer and poisoning caused due to metals like lead. When meat is grilled at high temperature some part of it gets blackened which can cause cancer. It is therefore recommended to have garlic in raw form or mixed in a sauce when you are eating meat. Similarly sea food can be dangerous if it is farmed in waste water containing metal residues. It is always good to season your seafood with minced garlic which will diminish the toxic effects.

Garlic reduces triglycerides in the blood and helps in controlling blood pressure. Besides improving circulation it acts against yeast infections and other harmful ailments like urinary infections, asthma and blood vessel blockages. Eating garlic improves the secretion of digestive juices aid the digestion process. It is the best medicine for stomach infections. It helps the body to produce nitric oxide synthase which supports in erections. For pregnant women consuming garlic can be a best way to increase the weight of their babies. It has also been recommended to eat garlic during pregnancy to keep the blood pressure normal.


Most of the skin problems arise due to impurities in blood. Garlic can be a good medicine for treatment of skin disorders as it purifies the blood. It has been used from ancient times to cure worm invasions and low libido. Naturopaths recommend use of garlic for improving eyesight, colour of skin, firming of bones and for regulating gastrointestinal system of the body.

Diet food - healthy or not?

A diet always represents what you should eat for in your life. It should be related to your working pattern, activity level, taste and tradition. Diet now days have got another meaning in people’s life. It is directly related to sudden weight loss, slim figure, health loss and loss or beauty. It is ridiculous to live on just raw food and juices for a long time just to be slim. Such misconceptions about diet always lead to health problems such as low blood pressure, fatigue, weak bones and anemia. Dieting which can give you only weight loss is nothing but a failure.

Many diet programs prescribe diet foods specially designed for getting thin. These foods can make you look slender but as soon as you come back to your routine you tend to eat more to compensate the fat loss of your body and once again become fat.

Some of the diets are very difficult to continue for a longer period. Diets such as detox diets which will harm you physically and mentally both. Detox diet has become the trendiest word in dieting. It includes eating vegetables like bitter guard, bottle guard and other vegetables that we hate to eat. When your intake is against your wish how can it make you feel good. We eat food to be healthy. Eating food of our choice gives us contentment and mental piece. If our stomach is always empty and unsatisfied, we will never be able to concentrate on our work. There are many people who eat only oranges and have vegetable juices in their diet. They are initially happy to see sudden weight loss of 3-4 kgs. But this diet brings along with it headaches and problems like constipation, anxiety which can worsen the health more. Some naturopath’s diets include eating dry fruits and milk in a day.

Eating dry fruits is good for health but living totally on them is ridiculous. These diets can lower the metabolic rate of body.

Another term used in diet plans is herbal supplements. Herbal tea or herbal medicines are often sold by many companies assuring 10-15 kgs of weight loss in a very short period.

You should always check out the authenticity of such products before buying them. These products can have adverse effects on your body and mind as well. Crash diets can make you lose more weight but they will make you weaker. Your lifestyle will be completely changed. Best way to lose weight is to form a routine of exercise. Eat whatever you want but that should be in proportion. Over eating is the main cause of weight gain. Eating wrong food at the wrong time is also another reason for being fat. High calorie food should be consumed during morning as during this time your stomach has a capacity of digesting more. Eat moderate food during lunch and very light during dinner because the stomach cannot digest heavy food during night which leads to indigestion. The undigested food accumulates as fat which makes you look flabby.

Look Younger – Keep smiling

Everyday, we can see so many people smiling. The television news channels or advertisement boards or a sales representative of a company, everything focuses on smile. A single smile on somebody’s face can create wonders. People feel like talking to a person who is always smiling rather than one with a serious face. It has been observed that the most successful and beautiful people in the world always favoured smiling. It has many benefits for the health. It makes us feel young by lifting your face muscles keeping us look young and fresh.

