Daily cup of coffee good for eyes

Researchers have said that one cup of coffee could help prevent deteriorating eyesight and possible blindness from retinal degeneration due to glaucoma, aging and diabetes.

Raw coffee is, on average, just 1 per cent caffeine, but it contains 7 to 9 per cent chlorogenic acid, a strong antioxidant that prevents retinal degeneration in mice, according to the Cornell study.

The retina is a thin tissue layer on the inside, back wall of the eye with millions of light-sensitive cells and other nerve cells that receive and organize visual information.

It is also one of the most metabolically active tissues, demanding high levels of oxygen and making it prone to oxidative stress. The lack of oxygen and production of free radicals leads to tissue damage and loss of sight.

Chang Y. Lee, professor of food science and the study's senior author, said coffee is the most popular drink in the world, and we are understanding what benefit we can get from that.

The study has been published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Why you should live in the present

You can't be fully present in the moment when your attention is split between ten different things. Learn to enjoy the moment and revel in the exclusive nature of the experience

Feel your senses:
Feel the breeze on your cheeks. Enjoy your cup of tea without bothering about your deadlines. See, smell and hear what's happening around you. Soak in experiences even though there an element of ordinary quality about them. Enjoy the sunrise and sunset. Take a walk under a moonlit sky.

Get enough sleep:
Too much of dependence on technology has played havoc with our sleep habits. When we're tired, it's hard to focus on anything. Being short on sleep leads to lack of concentration and makes us feel fatigued and irritated too. To live in the present moment, you need to feel relaxed. Getting a full night's sleep is important to revitalize the mind and enable it to engage with the world.

Spend less time on social-networking sites:
Social networking can be addictive. Virtual life and relationships might look very attractive but there's no substitute to real life. If you want to revel in life and live every moment fully, then do keep a check on the time you spend on social networking sites. Learn to draw a dividing line. Stay away from technology for some time during your waking up hours. You need not cling to your phone or lap top as if it's your lifeline.

Exercise:
Physical activity puts you in touch with your body and its capabilities. It gives you a feeling of pushing your boundaries. When your heart's racing and the adrenaline's flowing, it's a wonderful feeling. Even if you are not into heavy form of exercises, just going for a 30 minute walking can give you time to introspect, revel and enjoy.

SOURCE: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

Protein-rich diet may lower stroke risk

Eating a diet higher in protein, especially from fish, may lower your risk of having a stroke than diets lower in protein, says new research.

Protein has the effect of lowering blood pressure which may play a role in reducing stroke risk.

"The amount of protein that led to the reduced risk was moderate - equal to 20 grams per day," said study author Xinfeng Liu from Nanjing University School of Medicine in Nanjing, China.

The meta-analysis looked at all of the available research on the relationship between protein in the diet and risk of stroke.

Seven studies with a total of 254,489 participants who were followed for an average of 14 years were included in the analysis.

Overall, the participants with the highest amount of protein in their diets were 20 percent less likely to develop a stroke than those with the lowest amount of protein in their diets.

The results accounted for other factors that could affect the risk of stroke, such as smoking and high cholesterol.

For every additional 20 grams per day of protein that people ate, their risk of stroke decreased by 26 percent.

"If everyone's protein intake were at this level, that would translate to more than 1.4 million fewer deaths from stroke each year worldwide, plus a decreased level of disability from stroke," Liu maintained.

Liu noted that the analysis does not support increased consumption of red meat, which has been associated with increased stroke risk.

The reduced risk of stroke was stronger for animal protein than vegetable protein, said the study published online in the journal Neurology.

Instant oatmeal cures hunger pangs

Love ready-to-eat oat cereal in breakfast but do not get that feeling of "fullness"? Switch to instant oatmeal.

A serving of instant oatmeal is more filling than a ready-to-eat (RTE), oat-based cereal, a new research shows.

