Discovering the beauty of body and mind The Journal of December 2010

HEALTH &

HAPPINESS

How yoga

uplifts mood

& reduces anxiety

Could Vitamin B stop

your brain from shrinking

UNDERSTANDING HEART ATTACK How to cut down

fat in Indian food

Atul Kochar's Health & Happiness recipe

ãjivan: the society for health & happiness

Discovering the

beauty of body

and

mind Health and Happiness

- these two words

sum up the essence of

life. In the race of

modern life we often tend to ignore them. We often see

around us unsmiling and tense faces. We seem to have

forgotten some of the simple and effortless things that

could make us a cheerful society. Think about exchanging

smiles. It costs nothing, not even a physical effort. It

pleases others and above all it makes us look happy and

cheerful. So the first and the only condition to join ãjivan:

the Society for Health & Happiness is to give a smile to the

people around you. Smile is the best beauty-aid.

This journal is a small attempt to achieve a big goal – to

encourage you to remain healthy and happy, to give you

the latest health news, to tell you some inspirational stories

and to encourage an attitude of self-help and self-

development. We realise it is a difficult task, but let’s take

the first step. Big ideas begin with humble trials.

We begin this task with the mantra that President Obama

put it so beautifully - "Yes we can". So let's make a small

attempt to create a happy and healthy society.

Experience suggests that in many sections, particularly

among the ethnic minority communities, the level of health

awareness is fairly low. We aim to empower communities

with knowledge and confidence about crucial health issues.

We shall try to explain complex health information in

simple language.

Important though the physical health is, the role of mind

must not be underestimated. As the main driver of our

emotional health, the mind plays a significant role in our

wellbeing. Many of us do very little to look after it. Let's

exercise our mind. Give it some fresh air, new ideas and a

flight of imagination. Train it to focus and to meditate.

Let's rediscover the beauty of mind and wield the power of

positive thought.

ãjivan: The Society for Health and Happiness is a small

community group based in West London. We have many ideas

but meagre recourses. We need your support in this campaign to

create a healthy and happy society.

Vijay Rana, Editor, The Journal of Health & Happiness

The Journal of

HEALTH & HAPPINESS

In this issue:

~ Yoga can uplift mood and reduce anxiety

~ Finding the 'Elixir of Life'

~ B Vitamins to prevent your brain loss

~ Smarter kids need to be spoiled by cuddles

~ Video games and teenage aggression

~ Understanding Heart Attack

~ Brush your teeth to avoid heart disease

~ Obesity in the OECD countries

~ Marathon man Fauja Singh at 99'

~ How to reduce fat in Indian food

~ Atul Kochar's antioxidant salad

--------------------------------------------------

Disclaimer: The information available in this

magazine is for general awareness only. It is

NOT a substitute for the knowledge and

judgment of qualified medical experts. We

have tried to obtain information from sources

believed to be accurate and reliable.

However, we make no warranty as to the

accuracy, reliability or completeness of this

information. Should you have any health or

medical condition, you are strongly advised to

consult a qualified physician or other health

care professional. Views expressed by our

contributors are their own and we take no

responsibility for their views. We intend to

promote health and happiness within the

community and we do not support and

endorse any products, companies, interest

groups or lobbies.

------------------------------------------------

The Journal of Health and Happiness

is published by a West London based

community group ãjivan: The Society for

Health and Happiness.

Tel: 07850 374 595; info@ajivan.com,

www.ajivan.com

"... neither ought you attempt to

cure the body without the soul."

Plato

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever"

Mahatma Gandhi

Yoga can

uplift mood,

reduce anxiety

and relax

your mind

Boston University School of Medicine have found that compared

to other forms of exercises, yoga is one of the best ways to uplift

mood and reduce anxiety. In a study published in the Journal of

Alternative and

Complementary Medicine,

these scientists have

successfully demonstrated that

yogic postures increase GABA

levels in the brain like the

popular drug Valium to create

calm.

GABA (Gamma-Amino

Buytric Acid) is an amino acid

made in brain cells. It is one of

numerous neurotransmitters in

the brain that send messages

from one part of the brain to another. High GABA levels are

associated with a calming and relaxing effect, whereas low levels

are associated with anxiety and stress.

