A Lone Stranger

Strawberries can dramatically reduce the levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides, reveals new research. A few volunteers were asked to consume half a kilo of strawberries a day for a month to see whether it altered their blood parameters in any way. By the end of the month, their levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides had reduced significantly, according to the analyses conducted by Italian and Spanish scientists. "The study supports the protective role of the bioactive compounds in strawberries in tackling recognised markers and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases," said Maurizio Battino, director of the study. Strawberries are known for their antioxidant properties. Researchers from the Università Politecnica delle Marche (UNIVPM, Italy), together with colleagues from the Universities of Salamanca, Granada and Seville (Spain), conducted an analysis that revealed that these fruits also help to reduce cholesterol. The team set up an experiment in which th...

Diets set you up for failure, says a new book, which claims the only way to stay slim is to wean yourself off sugar In recent years there has been a considerable backlash against the diet industry. The fact that we pour around £2bn into its coffers each year, while our waistlines continue to swell, has not gone unnoticed. Nor has the fact that many of those who profit from the industry are also peddling the very foods blamed for causing obesity. And yet, every January, masses of intelligent people will fall hook, line and sinker for the claims of some aggressive new weight-loss manifesto. And so a timely title among 2014's crop of eating plans is Why Diets Fail, jointly penned by John Talbott (who usually writes about finance) and Nicole Avena, a neuroscientist working on the controversial hypothesis that sugar is clinically addictive. The pair teamed up after Talbott kicked his sugar habit and felt he had found a permanent "magic cure" for not only being overweight,...

Beauty benefits of all-purpose  rose water (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images) Rosewater is a boon to your face, hair, body, mind and soul. Rosewater has always found a place in every household. This natural by-product of rose oil that is used in perfumes, is full of healing powers. Read on... Skin - Rosewater is a natural toner. Pour two to three drops of rosewater on a cotton ball and wipe it thoroughly on the face and neck to remove dirt and grit. Follow this routine every morning and night for a natural glow, and refreshing and soothing effect. - Due to its refreshing fragrance, you can put a few drops of rosewater into the bathing water for glowing skin. This can relax and sooth your body and mind. - For skin irritation caused by acne, pimples, redness and breakouts, wash your face with rosewater. Hair - Rosewater comes with natural conditioning and moisturising properties, making it a part of your hair care routine. Add a few drops of rosewater with your shamp...

People who drink regularly live longer than those who completely abstain from alcohol, a new study has found. Researchers found that those who did not consume any alcohol appeared to have a higher mortality rate, regardless of whether they were former heavy drinkers or not, than those who drank heavily. The team led by Charles Holahan, a psychologist at the University of Texas, found moderate drinking - defined as one to three drinks per day - was associated with the lowest mortality rate, 'The Independent' reported. The study set out to examine the association between alcohol consumption and all-cause mortality over 20 years among 1,824 older adults. The study found that controlling only for age and gender, compared to moderate drinkers, abstainers had a more than 2 times increased mortality risk, heavy drinkers had 70 per cent increased risk, and light drinkers had 23 per cent increased risk. "A model controlling for former problem drinking status, existing hea...

Start losing those kilos again (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images) If you find yourself wondering why your diet has stopped working midway, use these handy tips from macrobiotic expert Shonali Sabherwal and start losing those kilos again It's a great feeling when you see that weighing scale veering to the left after a few months into your diet. But then suddenly, your weight just refuses to reduce. Don't fret. Here's an excerpt from macrobiotic expert Shonali Sabherwal's upcoming book, The Beauty Diet which will help you break through those roadblocks you have been experiencing even though you are following your diet to the tee. Excerpts: You restrict your sweets and then crave them even more: Diets naturally imply restrictions, so if you cut out sweets you will want them even more. Sometimes, it's the that sweets you binge, which often win. The thing we don't know about sugar is that you simply end up craving more sugar. It's a vicious cycle. Handy...

