Prevention

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fitness guidelines for women for a healthy life

Content

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SPECIAL REPORT
contents
features
116 LIFE-SAVING TESTS
Health screenings can save your life—if they
work right. What you do can make
all the difference
122 MAKING LOVE LAST
6 promises that will bring you closer together
126 SLIM DOWN FAST!
Fire up your metabolism, stop cravings and
beat stress with Kundalini Yoga
134 LOOK 10 YEARS YOUNGER
The complete anti-ageing guide—to look and
feel better than ever
144 FRESH VS FROZEN
The best way to benefit from frozen foods
150 FAST FOOD MAKEOVER
Feel-good favourites that boost your health
always
4 from the editor
6 faces of Prevention
12 my Prevention
158 pets
160 5 to 9, after-hours stuff
162 picture of health
144
CONSUME FROZEN FOODS THE RIGHT WAY
JUNE
NUTRITION
45 News & Trends
48 Natural Healer:
Cucumber
50 Calorie Counter:
The perfect snack
51 Grocery Guru:
Curd this be true
53 Energy fix: Eat right
to energise
54 Diet Series: Better
body foods
58 Ask the
nutrition expert
62 Superfruits
departments
COVER
STORIES
126 Slim
down fast!
54 Better body foods
Your summer
detox plan
26 Beat the heat
5 tips to keep cool
this summer
134 Look 10 years
younger
116 Life-saving tests
How to maximise
your benefits
76 4 best moves to
flatten your belly
COVER
CREDITS
DESIGN & STYLING
Sadhana Moolchandani
PHOTO
Ritesh Sharma
HAIR & MAKE-UP
Ashima Kapoor
CLOTHES
Top: Debenhams
FITNESS
67 News & Trends
69 Ask the weight-loss
coach
70 The Walking Page
72 Success Story:
There are no
shortcuts to health
74 The Motivator: Work
out, new mommy!
76 Body by Design
YOU
105 News & Trends
108 Real Life: My old
man grows up
111 Work-Life
Balance
112 Stay energised
every day
FAMILY
81 News & Trends
82 Healthy Home:
Allergy-proof your
home
87 Healthy Family: For
the (health) record
91 Bonding Rx: What
kind of dad are you?
100 Here’s to a healthy
divorce
91
contents
JUNE
000 ■ PREVENTION JUNE 2008
58 26 38
67
HEALTH
17 News & Trends
22 Health Quiz: Vision
Quest
24 Ask Dr Weil:
Are some
salts healthier
than others?
26 Beat the heat
28 Executive Health:
‘I strive to strike a
balance’
BEAUTY
31 News & Trends
33 Editor’s Picks:
Supplies for men
34 Solutions: Smell
wonderful!
36 Real-Life Beauty:
Give me red
38 Anti-Ageing Arsenal:
Top anti-ageing
products
40 15 cool tips to beat
the summer sun
112
2
YOUR
experts
Alternative Medicine
Dr Issac Mathai, medical
director, SOUKYA, Interna-
tional Holistic Health Centre,
Bangalore, and a renowned
holistic physician.
Cardiology
Dr K Srinath Reddy, presi-
dent, Public Health Founda-
tion of India and former
head of cardiology, AIIMS,
Delhi. A consultant with
the WHO and considered a
global authority in his field.
Chest/Pulmonary
Dr Randeep Guleria, profes-
sor of Medicine, AIIMS. A DM
in Pulmonary Medicine, he is
an advisor on various com-
mittees of the GOI and WHO.
Dermatology
Dr Rekha Sheth, founder
president of Cosmetology
Society (India) runs Yuva,
a chain of medispas-cum-
cosmetology clinics. She
has carried out research
projects for HLL and Givau-
dan Roure, Switzerland—the
world’s largest producer of
fragrances.
Endocrinology
Dr Nikhil Tandon, profes-
sor of Endocrinology and
Metabolism, AIIMS. His areas
of interest include diabetes,
thyroid disorders and meta-
bolic bone diseases including
osteoporosis.
Fitness
Nisha Varma, a Reebok
University Master Trainer,
yoga instructor and an aqua
instructor certified by the
Federation of International
Sports, Aerobics and Fitness,
Singapore.
Gastroenterology
Dr Samiran Nundy, head of
surgical gastroenterology,
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital,
Delhi. He has edited several
medical journals including
The National Medical Jour-
nal of India and the Indian
Journal of Medical Ethics.
Gender issues
Dr Kamini Rao, president,
Indian Society for Assisted
Reproduction and chair-
person, the FIGO Women’s
Sexual & Reproductive
Rights Committee.
Prevention’s Advisors
FACES
OF PREVENTION
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FROM THE EDITOR
POP CULTURE
JUNE 2008 ■ PREVENTION
SANGHAMITRA CHAKRABORTY
Editor
I did not quite know my father
until I lost him. I heard stories
of his warmth and kindness
from friends and admirers as
they came to see us in the
days that followed.
I was always slightly worried
that Babuji spoke his mind too
often, too bluntly. He could be
moody and unpredictable.
Yes, he had friends, but it was
only when he was gone that I was struck by how many
bonds he had forged. More people understood the utterly
selfless, genuine human being that my father was than
I ever imagined.
Though he showered us with affection, like most men of
his day he was an absent dad. I wonder how it would have
been if he was slightly more involved. Would I have known
him better? Would I have grown up a different person?
I have heard stories of dads from the ’60s and ’70s who
would make my father look positively involved. One went
to pay his child’s school fees and could not remember
which class he was in!
How things have changed. As I write to you, my son
Josh is leaning on his dad, listening to a storybook.
Josh’s dad is pausing to ask him if he wants dinner.
I can work late, travel and spend me time knowing that
my son will be fine when his dad is around.
This issue of Prevention is dedicated to dads—absent
and involved. Don’t miss a daughter’s Father’s Day tribute
in My Old Man Grows Up (page 108) and What Kind of
Dad are You? (Page 91).
I often get calls and letters from men asking why they
don’t see more of themselves in the magazine. For all you
guys, there’s singer KK’s fitness success story (page 72)
and cool ideas on the best grooming products for men
(page 33).
Here’s to all men who make
our lives better. Each one
who has the courage to be
mom when needed and still
know that it doesn’t make
them any less of a man!
YOUR
experts
A REGULAR
CLEANSING
ROUTINE AND
PROTECTION
FROM THE SUN,
OVER A PERIOD
OF TIME, WILL
ENSURE A
GLOWING AND
HEALTHY SKIN
Use a mild face wash. Synergie, Pears,
Pond’s, Avon, Aviance are good and
trusted options to choose from. Cetaphil,
available over-the-counter at drug stores,
is also very effective. Use a sunscreen
every day. The sun’s UVA rays result in
tanning and ageing. Try Neutrogena
and Vichy sunscreen products. To delay
the onset of wrinkles, use moisturisers
containing alpha-hydroxy acids (to renew
skin cells). Try Pond’s Age Defying Cream,
Avon’s ‘Anew’ and Synergie Moisturiser.
Using a moisturiser with anti-oxidants
such as vitamin A, C and E will also
deliver the same results.
I AM 31 AND MARRIED. I HAVE VERY
SENSITIVE SKIN. PLEASE SUGGEST
SKINCARE PRACTICES THAT I CAN
FOLLOW TO DELAY AGEING AND
MAINTAIN A HEALTHY SKIN.
— MANSI BAJAJ VIA EMAIL
YOU ASK
OUR EXPERT ANSWERS
Prevention’s Advisors
I don’t think there’s anything serious,
just lack of exercise. However, I would
suggest you consult an orthopaedic surgeon. An X-ray of
the knee (in weight-bearing and resting positions) should be
done. If it shows a problem, get an MRI done. If both the X-
ray and the MRI indicate a normal joint, I would advise some
quadricep exercises for your knee and non-steroidal anti-in-
flammatory drug to give you relief. Regular walking should
also be a good exercise for you.
I AM 28, 5’ 6’’ AND WEIGH 64 KG. I
LEAD A SEDENTARY LIFE. I’VE BEEN
HAVING A DULL PAIN IN MY RIGHT
KNEE. PLEASE SUGGEST A REMEDY.
— MANISHA UNNIYAL, DELHI
YOU ASK
OUR EXPERT ANSWERS
DR P K DAVE,
Chairman, Advisory
Board, Rockland Hospital,
Delhi
Send us your questions at
[email protected]
with YOU ASK in the
subject line
Mental Health
Dr Prabha Chandra, profes-
sor of Psychiatry, NIMHANS,
Bangalore. She specialises in
post-natal depression.
Nutrition
Dr Kamala Krishnaswamy,
president, Nutrition Soci-
ety of India and a council
member of the International
Union of Nutritional Sciences.
She is a former director, Na-
tional Institute of Nutrition,
Hyderabad.
Orthopaedics
Dr P K Dave, former direc-
tor, AIIMS, and an eminent
orthopaedic surgeon (joint
replacement & spinal
surgery). He is professor
emeritus and former presi-
dent, National Academy of
Medical Sciences, Delhi.
Obstetrics
Dr Indira Hinduja, consultant
gynaecologist, KEM Hospital,
Mumbai. Dr Hinduja has
worked on Gamete Intra Fal-
lopian Technique or GIFT—an
assisted conception method,
and gave India its first GIFT
baby in 1988.
Oncology
Dr S H Advani, director,
Medical Oncology, Jaslok
Hospital & Research Centre
and chief medical oncolo-
gist at the Asian Institute of
Oncology, Mumbai. Formerly
with the Tata Memorial Hos-
pital, Mumbai.
Paediatrics
Dr Arvind Taneja, director
and chief, Paediatric Ser-
vices, Max Super Speciality
Hospital, Delhi. Recipient of
the ‘Distingushed Physician’
award of the Delhi Medical
Association.
Yoga
Yogacharya B K S Iyengar
pioneered the world-famous
Iyengar Yoga. He has been
practising and teaching yoga
for more than 60 years and
has authored many books
on yoga including the best-
seller Light on Yoga.
FACES
OF PREVENTION
JUNE 2008 000 ■ PREVENTION
DR REKHA SHETH
Cosmetic dermatologist,
Yuva Skin Clinic,
Mumbai
6
Editor Sanghamitra Chakraborty
Deputy Editor Sakina Yusuf Khan
Associate Editor Shobita Dhar
Sr Features Writer Ankita Agarwal
Editorial Coordinator Shilpa Negi
Art Director Sadhana Moolchandani
Designer Sheetal Bhat
Photo Coordinator Sandeep Wadhwa
DTP Designer Keshav Kapil
Deputy Chief Production Surendra Kumar
Production Coordinator Raj Kumar Pandey, Gajendra Bhatt
Publishing Director Mala Sekhri
IMPACT Team
Sr General Manager (North, West & East) Gauri Damodaran
General Manager (South) Neeta Kamath
North Mary Mehrunnisa
Bangalore Shveta T M
Mumbai Suman Sharma
Kolkata Tanima Saha
Marketing
Head Marketing Mini Seth
Sr Manager Pankaj Kumar
Dy Brand Manager Neha Chandra
Assistant Brand Manager Vikas Monga
Trade Circulation
Executive Director (Newsstand Sales) Vivek Gaur
Sr General Manager (Sales & Operations) D V S Rama Rao
General Manager (National Sales) Vinod Das
Sr General Manager (South) C V Vaidyalingam
General Manager (West) Rajesh Menon
Dy General Manager (East) Rajeev Gandhi
Operations
General Manager S Sridhar
Consumer Marketing Services
Sr General Manager Poonam Sangha
Prevention Foreign Editions/Editors
■ United States Liz Vaccariello
■ Latin America Soledad Aguirre Gil
■ Continental Latin America Paola Romero
■ Greece Anna Kouvara
■ Poland Agnieszka Swiecka
■ Ukraine Olga Kovalskaya
THE PREVENTION PLEDGE You can count on the
recommendations you find in Prevention to be checked
thoroughly for accuracy and supported by the opinions of
leading experts and up-to-date research.
Rina Dhaka is a suc-
cessful fashion de-
signer who takes her
health as seriously
as the décolletage
of her creations. She
runs on the treadmill
for 20-minutes, 4-
5 days a week. Rina
is a Buddhist and
chants twice a day.
She keeps away from
mutton and chicken,
but eats seafood.
Her weakness: cof-
fee. “I try to keep it
to one cup a day but
it often goes up to 2
or more,’’ she says.
COVER
ON THE
MEET
RINA
DHAKA
HOMETOWN: Delhi
RODALE INTERNATIONAL
BUSINESS
Michelle Meyercord
Vice President, Director
Robert Novick
Executive Director
Finance
Kevin LaBonge
Associate Business
Development Director
Seana Williams
International Business
Manager
Lucio Grimaldi
Associate Marketing
Director
Linda Stevens
International Marketing
Manager
EDITORIAL
Jeff Csatari
Executive Editorial
Director
Darleen Malkames
Senior Production
Manager
Laura Ongaro
Senior Editor
Veronika Ruff
Associate Editor
Jessica Campbell
Contracts Analyst
Denise Weaver
Production Coordinator
Editor-in-Chief
Aroon Purie
Chief Executive Officer Ashish Bagga
FACES
OF PREVENTION
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JUNE 2008 000 ■ PREVENTION
‘EVERYONE
CAN STAY FIT BY
EXERCISING AND
EATING HEALTHY’
8
FACES
OF PREVENTION
JUNE 2008 000 ■ PREVENTION
Volume 2 Number 3
© 2007 RODALE INC. All rights reserved. Published under license
from Rodale Inc. Reproduction in any manner in any language in
whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited.
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material.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
MEGHNA NANDA
A UK-based nutritionist,
she feels eating meals at
the right time is the most
effective diet mantra. She
is an advisor with Premier
Foods (Britain’s largest
food manufacturers) and a
registered practitioner for
pre-conceptual care and
infertility. In this issue she
gives a detox plan (p 54)
that will leave your health
and skin glowing.
YOU
SHOULD
MEET
I must point out a gross inaccuracy regarding edible oils. The article
‘7 Eat Right Rules to Stop the Clock’ (April, 2008), says “olive and
canola oils (are) rich sources of Omega-3.”
Olive Oil, despite its many other health benefits, contains almost
no Omega-3. Canola Oil is certainly rich in Omega-3 and also con-
tains the ideal balance between Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.
For a magazine like Prevention, with its high editorial standards,
this is a gross error. —Himani Dalmia, Assistant Manager, Marketing, Dalmia
Continental Pvt. Ltd.
CORRIGENDUM We deeply regret that canola oil and olive oil were
said to be rich sources of omega-3 in the same breath. Olive oil, in
fact, does not have a high omega 3 content.
Dietician Ritika Samaddar, the writer of the article, clarifies:
“Olive oil has about 15% saturated fat, 75% as monosaturated fatty
acid (MUFA) and 10% as poly. Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) can
be further divided as omega 3 (w3) and omega 6 (w 6) and olive oil
has fats from omega group but has w 6 or linoleic acid and very lit-
tle w3 (Source Nutritive Value of Indian Foods, National Institute of
Nutrition, ICMR-2004).” It is possible to enhance omega-3 content
in the diet by including fish and flaxseed, nutritionists say. —Editor.
CONTRIBUTORS
Mail your letters to the editor to: Editor, Prevention, 9th Floor, Videocon Tower, E-1,
Jhandewalan Extension, New Delhi - 110055, or e-mail to [email protected]
FOR SUBSCRIPTION ASSISTANCE CONTACT: CUSTOMER CARE, India Today Group,
A-61, Sector 57, Noida (U.P.) 201301. Phone: from Delhi and Faridabad: (95120)2479900,
from Rest of India: (0120)2479900; Fax:(0120)4078080; E-mail: [email protected]
GURMUKH KAUR
KHALSA
She has been teaching
Kundalini Yoga in the US for
the past 30 years. Her disci-
ples include LA elite such as
Madonna and Cindy Craw-
ford. We caught up with
Gurmukh when she was in
India to attend the World
Yoga Congress held recently
in Rishikesh. On pg 126 she
shares with you yoga poses
and breathing exercises that
will ﬁre up your metabolism
and help you lose weight.
10
68 USEFUL THINGS TO DO THIS MONTH: A TEAR-OUT CHECKLIST
DETOX WITH FOOD
(p 54)
❑ DRINK a glass of
warm water to which
some lemon juice
has been added first
thing in the morning
❑ REDUCE consump-
tion of tea, coffee,
sugar and alcohol
❑ STOCK UP on fibre.
For instance, add
steamed beans to my
bowl of salad
FIGHT BODY
ODOUR (p 34)
❑ SHOWER twice a
day for freshness
❑ CHANGE under-
garments every day
❑ DRINK plenty of
water and fresh juices
through the day.
Hydration reduces the
amount of sweating
❑ WASH underarms
with a solution of alum
and water
PREVENT
ALLERGIES (p 82)
❑ FIX leaking taps
and pipes in my home
before the monsoons
❑ USE smaller carpets.
They’re easier to clean
❑ WASH my bed linen
in hot water
❑ WIPE window grills
with a wet cloth
or mop
❑ CLEAN AC filter
every month when in
regular use
❑ AVOID smoking
indoors
BEAUTY CARE FOR
SUMMERS (p 40)
❑ WEAR a sunscreen
with SPF 15 to 30 daily
❑ USE moisturisers
with ingredients such
as AHAs, white tea,
cucumber and aloe vera
❑ WIPE my face with
cottonwool dipped
in milk to reduce skin
irritation
❑ COOL OFF tired eyes
with gel eye pads
❑ CONDITION my hair
regularly
❑ ADD essential oils
and potassium
permanganate to my
bath water
EATING OUT, WISELY
(p 58)
❑ DINE at restaurants
that use fresh
ingredients
❑ OPT for Oriental and
Mediterranean cuisines.
They are low-cal
❑ STICK to clear soups
❑ SKIP appetisers,
focus on the main
course
❑ LIMIT myself to 2
medium drinks of wine
❑ HAVE fresh fruits for
dessert
FOLLOW NEESHA’S
TIPS to start working
out after pregnancy
(p 74)
❑ START now. Do not
delay starting my
workout regimen
❑ KEEP my routine
simple. Do exercises
My Prevention
like walking
❑ ROPE IN friends to
enjoy my workout
more
WITH RED
LIPSTICK (p 36)
❑ KEEP eye make-up
minimal
❑ USE a peach
blusher to highlight
my cheek bones
❑ WEAR light pastel
coloured clothes in
summer months
❑ CAN wear red nail
paint
FIND MORE ONLINE
■ www.dlfgolfresort.com Gift your dad
a membership to the golf academy at DLF
Golf Resort and Club, Gurgaon, on June 15,
Father’s Day. Golf is a good cardiovascular
exercise as it involves a lot of walking.
■ www.indianredcross.org visit the web-
site to donate relief and medical goods for
victims of cyclone Nargis in Myanmar.
■ www.osteoporosisindia.com log on
to this site to know more about bone
and joint disorders such as osteoporosis,
arthritis and gout.
■ www.tarladalal.com Pick up healthy,
low-cal recipes. The website has special
recipes for diabetes and heart patients,
and to up your calcium and iron intake.
PREVENT
AGEING (p 38)
❑ APPLY an anti-
wrinkle cream, with
vitamins in it, before
going to bed
DETECT CANCER
BETTER (
p
116)
❑ CONSIDER getting
a human papilloma
virus test
❑ CARRY my previous
X-rays along, when
going for a test
❑ SCHEDULE my
mammogram in the
first 2 weeks of my
menstrual cycle
❑ SKIP deos, talcs, and
perfumes on the day
of the mammogram
MAINTAIN MEDICAL
RECORDS (
p 87
)
❑ PUT all medical
records in one box
❑ COLOUR CODE
them for better iden-
tification
❑ SAVE the records
digitally on a pen
drive
GET AN ENERGY
SHOT (
p 53
)
❑ CONSUME more
protein. Have a katori
of daal for lunch
❑ AVOID energy
drinks
❑ HAVE coffee late in
the afternoon rather
than in the morning
WALK BETTER
❑ COUNT my steps
with a pedometer
(p 68)
❑ DO 4 laps of a walk-
ing track within 20
minutes for greater
health benefits (p 68)
❑ SWING my arms to
increase intensity (p 70)
FIGHT AGE (
p 1
34)
❑ LIFT weights for
better bone health
❑ SHARE my troubles
with friends and family
❑ CONSUME more of
fish and multi-hued
vegetables
❑ REDUCE my con-
sumption of high-GI
foods like potatoes
❑ KEEP a pet
MAKE LOVE LAST
(p 122)
❑ TAKE time out
exclusively for my

