Exercise Sharpens the Brain

It is well known that exercise increases our fitness levels by making the muscles more resistant to fatigue. Past research has found exercise spurs the birth of new mitochondria -- structures in the cells that produce the body's energy. Now, a team from the University of South Carolina has revealed that a regular gym session could sharpen the mind in exactly the same way. They have found that regular treadmill workout helps in brain functioning.

Sleep Improves with Age

Contrary to common wisdom, sleep gets better with age, with adults in their 80s getting better sleep than any other age group. More than a person's biological age, a new study suggest, it's factors like stress and underlying depression or illness that tend to affect quality of rest.

When such influences are taken out of the equation, elderly adults aren't any more likely to report sleep problems  than younger adults in their 20s and 30s, shows a study done in the US, reports journal Sleep.

Anorexia is Socially Transmitted!

Anorexia is a socially transmitted disorder that is more common in countries such as France where women are thinner than average, reports new research from the London School of Economics (LSE).

The "economic analysis" of Anorexia, using a sample of nearly 3,000 young women across Europe, concluded that peer group pressure is one of the most significant influences on self-image and the development of Anorexia and appeared just as the autumn/winter season is winding up with Paris Fashion Week.

Hygiene Tips

Here are some hygiene tips:

• Must brush/floss your teeth regularly
• Taking a bath twice a day keeps the skin healthy and keeps away body odor
• Breath fresheners should be used at regular intervals especially by smokers
• A deodorant /anti-perspirant should be used at all times
• Mild, fresh fragrances/perfume should be worn at all times. Avoid very strong fragrances
• Foot talc is recommended as it keeps away odor as well as gives comfort to the feet
• Do not eat garlic or onions during office hours
• Avoid chewing gum or paan/supari during office hours
• Ears must be kept clean and dry

Donate and save the children!

Ethical Advice on Flirting!

I recently came across an interesting article on ethical and practical advice on flirting. I am really tempted to reproduce the whole article for the benefit of those who may not have read it! Here is the article:

A philosophy professor from Pennsylvania has offered some ethical and practical advice on flirting. "Flirting is an art form. The accomplished flirt knows when to be subtle and when to be blunt," said philosophy professor Steve Gimbel. "But the game can be dangerous, especially if you are involved with someone. Does your lover have a right to be pissed at you for flirting? Like so much in ethics, the answer is it depends," he explained. Gimbel defined flirting as the first steps of courtship without the intent of it going beyond that point. It is good natured play. He equates flirting to romance as sparring is to boxing. And he adds that neither person will get hurt because both parties know that it is going nowhere and is harmless.

"Flirting is different from engaged, friendly conversation. It is also different from hitting on or teasing someone. There's an edge to flirting because both of you know it isn't real. Flirting is for playing around, hitting on is for players," Gimbel said. But is there anything morally wrong with flirting? Gimbel explained that on the face of it, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with being a flirt. Exclusive relationships require fidelity and that means not sharing one's most intimate side with anyone else, either physically or emotionally, Gimbel said.

"Flirts, like married actors who perform love scenes, are playing a part, only this one is not pre-scripted. The depth of true romantic involvement is something completely different from the shallowness of flirting,"Gimbel stated. "A flirt is perfectly capable of enjoying a fulfilling and exclusive relationship. Of course, that requires a certain sort of partner," he asserted. Gombel explained that generally partners in a relationship come in two flavours: confident and secure or insecure and seeking approval.

"Being with a flirt is a constant reminder that the person attracted to you is found attractive by those around you, and some people are comfortable with that but most people are not," Gimbel said. That's because flirting for the most part, according to Gimbel, is indistinguishable from hitting on someone. If your partner has any worries about your faithfulness - reasonable or not - watching you flirt will be painful. Sexually charged attention directed at someone other than your partner can send an unintended message, Gimbel said.

"Part of being in an inter-personal relationship is to be concerned about your partner's feelings and flirting may have unintended consequences that you need to be aware of," Gimbel said. Sleeping around on your lover is ethically and morally wrong, according to Gimbel. For others though, it isn't the act but the consequences of the act that make the moral difference. As Gimbel said, there is nothing wrong with the act of flirting but context matters.

"Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr said that the right to swing your fist ends where your neighbour's nose begins. You have every right to swing your fist or flirt with whomever you like, as long as you are acutely aware of where your neighbour's nose and your lover's feelings begin," he added.

On Relationship and Marriage

We have always known Sonam Kapoor as the ultimate fashion icon of bollywood. And she has lived up to that reputation by showing up at quite a few international fashion shows, of late. But when I read her first person account of her thoughts on relationship and marriage in a recent issue of iDiva, it was a very pleasant surprise to me to stumble upon another facet of Sonam Kapoor's balanced and mature personality. Here are some gems:

"To me singlehood is, if you are not married, or not in a really, really committed relationship. If you are just dating or seeing someone for a while, I feel, that's still being single. You are still by yourself, because being single is having your own life. And when you are in a relationship you essentially share your life, you pay for each other, you have a collective pool of money, you have a house together; that for me  is a relationship. But being single is being independent, having your own life, your own money, being able to make your own decisions, without anyone else influencing you. I think as time is progressing, I feel being single is also now coming with a sense of self-respect, especially for women. I actually feel lucky and privileged to be a single woman in this era, as opposed to my mom's time. Though we may look back and think 'but our moms had all these normal things happening to them, they were more secure' -- honestly, I think they had more insecurity then.

"I  think women then didn't think they could be by themselves. By the time they were 24, they were 'old ladies' and they couldn't get married. Which is ridiculous, it's like 'Oh my life is over because I can't get married!' I really don't think their times were about more security, but fundamental insecurity in who they were without a man or a marriage! And now, it doesn't matter. You marry out of free will. If I marry, it will be from a personal choice, not some social compulsion or norm. It may not work that way for women in small towns, but I think it's slowly getting there. It's definitely there in big metros.

"In this day and age, the first person you really need to love is yourself. You prioritize yourself and your work...all these come first. First, you need to be happy in a relationship. You shouldn't think five years down the line, that 'I did all this for you, I sacrificed all this'. I think that should never be the case. And I think there should be compromises on both sides. No relationship works without making an effort. That goes without saying. But you should never overcompensate".

Now, Brush Your Teeth to keep off Brain Disease!

A new study has claimed that the habit of brushing teeth after every meal could also help stave off meningitis, apart from preventing bad breath, cavities and gum disease. Swiss researchers have found a link between a common type of mouth bacteria and meningitis, a bacterial infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, the Daily Telegraph recently reported. The findings have been published in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology.

Meningitis, the swelling of the tissue around the brain, can be caused by the bacteria, viruses or other micro-organisms. It can be life-threatening due to the inflammation's proximity to the brain and spinal cord. The most common symptoms of meningitis are headache and neck stiffness associated with fever, confusion or altered consciousness, vomiting, and an inability to tolerate light or loud noises.