5 quick mood boosters Beat the blues and enhance your mood with these simple tricks According to a report by the Mental Health Foundation, a brisk 10-minute walk is said to up your mood as well as your self esteem while reducing anxiety and stress. Buy holiday or movie tickets: Psychologists at the San Francisco State University, discovered experiences that make one happier than objects because the excitement of buying something new fades faster than great memories. Arrange a night-out with friends: Research studies state that the happiest 10 per cent people prioritise relationships with family and friends. Instead of going out for usual meals, try doing something innovative, like going on a long drive or playing chess or poker at home. Decorate your home: One instant way of boosting your mind is by decorating your house. Whether it's buying flowers or decor items, you can do many things to ensure that you prep up your house. Do a good deed: When you do something vol...

Meet the onion family Red onions, shallots, leeks, spring onions, they form the basis of our cooking. Here's all that you need to know about them. They make us cry — all that tearing while chopping onions. Yet we go at it again and again, almost every day, cutting onions for our curries and qormas, biryani, pastas and salads. These tubes and bulbs make for the foundation of most of our cooking, and as garnish for the rest. We ask chefs to tell us their favourite from the onion family. Read on... Red onion Red onion is the basic need of the Indian kitchen, says Chef Bhairav Singh. "They are essential to traditional dishes like Mutton Rogan Josh, Sukka chicken, Pyaaz Tamatar ki Chutney, fish curry, Pyaz Kulcha..." These onions have a strong flavour and are mostly used for meat tenderisation, he says. Buying tips Never buy sprouted red onions, warns Chef Bhairav. "Go for the heavier and undamaged ones," he suggests. And avoid ones that feel spongy in you...

Crazy fitness fads (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images) Just like crazy diet fads that come and go, today we're discussing fitness fads that take gyms by storm for brief moments and then disappear. While it's a good thing to change workouts regularly, most good fitness routines should have a good mix of high intensity cardio, strength and endurance training and should develop flexibility. When fitness fads make you believe that only one particular movement is good for you, that's when you're asking for trouble. Fitness Fad # 1 - Expensive equipment like a treadmill or cross trainer at home. If you buy expensive equipment like an excer-cycle, Nordic track or a treadmill for your home, you are chained to it at least for the next few years. Investing in something like that means your workouts will be limited to that particular machine. Either you're using your machine to dry your clothes or you're cheating yourself by believing you're clocking in quality e...

Fitness begins at home (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images) Don't ignore the cleaning mop or the mundane chakla belan. They can be your tools to healthy living, says Indrani Rajkhowa Banerjee All you ladies out there cursing the kaamwali bai on her day off stop pulling your hair out and take a cue from Chanel V 'Bai'. Wrap that sari around your frame, put on some loud, and mop the floor with pure pleasure! You may soon realise that it's not a bad idea to bid the bai with a washboard thin tummy a sweet farewell. This is not an anti-gym slogan, just a plain thought on how household chores can turn out to be a free-of-cost fitness regime. Experts warn that household chores don't supplement for a serious weight loss session at the gym, which calls for a diet plan and focused workouts, but they are any day better than a sedentary life that most of us lead today. "I love exercises in any form. It doesn't matter whether it's done at the gym or at home; it...

Abdominal obesity: 8 exercises that burn stomach fat fast (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images) If building a six-pack were easy almost everyone would have sexy abs. It's not only the actual effort that's hard, it's also knowing "how" to burn stomach fat correctly is a challenge. Our goal is to show you the best and practical way to burn stomach fat, so you can finally flaunt a well toned stomach. We have Mike Jackson - Nutritional Consultant and Physique Transformation Specialist to help you get toned and sexy abs. Read on and burn the unwanted calories with these exercises to burn stomach fat quickly. Exercises that burn stomach fat fast # 1: Running or walking Okay, you're probably thinking, 'How does moving your legs shrink those love handles?' Well, the truth is there's no way to target belly fat. Your genetics get to decide where the fat settles in your body, so the best thing to do is start moving. As you exercise, calories are burned...