Smile brings along with it confidence and stage daring. We are always reminded by our elders to keep smiling whenever we perform on stage or do any presentation. Even if we commit any mistake, our smile will overlook that mistake and will not allow losing our confidence. Audience will naturally be more attracted to a participant who has a beautiful smile. Our smile is contagious and it not only makes us feel better from inside but it also changes the mood of our surrounding area. It has no language barrier as we can win many friends wearing a single smile on our face.

Now days many women use anti-wrinkle face packs, face-lift treatment or expensive cosmetics to look young. It has been proved through research that it is the smile that is effective for making us look younger than your real age. Smile improves our emotional and mental health as well. It reduces the stress and makes a person live longer. There is a direct connection between our smile and a part of brain which controls emotions. Our happiness triggers the emotional part of our brain that releases serotonin and endorphins which are the body’s natural chemical controlling our happy feelings. These chemicals will keep us away from stress. So whenever you feel sad and lonely, try to smile; you will feel better.

Smiling is also helpful for curing depression to a greater extent. It controls the brains as well as other parts of our body. If your stress levels are high you are prone to many dangerous diseases. Other the other hand, with a simple smile, you can maintain your stress levels low and your immune system will get a boost by automatically controlling your blood pressure, and sugar levels. A healthy and energetic person always looks young and charming.

Smiling lifts up our face and requires fewer efforts than frowning. If we avoid smiling it will have negative impact on our body. The brain will not release serotonin and slowly the person may go in depression. Some people are conscious about their yellow teeth or chapped lips and tend to smile less. These problems can be solved with the treatment of a good dentist or cosmetic surgeon.

People who smile frequently are more attractive than those who have a serious look. Frowning pushes people away from you. It is recommended by many psychologists that you should get up every morning and look in the mirror with a smile on your face. This will fill your whole day with positive thoughts and you will be always happy and look young.

Happy Smiling!

Lip care in winters

Soft and charming lips play a significant role in one’s physical prettiness. In winter, as the temperature goes down, our lips often become dry and develop cracks. Unlike skin, lips do not have sebaceous glands in them so they tend to loose moisture more frequently. To keep the lips moist especially in winter season you have to take special care of your lips.

Using a Lip gloss or balm can be a good option but that is not enough for keeping your lips glossy. To keep them moist and hydrated you should consume plenty of water. If the place you are leaving in is parched, you can make use of a humidifier or a water bucket to recompense the water content in the surrounding. Try not to go out in harsh weather or in case it’s very important. protect the lips by applying a lip guard.

Every morning make it a habit of removing the cracked particles on the lips by rubbing a cold cream or lip oil on it gently. Papaya is an exfoliating agent which removes the dead skin over lips and gives it relaxation. Massage your lips with papaya paste whenever you get time and leave the paste for 10 minutes. It will soften the lips and give it a nice gleam.

For women who make regular use of lipsticks the chances of lips getting dry are more. It is very necessary to remove the lipstick before going to sleep every night so that the lipstick elements do not affect the surface of your lips. After washing out the lipstick, lightly massage the lips with almond oil or olive oil to nourish the lips. Sometimes ingredients found in toothpastes which are actually bleaches can cause breaking of lips. Scented lip guards containing chemical agents and elements used for adding colour in lipsticks are more often the main reasons for chapped lips. Avoid lip gels containing petroleum products. It is always good to use herbal or organic products which do not harm the lips.

Vitamin deficiency also causes dry lips. Eating healthy food and including fluids supplementary in your diet can prevent cracking of lips. If you are regularly taking multi vitamin or vitamin B tablets, your lips will never be prone to cracking. Intake of green leafy vegetables, dairy products, eggs and brown rice in one’s diet prevents broken lips.

Licking your lips often and rubbing them with fingers may aggravate the cracking because the acids and enzymes present in human saliva break the subtle tissues of lips. Allergies to certain syrups or lip glosses cause dryness and irritation to lips. Be cautious while buying any skin product or medicines and read the ingredients present in any product. Make minimum use of products containing mint, camphor or citric acid as these elements can cause stinging effect on lips.

If you have developed cracked lips then use of homemade butter or a mask made up of honey, cream and olive oil can cure your broken lips.