"Eating a bowl of instant oatmeal for breakfast is more satiating and helps manage hunger better than the same amount of calories from a leading oat-based, cold cereal, even when consumed in smaller portions," researchers said.

The unique characteristics of oatmeal have a significant impact on fullness and desire to eat even when matched for calories and ingredients (oats) with another breakfast option.

"We found instant oatmeal to be more effective at suppressing appetite compared to the cold cereal, even with a smaller serving size and less calories than previously investigated," said Frank Greenway from the Pennington Biomedical Research Centre at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

During his experiment, 43 healthy men and women completed the randomised, controlled crossover investigation over their breakfast habits.

The results showed that when participants ate instant oatmeal, they reported less hunger compared to the RTE cereal.

Instant oatmeal also provided increased fullness and a reduced desire to eat more.

Researchers state that the viscosity of instant oatmeal was higher than the RTE cereal which could explain the differences in hunger and appetite control.

"The new research demonstrates that increased satiety is possible with smaller portions and less calories (150 calories) of instant oatmeal," Greenway added in a paper published in the Nutrition Journal.
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Find the perfect diet plan for you

A study has found that matching your diet with your personality is the biggest indicator of how successful the programme will be

A diet only works if you stick with it. And an Australian study has found that matching the plan to your personality is the single biggest indicator of the success rate of the programme. Narrowing down your choice from the most effective popular plans to suit you and your habits will offer better and longer-lasting results. Here, Caroline Jones, author helps you choose the right one for you. Take the following quiz...

1. A typical dinner during the week for me is...
A. An indulgent meal.
B. A home-cooked one with a good portion of meat— steak or chicken
C. A quick bowl of cereal.
D. A calorie-counted ready meal.
E. A takeaway or microwave meal.

2. During the weekend I tend to...
A. Enjoy big, spontaneous meals with friends and family.
B. Spend a lot of time being active outdoors, but always make time to cook proper meals.
C. Have a long leisurely brunch and pick the rest of the day.
D. Plan out my meals so I know what I'm eating and when.
E. Eat lots of treats and indulgent meals to cheer myself up.

3. I'm most likely to snack when...
A. Someone offers something delicious.
B. I'm out and about.
C. I've not eaten enough for breakfast.
D. I'm tired.
E. I'm craving something—chocolate.

4. I cook a meal from scratch...
A. Often. I love cooking.
B. Sometimes. But I really only enjoy cooking if I have quality ingredients on hand and plenty of time.
C. Only at weekends.
D. Most nights.
E. Almost never. I'd rather order.

5. I eat the majority of my food...
A. At lunch and dinner. I try to have a light breakfast so I can indulge later if I'm out with friends.
B. At dinner. That's when I finally have time to sit down for a substantial meal.
C. Over the first half of the day.
D. Spaced pretty evenly throughout the day.
E. Whenever I'm really hungry. I often have cravings for sweets and carbs.

6. My biggest challenge when trying to lose weight is...
A. I spend so much time socialising with friends and family it's hard to monitor how much I'm eating.
B. I get very hungry and end up overeating by serving myself large portions.
C. I don't have the time or energy to prepare complicated 'diet' meals for myself come the evening.
D. I lose motivation when I see everyone else eating whatever they want and slip off the diet wagon.
E. I give in to food cravings, which are usually dictated by my mood.

If you answered:
Mostly A's — Social butterfly
- You're a food lover, who struggles with willpower. You have a busy social life and don't want your diet to stop you enjoying meals out. You find it tough to stick to rigid eating plans for long.
- Best diet for you? 5:2 diet
- Celebrity fan: Jennifer Aniston
- What is it? On this hugely popular diet, you restrict calorie intake to 500 for two non-consecutive days a week and eat normally the other five days. Recent research suggests this kind of fasting can help you lose weight.
- How does it work? The rationale behind the 5:2 diet centres on the effects of fasting on levels of a hormone called IGF-1 (Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1). Although the hormone is essential in early life when rapid new cell growth is important, high levels in adulthood increase your risk of cell divisions such as those found in cancer. Restricting the calories you consume, so the theory goes, lowers blood levels of IGF-1, protecting you against some major diseases, while also allowing you to burn fat at a higher rate and regulate blood sugar levels.

