Tuesday, January 31, 2012

2011’s canine performances to be awarded


The first-ever Golden Collar Awards to be held on February 13 this year will honour 2011's canine performances in film and television.

Best Dog in theatrical film
Cosmo as Arthur, "Beginners"
Uggie as Queenie,"Water For Elephants
Denver as Skeletor, "50/50"
Hummer as Dolce, "Young Adult"
Uggie as The Dog, "The Artist"
Best Dog In A Foreign Film
Koko as Red Dog - "Red Dog" (Australia)
Laika as herself - "Le Havre" (France)
Biina as Alf, "The Day The Dogs Disappeared"(Japan)
Ichico as Tao - "The Day The Dogs Disappeared"


Best Dog In A Television Series
Rocky as Arnold,"Entourage"
Chunk as Himself, "Chelsea Lately"
Bridgett as Stella, " Modern Family"
Dart as Chance,"Hot In Cleveland"
Jason Ganns as Wilfred, "Wilfred"
Lampchop as Yakult, "Suburgatory"
Best Dog In A Reality Television Series
Giggy, " The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills"
Millou, "The Real Housewives Of New York City"
Jackpot, "The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills"
Spartacus, "Ice Loves Coco"
Hercules, "Pit Boss"

Shah Rukh Khan, Shirish Kunder's drama ends

Slapathon turned into a hug-fest at SRK's Mannat, as the dramatis personnae of the big fight became one big 'happy family' again. The inside story of how the soap-style finale was worked out.

A day after the infamous 'Kha.One' Farah Khan and sheepish husband Shirish Kunder went around Bollywood on a peace mission.

The day began with Farah driving to Sanjay Dutt's house to apologise on her husband's behalf and to present their side of the story and it ended with Farah en famille driving again to Shah Rukh Khan's Bandra home. That meeting lasted for over three hours and according to sources, produced a storyline that a Karan Johar or Sooraj Barjatya would be proud to produce.

"Some incidents in our life when resolved makes relationships stronger than they were ever before," tweeted Shrish Kunder. It's the kind of philosophising children do after they have been whacked by their mothers.

This newspaper has learnt that an urgent confabulation between Farah, her sibling Sajid Khan and her rakhi brother Sajid Nadiadwala led to Monday's peace overtures. It began on a not-so-happy note for them when Sanjay Dutt coldly heard out Farah and Nadiadwala but refused to offer any comfort. Sanju Baba, we learn, is rather miffed at the way Kunder rained on his parade and took away the spotlight from Agneepath's success.

When this was reported to him Farah's brother Sajid jumped into the act and called up Gauri Khan seeking rapprochement.

She invited them over, and rest is the stuff of family dramas. "Gauri told me that I can bring Farah over any time to her house. She told me that Mannat is Farah's home," said Sajid Khan after the meeting.

The meeting started at four and went past seven pm. Sources say first Gauri came down and was immediately followed by SRK who went and hugged Farah. SRK, having vented his frustrations the night before, even offered Shirish Kunder a hug.

With that one gesture the danger of Shirish turning into Bollywood's new Vivek Oberoi passed. Unconfirmed word is that no one present at Mannat said the S word. "There was no insistence on an apology from either side," said a source present. "We were with Shah Rukh and Gauri for three hours.

We all hugged and cried. We said to ourselves, 'What are we doing? Aren't we carrying things too far? Don't fights happen in every family?' But everything is fine now."

Farah, who has made a career from entertaining the world, was in no mood to become the butt of jokes herself. "Our issues had become the main topic of entertainment for the media and the public. It had to end and so it did."

Farah and SRK who were until not long ago the best of buddies drifted apart after Shah Rukh Khan turned down a proposed project with Shirish Kunder. Forced to take sides, Farah allied herself with her spouse. "If you are a family for 20 years and some misunderstanding crops up, things need not be said, they are clearly understood...." said Nadiadwala somewhat incoherent with delight. "That's exactly what happened in this meeting. That was the beauty of it." He insisted that the misunderstanding was resolved within minutes. "The rest of the conversation was about movies and other aspects of our lives. Look, Shah Rukh, Sajid Khan and I were the main guys at Shirish and Farah's wedding. We are family and we shall remain a family."

Adding to the atmosphere of detente, Salman Khan's spokesperson called us to deny Shirish Kunder's claims to this newspaper yesterday that Salman had called him to offer support. "Salman did no such thing, please keep him out of this, he will speak to Shirish separately," she categorically stated.

After the trio had driven out of Mannat, Shah Rukh Khan, never one to underestimate irony, tweeted: "Reading stuff and watching tv...Feel like I am the source and author of a Shakespearean farce...without the poetry or the prose of course!!!"

New JEE proposes varied weightage to Class XII results

NEW DELHI: The new single Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) being proposed for admission to Indian Institutes Technology/National Institutes of Technology/Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research/Indian Institutes of Information Technology and state government-run engineering colleges would not have a uniform weightage to class XII results.

Sources said while there would be a single-test, class XII weightage would have variations that would cater to needs of different engineering colleges and state governments. For instance, the source said, "Weightage given to class XII result would be different for admission to IIT and different for other engineering colleges. Weightage would be even state-specific. There would be a band of weightage that institutes and state governments would be free to choose from."

The source said variation has been devised to deal with concerns of the state governments many of whom felt that due to different system of evaluation in each state students from low-scoring states should not be discriminated. He gave the example of Tamil Nadu, where admission to state-government run engineering colleges is on the basis of class XII marks and not any entrance test. "For states like Tamil Nadu, weightage for class XII has to be different from what it would be in Bihar or Uttar Pradesh," the source said.