The Boston team followed two groups of healthy individuals

over a 12-week long period. One group practiced yoga three times

a week for one hour, while the other group walked for the same

period of time. Using magnetic resonance spectroscopic (MRS)

imaging, participant's brains were scanned before the study

began. At week 12, the researchers

compared the GABA levels of both

groups before and after their final 60-

minute session.

Each subject was also asked to

assess his or her psychological state

at several points throughout the

study, and those who practiced yoga

reported a more significant decrease

in anxiety and greater improvements

in mood than those who walked.

The leader of the team Dr. Chris

Streeter, an associate professor of

psychiatry and neurology at BUSM, said though this research

warrants further study of the relationship between yoga and

mood, the practice of yoga should be considered as a potential

therapy for certain mental disorders.

The Yoga Population in the UK and US:

Approximately 22% of schools in the UK now teach

yoga as part of their PE lessons. According to the

consumer research company TGI, in 2004, more than

2.5 million people regularly practiced yoga in the UK.

In 2003 the Yoga Journal estimated that approximately

25.5 million Americans (12% of the population) were

"very interested" in yoga. A further 35.5 million people

(16%) intended to try yoga in the next year and 109.7

million (over half the population) had at least "casual

interest" in yoga.

Rejection literally causes heartbreak

A three-member team of researchers led by a University of Amsterdam psychologist Dr Bregtje Gunther Moor

measured beat-by-beat heart rate changes in 22 students as they received either rejection or acceptance of

their portrait photos they had submitted earlier.

When hooked up to electrocardiogram monitors, the students reliably showed a skip in their hearts when

they thought they had been rejected by someone shown their photograph.

Brutally, the students were also asked to estimate whether the faces in the photos were older or younger

than 21. The same heart-skip showed up when participants thought they were being judged as older.

NEWS IN BRIEF

'Elixir of Life': an extra 9 and a half year to live We all have been looking for that elusive 'Elixir of Life' since old age. We may still not have it but, it seems, we have found a way to prolong our life on earth. Researchers in Italy have claimed that a cocktail of three amino acids - the building blocks of proteins - could add an extra 9 and a half years to our life. A team led by Dr Enzo Nisoli of the University of Milan gave mice drinking water mixed with three amino acids - leucine, isoleucine and valine. It increased the average lifespan of the mice by 12% and added another 95 days to their average life of 774 days. Another exciting finding was that it improved the stamina and muscle co-ordination of the elderly mice, and increased the number of mitochondria (the ‘power stations’ of the body) in each cell. Dr Nisoli said:"Our study offers a rationale for deeply exploring the role of amino acids in prevention and control of age-related disorders in humans." If this research is applied to us humans in the UK, we might gain an extra 9 and a half years to our average life of 79.4 years. Remember, replicating this research on humans might take many years and also many medical experiments done on mice never succeeded on humans. Stop garlic odour with a glass of milk

Garlic is good for your heart. Yet a lot of people are put off by its

pungent smell. The main culprit is a sulphur compound called allyl methyl sulphide or AMS. It cannot be broken down in the gut during the digestion process, so it is released from the body in the breath and sweat. Now two scientists, Sheryl Barringer and Areerat Hansanugrum, have found a way out. In a study, published in the Journal of Food Science, they suggest eating raw or cooked garlic with milk will "significantly reduce" the mouth odour. Mixing milk with garlic in the mouth before swallowing could have a higher deodorizing effect and full-fat milk would give you better results than skimmed milk.

Return unused medicines; save NHS money Do you have unopened packs of medicines lying at home, did you forget to collect your repeat prescription or your medical condition has improved and you do not need the drugs anymore, then return your unused medicines to your community pharmacy. If we all heed this simple advice we can save the NHS at least £100 million a year. A study presented at the Royal Pharmaceutical annual conference in September suggests that patients could play an important part in reducing medicines wastage by ensuring that unused medicines are removed from the repeat prescriptions. The study was conducted in Guernsey and Alderney after a public education campaign. Lead researcher ElMarie Brache said: "The estimated annual cost of prescription drugs returned in 2009 was over £186,000 for a total population of 62,000 in the two islands." Neal Patel, spokesperson for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said: "For the NHS, the most expensive medicines are those that aren't taken by patients..." He advised patients to return their unused medicines to their local community pharmacist. Medicines wastage is a common problem across the globe and the World Health Organisation says in many cases up to 50% medicines are wasted by patients suffering from long term conditions.