TRY THESE
RECIPES
■ Black bean
burger with
corn salsa
(p 152). Serve
with chopped
vegetables for
more nutrients
■ Tomatoes
stuffed with
curried shrimps
(p 154). Shrimps
are a good source
of low-fat, low-cal
protein
■ Roasted chicken
salad with mango
and pistachios
(p 155). A few
pistachios a day
help keep blood
pressure in check
■ Chicken pizza
(p 156). The
wholewheat base
will up your fibre
intake
■ Tropical
smoothie (p 49)
■ Cucumber salad
(p 48)
Plus, see
prevention.com
for more tasty
recipes.
spouse if I have been
too busy of late
❑ BE honest about my
feelings with him
❑ TAKE better care
of my physical and
emotional health for
the sake of our
relationship
RIGHT WAY TO USE
FROZEN FOODS
(p 144)
❑ DO NOT pick up
food packets that have
ice crystals in them
❑ THAW only as much
food as I could con-
sume at a given time
❑ MICROWAVE or
steam frozen food
rather than boil it to
retain its nutrient value
(write them here!)
My
Goals
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JUNE 2008 PREVENTION ■ 000
Nursing is best for baby’s health. Now a Harvard study ﬁnds that it
helps moms, too, by warding off diabetes. Researchers tracked the
health of 160000 women for 15 years and found that the longer a
woman breastfed, the more protection she gained. Each year of
breastfeeding lowered risk by 15%. The reason: nursing appears to
lower moms’ blood sugar levels. It also burns about 500 calories a
day, and helps new moms regulate their weight.
Breastfeeding bonus
health
Breastfeeding
can also slash
breast cancer
risk by half
S
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PER CENT LOWER IS YOUR
RISK OF DIABETES IF YOU
NURSE YOUR BABY
15
17
JUNE 2008 000 ■ PREVENTION
Hands up for great health!
5 simple ways your ﬁngers and palm can ﬁght disease and bone loss—
and even revive ﬂat hair. —Merritt Watts
LOSE WEIGHT
Check portion sizes
when eating out.
Hundred gm of meat
is about the size of
your palm.
An ideal 35 gm-size
serving of dessert
(say, a brownie)
is roughly the size
of an average
woman’s thumb.
1
FIGHT OSTEOPOROSIS
Get a peripheral ultrasound
scan on any ﬁnger to check
bone density; many imag-
ing centres offer them. It is
inexpensive and can tell you
if you need a more precise
DEXA scan by a doctor.
2
WATCH FOR A THYROID WARNING
If your ﬁngernails are ragged and breaking
more than usual, it could be a symptom of
hypo- or hyperthyroidism. Call your doctor
for a full thyroid check-up (simple blood
tests and a visual exam to start).
3
WARD OFF
BAD GERMS
Washing your
hands is the single
best way to avoid
getting sick, say
experts. Scrub with
soap and hot water
for 20 seconds and
don’t forget to
scrub between your
ﬁngers and under
nails.
5
RELAX—AND GET
HEALTHY HAIR Give your
hair a self-massage every
night; practitioners say it can
stimulate hair follicle growth
and thickness. Place your
ﬁngertips on your forehead
at the hairline and exhale as
you stroke through your hair
to the back of your neck.
Repeat 10 times.
4
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NEWS+TRENDS
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health
NEWS+TRENDS
AWKWARD QUESTION
OF THE MONTH
Is there a way I can make
my gas less smelly?
A
Some foods make your
gas more smelly, says
Dr Samiran Nundy of the surgi-
cal gastroenterology depart-
ment at Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram
Hospital, and Prevention advi-
sor. He explains why: as bacteria
in the colon ferment indigest-
ible bits of food, smelly gas
results. Meat, onions and foods
containing a lot of fibre and
carbohydrate and sulphur-rich
foods, such as broccoli, cauli-
flower and beans, produce a lot
of gas with a pungent odour.
If you have smelly farts, you
should avoid these foods and
take plenty of dahi and probi-
otic tablets which will change
the bacteria in your bowel from
those which produce smelly gas
to those which do not.
Q
Art for heart’s sake
Discussing Monet’s merits could lower
your blood pressure. In a Swedish study,
40 elderly women met once a week: half
viewed and talked about art; the rest dis-
cussed hobbies. After 4 months the art
group had dropped their blood pressure
by 12 points—and they felt happier.
The hobby group had no changes.
Other studies suggest that discussing
art (or listening to music and reading
literature) can make people feel more
positive and creative. Study author Britt-
Maj Wikstrom, PhD, says younger women
may also beneﬁt from art encounters.
Stroke kills thousands of people each year. And many of the victims lack
telltale warning signs such as high blood pressure. Research has found a
new way to predict who’s in—via an eye exam.
Scientists from the University of Sydney in Australia photographed the
eyes of 3654 healthy adults and screened them for signs of hypertensive
retinopathy, which causes small ruptures in the eye’s blood vessels.
After 7 years, those with retinopathy were three times more likely than oth-
ers to have suffered a stroke. “The vessels in the eye are similar to those in the
brain,” says study author Paul Mitchell, MD. Mitchell says retinal-imaging tests
could soon be used as a regular screen for those in elevated-risk group. For
now, ask your ophthalmologist about retinopathy at your next check-up.
Eye-opening stroke predictor
JUNE 2008 000 ■ PREVENTION
20
health
NEWS+TRENDS
JUNE 2008 PREVENTION ■ 000
Answer Many women do not have an orgasm with
penile-vaginal intercourse despite being highly aroused.
An orgasm is not the ‘goal’ of sex. If you focus too much
on making it happen you will lose the fun and joy of sex.
For many women (unlike with men) there are no clearly
visible signs of an orgasm. It is possible that your wife
has gentle orgasms that you are not aware of because
you are waiting for something earth-shattering to hap-
pen. Some orgasms come like a whisper.
Let me suggest a couple of things that might help
her. Keep up the focus on foreplay. While you are having
intercourse, try stimulating her clitoris with your fingers.
This would, of course, require both of you to adopt a
position that makes it anatomically possible. She could
also try the woman-on-top position—this would give her
more control over angle, speed and pressure. Also, have
you tried continuing stimulating your wife with your fin-
gers or your mouth after you have ejaculated? There are
many parts of your body apart from your penis that you
can use to bring her pleasure.
RADHIKA
CHANDIRA-
MANI is executive
director of TARSHI,
an organisation that
works on issues
of sexuality. She is
a trained clinical
psychologist.
ASK
RADHIKA
“
I AM 32 AND MY WIFE IS 30. WE HAVE A WONDERFUL
RELATIONSHIP BUT SHE NEVER HAS AN ORGASM DESPITE
BEING SUFFICIENTLY AROUSED. PLEASE HELP.
”
— S Puri, Delhi
SEXUAL HEALTH QUESTION
Write to her at [email protected] or call the TARSHI
helpline at 011-24372229, Mon-Wed, 10am-4pm.
Two competing drug companies—Bentley and Nastech—are in the middle
phases of testing nasal insulin sprays for people with diabetes. Early data
indicates that insulin is absorbed more quickly when inhaled than when
injected. > > > Chemists at the University of California, Irvine, are developing a
breath test to monitor sugar levels in diabetics. The pinprick-free technique
measures the level of methyl nitrates in exhaled air, which is much higher in
hyperglycemic individuals. > > > Scientists have successfully implanted monkeys
with insulin-creating cells derived from the pancreas of a pig. Researchers
at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis predict they’ll
soon have the ability to cure diabetes in monkeys using this procedure; they
hope to begin conducting human trials in the next few years.
READ IT
HERE FIRST
Diabetes on the run
21
QUIZ
health
000 ■ PREVENTION JUNE 2008
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Age-related vision loss affects about 1 in 28 individuals
over age 40. Find out if you’re doing all you can to
have healthy eyes for life.
1. FALSE. Though spinach
is a vision booster, you need
a variety of veggies: a high
intake of zinc, vitamins C
and E, and beta-carotene
(in carrots, broccoli, and
spinach) was associated
with a 35% reduced risk
of age-related macular
degeneration, a leading
cause of blindness. Women
in a Harvard study who ate
Omega-3-rich tuna three
times a week saw a drop in
dry eye syndrome, which
can lead to cornea scarring.
2. TRUE. Eyes may be tired
and vision temporarily blurry
after a long day at the com-
puter, but the main cause
is not blinking enough. The
resulting loss of moisture
can cause burning and itchi-
ness. Eyedrops can help.
3. FALSE. Not all exams
include pupil dilation and
tonometry, the two most
common ways to check for
glaucoma. The disease can
cause limited peripheral
vision and—if not treat-
ed—blindness, so make
sure these procedures are
included in your next exam.
4. FALSE. Choose shades
labelled with how much
protection they offer; a
good pair will ﬁlter 99 to
100% of UVA and UVB,
which can burn corneas,
possibly causing cataracts.
5. TRUE. Researchers
aren’t sure why, but foods
that make blood sugar
spike quickly, like white
bread and sugary snacks,
may contribute to the
development of AMD.
ANSWERS
Vision Quest
Spinach is the best food for your
eyes. [T/F]
Staring at a computer screen all day
doesn’t damage your sight. [T/F]
Eye doctors always include a
glaucoma test as part of a routine
eye exam. [T/F]
Sunglasses labelled blocks harmful
UV ensure full coverage. [T/F]
Sugary foods make your eyes
vulnerable to age-related macular
degeneration (AMD). [T/F]
TRUE OR FALSE?
1
2
3
4
5
22
24
Answer Salt is basically
salt, no matter how you shake
it, because it all contains the
same amount of sodium by
volume. Current guidelines
advise that adults
get less than 2300
mg—that’s about
1 teaspoon—a
day, but most
people eat far
more than that.
(Processed foods
account for most
of the sodium con-
sumed.) Because
low-salt diets
help prevent
and treat high
blood pres-
sure, I recom-
mend keeping
your sodium intake in check.
You can get used to using less
salt by seasoning your meals
with herbs and spices instead.
Personally, I prefer sea salt,
which comes from evaporated
seawater. Unlike commercial
salts, sea salt does not contain
aluminium compounds to
prevent caking, and because
it has a more robust ﬂavour,
I end up using less. Depend-
ing on its source, it also con-
tains different trace minerals,
which determine its colour:
raw sea salt is often gray-
ish white, though sometimes
pink or orange. Some cooks
favour coarse-grained kosher
salt, often used to cure meat
because of its texture. Look
for brands that are free of
additives.
uestion ARE SOME SALTS HEALTH-
IER THAN OTHERS? SHOULD I USE
SEA SALT, OR ANOTHER VARIETY?
Q
ANDREW
WEIL, MD, is a
pioneer in the field
of holistic health and
founder and director
of the Programme in
Integrative Medicine
at the College of
Medicine, University
of Arizona. He
received his medical
training at Harvard
University.
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health
JUNE 2008 000 ■ PREVENTION
ASK DR WEIL
health
JUNE 2008 PREVENTION ■ 000
Question I’M TRYING TO WEAN MYSELF OFF
HORMONE THERAPY. WHAT’S THE BEST WAY?
Answer If you’re like
most women, the troubling
ﬁndings of the large Women’s
Health Initiative study in
2002 made you think twice
about using hormone therapy
(HT) over the long term.
Those results, which linked
HT to a higher risk of heart
attack, stroke, blood clots,
and breast cancer, caused
many women to discontinue
their use of these prescription
drugs. I think stopping HT is
a healthy and reasonable move
for many women.
According to research, it
doesn’t matter whether you
quit HT rightaway or taper off
gradually: menopausal symp-
toms occur just as often in
both cases. That said, I recom-
mend that you ﬁrst talk with
your doctor about your desire
to stop taking HT, as she may
have more speciﬁc advice.
If you experience vaginal dry-
ness, ask your doctor about
using a local estrogen such as
a vaginal ring. Over-the-coun-
ter gels and lubricants can
also ease dryness.
Because HT does lower the
risk of fractures, protect your
bones by getting regular exer-
cise—in particular, weight-
bearing activity, such as brisk
walking, as well as strength-
training. And be sure you’re
getting enough vitamin D
daily—at least 1000 IU of the
D3 form taken with a meal
containing fat. As for calcium,
I recommend 500 to 700 mg
a day from supplements to get
1200 mg a day from food and
supplements combined. P
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HT DOES
LOWER
THE RISK OF
FRACTURES,
PROTECT YOUR
BONES BY GET-
TING REGULAR
EXERCISE
25
It’s blazing hot, but you just can’t avoid stepping out. Here’s how to
protect yourself from a heatstroke ■ BY DEBARATI BHATTACHARYA
BEAT THE HEAT
JUNE 2008
Come summer, and the heat gets
unbearable. You may not want to go out
in the scorching summer sun but you
cannot avoid stepping out sometimes.
This is when you may catch the ‘heat’.
Here’s a ready reckoner to ﬁght a
heatstroke.
How a heatstroke is caused
A heatstroke occurs when the body is
exposed to very high temperatures and
it is unable to dissipate the heat through
circulatory changes and sweating.
This is when the body’s thermostat
collapses, there is overheating and a risk
of heat-related illnesses develop.
An exposure to the midday summer
sun, with its ultraviolet radiation, can
signiﬁcantly retard the skin’s ability
to shed excess heat. Out of the many
adverse consequences of heat, hyper-
thermia is the most dangerous. It is
an abnormally high body temperature
(104 degrees F) that can cause pain-
ful muscle cramps and may quickly
progress from nausea, fatigue, and
headache of heat exhaustion to the
disorientation and loss of consciousness
that marks heatstroke.
How to avoid it
■ POUR PLENTY If you are unable
to stay indoors during a heat
wave, be sure to drink plenty
of ﬂuids, preferably water
and fruit juices. Avoid alco-
holic beverages or caffeinated
drinks like iced tea or colas.
They have a diuretic effect,
causing further ﬂuid loss.
■ DRESS LIGHTLY Clothing
should be loose ﬁtting, light
coloured, and limited to a sin-
gle layer. Look for fabrics that
draw sweat away from the
skin and allow it to evaporate.
■ WATCH THE WEATHER Try to
limit your most intense activ-
health
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ity to before noon and after 4 pm,
especially on humid days. Hot, heavy
air makes it harder to sweat.
■ ACCLIMATISE SLOWLY Do not go
out into the sun suddenly from a cool
or air-conditioned room, or do the
opposite. Learn to acclimatise slowly.
When out in the sun, make sure you
use an umbrella or a hat, preferably
one that shades the neck and is also
well ventilated.
■ KEEP YOURSELF COOL Try dousing your
head and neck with cold water which will
help if it is hot and dry. Use a traditional
hand-held fan to keep yourself cool.
How to treat it
It is important for the person to be
treated immediately. Unlike heat
cramps and heat exhaustion, two less-
severe forms of hyperthermia, heat
stroke is a true medical emergency
that can be fatal if not properly and
promptly treated.
First Aid
■ Get the person indoors.
■ Remove clothing and gently apply
cold water to the skin followed by fan-
ning to bring down the temperature.
■ Apply ice packs to the groin and
armpits.
■ Make the person lie down in a cool
place with feet slightly
elevated.
PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
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MEDICAL RX
“In a case of heatstroke, the person
should be immediately hospitalised
and unclothed. He should be wrapped
in special cold blankets that lower the
body temperature. Techniques like cold
immersion and cold sponging should be
used. And the room temperature should
be below 20 degrees Celsius. The doctor
can then start medication to bring down
the fever and rehydrate and provide
relief to the patient.” — Dr Sushum Sharma,
Senior Consultant & Head of Preventive Care, Max
Super Speciality Hospital, Delhi
Home Cures
DRINKS Have cucumber and water melon juice to cool off. Coco-
nut water, buttermilk and aam panna are also good and will help
you recover fast.
PACKS Apply cold mud packs to the eyes and abdomen
twice a day.
MASSAGES Massage the body with cooling oils. Take a
cold shower after the massage.
AROMATHERAPY Use essential oils to calm the
mind and activate the body’s self-healing pow-
ers. Lavender provides relief to pain and irritation
from sunburn.
000 ■ PREVENTION
A WORKING WOMAN’S HEALTH DIARY
health
JUNE 2008
She is one of India’s richest business-
women. Responsible for putting India
on the world’s biotechnology map,
Kiran started Biocon in a garage with
a capital of just Rs 10,000. From the
ﬁrst research job of extracting enzymes
from papaya to the integrated biophar-
maceutical company it is today, she has,
in a span of thirty years, turned Biocon
into a great success story.
A Zoology honours graduate from
Bangalore University, Shaw went on
to become a Master Brewer at the Bal-
larat University, Australia. A few years
later, she founded Biocon. This was at
a time when biotechnology was as rare
as were women entrepreneurs. The
rest is history.
In 1998, she tied the knot with John
Shaw, an Indophile from Scotland. John
resigned from his job as managing direc-
tor Madura Coats, the same year to join
Kiran at Biocon and became its director
for international business and the vice-
chairman of the board.
With major plans for Biocon’s expan-
sion underway, Kiran now is busier
than ever before. But that doesn’t mean
that health and ﬁtness take a back seat.
On the contrary, she says. “Because I
keep so busy, I have to make sure that I
stay ﬁt and healthy.” And how does she
manage that? “It’s all a matter of strik-
ing the right balance,” she says.
Kiran Majumdar Shaw, chairman and managing director, Biocon
Limited, shares her health mantra with Rima J Pundir
‘I STRIVE TO STRIKE A BALANCE’
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28
health
JUNE 2008 PREVENTION ■ 000
EXECUTIVE HEALTH
My good health
mantra
Health ﬁgures high on my list of
priorities. It’s not just for the sake of
looks, but also to keep up my energy
levels. I try to be as regular as possible
with my workout and diet when I’m
in Bangalore. But when I’m travel-
ling, it’s impossible to take time out
to exercise—most of my meetings are
scheduled for early morning. Even
my diet goes for a toss then. One can’t
be too fussy about food when one’s
travelling. But when I’m home, I try
to to stick to my routine. I also believe
that to be ﬁt and healthy, one needs to
sleep well. I may not be able to stick to
a healthy 8 hours every day, but I try
and make up for it on weekends.
My diet decoded
I’m not a breakfast person; I keep
it light—a fruit and a bit of cereal,
that’s all. Lunch again is generally
meagre—a soup and some salad to
ﬁll me up. I don’t snack much in the
evenings. Dinner consists of a salad,
meat and some carbs. I try to be vege-
tarian for at least two days in a week.
My fitness funda
I’m a complete water baby. My daily
workouts consist of 30 minutes of
swimming. I try and do a little yoga
as well, and a few minutes of intensive
cardio on the treadmill. Thirty to forty
minutes is the maximum I can afford
on weekdays. On weekends, I’m able
to devote more time—up to an hour.
My stress busters
A relaxed, lazy, leisurely Sunday
when I do things at my own pace. I
laze in bed, go for a relaxed swim, do
some gardening, play with my dogs,
and chat with my husband. Some-
times I go for a round of golf. The
relaxed pace on weekends helps me
recharge my battery and prepare
myself for the week ahead.
How I find my zen
My Sundays are sacrosanct. It is
strictly for unwinding. This is the
day when I do my shopping, and
just sit around. Of course, there can
be an odd Sunday when one has to
work, but I don’t let it become a
routine. Sundays are meant to be
spent with the family. It’s personal
time, and should be kept that way.
We need to be as disciplined about it
as about maintaining ofﬁce timings
on weekdays.
My health concern
In today’s busy world, people are
becoming increasingly prone to
lifestyle diseases. A hectic work
schedule leaves little time for
exercise. Coupled with an unhealthy
diet, we move from being not-so-ﬁt
to fat, pretty fast. And then come the
plethora of health problems, from
joint pain to heart problems and
diabetes. I think we all need to make
a promise to ourselves that even
if we can’t be slim, let’s not allow
ourselves to be fat.
29
PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
There’s no way to say this politely: high temperatures and high
humidity are bad news for the skin. Pimples, pigmentation,
dullness of the skin, tanning, and dry hair are some effects we
witness every summer. Docs tell us to stay away from the direct
sun and drink plenty of ﬂuids through the day to stay hydrated.
And of course, always apply sunscreen when stepping out. In
addition, you can try products customised to protect you from
the summer heat. Turn the page to pick your options:
Your summer beauty satchel
A host of new
products
promise you a
safer summer
beauty
TO 30 SPF IS BEST
SUITED FOR THE
INDIAN SKIN TYPE
15
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JUNE 2008
beauty
NEWS+TRENDS
contd. from previous page
Enriched with jojoba oil, this anti-
ageing product is ideal for wet
heat as it is easily absorbed by
the skin, without leaving it oily.
People with oily or
combination
skin tones
will like this
product.
Available
at retail
stores;
price
Rs 80.
FEM BOTANICA ANTI-WRINKLE AND
SKIN FIRMING CREAM
A 2-in-1 product that is
designed to leave you with a
lighter and healthier skin. It
contains extracts of fenu-
greek, balm mint, marjo-
ram and anise. Fenugreek
protects from UV rays; mint
has a cooling effect and
marjoram fights free radical
damage. Available at select
retail stores; price Rs 345.
LOTUS HERBALS DUALGLOW LIGHTENING
SERUM AND SUNBLOCK (SPF 30)
A new oil-free range
that will keep you cool
with ingredients such
as menthol. The anti-
oxidant vitamins in
it will keep your skin
healthy. Pick from:
foam wash, cream
wash, pore-mini-
mising toner.
Available at retail
stores; price
Rs 195-225.
You need not
step out in the
scorching sun
to get a nice
tan. Try this new
non-comodog-
enic product to
get a luminous, sun-
kissed look. Available at Maybelline
New York counters; price Rs 175.
MAYBELLINE NEW YORK’S
DREAM MOUSSE BRONZER
Nothing cools the
skin like rose water.
Spray it on to your
face directly. The
rose water and Rooh
Gulab in it cleanse,
moisturise and
refresh the skin; suit-
able for all skin types.
Available at retail
stores; price Rs 65.
This range can
help you fight
acne and pimples.
Use Clearasil Ultra
cream along with
face wash and
soap to clear up
your skin. The
products have
an anti-bacte-
rial formulation.
Available at
drug and retail
stores;
price Rs 50.
REVLON PURE SKINCARE
<<
DABUR GULABARI PREMIUM
ROSE TOUCH FACE FRESHENER
CLEARASIL ULTRA
000 ■ PREVENTION
32
SUPPLIES FOR MEN
Grooming products that will leave the man in your life feeling
fresh and pampered ■ BY SHOBITA DHAR ■ PHOTOGRAPHED BY RITESH SHARMA
beauty
EDITOR’S PICKS
1. Tommy Hilfiger Cologne Spray
Apple, citrus and mint aromas come
together in this fruity fragrance, perfect for
daytime use. At select stores, Rs 2600
1
4
2
3 5
PRODUCTS COURTESY KUNCHALS AND DAMINI, M-BLK MARKET, GK I, DELHI; PROPS COURTESY THE
PLAY CLAN AND MODERN ART SCALE MODEL COLLECTIBLES, SELECT CITY WALK MALL, SAKET, DELHI
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5. FCUK Sculpting Hair Gel
Gift it to your son on his graduation day. This
dermatologically-tested product adds texture and
definition to the hair. At select stores, Rs 750
6. L’Occitane Cade Youth Concentrate
Has antiseptic and exfoliating properties. Use it to
firm up the skin and reduce the appearance of wrin-
kles. At select stores, Rs 2650
7. The Body Shop for Men Deo Stick
Men have 2.6 million sweat glands. A perfect gift for
an outdoors guy. A refreshing blend of patchouli,
rosemary and clove essential oils. At The Body Shop
stores, Rs 650
2. Clinique Skin Supplies for Men
Face Scrub
Exfoliates, removes excess oil and reduces
ingrown hair. At Clinique stores, Rs 995
3. Nivea For Men Multiwhite
Whitening Facial Foam
Evens out the skin tone; Vitamin E in it
moisturises the skin. At retail stores, Rs 235
4. L’Oreal Paris Men Expert
Skin Caring Shave Gel
An alcohol-free product, it prevents irritation
of the skin. At retail stores, Rs 475
Not smelling nice is perhaps the
most pronounced beauty problem in
summer. High temperatures leave
us sweaty and struggling with body
odour. However, you will be surprised
to know that sweat on its own does not
have any odour. So what is the source
of this stink? The healthy bacteria
present on our body emanate an odour.
There’s a spurt in their growth in the
presence of sweat, hence body odour.
What causes BO?
BO differs from person to person. An
individual’s BO is dependent on multiple
factors such as gender, genetics, health,
diet and medication. Areas typically
associated with body odour are under-
arms, feet, anus, pubic hair and skin in
general. Our body produces 2 kinds of
sweat—eccrine and apocrine. Eccrine
helps to regulate the body tempera-
ture and is found all over the body.
Apocrine—found in the underarm and
groin area—is the real culprit. The odour
results when apocrine reacts chemi-
cally with the skin bacteria. Unpleasant
body odour can affect a person’s social
life. This perhaps explains the thriv-
ing market for deodorants/body sprays/
antiperspirants.
Ways to reduce BO
Unfortunately, you cannot do much
about the bacteria on your skin; all the
scrubbing and washing would be able
to get rid of only a fraction of the bacte-
ria, that too, for a short while. And you
cannot stop yourself from sweating
altogether. So what do you do? Read on
for solutions.
■ Avoid too much tea and coffee. Caffeine
may cause continuous sweating.
■ Shower regularly; twice a day, if possi-
ble. It is very important that you bathe
after working out or playing a sport.
■ Change socks and undergarments
daily. Cotton and linen clothes are more
beauty
SOLUTIONS
■ BY DR APRATIM GOEL
000 ■ PREVENTION
MAINTAIN GOOD PERSONAL
HYGIENE AND STAY WELL-
HYDRATED TO PREVENT BO
SMELL WONDERFUL!
Ways to fight body odour through the sweaty summer months
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absorbent and are able to soak in sweat
better than other fabrics.
■ Some people have strong body odour
that is resistant to deodorants and
perfumes. Others have sensitive skin
that reacts to deodorants. Such people
should use an antibacterial soap.
Talcum powder also helps to absorb the
sweat and gives a feeling of freshness.
■ Reduce the consumption of foods
such as hot peppers, garlic, onions and
certain spices. These can also cause BO.
■ Drink plenty of water and fresh vege-
table juices. They hydrate the body and
reduce sweating.
Deos Vs. Antiperspirants
The other way—and it is the popular
too—to counter BO is to use products.
There are 3 types of products availa-
ble: antiperspirants, deodorants and
perfumes. These are available in a vari-
ety of forms but sprays and roll-ons are
the most popular. Deodorants are not a
permanent solution. They can—at best—
mask body odour. But antiperspirants
can reduce sweating.
Are deos safe to use?
Research published in 2004 in the Jour-
nal of Applied Toxicology raised concerns
about a probable link between use of
deodorants/antiperspirants and breast
cancer. Researchers found high levels
of aluminium (found in deos and anti-
perspirants) in breast tissue taken from
women who had undergone mastecto-
mies. However, the scientiﬁc community
at large concurs that there is no conclu-
sive evidence to prove that the alumin-
ium present in the breast tissue came
from deodorants, and that it resulted in
cancer. Aluminium is naturally found in
water, food, pharmaceuticals and many
other consumer products. If you want
to play safe, use natural products or try
some home remedies mentioned below.
Home cures to reduce BO
■ Apply cider vinegar, or baking soda
mixed with some lemon juice in the
underarms.
■ Mix some alum in a mug of water,
splash it in the underarms.
■ Take 500 mg of wheatgrass with water
on an empty stomach daily.
■ Add a few drops of rose water/any
essential oil in bathing water.
For extreme and resistant cases:
prepare a mixture of 1 tsp chandan
powder, ½ tsp haldi powder, 2 tsp kachur
sugandhi (aromatic ginger), 1 tsp khus
powder in rose water. Apply this paste in
the armpits, under the breasts and in the
groin area. After 20 minutes, scrub and
wash with water.
Try these easy tips and at-home solu-
tions for a BO-free summer.
PREVENTION ■ 000
Dr Apratim Goel is a Mumbai-based dermatologist.
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ROLL-ONS AND SPRAYS ARE
POPULAR FORMS OF DEODORANTS
35
GIVE ME RED
beauty
VIDYA TIKARI
is a well-known
make-up artist. She
runs a beauty studio
in South Delhi where
she offers courses
in professional and
personal make-up.
Write to her at
Vidya.t@
preventionindia.com
REAL-LIFE BEAUTY
Don’t be afraid of red lipstick now or ever. Follow these
tricks and look glam
000 ■ PREVENTION
The colour red has been
referred to as the ‘power
colour’ for women. It adds
glamour and sexiness. This
dominant colour demands
attention and has a powerful
presence. Wear a good red
lipstick and see how you
make heads turn. And yet,
not many women wear it
because they think it won’t
‘suit’ them. Let me tell you, it
suits everyone as long as it is
worn the right way.
Summer and red?
Why not. Red can beautifully
complement light and pastel
colours that we like to wear in
summer. If it suits your skin
tone, wear a red lipstick to jazz
up any outﬁt that you may be
wearing. Just ensure that the
rest of the make-up is not loud
and competing with red. Find
out the ‘right way’ right away.
Match the red to your
skin tone
■ Dark complexion—berry
and burgundy reds look
fabulous on a dark tone.
My picks Fresh Moroccon by
MAC and 104 Red Lust by
Lancôme Paris.
YOU CAN
PAINT YOUR
NAILS RED
ALONG WITH
YOUR LIPS.
THE TRICK IS,
TOP UP THE LIP
COLOUR WITH
A BROWN OR
BRONZE
LIPSTICK
■ Wheatish complexion—
maroon, or dull-reds are
best suited for warm skin
tones (that have a yellow
undertone).
My picks Mulled Wine by
Revlon.
■ Fair complexion—bright
reds look beautiful on a pale
skin tone. It is set off bril-
liantly by dark hair.
My picks Revlon Diva, Fire by
Chanel.
■ Warm complexion—a fair
complexion with a yellow
undertone is classiﬁed as
warm. Rich brick reds and
neon-orange reds will look
ﬂattering.
My picks Scarlet Simmer
by Maybelline New York.
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JUNE 2008
36
WHEN LIP
COLOUR IS
STRONG, KEEP
THE COLOUR
ON YOUR EYES
SUBTLE. PAIR
YOUR RED
LIPSTICK WITH
A NEUTRAL
EYE AREA
BOBBI BROWN
PREVENTION, (US)
make-up expert adds:
PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
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The right way
to apply
■ Use a lip primer. Apply
powder or a dash of
foundation over this. This
will keep the colour strong.
■ For a bold look, make sure
you use a red lip liner. Start
off from the bow of your
lips and connect it to the
ends. To make the colour
even stronger, ﬁll in the lip
with the liner. Women with
thin lips should avoid using
liner or dark red as they will
appear even thinner.
■ Now, use the lip colour of
your choice. The application
will come out smoother if
you use a lip brush.
■ Your lips are the focus
of your chic look so ensure
that you create a perfect
outline. If there’s smudging,
clean it with a cotton bud,
then touch up with some
concealer. Make sure there
are no lipstick stains on your
teeth. Remove the excess
colour by putting your index
ﬁnger in your mouth, purse
your lips around it, then
slowly pull it out.
Accessorising red
■ Use a peach blusher when
wearing a red lip colour.
Pink blushers don’t gel well
with red lipsticks.
■ Keep the eye make-up
simple with just a hint
RED IS A CLASSIC
COLOUR AND
CAN NEVER GO
OUT OF STYLE
of colour. Use a very thin
liner and, of course, lots of
mascara for ‘oomph’.
■ Do not match a red
lipstick with a red outﬁt
during the day time.
You can carry it off better
at night.
■ You can paint your
nails red along with
your lips. The trick is,
top up the lip colour
with a brown or
bronze lipstick.
Too shy for
red?
Many women
ﬁnd this colour
too ‘loud’ for
their taste.
Here’s what they should do.
Just apply a red lipstick on
your lips roughly and then
wipe it off leaving just the
stain of red. Then dab on
some gloss. This also looks
trendy. Pair this up with a
smoky look for the eyes. The
other option is if you ﬁnd a
particular red too loud for
your taste, mute it
by topping it with a bit of
bronze lipstick.
Red is a classic colour
and can never go out of
style. Make-up trends may
change every season but a
red lipstick is always ‘in’. So
make the colour work for a
glamorous you.
37
MOST
MOISTURISERS
CONTAIN
LIPOSOMES
THAT HELP IN
DEEPER
PENETRATION
OF MOISTURE
IN THE SKIN
Old age used to be hard for
most people until the other
day. No longer so: wrinkles
and crow’s feet are things
you can ﬁx easily now. With
the right lifestyle and prod-
ucts and a few precautions,
you can reduce and delay their
advancement. Also, there
are a range of products avail-
able to prevent and reduce
the signs of ageing. However,
remember that exercise and a
reasonably balanced diet are
equally important in mini-
mising the effects of ageing.
Moisturisers
Moisture helps the skin look
young and stay supple. Mois-
turisers protect your skin’s
top layer by retaining water
and reducing dryness on
the surface. However, with
advancing years, the
skin loses its capacity to
retain water. The daily
application of a mois-
turiser can be of great
help to ageing women.
There are various
brands of moisturis-
ers available, each with
a variety of ingredients.
Daytime moisturisers
are lighter creams or
lotions that quickly soak
into the skin. Also, nowa-
days, daytime moisturisers
have the added beneﬁt of an
in-built SPF that provides
protection from sun damage.
The best wrinkle-deterring
moisturiser ingredient is still
a strong sunscreen.
You can try products such
as L’Oreal, Aviance, Avon
and Vichy. Yuva Clinics in
Mumbai too, have products
such as Ultrarejuv, Renew or
Radiant lotions.
So far, no one has manag-
ed to hit upon the fountain
of youth. But, if you’re will-
ing to settle for slightly less
than a miracle, there are
moisturisers formulated
with AHAs (alpha-hydroxy
acids). These are derived
from natural substances such
as fruit, sugarcane and milk.
REKHA SHETH
is a leading cosmetic
dermatologist. She
is founder-president,
Cosmetology Society
(India) and also runs
Yuva, a successful
chain of skin clinics.
Write to her at
rekha.s@
preventionindia.com
TOP ANTI-AGEING PRODUCTS
Use them regularly to keep age at bay
beauty
ANTI-AGEING ARSENAL
000 ■ PREVENTION
EXERCISE AND A
BALANCED DIET
ALSO KEEP YOU
LOOKING YOUNG
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PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
A GOOD ANTI-
WRINKLE
CREAM
SPREADS
EVENLY OVER
THE SKIN. FOR
BEST RESULTS,
APPLY IT
BEFORE GOING
TO BED SO
THAT IT STAYS
ON FOR AT
LEAST EIGHT
HOURS
AHAs appear to smooth and
brighten skin by increasing
cell turnover and by slough-
ing off dead cells. However,
overuse of AHAs can result in
redness and itching.
Anti-wrinkle creams
Most people appear to beneﬁt
from them. A good anti-wrin-
kle cream spreads easily and
evenly over the skin. For best
results, apply it before going
to bed so that it stays on for at
least eight hours.
Many anti-wrinkle creams
also have vitamins. Vitamin A
and its derivatives help unclog
pores and reduce sun damage.
Vitamin C has been shown to
prevent wrinkles. Vitamin E
enhances the effect of Vita-
min C. Some good brands to
try would include Olay Total
Effects, Pond’s Age Miracle, L’
Oreal and Vichy Lift Active.
You could use medicated
creams after getting a prescrip-
tion from a dermat: Revize,
Isolift and B-Lift.
De-pigmentation
creams
Darkening of the skin is a
common problem related
to ageing. De-pigmentation
can vary from a mild tan to a
patchy, brownish discoloura-
tion, or a greyish-black discol-
ouration. The causes differ,
but the most common cause is
overexposure to
the sun. It could
also be triggered
off by unsuitable
cosmetics and
soaps.
Whitening
creams manu-
factured by
reputed ﬁrms
could be used
to deal with
this problem.
You could try,
Vichy Bi-white
Advanced, L’Oreal White
Perfect creams and Garnier
Light cream. Some medi-
cated brands: Depiderm, Skin
Doctors’ White Cream, Deme-
lan. These help to decrease
the skin’s melanin load.
Skin-firming creams
These products reduce the
appearance of ﬁne lines and
wrinkles by ﬁrming and tight-
ening the skin inside out.
Skin-ﬁrming creams mostly
contain vitamins and alpha-
hydroxy acids. Medicated
brands would contain newer
age-ﬁghting ingredients, such
as idebenone and retinol. They
ﬁrm up the skin’s top layer, and
also stimulate the production
of collagen (protein that keeps
skin elastic). Try creams by
L’Oreal and Oil of Olay. Medi-
cated brands: Ibnone, Bi Lift
and Isolift Visage. I
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USE AN ANTI-WRINKLE
CREAM WITH
VITAMINS IN IT
39
JUNE 2008 000 ■ PREVENTION
beauty

S
UMMER
UN
15 COOL TIPS TO BEAT THE 15
Sample these cooling beauty treatments to keep
your skin and hair hydrated and healthy through
the hot summer months
■ BY PRIYANKA BHATTACHARYA
As anyone who’s ever had a sunburn
or pimple problems can attest, summer
can be hard on the skin. It’s warm to
touch, it feels taut and deﬁnitely dehy-
drated. The pores are overactive and
oozing oil. Sweat, grime, grease and
dehydration all work together to cre-
ate a mess of your skin and hair. Luck-
ily, most of the summer skin damage is
easy to remedy. Here are fast ﬁxes and
summer skincare tips that will see you
through June, July, August and most of
September.
SOAK UP MOISTURE
First things ﬁrst, before you start taking
care of your skin and hair from the out-
side, make them strong from the inside.
Focus on hydration. The more water and
other mineral and vitamin-enriched ﬂuids
you drink, the more your skin and hair
will be able to deal with heat and sweat’s
torture. You can drink water or even sip
cold herb or spice teas for therapeutic ben-
eﬁt. Try mint, watermelon, cucumber and
pomegranate juices to refresh yourself
internally. Milk, too, has a cooling effect
on the body.