The T Ramasami committee, which is working on new single JEE, has not made public findings of analysis of past data of school boards that was done by Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) last year. ISI's report accessed by TOI shows that this report was not even made part of any presentation. The report, while analyzing data of CBSE, ICSE, Tamil Nadu board and West Bengal board, found that class XII scores from these boards are not comparable. It said, "Since the subject scores do not appear to be comparable, the question of combining them for comparability of aggregate scores across the boards does not arise."

Sources said that all attempt is being made to evolve consensus and a meeting of state education ministers has been called later this month. In case, state governments do not come on board, the ministry is planning to go ahead with a single entrance test for Central government-run engineering institutions from 2014.

Dissent from even one state government would mean that single test for all engineering institutions, public and private, would come to a cropper.

Maybe you are an alcoholic


If you enjoy more than the occasional drink and feel it's perfectly fine, think again. Experts classify such people as High-Functioning Alcoholics

They are all around you. For all you know, they might be among your friends, family, acquaintances or colleagues and until you discover their best-kept secret, you wouldn't even know they are alcoholics.

High-Functioning Alcoholics or HFAs, a fast-growing urban concern, are masters at appearing completely normal and leading double lives - efficiently managing their jobs, studies and relationships on one hand yet inwardly, remaining as compulsive as stereotypical alcoholics. They are good workers, good parents, good spouses, good employees and so good at stealth that they convincingly carry out their roles and duties. However, a person's relationship to alcohol and their emotional dependence on it is what defines an alcoholic. Not the image they project to the outside world.

Pritam Datta, Founder, Living Free Foundation rehab centres, says most often, HFAs walk the tightrope until a close encounter with death or a life-changing event makes them lose something precious or blows their cover. "HFAs are least likely to seek treatment because they are in absolute denial. Their ego won't let them acknowledge it because they consider seeking help a sign of weakness. So the problem with identifying and helping HFAs is that they often don't meet the counselor's criteria for alcohol abuse, as they have managed to keep their personal and professional lives unaffected by it."

As many HFAs succeed or overachieve in their lives, denial comes as easily from themselves as it does from their co-workers, family and friends. Sarah Allen Benton, a reformed American HFA, in her book Understanding the High-Functioning Alcoholic emphasises on how people in powerful positions are often the hardest to detect and help.

"That is because they tend not to be closely supervised at work, they are assumed to be able to deal successfully with the pressures of their jobs, their high pay enables them to escape the financial consequences of excessive drinking, and they see drinking as their reward for hard work."

Psychiatrist Dr Yusuf Matcheswala says, "HFAs need their regular drink; at the touch of 9 pm every night; or look forward to drinking four-five times a week. Today's generation of work-hardparty-harder are increasingly falling into the HFA space. As they nurture this habit clandestinely, they are unaware of how their bodies are developing scary complications - liver and gastrointestinal problems, cholesterol issues, cerebral dysfunctionality, diabetes, sexual and sleep disorders. "Besides, the HFA's alcohol-tolerance level goes up and as he must drink more to feel the high, he further damages his body. His body is basically a disaster waiting to happen," adds Matcheswala.

A classic characteristic of HFAs is that the evening they have got their salary, they are at a bar, says Datta. "When they have a hangover, they will down a shot in the morning, which will offset it and fix them good to step out and face the world. Their logic is - I'm doing well for myself and my family, so what is the harm if I reward myself with drinks? But they are at as much risk to themselves and others' lives as a raging alcoholic is, because they may fall off the train or the bus or drive and be a menace on the streets."

Matcheswala gives an instance of one of his patients - a 35-yearold well-to-do computer dealer who couldn't do without his daily drink. "He had kept it a secret from everybody and his excuse was that alcohol relaxes him and helps him have a good night's sleep. I told him that he was administering himself a very costly sleeping drug and it was only a matter of time before he must pay its price with his health and well-being." So how do you help the HFA out of his or her misery? Datta says that while family or friends may try to push the HFA for treatment, the task is to tackle the alcoholic's denial and resistance to it. "Don't confront the HFAs. When they are sober, talk to them, explaining how their drinking hurts them and their dear ones. Drop a few examples of how it is adversely affecting things. Be supportive and persuasive."

You are an HFA if...

  • You set drinking limits for the day or the week and cannot adhere to them.
  • You obsess over drinking -when and where and who you will drink with next.
  • You use alcohol as a reward.
  • You laugh about it to dissociate yourself from the 'alcoholics'.
  • You always finish alcohol, even if it is your friend's glass.
  • You drink more than others and still don't get hit.
  • You socialise with heavy drinkers.
  • You experience blackouts, unable to remember what took place during a drinking bout.
  • When you drink, you behave in ways uncharacteristic of your sober self.
  • Drinking is a large part of your life.

Case study of HFA Ashish Patil, 32, Electricity
"I was in the tenth standard when I had my first drink. I haven't been able to forgo my glass of whisky or vodka since then. For a few years, I would drink surreptitiously to avoid getting caught by my parents. But once I began working, my drinking became an extension of my work hours; the 9-to-5 job, then meeting friends at a bar in the evening and drinking for twothree hours before going home. Eight years ago, I got married and we have a son and a daughter. My wife obviously knows about my habit because of the smell, but not once have I ever misbehaved with her or the children or with anybody else in my drunken stupor. It has been 15 years now that I have my four glasses of alcohol every day without fail. Nothing has changed...I was 55 kgs then and I am 56 kgs now. I haven't had any serious health problem yet and I never report late to work. Nobody in the office or elsewhere knows of this. But I know this habit is fatal in the long run and I have unsuccessfully tried quitting it on three occasions. I am helpless. I guess some drastic event in my life may help me give it up."