Alarming fat, salt and calories in movie popcorns

Did you watch your last movie munching from a large tub of popcorns and thought it a pretty harmless indulgence - a fat free and low calorie snack. Think again. A large bag of sweet popcorn could contain an alarming 1,800 calories - the equivalent of a large curry with side dishes and two bottles of beer. Last year the Washington based Centre for Science in Public Interest reviewed the nutritional contents of

snacks sold in three major movie theatre chains in the US. It found an alarming amount of fat, Salt and calories. A large tub of popcorn had 1,200 calories, 980 milligrams of sodium and 60 grams of saturated fat. Buttery toppings added another 130 calories. It's true that plain air-popped popcorn is low in calories and free of saturated fat. But in movie theatres popcorn is popped in oil — often coconut oil, which is 90 percent saturated fat. Add salt to the enormous portions, and your healthy snack turns into a health hazard. And that's not the end of the story. Other cinema snacks also come at price to both your pocket and to your health. Think about hot dogs containing about 650 calories, nachos with cheese having as much as 716 calories and a large Coca Cola with 328 calories. So next time you go to movie stick a bottle of water or juice and a low calorie snack in your bag.

B vitamins could protect your

brain from shrinking

A team of Oxford University scientists have found that daily

tablets of B Vitamins could half the rate of brain shrinkage

among older people experiencing memory loss, language

problems and decline of other mental functions. The problem is

called as Mild Cognitive Impairment(MCI). Around 1 in 6

elderly people in the UK, who are over 70, experience MCI and

approximately half of the people with MCI develop dementia,

mainly Alzheimer's. The study, published in the journal of

Public Library of Science One, looked at 168 elderly people

experiencing some form of mental decline. The researchers

found that on average the brains of those taking certain B

vitamins - folic acid, vitamin B6 and B12 - shrank at a rate of

0.76% a year, while those in the placebo group had an average

brain shrinkage rate of 1.08%. These B vitamins are known to

control levels of the amino acid homocysteine in the blood. It is

well known that the high levels of homocysteine are associated

with increased risk of Alzheimer's.

Professor David Smith of the Department of Pharmacology,

Oxford University, co-leader of the trial said: “It is our hope

that this simple and safe treatment will delay the development

of Alzheimer’s disease in many people who suffer from mild

memory problems."

Today there are about 1.5 million elderly in UK, 5 million in

USA and 14 million in Europe with such memory problems.

Rebecca Wood, Chief Executive of the Alzheimer’s Research

Trust, which co-funded the study, said: “These are very

important results, with B vitamins now showing a prospect of

protecting some people from Alzheimer’s in old age." More

research has to be done, she said.

The World Alzheimer Report, published in September, said

that the costs associated with dementia will amount to more

than 1% of the world's gross domestic product this year at

£388bn. This is more than the revenue of retail giant Wal-Mart

or oil firm Exxon Mobil. In the UK, for example, experts

estimate that every dementia patient costs the economy £27,647

per year. This is mainly due to rising life expectancy. More

people are now living into their 80s and 90s. Therefore, age

related illnesses are going to rise.

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Boost your brain by regular walking A nine year long Pittsburgh University study of 299 older

people suggested that those walking between six and nine

miles a week appeared to have more brain tissue and had

less "brain shrinkage", which is linked to memory

problems. The more the participants walked at the

beginning of the study, the greater their brain volume nine

years later. The study concluded greater amounts of

walking are associated with greater gray matter volume,

which is in turn associated with a reduced risk of cognitive

impairment. Susanne Sorensen, from the Alzheimer's

Society, UK said the study was further evidence that

regular exercise could lead to a healthy brain.

Intelligent babies have to be

spoiled with hugs and cuddles 'Out of touch' means out of health and happiness

Darcia Narvaez, the Associate Professor

of Psychology and Director of the

Collaborative for Ethical Education at

the University of Notre Dame, has once

again reaffirmed through a series of

studies that the babies who get more

positive touch and affection grow up as

kinder, more intelligent and care more

about others. She presented her findings

at a conference in the US in October.

She conducted three studies, the first

one comparing American and Chinese

parental practices. The second one

looked into the children of teenage

mothers who have suffered child abuse.

