C MY K

C MY K

SUNDAY

BODYSCAPE
SNOOZE TIME
ORAC activity
Acai berry Clove Coriander Fennel Nutmeg Black pepper Ginger Cumin Cardamom Red kidney beans

DECCAN CHRONICLE 27 JUNE 2010

IV

TE/100 gms
18,400 1,078,700 298,300 238,400 158,100 79,700 99,300 82,400 36,500 13,259

NO AYES TO ACAI DIET

HERBAL CURE

Tomato keeps cancer away

SLEEP ISSUES
Primary insomnia refers to insomnia that is not caused by any known physical or mental condition. The most common causes of insomnia are:Alcohol, anxiety, coffee and stress. Secondary insomnia is caused by a medical condition. Depression is a very common cause of this.

MCT

THE LATEST IN FAD DIETS IS THE ACAI BERRY DIET WHICH CLAIMS TO HELP WEIGHT LOSS. BUT DOES IT REALLY ACHIEVE WHAT IT CLAIMS?
SUNEETHA SAPUR eight loss or weight management is very simple to explain i.e. it is nothing but the balance of energy, that is balancing the intake of food and spending it in the form of activities. But it is today, a multimillion dollar industry. As with most fads. various diets are very popular and quite expensive to the pocket as well as to health. Usually, they consist of some exotic and exclusive edible substances, but the body does not know about its exclusiveness or its cost, so that it can shed its extra weight. The latest and most popular supplement used for weight reduction is the Acai Berry diet. It is considered a super

SYED AKBAR

SYMPTOMS
Difficulty falling asleep on most nights is one of the most common symptoms of insomnia. People who have primary insomnia tend to keep thinking about getting enough sleep. The more they try to sleep, the greater their sense of frustration and the more difficult sleep becomes. (NYT)

food which claims to lead to rapid, extreme weight loss and rejuvenates you. The Acai Berry diet is the latest hyped super fruit which has got lots of attention due to recent media coverage by the Oprah Winfrey Show, even though many statements are issued by Oprah Winfrey that she is not promoting any of the Acai Berry products. The Acai fruit is a berry and it is a well known fact that berries are rich in antioxidants. There are many other foods which contain higher antioxidant properties like spices, legumes etc. Regular fruits and vegetables are also rich in antioxidants. The claim for weight reduction with the Acai berry is its antioxidant properties; Antioxidants are a group of chemical substances like vitamins, minerals, phenols, tannins etc. which protect you from free radicals. They make you feel better, active and have lot health benefits, for example,

they help to prevent cancer, cardiovascular diseases and improve your immune system. The antioxidant capacity of a substance is measured as Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC). But the fact is that antioxidants are not going to reduce weight. Antioxidants are helpful in many other ways that reduce the metabolic stress when you exercise and go on a weight loss diet. This is why diet foods rich in vitamins and

A high antioxidant diet is not going to reduce weight. It will only help reduce the metabolic stress when you exercise and go on a weight loss diet.

minerals are also included in weight loss programmes. But as such, a high antioxidant diet is not going to reduce weight. For those who dont believe scientific reasoning and believe that antioxidants do reduce weight (many people vouch for the weightreduction properties of Acai Berry supplements), have a look at the table showing the ORAC values of various foods. So, in an Indian diet all the spices and condiments which we use, contain a higher ORAC than any Acai berry. So be sensible and do what is needed to lose weight instead of these fad diets. Change your lifestyle and balance your energy. Take help from professionals, not from marketing people. There are many well qualified health professionals around in every city, try and meet one. ( The writer is a consultant nutritionist and director, Akshaya Foundation)

Italian twist to Indian lapsi

MICHAEL SWAMY INGREDIENTS: 200 gms Italian Bonomelli Polenta (Lapsi) (680 cal) 25 ml pure dolce vita olive oil (240 cal) 100 ml milk (115 cal) 100 ml hot water; 2 tbsps mix of Italian spices and herbs ; 2 tbsps onion, minced (30 cal); 1 tbsp chillies, minced; 1 tbsp garlic, minced (5-10 cal); 10 gm parsley, minced; Salt to taste METHOD: n a non-stick pan, add few drops of pure olive oil and saut the minced onion, garlic and chillies. Now add

CREAMY POLENTA

HEALTHY RECIPE
polenta and at the same time add Italian spices-herbs and keep on stirring for next 2 minutes. Now pour hot milk and hot water in it, then season using salt and fresh minced parsley. Keep on stirring to avoid any lump formation. Serve hot. (1075 cal) BENEFITS: Polenta or broken wheat or lapsi is a tiny pasta made of broken wheat. Its quick preparation saves its essential nutrients. High in fibre, niacin, selenium, and B vitamins which provide the protein of whole wheat. Perfect for the health conscious. The writer is a food stylist