Yoga boosts heart health


Want to have a healthy heart? Practice yoga daily as Indian researchers have claimed that breathing exercises, stretching, relaxation and meditation improve heart health .

According to the researchers at IIT-Roorkee in Uttarakhand, heart rate variability, a sign of a healthy heart, has been shown to be higher in yoga practitioners than in non-practitioners.

Ramesh Kumar Sunkaria, Vinod Kumar and Suresh Chandra Saxena of the Electrical Engineering Department evaluated two small groups of men in order to see whether yoga can improve heart health.

The team said that in their preliminary study of 84 volunteers, there was strengthening of parasympathetic (vagal) control in subjects who regularly practice yoga, which is indicative of better autonomic control over heart rate and so a healthier heart.

They analysed the "HRV spectra" of the electrocardiograms (ECG) of 42 healthy male volunteers who were non-yogic practitioners, and 42 who are experienced practitioners, all volunteers were aged between 18 and 48 years.

The spectral analysis of HRV is an important tool in exploring heart health and the mechanisms of heart rate regulation, according to the team.

Make meditation work for you


Hollywood actress Jennifer Aniston recently revealed that meditation and yoga are the prime reasons behind her happy state of mind even when she was going through a break-up.

It is proven that setting a few minutes aside for meditating can effectively bring about a bright and calm state of mind. The benefits of meditation don't just stop at lessening your anxiety levels, it also relieves you of stress and fills you with renewed energy. In fact, that's also the reason why many fitness experts suggest a good mix of weights, stretches and a concluding session of meditation.

According to fitness expert Deanne Pandey, "It's essential to pay attention to our inner health. Everyday, have a few minutes kept aside as 'me' time. Listen to your mind and body. Over a period of a few days, you will be able to know what your body's telling you. It may sound funny to some, but try it and you shall see results." Especially for women, who are working mothers, this technique can help immensely. Set your daily goals at the begining of your day, make meditation work for you by taking a steady approach toward achieveing it."

An interesting study also revealed that regular meditation can boost brain health. The researchers tracked 16 people who took a course on mindfulness-based stress reduction that includes guided relaxation exercises and easy stretching - and practiced for about 30 minutes a day.

Eight weeks later, MRI scans showed significant gray matter density growth in areas of the brain involved in learning and memory, empathy and compassion, sense of self and emotional regulation, when compared with a control group.

Gary Kaplan, director of the Kaplan Center for Integrative Medicine in McLean, said that people who follow meditation can typically sleep better, have less anxiety and depression, and a better general sense of well-being. Of course, the practice isn't easy because the mind is bound to wander. "Allowing that chatter to quieten and becoming present in the moment, while being gentle with the thoughts that come in and out of the mind and any anxiety that's there, that can be difficult," Kaplan said.

Model Hrishant Goswami, who was recently seen as an inmate at the Big Boss 4 house, said that he remained calm in those testing times because he is a follower of the Art of Living. "Effective breathing technique can do wonders to one's response to tough times. It's also a practice that you can bring into the rest of your life: when you're eating, sitting in a traffic jam, or relating to a partner or colleagues at work," he added.

Yoga expert Payal Gidwani Tiwari says that people who have just started to meditate shouldn't be discouraged by a wandering mind, for, it's totally normal. The trick lies in gently bringing the attention back to the present, just as soon as the mind starts to wander.

Why eating right is important?


Experts tell us why eating right is so important for today's youth

Does your youngster exasperate you with his/ her eating habits? Do they insist on making burgers, French fries and pizzas a part of their regular diet? Health experts are warning that with a change in lifestyles, there is a generation growing up eating unhealthy foods and following fad diets. Dietician Charmi Gala says recent times have seen eating disorders affecting youngsters at an alarming rate.

"Bulimia (binge eating and throwing up the food), Anorexia (starving oneself to stay thin) and Orthorexia Nervosa (obsessed with eating the right things) are becoming increasingly common. An improper diet deprives the body of essential vitamins and minerals and causes deficiency at an early age. Fad diets are based on popularity and not scientific information," says Charmi.

For a youngster, a balanced diet should comprise all five major food groups - cereals, pulses, vegetables and fruits, milk and milk products in the right proportion. "The right way of losing weight and staying fit is to eat balanced, healthy meals coupled with adequate physical activity. Setting realistic and practical weight loss targets by following a regular fitness regime is a must," she says.

Nutritionist Kinnari Doshi says that when it comes to fad diets, health effects can be permanent especially for teenagers. "Teenage years are a period of growth and development. If the diet doesn't provide enough calcium, phosphorous and vitamin D, it can cause osteoporosis, gallstones, hair loss, weakness, and diarrhea. Never skip meals, eat only diet food, take diet pills, or make yourself vomit. You may lose weight, but unlikely to keep it off for more than a few months. The more you deprive yourself of the foods you love, the more you will crave for them. Inevitably, you'll binge, and gain more weight," she says.

Problems of eating incorrectly 

Obesity and sedentary lifestyle's are fast becoming common place among young adults. "Today, one third of kids between the ages of two and 19 are overweight or obese. Growing use of computers, addiction to mobile phones, social networking sites and television have decreased outdoor sports activity. The average amount of calories consumed per day has dramatically increased," says obesity expert, Dr Muffazal Lakdawala. "There are numerous health problems that stem from being overweight - type 2 diabetes, heart disease, depression, joint pains, respiratory disorders, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and low energy levels. Overweight girls have an increased tendency to develop Polycystic Ovarian Disease, menstrual irregularities, infertility and complications in pregnancy. Psychological problems include negative self-esteem, depression, anxiety and a feeling of rejection," says Dr Lakdawala.