And the third study examined parents of

3-year-olds. All three studies found that

babies who get more hugs and cuddles

from their parents often get a head

start life. Children who were held

more by their parents, whose cries

received quick response in infancy

and who did not experience negative touch, such as slap, hit or pinch, were more empathic and were better able to

understand the minds of others when they grew up. Dr Narvaez, whose research explores questions of moral

cognition, moral development and moral character education said that highly affectionate parenting has been the natural

way since the beginning of human society. Consider the hunter-gatherer age, a child would never have slept away from

her parents, who would instinctively respond to his cries. A child sleeping alone might not feel safe and might be

stressed. While crying his brain expects a quick response. Dr Narvaez argues that meeting a baby's expectation will not

only calm him down then, it will have added benefits of intelligence and empathy in later life. Dr Narvaez parental tips: .

Negative touch or physical punishment harms a child's brain and moral development and breaks his trust.

Do not isolate babies. Keep them on your body as much as possible.

Let your children sit on your lap when they want to.

Gentle, firm-touch massage is good for babies.

Violent TV or video games make teenagers more aggressive

A US study, published in the journal Social Cognitive & Affective Neuroscience, has found that repeated viewing of

violent scenes in films, television or video games could make teenagers behave more aggressively. A team of

researchers led by Dr Jordan Grafman of the National Institute of Health studied 22 boys aged 14 to 17 when they

viewed 60 violent scenes, mostly involving street brawling and fist fights. According to Dr Grafman, “...continued

exposure to violent videos will make an adolescent less sensitive to violence, more accepting of violence, and more

likely to commit aggressive acts since the emotional component associated with aggression is reduced and normally acts

as a brake on aggressive behaviour. No prior study has examined this from the complete perspective we had that

included behaviour and brain activation ...in adolescent brains.”

Brush your teeth twice a day to keep heart disease away A study published in the British Medical Journal suggests

that people who do not brush their teeth twice a day

might put themselves at a significantly high risk of heart

disease.

Researchers, led by Cesar de Oliveira of the University

of London, examined self-reported oral hygiene habits and

coronary disease among more than 11,000 adults from the

Scottish Health Survey between the years 1995 and 2003. Taking into account factors that affect heart disease

risk, such as social class, obesity, smoking and family

history, the researchers found those with the worst oral

hygiene had a 70% increased chance of developing

heart disease compared with those who brush their

teeth twice a day.

It is known that inflammation in the body, including in

the mouth and gums, has an important role in the build up

of clogged arteries, which can lead to a heart attack.

Participants were also asked how often they visited the

dentist and how often they brushed their teeth. Almost 60

per cent people said they visited the dentist every six

months and approximately 70 per cent reported brushing

their teeth twice a day. During this eight-year study there

were 555 "cardiovascular events" such as heart attacks,

170 of which were fatal.

Researchers also tested blood samples of

approximately 5,000 people to find two key inflammatory

markers (C reactive protein and fibrinogen). They found a

clear link between poor oral hygiene and high levels of

these markers, suggesting inflammation as a possible link

between oral and heart health. The study recommended

that, "doctors should be alert to the possible oral source of

an increase inflammatory burden."

So follow a good oral hygiene routine, brushing your

teeth at least twice a day, and reduce your chances of heart

disease.

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Understanding Heart Attack You might have seen in movies, when an actor goes through an emotionally shocking event, he clutches his heart,

squirms with pain and collapses on floor. This is not how most heart attacks happen. The truth is that many heart

attacks start slowly, as a mild pain or discomfort in your chest. If you feel such a symptom, you may not be sure what's

wrong. Your symptoms may even come and go. Even those who have had a heart attack may not recognize their

symptoms, because the next attack can have entirely different symptoms. You must immediately call 999. Reaching

hospital quickly could save your life.

What happens during a heart

attack?

During a heart attack, a blood clot

blocks one of the arteries that delivers

blood to your heart. If the blood

supply is cut off for too long, part of

the heart will die. This might cause

permanent damage since heart muscle

doesn't grow back.

Your heart and what it does

Your heart is in the middle of your

chest, under your breastbone. It's a

muscle that is shaped like a fist. But

your heart is different from the

muscles in your arms and legs. It works automatically, 24

hours, all your life. It's like a pump. Every time it beats, it

pushes blood around your body. Blood carries oxygen and

nutrients to your cells. Your heart works harder, and for

longer, than any other organ. If your heart stops working,

every other part of your body will die within minutes.

