Music can heal cancer, says psychiatrist

Hypertension, the pain of cancer and general anxiety - all these have a common healer in music, world renowned psychiatrist Richard Kogan said in Indian capital.

Kogan, himself a concert pianist, said: "Music has unparalleled capacity to reduce pain and anxiety". "For cardiac patients, music can reduce blood pressure. It can also reduce cortisone (a hormone triggered by stress, which can lead to various illnesses) in the human body," Kogan said. He was addressing a session on "The power of music in healing".

Music can also help patients who have difficulties in speech after having suffered strokes, he said, adding: "Music can also help unlock memories". Giving the example of German composer Ludwig van Beethoven, Kogan said the master pianist, despite suffering from deafness at a very young age, managed to create some of his best pieces because of the healing power of music.

"This science is really exciting," Kogan, who himself uses music to heal patients, said. Demonstrating the power of music, Kogan, who conducts a private practice in New York, played bits of musical pieces on the piano during the session.

Emphasising the importance of music in treating mental illness, he said: "Mental illness is significantly over represented. All great painters, artists and musicians have significantly more problems than the general population".

He, however, felt that when it came to music, it was individual preference which mattered. Any music that appeals is likely to heal, he said.

Top 10 Diabetes Super Foods

Top 10 Diabetes Super Foods

Ever see the top 10 lists for foods everyone should eat to superpower your diet? Ever wonder which will mesh with your diabetes meal plan? Wonder no more. Your list of the top 10 diabetes superfoods has arrived.

As with all foods, you need to work the diabetes superfoods into your individualized meal plan in appropriate portions.

All of the foods in our list have a low glycemic index or GI and provide key nutrients that are lacking in the typical western diet such as:

• calcium
• potassium
• fiber
• magnesium
• vitamins A (as carotenoids), C, and E.

There isn’t research that clearly points to supplementation, so always think first about getting your nutrients from foods. Below is our list of superfoods to include in your diet.

Beans

Whether you prefer kidney, pinto, navy or black beans, you can’t find better nutrition than that provided by beans. They are very high in fiber giving you about 1/3 of your daily requirement in just a ½ cup and are also good sources of magnesium, and potassium.

They are considered starchy vegetables but a ½ cup provides as much protein as an ounce of meat without the saturated fat. To save time you can use canned beans, but be sure to drain and rinse them to get rid of as much sodium as possible.

Dark Green Leafy Vegetables

Spinach, collards, kale – these powerhouse foods are so low in calories and carbohydrate, you can’t eat too much.

Citrus Fruit

Grapefruit, oranges, lemons and limes. Pick your favorites and get part of your daily dose of soluble fiber and vitamin C.

Sweet Potatoes

A starchy vegetable packed full of vitamin A and fiber. Try in place of regular potatoes for a lower GI alternative.

Berries

Which are your favorites: blueberries, strawberries or another variety? Regardless, they are all packed with antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. Make a parfait alternating the fruit with light, non-fat yogurt for a new favorite dessert.

Tomatoes

An old standby where everyone can find a favorite. The good news is that no matter how you like your tomatoes, pureed, raw, or in a sauce, you’re eating vital nutrients like vitamin C, iron, vitamin E.

Fish High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Salmon is a favorite in this category. Stay away from the breaded and deep fat fried variety... they don’t count in your goal of 6-9 ounces of fish per week.

Whole Grains

It’s the germ and bran of the whole grain you’re after.  It contains all the nutrients a grain product has to offer. When you purchase processed grains like bread made from enriched wheat flour, you don’t get these. A few more of the nutrients these foods offer are magnesium, chromium, omega 3 fatty acids and folate.

Pearled barley and oatmeal are a source of fiber and potassium.

Nuts

An ounce of nuts can go a long way in providing key healthy fats along with hunger management. Other benefits are a dose of magnesium and fiber.

Some nuts and seeds, such as walnuts and flax seeds, also contain omega-3 fatty acids.

Fat-free Milk and Yogurt

Everyone knows dairy can help build strong bones and teeth. In addition to calcium, many fortified dairy products are a good source of vitamin D. More research is emerging on the connection between vitamin D and good health.

Some of the above list can be tough on the budget depending on the season and where you live. Look for lower cost options such as fruit and vegetables in season or frozen or canned fish.

Foods that every budget can live with year round are beans and rolled oats or barley that you cook from scratch.

Top 10 Benefits of Physical Activity

Top 10 Benefits of Physical Activity

When many people decide to "get fit," they assume it involves rigorous activity. But you don't have to spend hours in a gym to be physically active. People can get in shape by performing everyday activities in the home. Every time you and your child throw a softball, swim a lap, climb a flight of stairs, walk to the store, or carry packages, your health and fitness levels are improving.

When someone is physically fit, she feels and looks better, and she stays healthier. The earlier a child starts getting in shape, the more she'll reduce her risk of numerous illnesses. Here are some of the benefits that physical activity offers your child:

1. It strengthens the heart. The heart is a muscle. Like other muscles, its performance improves when it's regularly challenged by exercise. The heart responds to exercise by becoming stronger and more efficient. Strengthening the heart muscle can help ward off heart disease -- the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services -- even in early childhood.