What you can do 

Nutritionist Miloni Shah believes that the key to healthy eating is the time-tested advice of balance, variety and moderation. "Healthy eating is not just what you eat, but how you eat. Don't skip meals in order to lose weight - eat frequently in small portions. Eat slowly and chew well and never starve yourself to lose weight. Follow a healthy regime - your aim should be good health and not to become thin. Breakfast should be the largest meal of the day and dinner the smallest. Incorporate ragi, jowar, bajra, oats, soy, maize flour, flaxseeds, walnuts, pistachios, almonds etc in your diet. At least 45 minutes of walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, aerobics or dancing daily is essential.

A diet to get rid of belly fat


Want to get rid of your belly fat? Well, then all you need to do is follow the simple tips given in a new book, The Flat Belly Diet. 
The book is written by Liz Vaccariello and Cynthia Sass, the editors of health magazine Prevention.
Here are some tips that can help you get rid of belly fat:

  1. Eat four 400-calorie meals per day. 
  2. Never go more than four hours without eating. 
  3. Incorporate mono-unsaturated fats or "MUFAS" into meals. 
  4. When the body is under stress, it produces a hormone called "cortisol," which turns into belly fat. Learning to control the stress in life can go a long way towards reducing the belly fat. 
  5. Keep a strong social support group. Get your friends to join you, or find an online support group. 
  6. Keep a record of what you've eaten and how much. 


Tips to boost metabolism, burn calories


Ever envied that woman/man with the perfect slim figure? While all of us cannot have the same lean body, we can improve our metabolic rate, which is responsible for burning calories. Studies show that men tend to burn more, even while at rest and as you grow older your metabolism tends to slow down. Nonetheless, here are some tricks that can help.

Muscle man: 
Calories are being burnt even when you're not indulging in any physical activity. People who have more muscles tend to shed the calories even faster. Consider including weight exercises in your daily fitness routine as it can really help in the long run.

Eat in moderation: 
Avoiding meals is not the way to go. In fact, an inadequate amount of food in the bodycan slow down your metabolic rate and cause the body to go into 'starvation mode'. Consume small meals or healthy snacks every four hours to keep your metabolism going. It's far better than consuming large heavy meals twice or thrice a day.

Get moving: 
Enroll yourself in an aerobics class. A high-intensity workout will help in the long run in revving up your metabolic rate. If you prefer the outdoors, try jogging rigorously in between your evening walks.

Drink up: 
Water is not just needed for the basic functioning of the body and to prevent dehydration but is also vital in burning the fat. Lack of a sufficient amount of fluids may cause your metabolism to slow down%. Drink at least eight glasses a day and also consume foods rich in water like fruits and vegetables.

Eat right: 
What you eat on a daily basis can have a great impact on your body system. Protein is essential to help the body build muscle and improve your metabolic functioning. Choose lean meats or pulses and include them in your meals. Protein also aids by keeping the blood sugar level steady.

Spice it up: 
Foods that are rich in spices and herbs are ideal to get your metabolic rate rolling. Research shows that chilli peppers can help when consumed in meals often. Cumin and turmeric which are used in our curries are said to be particularly helpful. Ginger and tabasco sauce are also known to have similar benefits.


Balanced diet: 
It's important to ensure you get enough vitamins and minerals in your diet. Vitamin B-12 especially is vital for our energy supply. If you aren't getting it in its natural form, try taking a B complex vitamin.


Caffiene perk: 
While drinking too much coffee may not be good for you, a cup or two a day can help in keeping you alert and energetic. Just ensure that you drink the coffee black and don't load it with milk, cream or sugar which adds all those unwanted calories.

Herbal route: 
Drinking green tea can be a good way to help burn some of those calories. Studies suggest two to four cups can help shed 50 calories a day. Aside from this, gren tea is also good for the heart and body functioning. Chinese herbs like ginseng also has benefits.

Are you sleeping enough?


Adequate sleep is extremely crucial for healthy and normal functioning of your body.

Sleep in good quantity and quality is essential for physical, mental and emotional well being. It gives the desired rest and recharges the mind and body. Sleep has important homeostatic functions.

Sleep and heart have a close relation both scientifically and emotionally. The emotional relationship has been exploited in music and songs.

In an adult, the average sleep time is usually seven to eight hours and disturbed sleep is most unwelcome as it can have adverse effects on the functioning of various body systems particularly the heart and the brain.

The 24 x 7 life style has relegated sleep to a secondary level of importance since humans have made a conscious decision to sacrifice sleep for completion of their tasks. The amount of sleep that a person needs to function in a normal manner depends on several factors, including age. Infants sleep most of the day (about 16 hours); teenagers usually need about nine hours a day; and adults need an average of seven to eight hours a day.

Although older adults require about as much sleep as younger adults, they usually sleep for shorter periods and spend less time in deep stages of sleep. About 50 per cent of adults over the age of 65 have some type of sleep disorder, although it is not clear whether this is a normal part of aging or a result of other factors, such as medications that are commonly used by older people. In most cases, sleep disorders can be easily managed once they are properly diagnosed. Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder. It occurs more often in women and in the elderly.

Chronic sleep deprivation can have adverse effects on heart, blood pressure and metabolic functions resulting in hypertension, heart attacks, diabetes and stomach related disorders like indigestion and hyperacidity. Chronic sleep deprivation also causes and/ or aggravates snoring which is a prominent symptom of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).

OSA is a common sleep disorder. OSA is characterised by repetitive closure of pharynx (a part of upper airway) in sleep causing lowering of oxygen concentrations in sleep. Low oxygen results in rise in blood pressure, rise in heart rate, irregular heart beating and release of stress hormones. The chief complaints in patients of OSA are snoring and daytime sleepiness and tiredness. Increase in body weight also occurs which may be difficult to lose in spite of exercises. OSA can affect both obese and non-obese individuals.