COOLING PRODUCTS
The summer sun ravages the skin and dis-
turbs its natural pH balance. So you ﬁnd
yourself oozing oil on one part of your face
and peeling or patchy skin on the other.
Need of the hour: customised skin care.
Make sure your skin feels cool from
the inside, and the outside is protected
with products that have a cooling effect.
Switch to moisturising gels and deep
cleansing mud masks to restore balance.
Says Dr Raj Parikh, consultant derma-
tologist with Vichy Laboratoires, “In
summer, it is better to use lightweight,
water-based products like gels, rather
than those with a high oil content.”
Other active ingredients that have
a soothing effect on sun-ravaged skin
include botanical extracts like green
tea, white tea, peppermint, cucumber,
aloe and seaweed. These ingredients
keep your skin cool and prevent redness
and inﬂammation. Try these: Lakme
Pure Defense Moisturising Day Lotion,
Rs 395; Aroma Magic Cucumber Sun-
screen, SPF 30, Rs 150; H2O+ Green
Tea Antioxidant Serum, Rs 1,395;
VLCC Sunscreen Gel Rs 139.
Another way to soothe skin
that’s been exposed to the hot sun
is a cold facial spray. It will not
only wash off grime but also ban-
ish redness and keep your make-
up intact. You can stash them in
your handbag for freshening up
instantly. Citrus, mint and rose
water feel especially refreshing,
and lavender works best on oily
or acne-prone skin (it’s a natu-
ral antibacterial). Try these:
Dabur Gulabari Rose Touch
Face Freshener, Rs 65; Clinique
Moisture Surge Face Spray
PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
beauty
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JUNE 2008 000 ■ PREVENTION
beauty
Thirsty Skin Relief, Rs 1,410;
Vichy Thermal Spa Water,
Rs 560; Forest Essentials Rehy-
drating Facial Tonic Mist Cucum-
ber & Mint, Rs 495.
AT-HOME

TREATMENTS
■ Once you are back from the sun,
you can wipe your skin with cold
milk to reduce skin irritation and
redness.
■ According to Suparna Trikha,
ayurvedic beauty therapy expert: “When
watermelons are in season, freeze the
peels and rub them all over the skin
whenever you come back indoors. It will
hydrate and tone the skin. If you get dry
peeling skin, take 1 tsp of milk powder,
1 tsp sandalwood powder
and massage gently on the
skin. Wash off for a smooth
and nourished complex-
ion. If you get heat rash
on your face, keep a bowl
of fuller’s earth (Multani
mitti) soaked in rose water
and add 1 tsp of powdered
camphor. Wash your face
with this each time you are
exposed to the outdoors.
■ Cool off tired, puffy eyes with chilled
eye pads—easily available at drug stores
such as 98.4 and Fortis Health World. Or,
try from products such as Aroma Magic
Eye Gel, Rs 90; H2O + Eye Oasis Moisture
Replenishing Treatment, Rs 900; The
Body Shop Elderﬂower Cooling Eye Gel,
Rs 980. Refrigerate them after opening.

BODY RELIEF
Your body, too, needs to stay cool.
Go for a gentle exfoliation routine
Use a body wash with exfoliating beads
(or, preferably a gel wash) to slough off
dead skin. Use a soft loofah to lather up
and wash off the soap. Start your bath,
or shower routine, with dry body brush-
ing using long and circular strokes to
stimulate blood circulation and remove
toxins from the body. Try these: Dove
Cool Moisture Beauty Bar or Body Wash
(Rs 45 and Rs 125 each) with cucumber
and green tea; VLCC Shower Gel Sen-
sual, Rs 139, with mint aloe vera. Once
you have washed up, slather your body
with a cooling gel or light lotion that
does double duty: hydrating and revi-
talising skin. Try Vaseline Body Lotion
With Cucumber & Aloe, Rs 90.
42
PREVENTION ■ 000
beauty
Essential cooling oils Dr Blossom Koch-
har, aromatherapist, suggests adding a
few drops of peppermint essential oil to
your bath water in the morning, and lav-
ender at night to refresh your body. “You
can also use brewed tea to rinse your face,
hands and feet before leaving home, to
ﬁght sun damage,” she adds.
Bath works Once back from the scorching
sun, cool yourself down in a relaxing bath.
Says Dr Shobha Sehgal, senior VP VLCC,
“Soak fresh herbs like mint, coriander,
neem and lemon slices in your bath water;
or add a few drops of an essential oil and
potassium permanganate to it.”
Foot care As soon as you get back home
after work, soak your feet in a tub of tepid
water to which some peppermint foot
soak has been added. This will relieve
stress, tiredness and foot odour. Try For-
est Essentials Sandalwood & Mint Foot
Soak, Rs 295.
TO COOL A
‘HOT HEAD’
Products The summer
sun leads to a sweaty scalp.
And the unwashed sweat
can give rise to bad odour.
The best way to deal with
this is to use a clear shampoo
every day to wash off sweat
from the scalp. Try Pantene
Clean & Clear, Rs 90.
Home Rx Some quick tips
suggested by Kochhar.
■ Add the juice of a lemon and half a cup
of rose water to a mug of water and use as
a last rinse while bathing.
■ Pour some eau de cologne on a clean
cloth. Wrap it around the bristles of your
hair brush and run it through the hair; it
will soak up oil, dirt and odour from the
hair. Or, add cologne to a mug of water
and use it as a last rinse to reduce excess
oil and odour, and for cooling.
According to hair stylist and expert
Dilshad Pastakia, treated hair is more
prone to UV damage. Exposure to the sun
makes the cuticle rougher and the hair
more fragile and dried out. Condition your
hair regularly to deal with this problem.
Easy conditioning
■ Go for regular, deep-conditioning
treatments with protein-infused prod-
ucts at salons.
■ Use a solution of vinegar and water as
the last rinse after shampoo.
■ Use leave-in conditioners. They work
better in summer as heat activates their
ingredients to penetrate the hair better.
Stay cool and pretty this summer!
DAILY COOLING
SKIN CARE
STEP 1 Use a cleansing gel with exfoliating
beads
STEP 2 Cool your skin and restore balance
with a chilled rosewater-based toner
STEP 3 Apply a gel-based sunscreen or a
regular oil-control one if you have oily or
combination skin type
STEP 4 Use a face mist at mid day to cool
and moisturise the skin
STEP 5 Remove make-up and apply cold
milk to the skin to soothe redness
STEP 6 Use a mild, foaming face wash
STEP 7 Apply a home-made face mask
STEP 8 Finish off with a light night cream
Priyanka Bhattacharya is a Delhi-based beauty writer.
JUNE 2008
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PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
Small fruit, big benefits
When it comes
to produce,
smaller may
be superior
nutritionally
nutrition
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PER CENT REDUCTION IN
BREAST CANCER RISK FOR
THOSE WHO CONSUME
FRUIT FIBRE
34
As fruits and vegetables grow larger, their vitamins, minerals
and other health-boosting compounds signiﬁcantly diminish,
according to a recent report issued by the Organic Centre,
a non-proﬁt organisation in US that gathers science on
the health beneﬁts of organics. Taste and aroma decrease
as well. The loss occurs not only in produce that has been
grown with fertilizers to get the gigantic size but in organic
as well. Your best bet: pick normal-sized fruits and veggies.
45
nutrition
NEWS + TRENDS
JUNE 2008
Supplement Snapshot
VITAMIN E
Smart bite
Proteins are building blocks
for the body but the body
cannot store them. So we
have to keep supplying it with
protein every day. You can
get it from pulses, cereals,
nuts, eggs and chicken. But
here’s extra help. ActiBase—a
protein supplement is a blend
of whey and soya protein
and is fortified with
essential minerals
and vitamins. Have
it in your milk, or
mix it in your atta.
Nutritionists say
that for people who
do not get enough
of it from their diet,
ActiBase might
be helpful.
Some good news for diabetics.
Saffola’s atta for diabetics will
now be available all over the
country. The atta is a mix of
fenugreek, psyllium (isabgol)
and Bengal gram. You can mix
it with your regular atta for
added benefits and flavour.
Good, not
just for dia-
betics, but
the entire
family. Priced
at Rs 255 for
955 g. Also
available in a
smaller pack.
Garlic is healthy, but its smell puts you off. Here are 3
odour-removers to rub on your fingertips: lemon juice,
toothpaste and baking soda.
WATCH THE SHELVES
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WHAT IT IS A fat-soluble vitamin
PRODUCT
CLAIMS
Vitamin E is a powerful
anti-oxidant
THE
RESEARCH
A study of approximately
90,000 nurses suggested
that the incidence of heart
disease was 30% to 40%
lower among nurses with the
highest intake of Vitamin E
from diet and supplements.
Small clinical trials have
linked the intake of Vitamin E
with decreased risk of colon
cancer, especially in women
under 65 years of age.
HOW IT
MAY WORK
Vitamin E protects the cell
membranes from the dam-
aging effects of free radicals
PROS It protects the body from
tissue and cellular damage.
It is also important for
healthy skin and nails.
CONS Supplement overdose can
lead to toxicity
BOTTOM
LINE
Stick to natural sources of
the vitamin
GET IT
FROM
Peanuts, soya beans,
sunﬂower oil, spinach and
leafy green vegetables
NEWS+TRENDS
nutrition
■ BOND OVER BREAKFAST Many
studies show that breakfast eaters
are less likely to be overweight than
those who skip their morning meal.
Set aside 15 minutes to eat together
before you head out of the door.
■ PREPLAN YOUR
PORTIONS If dinner
at home means lin-
gering over a long
meal at the dining
table, dole out a
portion before you
sit down and leave
any leftovers in the
kitchen. With the
extras out of sight,
you’ll both be less
likely to overeat.
■ BREAK UP THE
TAKEOUT If one of
you craves a hearty
meal (like biryani),
but the other wants something
lighter (like idli), place orders at
2 different restaurants and eat at
home as a couple.
■ AVOID SNACKING TOGETHER
Just because one of you is a snacker
doesn’t mean you both have to be.
Stop and consider whether you’re
actually hungry or just ‘eating with
company’ before digging in, and
encourage him to do the same (keep
in mind that men generally require
more calories per day than women).
■ STRETCH YOUR
DRINK Men can
usually tolerate more
alcohol—and calories.
Instead of joining
him for seconds,
have plain soda with
a dash of orange
juice and a squeeze
of lime. Or ask for
half wine and half
soda and join in both
rounds. Encourage
him to stop after 2
(the amount doctors
generally say men
can drink healthfully).
■ MAKE ONE MEAL TWO WAYS
Buy groceries for a shared meal
that you can each personalise to
your liking and to that day’s caloric
needs (the same rajma beans can
be used to make a a vegetarian
gravy or a lower-calorie Mexican
sandwich).
Your husband’s weight—not his sparkling eyes or sense of humour—may
have been what drew you to him, ﬁnds new research in the American Jour-
nal of Clinical Nutrition. Couples tend to share similar body fat levels when
they meet—and are likely to stay that way over the years. Similarly, other
research shows that if one partner improves his/her habits, the other may
follow suit. Here are a few ways you can both live healthfully ever after
Stay Slim with Him
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PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
47
NATURAL HEALER
To be as cool as a cucumber, add it to your diet ■ BY MEERA UBEROI
nutrition
Nutrition info from Puja Sharma Vasisht

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CUCUMBER
Meera Uberoi is the author of many books, including
The Penguin Book of Gardening In India.
WHAT MAKES IT A LEGEND Ancient
Chinese, Greeks, Romans and Egyp-
tians have known cucumbers for at
least 2000 years. The Roman emperor
Tiberius was so fond of cucumber that
he wanted it served every day—wher-
ever he was. The New World owes its
cucumbers to Columbus who planted
them in Haiti in 1494.
WHAT MEDICINE SAYS Cucumbers are
very low on calorie but high on water
making them an ideal food choice
for weight watchers. It is also known
to keep the skin healthy. Cucumbers
contain Vitamin C and caffeic acid—
both help soothe skin irritations and
reduce swelling. They are also high in
silica, an essential nutrient required
by the skin. Eating cucumbers clears
blemished skin and provides relief
from heat rashes.
Besides this, cucumbers are rich in
minerals, potassium, calcium and phos-
phorous. All parts of the plant—leaves,
fruits, seeds and oil have medicinal
properties. Ground seeds are used to
expel tapeworms and intestinal para-
sites. Cucumbers are best eaten with the
skin as it is very rich in fibre, cell salts
and vitamins, which lie just beneath it.
EAT IT IN
3 medium sized cucumbers, finely chopped
with skin
1
/2 coconut, grated
1 level tsp sugar
1 tsp mustard seeds
salt to taste
3-5 green chillies, finely chopped
FOR TEMPERING
2 sprigs curry leaves
1 tsp refined oil
Grind coconut, chillies and mustard to
a smooth paste and mix well with the
chopped cucumber. Pour oil into temper-
ing dish. Heat and add the curry leaves.
As they begin to sputter, pour over the
salad and cover the dish immediately.
Add salt just before serving.
NUTRITIONAL INFO
855 Kcal, pro 10.9 g, carb 49.3 g, tot fat 73.3 g,
sat fat 59 g, chol 0, fibre 22.6 g, sod 52 mg
CUCUMBER SALAD
MAKE IT QUICK
nutrition
TROPICAL SMOOTHIE
■ TOTAL TIME 7 MINUTES
■ SERVINGS 2
85 g yogurt or
whipped curd
1 c cubed mango
1
1
/
4
c soya milk,
unflavoured
1
/
2
c pineapple juice
A great way to start your day right
COMBINE ingredients in a
blender or food processor.
Cover and blend on high
for about 30 seconds or
until smooth.
POUR into 2 glasses. Serve
immediately.
NOTE Add honey to taste, if
you want it sweeter.
NUTRITIONAL INFO PER SERVING
195 Kcal, 7.8 g pro, 34.4 g
carb, 3.5 g tot fat, 0.7 g sat
fat, 2.5 g fibre, 3 mg chol,
110 mg sod.
Adpated from US Prevention Guide, The Best Life Diet.
Nutrition information by Puja Sharma Vasisht.
If you have a healthy recipe (with fewer than 6 in-
gredients and 20-mins cooking time) send it to us at
[email protected]
0:07
minutes
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nutrition
CALORIE COUNTER
An evening snack of cold coffee
and sandwich sounds perfect, but
it can push you off your calorie
target if you aren’t watchful.
Use these clever tricks to make
this snack virtuous and stay ahead
in the calorie reckoning.