Your heart beats around 60 times to 80 times a minute. But

it can beat as many as 150 times a minute if you're exercising

hard and your body needs more food and oxygen. Your heart

needs more oxygen from blood than other muscles do.

How a clot forms

Normally our arteries should have a smooth lining. This

helps the blood flow through them and stops it clotting. But

in some people these arteries become clogged by fatty

substances, such as cholesterol. These

substances are called plaques or

atheromas.

Consequently the artery gets

narrower, stiffer and less smooth than

it should be. Doctors call this

condition atherosclerosis. This could

also be described as hardening of the

arteries. Sometimes one of these fatty

deposits or plaques cracks from the

arterial wall and forms a clot. When

this clot is big enough to block the

artery, stopping blood supply to a

section of heart, then heart attacks

happen. Atherosclerosis is very common. It can occur in

arteries anywhere in your body. If you have atherosclerosis in

your coronary arteries, you have heart disease. You may hear

doctors call this ischaemic heart disease, coronary artery

disease, coronary heart disease or coronary vascular disease.

All these names mean the same thing.

You may have heart disease for many years without

knowing it.

A heart attack may be the first sign of trouble. Or you may

get a type of chest pain called angina. This type of pain is a

warning sign of a heart attack. You get angina when not

enough blood gets to your heart. It's usually caused by

atherosclerosis. But unlike a heart attack, pain from angina

usually goes away if you rest.

Where is your Heart? Did you place your hand on the left

side of your chest? Many people

do, but the heart is actually

located almost in the centre of the

chest, between the lungs. It's

tipped slightly so that a part of it

sticks out and taps against the left

side of the chest.

Business Development / Sales

Executive required to join our team on

attractive terms. Located in west London you will

be responsible for seeking out and developing

contacts with new businesses for this magazine.

You will be required to sell advertising and

marketing opportunities to businesses across

London and possibly across the UK.

Contact: jobs@ajivan.com

Advertise in The Journal of Health & Happiness

Where every page is eye catching;

every story matters and news that

you can use

Advertising for a good cause Contact: 07850 374 595; info@ajivan.com

How to recognise symptoms of heart attack

The symptoms of a heart attack include:

chest pain: the pain is usually located in the centre of your chest and can feel like a sensation of pressure, tightness or squeezing

pain in other parts of the body: it can feel as if the pain is travelling from your chest to your arms (usually the left arm is affected but it can affect both arms), jaw, neck, back and abdomen

shortness of breath

nausea

an overwhelming sense of anxiety (similar to having a panic attack)

feeling light headed

coughing

vomiting

wheezing The level of pain can vary significantly from person to person. For many people, the pain is severe and it has been described as feeling like ‘an elephant was sitting on my chest’. However, this is not always the case. For others, the pain can be minor and is similar to that experienced during indigestion. Also, some women and older people do not experience any chest pain at all. One American study found that a third of people who had a heart attack did not call an ambulance. Once you suspect that you are having a heart attack dial 999 to ask for an ambulance immediately. Nobody would blame you if it's a false alarm. While waiting for the ambulance If you know that you are not allergic to aspirin and aspirin is easily available, chew (do not swallow) an adult size tablet while you are waiting for the ambulance to arrive. The aspirin will help to thin your blood and restore the blood supply to your heart. (Source: NHS Choices)

OECD Report on obesity Obesity

is public health

enemy number

one

Photo: Colin Rose

- The countries in the world with the highest obesity rates

are USA, Mexico, New Zealand, Australia, United

Kingdom, Canada and Ireland.

- Among the ten slimmest countries in the OECD

(Organization for Economic Co-Operation and

Development) are countries such as Japan, Korea,

Switzerland, Italy, Norway, Sweden, and Austria.

- One in 2 people is now overweight or obese in almost

half of OECD countries. Rates are projected to increase

further and in some countries 2 out of 3 people will be

obese within ten years.

- An obese person incurs 25% higher health expenditures

than a person of normal weight in any given year. A

severely obese person is likely to die 8-10 years earlier than

a person of normal weight.