To overcome daytime sleepiness they may consume tobacco, smoke cigarettes or consume excess tea/ coffee, whih is again harmful. Patients of OSA are at risk of developing high blood pressure, heart attacks, type 2 diabetes, stroke, obesity and dementia. Management of OSA is highly rewarding since it not only treats the sleep complaint but also the associated disorders are better managed. Oxygen is the basic requirement of body cells and if this is lacking, be in sleep only, needs to be treated. The basic needs of life- Roti, Kapda aur Makaan (food, clothes and shelter), needs to be rewritten as Oxygen, Roti, Kapda aur Makaan.

Eat for your blood type

What's the secret to a fit body? Experts say it may be hidden in the blood type. The blood group diet is based on the premise that your blood type - A, B, AB or O - should determine your diet and exercise regimen.

Proponents of this type of diet say that food proteins called lectins are digested differently, based on your blood type. If you eat food that's not compatible with your blood type, you may experience many health complications. Hence, follow a diet that's tailored to your blood type, which will help you lose weight, improve chronic health conditions and prevent certain diseases. For instance, this diet suggests if you are blood type A, you should have a vegetarian diet with fresh, organic foods and do yoga to help avoid the conditions you're more susceptible to.

The blood group diet originated from American naturopath, Dr Peter D'Adamo, author of Eat Right for Your Type. According to him, a chemical reaction occurs between your blood and the foods you eat. His nutrition plan is based on the premise that our blood type reflects our internal chemistry. Instead of counting calories and fat grams, this diet provides a list of foods to be avoided or included.

Ekta Tandon, Delhi-based nutritionist says, "Your blood type diet is the restoration of your natural genetic rhythm. It works because you are able to follow a clear, logical, scientifically researched plan based on your cellular profile." She explains, "Each food group is should eat high proteins; Type A should avoid heavy proteins and have carbohydrates; Type B people should drink more milk and avoid fruits like corns, lentils and peanuts. Type AB blood group can have a combination of diet chart of both Type A and Type B.

Naini Setalvad, Mumbai-based nutritionist says, "This diet plan doesn't count calories and fat and is not as restricted as other fad diets such as Atkins and juice diets."

Dr Dilip Nadkarni, Mumbai-based orthopedic surgeon, says, "The blood group diet theory needs more scientific divided into three categories: Highly beneficial (food that acts like medicine), foods allowed (foods that do no harm to the blood type) and foods not allowed (foods that act like a poison)."

D'Adamo, in his website says, "People with blood type A have a different set of characteristics from people who are Type O - they should eat different foods." The blood group diet chart suggests that Type O people study to be accepted universally. D'Adamo prescribes exercises to go hand in hand with his diet, which is better than most diet books that don't emphasise this aspect. He advises different exercises for different blood groups - O groupers to run, B groupers to hike and golfing for blood group A."

But avoid getting into the deficiency trap, cautions Dr Nadkarni. Moderation is the key, excess of everything is bad. Consult a professional before following the plan.

11 Indian foods that cut your fat


You don't have to acquire a taste for olive oil, seaweed or soya to maintain a low-fat, healthy diet. Indian cuisine can be healthy too, if it's cooked with oil and ingredients that take care of your heart and health.

Ayurveda suggests you include all tastes - sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent - in at least one meal each day, to help balance unnatural cravings. Here are 12 foods that can help you lose weight and gain health:

Turmeric : Curcumin, the active component of turmeric, is an object of research owing to its properties that suggest they may help to turn off certain genes that cause scarring and enlargement of the heart. Regular intake may help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol and high blood pressure, increase blood circulation and prevent blood clotting, helping to prevent heart attack.


Cardamom : This is a thermogenic herb that increases metabolism and helps burn body fat. Cardamom is considered one of the best digestive aids and is believed to soothe the digestive system and help the body process other foods more efficiently.

Chillies : Foods containing chillies are said to be as foods that burn fat. Chillies contain capsaicin that helps in increasing the metabolism. Capsaicin is a thermogenic food, so it causes the body to burn calories for 20 minutes after you eat the chillies.

Curry leaves : Incorporating curry leaves into your daily diet can help you lose weight. These leaves flush out fat and toxins, reducing fat deposits that are stored in the body, as well as reducing bad cholesterol levels. If you are overweight, incorporate eight to 10 curry leaves into your diet daily. Chop them finely and mix them into a drink, or sprinkle them over a meal.

Garlic : An effective fat-burning food, garlic contains the sulphur compound allicin which has anti-bacterial effects and helps reduce cholesterol and unhealthy fats.


Mustard oil : This has low saturated fat compared to other cooking oils. It has fatty acid, oleic acid, erucic acid and linoleic acid. It contains antioxidants, essential vitamins and reduces cholesterol, which is good for the heart.

Cabbage : Raw or cooked cabbage inhibits the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat. Hence, it is of great value in weight reduction.

Moong dal : The bean sprouts are rich in Vitamin A, B, C and E and many minerals, such as calcium, iron and potassium. It is recommended as a food replacement in many slimming programmes, as it has a very low fat content. It is a rich source of protein and fibre, which helps lower blood cholesterol level. The high fibre content yields complex carbohydrates, which aid digestion, are effective in stabilising blood sugar and prevent its rapid rise after meal consumption.

Honey : It is a home remedy for obesity. It mobilises the extra fat deposits in the body allowing it to be utilised as energy for normal functions. One should start with about 10 grams or a tablespoon, taken with hot water early in the morning.