Mostly B's — The nature lover
- You love meat, exercise regularly and you care where your food comes from. You perform all tasks with gusto and would always prefer to walk than drive.
- Best diet for you? The Paleo Diet
- Celebrity fan: Miley Cyrus
- What is it? This plan means following the kind of 'hunter-gatherer' diet our ancestors would have enjoyed: plenty of fish, free-range meat, eggs, vegetables, fruit, seeds, nuts and herbs, but no processed grains, dairy or sugar.
- How does it work? Proponents of the Paleo diet says it switches your body from a mainly carb-burning machine to a fat burning machine. They argue this is beneficial to weight loss because your body's preferred source of energy is fats — not the high amount of carbs in the modern diet — as it's a much slower burning fuel and more efficient.

Mostly C's — The lark
- You're a morning person who enjoys nothing more than tucking into a big breakfast. You prefer quiet evenings relaxing at home, rather than going out for indulgent meals.
- Best diet for you? The Reverse Diet
- Celebrity fan: Denise Van Outen
- What is it? 'Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dine like a pauper.' On this simple plan you reverse your meals so you eat your largest portion in the morning, have a smaller lunch and eat just a quick, light meal at night. Advocates say it works because calories consumed in the morning are less likely to be stored as fat than those eaten in the evening.
- How does it work? Many studies have shown that breakfast eaters are slimmer than those who skip it, plus a study by a hospital in Cambridge, found that people who ate the biggest breakfast put on the least weight — even though they consumed the most food overall in an average day.

Mostly D's — The planner
- You like rules and enjoy having a plan or system to follow by the letter. You're also sociable and find dieting with others and weekly weigh-ins very motivating.
- Best diet for you? WeightWatchers
- Celebrity fan: Patsy Kensit
- What is it? Although it was revamped in 2010, when 'points' became 'ProPoints', this 60-year-old plan still works in the same way: You eat whatever you want - provided you stick to your daily ProPoints limit, a bespoke number based on your gender, weight, height and age.
- How does it work? The theory is, there's more to dieting than counting calories — if you make healthy choices that also fill you up, you'll eat less and feel better. Choices that satisfy hunger for the longest 'cost' the least points, while unhealthy choices such as burgers always have the highest point values. By sticking to your individual points limit you'll lose weight. Weight Watchers also hold local weekly classes so you can enjoy the support of a group of like-minded dieters, with weekly weigh-ins to help boost motivation.

Mostly E's — The comfort eater
-You eat more when you're down and have a bad track record when it comes to dieting. You've something of an addictive personality and have developed emotional eating habits that you feel unable to tackle — whether it be turning to chocolate for comfort or indulging in takeaways after a stressful day at work.
- Best diet for you? The Hypno diet
- Celebrity fan: Lily Allen
- What is it? Not a food plan as such, hypno-dieting is a way of encouraging your mind to make healthier food choices. Working with a hypnotherapist — in person or via a CD — you try to pinpoint the emotional triggers that make you turn to food. Then, through the power of suggestion, bad food behaviours are replaced with healthier ones.
- How does it work? The 'hypno' part claims to work because in a state of hypnosis you're focused and calm, so your subconscious is more receptive to ideas. The therapy portion is based on the principal of 'behavioural change through positive reinforcement.' Rather than telling yourself what you're 'not' allowed to eat, you teach your subconscious that what you really want is healthy food and exercise. It's vital to check if therapist belongs to an official body.

CREDIT: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
(Daily Mirror)

9 foods men need to eat

Here is a list of essential foods for good health

While many men are less conscious about what they eat, experts say that at times, eating healthy can mean different things for men and women because both sexes have their own set of dietary requirements.

