Tag: The Times of India

Watch Out For Eye Strain

Parents have two more items to add to their back-to-school checklist: an eye check for their children and a review of their computer workstation for possible causes of eye strain.

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Light sources should not be visible when sitting directly in front of the monitor

One out of two children spends more than four hours a day in front of a computer screen, according to the American Optometric Association (AOA).

The association warns that many children may be developing Computer Vision Syndrome due to prolonged computer use. â€œComputer use is an increasing source of vision problems, and children may experience many of the same symptoms as adults. Too much time in front of a computer screen can lead to eye discomfort, fatigue, blurred vision and headaches,â€ optometrist Leonard Press, a vision-learning specialist with the AOA, said in a prepared statement.

According to the association, parents should be aware that an adult computer workstation may not be suited to a child, who may have to look up at a higher angle than an adult. Parents should invest in a chair that can be adjusted for the child’s height. The recommended distance between the monitor and the eye for children is between 18 and 28 inches.

Children may work or play on a computer with a lot of glare for a long period of time without turning down the lights in the room to reduce the glare.

Parents can check for sources of glare by sitting in front of the computer. Windows or other light sources should not be directly visible when sitting in front of the monitor. Holding a small mirror flat against the screen can help pinpoint light sources that are reflecting from above or behind.

At the same time, kids’ eyes may lose the ability to focus on other objects because of extended computer time. The association recommends that children take at least a 20-second break for every 20 minutes of computer time.

Source:The Times Of India

Tags American College of Physicians, Asthenopia, Blurred vision, Brightness, Bud Abbott, Chief technology officer, Computer monitor, Deepika Padukone, EchoPixel, The Times of India

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Smoking Gives Women Acne

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Beware, women smokers! If health warnings are not enough to put you off the habit, just give a second thought before you puff your next fag because smoking can also cause spots.

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Yes, scientists in Europe have carried out a study which revealed that smoking can cause acne or a spotty skin disorder, characterised by blocked pores and large blackheads, among women.

The findings of the study have been published in the ‘British Journal of Dermatology‘.

“Our study demonstrates that non-inflammatory acne affects a high percentage of women, and is especially high among smokers.

“Recognising this form of acne is fundamental to providing correct information about the effects of tobacco on the skin,” Dr Bruno Capitanio, one of the study’s authors from San Gallicano Dermatological Institute in Rome, was quoted as saying.

In fact, the researchers came to the conclusion after studying 1,000 women aged between 25 and 50, and found that 42 per cent of smokers suffered from acne compared to one in ten non-smokers.

Moreover, smokers who had suffered acne in their teens were found to be four times more likely to suffer acne as an adult than non-smokers who had also experienced teenage acne.

According to Dr Colin Holden, the President of the British Association of Dermatologists, “Dermatologists have long associated smoking with premature ageing of the skin, wrinkles and a leathery complexion.

“This study also shows an interesting link between a specific type of acne and smoking. All of these findings will hopefully provide people with an extra incentive to quit.”

Source:The Times Of India

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Depressed? Have Some Soup

Post author By Mukul
Post date August 14, 2007
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Time to be a Soup-o-holic!

Feeling low or bored, and don’t want to binge again? It’s time for your serving of soup for the soul! Move over that never-ending book series. Steaming fresh soups do a lot to keep you healthy and spirited. Whether it’s thick, rich and creamy or clear and light, these all weather stress-busters are a good bet to keep your taste buds alive without burdening the tummy. Here are some delectable varieties you must try…

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â€œMinestrone is my all time favoriteâ€, says top restaurateur Ritu Dalmia. This classic Italian preparation is made from fresh beans, celery, carrots, tomato, onions and stock. â€œCold soups are also a good optionâ€, she adds, citing examples of the avocado and beetroot-strawberry soups she recently enjoyed on her trip abroad. I would personally recommend Chilled Cucumber soup which most French restaurants should offer. Other exotic varieties of the cold kind are the Andalusian Almond soup, which is thick and creamy with the flavor of raw almonds and sea salt, and the Iced Shrimp soup, a rarity which you must try wherever available.

And if you’d rather prefer a menu that’s closer home, you’re not alone! Model and former Miss India Nikita Anand swears by homemade soups. â€œI love my bowl of soup in winters. My mum makes great mushroom and chicken broth and clear spinach soup, and I prefer them to restaurant preparations because they’re simple, healthy and minimalist as far as spices and unnecessary ingredients go, she says. Tarla Dalal, one of India’s most successful cookery experts, echoes Nikita’s choice. Light, clear varieties like the quintessential Lemon-Coriander soup are the healthiestâ€, she says. For her, Soups are the best part of any meal !
Dalal also recommends cooking up your own versions by mish-mashing recipes. So get creative with chicken, mushroom, lemon, basil, lentil, garlic and lettuce… garnish the regular Talumein or Tomyum with your own additions and stew up your own unique consommÃ©.

While you are at it, keep in mind that seasonal ingredients work the best with any preparation. â€œWhat is available at that time of the year makes for the best taste says expert chef and restaurateur Moshe Shek. The healthiest of soups are natural purees, like the ones we serveâ€, he adds. This means no butter or cream, or white flour. His special recommendations include roasted corn soup with oregano and jalape±o for the monsoon and pea and fresh mint soup which is available round the year.

And if you thought soup-o-mania is a recent trend, let me tell you that the Greeks are believed to have sold soup as a fast-food on the street as early as 600 BC! The term soup , however, came much later. People used to pour broth over a piece of bread in a bowl. That bread was known as sop, and thus soup was born.

Anyway, leave all the gyaan aside and relish your portion of this easy-to-cook appetizer which comes in an array of yummy forms. And, always follow celebrity chef and food writer Vikas Khanna’s tip: Remember that a delicious and inspiring meal comes from a creative and adventurous mind!

Source: The Times Of India

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People With More Moles Age Slowly’

Post author By Mukul
Post date July 16, 2007
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People with a large numbers of moles on their skin may age slowly, a study suggests.

Scientists from King’s College, London, compared key aging DNA with the number of moles a person had in a study of 1,800 twins.
A mole is a spot on the skin that is usually round or oval in shape and may range in color from pink, brown, red or black. The experts found that the more moles a person had, the more likely their DNA was to have the properties to fight off aging, reported the online edition of BBC News.

In the study, experts found that those with more than 100 moles had longer telomeres than those with fewer than 25. Telemores are the part of certain chromosomes linked to aging. The difference between the two mole groups was equivalent to six to seven years of aging.

Source: The Times Of India

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How alcohol induces breast cancer

Post author By Mukul
Post date May 4, 2007
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A new study has shown how alcohol-induced breast cancer develops in women.

Alcohol consumption is a well-established risk factor for breast cancer in women. The study was conducted by a team of researchers at the University of Mississippi Medical Centre.

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As part of the study, researchers developed a novel mouse breast cancer model to mimic human breast cancer disease. Estrogen receptor-positive breast adenocarcinoma cells were subcutaneously injected near the pad of the fourth mammary gland of female immunocompetant mice (C57BL/6).

The mice were fed with moderate EtOH (alcohol) for four weeks, the equivalent of two drinks per day in humans. In the second week, mouse breast cancer cells were injected at cite referenced above.

Researchers found that moderate alcohol consumption significantly increased the tumour size of breast cancer and micro-vessel density in mice. This study presents the first animal model to confirm that alcohol consumption stimulates tumour growth and malignancy of breast cancer.

Source:The Times Of India