Buttermilk : It is the somewhat sour, residual fluid that is left after butter is churned. The probiotic food contains just 2.2 grams of fat and about 99 calories, as compared to whole milk that contains 8.9 grams fat and 157 calories. Regular intake provides the body with all essential nutrients and does not add fats and calories to the body. It is thus helpful in weight loss.

Millets : Fibre-rich foods such as millets - jowar, bajra, ragi, etc - absorb cholesterol and help increase the secretion of the bile that emulsifies fats.
Cinnamon and cloves: Used extensively in Indian cooking, the spices have been found to improve the function of insulin and to lower glucose, total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides in people with type 2 diabetes.

I will never call SRK my brother: Vidya Balan

Vidya Balan recently did a small act at the Screen Awards with Shah Rukh Khan where she addressed the superstar as 'brother'. However, she says calling SRK brother saddened her.

"I did not find that act interesting. I felt very sad that I called him my brother. The world can call Shah Rukh their brother, but I will never call him my brother," the 33-year-old said at the DVD launch here of her movie "The Dirty Picture".

After taking away all the awards for her performance in "The Dirty Picture", Vidya is currently busy promoting her next film "Kahaani".

Reunion time for Bipasha Basu


Very few people know that Bipasha Basu, Milind Soman and Dipannita Sharma were friends since their early modelling days.

They always wanted to work together but it never happened. In time, they got busy with life and work and parted ways. But all of them were reunited after 10 years on the sets of Jodi Breakers.

Says a source close to Bipasha, "Bips used to be very close to Dipannita till they lost touch. Sharma had even surprised Bips on her birthday and attended the special screening of Players hosted by the Bongshell. When the three met on the sets again they had a blast - catching up on the past few years over lunch."

I like Priyanka Chopra's work: Vidya Balan


Basking in all-round appreciation for her performance in 'The Dirty Picture', actress Vidya Balan has said she had her own share of questions about the role initially, but eventually the film turned out to be a life- changing event for her.

In 'The Dirty Picture', directed by Milan Luthria, Vidya has portrayed the character loosely based on Silk Smitha, a Southern actress noted for her erotic roles.

Asked if she was confident or sceptical about doing the movie, she said, "I had my share of questions. There was one thing that I knew - that if I was going to do it then I must give it my all. If I felt I won't be able to give it my all then I won't have done the film."

"I am glad I did not let it pass and did this film because it has been life-changing for me in more ways than one," the 34-year-old maintained.

Vidya has bagged the Best Actress trophy for 'The Dirty Picture' at almost all award functions, but ask which co-actor's work she admires besides her, and pat comes the reply, Priyanka Chopra.

"I like Priyanka...she is an actress whose work I like. She is always trying to do something different which I appreciate. I am not going by any of her particular performance but I like Priyanka."

Vidya is touched by the appreciation coming from fans and industry friends. "I feel humbled that people think I must get Best Actress award. My first award was for my debut (Hindi) film (Parineeta). It will always remain special. It feels nice to receive an award, it is a form of appreciation which remains with you forever," she said.

This year, Vidya will be seen in Sujoy Ghosh's 'Kahani', where she plays a pregnant lady staying abroad, who comes to India in search of her husband.

"'Kahani' is a mystery film and I won't be wrong if I say that in Hindi cinema we have not had a mystery film for a long time. 'Kahani' is edgy, pacey and we have got great response from the promos," she said.

Sussanne chooses Gauri over Priyanka


Priyanka Chopra wasn't invited to co-star Hrithik Roshan's home for Agneepath's success party on Saturday night.

While other unit members including Sanjay Dutt, producer Karan Johar and director Karan Malhotra were all present, the film's leading lady was conspicuous by her absence.

Priyanka Chopra's exclusion from the Roshans' guest list is shocking because she's known the family since her Krrish days, and is also the leading lady of their next production, Krrish 3. Sources say she wasn't invited because of her closeness to Shah Rukh Khan. Sussanne Roshan, who drew up the guest list, chose to honour her friendship with SRK's wife Gauri Khan over Priyanka Chopra.

SECOND TIME UNLUCKY Priyanka Chopra was first dropped by Gauri from her Christmas party guest list last year, and now comes this snub from the Roshans. Says a source, "It was odd to not see Priyanka at the celebration party of her own film. Even people not associated with the film were invited, like Duggu's Krissh 3 co-stars Vivek Oberoi and Kangana Ranaut."

It is now clear that Priyanka Chopra is being pointedly sidelined by Gauri and her gang of girls, which includes Sussanne, Maheep Kapoor, Bhavana Pandey and Mehr Jesia. They even ignored her at Parmeshwar Godrej's recent bash for Oprah Winfrey, where an embarassed Priyanka had to make a hasty exit.

What's Priyanka Chopra's excuse this time? The last time around, the actress's spokesperson had explained her absence from Gauri's party saying she'd been busy and wanted to spend time with her parents. This time, most likely the explanation will be that she was busy shooting. However, Priyanka was shooting on Saturday too but attended an Agneepath event before returning to her shoot shortly after. And she was also seen at Sanjay Dutt's party on Sunday night cosying up to SRK. Gauri, for some reason, was not present at the do.

I wanted to work with a younger hero: Kareena


Kareena Kapoor gets candid with TOI about movies and her upcoming marriage

Kareena and Imran's crackling chemistry in the romcom Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu is the talk of the town. The film releases on February 10 and is produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Films. Here, Bebo talks about the film and then some.

There are comparisons being drawn between Geet in Jab We Met and Riana of Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu... The two characters are totally different. Geet was a childish, naive Punjabi girl, whereas Riana is very urban. The character is as mad and free-spirited as Geet, but Riana knows what she is doing. Even though she doesn't have a house or a job, she is a positive person... very similar to the way I am. I've been positive in every situation, be it my career, personal life or my relationships.