THE PERFECT SNACK
Dr Sonia Kakar is a senior dietician and
consultant at the Sitaram Bhartia
Institute of Science & Research, Delhi.
■ BY DR SONIA KAKAR
WHAT YOU HAVE
■ 1 glass cold coffee (250 ml), 310 Kcal
■ 1 vegetable sandwich with 2 slices of
bread, grated veggies and
mayonnaise, 255 Kcal
■ Calorie beneﬁt Make your coffee in
skimmed milk. Calories, 230 Kcal. Swap
mayonnaise with a yogurt spread on your
sandwich. A Tbsp of yogurt spread has as
many calories as only a tsp of mayonnaise.
■ Nutrient beneﬁt Go for a wholewheat
bread sandwich. This is rich in ﬁbre and will
keep you satiated longer. By foregoing may-
onnaise you will avoid unhealthy trans fats.
■ Total 485 Kcal
MAKE IT VIRTUOUS
■ Calorie beneﬁt Use a tsp of Stevia (a natu-
ral herb sweetener) instead of sugar. Calo-
ries, 170 Kcal. Have an open-faced sandwich
of 1 slice bread and lots of veggies. Calories,
125 Kcal.
■ Nutrient beneﬁt Add dry-roasted oats to
your coffee for texture and ﬁbre. Veggies
will give you nutrient beneﬁt.
■ Total 295 Kcal
TOTAL
CALORIES
SAVED
270 Kcal
MAKE IT BETTER
Total
565 Kcal
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GROCERY GURU
Yes, friendly bacteria in dahi are a great health punch
CURD THIS BE TRUE?
nutrition
Summer reminds me of the jug of amazingly duhlicious
buttermilk my mother always kept in the fridge. This thirst
quenching and cooling concoction was lightly salted and
seasoned with jeera and curry leaves, in a teaspoon of ghee.
Curd is known to be cooling and hydrating in a hot climate,
balances the effect of spices and soothes the intestines. It aids
digestion and negates the effect of antibiotics in the gut.
For centuries, curds have been eaten fresh as well as proc-
essed (as cheese). They’ve been highly regarded as a source of
good health with protein, calcium, Vitamin A and B2.
In the making of curd, milk solids (lactose/casein) get
broken up and become lactic acid once a ‘starter’ culture from
an earlier batch of curd is introduced. This is why most lactose
intolerant people react favourably to curd.
The consistency and taste of the curd depends on the milk
used—cow, buffalo, camel, goat, whole, toned—the temper-
ature at which it sets and the starter of course. This is why
curds can taste and look so different. Curd set from buffalo
milk may be heavier than that set from cow’s milk.
T
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C
JAYASHREE
JOSHI
EASHWAR
is co-founder and
COO, Dubdengreen—
The Organic Store
And More, Delhi. Also
an editor and market-
research consultant,
she has had a lifelong
passion for food.
Write to her at
jayashree.e@
preventionindia.com
THERE ARE
GOOD, BAD
AND UGLY
BACTERIA.
CURD HAS
LIVE ‘FRIENDLY’
BACTERIA
THAT’S GOOD
FOR THE GUT
PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
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nutrition
TIP To set curd quickly, warm milk, put it
in a casserole, add 2 tsp starter curd and
close lid. Ready in 3 hours.
Curd and yogurt are intrinsically the
same thing. Most commercially available
yogurt has a creamier consistency, along
with natural or synthetic flavour, such as
strawberry, mango and blueberry.
This brings us to the subject of the
much talked about probiotics. It serves
the same purpose as curd and may
indeed have some of the same good
bacteria. But, its manufacturers claim
that the strain/s of bacteria used are
different, last longer in the acidic condi-
tions of the gut and therefore, give
greater or prolonged benefits.
Nutritionists say home-made curd,
eaten regularly, is healthy enough. Even
commercial brands of dahi say ‘live
cultures…good for gut/health’. So, use
probiotics occasionally to spike your
‘friendly bacteria’ count, especially if you
are recovering from an illness of the gut
or taking antibiotics.
NOTE When you split milk for paneer, do
not throw the watery whey which is one
of the lightest and most easily digestible
forms of vegetarian protein you can find.
Season with lime and sugar or honey after
straining and drink or feed to convales-
cents and babies. Use instead of water for
making chapatti dough or add to dal and
vegetables. It enhances the flavour and
taste of curries. This is what is known as
whey protein—great for muscle strength.
Through the summer, have curd along
with meals. Make raitas, lassi, smoothies,
dips and buttermilk. If it has turned sour,
make kadhi or mor korzzumba curry.
Devour when thirsty!
OLD FAITHFUL
DAHI
NESTLE ‘Fresh ‘n’
Natural’ Dahi
■ The creamiest and
heaviest mouthfeel
BRITANNIA
MILKMAN
■ Good taste and
mouthfeel. ‘Specially
blended for perfect
consistency.’
Both say ‘pasteur-
ised toned dahi’ but
does not feel like
toned milk. Both
have 3% fat, approx
3.5 g protein.
Energy 64 and
57 Kcal resp
MOTHER DAIRY
■ Thick and white
■ Fat content is
4.5%, protein 4 g,
calcium 150 mcg
MAGIC TRICK
PROBIOTIC
NESTLE’S Nesvita
■ Lighter mouthfeel
MOTHER DAIRY’S
B-ACTIV
■ Creamier, more
fat 4.5 g
LEAN BUT NOT
MEAN
NESTLE and BRI-
TANNIA MILKMAN
‘Slim’ Dahi
■ Home-made is
lighter
■ Regular brand
dahi 3% fat, this 1.7
to 2%
■ Calcium 150 mcg
COOL DEALS
CURD VARIANTS
AMUL Masti
■ Salted lassi. Has
jeera. Tasty option
when on the move,
but has stabiliser
and very high in salt
MOTHER DAIRY
B-Activ
■ Probiotic lassi.
Light. Tasty but has
synthetic flavour
added
NESTLE ‘Fresh ‘n’
Natural’ Raita
■ ‘Low fat’, 1.7 g fat.
Thick. Creamy. Good,
but over salted.
Dilute with water
■ To set low-fat
curd at home, put
milk overnight in
the fridge. Remove
creamy layer and set
curd from this milk.
june 2008 000 ■ PREVENTION
52
000 ■ PREVENTION
JUNE 2008
nutrition
EAT RIGHT TO ENERGISE
C
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ENERGY FIX
6 easy ways to perk up
2
Eat meals on time
Your body’s calorie needs are
closely tied to its other daily
rhythms. What will make you
tired: if your body expects a
7 o’clock breakfast and a
12 o’clock lunch and you
skip one of those.
4
Postpone
your coffee
Have 1/2 to 1 cup of
coffee during the
late afternoon,
when you may
feel drowsy,
rather than in
the morning.
1
Eat more protein
Women who reduced the amount of
carbs in their diet and raised the amount of
proteins reported feeling more energetic,
found recent research done by Donald K
Layman, PhD, a professor of nutrition at the
University of Illinois.
3
Iron up
A Swiss study of 136
women found that even if
your iron levels aren’t low
enough to be classiﬁed
as deﬁcient, you may still
experience fatigue.
Eat wholegrains, red
meat or fortiﬁed cereals.
5
Hydrate
Getting plenty of ﬂuids is key to
feeling energised, especially when it’s
hot. The water in fruit counts, too. One
large wedge of watermelon provides
260 ml—more than 1 full cup—of water.
6
Drop energy drinks
Don’t pick them unless you’re
planning to run the 100-meter
dash. Energy drinks are jacked
up with caffeine, sugar, and
natural stimulants. That
combo produces short,
intense bursts of energy
that only athletes can
burn off in a safe way.
Compiled by Ankita Agarwal
000 ■ PREVENTION JUNE 2008
BETTER BODY FOODS
DIET SERIES
nutrition
Detox your system with this easy-to-follow guide
■ BY MEGHNA NANDA DASGUPTA
Our bodies have a natural cleansing
apparatus: the liver, kidneys and lower
gastrointestinal tract all combine to flush
out toxins. However, over time our natu-
ral detoxification mechanism can wear
down. Add to it the woes of an unhealthy
diet and lifestyle that further slacken the
process. What you may need is internal
cleansing for a dedicated period.
But detoxification does not mean a
starving or unhealthy diet. By adding a
few healthy ingredients to your everyday
eating you can eliminate foods that inter-
fere with the detox process and get your
organs kicking again. People with medical
conditions such as BP, diabetes and heart
ailments will do well to check with their
doctors first.
When to cleanse
A cleansing diet should be followed for
2-3 weeks every few months or whenever
the body feels ‘clogged up’. The need for
cleansing arises if you are overweight, feel
tired all the time, suffer from constipation,
have frequent headaches, aches and pains,
digestive or skin problems, are a smoker
and/or heavy drinker (on average more
than 1 drink per day), rely on caffeinated
beverages, or if your diet has too many
fried, sugary and refined foods. All these
increase the body’s exposure to toxins.
The detox army
Include the following foods in your detox
plan. Stock up on them beforehand. Your
diet should include healthy food groups
such as protein and fibre.
■ Hydrate well Drink at least 1.5 litres
of water. You can start the day by drink-
ing a glass of hot water with lemon juice
(good source of Vitamin C which works as
a natural cleanser) and/or grated ginger to
enhance digestion. Have herbal teas
in between meals.
■ Nothing beats fresh veg-
gies Three or more pieces of
fresh seasonal fruit and lots
of veggies, too.
■ Tank up on juice Have
1-2 glasses of fresh juice
per day. My favourites are
apple, spinach, lauki, gin-
ger and beetroot.
■ Stock up on fibre Have M
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2-3 helpings of fibre-rich foods such as
beans, lentils, wholegrains, or veggies such
as carrots and beetroot. You can toss sal-
ads with steamed beans to hit the mark.
■ Get your proteins Have a serving of
protein with every meal of your day–
hummus with carrot, tofu kebabs or just
a few nuts. Also include soy products
such as tofu, soya nuggets, an occasional
egg or a piece of fish.
■ Starch up You need starchy foods to
maintain energy levels. Get them from
2-3 servings of brown rice, buckwheat,
jowar, bajra and ragi.
What to avoid
Gradually reduce your intake of foods that
can be a hurdle in the detox mission so
that you don’t go ‘cold turkey’ on day one.
■ Tea, coffee, sugar, alcohol These
are all low in anti-stress nutrients
(magnesium, calcium, zinc, B vitamins,
Vitamin C) and act as stressors by
causing a rapid rise in the blood sugar
level often followed by an energy slump.
Caffeine and alcohol are also diuretic and
cause the body to loose water.
■ Wheat Go easy on bread, pasta, bis-
cuits, muffins, wheat cereals, refined flour
noodles and cakes. Many people find they
feel less bloated and less lethargic when
they cut down on wheat, especially bread.
■ Meat Avoid it to limit the intake of
saturated fats in your diet.
■ Dairy products Cut down on these
except home-set dahi; use soya, or al-
mond milk instead of regular milk. Dairy
products are often heavy to digest.
■ Fizzy or sugary drinks/squashes.
■ Fried or packaged foods, seasonings
or condiments.
Your daily diet plan
Now that you have re-stocked your
kitchen, it is time to take the plunge.
Plan your meals following this pattern:
Breakfast
■ Porridge (made out of oats or cooked
whole bajra) with fruits and nuts.
■ Poached egg with mushrooms, spin-
P
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THE DIET SERIES
nutrition
000 ■ PREVENTION JUNE 2008
Meghna Nanda Dasgupta is a UK-based nutritionist
and writer.
ach or your choice of vegetables.
■ Muesli and yogurt, home-made muesli
made from oats, brown rice puffs (mur-
mura), seeds, nuts and dried fruit served
with dahi or soya milk.
■ Jowar/bajra rotis with vegetables
and dahi.
■ Smoothies with your choice of fruits,
soya milk, a few ground almonds and
seeds and 3-4 tbsp dahi.
Lunch and dinner
■ Vegetables and lentil or chickpea soup.
■ Mixed bean salad (rajma, lobia, chick-
peas with lettuce, spinach leaves with
coriander/pudina and yogurt dressing).
■ Bajra/jowar/ragi/buckwheat rotis
with vegetables and daal or fish.
■ Brown rice with vegetables, daal or fish.
■ Chinese vegetable stir-fry with rice
noodles with lots of garlic.
■ Baked or grilled salmon with vegeta-
bles and sweet potato.
■ Fish or tofu kebabs with vegetables.
■ Vegetable stew with tofu. Add choice of
vegetables, with onion, garlic and ginger
and season with black pepper and salt. You
can add plain or grilled tofu pieces towards
the end to soak up the flavours.
■ Chickpeas or rajma with brown rice
and salad.
Snack
■ Fresh fruit and a small handful of al-
monds or cashews
■ Unsalted, unroasted nuts and seeds.
Supplement your diet
■ Put 2 tsp flaxseeds in a glass of water
overnight. Chew and drink the mixture
in the morning. This acts as a cleanser
and adds bulk to your food to help it
pass through the digestive tract.
■ Take a liver ‘flush’ first thing each
morning: juice of 1 grapefruit or lauki
and 1 lemon, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 crushed
clove garlic, 1" grated ginger.
■ Invest in a firm bristle body brush and
brush your skin daily before you shower.
Brush in upward movements, towards
your heart. Dry skin-brushing is recom-
mended to stimulate lymph and blood
circulation for the removal of impurities
under the skin surface. After all the skin
is an organ of elimination just like the
liver, colon and kidneys.
■ Exercise daily or at least every other
day. You can walk, swim, cycle, or do
yoga. Avoid very vigorous exercises such
as weight training during this period to
avoid tiring yourself out.
■ Make sure you get adequate rest—at
least 7 hours of sleep—so your body has
the time to recover and regenerate.
Answer Eating out once
in a while should not matter
but frequent eating out can
take a toll on your health if
you are not careful about what
you choose to eat and where
you eat. The damage could
range from one, or a combina-
tion of the following:
■ Increased calories Most
restaurants use a lot of oil to
make food palatable. This leads
to obesity and other ailments.
■ Poor quality fat Food is
often cooked in unhealthy
saturated or trans fats.
■ Increased intake of
reﬁned ﬂour, maida, corn-
ﬂour, excessive use of sugar,
salt or monosodium glutamate
(MSG) containing ajinomoto
salt (especially in Chinese
foods) can also be damaging.
■ Contamination risk is high
if you are allergic to milk, nuts,
soy, egg or gluten (a protein in
wheat, oats, rye and barley).
■ Compromised hygiene can
result in infection. Watch out
especially during the summer
months when food products go
bad very fast.
Select the right restaurant
If you can’t avoid eating out
because of work demands or
lack of time to cook, select a
healthy joint. Here are some
tips to help you make wise
restaurant choices.
■ Select restaurants that use
fresh ingredients. Don’t hesi-
tate to ask whether the tomato
soup is made from fresh
tomatoes or from canned or
powdered ones. Order only if
they use fresh veggies, as the
canned or powdered ones can
be loaded with MSG, salts or
preservatives.
■ General wisdom says
that Oriental or Mediterra-
nean cuisines that use lots of
sauteed or grilled veggies are a
better bet over oil-rich curries.
■ Avoid junk or fast food cafes.
■ Select a place which is guest-
friendly and can cook your
order without high fat ingre-
dients, sauces and in low salt.
Also ask about the cooking
medium. Avoid places that cook
in hydrogenated vegetable oil.
Select the right menu
Once decided on the restau-
rant, change your menu
choices to make the best of
what you have.
■ Order soups and salads
instead of main courses.
Also reassure yourself about
000 ■ PREVENTION JUNE 2008
SELECT
RESTAURANTS
THAT USE
FRESH
INGREDIENTS.
TOMATO
SOUP SHOULD
BE MADE
OF FRESH
TOMATOES
AND NOT OF
POWDERED
OR CANNED
ONES
Question I EAT OUT AT LEAST 4-5 TIMES A WEEK. I AM
WORRIED ABOUT ITS LONG-TERM HEALTH IMPLICATIONS.
WHAT CAN I DO TO REDUCE THE DAMAGE?
nutrition
ASK THE NUTRITION EXPERT
ISHI KHOSLA
Clinical nutritionist
and director,
Whole Foods, Delhi.
Mail her at ishi.k@
preventionindia.com
58
JUNE 2008
hygiene, especially when it
comes to salads or uncooked
foods. Ask for salad dressings
‘on the side’ with a wedge of
lemon or some seasoned vine-
gar instead of an oily dress-
ing. Stick to clear soups that
do not use oil and fat like the
cream-based ones.
■ It will be a great idea to
skip the snacks and focus on
the main course if you eat
out frequently. If you want
a munchy or a snack, order
roasted papads, unsalted nuts
or baked snacks.
■ Look for grilled and roasted
preparations or
those with little or
no gravy as gravies
are loaded with
fat and calories.
Try grilled vege-
tables with olive
oil. Instead of dal
makhani, which
is loaded with
cream, go for a dry
daal or yellow daal
without added
tadka. Non-vege-
tarians would do
well to choose
baked, roasted or
grilled ﬁsh or poul-
try over mutton,
beef and pork
which require a lot
of oil to cook well.
■ Opt for rotis over
naans as naans are
made of maida (reﬁned ﬂour).
■ If you are tempted by some
sinful food and desserts, use
portion control. Share the
main course and take a salad
or clear soup as ﬁller.
■ Skip desserts or choose
ones which are not fried and
are without cream. Your best
option would be a fruit.
■ Avoid more than 2 medium
drinks of wine or other alco-
holic beverages before the
meal. Alcohol stimulates the
appetite and calories from
alcohol are stored preferen-
tially as fats.
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nutrition
PREVENTION ■ 000
If you must
eat out,
make some
necessary
changes
in your
lifestyle
■ Balance by
going light in
a subsequent
meal
■ Avoid
large meals,
particularly
late at night
■ Plan your
day in
advance.
If you have
to eat out for
lunch, eat a
simple and
healthy
breakfast
■ Drink lots of
water or low-
calorie drinks
such as salted
nimbu-paani
to keep off
cravings
■ Exercise or
walk to burn
calories
59
000 ■ PREVENTION JUNE 2008
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■ BY MONICA BHIDE ■ PHOTOGRAPHS BY NEIL WINOKUR
Su er ruits
Give the apples and bananas a rest and
round out your repertoire with these
humble, anti-oxidant-packed picks
nutrition
PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
nutrition
Ready to mix it up? Here’s a quickie
primer on some of the smartest picks
based on their health beneﬁts—and
how to serve them in place of common
favourites.
To protect your
heart and fight disease
GOOD Red grapes
BETTER Lychee
WHY A French study published in
the Journal of Nutrition found that
lychee has the second-highest level
of heart-healthy polyphenols of all
fruits tested—nearly 15% more than
the amount found in grapes (cited by
many as a polyphenol powerhouse). The
compounds may also play an important
role in the prevention of degenerative
diseases such as cancer. “Polyphenols
act like a force ﬁeld, helping to repel
foreign invaders from damaging your
cells,” says David Grotto, RD, author of
101 Foods That Could Save Your Life!
■ You’ll also get...protection from
breast cancer. A recent test-tube and
animal study from Sichuan University
in China found that lychee may help to
prevent the formation of breast cancer
cells, thanks to the fruit’s powerful
anti-oxidant activity.
■ Shop for lychees with a vibrant red
colour. Also, the leathery, spiky cover
should be sticking to the ﬂesh and
should not feel dry. Look for fruit that
gives in when pressed gently. Shells
should be intact and the fruit attached
to the stem.
■ Serve by making a quick summer
Though people are eating more fruit these days more
than half are the old standbys: bananas, apples and oranges. Yes, they’re
good for you—but you’re missing out. “Different fruits provide an array of
disease-ﬁghting vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants,” says Joy Bauer, RD,
author of Joy Bauer’s Food Cures. In fact, broadening your horizons can
measurably improve your health. Colorado State University nutritionists
asked 106 women to eat 8 to 10 servings of produce daily for 8 weeks. Half
the group chose from 18 different varieties, while the others ate the same 5,
over and over again. Two weeks later, blood tests showed that the high-
variety group reduced their rates of DNA oxidation, possibly making their
bodies more resilient against disease; the other group had no change.
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nutrition
000 ■ PREVENTION JUNE 2008
dessert by pairing it with vanilla ice
cream. The more adventurous foodies
can try roasting it on skewers and eat-
ing as a snack.
To fight cancer
GOOD Watermelon
BETTER Papaya
WHY It is one of the top sources of beta-
crypoxanthin, which research suggests
can protect against lung cancer. Like
watermelon, it is also a rich source of
lycopene. “Although there is currently
no recommendation for how much
lycopene you should consume in a day,
research shows that the nutrient may
protect against several different types
of cancer, including stomach, endome-
trial and prostate,” says Grotto. Avail-
able throughout the year, there is no
excuse for ignoring it.
■ You’ll also get...better healing.
Papayas may help speed burn recovery
when used topically, thanks partly to
the enzyme papain, which also aids in
digestion. “Papain helps break down
amino acids, the building blocks of pro-
tein,” says Elisa Zied, RD, an American
Dietetic Association spokesperson.
■ Shop for a papaya with yellow, golden
skin that yields to gentle pressure.
■ Serve by cutting lengthwise and dis-
carding the black seeds. Scoop the ﬂesh
and sprinkle with lemon juice. Or com-
bine chopped papaya, banana, yogurt
and skimmed milk for a quick, whole-
some smoothie.
For beautiful skin
GOOD Orange
BETTER Guava
WHY One cup of guava has nearly 5
times as much skin-healing Vitamin C
(it’s a key ingredient in collagen pro-
duction) as a medium orange (377 mg
versus 83 mg)—that’s more than 5
times your daily need. Women who eat
a lot of Vitamin C–packed foods have
fewer wrinkles than women who don’t
eat many, according to a recent study
that tracked the diets of more than
4,000 women aged 40 to 74.
■ You’ll also get...bacteria-busting
power. Guava can protect against food-
borne pathogens such as Listeria and
Staph, according to research by
microbiologists in Bangladesh. Also, a
cooperative study by the USDA and
Thai scientists found that guava has as
much anti-oxidant activity as some
well-known super foods like broccoli
(though every plant contains a different
mix of the healthful compounds).
■ Shop for guava using your nose. A
ripe guava has a ﬂowery fragrance,
gives in a bit to the touch and has a
nutrition
PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
With inputs from Aditi Srivastava
thin, pale green to light yellowish rind.
Avoid bruised or very ripe fruit.
■ Goes great with ice creams. Simmer
chunks in water to make a sauce and
serve over desserts. Guava also makes a
super smoothie: blend 1⁄2 banana, 1⁄2
ripe guava, a handful of strawberries,
1⁄2 cup soy milk and a few ice cubes.
For perfect blood pressure
GOOD Bananas
BETTER Fresh ﬁgs
WHY Six fresh ﬁgs have 891 mg of blood
pressure–lowering potassium, nearly
20% of your daily need—about double
what you’d ﬁnd in one large banana. In
a recent 5-year study from the Nether-
lands, high-potassium diets were linked
to lower rates of death from all causes
in healthy adults aged 55 and older.
Pratima Kaushik, a Delhi-based nutri-
tionist, adds, “Potassium intake from
food is essential for Indians as exposure
to heat in the prolonged summer months
results in some loss through sweat.”
■ You’ll also get...a boost to your bones.
Figs are one of the best fruit sources of
calcium, with nearly as much per serv-
ing (6 ﬁgs) as 1⁄2 cup of fat-free milk!
■ Shop for ﬁgs that are dry on the surface
and feel heavy in the hand.
■ Serve by washing, chopping and add-
ing to yogurt, or fruit salads. Or, enjoy
them as a savoury snack: cut a slit in
the side and stuff with 1⁄2 teaspoon of
fresh, crumbled paneer. Flavour with
dry herbs.
To lower cholesterol
GOOD Apples
BETTER Asian pears
WHY One large Asian pear (nashpati)
has nearly 10 grams of cholesterol-low-
ering ﬁbre, about 40% of your daily
need; a large apple has about half that
amount. People who ate the most ﬁbre
had the lowest total and ‘ bad’ choles-
terol levels, according to a recent study
of Baltimore adults.
■ You’ll also get...protection from
creeping weight gain. The same
researchers found that people who ate
the most ﬁbre also weighed the least
and had the lowest body mass index
and waist circumference.
■ Shop for pears with a ﬁrm feel, fra-
grant aroma and are blemish-free, with
a yellow brownish skin.
■ Serve by dicing it (wash it thoroughly
ﬁrst) into a salad of lettuce, crumbled
paneer, walnuts and oranges. Or, make
a dessert: add peeled and cored pears
to a saucepan with 1 cup white wine, 1
teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon grated fresh
ginger, and enough water to cover the
pears. Cover and simmer 40 minutes.
Serve with ice cream
65
fitness
265
CALORIES BURNT BY A 65 KILO
PERSON AFTER AN HOUR OF
BALLROOM DANCING
Dance is a
great way to
stay in shape
and lose
weight
Swing yourself slim
If you love to shake a leg, chances are you are ﬁt and de-stressed.
Mexican researchers tracked 39 heart disease patients who
exercised 30-minutes a day, 5 days a week, for a month. Half the
group performed a fast-paced ballroom routine, while the rest
cycled on stationary bikes. The dancers increased their heart and
lung capacity by 28%; the cyclists got a 31% boost. Experts say
that it is the quick, uninterrupted movement of up-tempo ball-
room dancing that gets your heart pumping. —Heather Lee
JUNE 2008 PREVENTION ■ 000
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NEWS+TRENDS
fitness
Surprise! You can
actually get better
results from embark-
ing on an exercise
programme in your
40s, than when you
were in college, say
Brazilian researchers.
Sedentary women
over age 60 who did
the same twice-
weekly regimen, as
women ages 18 to 35,
boosted their aerobic
endurance by 20%,
providing additional
oxygen to fuel
calorie-burning
muscle and lowering
their risk of heart
disease. Plus, both
groups gained
strength at exactly
the same rate.
Start now. The more
ﬁt you are in your 40s,
the easier it will be to
maintain it at 60 and
beyond.
–Marianne McGinnis
Exercise is one of the
best ways to improve
brain health, say experts.
Take a step further and
challenge your mind to
learn something new
while you sweat it out on
a treadmill:
Study a language Plug in
to audio language lessons.
Most foreign languages
have CDs/tapes available
at their cultural centres.
Learn a new recipe Tune in
to your favourite TV
cookery show. Take tips on
low-cal cooking while you
burn up calories.
‘Read’ a classic Pick up an
audio book, classics if
possible, from a good
bookshop in your city.
3 tips for a
healthier walk
000 ■ PREVENTION JUNE 2008
Sweat and learn
A fast stride may mean living longer,
reveals a study from the American
National Institutes of Health. Adults in
their 70s who could walk half a kilome-
tre in 5 minutes were 30% less likely to
die in the next 5 years when compared
with their peers who took 6 minutes
to cover the same distance. “It’s never
too early to test your pace,” says study
author Eleanor Simonsick, PhD.
■ Count your steps with a pedom-
eter Aim to take 3,000 steps or more
within 30 minutes, or 1,000 in 10-min-
ute bouts. (Pedometers are available
at Fortis Health World stores and big
sports goods shops.)
■ Use a 1-minute benchmark Strive to
hit 100 steps or more in 1 minute and
hold that pace.
■ Track your laps Try to walk 1.5 km
in 20 minutes or less (4 laps on most
outdoor tracks).
Why ﬁtness comes
faster after 40
68
uestion I GAVE UP MY JOB 2 MONTHS BACK
AND HAVE BEEN AT HOME. I HAVE PUT ON 7
KILOS. I DO NOT EXERCISE AND ALSO SUFFER
FROM CHRONIC LOWER-BACK PAIN. HOW DO
I LOSE EXTRA WEIGHT?— Shivani Kailash, Mumbai
DR S C
MANCHANDA
is a well-known
cardiologist and
yoga expert. He’s
a senior consultant
with Sir Ganga Ram
Hospital, Delhi and
also heads its Yoga
Lifestyle Clinic.
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Q
ASK THE WEIGHT-LOSS COACH
fitness
Send in your weight-loss queries to
[email protected]
PREVENTION ■ 000
Answer You’ve probably
put on weight due to lack of
exercise and, possibly, by eat-
ing fat-rich, high-calorie food.
I would advise you to get your
thyroid functions checked,
as a low functioning thyroid
gland (hypothyroidism) can
also result in weight gain. If
the results are normal, you
can work on your weight in the
following 3 ways:
DIET CONTROL Avoid fried
foods, snacking, fast foods,
aerated drinks (colas), ice
cream and sweets. Consume
plenty of salads, green veg-
etables and fruits as they are
low in calories. You can eat
any amount of salad or fruit,
and as frequently as you
wish. If craving sets in, drink
a glass of water—it can sup-
press cravings. Or, just take
a small portion of the food
that you crave for so that your
taste buds are satiated.
REGULAR EXERCISE Do
regular dynamic exercises
such as brisk walking, swim-
ming and cycling. You should
consult a good orthopaedic
for lower-back pain and do
exercises suggested by him/
her. Stationary bicycling may
be a good option for people
with lower-back pain.
YOGA Certain asanas such as
Salabhasana, Bhujangasana
and Hridyastambhasana have
been found effective in getting
relief from lower-back pain.
Avoid exercises that involve
forward-bends. Yoga and
meditation also help in reliev-
ing mental stress.
69
000 ■ PREVENTION JUNE 2008
WALKING PAGE
fitness
Answer Speeding up
is good as higher intensity
has more beneﬁts. It provides
better cardiovascular function
and an increase in muscular
strength and power. To derive
maximum health beneﬁts
from walking, it has to be done
with some intensity. If you are
overall a healthy person, you
can walk for 45 minutes to an
hour a day, at a slow
to medium pace to
burn more fat. The
point is to make sure
you do not enter the
anaerobic zone where you
pant and struggle for breath.
To stay in the aerobic zone
you should:
■ Be slightly out of breath.
■ Experience an increase in
your heart rate.
■ Be able to make conversa-
tion while exercising.
If you were to measure
your exertion level on an
imaginary scale of 1 to 10
then you should be around 7
or 8 on this scale. This level of
intensity should be reached
over a period of time and not
on day one.
uestion WHAT IS A BETTER WORK-
OUT? SLOW WALKS OR SPEEDING UP ?
– Amrita Purohit, Pune
NISHA VARMA
is a Reebok Master
Trainer based in
Delhi. Write to her at
nisha.v@prevention-
india.com
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KEEP YOUR
SPINE STRAIGHT
AND STRESS-FREE
WHILE WALKING
The most effective way to
increase intensity is to swing
your arms while walking.
Flex your elbows by the side
of the body and swing your
ﬂexed arms forward and
back along the side of the
body as you walk. This rhyth-
mic walking will keep you in
the aerobic zone and in the
maximum fat-burning range.
Your walking posture
should be such that your
spine is free of any stress that
comes from leaning forward
excessively or hyperextension
of the back. Also…
■ Avoid locking the knees.
■ Walk with a ‘heel-toe’
movement.
■ Stretch the lower-body
muscles, and lower and upper
back after a walk.
■ Keep your gaze forward.
Remember, with a rise in
intensity, the chances of injury
also go up, so be extra careful.
An average of 10 minutes
to a kilometre is a good
pace to follow and around 9
minutes should be consid-
ered fast. Try to cover 5 kilo-
metres a day, 5 days a week.
Q
Answer Get into the
habit of long distance walk-
ing. It may sound strange but
once you start running, walk-
ing becomes difﬁcult to cope
with. Practise each day and
do long distances. Stretch
the thigh muscles, shin and
calves well after each session.
Hydrate well before, during
and after the walk. Eat a
well balanced diet to stock
up on energy. To increase
intensity, try and keep both
elbows ﬂexed by the side of
the waist and move them
forward and back along with
the rhythm of your legs. This
will help in building inten-
sity. A slight rotation of the
hips while stepping is a great
way to stride fast and strong.
Finally, a good pair of walk-
ing shoes is a must for you.
The shoe has to be light-
weight and ﬂexible and must
have adequate heel, ankle
and arch support.
Question I RUN 25 KM PER WEEK. I’M CONTEMPLATING
WALKING A MARATHON AS PART OF A CHARITY
FUND-RAISER. ANY ADVICE? – Esha Minhas, Indore
WALKING PAGE
fitness
JUNE 2008
THE MOST
EFFECTIVE WAY
TO INCREASE
INTENSITY IS TO
SWING YOUR
ARMS WHILE
WALKING
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Question MY HEELS SLIP OUT OF THE
SHOES WHILE WALKING. WHAT SHOULD
I DO? – Namita Joshi, Dehradun
Answer You probably have a narrow heel
and you need to buy shoes that ﬁt you better.
Here are some tricks that will help you get a
ﬁrm hold in your shoe.
You should buy shoes in the afternoon; feet
tend to swell in the evening. Avoid tying the laces
around your ankles to prevent slipping. Fit your
foot in snugly before lacing up. Bring together
the top of the shoe by tightening the laces from
the front to the last eyelet to achieve a comfort-
able ﬁt. Sometimes we tend to just enclose the
heel while ignoring the rest of the foot. This
may result in pain. If the problem persists, get
custom-ﬁt shoes.
PREVENTION ■ 000
FIT IN YOUR FOOT
WELL BEFORE
LACING UP
71
‘THERE
ARE NO
SHORTCUTS
TO HEALTH’
I have always believed in the
wisdom ‘health is wealth’. If
you are not healthy, it shows.
I had been following ir-
regular eating habits for
sometime. Late lunches
during recordings, bing-
ing after a show, missing
out on regular exercise…
It all added up to extra
kilos on my face and
belly. One day a friend
casually remarked
that I looked tired
on stage. That
remained with
me. My second
album, Hum-
Says singer KK who got into
shape by losing kilos and
inches for his new album
SUCCESS STORY
fitness
000 ■ PREVENTION JUNE 2008
72
safar by Sony BMG, was set to release. I
resolved to get back into shape before
the shoots for my album started.
MY ROUTINE
I roped in a personal trainer last year,
around September. After going through
my medical records and understand-
ing my physiognomy, he announced I
needed toning up. “I need stamina!” I
added. I was very clear that I didn’t want
to take any shortcuts in the form of fit-
ness supplements.
To begin with, my trainer asked me to
do cardio. I would walk the treadmill for
30 to 40 minutes every day. I started slow
on the treadmill because that way I could
continue walking for at least 40 minutes.
Along with walking, my trainer asked
me to lift weights on alternate days. This
was to prevent bulking up. Later, I also
included free-hand exercises with weights
for shoulders and triceps. A couple of
rounds of squats and lunges would com-
plete my 1.5 hours of exercise, 6 days a
week. After about 2 months, I lost 5 kilos.
Given that I am a professional singer, I
would end up missing out on the routine
whenever I travelled. So, I made up by
swimming or going for a brisk walk. I con-
tinue with this regimen and also do Surya
Namaskar daily.
FIXING MY EATING HABITS
Exercise disciplines our eating habits. I am
a foodie, but I rarely binge now. And even
if I let go sometimes, especially when I
am visiting Delhi and its fabulous eating
joints, I know I can handle it.
My trainer did not put me on a well-de-
fined diet but just asked me to tweak my
eating pattern. For instance, after a stage
performance I just have a bowl of soup or
a glass of milk or fruits. Earlier, I would eat
a heavy meal after a gig. I now eat my din-
ner by 7.30 pm so that it is digested by the
time I go to sleep—around 11 pm. That way
the body is not taxed during sleep—a time
meant for resting our organs.
ON A TYPICAL DAY I EAT:
Breakfast 2 wholewheat toasts, 1 egg
white, a bowl of cereal and fruit.
Lunch a katori of rice/2 rotis, vegetables
cooked in little oil and daal.
Evening snack a small plate of poha/a
whole fruit.
Dinner 2 rotis, vegetables, daal and salad.
If I have a shoot coming up, I skip rotis
for dinner and replace them with sprouts
and more salad. Let me share with you
the recipe of a salad that I often make
for myself. Take a cucumber, tomato, 4
babycorns, 4 small sprigs of broccoli and
a carrot. Cut them into small pieces, boil
them, put them in a bowl, let it cool then
refrigerate. Once it is cold, season accord-
ing to taste and munch. It is tasty, filling
and low-cal!
A FITTER ME
My friends tell me I look great. Like I said,
if you are fit, it shows on your face. I feel
energised too. I can perform for 2 hours
and still have the stamina for more. Now, I
am more responsible about my health.
—As told to Shobita Dhar
ARE YOU A SUCCESS STORY?
Send a 200-word synopsis and before and after
photos to [email protected]
PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
73
Start exercising post-pregnancy
WORK OUT, NEW MOMMY!
THE MOTIVATOR
fitness
NEESHA
MARIA BUKHT
is a certified fitness
trainer from the
International Sports
Sciences Association
(ISSA). She works
with Talwalkars
Gym, Mumbai. Bukht
writes regularly on
fitness and is also a
certified dieti-
cian. Write to her at
Neesha.b@prevention-
india.com
JUNE 2008
If you can give birth and
bring up a child, you can eas-
ily accomplish most things
in this world: like starting to
exercise after your delivery. I
can hear you say, “But where’s
the time?” Believe me, every-
thing is possible with a little
bit of planning. Once a child-
care routine is established, it
becomes easier to include ﬁt-
ness in your day.
The sooner you make the
decision to get in shape, the
happier you will feel; and the
happier and better you feel,
the more you can give to your
new baby and family. On the
other hand, the longer you
put it off, the more difﬁcult it
will be. New moms can gain
fat fast because their body has
been through some serious
changes. Here are some ideas
to get you exercising and back
into shape!
MAKE EXERCISE A
PRIORITY
Your body is sleep-deprived.
It has gone through intense
labour that requires healing.
You probably don’t feel like
exercising. But exercise is the
energiser you need to get you
going physically and emotion-
ally. Make it a priority.
BABY STEPS
Start out slow. No need to do
too much too soon. Fifteen to
twenty minutes a day should
sufﬁce. Be sure to discuss
post-partum precautions and
limitations with your doctor.
BE REALISTIC
Don’t be hard on yourself about
your post-baby shape. You’re
looking exactly how you should
be! If you accept and under-
stand that this is how a normal
woman looks after pregnancy,
your results will be much bet-
ter and quicker as you get back
in shape.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Head to a nearby park and
enjoy some cardiovascular
exercise such as walking. Set
a goal to walk for a certain
number of minutes before
you go. Don’t overdo it. If you
get tired, sit and rest for some
time. Later, if you feel like it,
resume walking.
PLAN YOUR TIME
Exercise time doesn’t have to be
separate from baby time. Let
your baby watch you exercise.
Place him or her in a bouncy
seat or swing while you do your
favourite exercise, perform sit-
TRY TO WORK OUT
AT HOME
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74
ups, use a large exercise ball,
or run on a treadmill.
ROPE IN FRIENDS
It’s amazing how time ﬂies
when you’re walking with a
friend and chatting about
baby stuff or anything else.
Find somebody interested in
exercising and keep in contact
with her each week. Motivate
and encourage each other.
WORK OUT AT HOME
Money can be tight after a
new baby but if it’s possible,
ﬁnd a trainer who can come
home and help you work out.
This will eliminate any wor-
ries you have about exercise
safety and save you the trou-
ble and expense of a reliable
help, or having to travel and
leave the baby home alone.
ENJOY EXERCISE
It’s a choice. It’s something
you want to do. So it’s not
about the total effectiveness
of your routine at this point.
It’s about ﬁnding an activity
that you enjoy and that you
will do on a continual basis
because you want to.
REWARD YOURSELF
Treat yourself to some work-
out clothes. This is fun
because it’s a victory every
time you go shopping and
your size gets smaller and
smaller. Or, eat out at a place
you really enjoy.
YOU CAN DO IT, MOM!
By staying ﬁt, you will be able
to keep up with your little
one’s activeness. Stay in shape
and enjoy every moment of
motherhood.
Finally, you should be
patient. Your body has under-
gone profound changes.
As you get back into shape,
remember how many months
it took you to get out of it. If
you know right from the out-
set that it’s going to be a proc-
ess of months and not weeks,
you will enjoy your routine
better. I like the idea of a race
with no ﬁnish line. You’ll be
running for a while, so might
as well enjoy yourself!
PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
THE SOONER
YOU MAKE THE
DECISION TO
GET IN SHAPE,
THE HAPPIER
YOU WILL
FEEL; AND
THE HAPPIER
AND BETTER
YOU FEEL, THE
MORE YOU
CAN GIVE TO
YOUR NEW
BABY AND
FAMILY
YOU WILL ENJOY YOUR
EXERCISE BETTER IF YOU DO IT
ALONG WITH FRIENDS
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Slim down your middle faster with this dual routine
that tones both your belly and back in one shot. Although
some ab exercises can strain your spine—even if you don’t
feel pain when you do them—these isometric moves, in
which you hold a position instead of doing lots of reps,
were proven in an exercise lab to ﬁrm the mid-section
with minimal stress to the lower back. Plus, a stronger
back improves your posture, giving you an instant tummy
tuck. Get started now to see results in 3 weeks.
4 BEST MOVES TO
FLATTEN YOUR
BELLY
■ BY MARTICA HEANER
■ PHOTOGRAPHED BY DAVID MARTINEZ
Strengthen your abs and back so you look
trimmer from every angle!
THE EXPERT Stuart McGill, PhD, author of Ultimate
Back Fitness and Performance and professor of spine
biomechanics at the University of Waterloo in Canada,
developed this workout.
76
BODY BY DESIGN
fitness
JUNE 2008 PREVENTION ■ 000
Workout at a glance
WHAT TO DO Perform the
moves in the order listed. Hold
each for 10 seconds, bracing
your abs (as though a ball
were going to hit you in the
stomach), but don’t hold your
breath. Repeat 4 to 8 times.
Try the Main Move ﬁrst. If it’s
too difﬁcult, do the Make It
Easier option. When you can
complete 8 reps of the Main
Move with ease, progress to the
Make It Harder version. Do this
15-minute routine once a day,
at least an hour after you wake
up, so your muscles are warm.
FOR FASTER RESULTS Do
30 minutes of cardio, such as
walking, jogging, or cycling,
most days, with 1 long, 60- to
90-minute workout each week.
1. CONTROLLED
STATIC CURL
LIE WITH RIGHT KNEE BENT, foot flat on floor, left
leg extended, hands under lower back. Lift elbows
and inhale deeply. As you exhale, contract abs and
curl head, neck, and shoulders to raise shoulder
blades a few inches off floor. Hold and lower,
including elbows. Do all reps, then switch legs.
Lift extended
leg a few
inches off floor and hold
as you raise and lower
upper body. Switch legs
and repeat.
MAKE IT
HARDER
Simply brace abs, hold, then release,
keeping head on floor.
MAKE IT
EASIER
MAIN MOVE
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BODY BY DESIGN
fitness
Lie with legs
bent behind you
and raise torso and thighs,
resting on bottom knee.
MAKE IT
EASIER
From Main Move, rotate body to face floor,
supporting yourself on forearms and toes,
legs and torso in a straight line. Hold, then rotate back
to Side Bridge. Do all reps, then switch sides.
MAKE IT
HARDER
2. SIDE BRIDGE
LIE ON LEFT SIDE, propped up on elbow,
with top foot in front of bottom so both
feet are on floor. Contract abs as you
raise body, forming a straight line
from toes to shoulders. Do all
reps, then switch sides.
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3. ONE-LEGGED
SQUAT
STAND WITH RIGHT LEG
EXTENDED BEHIND YOU, toes
on floor. Hold arms out to sides
at shoulder height. With abs con-
tracted, bend left knee about
45 degrees, hinging forward a bit
from hips, and slide right leg back
as arms press forward, palms facing
in. (Keep left knee behind toes.) Lift
right leg slightly (1 to 2 inches, as
pictured) and hold. Straighten left
leg to stand, returning right leg to
start and pressing arms back out to
sides. Do all reps, then switch legs.
Keep back toe on floor
throughout move.
MAKE IT
EASIER
Raise right leg higher (3 to 6 inches)
when you extend it behind you, and
keep it lifted throughout the entire move.
MAKE IT
HARDER
MAIN MOVE
MAIN MOVE
78
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JUNE 2008 PREVENTION ■ 000
4. HIP AIRPLANE
STAND WITH RIGHT LEG EXTENDED
BEHIND YOU so foot is off floor. Raise
arms to shoulder height like wings,
palms down. Contract abs and hinge
torso forward about 45 degrees as
you raise right leg behind you as high
as possible, while maintaining balance
and keeping hips level. Hold, then
lower leg to stand and repeat. Do all
reps, then switch legs.
Lift leg behind and bal-
ance without hinging
forward with upper body.
From Main Move, rotate body to right, raising
right arm so chest and hips face right and left
arm points toward floor (shown). Hold, then rotate to left.
Hold and return to centre for 1 repetition. Do all reps, then
repeat with opposite leg lifted.
MAKE IT
HARDER
MAKE IT
EASIER
MAIN MOVE
79
If you or your partner is a chronic snorer, pay close attention to
the sounds coming from your baby while he sleeps. Research
from Cincinnati’s children’s hospital found that infants whose
parents snore, are three times as likely to be noisy sleepers, which
could put them at risk of heart diseases or learning problems
unless they are treated early. Snoring that occurs every night and
is associated with laboured breathing and gasping noises should
be evaluated by a paediatric sleep specialist.
Baby snores: Not so cute
It could be
because of sleep
apnea which
needs to be
treated
JUNE 2008
family
PREVENTION ■ 000
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TIMES MORE ARE YOUR BABY’S
CHANCES OF BEING A NOISY
SLEEPER IF YOU OR YOUR
HUSBAND IS A CHRONIC SNORER
81
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ALLERGY-PROOF
YOUR HOME
10 easy ways to attack the allergen population
■ BY RAJLAKSHMI GHOSH
family
HEALTHY HOME
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HEALTHY HOME
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Hot, humid weather is just when you
should gear up for allergy control. It
will only get worse when the monsoon
arrives. Make your home a haven away
from allergy triggers—dust mites,
moulds and pollens. It’s not difﬁ-
cult. Yes, it needs extra effort and can
be taxing, but it has its rewards: you
and your family breathe easy and stay
healthy. Here are 10 easy ways to cope
with the allergen menace.
1 KEEP YOUR HOME COOL
AND DRY
This is a must if you want to avoid
mould, dust mites and cockroaches.
To keep allergen levels low, the relative
humidity has to be kept below 50%, a
task that can be achieved through your
air-conditioner, now that they come
armed with a humidity control device.
You can also buy a hygrometer to track
humidity levels in your home. “If you
want to prevent moulds, get your local
plumber to ﬁx leaking taps and pipes
before the onset of the monsoons.
Make it a point to wash curtains and
rugs often enough to reduce the aller-
gen population. Getting the house
whitewashed before the monsoon is
another way of keeping allergen levels
low,” says Dr Narendra Saini of the
Indian Medical Association.
2
DO AWAY WITH ITEMS
THAT HAVE GOT WET
Should your carpet get soggy—with
people walking in and out of the house
in the rain —clean and dry it immedi-
ately or do away with it (place a door-
mat outside all doors and get people to
use them before entering the house to
reduce allergens inside). Wash shower
curtains frequently. If they get mouldy
despite that, just chuck them. “Make
it a point to empty the kitchen bin and
dispose off all waste material every
day to avoid dampness in the house,”
says Dr Manoj Kumar Goel, director,
department of respiratory critical care
and sleep medicine specialist at the
Delhi Heart and Lung Institute. You
also need to chuck out stuffed toys if
they get wet and you don’t have time to
clean and dry them immediately. As Dr
Randeep Guleria, professor, depart-
ment of medicine, AIIMS, explains,
“You cannot afford to have a room with
high humidity levels and increase the
chances of bacteria and infection. Since
50% of our time is spent indoors, you
KEEP YOUR HOME DRY
AND DUST FREE
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can prevent serious asthmatic attacks
by ensuring that your room is free of
high humidity levels.”
3
IF YOU MUST HAVE CARPETS,
THINK SMALL
If you just can’t do without them, go
for small ones or easy-to-use rugs.
“Carpets are the biggest source of dust
mites,” warns Dr Partha Pratim Bose,
chest (intensive care) and sleep disorder
specialist at Delhi’s Max Superspecial-
ity Hospital. According to Bose, a house
with wall-to-wall carpets, fresh ﬂowers
and cats, can trigger an allergy attack.
Guleria, too, advises against the use
of carpets specially in the bedroom.
Doctors say hardwood, tile, or linoleum
ﬂoors are ideal for people with allergies,
but if you still feel the need for a soft
surface in places, settle for a few wash-
able throw rugs. Just be sure to wash
them regularly.
4
CLEAN AND VACUUM OFTEN
If you have carpets in the house, vacuum
them frequently, as often as once a week
and put them out in the sun to dry to
remove dust mites. According to Saini,
vacuum cleaners remove suspended dust
particles which might help to decrease
allergen load. A vacuum cleaner with a
ﬁlter will be even more effective in trap-
ping dust particles.
5
MAKE YOUR HOME A
NO-SMOKING ZONE
Smoke is a signiﬁcant irritant. Second-
hand smoke can trigger an asthma
attack and aggravate symptoms in
people with allergies. In addition,
tobacco smoke has been shown to make
asthma worse in pre-school children—
and may even cause it. “What makes it
worse is poor ventilation, which traps
the smoke inside and prolongs the
irritation. Watch out; if you have kids
at home, they are more susceptible to
asthmatic attack brought on by tobacco
smoke. Bose believes that passive smok-
ing is even more dangerous than active
smoking simply because it combines
direct tobacco smoke and the exhaled
smoke of the active smoker.
HARDWOOD, TILE, OR LINOLEUM
FLOORS ARE IDEAL FOR PEOPLE
WITH ALLERGIES
84
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HEALTHY HOME
Take outdoor
measures too
As you start to hunt down
sources of allergens in your
home, pay close attention
to the changes you can
make outside to keep
problems from cropping up
on the inside
Point water away from the
house. To prevent mould,
you need to ensure that the
rainfall that hits your house
winds up away from it, not
in it. To do so:
■ Keep the gutters free of
leaves, obstructions and
standing water
■ Make sure that the gutters
don’t leak into the eaves of
your roof, where they could
seep water into your walls and
cause dampness. Damp walls
increase the allergen load
Allergen-proofing
checklist
WEEKLY
■ Vacuum your home
■ Launder your sheets and
pillowcases in hot water
■ Dust wipe all flat surfaces,
from tabletops to floors, with
a damp cloth
■ Wipe grills with a wet mop,
dust the wire-mesh and
wash curtains
■ Clean your kitchen
cupboards and cabinets
■ Wash your pets after
checking with your vet
MONTHLY
■ Replace and clean your air-
conditioner filter when in use
■ Wash stuffed animals in hot
water. If they can’t take the
stress of washing, put them in
a plastic bag in the freezer (if
it’s big enough) for a few days
VACUUM YOUR
CARPETS FREQUENTLY
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6
VENTILATE YOUR HOUSE
This is one sure-shot way of making
your home allergy-free. Sunlight kills
germs and bacteria, so let fresh air
into your home at least for a few hours
in the day. It will reduce pollution and
allergens. If humidity isn’t a problem
in your area, you may want to open
your windows and doors to air out your
house and help blow away pollution
and allergens. Just make sure when
you open the windows you don’t violate
the ever-important guideline of keep-
ing your home’s humidity below 50%.
If house plants give you or a member
of your family an allergy, remove them
completely. Use an exhaust fan in
the kitchen to make it free from soot,
smoke and dust.
7
RUN A LOW-ODOUR
HOUSEHOLD
Even if products such as scented
candles and air fresheners smell good,
use caution with products that give off
smelly fumes—or avoid them outright.
These also include aerosols, paints,
perfumes and cleaners. They may irri-
tate your airways and make your aller-
gies and asthma worse. Guleria advises
against the use of mosquito coils and
liquid mosquito repellants. It is better
to use mosquito nets instead, he says.
8
DUST FREQUENTLY
Make dusting and cleaning an everyday
routine. Use a damp mop to wipe ﬂoors
and hard surfaces. Don’t use a dry cloth
or a feather duster, since you’ll just ﬂing
the allergens in the dust back into the air.
9
DECORATE SPARINGLY
Cut out on too many decorative items.
More curios, ﬁgurines, stuffed animals
and dried ﬂowers would only mean more
dust. Use them as sparsely as possible.
Decorate with minimal artefacts.
10
KEEP AC FILTERS CLEAN
Unless you keep your AC ﬁlter—which
traps airborne particles—clean, you
would be increasing the allergen load.
Enlist the services of a professional before
the start of the summer season. Keep the
coils and drain pans clean and drained
according to the manufacturer’s instruc-
tions so that they don’t store water. Some
of us start using the air conditioner and
water coolers in summer without bother-
ing to clean them. This can really harm
your health, says Saini.
USE A WET SCRUB TO
CLEAN HARD SURFACES
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HEALTHY FAMILY
Three easy ways—from high-tech to ‘throw it all in a box’—
to track vital medical info
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Three years ago, Suman Sinha, then
47, was wheeled into the emergency
room of a south Delhi hospital, with a
temperature of 104°F, chills, and nausea
caused by a raging infection. But before
she fell unconscious, she managed to
point to her wallet. Inside was a piece of
paper listing her prescriptions and
allergies—including one to sulfa drugs,
that are commonly used to treat
infections. Had doctors given the
medication to Suman, she might have
gone into shock and died.
Recollects Suman, “Later, the
emergency room doctor told me he
wished everyone carried that kind of
information with them. It would make
the doctor’s job so much easier and more
effective.” Indeed. We spoke with several
doctors and all of them agreed that:
■ A health record is a huge help in
diagnosis and treatment for acute and
(HEALTH) RECORD
FOR THE
■ BY BENITA SEN
87
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HEALTHY FAMILY
family
chronic problems.
■ The bad news: not many of us
maintain detailed health records.
■ The good news: the number is
happily growing.
THROUGH SNICK AND
SNEEZE
People who do not keep a health record
argue that they don’t need to, because
they’re in great shape. Says Delhi
entrepreneur P A Nair: “We do not go
for regular check-ups because there’s
nothing so very wrong with our health
as of now.”
Often, major changes in life trigger
the record habit. Kolkata gallery
owner and mother of two, Reena Lath,
who got into the habit since the birth
of her ﬁrst child says: “We have our
prescriptions in sequence ever since.”
Or, it could be when you ﬁnd you are
responsible for yourself and others.
Gurgaon homemaker Madhu Varma
has been maintaining a record since
she married 34 years ago. “My
husband convinced me to do this and I
am glad that I did!” she shares.
For others, it can be retirement. Air
Vice Marshal (retd) Amal Sen, began
keeping medical records since his retire-
ment about seven years ago. It’s when
you realise age and poor health is
catching up with you that you wisen up.
Keeping track of your health history
is essential even if you’re healthy, say
experts. Doctors rely on your medical
history to make an accurate diagnosis,
notes Marie Savard, MD, author of
How to Save Your Own Life—but in a
recent study of patients taking blood
pressure drugs, about 40% were
unable to name a single one of their
medication. And like Suman, you may
be unable to speak up in the event of
an accident or sudden illness. “If you
don’t keep your medical information
handy, no one else will,” Savard says.
A health record can come in handy
in several situations. It is not just for
an emergency. It could be for acute and
chronic health problems. Dr Anjali
Kumar, chief, medical services,
Artemis Health Institute, Gurgaon,
agrees: “Indeed, a health record
typically gives you an
idea of the state of health
over the last few years.”
Think of your health like
a portrait. If you look at
one feature, it is difﬁcult
to imagine how the
entire face looks. It is
only when you see the big picture that
you can get a fair idea of the person.
“Sometimes,” recalls Dr Kumar,
“patients forget to tell the doctor
signiﬁcant details which may have a
direct bearing on treatment.” At other
times, symptoms which the patient
may consider insigniﬁcant can be a
major ‘ lead’ for the doctor.
Of late, more and more Indians are
investing in health insurance. Your
AT TIMES, SYMPTOMS WHICH
THE PATIENT MAY CONSIDER IN-
SIGNIFICANT CAN BE A MAJOR
‘LEAD’ FOR THE DOCTOR
88
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HEALTHY FAMILY
insurance company may ask for a health
record when you register for insurance or
want to make a claim. “If you don’t have
your facts right, your claim may be
rejected,” shares an insurance agent.

