Being close to nature can make you develop positive body image

Exposure to natural environment and images of nature may have a powerful effect on promoting positive body image, according to a study led by scientists, including one of Indian-origin. The study, published in the journal Body Image, involved five separate studies from researchers, including those from Anglia Ruskin University in the UK. In three studies, participants were shown photographs of both natural and built environments, with results showing that exposure to images of natural, but not built, environments resulted in improved body image. A fourth study involved members of the…

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A real connect: Time spent with loved ones is key to being healthy

This is the time of the year when most of us are resuming our routines — work, school, college, etc. — after a small break during which we spent time with our loved ones. And actor Kate Hudson’s latest book, Pretty Fun: Creating and Celebrating a Lifetime of Tradition, emphasises how important it is to give the gift of time and create stronger bonds with people around you, be it family, friends or colleagues. We speak to a few experts on how great interpersonal skills translate to a better quality…

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Ladies, eat well. Being underweight could put you at greater risk of early menopause

Women who were underweight as teenagers or in their mid-30s are at greater risk of facing an early menopause compared to lean or normal weight women, researchers have warned. Early menopause, defined as naturally occurring menopause before age 45, is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, and other health conditions such as cognitive decline, osteoporosis and premature death. The results showed that women who were underweight at any age (BMI of less than 18.5 kg/m2) had a significant, 30% increased risk of early menopause compared with lean or…

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The Ayurvedic Diet to Improve Your Health and Well Being

“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.”The words of the 18th century French epicure Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin hold true even today in more ways than we can imagine. From our psychology to history, from how we perceive ourselves to our class, caste and preferred identities, food has a great capacity to unravel all of these. Take a look at a man’s plate and you know exactly who he is and who he hopes to be. Amidst all this, of course, also lies the physicality…

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Being Socially Active Early on Can Keep Alzheimer’s at Bay

If you are in your 30s or 40s and have a family history of dementia or Alzheimer’s, now is the time to start your fight to keep the disease at bay. At least for as long as you can. Experts say that although there is no preventive measure to escape Alzheimer’s, being socially active and adopting a healthy lifestyle early can delay its outset, maybe even stop it altogether. “Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia, and it usually hits when one is around 60-65. If you have a family history…

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Briefly Standing, or Being Active, Reduces Blood Sugar Across the Day

For obese people who sit for most of the day, replacing some sitting time with standing, slow walking or slow cycling reduces average blood sugar across the day and into the night, a small study finds. “Anything you can do to bring down glucose readings throughout the day is a good thing,” said senior author Glenn Gaesser of the School of Nutrition and Health Promotion at Arizona State University in Phoenix. “We chose a typical workday because a large number of Americans spend a lot of time sitting at an…

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