A bubby character can be annoying. How do you do it so endearingly? Acting is my passion. It's something I enjoy doing so much that I will probably do it till I am 70. There is nothing else that I know. It is in my blood. And when I am performing, it is not like I am acting. It just happens.


This is your first film with Imran. Did you want to work with a younger hero this time? Yes. I've been working with 40+ heroes for a while now, so I wanted to work with a younger hero. Imran and I make a unique pair; he has brought freshness to my repertoire. Everyone's talking about our chemistry.


Now that you have done films with both Aamir Khan and Imran, who did you enjoy working with more? I loved working with Imran, but I am biased towards Aamir because he gave me 3 Idiots, one of the biggest hits of my career.

You play a hair stylist in the film, but you don't experiment too much with your hair... I am probably the only actress in the industry who doesn't like to experiment with her hair. I have always had a simple hairstyle. It is my trademark!

Have you made any mistakes in real life after getting drunk? No, I don't think I can have that much alcohol! I don't enjoy drinking, and I hope people don't decide to get married in a drunken state!

Did you gamble, party and let your hair down while shooting in Las Vegas? No, I did not go gambling or partying. Shakun Batra (the director) made us shoot through the night for the 15-day schedule because of my date problems. We were shooting from 5 pm to 5 am; it was one of the most taxing outdoor shoots I have ever done. I had come back to shoot for Bodyguard and RA.One in the middle of that.

What next? Right now, I am working on Madhur Bhandarkar's Heroine, so I just want to focus on that. We've shot for 11 days and still have 80 days to go.

There was news of Karan Johar planning another film with you and Imran... Only if this film does well will we have some plans.


Agent Vinod will release on March 23. Have Saif and you decided the wedding date? Right now, all our energies are on Agent Vinod. There are no shaadi plans!

A day after slapgate, SRK & Shirish patch up


MUMBAI: A day after Shah Rukh Khan-Shirish Kunder slapgate incident, director Farah Khan and her husband Shirish met the actor at his residence to resolve the issue.

While industry sources say that Kunder and Farah did apologise to Shah Rukh, the director refuted saying, "We went to meet him because it was getting very ugly and anyone and everyone was jumping into it trying to take sides to prove loyalties and talking rubbish. In fact, Shah Rukh and Shirish hugged each other and said sorry to each other for letting this issue come to this level. Everybody knows I love SRK very much and both Shirish and I spent nearly half an hour with him today."

"It was Sanjay Dutt who called up Farah and fired her for speaking against SRK. It is learnt that Dutt told the director that you are Farah Khan because of Shah Rukh. Farah's brother Sajid called Gauri Khan and requested her to fix an appointment with SRK so that his sister and husband Shirish could go and meet him," according to an industry source.

Shah Rukh had slapped Kunder for stalking him all through the party and misbehaving despite the actor's warning to him to stay away.

The 14-year friendship between actor Shah Rukh and Farah hit a sour note in 2009. SRK had refused to star in Kunder's film. The rift only widened over the years. SRK was committed to starring in Farah's 'Happy New Year' and had even set dates aside for it. He requested her to make some changes in the script, before finalizing the project. But Farah was keen on launching her own production house and announced her first home production 'Tees Maar Khan' with Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif in 2009.

India deadliest place in world for girl child


NEW DELHI: It's official - India is the most dangerous place in the world to be a baby girl. Newly released data shows that an Indian girl child aged 1-5 years is 75% more likely to die than an Indian boy, making this the worst gender differential in child mortality for any country in the world.

Infant (0-1 years) and child (1-5 years) mortality are declining in India and across the world, though not as fast as was hoped in India. Simultaneously, most of the world is experiencing a faster fall in female infant and child mortality than in male, on account of well established biological factors which make girls better survivors of early infancy given equal access to resources. The world's two most populous countries, however, buck this trend.

Newly released United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs ( UN-DESA) data for 150 countries over 40 years shows that India and China are the only two countries in the world where female infant mortality is higher than male infant mortality in the 2000s. In China, there are 76 male infant deaths for every 100 female infant deaths compared with 122 male infant deaths for every 100 female infant deaths in the developing world as a whole.

The released data has found that India has a better infant mortality sex ratio than China, with 97 male infant deaths for every 100 female, but this is still not in tune with the global trend, or with its neighbours Sri Lanka (125) or Pakistan (120).

When it comes to the child mortality sex ratio, however, India is far and away the world's worst. In the 2000s, there were 56 male child deaths for every 100 female, compared with 111 in the developing world. This ratio has got progressively worse since the 1970s in India, even as Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Egypt and Iraq improved.

The UN report is clear that high girl child mortality is explained by socio-cultural values. So strong is the biological advantage for girls in early childhood that higher mortality among girls should be seen as "a powerful warning that differential treatment or access to resources is putting girls at a disadvantage", the report says.

"Higher female mortality from age 1 onwards clearly indicated sustained discrimination," says P Arokiasamy, professor of development studies at Mumbai's International Institute for Population Studies, who has studied gender differentials in child mortality in India. "Such neglect and discrimination can be in three areas: food and nutrition, healthcare and emotional wellbeing. Of these, neglect of the healthcare of the girl child is the most direct determinant of mortality," says Arokisamy. Studies have shown that health-related neglect may involve waiting longer before taking a sick girl to a doctor than a sick boy, and is also reflected in lower rates of immunization for girls than boys.