Mediterranean wonders (Getty Images) Whether you prefer them green or black, olives are a healthy fruit to add to your meals. For the Greeks, they represent nobility and peace but more than that they know the wonders it does for your health. Olive oil helps keep cholesterol levels in check and controls the blood sugar. It is one of the easiest to digest as it is monounsaturated. Drizzle some on top of a vegetable salad or dip a slice of whole-grain bread in some and eat as a snack. Olive oil can also be added to spicy dishes and acidic food items. Try adding them when making sauces and dressings. Make a mix of olive oil with onions, herbs (oregano, thyme etc) and garlic for pasta sauces. Use olive oil to marinate your meat dishes as this allows better penetration ofthe flavour into the food. For sauteing or frying, it's best to use a combination of extra virgin and regular olive oil. Add flavour to olive oil by infusing the oil with sprigs of dried herbs. It's best sto...

Ways to lose flab in 2 weeks (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images) With your best friend's wedding round the corner, are you finding it difficult to lose the flabs off your waist? Let's check out what the 2-Week Blitz diet has to offer Gaining momentum and hype in the UK, the 2-Week Blitz diet recommends about 75 minutes of exercise five times a week if you are planning to lose weight in about two weeks. You can take upto two days of rest but sugar and consuming alcohol is a no no. On a typical day, you can get in to do a 10-24 minutes of cardio followed by weight exercises of about 3 sets of 5x. For better results repeat the cardio and three sets twice more. In the end, you can finish with the ab crunches. The 2-Week Blitz diet includes Breakfast - Muesli and a smoothie or a fruit Lunch - Salad or fruit with fish or chicken. You can also have some sauted or boiled veggies. Snacks - Fruit and nuts Dinner - Chicken stir fry or veggies The diet also suggests that ...

Tips to ditch beer belly and get ribbed (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images) Tired of your paunch bringing you down? Here is how you can turn your beer belly into six-pack abs Those who think they don't have time for exercise, it is said, will sooner or later have to find time for illness. For men today, piling on the kilos without squeezing in any exercise routine in a hectic work schedule has meant indiscriminate weight gain and growing obese, which heightens the risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer among other fatal ailments. So why not follow the example of once-tubby male celebrities such as Sidhartha Mallya, who fought their fat and toned their body. In fact, when it comes to losing weight, men have a clear head start over women because of men's higher testosterone levels that help burn more calories and build more muscle — even when resting. Here is how to get started and target some of the key male body blackspots: Double chin A chubby jaw and jowls is a s...

What to eat for a brighter skin? Here's a list of edible items that can help you get that glowing skin you've always craved for Shelling out that last penny in the salon and still, women fret about maintaining a glowing complexion throughout the year. It's no secret that drinking about eight to 10 glasses of water on a daily basis will help clear those impurities and give you a healthy looking skin. But it's not just water that will add to your skin's radiance. There are many edibles that will keep you glowing. Here's an index of what you should add to your daily food slot to look bright and pretty. Strawberries Yes, this is one secret that has been out of grandma's kitchen trove for the longest time. Strawberries are known to be brilliant as it benefits the skin in more than one way. This accessory fruit is known to be rich in coenzyme Q10, a substance that helps fight free radical damage, and lessens the pace of aging, increases both the adeptnes...

Lack of sleep can turn lovers into fighters, says new study People are much more likely to lash out at their romantic partners over relationship conflicts after a bad night's sleep, a new study has claimed. Researchers from the University of California-Berkeley found that sleepless nights can worsen lovers' fights. "Couples who fight more are less happy and less healthy," said UC Berkeley psychologist Amie Gordon, lead author of the study. "Our research helps illuminate one factor that leads couples to engage in unnecessary and harmful conflict by showing that couples experience more frequent and severe conflicts after sleepless nights," she said. While previous studies indicate that poor sleep has a negative impact on romantic relationships, these new findings shed more light on how bad sleep compromises couples' ability to avoid and manage conflict, researchers said. "For the first time, to our knowledge, we can see the process of...