- In England and Scotland almost 1 in 3 children are

overweight. Poorly educated woman in the UK is 1.4 times

more likely to be overweight than those with high levels of

education, but almost no disparities are found for men.

- Obese people earn up to 18% less than non-obese

people.

- A comprehensive prevention strategy would avoid,

every year, 70,000 deaths from chronic diseases in

England.

- The annual cost of such strategy would be USD 12 per

capita in Mexico, USD 19 in Japan and England, USD 22 in

Italy and USD 32 in Canada. The cost per life year gained

through prevention is less than USD 20 000 in these 5

countries.

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Inspiring Story:

Fauja Singh: At 99, 'Impossible is Nothing'

The year was 1993.While driving around central London, I

came across an extraordinary image of an elderly Sikh, smiling

and sitting cross-legged on an Indian carpet with a string of

beads, remembering his God. Dangling in the background were

his London Marathon medal and a pair of the Supernova range

of Adidas trainers. The billboard said: '6.54 at age 89. 5.50 at

age 92. The Kenyans had better watch out for him when he hits

100.'

This 92 year old Sikh was Fauja Singh, who had overnight

become one of the most iconic figures in the British sporting

history. The theme of this Adidas advertising campaign was -

'Impossible is Nothing'.

Now that Fauja Singh has completed 99, not only Kenyans

but the whole world is watching him. He is still participating in

races up to 10 kilometers.

Singh had his marathon debut in London in 2000 when he

was 89 year old. "First 20 miles were not difficult", he

remembers, "as for the last six I ran while talking to the God."

Since then he had participated in 5 London Marathons and one

each in Toronto, New York, Lahore and Edinburgh. His best

time being 5 hours and 50 minutes in Toronto in 2003.

His life is simple. His diet is pure; his ideas uncomplicated.

"I do not believe in old age", he puts it so simply. "I do not

wish ill for anyone."

Born in 1911 in Punjab, Singh was quite an athletic young

man. taking part in traditional village sports and long distance

running. As the family demands of three sons and three

daughters grew he had to abandon his sporting dreams. He

arrived in England in 1992 to join his son after the death of his

wife in India.

Early days in England were quite disconcerting but soon he

literally found his feet. "I started to go out, taking long walks

and thinking that nature (kudarat) is leading the way. I was

convinced that nature's way is the right way", he says.

Soon the duration of walks increased up to six hours,

combined with some running. Later Harmander Singh, one of

England's top long distance runners, came to his assistance as

his trainer. A 26 miles marathon is not an easy task. "He is so

enthusiastic about his running that I have to accompany him so

that he doesn't overdo it", says Harmander Singh.

Fauja Singh's body is quite miraculous, says his trainer. His

six feet frame supports a rather lean 52 kg of weight. A few

years back the doctors were surprised to find that the bone

density in his left leg was equivalent to that of a 35 year old

man and of the right leg was equal to a 25 year old.

How could he maintain this kind of energy levels? Does he

take any special diets? He says 'no, ye sab kudarti hai'. (This is

all nature's gift). The morning begins with a 'alsi ki pinni' or

linseed laddoos with a cup of tea. Then he goes for at least four

hours of brisk walk. After he is back he takes two glasses of hot

water. The lunch includes a couple of 'phulkas', yoghurt,

masoor or moth dal, and seasonal vegetables. For the dinner an

extra ginger curry is added to this meagre menu. The list of

dietary restrictions is long and faithfully adhered to - no

alcohol, no meat, no fried food like pakoras or samosas and

surely no smoking.

So what does he think about those elderly people often whining

about their pains and aches and numerous other health

problems. "People are getting prosperous. They watch too much

TV, have too much to drink and eat very rich food. They travel

in cars and take no exercise. This kind of lifestyle triggers all

sorts of health problems", says Fauja Singh. "I say to them go

out in the fresh air and feel the nature."

Then he gives the secret of his health and happiness: "I go to

bed early taking the name of my Rubba (God) as I don't want

all those negative thoughts crossing my mind."

