Run for your life!

Run! No, we are not asking you run to the nearest mall for the best bargain offer. Run for a cause this time, and the let the cause be Life! 

Effective in curing many ailments, apparently running slows down the ageing process, helps fight diseases and psychological disorders and also to lose weight.

In fact, running also enhances the working of the respiratory system by pumping in more oxygen inside our lungs. "Running is one of the greatest ways for reducing stress and blood pressure," confirms Dr Ashok Ghosh.

If the above list of health benefits hasn't convinced you take up a regular running schedule, then maybe the psychological benefits may do the trick. Running, especially outdoor running is known to create a sense of euphoria or contentment in human beings. No prizes for guessing, therefore, that, doctors advise running to treat depression. Incidentally, running is also an effective way to release pent up anger and helps boost confidence among people. "Running elevates the mind and the soul and a calm mind is a tremendous confidence booster," explains Dr Nadkarni.

General physician, Dr Dilip Sengupta, also voices the same opinion, saying, "Running promotes a sense of well-being and has tremendous overall health benefits. Of course, the person should ensure a healthy dietary habit to get the maximum benefits.'

Well, running for your life, literally, should come easy now for everyone.

Tai Chi improves arthritis pain

Participants who were recruited in the largest study of the Arthritis Foundation's Tai Chiprogramme, have shown improvement in pain, fatigue, stiffness and sense of well-being. 

Their ability to reach while maintaining balance also improved, said Leigh Callahan, the study's lead author, associate professor in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and a member of UNC's Thurston Arthritis Research Center. 

"Our study shows that there are significant benefits of the Tai Chi course for individuals with all types of arthritis, including fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis," Callahan said. 

"We found this in both rural and urban settings across a southeastern state and a northeastern state." 


In the study, 354 participants were recruited from 20 sites in North Carolina and New Jersey. They were randomly assigned to two groups. The intervention group received the 8-week, twice-weekly Tai Chi course immediately while the other group was a delayed control group. All participants received baseline and 8-week follow-up evaluations, after which the control group also received the Tai Chi course. 

To be eligible for study, participants had to have any type of self-reported, doctor-diagnosed arthritis, be 18 years old or older and able to move independently without assistance. However, they did not have to be able to perform Tai Chi standing. They were eligible for the study if they could perform Tai Chi seated, Callahan said. 

Self-reports of pain, fatigue and stiffness and physical function performance measures were collected at baseline and at the eight-week evaluation. Participants were asked questions about their ability to perform activities of daily living, their overall general health and psychosocial measures such as their perceived helplessness and self-efficacy. 

At the end of eight weeks the individuals who had received the intervention showed moderate improvements in pain, fatigue and stiffness. They also had an increased sense of well being, as measured by the psychosocial variables, and they had improved reach or balance, Callahan said. 

The results have been presented at the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Rheumatology in Atlanta. 

Home remedies for cough and cold

 With winter, cough and cold are the health issues one will suffer and as the cold wave hitting the country, this health issue is extremely obvious.

And it's not advisable to depend upon allopathic every time as side-effects cannot be neglected. Instead, try some home remedies to cure it and there aren't any side effects to those remedies! Here are few handy tips coming back straight from kitchen:

1. Gargle with hot water by adding a pinch of salt into it, it helps in curing the sore throat.

2. Keep drinking hot drinks like coffee and tea or just hot water.

3. Add turmeric powder, ginger powder and a teaspoon of honey to hot milk. This not only helps in curing cough but also relieves body ache, cold and headache.

4. For cold, steam inhalation with little eucalyptus oil is the best home remedy.

5. Add few tulsi leaves and crushed ginger together with black pepper to your tea; it's a good relief for cough and cold.

6. One can take Chavanprash (it is that the best ayurvedic tonic for winter) or amla murrabba because it includes high content of Vitamin C that helps one to develop a robust immunity against cough and cold.

Carrots make you more attractive

People who eat fruit and vegetables such as carrots and plums are more attractive

Research analysis has shown that men and women whose skin has a yellow glow are thought to be significantly healthy .Yellow pigments referred to as carotenoids, found in fruit and vegetables play a key role in giving the skin that hue. Study's co-author Ian Stephen said that simply 2 months of increased consumption might turn out visible results.

Encouraging the young to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables is good. We should make them understand what will happen if they don’t take more fruits and vegetables. It is the parent’s responsibility to tell them the importance of including fruits and vegetables in our diet.

Carrots are rich in Beta carotene which helps in maintaining a healthy skin, alkaline which purifies the blood, Potassium which helps to keep blood pressure under control. And also carrots are great for dental health, improve digestion, prevent gastric ulcers, good for skin, hair, nails etc and also improve eyes health.

Why should we detox?

Everyday folks are exposed to a large quantity of chemicals and toxins in the atmosphere. These will enter the body through the air we breathe, food, drinks, additionally as being absorbed through the skin. Smoking, alcohol, junk food, artificial sweeteners,  all contribute to the toxic load .

The body has the flexibility to eliminate these toxins so as to stay us healthy; but we do not usually give time . The body desires the suitable time and chance to detox, otherwise we will be left feeling tired, and lethargic. The build from toxins will result in headaches, allergies, infections, body odour, and muscle and joint pain, flu-like symptoms and digestive symptoms like bloating, flatulence and constipation.


So give proper time to softly cleanse and rejuvenate your body, get into form and appearance.

By encouraging toxins and waste matter to be eliminated, the body will perform its traditional processes efficiently with the advantages typically including:

• improved energy
• improved skin health
• higher digestion
• weight loss
• improved mood
• improved libido
• brighter eyes
• higher mental clarity, focus and concentration.

Flawless skin at home

To clear scars caused by accidents, roast turmeric powder (khadi haldi not the packed turmeric out there in markets) and blend  ghee into it.

Gently apply the mixture on scars with fingertips and wash off ater twenty minutes. This mixture fully clears scars.
Another homemade remedy to clear scars is by using baking soda. This can be a natural exfoliator, that aids in gently scraping the scar tissue layer by layer. Create a lightweight paste using two parts of water and one a part of baking soda. Gently scrub the scarred space with this mixture for a few minute. Rinse off. Ensure  avoid rubbing vigorously.

control dandruff

Dandruff could be a common problem, particularly in the winters.

Since the majority wash their hair with hot water throughout the winter , this usually causes the scalp to become dry and flaky. Here are a couple of home remedies you can try to get rid of  dandruff.

-Soak 2 tablespoons of fenugreek (methi) seeds in water overnight. Grind into a fine paste in the morning, apply on the scalp and leave for30 minutes.
. Wash off, ideally with a soap-nut powder. Use the water with which the seeds were soaked as an after-shower hair tonic. Follow this twice per week for the first 15 days and once per week for next 15 days.

-Squeeze a teaspoon of  lime juice in the water..

-Make a paste of lemon juice and fuller's earth and apply this mixture to the scalp once per week.

-Keep curd within the open for 3 days and massage your hair with it for30 minutes before washing..

-Mix cider vinegar with equal quantities of water and dab onto the scalp with cotton wool before bath.