How to attain happiness in seven days (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images) People rarely discover that the secret to their happiness is simple is just about finding their time doing things that make them happy. Peter Jones, who is the author of the bestselling book 'How To Do Everything And Be Happy,' said that there are three main reasons that a person is unhappy. Firstly there is lousy work/life balance. Secondly, there is lack of control. Thirdly, a person encounters people or situations that seem intent on crushing their smiley mood, the Daily Express reported. He said that a person should make every day count and even though they can't live every day as if it is your last but they can take the reins of their life and take control of it. Jones asserted that people should atleast once a month get up with no plans whatsoever and see how their day unfolds. He elaborated that it is not going to be an day off but is going to be a day that has been scheduled in advance...

Crash and burn Research says women try out 61 different diets before they hit 40. Lets explore the various options It's a crazy world out there! Over years, the media has done an excellent job of making you believe that you aren't perfect until you get that svelte bod and clear skin. It's a make believe world with ridiculously designed diets with false promises of getting you into get good shape. Celebs have gone on extreme crash diets setting a really nasty example to the millions of teenagers out there. Research proves that women juggle with about a whopping 61 diets by the time they hit 40. But how many of them would actually see the desired effect? They also mention that many of their kids have asked them not to cook potatoes, bread or fruit. Most of this is out of peer pressure. Says Anjanaa Damodharan, a health freak, "In my opinion, crash diets are generally not a good idea because they don't let you eat what you want. And that causes irritation and...

Tips to save a marriage from falling apart (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images) When the marriage is on the rocks, couples typically seek advice from friends, family and marriage counselors. However, according to relationship expert Mort Fertel, that's precisely the wrong thing to do. Fertel said in an e-mail to Huffington Post that much of the advice people get about their marriage problems is wrong, even though it sounds good and made sense. What he suggests instead are six unconventional steps that run counter to traditional relationship advice. Firstly go it alone. One person's effort can change the momentum of a marriage, and very often, it's that effort that motivates the obstinate spouse to join in the process of saving the relationship. Secondly, stop asking yourself the wrong question. The key to succeeding in marriage is not finding the right person, it's learning to love the person you found. Know that absence does not make the heart grow fonder....

Ant and Grasshopper - Indian Version of story - too good and fact This is written just for mockery and with no intentions whatsoever to hurt any person and community, just a good laugh and a good read, hope that you read light heartedly and enjoy.  Original Story:  The Ant works hard in the withering heat all summer building its house and  laying up supplies for the winter. The Grasshopper thinks the Ant is a fool  and laughs dances plays the summer away. Come winter, the Ant is warm and  well fed. The Grasshopper has no food or shelter so he dies out in the  cold.  Indian Version:  The Ant works hard in the withering heat all summer building its house and  laying up supplies for the winter. The Grasshopper thinks the Ant's a fool  and laughs dances plays the summer away.  Come winter, the shivering Grasshopper calls a press conference and demands  to know why the Ant should be allowed to be warm and well...

Be a friend in need (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images ) Here's a list of do's and don'ts when dealing with a friend who is trying to move on post a break-up. A breakup is never easy, especially when you're the friend who has to witness every sob and sniff as your bestie struggles to deal with it. The frustration levels are bound to be high, more so when the same tales are narrated to you time and again. At some point, you want to shake them up and tell them, 'Enough of the drama, you're not the only one who has dealt with a break-up.' But, be patient. Instead of aggravating their misery, we suggest that you help him/her cope with the situation. Read on to know what's right and wrong on your part when dealing with a bestie's break-up. Do's Stand by them: She/he might call on at odd hours, making you miss a serial or a previously made plan. Do that for him/her. Remember, your friend needs you right now, and it's important that you be th...