And this is perhaps of the most important part of his

personality. His positivity is infectious

(By Vijay Rana )

Exercise improves mental health Regular exercise has positive benefits for mental health. Exercise can help people recover from depression and prevent them from becoming depressed in the first place. Exercise can improve mood, reduce anxiety and improve concentration. Recent studies suggest exercise has an effect on certain chemicals in the brain that affect our mood and make us feel happier. To get the most benefit from exercise, do 30 minutes a day at least five days a week, or 45 minutes to an hour at least three times a week. If you haven’t exercised for a while, gradually introduce physical activity into your daily routine. If you're tired, exercise can give you energy. If you're worried, it can take your mind off your concerns for a while. Even a 15-minute walk can help you to clear your mind and relax.

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Reducing saturated fat and

salt in the Indian food The traditional Indian and Pakistani diet can be very

healthy because it has a lot of vegetables, starchy foods

such as rice and bread, and good sources of protein such

as meat, fish, beans and pulses. But some Indian and

Pakistani dishes can be high in saturated fats. You can

reduce this by making some simple changes to your diet

and the way you cook. And this will be good for the

health of the whole family.

Eating too much saturated fat can raise levels of

cholesterol in our blood, which increases the chance of

developing heart disease. Cutting down on fat will also

help you maintain a healthy weight.

Foods that are high in saturated fat include ghee,

butter, hard margarine, palm oil, coconut oil, coconut

cream, hard cheese, fatty meat, sausages, cakes, butter

parathas, puris, samosas and pakoras. Here are some of

the ways you can reduce your intake of saturated fats.

One of the easiest changes you can make is to cut

down on the amount of ghee or oil you use when

cooking. Use a spoon to measure, so you know how

much you're using.

Instead of ghee, try to use rapeseed, sunflower or

olive oil, which are high in unsaturated fat. This

will lower the amount of saturated fat without

affecting the taste.

Choose lean cuts of meat and chicken without skin.

Use semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, rather than

full-fat, condensed or evaporated milk.

Choose low-fat yoghurt and lower-fat hard cheese.

Cut down on deep-fried snacks such as pakoras,

samosas and bhajis.

Cut down on Indian sweets, desserts and

chocolates.

Stick to dry or tomato based curries, rather than

dishes with rich or creamy sauces.

We need starchy foods for energy, so eat plenty of

bread, rice, pasta and potatoes. Chapattis are a good

choice because they're lower in fat than paratha or

naan. And finally, don't forget to eat plenty of fruit

and vegetables – at least five portions a day.

(http://www.eatwell.gov.uk); Photo: Indranil Sinha

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Atul Kochar's

Antioxidant Salad Britain's most famous Asian chef presents a creative recipe for health conscious people,

bursting with rich antioxidant ingredients such as broccoli, tomatoes, berries and nuts.

Antioxidants protect your body from harmful free radicals helping to protect it against

aging and certain cancers. Recipe for 4 portions

Bulgar wheat 150g

Water 300 ml

Red chilli powder 1 pinch

Chaat masala 1 tsp

Chopped coriander 1 tbsp

Lime zest 1 no

Salt

Lime juice 1 no

Gogi berries 2 tbsp

Pecan nuts 2 tbsp

Dry cranberries 2 tbsp

Beef Tomatoes 2 no

Grannysmith apple 1 no

Baby spinach 200g

Broccoli 200g

Method

Season and warm the water with salt and the

powders. Soak the Bulgar wheat for 15 min covered

with a cling film. Loosen the wheat with a fork and

add the lime juice and zest and chopped

coriander. To this add dried Gogi berries, pecans

and dried cranberries.

Assemble onto a plate with the following - sliced

tomatoes; grilled broccoli; baby lettuce leaves;

apple juliennes and blanched spinach.

Atul Kochar in a unique creative style has simply

reinvented the Indian cuisine. He was the first Indian

chef to win the Michelin Star at Tamarind. He then

set up the world renowned Benaras restaurant in

Berkley Square, London. In 2006, he created

sensation by winning the London regional

competition of the BBC's prestigious Great British

Menu and a year later he won his second Michelin

Star at Benaras. A star of many television shows, he is

regularly seen on TV, in BBC's Saturday Kitchen.

and in numerous other food programmes.

To join Atul Kochar's master class, where you can

learn three to four dishes to create your own Indian

menu, email to Talitta Schelela to:

talitta@benaresrestaurant.com.

Watch Atul's Spice Kitchen on Good Food

Channel at Sky 249.

Food Quotes:

"Laughter is brightest where food is best."

an Irish Proverb

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