ho can resist a fresh, red, round tomato when one goes to buy vegetables? Tomato is not a native Indian vegetable, but it has endeared many Indians with its beautiful texture, colour, shape, taste and nutritional value. An easy-to-cook vegetable, tomato can also be eaten raw. Tomato goes into practically every Indian dish, right from rasam to biryani, pickle to ketchup and raita to salad. Tomato can be blended and consumed as a health drink, every morning for a refreshingly healthy day. This fruit available throughout the year contains several health benefits including fighting cancers, heart attacks and hypertension. It is also good for people suffering from anaemia thanks to its rich iron content. Other nutrients present in tomato include sulphur, phosphorus, potassium, vitamins A, B and C. The sulphur content in tomato makes it an ideal natural skin ointment. It is now increasingly being used in beauty parlours as a skin rejuvenator. For those suffering from acne and blackheads, tomato has much to offer. A few slices of fresh tomato gently rubbed against the affected portion of the face will provide relief from this teenage skin problem. Like any other natural remedy, the exercise has to be repeated regularly for desired results. As tomato is rich in vitamin A, its regular intake will keep night blindness, a fast increasing menace among children, away. It will also help those suffering from vision defects like myopia (shortsightedness) or hypermetropia (longsightedness).

QUICK REMEDIES
For the beauty conscious, tomato is the readily available natural remedy against dark circles around the eyes. Tomato removes dark circles the natural way without any side effects, unlike synthetic or chemical preparations. Apply tomato paste prepared from a fresh medium sized tomato to the affected area. To make the tomato paste a bit extra consistent and for extra health results, you may add a few drops of lemon juice and a quarter teaspoon of turmeric powder and Bengal gram powder (besan). A glass of juice prepared from fresh tomatoes will solve nagging dermatological troubles like itch and skin rashes. It also keeps the digestive system in good health. Fresh tomato juice is also recommended for mouth ulcers. Alternatively, make a thick paste of tomatoes (do not add water) and apply to the affected portion in the mouth. Tomatoes are also good for the health conscious. Like any vegetable, tomato is high in water content, but is quite low calorie. Eating raw tomatoes will keep the belly full, but without the usual high calories associated with other foodstuff. So eat as many tomatoes as you like, if you want to slim down and look good.

MCT

QUIZ
Dr MANISH DUGAR his simple quiz will help you know how well informed you are about rheumatology. Each right answer fetches you 10 points. Excellent, if your score is 80 and above, good if it is between 60 and 80, average if it is 40 and 60, and bad if the points earned are below 40. Get ready to take the test. 1) Rheumatology is a branch of medicine dealing with problems in : (a) Heart. (b) Stomach. (c) Joints and connective tissues (muscles). (d) Brain. 2) All the statements about arthritis are correct except : (a) Arthritis is a name for a group of conditions affecting the joints. (b) Arthritis affects only the

Factfile about Rheumatology

elderly. (c) There are more than 50 different types of arthritis. (d) Common symptoms include pain and stiffness in the joints. 3) People suffering from arthritis : (a) Should not exercise regularly. (b) Should be on complete bed rest. (c) Can lead a normal life. (d) Should not eat sour food items. 4) The following statements regarding osteoarthritis are true except : (a) It happens due to loss of cartilage and structural changes in the bone. (b) It is more common after the age of 45 years. (c) Risk factors for osteoarthritis include obesity, previous joint injury etc. (d) It cannot affect multiple joints. 5) Lupus or SLE is an autoimmune disease. Which of the following statements regarding SLE is true: (a) It is more common in men than in women. (b) It cannot affect the brain and kidneys. (c) Symptoms in patients with lupus include hair loss, oral ulcers, joint pain and rashes among others. (d) It gets better without treatment. 6) Osteoporosis is a disease characterised by fragile bones and high risk of fractures. All statements below are correct except: (a) It is a silent disease with no symptoms until a fracture happens. (b) Women above 50 years and men above 60 years are at risk of developing it. (c) It can be diagnosed by history of the patient, a physical exam and a bone density test. (d) Calcium and Vitamin D supplements are not an integral part of the treatment in osteoporosis. 7) All statements regarding Vitamin D are correct except : (a) Vitamin D can be adequately obtained from our diet. (b) Vitamin D helps to regulate our immune system. (c) Deficiency of Vitamin D can make our bones weak and prone to fractures. (d) Vitamin D can be produced in the body when the skin is exposed to direct sunlight. 8) All statements regarding rheumatoid arthritis are correct except: (a) It affects women more than men. (b) It occurs more commonly in smokers. (c) If diagnosed early, it can be cured (go into remission) by the available drugs. (d) It is caused by repeated trauma to the joints. 9) Regarding Psoriasis, all statements are true except : (a) It is a skin disease where there is peeling and scaling of skin. (b) Patients with Psoriasis can develop joint pains. (c) It does not affect the nails. (d) Patients with Psoriasis can develop back pain and red eyes due to inflammation in these areas. 10) All the statements regarding back pain are true except: (a) Patients should take bed rest. (b) Back pain getting worse with rest signals inflammation of joints in the spine. (c) Most patients with back pain will improve with treatment. (d) Back pain can be caused by a variety of pathologies such as disc damage, infection, injury, fracture, tumour, arthritis and others. (The writer is a consultant rheumatologist, Apollo Hospitals, Secunderabad)