When gender based violence erupts on our TV screens, as it did recently with instances of molestation in Bengaluru, we react in shock. What does it say about a society where such acts have become routine? The shell of silence surrounding sexual violence needs to be shattered. As a first step towards a more honest conversation, we bring you “Talking Gender”, a series of articles on the fundamental problems of […]

Sweet flag (Acorus calamus) is a perennial herb with immense medicinal value. It is a semi-aquatic herb with distinctive aromatic underground stems, which has numerous medical properties. The dried rhizome of the plant contains a yellow odorous oil. It is an important ingredient in many Ayurvedic medicines, not just for babies, but also for adults. Hippocrates of Kos, the Father of Modern Medicine, and other medical practitioners around the world […]

We all know fibre plays an important role in our diet. Fibre, found only in plant products, can be in two forms – soluble and insoluble – both play different roles in promoting health and preventing diseases. Soluble fibre and its health benefits Soluble fibre is ‘soluble’ in water. It forms a gel-like substance and swells when mixed with water.   Foods rich in soluble fiber include oats and oatmeal, legumes […]

Coffee lovers, rejoice! Drinking a cup of coffee daily may help you live longer than those who don’t, a new study has claimed. Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine in the US have unearthed a connection between advancing age, systemic inflammation, cardiovascular disease and coffee consumption. They found that a chronic inflammatory process that occurs in some older people may trigger cardiovascular problems and increased rates of mortality […]

All of us have done this – clapping – be it celebrations, promotions, good grades and results. Yet, you may not be aware that clapping hands can be a blessing for your health. While this seems to be a joke, clapping hands has many health benefits and it’s absolutely worth putting your hands together and clap. Clapping has been scientifically proven as an effective exercise in curing many diseases. Take […]

“There is a category called Internet gaming addiction. In diagnostic parallels, this type of addiction is under the category for further research. It is not a clear-cut disorder,” says Dr Manish Jain HE USED TO spend eight hours a day in front of the computer screen, glued to the Internet game. Sometimes, he stretched it to 12. The game controlled his thought patterns, social interactions and sleep schedule. And when […]

Ever wanted to find a magical elixir that can improve your overall health and give you that glow you’ve always wanted? Presenting: Cucumber juice. Shilpa Arora (Health Practitioner, Nutritionist and certified Macrobiotic Health Coach) says, “Cucumber juice is packed with nutrients like Vitamin K, Vitamin C, magnesium, phosphorus, riboflavin, B-6, folate, pantothenic acid, iron, silica, calcium and zinc.” That’s perhaps why actress Liv Tyler swears by drinking cucumber juice to […]

Nina Merchant (37) can’t stand the thought of losing another mother. She was a newborn when Kulsum Hussain joined the family as a nanny in the US and became her ‘Maaji’. Hussain nursed her through sickness and health, doubled as a confidante in the heady teenage years, and offered her just the comfort she needed at the death of her mother. Merchant is now trying to pay back. For the […]

In bibliotherapy, the therapist first talks to the patient. If it is a high-school student, he tries to find out details about the student’s life—what interests him, and slowly the conflicts and issues that mentally affect him—post which the therapist slowly tries to create a process. We’ve been told time and again about the benefits of reading—it opens up a whole new world, boosts imagination, helps improve language skills and […]

We all know about the amazing health benefits of Yoga, but the greatest thing amongst all is that Yoga works on changing our internal make-up. According to a recent study conducted at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, practicing yoga daily for 20 minutes can improve brain function and actually focus better on the task at hand. In the study, 30 people performed two tasks involving identifying shapes on […]