GET STARTED
If you have never maintained a health
record and ﬁnd it daunting to get
going, there’s a way out. Most modern
clinics hand over a health record form
to be ﬁlled when you register for the
ﬁrst time. Get it photocopied to keep
in your ﬁle before you submit it. Those
who maintain a record insist it is not
that difﬁcult, once you get started.
And it is certainly worth the effort.
SO, CHOOSE YOUR STYLE
Here are several ideas to maintain a
health record. See what suits your
lifestyle and temperament best. That’s
a sure way to get going and keep
moving! The basic choices include:
paper records, computer ﬁles, the
internet, portable devices.
1

Stuff it all in a box
IT’S LOW-TECH BUT highly
efﬁcient: Grab a box and mark it with
the year and the names of the family
members whose records you’re collect-
ing. Toss in some envelopes, one per
person in the family.
Jot down all the basic info you can
gather: each person’s record ought to
have key facts such as emergency
contacts, major illnesses and surger-
ies, medication, dates of immunisa-
tions, drug allergy and any signiﬁcant
family history of disease. If you’re ever
likely to try homoeopathy, note
seemingly minor symptoms like mood
swings and food preferences.
Next, start saving test results as you
get them, and note any vaccines you or
your kids get. Also, record when the
next booster dose, if any, is due.
Most crucial to keep:
■ Pap tests and mammograms
■ Prostate speciﬁc antigen (PSA) tests
for men in your family
USE DIFFERENT COLOURED
FOLDERS FOR EACH FAMILY
MEMBER’S RECORDS
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In an emergency, this one little piece of paper could save your life. Make a
wallet-size card and tuck it next to your insurance card. Include basic infor-
mation such as emergency contacts, health insurance information, doctors’
names and numbers, and any allergies and medication taken regularly. And
don’t forget to put a copy on your refrigerator so that your neighbour or
Good Samaritan helping you through an emergency may spot it.
Essential Step
CREATE A PORTABLE HEALTH RECORD
With inputs from Diana McKeon Charkalis
UPGRADING TO
ELECTRONIC HAS
ITS BENEFITS
■ Electrocardiogram (ECG) tests, done
only when there is cause for concern.
Ask for a copy of the results when
you go in for a test. If the hospital
cannot hand it over right away, hand
them a self-addressed, stamped
envelope with a request to mail it to
you. Follow up on the telephone with
the concerned person.
If you’re getting an X-ray or
another high-tech exam, ask for a
report of the ﬁndings or, if possible,
a CD that contains the exam itself.
Then, tell your doctor
that you’ve started
keeping medical ﬁles
and ask for help ﬁlling
any gaps. Some doctors
may be thrown by this request,
but remember that you have a legal
right to access copies of your records.
“Don’t be afraid to ask,” Savard says.

2

Code them by colour
IF YOU’RE SLIGHTLY more
ambitious, you can make records even
more accessible by organising them
by colour. Use different folders for
each family member. “When I need
my husband’s info I just grab the blue
one,” says Delhi home-maker, Savitha,
who maintains ﬁles for herself, her two
daughters, her husband, and mom. If
you have fewer people to track, you can
keep one folder with coloured dividers.

3

Use an online
programme
A GROWING NUMBER
of electronic options let you update
records effortlessly by loading a
programme onto your com-
puter. Upgrading to digital
has perks. Some programmes
alert you via email or text
message when you need
to schedule follow-up
appointments. Some
even graph information
so you can see health
changes over time. If you
download the format on
to your PC, it can easily be
printed, updated and programmed
with reminders. It can even be emailed
to your doctor and is accessible from
anywhere, even while you travel. Por-
table options like a CD are easy to carry
to the next check-up, or on holiday.
90
Find out what your style is and be the best you can be
WHAT KIND OF DAD ARE YOU?
TODAY, DADS
ARE MORE
INVOLVED,
AND READY TO
PITCH IN WITH
PARENTING
DR SHELJA SEN
is a clinical
psychologist, family
therapist and trainer
at Sitaram Bhartia
Institute, Delhi.
Write to her at
shelja.s@
preventionindia.com
About 20 years ago when
I had started my career as
a psychologist, Dads were
generally missing from family
therapy sessions. Any attempt
to rope them in was usually
met with, “I can’t be both-
ered with all this nonsense”
to furtive glances at their
watches. Cut to the present
and you see a sea change in
attitude. Dads are keenly
involved, concerned and
ready to pitch in. It could be a
combination of greater aware-
ness of the emotional needs
of children, nuclear fami-
lies with a dwindling support
network, a growing involved
parenting culture or just the
emerging ‘New Age Man’.
From mastering breathing
exercises at antenatal work-
shops, cutting the umbili-
cal cord, changing nappies
at night, to attending every
parent teacher meeting, Dads
are here to stay. And how.
Absent Dads
Before you think I am getting
too carried away, I will admit
that there is a big chunk of
men who are still noticeably
absent. Many believe that they
are too busy (“I just don’t get
the time”), some are too tradi-
tional (“It is a mother’s job
to bring up children”); some
actually get pushed out to
stick to the provider’s role by
the society (“It is my responsi-
bility to earn for their secure
future”) and others just prefer
to take the easy way out (“I
need a break after a hard day’s
work”). These Dads prefer
to stick to the stereotyped
role and any attempt to bring
about a change is met with a
high level of denial (“You are
making a fuss about noth-
ing”), anger (“I am tired of
this constant nagging”) or
withdrawal (“Let me read the
newspaper in peace”).
Fun Dads
Fun Dads are funny, exciting,
and thrilling. They are ready
to buy a child anything he
demands, allow him to watch
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PREVENTION ■ 000
INVOLVED DADS ARE A
RECENT PHENOMENON
family
BONDING Rx
91
000 ■ PREVENTION JUNE 2008
any amount of TV, miss
school and eat burgers and
pizzas for dinner. They are
like kids themselves and it is
very difﬁcult to ﬁnd fault in
them as they are so guileless,
easy-going and charming.
In such families, exhausted
Mummies can easily get
labelled as a ‘nag’ as they
desperately try to bring some
order into the chaos.
Mummy Dads
The unique feature about
these Dads is that they are
less like Dads and more like
Mummies. This can be bril-
liant if the couples have
evolved beyond the gender
stereotyping and are more
ﬂexible with their roles. But a
lot of times they are not able
to do that and then we have a
resentful Mummy who feels
pushed out or a Dad who
wants to be Mummy but is
not comfortable if Mummy
plays Daddy. Confused?
Then imagine what the kid
might go through in this
tussle. As 9-year-old Rhea
shared with me, “Dad is
always trying to prove that
he is a better Mummy than
Mummy. I am tired of this
tug of war.”
Balanced Dads
Parents are like two lenses
of a binocular. Each lens on
its own cannot provide the
child the richness and depth
of the experience. When
the child has an experience
of a Dad who is involved
without being polarised or
completely overlapping with
Mummy’s role, he/she grows
up being more balanced.
Child psychiatrist, Sebas-
tian Kraemer summarises
impressive evidence in his
book, Narratives of Fathers
and Sons (Routledge 2005)
showing that children whose
fathers share more than 40%
of their care, demonstrate
more cognitive competence
and self-control.
So cheers to all the Dads
who are ﬁghting every stere-
otype to enrich our lives!
R
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G
E
S
PARENTS ARE
LIKE TWO
LENSES OF
A BINOCU-
LAR. EACH
LENS ON ITS
OWN CANNOT
PROVIDE THE
CHILD THE
RICHNESS AND
THE DEPTH
OF THE
EXPERIENCE
FUN DADS ARE GREAT
COMPANY FOR THE CHILD
family
92
JUNE 2008 000 ■ PREVENTION
Divorce can be traumatic. But there
are ways to minimise the pain
■ BY TASHNEEM CHAUDHURY & BENITA SEN
family
DIVORCE
HERE’S TO A
HEALTHY
JUNE 2008 PREVENTION ■ 000
ANOUSHKA MATHUR, 28, was
eight months pregnant with her ﬁrst
child when she came to know of her
husband’s extra-marital affair with a
colleague. What began as mere sus-
picion spilt out in the open when her
husband threw caution to the winds.
The result? Bitter ﬁghts. Childbirth
and the accompanying hormonal
changes made things worse for her.
The involvement of both families,
however, mended matters for a while.
But the damage ran deep. Two years
and countless arguments later, she has
ﬁled for divorce. Her personality has
undergone complete transformation.
The happy-go-lucky person is now bitter,
suspicious, and vengeful. She suffers
from low self-esteem, is depressed and
has panic attacks. Her two-year-old
son, a witness to the frequent ﬁghts, is
cranky and has withdrawn into a shell.
“My pregnancy and then looking after
the baby was stressful for both of us
since we were living away from family.
The hormonal changes I was going
through might have made my husband
family
feel it was a different person he was
dealing with. But he betrayed me at a
time when I needed him the most. I
can never forgive him for it,” she says.
Could things have ended less bitter?
The fallout of divorce
Observes Delhi psychiatrist Dr Samir
Parikh, “Emotional trauma related to
divorce is almost universal. It affects
both partners. It involves an emo-
tional bereavement. Lots of memories
remain.” Even a divorce by mutual
consent can lead to an upheaval. Pa-
rikh says he knows of a couple who
separated by mutual consent but still
had to go through therapy and coun-
selling. “It took them time to resettle,”
he recalls. The physical and mental
fallout of a divorce are enormous.
Divorce hurts your health
Divorce affects not just the spouses,
but the entire family. It generally takes
a toll on the couple’s health. It can
affect them both mentally and physi-
cally. Though some may come out of it
a stronger person, the scars often take
a lifetime to heal. In India, there is the
added burden of social stigma.
Effects on the mind
There is a lot of negativity associated
with divorce and the negative mental
state generally persists even after
the split. “Depression and anxiety
are some of the common fallouts. In
really messy divorces, symptoms of
post traumatic stress disorders are
seen. Low self-esteem and insecurity
are common manifestations of the
trauma,” says Rakhi Anand, clinical
psychologist at Delhi’s VIMHANS
Hospital. According to Dr Sandeep
Vohra, senior consultant psychiatrist
and psychotherapist, Indraprashtha
Apollo Hospital, there’s often a lot of
pent-up anger and resentment which
could lead to anxiety and insomnia.
Sometimes there’s guilt which could
result in the shattering of conﬁdence.
Effects on the body
“Tension and headaches are a fallout of
stress related to divorce,” says Dr Megha
Hazuria Gore, coordinator, depart-
ment of mental health and behavioural
sciences, at Max Healthcare, Delhi. Add
to that skin and stomach problems and
migraines. According to Dr Jitender
Nagpal, consultant psychiatrist and
programme director of expressions-
india, a life skills and school mental
health programme, divorce can reduce
immunity and make you prone to
JUNE 2008
family
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A COUNSELLOR CAN
HELP YOU SEE THINGS
IN PERSPECTIVE
frequent illnesses, aches and
pains, and chronic lifestyle dis-
eases including hypertension,
diabetes and heart problems.
The best way to avoid these
health problems is to make
the parting as amicable and
painless as possible. Here are
some dos and don’ts.
DO
■ Mutual consent When two
partners are realistic enough
to let go of an unhappy rela-
tionship, no matter who is the
victim and who the abuser, it
is less traumatic and acrimo-
nious. Says Parikh, “Once you
have decided to part, try and
be empathetic, even if it is tough.”
■ Consult a marriage counsellor
Some of us are stoic and take things in
our stride. But not everyone’s the same.
Experts note that one spouse invari-
ably needs more help to cope. When
you feel that you are losing your grip
on your life, it is time to get help. Notes
Nagpal: “Separation and divorce are
among the highest stressors. They can
make you upset and vulnerable to a
whole chain of emotional issues, from
confusion to deﬁance.” A trained coun-
sellor can put things in perspective.
■ Be honest with yourself and
let go of a failed relationship It is
important to admit that your unhappy
relationship is leading nowhere. Being
delusional cannot help: one person’s
effort cannot nurture a relationship.
Both partners need to make an effort.
If things refuse to sort themselves out,
it’s best to call it quits. Nagpal recalls
a woman who acknowledged that the
marriage wasn’t working out because
the husband was a workaholic and she
wanted more time. After struggling
with the situation which stressed them
out and made him an insomniac, she
decided to let go. She reasoned: “I
loved and respected him and realised
he couldn’t change his priorities. For
him work took precedence. I accepted
that, and decided to part ways.” Not
everyone can be as magnanimous, but
effort pays.
■ Keep yourself busy with no time
to sit and brood You are losing out
on companionship, so, ﬁll the void
with things that make you happy.
“Keep busy; do things you enjoy;
pursue a hobby. If you are not in a
job, begin voluntary work. You’ll be
amazed how people with full, busy
lives manage to deal with trauma bet-
PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
family
DO NOT NEGLECT
YOUR SOCIAL LIFE
D
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103
ter than others,” says Nagpal.
■ Do not neglect your social life
Most couples, especially those with
kids, tend to get so involved in mun-
dane day-to-day affairs that they ﬁnd
no time to socialise. Weekends are
spent doing chores and the rest of the
week is all about ofﬁce and house-
work. Meeting with friends or even
new people when your divorce is under
way can keep your mind off your own
troubles. You may ﬁnd yourself drawn
to common friends. Cautions Parikh,
“Couples need to try and maintain their
individual friends. If you have common
friends, do not impose yourself on them
and do not get them to take sides.”
■ Avoid raking up the pain Says Pa-
rikh, “No confrontations.” What is over
is done with. You are at the divorce
stage because the marriage cannot be
salvaged. Accept that.
DON’T
■ Harp on negatives Negative people
ﬁnd fault with everything and going
through a divorce can just bring out
the worst in them. If you keep cribbing
and complaining all the time, things
are not going to get better; downhill is
more like it.
■ Fight during or after the divorce
Why ﬁght and make things worse? It
may make you feel better to get the
venom out but it has harmful effects.
Says Nagpal, “Acrimony brings nothing
but negative consequences. Once you
have internalised the reality of separa-
tion, raking up emotions that affect
mind, body and soul is not worth it.”
■ Involve children or make them feel
guilty about the divorce Children are
the worst hit in any divorce, however
amicable. According to Parikh, “Chil-
dren pay the maximum price. An extra
sensitive child may even take the blame
for the failed relationship and suffer
feelings of inferiority.” Keep children
out of it, and maintain your individual
relationships with the child, he advises.
■ Enter into a new relationship un-
less healing has taken place Unless
you have got over each other, there’s no
sense in jumping into a new relationship.
“It might lead to more complications.
Never enter a relationship just to get over
the break-up. You’re also going to harm
the other person,” reminds Nagpal.
■ Reach out to the professional
circle of the spouse to spoil his/her
reputation Often suspicion and jeal-
ousy make spouses take this extreme
step. But it may backﬁre and you may
become the butt of jokes in his/her
professional and friends’ circles. It can
also make your spouse more bitter
and rebellious. Catch up with friends
who’ll help you get over the trauma.
000 ■ PREVENTION
JUNE 2008
family
P
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T
O
MEETING FRIENDS CAN
MAKE YOU FORGET
YOUR TROUBLES
104
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Scent of a splurge
When you’re hungry, an impulsive purchase can feel as rewarding
as food: scientists at the National University of Singapore found
that tempting the appetite—in this case, with the smell of baked
goods—encouraged women to spend on pricey items. After get-
ting a whiff of the enticing aroma, 67% of women wanted to buy
an expensive new sweater despite a tight budget, compared with
just 17% of those whose appetites weren’t teased. Eat before you
shop; it could save you money and buyer’s remorse.
PER CENT WOMEN
FALL FOR IMPULSIVE
BUYS WHEN HUNGRY
67
you
PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
Never shop for
shoes when your
stomach is
growling
105
JUNE 2008 000 ■ PREVENTION
NEWS AND TRENDS
you
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GET OLD
TOGETHER
One more reason to believe in
love and sharing: psychologists
at the Rush University Medical
Centre tracked 823 older adults
for 4 years and found lonely
individuals were twice as likely
to develop Alzheimer’s. “We
suspect loneliness damages the
brain slowly over many years,”
says Robert S Wilson, PhD, lead
author of the study. “So
building strong, emotionally
satisfying social networks now
could help the brain tolerate
old age better.”
The next time you’re trying
to calm down a distraught
partner or friend, hold his
hand, turn his face towards
you and make eye contact
with him. Eye contact will
quickly help him regain
composure, says Mardi
Kidwell, PhD, a communica-
tions professor at the
University of New Hamp-
shire. “When a person is
sobbing or yelling, she or he
may not interact rationally,” says Kidwell. Focussing on your gaze may force
him to come back to reality. Getting a person to look into your eyes is the ﬁrst
step to listening—whether they know it consciously or not, she adds. The trick
is to get into the person’s line of sight, tell them to take a deep breath, and
don’t let them look away until they calm down a bit.
DO GOOD, FEEL GOOD
Calm with eye contact
FOR WATER’S SAKE
Make a promise to love your environ-
ment. One quick tip > > > When
making hard-boiled eggs, instead of
pouring the cooking water down the
drain, let it cool and save it to hydrate
your plants later. Because it is
enriched with calcium from the
eggshells, the water will act as a
natural fertiliser.
Lower your
brain age
GIVE YOUR MIND A PROMOTION:
Doing any kind of job—paid or
unpaid—that uses creative thinking
can shave up to 6 years off your
mental age, says a new study by
University of Texas at Austin sociology
professor John Mirowsky, PhD.
‘Creative’ can even mean crunching
numbers or writing memos, he says, as
long as it involves questioning, problem
solving, and learning. Find a new hobby
that you’re passionate about; it will
provide the same anti-ageing beneﬁts,
he says.—Danielle Kosecki
PERFECTLY
HEALTHY
PERFECTLY
UNHEALTHY
You want your
pantry shelves to
be organised.
You want every
room and closet to
always be in order.
When you make
a mistake at
work, you accept
it as inevitable
and learn from it.
Missing a deadline
drives you to tears
and leads you to
believe you’ll never
be promoted.
You try hard
to exercise five
times a week, but
sleep and family
time always take
priority.
You work out every
day—even if it
means always
being exhausted
and never seeing
your husband.
—Julian Kesner
The happy way
to be perfect
A little old-fashioned fastidiousness isn’t
necessarily unhealthy behaviour, say new
cognitive studies of adults by Gordon
Flett, PhD, of Toronto’s York University
and Patricia DiBartolo, PhD, of Smith Col-
lege, US. Take note of subtle differences:
PREVENTION ■ 000
Hang up to
sleep soundly
you
If you use your cell phone to wish
someone good night, you may
end up depriving yourself of one.
Talking on a mobile phone for a
while before bed can interfere
with deep sleep, say Wayne State
University and Swedish research-
ers. They theorise that low-level
radiation from these phones may
disrupt production of sleep-
inducing melatonin or excite
other areas of the brain. To ensure
sound slumber, turn off your cell
and use a landline for nighttime
calls. —Julian Kesner
T
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I
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E
:

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;

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S
107
000 ■ PREVENTION JUNE 2008
you
MY OLD MAN GROWS UP
He was a father of his time—there to pick you up, not to wipe your
tears. But with age he began to reach out and pull us closer
■ BY ROBERT LIPSYTE ■ ILLUSTRATIONS BY LISA FRANKE
Dad was no poster boy
for being healthy. He
loved salami, bologna
and franks; the only fam-
ily member who would
share those meals with
him was my dog Rudy. He
stopped running at age
18 when his college coach
promoted a slower run-
ner to the Olympic track
training team. He didn’t
believe in the healing
beneﬁts of tofu or regular
doctor check-ups, lived
alone for the last 7 years
of his life and refused to
use one of those emer-
gency signal devices.
He said that if he fell
and couldn’t get up, he
wanted to stay down for-
ever. And that’s what hap-
pened, 3 months before
his 101st birthday.
When people express
envy at my resilient genes,
I tell them I’m not count-
ing on breaking 100. I
smoked for a dozen years
(he never did) and grew
up in New York breath-
ing air you could see. But
I just turned 70 and I
plan to live the rest of my
life the way Dad did. He
fought growing old for a
while, using his strength
and independence to get
him as far as possible on
the homestretch. Then,
when he had to, he soft-
ened, allowing those of us
who loved him to help.
I never imagined Dad
would be my role model.
Growing up, we weren’t
close. He was emotion-
REAL LIFE
108
JUNE 2008 PREVENTION ■ 000
ally distant, a father of
his time who was there
to pick you up but not to
wipe your tears. He lived
through two world wars
and the Great Depres-
sion. His air of having
been there, done that,
sometimes grated on me.
But a half-century later,
after the 9/11 attacks, I
was comforted by his long
view. Dad was 8 when
his crystal radio picked
up the SOS calls from
the ‘unsinkable’ Titanic.
He taught us that despite
tragedy, life does go on,
and the best you can do is
take a deep breath and try
to help.
That’s what Dad did.
He was an ambitious
public school teacher who
eventually headed up sev-
eral dozen New York City
schools for ‘socially mal-
adjusted’ boys—mostly
juvenile delinquents. I
loved to visit him at work.
He strode those halls like
a captain would his ship.
I was proud—and a little
jealous—to see what a
beloved and respected
captain he was. The boys
were thrilled by his car-
ing attention, even if it
came in the form of a
hard wallop on the butt. I
knew he loved his job, but
I guess I never realised
how much he needed it
until he retired in his late
60s. When I visited him
and Mom in their win-
terised summer house
in upstate New York, he
seemed uncharacteristi-
cally lethargic, depressed.
Years later, he told me he
was hoping in those dark
days to be dead before he
reached 75. Then some-
thing changed.
What, exactly, he never
said. But Dad was about
the age I am now when
he reached into him-
self and restarted his
engine. I saw a version of
the strong, distant man
I knew, but with softer
edges that constantly
surprised me. He and
mom joined and then ran
groups lobbying for the
elderly; they volunteered
at local libraries and
helped neighbours ﬁll out
health insurance forms.
Dad also revved up
his old reading habit,
devouring three books
at the same time—one
about current affairs, one
ancient history, one naval-
warfare novel. He kept
scrapbooks of my writing
and became my biggest
cheerleader. With Mom
in tow, he roamed local
thrift stores at least twice
a week, foraging for books
on the cheap. By himself,
he dug out the basement
so he could install shelves
for his rapidly expand-
ing collection. He also
patched the roof, mowed
the lawn, cleaned the gut-
ters, rewired the lamps.
One winter, while I was
visiting with my son, he
refused to let us shovel the
snow in the driveway. He
said, “If you’re not used to
doing this, you could get
a heart attack.” I was 50,
my son Sam was 20 and
Dad was 84.
Not that his heart would
have dared attack him.
Throughout his life, when-
ever he felt sick, he put
himself on bed rest and a
liquid diet. When he was
DAD TOOK CHARGE LIKE A
CAPTAIN WOULD OF HIS SHIP.
HE FOUGHT GROWING OLD WITH
STRENGTH AND INDEPENDENCE
you
109
000 ■ PREVENTION JUNE 2008
you
doubled over at 90 with
severe stomach cramps,
Mom, against his wishes,
called an ambulance. Dad
kept insisting the prob-
lem was a recent meal of
bad bologna, but a parade
of small-town special-
ists demanded to invade
his stomach, his colon, his
liver. He enlisted me to
help him refuse the tests.
It was the ﬁrst time he had
ever asked me for help, and
it felt good—exciting, even.
It was me and the Captain.
He was discharged in a few
days and fully recovered.
My father was 94
when my mother was
diagnosed with brain
cancer. He insisted on
taking care of her alone.
When Mom died after
a few months, Dad was
exhausted and I thought
he would shut down
again. Instead, he let my
sister, Gale, and me get
a little closer. He told me
tales of his childhood,
about his favourite books,
his latest new interest—
women’s basketball. I
brought my dog to share
his salami. He allowed
Gale to hire a woman to
‘drop by’ two afternoons a
week to tidy up and cook
some meals. Dad was so
appreciative—but I think
we may have been even
more grateful to have the
opportunity to help.
At 97 he stopped going
up on the roof. At 100 he
stopped driving. Then
one night 3 years ago, he
collapsed while taking
a shower. He was found
the next afternoon and
rushed to the hospital. His
organs were failing, and
soon after, Dad passed
away peacefully with my
sister and me by his side.
Watching him die was
sad and, later, the feeling
of loss was intense. It still
is sometimes. So I hang
on to what I learned from
him: I might start a little
earlier to reach out to oth-
ers and let the ones I love
closer to me. Dad may
have gone down with the
ship, but at the end he was
sailing close to shore.
LATE IN LIFE, DAD SOFTENED.
HE WAS 90 THE FIRST TIME HE
ASKED ME FOR HELP—AND IT
FELT GOOD
REAL LIFE
If you have a similar story to
share, send it to us at
[email protected]
110
JUNE 2008
Answer It will be easy
for you to say ‘no’ (if that’s
what you want) if your
reasons are valid. An objective
and honest assessment could
help resolve your dilemma.
Take this test to decide
■ I am already busy with
something critical. Do I
have the time for a new
assignment?
■ Could I delegate some of
my current work and take it
on later?
■ Can I park my other work
for the time being?
■ Do I have the skills to
complete this assignment?
■ Am I the only person who
can handle it?
If there are more ‘nos’, tell
your boss that while you are
excited by new challenges,
you will not be able to do
justice to a new project.
The right reasons
Offer a good and honest
reason for not taking it on.
Prepare a list of your current
responsibilities to validate
your lack of time. Admit if
you don’t have the necessary
skills. There’s nothing worse
than pretence.
If you are keen to do the
new project, ask your boss
to help delegate your
current work to a colleague
or get more hands to share
responsibilities.
Future perfect
Do extra tasks routinely get
dumped on your desk? Tell
your boss that added assign-
ments are affecting the qual-
ity of your primary job.
A tactical line would be,
“Wow, that’s a challenging
project, but I’m busy with
X assignment right now.
Let me know if
you want me to re-
prioritise.” It works
because you don’t
utter the word ‘no’.
If you are left
with no option, then
negotiate. You might
suggest that you will
take on the project
but how about a
compensatory off, or
a vacation?
Work is done best
when you enjoy it. If
it becomes a burden
then saying ‘no’ at
the right time might
be the answer.
PREVENTION ■ 000
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Question I CANNOT SAY NO WHEN MY BOSS PILES
ON WORK. HOW DO I DEAL WITH THIS? I DO HAVE
MORE ON MY PLATE THAN I CAN DEAL WITH.
SANJAY SALOOJA
is as an educator,
corporate philosopher
and a life coach. He
has a PhD thesis on
‘Building Optimism in
Indians’.
Write to him at
sanjay.s@
preventionindia.com
WORK-LIFE BALANCE
DON’T LET WORK
STRESS YOU OUT.
SAY ‘NO’, IF YOU
MUST
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you
PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
What if you never ran out of gas? What if
you could be a fountain of endless energy,
even after many hours of hard work?
Caught in the hurly burly of work and life,
we inevitably end up with less, rather than
more energy. But this needn’t be the case:
follow the 5-level energy management
plan and see the difference!
Yoga’s 5 levels of energy
■ The level of physical well-being
(annamaya kosha)
■ The level of subtle life energy or
spiritual (pranayama kosha)
■ The level of emotional thinking
(manomaya kosha)
■ The level of rational thinking and
judgment (vijnanamaya kosha)
■ The level of complete health and
happiness to achieve professional
goals (anandamaya kosha)
Here are simple ideas to follow and sail
through your days’ demands.
PHYSICAL ENERGY
Exercising increases energy levels on a
physical plane. Exercise releases endor-
phins which give you a feeling of well-
being and help the mind handle stress. A
great way is to cross train to get the full
beneﬁt of a ﬁtness programme. It could
be cardio vascular exercises on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays, strength train-
ing on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and yoga
and meditation on Saturdays. But also
remember to rest and recover; it is essen-
tial to prevent burnout. Here are some
ways to feel energetic physically:
Manage it this way
■ Take a break every few hours and walk
around. Short bursts of physical exercise
work great as energy boosters. A Cana-
dian study shows that 6 minutes of high-
intensity exercise a week boosts ﬁtness
and energy levels just as effectively as 6
hours of lower-intensity activity.
■ Do easy stretches every 2-3 hours.
■ Clench and unclench your ﬁngers and
toes to release stress.
■ Eat a fruit or a light snack every 2
hours. This will save you from ‘energy
slump’ due to plummeting sugar levels.
■ BY NISHA VARMA AND ANKITA AGARWAL
nergised
VERY DAY
5 simple ways to get the energy edge
E
STAY
you
SPIRITUAL ENERGY
Use a little time to introspect to realise
your potential which will help you deal
with the constant state of ﬂux and
change. A focussed self calms the mind
and opens it up to creativity. An added
bonus will be a boost in personal and
professional relationship. Choose a medi-
tation technique that suits your temper-
ament and physical requirements. Dr
Bhavna Barmi, senior clinical psychol-
ogist at Escorts Heart Institute, Delhi
adds, “Practise it without a break for
21 days and let it become a part of your
routine.” Regular practice of meditation
will enhance your energy level at work,
promote a cheerful disposition, and cause
depression and irritability to vanish.
Manage it this way
Sit in a straight back chair with hands
resting on the thighs. Close your eyes
and focus on your breath. With each
inhalation, imagine re-energising
breath entering your body and exhale
all negative energy/fatigue. Do this
for 10 minutes.
MENTAL ENERGY
It’s the most misused energy as one
is always ruminating on the past and
on what could have been. Dissipating
energy on such thoughts is wasteful.
Train the mind to focus on the job and
do it with full attention. This will fuel
you with positivity and lead to better
productivity.
Manage it this way
■ Give full attention to the task in hand
and stay in control of the task.
■ Take a break if the task is tough. Come
back to it later when you feel refreshed.
Read a few pages of a book, or chat with
friends and family on the phone.
■ Get involved in quizzes and puzzles
(crosswords, Sudoku). Barmi explains
that puzzles act as a positive mental
stimulant and help get the neural
connection kicking.
■ Do not let the task take over. Learn
to say ‘no’ and be assertive about your
boundaries to avoid an energy drain,
says Dawn Groves, author of Stress
Reduction for Busy People. O
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PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
PERSONAL ENERGY
It might seem insigniﬁcant but personal
or familial energy is important to bring
about a balance in life and boost perfor-
mance, says Barmi. There is only so much
time each of us have in a day. Therefore
extract most out of those hours.
Manage it this way
■ Leave ofﬁce on time at least twice a
week to spend time with your family.
■ Keep social engagements well spaced
out so you have energy to enjoy them.
■ Mingle with people you like. If the very
thought of a certain person drains your
well, you need to make another choice,
says Joan Borysenko, US-based, mind-
body scientist and stress expert.
■ Do jobs around the house. These will
help you recover from the stress at ofﬁce
and stay involved with family.
■ Hobbies are great stress busters.
■ Take holidays or spend long weekends
with your family.
PROFESSIONAL ENERGY
This may seem on top of the list of prior-
ities but give it only the importance that
is due. With proper energy management
at the other 4 levels, you will be able to
manage professional energy better and
be more productive.
Manage it this way
■ Physically energise yourself to be
ready for all challenges and devote qual-
ity time and man hours to the job.
■ Spiritually energise to stay focussed,
enthused and positive through difﬁcult
situations. Positive energy will help you
go that extra mile to reach your goal.
■ Mentally energise yourself. Solutions
come easy to a well informed individual.
■ Relationships need attention and time.
The rewards ﬁnally are satisfying.
7 TIPS TO UP YOUR
ENERGY LEVEL
■ Eat a good protein-rich breakfast
■ Never go thirsty. Hydrate well
■ Exercise regularly. Do stretches several
times in a day
■ Take iron and B vitamin supplements
after consulting a doctor
■ Avoid energy drinks. Keep it for high
physical activity
■ De-stress. Nothing pulls energy down,
faster than stress
■ Watch calories. Don’t overload on
high-cal food. It can make you sluggish
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Health screenings can save
your life—if they work right.
What you do can make all
the difference
■ BY BETH HOWARD
■ PHOTOGRAPHED BY DAVID ARKY
LIFE-SAVING
TESTS
When it comes to protecting your
health, few advances pack the oomph
of a good screening test. Take a look
at the taming of cervical cancer: fifty
years ago, the disease claimed the lives
of more women (worldwide) each year
than most other cancers. Then doctors
started using the Pap test, which can
catch cervical cancer before it starts.
And now cervical cancer is much lower
down on the list of cancer killers.
Yet even a great screening test can have
crucial weaknesses. The Pap isn’t perfect.
And a recent US study on colonoscopy
found that some doctors do the exam so
quickly that their patients don’t get the
procedure’s full lifesaving benefit.
Fortunately, you don’t have to lose
out—if you know what to do and say.
Make sure you get the best from four
common screenings.
PREVENT COLON CANCER
During a colonoscopy, a doctor inserts a
flexible, lighted tube into the rectum and
guides it into the colon to look for and
remove growths called polyps, which are
the source of most colon cancers.
But the test may not always catch a
patient’s cancer. One reason: a New Eng-
land Journal of Medicine study of one
gastroenterology practice found that
doctors who rush find fewer polyps. “If
you spend more time looking for weeds
in a garden, you’re going to find more
weeds,” says Robert L Barclay, MD, the
lead author of the research. Barclay’s
research showed that physicians who
averaged the longest inspection time
(nearly 17 minutes) found 10 times as
many polyps as those with the shortest
average time (about 3 minutes). Because
colonoscopies are ideally recommended
just once a decade, a slower test could
make a critical difference.
Tune Up Your Test
■ Ask how many colonoscopies your
physician typically does every day. Ten is
a reasonable number.
■ Encourage your doctor to watch
the clock In Barclay’s study, setting a
minimum of 8 minutes for withdrawing
the scope increased the overall detection
rate by 40%.
■ Make the prep more palatable with
a pill. Before the exam, patients gener-
ally drink large quantities of a nasty
tasting, laxative-like substance to clean
out the colon; simply consuming the
liquid is such an unpleasant experience
that it can keep people from getting
screened. But now there are tablets
available that are just as effective—and
much easier for the patient. Check with
your doctor.
WARD OFF CERVICAL
CANCER
Over the years, the death rate from cer-
vical cancer has dropped substantially,
thanks to the Pap test, in which doctors
take a sample of cells from the cervical
area and send it to a lab for evaluation.
But for every five women who have can-
cerous or precancerous cervical cells,
at least one will have a test mistakenly
reported as normal, according to the
American National Institutes of Health.
Because cervical cancer develops slowly,
the woman’s next test should catch the
problem in time. Still, getting one of these
PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
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JUNE 2008 000 ■ PREVENTION
‘false negatives’ sometimes means a dan-
gerous delay in diagnosis and treatment.
Tune Up Your Test
■ Ask about the tools your doctor uses.
Studies show that doctors get a better
sampling of cells when they use a ‘spatula’
(for the opening to the cervix) in combina-
tion with a cytobrush, which looks like
a mascara wand (for the opening of the
uterus). An instrument called a ‘broom’—
is less effective in detecting cancer, say
oncologists. If your doc uses the broom,
it’s a sign that he or she isn’t up-to-date—
good reason to consider a switch.
■ Consider getting an HPV test to
screen for human papilloma virus, the
culprit behind most cases of cervical
cancer. The HPV test, used with the Pap
to screen women over age 30, assesses
whether you’re infected with any of the
13 HPV types that are linked to the can-
cer; a positive result on both tests may
lead your doctor to perform a colpos-
copy, in which your cervix is inspected
through a kind of magnifying glass. The
HPV test is also approved for younger
women if a Pap test indicates a possible
problem. (Most women are able to fight
off the virus; only those who are unable
to get rid of it go on to develop pre-
cancer of the cervix.) For women over
age 30 having this test along with a Pap
smear once every 3 years is more accu-
rate in picking up cancer than getting a
Pap every year, says oncologists.
■ Watch the calendar to keep your
smear clear. It’s best to schedule your
test when you’re not menstruating—day
10 to 14 of your cycle (day 1 is the first
day of your period). Avoid tampons,
douches, contraceptive jellies, yeast
creams, and sexual intercourse for 72
hours prior to your exam. Go ahead with
the exam if that’s the only time you can
do it—but it increases the likelihood of
throwing up a suspicious finding that’s
not actually cancer and could lead to
unnecessary follow-up tests.
DETECT BREAST CANCER
The most basic breast cancer screening
test, the mammogram, stirred a lot of
118
PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
Breakthroughs you can use
SCREEN FOR THE SILENT CANCERS
Some diseases are so difficult to detect they’re almost always deadly
by the time they’re found. But these new approaches might make a
lifesaving difference in some of the toughest cases.
OVARIAN CANCER
Women are scared of ovarian cancer for good reason: in 80% of cases,
it isn’t discovered until it’s too late to cure. Yet tests—an ultrasound of
the ovaries and a blood test that measures levels of CA-125, a protein
known to rise when there’s cancer—are useless for women at average
risk. The reason: if those exams suggest disease, the typical next step,
at least for women past menopause, is to remove the ovary for biopsy.
But the tests are so inexact that doctors would have to remove 100
women’s ovaries to find a single case of cancer, says Edward E Par-
tridge, MD, interim director of the Cancer Centre at the University of
Alabama at Birmingham.
Partridge’s research holds out hope that testing will soon become less
invasive and more accurate. In his study of 34,000 post-menopausal,
asymptomatic women, doctors didn’t do a biopsy unless a woman had
a worrisome change on an ultrasound and her CA-125 level was over 65
U/ml--nearly double what’s generally considered elevated. The result:
researchers found cancer in 1 out of every 5 women biopsied.
In 2 years, the study will show whether those women survive longer
than others who weren’t screened. If they do, ovarian cancer will still
be silent—but the tests may blare a priceless warning.
LUNG CANCER
Like ovarian cancer, lung cancer in its early stages often causes no
symptoms—or vague ones that are easily missed. So 4 out of 5 lung
cancers are found in a late stage, often after they have spread to other
places in the body, when there’s little chance of a cure. Yet a recent
large study showed that a CT scan of the lungs is remarkably success-
ful at finding these cancers early. When researchers at Cornell Uni-
versity scanned the lungs of 31,000 ex-smokers, they found cancer in
484 patients--85% of them at an early stage. Treatment at that point
affords a 92% chance of surviving 10 years, says lead researcher Clau-
dia Henschke, MD, a professor of radiology at Weill Medical College at
Cornell University.
Why shouldn’t everyone get a scan? First, it’s not yet clear that
the test will actually lengthen anyone’s life. Further studies will show
whether patients whose lung cancer is detected early live longer—or
simply go through treatment longer but die at the same time as pa-
tients whose cancer was not detected this way. Also, there’s concern
about harm if doctors are too quick to biopsy patients with suspicious
findings; a biopsy needle can collapse a lung. Still, the scan is worth
considering if you’re over 50 and have smoked at least half a pack of
cigarettes a day for 20 years or more at any time in the past, according
to Henschke.
119
controversy a few years ago when Dan-
ish researchers argued that there was no
good evidence behind its widespread use.
After analysing the studies, the American
Cancer Society and the American Cancer
Institute came out soundly in favour of
the test for women starting at age 40.
For women 50 and older, it said that an
annual mammogram cuts the risk of
dying of breast cancer by 16% or more;
in one recent large study, the risk was cut
by up to 45%. Still, the test has flaws. It
can indicate an abnormality when one
isn’t really there, leading to lots of worry
and more tests—including biopsy. Out
of every three women screened over a
period of 10 years, one gets a false alarm.
Scarier, studies have shown that in about
20% of cases where cancer is present, a
mammogram doesn’t detect it.
Tune Up Your Test
■ Ask for a double-check of your X-ray.
When you call for an appointment, ask
the imaging facility about its reading
practices: ideally, your films will be read
by two radiologists or scanned by com-
puter-assisted detection (CAD) tech-
nologies. These provide a second set of
eyes, and studies suggest they can make
a difference. CAD improves diagnosis as
much as 20% for some radiologists.
■ Take your X-rays with you if you
change imaging facilities. Screening is
more powerful if your doctor can com-
pare new images against old ones to
track the changes over time.
■ Consider going high tech if you’re at
increased risk. Women who have a muta-
tion in the genes known as BRCA 1 or
2 should have an MRI each year along
with their mammogram, according to
Ellen Warner, MD, a medical oncologist
at Toronto Sunnybrook Regional Cancer
Centre in Ontario. In her study of 236
high-risk women, MRI found 77% of
cancers, compared with 36% detected by
mammography. Despite these impres-
sive stats, women at average risk are not
encouraged to get an MRI because of its
high false-positive rate—it often signals
cancer when none is present.
■ Schedule your mammogram during
the first 2 weeks of your cycle if you’re
pre-menopausal to avoid the hormonal
shifts that can make breasts more sensi-
tive, says Dr Kamini Rao, Bangalore-
based gynaecologist and Prevention
advisor on gender issues. Also, lay off
caffeine for a week before
the test—it increases ten-
derness, too.
■ Cushion your breasts
to ease the pressure. In
studies of more than 1,300
women, a medical cush-
ion reduced discomfort
by nearly half for 70% of women, says
Barbara Jaeger, MD, director of women’s
imaging at Mercy Medical Centre in Bal-
timore. In Jaeger’s research, that relief let
technologists compress women’s breasts
more, producing better pictures.
■ Skip deodorant—and powders,
creams, and perfume—on the day of the
mammogram. These can interfere with
the reading.
FIND SKIN CANCER
Melanoma, the most dangerous form
of skin cancer, has a grim distinction:
among cancers that can be screened
for, it’s one of the few for which both
the number of new cases and the death
rate are on the rise worldwide. A recent
US study found that even a single
melanoma screening at age 50 would
be a cost-effective way to pick up the
disease in the early stages. “We know
survival is much better when diagnosis
is early,” says lead study author Elena
Losina, PhD, an associate professor of
biostatistics at Boston University School
of Public Health.
Tune Up Your Test
■ Put all your doctors to work, because
melanoma can occur in surprising spots
that are difficult to examine yourself, like
the eyes, gums, and genitals. A full-body
check is your best protection; also ask
your dentist, eye doctor, and gynaecolo-
gist to look for pigmented lesions or other
suspicious changes during routine exams.
■ Know the ABCDs of healthy skin.
Monitor moles and other growths for
asymmetry, border (ragged or irregular),
colour (uneven shades of brown, black,
even blue), and diameter (larger than a
pencil’s eraser). Tell your doc about any
change—even in a smaller mole, advise
oncologists. Self-screening is crucial—
especially at midlife, they point out.
■ See a specialist if you spot something
suspicious. A 2006 study from Emory
University showed that dermatologists
are best at detecting the cancer. Skin
doctors picked up 89% of melanomas,
compared with 80% identified by pri-
mary care doc.
THE BEST CERVICAL CANCER
PREVENTION: GET THE HPV
TEST PLUS A PAP ONCE EVERY
THREE YEARS
PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
121
6 promises that will bring
you closer together ■ BY JOAN BORYSENKO
Making
Love Last
My beloved soul mate, Gordon,
and I recently got married. You may
be thinking something like, “Oh, how
fabulous, love is a sweet promise, even
at their age.” Or maybe you’re think-
ing, “Why would a woman of almost
60 want to get married again? Is she
nuts?” Gordon and I laugh about being
on the longest, hottest date in history.
But because of past disappointments
and hurts, we’re more realistic about
what it takes to make love work. This
time around, we wanted to do more
than exchange the lofty, traditional
“love, honour, and cherish” vows. We
wanted to think through the behav-
iours that make love a day-by-day real-
ity and create down-to-earth vows to
shape and hold our marriage together.
A vow is a statement of intention
that’s a blueprint for action. It isn’t
a static statement like: “I’ll love you
forever.” Vows are commitments to
speciﬁc behaviours to practise every
day. Whether you’re in a relationship
or not, thinking about the kind of be-
haviours that nurture love can help you
build a better union. Though it may
seem that love is an effortless grace
that will last forever, sustaining it takes
conscious effort. Here are examples of
vows to help you put love into action.
“I VOW TO NOT GO TO
BED ANGRY”
After a juicy ﬁght, it’s tempting to hole
up and nurse your grievances, or at least
turn your back on your partner and fall
asleep in your own little cocoon of misery.
But research from the famous ‘Love Lab’
at the University of Washington suggests
that making an overture at reconciliation
is a much better plan.
Psychologist John Gottman, PhD,
found that a couple’s ability to bridge
the gap after a squabble is one of the
keys to lasting relationship success.
And as much as you love one another,
there are bound to be times when you
get miffed. Even a simple statement
such as, “I feel so anxious when we’re
at odds. How are you doing?” can turn
a disagreement around. On the other
hand, if you’re really at fault, an apol-
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two hearts.
“I VOW TO KEEP OUR ROMANCE
GOING—EVEN WHEN I’M NOT
FEELING ROMANTIC”
My friend Dana was stressed by the
toll that motherhood was taking on her
marriage. She and her husband, Allen,
had been together for 10 years before
their daughter was born, and they loved
going out to restaurants, movies, and
clubs. But when they had Stacey, their
priorities changed.
Like most new parents, they were
exhausted and short on funds. Allen felt
abandoned because the lion’s share of
Dana’s attention went to the baby. Their
romance seemed dead, and he became
resentful. Dana vowed to turn things
around. So she started the tradition of
weekly date nights, where they get a
babysitter, go out as a couple, and focus
on each other. They’re still going strong
10 years later, and she’s an inspiration to
busy me to put aside one night a week
just for Gordon.
“I VOW TO BE HONEST”
Most women lie about their feelings to
placate someone else, a pattern guaran-
teed to breed resentment. Let’s say your
partner decides to watch a football match
with a buddy—but it’s also the night that
you’re returning from an exhausting
week-long ofﬁce trip. He assumes you
want to unpack; you really want to spend
the evening with him, but don’t want to
be a nag. So you’re cheerful and support-
ive when he runs the plan by you.
But inside you’re hurt and angry,
and when he gets home after the game,
you’re resentful and touchy instead of
delighted to see him. That’s the antith-
esis of real love. Vowing to be honest
about your feelings promotes intimacy
and cuts down on resentment.
“I VOW TO STAY FAITHFUL—EVEN
IF I’M TEMPTED”
Although you may have trouble imag-
ining that you or your partner could
succumb to a fatal attraction scenario, it
happens—a lot. Even though most people
say they disapprove of extramarital sex,
carefully constructed polls estimate
that 28% of married men and 17% of
women have had affairs by their early
50s. It’s human nature to feel at least
occasional sexual attraction to other
people. Acting on those attractions,
however, is where this vow comes in.
The jealousy and anger that
unfaithfulness breeds are the natural
enemies of love and commitment.
“I VOW TO TAKE CARE OF
MYSELF”
After Gordon and I had been mar-
ried for a month, my oldest son
called and started joking: “Hey,
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JUNE 2008 PREVENTION ■ 000
Mom, how are you guys doing? Have
you gotten fat yet?” We’ve all seen
couples where one partner is buff and
the other looks old enough to be his or
her parent.
As a therapist, I’ve listened to the dis-
appointment that follows when some-
one is no longer attracted to a partner
who has let himself or herself go physi-
cally. I’ve also witnessed the sorrow
when one partner falls ill or even dies
of a preventable condition, leaving the
other one feeling abandoned. One of
the vows I’ve made both for myself and
my husband is to take care of myself
physically and emotionally so that I
remain vital for as long as I can.
“I VOW TO CULTIVATE INTIMACY”
When Gordon asks me how I am,
he’s not expecting to hear a mindless,
“Fine, dear. You?” He really wants to
understand how I’m feeling. That’s
intimacy—and I plan for us to stay
as close as we are now for decades to
come. Intimacy is a kind of mindful-
ness, a non-judgmental curiosity about
what’s unfolding each moment for the
other person. You cultivate it by listen-
ing deeply, without trying to solve each
other’s problems or butt in with your
own story. Just being heard is a great
antidote to stress, and it’s one of the
ﬁnest gifts you can give your partner.
Try writing your own vows for your
romantic relationship, or for a friend, a
parent, a child, or a trusted co-worker.
Even if the vows are for your eyes only,
intentions have power. Put them in a
place where you can check them often.
A ﬁnal word: be gentle with yourself.
A vow like: “Above all, be honest,” is
bound to take continual practice.
Joan Borysenko, PhD, is a scientist, psychologist,
inspirational speaker, and author of Inner Peace
for Busy People.
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PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2007
Sat Nam and blessings!
Kundalini Yoga is an ancient science, put together by saints and sages
centuries ago to help us as householders, withstand the pressures of life
and make us healthier and happier.
Sometimes known as the ‘mother’ of all yogas, it involves postures,
breathing patterns, sound currents, meditation and focus points, all put
together in a way to help enhance a person’s vitality and health, and make
the mind calm.
Here we bring you various postures as well as breathing techniques
that you can use to help promote weight loss. Of course, any weight-loss
programme should be validated by a medical professional before you
start, and accompanied by a well-balanced, low-calorie diet. Continue
this for at least 2 months to see results.
Keep your mind and body light, so your spirit may soar!
Fire up your
metabolism,
stop cravings
and beat
stress with
Kundalini
Yoga
■ BY GURMUKH
KAUR KHALSA
■ PHOTOGRAPHED
BY RITESH
SHARMA
SLIM
DOWN
FAST!
Author Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa is the co-founder and director of Golden Bridge, a
premier centre for the study and practice of Kundalini Yoga and meditation in Los
Angeles. She is the author of two books, The Eight Human Talents: The Yogic Way
to Restoring the Natural Balance of Serenity Within You, and Bountiful, Beautiful,
Blissful: Experience the Natural Power of Pregnancy and Birth with Kundalini Yoga
and Meditation. She has been teaching yoga for more than 30 years.
The poses modelled by Gunjan Kochhar—a disciple of Gurmukh and mother of two
children. She has beneﬁted immensely from this practice.
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Sitalee
pranayam
■ Sit with a straight back.
Roll your eyes up and
focus on the space be-
tween the eyebrows, at the
root of the nose—yogis call
this the Third Eye.
■ Open your mouth, roll
your tongue into a ‘U’
shape, the tip extended
just outside the lips.
■ Inhale deeply through
the rolled tongue.
■ Exhale through the
nose.
■ Do it for 3-7 minutes
at a sitting when crav-
ings hit you. Ideally you
should do it 26 times at
one sitting every morn-
ing and evening.
HEALTH BENEFITS
This breathing technique
helps overcome cravings.
Say when you are on a
diet and don’t want to eat
chocolates, sugar, sweets,
or any fattening food. It
helps you combat your de-
sires, addictions, and has
a purifying and cleansing
effect on your body and
mind. It helps reduce body
heat and has even been
known to bring down fe-
vers. Practise it every time
the cravings strike.
PRANAYAMS (BREATHING
EXERCISES) FOR
WEIGHT LOSS
Left nostril
breathing
■ Sit cross-legged on the ﬂoor,
spine erect.
■ Stretch your right hand
(ﬁngers together) and place it
next to your right nostril.
■ Close the right nostril with
your right thumb and start
breathing from your left
nostril.
■ You can do it for 11 or 31
minutes (depending on your
comfort level) in one sitting.
HEALTH BENEFITS It helps curb
compulsive eating by control-
ling your emotions. It is also
calming for the mind.
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PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2007
YOGA POSES FOR WEIGHT LOSS
Spinal ﬂexing
■ Sit in an easy pose.
■ Place hands on the knees.
■ Keep the neck very tense and the chin
slightly tucked in.
■ Inhale, pulling the chest and neck up, chest
moving slightly forward.
■ Then exhale and push the chin downwards
and the spine slightly back.
■ One complete cycle takes 1-2 seconds.
Continue for 4 minutes.
HEALTH BENEFITS This exercise stimulates
the coordination between thyroid and
parathyroid glands, thus promoting weight
loss. Done correctly, it will help you lose
weight and look young.
Spinal twist
■ Sit in a cross-legged position (easy
pose). Interlace your hands behind
your head, where the neck and the
scalp join.
■ Extend the elbows straight out to
the sides, parallel to the ground.
■ Begin twisting powerfully from left
to right, stopping for one count in the
centre (1 second in each direction).
■ Inhale on each side, exhale in the
centre.
■ Continue for up to 9 minutes.
HEALTH BENEFITS It removes ten-
sion from the shoulders and hence
regulates blood supply to the brain. It
also relaxes the muscles of the breast,
which in turn relax the stomach mus-
cles and prevents deposition of fat
around the abdomen.
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Nose to knees
■ Lie on your back and bring your knees to the chest.
■ Wrap your arms around your knees and come into a tight ball with the chin
tucked in and the nose touching knees.
■ Begin breath of ﬁre—a rapid inhale and exhale through the nose at an even pace.
■ Continue for 3 minutes.
HEALTH BENEFITS This exercise will help you stimulate the thyroid gland and ﬁre
up your metabolism.
Stomach rotator
Sit up straight with your hands in your
lap or on your knees.
■ Begin rotating the lower digestive area
in an anti-clockwise direction.
■ Create the movement powerfully from
the waist.
■ Keep the glutes (muscles of the but-
tocks) relaxed, breathe deeply into the
stomach, if possible, through the mouth.
■ Continue for up to 9 minutes.
HEALTH BENEFITS This exercise helps
release tension from the stomach and
kidneys, promoting better blood circu-
lation in the lower abdomen. It also im-
proves digestion.
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Sat kriya
■ Sit on your heels.
■ With palms together, stretch the
arms up.
■ Interlock the ﬁngers except for the
index ﬁngers.
■ Men cross the right thumb over the
left thumb; women cross the left over
the right.
■ Hug the ears with the biceps.
■ Use the mantra ‘Sat Nam’ in the fol-
lowing fashion. Pull the navel in and
chant ‘Sat’. Imagine a stream of energy
going from the navel up to the top of
the hands.
■ As you chant ‘Nam’ focus on the top of
the ﬁngers. Imagine a waterfall emerg-
ing out of the extended ﬁnger and sur-
rounding the body.
■ Continue for 5 minutes.
■ Inhale, pull in on the navel, and focus
on the extended ﬁngers. Hold brieﬂy.
■ Exhale. Relax on your back for 3 minutes.
HEALTH BENEFITS It massages the ab-
domen muscles; powerful breathing
brings more oxygen into the system and
increases its efﬁciency.
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Leg cross
■ Lie ﬂat on your back.
■ Place your hands under the but-
tocks, palms down.
■ Cross your legs at the ankles,
keeping them straight.
■ Inhale and raise both the legs up
to 90 degrees.
■ Exhale, and lower the legs to the
ﬂoor.
■ If one side becomes tired, you
may reverse the cross of your legs
at the ankle.
■ Continue rhythmically with pow-
erful breathing for 3 minutes.
HEALTH BENEFITS This exercise
helps remove excess water from
the body.
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NOTE Always consult your physician before beginning this or any other exercise pro-
gramme. Nothing in this feature is to be construed as medical advice. The beneﬁts
attributed to the practice of Kundalini Yoga come from the centuries-old yogic tradi-
tion. Results will vary with individuals.
Bundle roll
■ Lie on your back, legs extended straight, side-by-side, toes pointed forwards.
■ Press your arms and hands against the ﬂoor on your sides.
■ Roll from your stomach on to your back and from your back on to your stom-
ach. Keep the movement quick and powerful.
■ Continue back and forth for up to 3 minutes.
HEALTH BENEFITS This exercise regulates your system and helps you lose weight.
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PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
■ BY ANDREAS VON BUBNOFF AND JOANNA LLOYD
Look 10 years
The complete anti-ageing guide—
to look and feel better than ever
YOUNGER
We used to think our fate was in the cards—or
in the stars. Now, thanks to research unlocking
the secrets to living longer and better, we know
different. It turns out that 70% of the factors
inﬂuencing life expectancy are due to good
choices and good luck—not good genes.