Tomatoes
Tomatoes are also known as superfoods because of their numerous benefits. Tomatoes contain lycopene, which, studies say help reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease and lower cholesterol — all common ailments in men.

Oysters
Oysters have high levels of zinc — essential for men's fertility and sexual health. Zinc maintains healthy testosterone levels and is excellent for healthy sperm production. It is also great for the hair.

Whole grains
Whole grains contain healthy levels of vitamins, minerals and fibre. Whole grains like oats and brown rice have healthy amounts of B vitamins, good for over-all well-being and they also help alleviate depression. Studies also say that folate can keep sperm healthy, while biotin helps curb hair loss.

Garlic
While garlic is known for the role it plays in protecting the heart, it is said that men who consume garlic regularly have lower cholesterol levels.

Salmon
Not only is salmon a great source of protein, it is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked to lowered levels of bad cholesterol. They also reduce the risk of heart disease, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer and depression.

Blueberries
Experts say that blueberries have high levels of proanthocyanidins, which are linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer. Blueberries are also said to be effective in reducing the risk of heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes and age-related memory loss.

Broccoli
Broccoli, as well as cabbage and sprouts, contains a strong cancer-fighting chemical called sulphoraphane, which is said to reduce men's risk of developing bladder cancer, prostate cancer and colorectal cancer.

Eggs
Suffering from hair loss? Make sure you include eggs in your diet. Eggs have high sources of protein, important for hair growth. The yolk is also a good source of iron.

Pomegranate juice
Pomegranate juice helps lower cholesterol levels and prevent hypertension because it is packed with vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. Some studies have also suggested that having pomegranate juice daily can slow down the progress of prostate cancer.

CREDIT: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

A Point of View: Is it better to be religious than spiritual?

 More and more people are rejecting religion but embracing spirituality. But have they got things the wrong way around, asks Tom Shakespeare.

After a relationship break up a few years ago, I signed on to a dating website. Filling in my online profile, I was interested to discover that the question on religious belief included an option that was new to me. You could tick boxes for the major religions, or for atheist, or for SBNR, which I discovered stands for "Spiritual But Not Religious".

Whereas the word "religion" generally refers to organised forms of worship and a wider faith community, "spiritual" often describes people's private individual beliefs.

A few minutes on Google revealed that SBNR is more than just an acronym. One in three Americans defined themselves as spiritual but not religious. Millions of people now think of themselves as on their own personal spiritual path, but not affiliated to any specific religion. American sociologists Robert Putnam and David Campbell talk about "Nones" - people who belong to no religion but still believe in God. Others have used the term "moralistic therapeutic deism" to refer to how young people are turning towards a vague belief that God exists and the point of life is to be happy. You could also call it "pseudo-religion".

The people who tick the SBNR box are distinguishing themselves from atheism. They would probably believe in some supreme being or higher power. Perhaps they're interested in Eastern spirituality or some eclectic mixture of ideas.

SBNR reflects a rejection of the dogmas of organised religion, even repugnance at the abuses committed in the name of Christianity and Islam and Judaism and Hinduism and Buddhism. I think it connects to the explosion of so-called personal growth movements in the West since the 1960s, such as yoga or transcendental meditation, as well as to new religious movements like paganism and Scientology.

The rise of SBNR comes in the context of declining organised religion, at least in the UK. Fewer of us are calling ourselves Christians. According to the Census, numbers fell from just over 70% in 2001 to less than 60% in 2011. That's still a majority of the population - and other religions make up another 5% or so - but only one million of us will attend church this week. More than a quarter of Britons do not identify with any particular religion,

But few members of this group are fully paid-up followers of Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris or other humanist prophets. People might say, "I am not interested in organized religion, but I do have room in my life for spirituality." They have a sense that there is something "above and beyond" the everyday. They have beliefs, a faith in some transcendental force, or whatever, however inchoate it may be. It reminds me of the quotation from Carl Jung: "You can take away a man's gods, but only to give him others in return."