2. It helps keep arteries and veins clear. Exercise reduces the amount of harmful cholesterol and fats in a person's blood. It increases the flexibility of the walls of blood vessels, and helps to lower blood pressure. This can reduce a person's risk for heart attack and stroke.

3. It strengthens the lungs. Working hard increases lung capacity, and their efficiency in moving air in and out of the body. As a result, more oxygen is drawn into the body and more carbon dioxide and other waste gases are expelled. Regular exercise helps prevent the decline in oxygen intake that occurs naturally with age or as a result of inactivity.

4. It reduces blood sugar levels. Exercise prevents sugar from accumulating in the blood by triggering muscles to take up more glucose from the bloodstream and use it for energy. This can reduce a person's risk of developing diabetes.

5. It controls weight. When a person is sedentary, he tends to be taking in more calories than are needed. These unused calories accumulate as fat. A person who is physically active may have a deficit of calories, which takes fat away and lowers weight. Lowered weight is good for the heart and can be beneficial in people with diabetes.

6. It strengthens bones. Just as muscles grow stronger when physically stressed, bones also respond by getting stronger. Exercise increases bone density, which helps prevent osteoporosis, a condition in which bones lose density, weaken, and become porous and fragile.

7. It helps prevent cancer. People who exercise regularly have lower incidences of cancer. The cancers most affected include colon, prostate, uterine, and breast cancers.

8. It regulates blood pressure. Exercise has been shown to reduce stress levels. As the levels of stress in a person's body subsides, his blood pressure and his risk for heart disease decline.

9. It improves energy levels. Regular exercise often makes people feel more energetic, allows them to be more active, and reduces the likelihood that they'll tire during the day.

10. It enhances emotional well-being. Most people report that they feel calm and have a sense of well-being after they exercise. Exercise, according to one theory, releases beta-endorphin, a natural substance in the body that is hundreds of times more potent than morphine. Another theory points to serotonin as the cause of the exercise high. Increased levels of serotonin in the central nervous system are associated with feelings of well-being, heightening of appetite, and lessening of mental depression. The weight loss that accompanies exercise can also cause people to feel better about themselves.

Top Ten – Winter Foods in India (Eating with the season)

Top Ten – Winter Foods in India (Eating with the season)

 

Modern food processing and worldwide distribution have made every variety of fruit and vegetable available all year-round. But traditionally, vegetables and fruits have been seasonal. And research suggests, that eating with the season is healthier as there is a variation in the nutrient content of veggies when they are harvested off-season.

And that’s why we bring to you a list of veggies, fruits and nuts that have traditionally been available during the winter months:

1.oranges

Winter is the season for fresh citrus fruits and oranges are our top pick here. This tart-sweet fruit packs in a load of the very essential vitamin-C — that helps your body in its fight against germs; in addition to potassium, folate, minerals and fibre. What more, you ask? It’s low in calories too! Have you started eating them yet?

2. Apples

Well, we have all heard it – “An apple a day, keeps the doctor away”. This otherwise super-expensive fruit is available in plenty during the chilly months, which makes it more affordable. Bite into one for your mid-day snack, and reap its benefits!

3. Carrots

Next on our list are carrots. This root vegetable has more carotene (what the body converts to vitamin-A) than any fruit or vegetable. In addition, carrots are an excellent source of vitamins B, C, D, E and K, as well as calcium pectate (a pectin fibre that has cholesterol-lowering properties). Make gajar (carrot) halwa or eat them raw, this one is a must have.

4. Mustard leaves

A winter crop, the mustard plant’s leaves are highly nutritious. The young tender leaves of the plant are flavourful and very popular in the state of Punjab. Fresh mustard greens are an excellent source of several vital antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and carotenes. Include the goodness of these leaves in your diet this winter season.

5. Peas

Add them in your pulav or make some yummy muttar panner (peas and cottage cheese gravy). Peas, with their sweet taste and starchy texture come loaded with phytonutrients that provide us with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. Further, recent research shows that these legumes can help prevent stomach cancer.

6. Turnips

The best turnips come to the market in this season. A root vegetable about the size of an apple, turnips pack in insoluble fibre, folates, vitamins and minerals. This root vegetable has a rather pungent taste, which becomes mild after cooking.

7. Spinach

It’s counted among the world’s healthiest veggies, thanks to its nutrient richness. Vitamins, minerals, carotenoids and a host of flavonoids that offer antioxidant protection – this leafy vegetable – has them all. Whether you choose to make some palak paneer (spinach and cottage cheese gravy), or just stir fry it, make sure you’re eating this one!

8. Fenugreek leaves

We all know it better as methi, loaded with vitamins, minerals, fibre and phytonutrients. It can lower cholesterol, help keep your diabetes under check and more. Make those methi parathas, today!

9. Radishes

Radish, a root crop that is pungent or sweet in taste is available in plenty during winter. This root vegetable has a lot of roughage and is a powerhouse of potassium, folic acid and ascorbic acid. Eat it raw, make parathas, sambhar or whatever.

10. Peanuts

A source of vitamins, potassium, protein, carbohydrates, calcium and fat – peanuts are good for you in so many ways. Roast or boil some peanuts and have them with your tea this chilly evening or make some peanut burfi, because they freshly arrive in the winter season.