What are the moves that will peel off the years
and show you how to look younger? Preven-
tion asked dozens of scientists studying ageing,
exercise, nutrition and related ﬁelds which
changes deliver the biggest payoffs. Read on
for their picks on how to look younger—power-
ful enough to make these researchers adopt
them in their own lives.
1
Stay the weight
you were at 18
“Next to not smoking, this is probably
the most important thing we can do to
stay healthy and live longer,” says Walter
Willett, MD, chair of the department
of nutrition at the Harvard School of
Public Health.
Leanness matters for how to look
younger, because fat
cells produce hormones
that raise the risk of
type 2 diabetes. They
also make substances
called cytokines that
cause inflammation—
stiffening the arteries
and the heart and other
organs. Carrying excess
fat also raises the risk
of some cancers. Add it up,
and studies show that lean people
younger than age 75 halve their chances
of premature death, compared with
people who are obese.
Beginners should start with ½ kg
or 1 kg weights and then graduate to a
higher denomination. Or, the denomi-
nation can vary according to your
built and health. Always lift weights
under the supervision of a trainer. So
to maintain the weight that’s right for
you, Willett suggests you periodically try
to slip into the dress you wore on your
first date—assuming, of course, that you
were a healthy weight at that age. If not,
aim for a body mass index of about 23.5.
2
Take the dynamic duo of
supplements
They’re what Bruce N Ames, PhD, a
professor of biochemistry and molecular
biology at the University of California,
Berkeley, swears by: his daily 800 mg
of alpha-lipoic acid and 2,000 mg of
acetyl-L-carnitine. In these amounts,
he says, the chemicals boost the energy
output of mitochondria, which power
our cells. “I think mitochondrial decay is
a major factor in ageing,” Ames says—it’s
been linked to diseases such as Alzheim-
er’s and diabetes.
In his studies, elderly rats plied with
the supplements had more energy
and ran mazes better. “If you’re an old
rat, you can be enthusiastic,” Ames
says. “As people, we can’t be sure until
clinical trials are done.” (They’re under
way.) But the compounds look very
safe—the worst side effect documented
in humans is a rash,
Ames says—and “the
data in animals looks
really convincing,” says
S Mitchell Harman, MD,
PhD, president of the Kronos Longevity
Research Institute in Phoenix, US.
3
Eat smaller but frequent meals
This will help you achieve a healthy
metabolic rate. This will result in a
healthy body weight and overall well
being. Balanced meals spaced no more
than 5 hours apart keep your metabo-
lism running smoothly. You don’t need
a full meal—a 150- to 200-calorie snack
will do. When you eat less than you
need for basic biological function (about
1,200 calories for most women), your
body throws the brakes on your metabo-
lism. It also begins to break down
precious, calorie-burning muscle tissue
for energy, says Dan Benardot, PhD,
associate professor in the department
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of nutrition at Georgia State Univer-
sity, US. “Eat just enough so you’re not
hungry—a 150-calorie snack mid-morn-
ing and mid-afternoon between three
meals (about 430 calories each) will
keep your metabolism humming,” and
you staying and feeling younger.
Try this Mix a quarter plate of moori
with salad (cucumber, carrots and
tomatoes) and spices to get a 150-calorie
snack mid-morning. When the munch-
ies strike around 4 pm, down a cup of
cold coffee made with low-fat milk.
4
Get a pet
Open up your home and heart to
Tommy or Rusky. Owning a pet reduces
the number of visits to the doctor,
prolongs survival after a heart attack,
and wards off depression, says James
Serpell, PhD, director of the Centre for
the Interaction of Animals and Society
at the University of Pennsylvania. (His
family has a cat, a dog, a large green
iguana, a bearded dragon, and a dozen
fish.) Pet ownership also protects
against a major problem of ageing:
high blood pressure. In one standout
study at State University of New York,
Buffalo, stockbrokers
with high blood pressure
adopted a pet. When they
were faced with mental
stress, their BP increased
less than half as much
as in their counterparts
without animal pals. But
pick your pet with care.
There is nothing stress-
reducing about a dog that
chews your expensive
handbag to bits.
5
Take a hike
To make the walls of your arter-
ies twice as flexible as those of a couch
potato, just walk briskly for 30 minutes,
5 days a week. That’s what Hirofumi
Tanaka, PhD, an associate professor
of kinesiology and health education at
the University of Texas, advises after
tracking the elasticity of people’s blood
vessels, using ultrasound.
With age, blood vessel walls tend to
stiffen up like old tyres—the main reason
two-thirds of people older than age 60
have high blood pressure. Exercise keeps
vessels pliable. Mild exercise also reduces
the risk of diabetes, certain cancers,
depression, ageing of the skin, maybe
even dementia. That excites exercise
researcher Steven N Blair, past presi-
dent of the non-profit Cooper Institute
in Dallas. He’s run nearly every day for
almost 40 years to help him look younger.
“Not bad for a 66-year-old fat man.”
6
Fight fair
Nasty arguments between couples
increase the risk of clogged arteries.
In a recent University of Utah study,
women’s hearts suffered when they
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made or heard hostile comments; men’s
hearts reacted badly to domineering,
controlling words.
“It’s normal to have a fight with your
spouse—it’s a matter of how you fight,”
says Ronald Glaser, PhD, an immu-
nologist at Ohio State University. What
he and his wife, Ohio State clinical
psychologist Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, PhD,
put off-limits: “Getting nasty, sarcastic,
or personal, or using body language like
rolling your eyes. It’s better to simply
agree to disagree.”
7
Get help for what hurts
Studies suggest that continuous pain
may dampen the immune system—and
evidence is clear that it can cause deep
depression and push levels of the noxious
stress hormone cortisol higher. So enough
with the stoicism: take chronic pain to
your doctor and keep complaining until
you have a treatment plan that works,
says Nathaniel Katz, MD, a
neurologist and pain-manage-
ment specialist at Tufts University
School of Medicine. Your mood
will improve—and your immune
system may perk up, too.
8
Hoist a few (weights,
that is!)
Everyone knows cardio exercise
is key to slowing the advance of
time and looking younger. More
surprising: strength-training is
crucial, too. That’s because after
their mid-40s, people lose 125
gm of muscle mass a year, gain-
ing fat in its place.
But, says Miriam E Nelson,
PhD, an associate professor at
the Friedman School of Nutri-
tion at Tufts University, “For a couple
of decades, you don’t have to lose any
muscle, if you do the appropriate exer-
cises.” Even people well into their 90s
can regain muscle, she’s found. Just lift
weights 2 or 3 days a week, for a mini-
mum of 30 minutes. Practising Power
Yoga, Pilates and other similar weight-
bearing exercises will also yield results.
The payoff: more endurance, stronger
bones, less risk of diabetes—and better
sleep and thinking.
9
Do a good deed
Clean your colony compound or
shop for a neighbour who needs help, says
William Brown, PhD, a lecturer of psychol-
ogy at Brunel University, West London. He
studied people in Brooklyn and found that
those who had a denser social network
and gave more to their friends and family
than they received—whether the gift was B
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in the form of money,
food, advice, or
time—reported feeling
healthier than others,
even when he factored
in activity levels.
Another study,
at the University of
Michigan, looked at
423 elderly married
couples; after 5
years, the pairs who
were more altruistic
were only half as
likely to have died.
“Many people grow
up thinking it’s a dog-eat-dog world,”
Brown says. “But there’s a lot of data
that suggests the best way to be healthy
is to be kind to others.”
10
Stop and plant roses
Gardening, or being around
plants, bears fruit. In one study, blood
pressure jumped in workers given a
stressful task—but rose only a quarter as
much if there were plants in the room.
And patients who had a view of trees
as they recovered from surgery left the
hospital almost a day sooner than those
with a view of a brick wall.
11
Sup from the sea
Don’t just slap anything with fins
onto your plate: you want fatty fish, such
as salmon, sardines and lake trout. They
contain the Omega-3 fatty acids DHA
and EPA, which many studies show
help prevent sudden death from heart
attack. Omega-3s may also help ward off
depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and age-
related macular degeneration, a leading
cause of blindness—
and maybe some
cancers, although
evidence is mixed.
To get more of the
benefits of good fats,
snack on a handful
of walnuts a day.
Use more canola
and olive oils as they
are healthier. Greg
Cole, PhD, a profes-
sor of medicine
and neurology at
UCLA, also avoids
cookies, margarine,
and snack foods such as chips, that are
loaded with unhealthy trans fats. On his
personal menu for how to look younger:
2 tuna sandwiches plus a couple of
DHA-enriched eggs a week. He takes 2g
of fish oil daily.
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Belt out a tune
Exposing yourself to music might
help boost your immune system: in
a study done by Robert Beck, PhD, a
professor emeritus at the University of
California, levels of an infection-fighting
antibody called IgA increased 240% in
the saliva of choral members performing
Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis.
The biggest
bang
Here are the top seven steps you
can take to look younger
■ Take brisk walks
■ Keep your waist trim
■ Eat a wide variety of fruits and
vegetables
■ Strength-train a few times a
week
■ Get enough sleep (most people
need 7 or 8 hours nightly)
■ Manage your stress
■ Keep a positive outlook
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Drink a cuppa
Intrigued by studies (of mice,
cells in lab dishes, and people) that say
tea may fight prostate and breast cancer
and heart disease, researcher Anna Wu,
PhD, a professor of preventive medicine
at the University of Southern California,
downs at least 3 cups daily. Green is
best, although black tea confers some
benefits, too.
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Eat a rainbow
...made of vegetables, says Peter
Greenwald, MD, director of the division
of cancer prevention at the National
Cancer Institute, US. Their cancer-
preventing abilities are unparalleled.
Remember to look younger: aim for 5
servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
15
Whittle your waist
To determine if your body is stay-
ing young, the tape measure is
better than the bath-
room scale: your
weight can remain
the same while
you lose muscle
and pack
on fat,
including
visceral
fat, the
culprit
behind a thick
waist. It’s linked
to a heightened
risk of age-related ills
such as high blood pres-
sure, diabetes, and heart disease.
If your waist measures more than 35
inches (for a woman) or 40 inches (for
a man), you probably have too much
belly fat.
The best way to look younger and
shed that inner load is to exercise, says
Kerry Stewart, EdD, director of clinical
and research exercise physiology at the
Johns Hopkins University School of
Medicine. In a 6-month study of 69 men
and women, he found a 20% reduction
in visceral fat, though participants lost
only 2.5 kg. Stewart’s programme was
brisk but not too arduous: 45 minutes
of moderate-intensity aerobics three
times a week and 20 minutes of moder-
ate-intensity weight training, also three
times weekly.
16
Use turmeric in your curry
Turmeric is loaded with
curcumin—a chemical that has anti-
oxidant and anti-inflammatory proper-
ties, and gives the spice its yellow hue.
We Indians consume
it in generous doses,
of course—which
might explain why
we have lower
rates of vari-
ous cancers,
Parkinson’s
disease and
Alzheim-
er’s
compared
to western-
ers. Cole, of
UCLA, makes
sure he gets a good
dose of Indian food
with ‘lots of yellow stuff ’
thrice a week. Up your intake of turmeric
if you are not taking enough already. I
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Look out for your eyes
Getting plenty of Omega-3s in
food or supplements may help ward off
age-related macular degeneration. Plant
anti-oxidants such as lutein and zeaxan-
thin (found in leafy green vegetables like
spinach and turnip greens) are helpful,
too. People who have drusen—tiny depos-
its within the retina that can be early signs
of macular degeneration—can reduce their
risk of blindness in both eyes by 25% if
they take 500 mg of Vitamin C, 400 IU of
Vitamin E, 80 mg of zinc, 15 mg of beta-
carotene and 2 mg of copper.
18
Donate blood
The life you save may be your
own. A healthy individual can donate
blood once in 3 months. Women are
not allowed to donate blood during
menstruation because most Indian
women suffer from iron deficiency.
Include enough green leafy vegetables,
amla, chicken, eggs and nuts in your
diet to increase iron content in the body.
Says Dr Ashutosh Shukla, consultant
internal medicine, Artemis Hospital,
Gurgaon, “People who have a high
haemoglobin count can donate blood
more frequently.”
Ensure this Avoid smoking at least 6
hours and consuming alcohol at least 24
hours before donating blood.