I want to challenge this approach, and explain why I was unwilling to tick the SBNR box on that dating website. I worry that SBNR can just be vague, lacking the rigour which comes from centuries of refinement and debate. And unlike traditional religions, it doesn't have much to say about charity and justice.

Perhaps this is because it is a reflection of the individualism that seems to be such a problem in western societies. People want a reassuring set of beliefs that makes them feel better about their own life, rather than being challenged to help others or make the world a better place.

For all these reasons, I agree with the writer James Martin when he says that "spirituality without religion can become a self-centered complacency divorced from the wisdom of a community". But then Martin is a Jesuit, and so of course he wants those wishy-washy spiritual believers to sign up to his organised faith.

Whereas my biggest problem with SBNR is the opposite. It's that it often retains the mumbo-jumbo, aspects of religion. People have rejected the shelf with the ready-made religious beliefs, and gone straight around the corner to the pick'n'mix shop to buy a more or less random set of beliefs which are, if anything, even more incredible. Many people who are spiritual but not religious reject the organisation but hang on to the supernatural bit. But I don't want to be required to have faith in a supreme being or miracles or reincarnation, or any entity for which there is no scientific evidence.

So, that makes me a humanist then? Not at all. Because don't we have four options?

We can be religious and spiritual - which is the traditional faith approach
We can be spiritual but not religious - which is the new age pick and mix approach
We can be humanist - which is neither religious nor spiritual
Or, perhaps, we can be religious but not spiritual
This last choice works best for me.

The word "religion" is thought to derive from Latin "religare", to bind or connect. I think that sense of a connection is the key point. Religion offers a bond between individuals and it helps them form a connection to the wider universe. The great French sociologist Emile Durkheim differentiated between belief, which was private, and religion, which was social.

I think what we need today is more connection with each other, and with our damaged world. I don't think humanists offer us much help with that. Humanism is not positive but negative - it centres on rejecting religion. I think traditional religions do offer connections, but at the cost of demanding that we believe improbable things. So that's why I'd advocate being religious in a non-traditional way.

Without religion, the danger is that an individual thinks that he or she is the centre of the universe. Religion asks more of you than just to look after yourself. Because religion is a collective practice, it enables us to learn from others around us, and from a history of sincere and disciplined examination of the problems of life - a history which is sometimes called the Wisdom Traditions. Through reflection and discussion in the context of religion, we can achieve discernment, which means seeing reality more clearly.

I think that many people who identify as religious are not spiritual, at least in the sense of having a belief in a god or supernatural force. They may have a non-realist view of religion, which means that they consider religions to be human and pragmatic, not supernatural and god-given.

In my case, I am a Quaker, so I sit in silence for an hour a week with like-minded people, and I try to live according to Christian principles. But a few years ago, I stayed with a colleague's family in upstate New York. They were Jewish, and around the house there were mezuzot, a menorah and the newsletter from their local synagogue. But as we talked, I realised that although they attended services regularly, they did not have any particular belief in God. In fact, they had pretty much exactly the same outlook on the world as I did. And I suspect many people who sit in Anglican pews on Sundays are similar. They're going through certain rituals, and value membership in a community of folk trying to lead more meaningful lives, but their belief in a supernatural being is minimal or non-existent.

If you're an atheist, I can heartily recommend involvement in religion. It offers a sense of belonging and it offers tradition, which can be reassuring and comforting. It offers discipline, teaching us that there is something outside ourselves to which we should bend our personal will. If we do it right, religion helps us lead better lives, with a commitment to justice and social action. Sociological research shows that involvement in organised religion is good for our health and well being.

So this week, why not find a time to sit in silence with your fellows, or sing with them, or read a holy book with them, or commune with them. Take a moment to reflect on your place in the universe and your obligations towards others. Belief in God is strictly optional.

Credit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-27554640