19
Take supplements
Women in their reproduc-
tive years should take iron and calcium
supplements, advises Pratima Kaushik,
senior nutritionist based in Delhi. For the
rest, Kaushik feels, there is no need to take
any additional supplements, if they eat a
healthy and balanced diet. Always check
with your GP before you start on a course.
Dr Shukla agrees and cautions: “A study
published in the February 2007 issue of
Journal of American Medical Association
highlighted that certain anti-oxidant
vitamins could increase mortality.”
Supplements can help deal with
specific beauty problems such as brittle
nails. Taking biotin and evening primrose
supplements makes nails and hair strong
and healthy. “A 15-day course of 400 mg
Vitamin E capsules helps improve skin
and hair health,” says Dr Shehla Agarwal,
Delhi-based dermatologist. A beauty
supplement like Imedeen—based on a
bio-marine complex—has shown encour-
aging results in 50-plus women. A study
published in the European Journal of
Clinical Nutrition reports that the supple-
ment resulted in a significant improve-
ment in skin firmness and smoothness.
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20
Take a deep breath
Work tension, bumper-to-
bumper traffic, daughter’s exams: stress
increases the concentration of the
hormones cortisol and norepinephrine
in our bloodstream, kicking up blood
pressure and suppressing the immune
system. Chronic stress delays wound
healing, promotes atherosclerosis,
and possibly shrinks parts of the brain
involved in learning, memory and mood.
“The key is lowering the concentra-
tion of those stress hormones,” says
Bruce Rabin, MD, PhD, medical direc-
tor of the Healthy Lifestyle programme
at the University of Pittsburgh Medical
Centre. He’s devised a research-based
programme that mutes the hormone
flow: it includes meditation, deep
breathing, writing, chanting, and guided
imagery. Check it out at the Healthy
Lifestyle programme website.
Deep breathing is the top anti-stress
pick of Prevention advisor Andrew Weil,
MD: he makes time for it at least twice a
day. “It only takes 2 minutes,” he says. “I do
it in the morning, when I’m falling asleep
in the evening, and any time I feel upset.”
Technique Exhale strongly through the
mouth, making a whoosh sound. Breathe
in quietly through the nose for a count of
4. Hold your breath for a count of 7; then
exhale with the whoosh sound for a count
of 8. Repeat the cycle 3 times.
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Hey—turn it down!
Exposure to noise damages the
delicate hair cells of your inner ears. So
when you’re around loud noise, wear
earplugs—the inexpensive ones you can
buy at the drugstore, or pricier ones that
preserve sound quality. Andy Vermiglio,
a research audiologist at the House Ear
Institute in Los Angeles, offers free hear-
ing tests at trade shows for audio engi-
neers (aka sound guys). He can always tell
which 40-year-old engineer was religious
about ear protection and which one was
careless: the latter typically has the hear-
ing of a 70-year-old. D
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22
Get more sleep
Lack of sleep can lead to obesity
and raise the risk of high blood pressure,
heart disease and diabetes. Everyone’s
sleep needs are different; to find out
what yours are, sleep experts recom-
mend you turn off the alarm clock
when you’re well rested, and see how
long you naturally sleep. (Most people
need 7 to 8 hours.)
While you’re at it, ask your spouse
if you snore. Snorting and honking
through the night are signs that you may
have sleep apnea, which causes you to
stop breathing at least 5 times an hour;
it raises your risk of stroke. Doctors
are more likely to miss sleep apnea in
women, says Joseph Kaplan, MD, co-
director of the Mayo Sleep Disorders
Centre in Jacksonville, Florida—and
women may not want to mention their
unladylike habit. Ladylike, unladylike,
tell your doctor.
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Drop that packet of chips
High-glycemic foods, rich in
quick-digesting carbohydrates, can
cause blood sugar spikes and crashes
and contribute to overeating and diabe-
tes risk—which accelerates ageing.
We need to retrain our taste buds in
order to look younger, says Willett.
What to ditch Sugary drinks. And
cut back on potatoes. It has the high-
est glycemic index of any vegetable,
sending more sugar rushing into
your bloodstream. Willett’s team at
Harvard recently found that over a
20-year period, women who ate more
wholegrains and fewer potatoes had a
20 to 30% lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
24
Put on your rose-coloured
glasses
“Embracing some of the positive aspects
of ageing is helpful,” says Becca Levy, PhD,
an associate professor of epidemiology
and psychology at Yale. She found more
than a 7-year survival advantage for older
men and women with a positive attitude
toward ageing, compared with people
who have a negative one.
If you’re a cranky sort, you might also
want to tweak your attitude about other
things. “People who have a goal in life—a
passion, a purpose, a positive outlook,
and humour—live longer,” says Robert
Butler, MD, president of the International
Longevity Centre in New York City.
Embrace life the way it is, and the
coming of old age—it happens to all of
us. If we’re lucky.
Andreas von Bubnoff has written for Nature—a lead-
ing science journal and for American newspapers
like the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune.
Joanna Lloyd writes on health and medicine
✗
PREVENTION ■ 000
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The best way to beneﬁt from frozen foods
■ BY NEETA LAL
Fresh or frozen? As a time-
scrunched homemaker, you’re prob-
ably eaten up by this dilemma each
time you riﬂe through supermarket
shelves for veggies, fruits and meat.
Who can deny the sheer convenience
of picking up frozen, ready-to-cook
vegetables, dunking them into the wok
and rustling up an instantaneous meal
over the drudgery of picking, peeling,
slicing and chopping them? But the
guilt pangs consume you soon after.
Am I sacriﬁcing the family’s health at
the altar of convenience?
Here is a low-down that will help
you decide which way to go.
Most good food requires some
time and work for it to be made palat-
able, but it’s the lack of time required
to prepare them that pushes you to
think in favour of their frozen cousins.
Get your fundas clear before you fret
over frozen.
HOW TO AVOID
PRESERVATIVES IN
FROZEN FOODS
There maybe added chemi-
cals in frozen foods but not
enough to stay off completely.
Nutritionists reiterate that frozen
foods’ longevity is enhanced due to
sterilisation by heat and not by dunk-
ing them in chemicals. Rapid-freez-
ing, one of the most popular methods
of freezing, allows food to be pre-
served without use of chemicals.
That said, some preservatives—salt/
sugar/sorbitol—may still be added to
prevent undesirable chemical reactions
from taking place in packaged foods
that may alter their colour, texture and
ﬂavour. So read the labels to compare
brands and make an informed deci-
sion. Select products with the least
amount of preservatives.
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ARE FROZEN FOODS
NUTRITIONAL NEGATIVES?
This is an area of both the good and the
bad. While some nutrients are lost in
frozen foods, many others are preserved.
Food starts losing its nutritional value
as soon as it is harvested and by the
time it reaches the shelves, it has gone
through a long journey of heat or cold
storage that causes a natural deteriora-
tion, anyway. So freezing them right
after harvesting, may in some cases
save nutrients. Carotene, for example,
is one nutrient that is preserved with
freezing. There is 60% more carotene
in frozen peas than in fresh ones. Peas
that have been exposed to light dur-
ing their journey to the market show a
drop in carotene. Lycopene in tomatoes
and anthocyanins in cauliﬂower may
also be better preserved when frozen.
Studies by the National Food Proces-
sors Association (NFPA)
and the Institute of Food
Technologists, US show
that frozen foods rate next
in nutrition after freshly-
cooked foods and are
superior to canned foods.
But some nutrients,
such as vitamins C and
B1 and folate do actu-
ally get lost during the
blanching process that
precedes commercial
freezing. These are
water-sensitive vitamins
that get minimised or
washed away during the
freezing process.
WHAT HAPPENS
TO THE
TEXTURE OF
FROZEN FOOD?
Freezing negatively
impacts the texture
of many foods, espe-
cially if it is thawed and
re-frozen. Since water
expands when it freezes
inside the vegetable, it
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CHECK DATE OF EXPIRY WHEN
PICKING UP FROZEN FOOD
146
JUNE 2008 PREVENTION ■ 000
ruptures the food’s cell
walls. This makes products
like tomatoes and peas limp
or pulpy when thawed. Though, carb-
intensive, starchy vegetables such as
potatoes and corn suffer less. Try a few
brands and then decide which one suits
your palate the most. Choose from Safal,
Ever Fresh, Pagro or Sumeru. There are
in-house brands that most department
stores such as Reliance Fresh, Food
World and Food Bazaar stock as well.
DO YOU NEED TO AVOID
FROZEN STUFF WHEN ON A
SODIUM-RESTRICTED DIET?
Not really. Frozen foods may not use too
much of salt. It is their canned variants
that are the real culprits. Food pre-
served in brine, such as olives or beans
are high in sodium. In that case, it will
be best to avoid them or wash the veg-
gies with water before consuming them.
For beans or canned food in sauces,
dilute the sauce before cooking.
WHAT ABOUT THEIR
SHELF LIFE?
Frozen foods often have a longer shelf
life. Frozen broccoli can stay fresh in the
freezer for almost 8 months. Fresh broc-
coli would not last even 8 days.
ARE THEY EXPENSIVE?
If you are wondering why frozen stuff
is more expensive than the fresh stock,
remember the frozen food company
is charging you for all the processing,
freezing and packaging of the food.
Though, industry has another point-
of-view here. According to Mahesh
Prakash, sales ofﬁcial at Safal, a pan-
India frozen foods company, “Frozen
foods are more economical than fresh
produce because consumers do not pay
for stalks, pits, skins, rinds or dam-
aged food but only for the net content
they buy. In fresh produce, nearly 40%
of the stuff is discarded.” So whether
or not this is valid, it is actually not
about the cost but the convenience of
THAW ONLY THE
AMOUNT YOU WILL
CONSUME RIGHT AWAY
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using frozen, ready-to-cook stuff that
is their USP.
WHAT ABOUT HYGIENE AND
CLEANLINESS?
Explains Dr Sakshi Chawla, chief
dietician, Fortis Hospital, NOIDA,
“While there’s no beating fresh, freez-
ing is a safe method of food preserva-
tion as most pathogens or disease-
causing agents are deactivated at such
low temperatures.” This ensures safer
food many a time.
FROZEN FOOD FUNDAS
If you must buy frozen use the follow-
ing tips to get the maximum beneﬁts.
Here are some suggestions to simplify
the journey of frozen food from freezer
to your fork.
■ It is advisable to buy trusted brands
to ensure quality. Avoid picking up
stuff from local shops. Also,
when buying frozen foods
from a store, check if there
is continuous supply of
electricity with a back-up.
Power failure on and off can
lead to food defrosting and
damage.
■ It is easy to distinguish
between brands by the
ﬂavour of the food. A bet-
ter quality product will be
more ﬂavourful than a low
grade one which can be
stringy, tough and tasteless.
Try a couple of brands to
pick the best.
■ If you are picking up fro-
zen food, check the packet
for ice crystals. Ice crystals
indicate that the food has
been thawed and refrozen
and it is best to avoid pick-
ing up that packet.
■ Thawing frozen foods
is tricky. Only thaw the
amount you plan to use.
Never place completely
thawed foods back into
the freezer. Explains Dr
STOCK YOUR FROZEN
STUFF AT THE RIGHT
TEMPERATURE
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Food is commercially frozen by
ﬂash freezing. Water in the food
is subjected to temperatures
below freezing point. Here’s how
peas are frozen. Workers pick and
shell peas. The cleaned peas are
blanched in a vat of boiling water.
They are then passed to a grav-
ity sorter to remove inferior peas.
Next, they go into water with a
speciﬁed salt content. Tender peas
ﬂoat, while peas with high starch
content sink. These sinkers are
the ones that are packaged. As
they juggle along a conveyor belt,
workers throw out discoloured
peas and any unwanted material.
For extra hygiene, the freezing
equipment is cleaned and made
sterile at intervals.
THE FREEZING
PROCESS
Neelanjana Singh, senior consultant
nutritionist, Pushpawati Singhania
Research Institute, Delhi: “Defrosting
or thawing brings food back to room
temperature in which botulism (infec-
tions caused by bacteria) thrives.”
If you’re not careful, it could trigger
stomach problems.
■ Rather than boiling, microwave or
steam frozen food to retain its nutri-
tional value. If cooking frozen food in
boiling water, place food directly from
the freezer in boiling water. Boil until
ready. Serve immediately.
■ If storing frozen food, label the
package with the date of purchase.
Most frozen foods should be used
within 3 to 6 months.
While there’s no denying that fresh
is fantastic, with today’s hectic life-
styles and schedules, working women
have voted for frozen foods as a viable,
second-best option. So go for them,
but exercise caution while thawing,
cooking and storing them.
Bon Appétit.
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Fast Food
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Makeover
Feel good favourites that boost
your health
Craving something spicy, unhealthy, loaded
with white sauce, something positively
indulgent? Join the club. Fast foods like burgers,
pizza and appetizers are what you need most to
ﬁll those long summer holidays. But they don’t
have to be loaded with fat or calories. A little
twist here, a small change there and you have
a as-healthy-as-can-be fast food.
■ COOKING TIME 1 HOUR
■ SERVINGS 4
1
⁄3 c chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tsp ground cumin
1
1
⁄2 c nutri granules, soaked
for 5 mins
1
⁄2 c coarse, dried bread crumbs
1
⁄2 c chopped, fresh coriander
3
⁄4 c walnuts, toasted and finely
chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
to taste
1 lg egg, beaten
4 wholewheat buns
1 tsp vegetable oil
1
⁄4 c yogurt dip (recipe below)
CORN SALSA
1
⁄4 c corn kernels
1
⁄2 c seeded and diced tomatoes
1 med onion, chopped
1
1
⁄2 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander
2 tsp seeded, minced jalapeno
chile pepper
2 tsp fresh lime juice
YOGURT DIP
200 g yogurt
2 cloves garlic
1
⁄2 tsp salt
1. PREPARE BURGERS Place
onion, garlic and cumin in
food processor. Pulse until
coarsely chopped. Add nutri
granules, bread crumbs and
coriander. Pulse until just
combined. Do not puree.
2. TRANSFER mixture to
a bowl and stir in walnuts.
Season to taste with salt and
pepper. Fold in egg and stir
until combined. Form into
4 patties (if it seems too
wet, add some more bread
crumbs). Chill patties,
covered, for 15 mins.
3. PREPARE SALSA In a small
bowl, stir together salsa
ingredients. Add salt to taste.
Set aside.
4. PREPARE YOGURT DIP
Hang yogurt for
1
⁄2 hour. Chop
or grate garlic and beat into
yogurt along with salt.
5. HEAT vegetable oil in a
large skillet over medium
heat. Brush patties with oil
and grill until light brown,
4- 6 minutes per side.
Toast buns.
6. ASSEMBLE BURGERS
Place 1 Tbsp yogurt dip on
bun. Layer patty with 1 table-
spoon salsa and cover with
the bun top.
NUTRITIONAL INFO PER
SERVING 322 Kcal, 15.8 g pro,
38.2 g carb, 21.5g tot fat, 2.9
sat fat, 5.3 g ﬁbre, 62 mg chol,
646 mg sod
BLACK BEAN BURGER WITH
CORN SALSA
JUNE 2008 000 ■ PREVENTION
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SERVE YOUR BURGER WITH CHOPPED
VEGETABLES FOR EXTRA NUTRIENT
POWER
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TOMATOES STUFFED WITH CURRIED SHRIMPS
SHRIMPS ARE A
GOOD SOURCE
OF LOW-FAT,
LOW-CAL PROTEIN
■ PREP TIME 30 MINUTES
■ COOKING TIME 30 MINUTES
■ SERVINGS 4
450 g medium shrimp, shelled
and de-veined
1
⁄2 tsp curry powder
1
⁄3 c olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
4 lg ripe tomatoes
1 tsp oregano powder
Juice of 2 lemons
Salt and pepper to taste
1. PREHEAT oven to 200°C.
2. COMBINE shrimp, curry
powder, olive oil in a bowl.
Add salt and pepper to
taste and refrigerate for
30 minutes.
3. CORE and halve toma-
toes, scooping out centres.
Place tomatoes cut side up
in baking dish coated with
oil. Sprinkle oregano, salt
and pepper. Bake for
10 minutes.
4. PUT oil in a non-stick
pan and heat over medium
heat. Sauté shrimp with
marinade for about 3
minutes, or until opaque.
Remove from heat.
5. PLACE shrimp in each
tomato half. Drizzle with
lemon juice and serve over
mixed greens.
NUTRITIONAL INFO PER
SERVING
299 Kcal, 23.2 g pro, 10.3 g
carb, 19.2 g tot fat, 2.7 sat
fat, 2.3 g ﬁbre, 171 mg chol,
83 mg sod
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■ PREP 35 MINUTES +
CHILLING TIME
■ SERVINGS 6
4 bone-in chicken breast halves,
with skin
1 c hung curd
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp mustard sauce
1 tsp dill (dried or fresh)
1
⁄2 tsp grated lemon zest
1
⁄2 c chopped cucumber
1
⁄2 red bell pepper, seeded
and chopped
1 mango, peeled and cut
into cubes
1
⁄2 c shelled and unsalted
pistachios
1
⁄4 c chopped fresh coriander
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 tsp vegetable oil
1. PREHEAT oven to 200°C.
Line baking dish with foil.
2. PLACE chicken in baking
dish. Coat with vegetable
oil and season with salt
and freshly ground black
pepper. Roast approxi-
mately 30 minutes or until
cooked through. Set aside
to cool.
3. COMBINE hung curd,
lemon juice, mustard
sauce, dill and lemon zest
in a large bowl.
4. REMOVE skin and bones
from chicken. Shred chick-
en by hand into bite-size
pieces. Fold into dressing,
along with coriander, bell
pepper, cucumber, mango,
and pistachios. Refrigerate
until ready to serve.
NUTRITIONAL INFO PER
SERVING
201 Kcal, 14.6 g pro, 12.6 g
carb, 10.6 g tot fat, 2.4 sat
fat, 1.9 g ﬁbre, 33 mg chol,
63 mg sod
ROASTED CHICKEN SALAD WITH MANGO
AND PISTACHIOS
A FEW PISTACHIOS A DAY,
KEEP BLOOD PRESSURE IN
CHECK EVEN UNDER STRESS
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CHICKEN PIZZA
■ PREP TIME 30 MINUTES
■ SERVINGS 2
1 c chopped chicken
4 Tbsp pizza sauce
2 wholewheat tortillas or pizza base
1
⁄2 c shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
1
⁄4 c thinly sliced onion
1
⁄4 c corn kernels
1 Tbsp chopped coriander
PIZZA SAUCE
1 onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
200 ml tomato puree
1
⁄2 tsp sugar
1
⁄2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp oregano
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
TO MAKE SAUCE
1. HEAT oil. Saute onion, garlic
till light brown.
2. ADD tomato puree and
rest of the ingredients. Blend
in a food processor.
Cool for 2-3 minutes.
TO PREPARE PIZZA
1. PRE-HEAT oven to 200° C.
2. SLICE chicken into thin strips.
Toss chicken with 2 tablespoon
pizza sauce. Spread remaining
2 tablespoon sauce over
tortillas. Sprinkle tortillas with
cheese and top with chicken,
onion and corn.
3. PLACE tortillas on baking
sheet. Bake pizza for 20 min-
utes or until warmed through
and bubbly. Garnish with
coriander.
NOTE To cut calories and make
it healthier reduce the quantity
of cheese.
NUTRITIONAL INFO PER
SERVING
559 Kcal, 36.5 g pro, 62.3 g
carb, 18.5g tot fat, 4.5 sat fat,
11.3 g ﬁbre, 70 mg chol
JUNE 2008 000 ■ PREVENTION
Recipes from US Prevention Guides
Adapted by Mala Bindra
Nutrition info by Puja Sharma Vasisht
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PREVENTION ■ 000
WHOLEWHEAT PIZZA BASE
GIVES YOU A GOOD FIBRE
BOOST
pets
FINDING NEMO
Fish are soothing and stimulating. Here’s how to look for your own
choice ■ BY ANKITA AGARWAL
A small, cramped apartment, no
open spaces, allergies, frequent
relocation…there can be so many
reasons for not owning a dog or a cat as
a pet. Welcome ﬁsh…perfect creatures
to ﬁll the pet void in your home. These
fragile creatures can bring hours of joy
but going slightly wrong with care can
easily cause them to die. To save you
agony, here is a guide on keeping your
gentle pet, happy.
SELECTING FISH
There are marine ﬁsh, fresh water,
tropical and cold water ﬁsh. “Beginners
would do well to stick to fresh water
ﬁsh which are the most hardy ones,”
suggests Sudhir Sharma, who
runs Petland, a shop in Delhi.
Fresh water ﬁsh can survive
at normal tempertaures,
do not need heaters in
the aquarium or special
care that other
varieties do. For a no-
sweat pet, begin with
goldﬁsh or guppies
(tiny orange ﬁsh).
Generally priced at Rs
30 (goldﬁsh), and Rs
10 (guppies) depending
on the size, they are an
economical and risk-free
bet to start your ﬁsh
house with.
BUYING THEM
Once you have decided on the variety of
ﬁsh you want, pick out healthy ones
from the pet shop. Observe the tank
carefully to make your choice. Select
an active or alert ﬁsh. Avoid ﬁsh that
are sick-looking, sluggish, with cloudy
eyes or are faded in colour. Also try and
buy ﬁsh pretty much the same size.
GIVE YOUR WATERY PET A HOME
Now that you have bought the pet, give
them a home. Don’t skimp on gear.
When it comes to heaters, pumps and
ﬁlters, “pay premium prices to get
000 ■ PREVENTION
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PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
better quality,” says Greg Lewbart,
VMD, a professor of aquatic, wildlife,
and zoologic medicine at the North
Carolina State University. “You’re
talking about life support.” Also, buy a
tank with a cover. Many ﬁsh jump to
their death in the ﬁrst 72 hours at home.
If they’re coming from an enclosed tank
at the store, Lewbart points out, “They
don’t understand that there’s nowhere
to go.” Dechlorinate your water, too. Tap
water is heavy with chlorine that can
kill ﬁsh, so add a drop of dechlorinator
(available at pet shops) per litre of water
before it goes into the tank. Also, if you
are putting different breeds together,
check with the pet shop about compati-
bility. Some ﬁsh do not survive well with
other breeds.
WELCOME THEM
The ﬁsh are ready and so is the tank.
Before you begin your hours of bliss,
place the tank away from direct
sunlight. The hot Indian sun can cause
changes in water temperature without
you even knowing it. You can decorate
your tank with gravel, plants or toys.
Sharma suggests that it is best to stick
with porcelain, glass or non-toxic
plastic (again don’t cut costs too much
here). Avoid putting live plants or real
sea-shells. Sharma explains that live
material leaches some natural by-
products such as salt or gases that can
disturb the water balance and cause ﬁsh
to die. If you want to put the real stuff,
then quarantine it for at least 4 weeks in
a separate bucket of water before
moving it in your tank (this goes for
adding new ﬁsh to the tank as well).
Change the water and clean the tank
regularly. Scoop or siphon out 10% of
the tank’s water each week, or about a
third every month, and replace it with
new (dechlorinated) water. Use a net
with a long handle to keep the tank free
of any wastes and a scrubber to clean
out the walls.
FEEDING
Here’s the catch. Don’t overfeed! No
matter how hungry your ﬁsh look
(because ﬁsh do rush for food, jostling
each other), follow the instructions on
the food packaging. For goldﬁsh,
experts say that it is best to feed them
once a day.
Dine with goldfish
When Purdue University professor
Alan Beck, ScD, placed 17-gallon fish
tanks on display in nursing home dining
rooms, Alzheimer’s patients stayed
at the table 5 minutes longer and ate
more. “People with Alzheimer’s often
don’t eat enough. Other researchers
have tried TV sets in dining rooms or
bringing in speakers, but nothing seems
to work as well as the fish,” says Beck.
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With inputs from Prevention, US
159

5 to 9
AFTER-HOURS STUFF relaxation, music, reading & more

BOOKS
It might sound ironic but the so-called stronger sex is more
likely to fall victim to illnesses than women. Natural Men’s
Health tells us this but makes you feel better by offering
remedies for ailments that a man might be afflicted with.
Written by naturopath Penelope Sach, the book has case
studies, treatment programmes and advice on supple-
ments. The book deals with a host of issues from indiges-
tion to weight loss and skin health to immunity. A handy
reference, it deserves a place on your book shelf if you
want to look after your man well.—Shilpa Negi
MUST READ
Natural Men’s Health
By Penelope Sach
ORIENT PAPERBACKS, PRICE RS 175
1 Arthritis
By Leon Chaitow
Thorsons-Harper Collins, Price Rs 75
2 Core Stability
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Parragon Publishing India Pvt Ltd
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3 Dog and Puppy Care
Harper Collins, Price Rs 295
4 Ayurvedic Cooking
By Ramesh Patel
New Age Books, Price Rs 125
5 Eye Health
By Sandra Salmans
Thorsons-Harper Collins
Price Rs 90
4 3 1
1 Best of Santoor
Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, Satish
Vyas & Rahul Sharma
Genre Hindustani Classical
Music Today, Price Rs 199
2 Secrets of Love
By Donald Walters
New Age Music, Rs 299
3 Sharan Rani
Genre Classical
Music Today, Price Rs 399
4 Maika Piya
By Lalitya Munshaw
Genre Fusion
Times Music, Price Rs 150
5 Best of Tabla
By Various Artistes
Genre Hindustani Classical
Music Today, Price Rs 199

Keep up your heart-healthy regimen with some relevant thera-
peutic music. This CD contains Vedic chants, jaaps, puranic
strotras and bhajans. Composed by Raghunandan Panshikar,
the calming rendition is by Sanjiv Abhyankar and Vaijayanti
Limaye. Do listen to the Udyannadya chant from the Rig Veda,
specifically arranged for heart patients following a restricted
lifestyle.—Subhra Mazumdar
MUST HEAR
Healing Mantras for the Heart
Various Artistes
TIMES MUSIC, PRICE RS 295

WE RECOMMEND
MUSIC
000 ■ PREVENTION JUNE 2008
4 2 1
160
WE RECOMMEND
Take care of your man
1 Amatrra Spa, Hotel Ashok
For detox spa treatments
Half or full-day packages
Delhi
Contact 011-26110101, 26116161
www.theashok.com
2 VLCC
For de-stress massages
In all major cities
De-stress massage, Rs 3000
www.vlcc.co.in
3 Salsa India
For fitness and fun
Mumbai, Delhi
1 month course, Rs 2500 per
month
Contact Vineet 09820362629
www.salsa-india.com
WHAT Yoga
WHY For holistic
health
WHERE Thiruvanan-
thapuram, Kerala

Pack your bags and head for Kerala to get an as-real-as-
can-be Yoga experience at the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta
Dhanwantari Ashram. The ashram founded by disciples of
the legendary Yoga master Swami Sivananda, promotes
yoga as a lifestyle. It offers 15-day yoga courses which will
help you detox and find balance through a mixture of yoga,
meditation and massages. The ashram has a convenient
3-day yoga vacation package for those who can’t afford
to get away for too long. The vacation aims to boost inner
peace and strength through a structured daily schedule of
simple eating and living, all at very nominal rates. Reach
them at 0471-2273093/2272703 or check out the link www.
sivananda.org/neyyardam/for more information.
A choice of nearly 14,000 domestic and international,
health, beauty and wellness products, all organised under
different categories and put under one roof—now that is
simplifying life. newu, Dabur’s retail store provides you
this convenience and guarantees genuine stuff. The range
includes personal care, baby care, fashion accessories and
male grooming products. The products are all priced at ei-
ther MRP or, if on promotion, lesser than MRP. Dabur plans
to open stores across India and bring this convenience to
other cities as well. Check them out in your city for a good,
healthy shopping experience.
MUST VISIT
FOR THE MAN
MUST TRY
I KEEP TRYING TO
LOSE WEIGHT,
BUT IT KEEPS
FINDING ME
HEALTHY LAUGHTER
PREVENTION ■ 000 JUNE 2008
WHAT Dabur’s health
store
WHY For quality
health products under
one roof
WHERE Bangalore,
Noida, Faridabad.
Hyderabad
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161
At 51, Deepti Naval
traverses many
worlds. Actress, poet,
photographer and a
painter, she believes
in positive energy and
thinking. A glimpse
into her world.
Her fitness
I’m an original Jane
Fonda fan. When I
was in college in the
US, Jane Fonda was
a rage. I took to it and
have been working out
since then. My exer-
cise routine is a self-
devised mix of yoga, aerobics,
stretches and walks. I work out
alone at home—40 minutes
every day. I don’t have a trainer
but listen to myself. If I feel fat
around the tummy somedays, I
step-up my tummy tucks.
Her food
My rule is to always remain a
little hungry. I try not to take
second helpings no matter how
tempting the food is.
My day begins with a cup of
adrak-masala chai and a slice
of toast, after which I work
out. Breakfast consists of 2 egg
whites, a bowl of muesli with
skimmed milk and a fruit.
Lunch, too, is simple with 2
chapattis, a helping of vege-
table, daal and curd. Around
tea time, if peckish, I munch
a carrot or a cucumber. I keep
dinner minimal with a salad,
a slice of apple or some grapes
and a cup of soup. If I’m still
hungry, I binge on veggies and
fruits. I have a glass of wine in
the evening, just one glass. And
water? Well, it’s straight out of a
copper container.
I have a sweet tooth but
exercise control. Sometimes
when I get a craving, I indulge
in natural ice cream or malai
kulﬁ. My weight has been
constant because of my
exercise and simple diet.
Her skin care
I don’t apply make-up during
the day, just moisturiser and
sun block and clean my skin
frequently. I use Bobbi Brown,
L'occitane and MAC products.
Her happiness
I meditate every day for
15 minutes at night and in
the morning. I try to focus
myself because it is essential
for me to understand where
I am going.
FONDA FITNESS
Deepti Naval, the quintessential girl-next-door, lets us in on her
healthy recipe for life ■ BY LATA KHUBCHANDANI

PICTURE OF HEALTH
000 ■ PREVENTION JUNE 2008
Y
O
G
E
N

S
H
A
H
I ASK MYSELF
FREQUENTLY:
IT’S MY LIFE.
THIS IS HOW
MUCH THAT’S
LEFT. HOW AM I
GOING TO LIVE
IT BEST?
162

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