Moreover, since the outrage over India's poor child sex ratio came out of census data for children aged 0-6 years, the UN data on child mortality indicates that a campaign against female foeticide alone is not a complete solution. "Pre-natal and post-natal discrimination are complementarily contributing to gender imbalance," agrees Dr Arokiasamy. While pre-natal discrimination in the form of sex-selective abortions is more common among better educated upper income households, post-natal discrimination or neglect is more common among poorer, less educated rural households, he adds.

French jet Rafale bags $20bn IAF fighter order; India 'briefs' losing European countries


India on Tuesday selected French jet Rafale over the Eurofighter Typhoon for the gigantic almost $20 billion MMRCA (medium multi-role combat aircraft) programme.
NEW DELHI: First, the Americans, Russians and Swedes were ejected out of the hotly-contested race. And now, the Europeans too have been shot down in the dogfight, leaving only the French flying high in the Indian skies.

After an exhaustive technical and commercial evaluation spread over five long years, India on Tuesday selected French jet Rafale over the Eurofighter Typhoon for the gigantic almost $20 billion MMRCA ( medium multi-role combat aircraft) programme to supply 126 fighters to IAF - the largest such "open-tender" military aviation deal in the world.

It will take another four to five months for the contract to be inked after the final round of commercial negotiations between the defence ministry and French aviation major Dassault, and the requisite final nod from the Cabinet Committee on Security.

Under the MMRCA project, the first 18 jets will come in "fly-away condition" from France from mid-2015 onwards, while the rest 108 fighters will later be manufactured in India over six years after a transfer of technology (ToT) to Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL).

Sources said MoD on Tuesday declared Rafale to be cheaper (or lowest bidder, L-1) than Typhoon after extensive mathematical calculations and data verification of the unit cost of the two jets, lifecycle costs of operating them over a 40-year period, with 6,000 hours of flying, as well as cost of the ToT.

India's decision will cause tremendous heartburn among the four countries backing the Typhoon - the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy. The US, for instance, is still sore about last year's ejection of its F/A-18 `Super Hornet' and F-16 `Super Viper' jets from the MMRCA race after grueling field trials by IAF test pilots found only Rafale and Typhoon "compliant" on all the 643-660 technical parameters laid down to meet specific operational requirements of India.

Realizing this "sensitivity", the external affairs ministry on Tuesday "briefed" the missions of the four losing European countries in New Delhi, while MoD explained the "determination of L-1" to aviation companies Dassault and European EADS, said sources.

Defence minister A K Antony had himself made it clear that "no external factor or geo-political consideration" would play a role in the MMRCA selection process, which would solely depend on technical and commercial factors, in what will be the single biggest arms deal to be inked by UPA-II before the 2014 elections.

France has reasons to be euphoric, with twin-engine Rafale still to find favour with any other international customer. French Air Force chief General Jean-Paul Palomeros, on a recent visit to India, had told TOI the multi-role Rafale had proved its mettle in Afghanistan and Libya, while also stressing the fighter was "nuclear-capable".

French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Tuesday said the MMRCA deal would "include significant ToT guaranteed by the French government".

France, the only major Western country not to impose sanctions on India after the 1998 Pokhran-II nuclear tests, has three major ongoing defence projects with India - the Rs 23,562-crore for six Scorpene submarines, the Rs 10,947-crore upgrade for 51 Mirage-2000s and the Rs 6,600-crore acquisition of 490 MICA missile systems.

The MMRCA project will dwarf them all. As earlier reported by TOI, this "mother" of all defence deals could well become the "granny" since India will in all probability go in for another 63 fighters after the first 126 jets.

When the MMRCA selection process was initiated by MoD in mid-2007, the overall project cost was pegged at Rs 42,000 crore or $10.4 billion for 126 fighters. Since then, with inflation also being factored in, revised estimates indicate the figure will touch $20 billion, if not exceed it. If India goes in for 189 jets, it will further head north.

IAF is keen the deliveries of the 126 fighters begin from mid-2015 onwards to stem its fast-eroding combat edge. Plans are in place to base the first MMRCA squadrons in the western sector against Pakistan, first Ambala and then Jodhpur, followed by Hashimara in the eastern sector against China, say sources.

"The first MMRCA built in HAL should roll out in 2017-18. Thereafter, HAL will deliver six jets per year, which will go up to 20 per year later. HAL will achieve 85% technology absorption by the end," said a source.

Both MoD and IAF are confident there are "enough safeguards'' built into the project, which includes "performance-based logistics'', to ensure India "gets the best machine, spares and product support".

The 126 new jets will add to the ongoing progressive induction of 272 Sukhoi-30MKIs contracted from Russia for around $12 billion to bolster India's depleting number of fighter squadrons, which are down to just 33 (with 14 to 18 jets in each) from even the "sanctioned strength" of 39.5 squadrons.

India is finalizing details of the stealth Indo-Russian FGFA (fifth-generation fighter aircraft) to be built in the coming decades. IAF hopes to begin inducting the first lot of the 250 to 300 FGFA from 2020 onwards, which rough calculations show will eventually cost India around $35 billion.

Farah Khan upset with SRK-Shirish brawl


Choreographer-filmmaker Farah Khan is upset about a reported brawl between her superstar friend Shah Rukh Khan and her husband Shirish Kunder at a high-profile party here.

The fight is said to have taken place at popular club Aurus during Sanjay Dutt's success party for "Agneepath" Sunday-night-Monday morning.

"Shah Rukh has always told me that physical abuse is the worst way to sort out a problem and that it means the person who is hitting has either a professional or personal crisis going on and it saddens me to see him doing the same," Farah said in an official statement.

As the news about the fight gained momentum, IANS tried contacting Shah Rukh's official spokesperson for a comment, but had not received any response so far.

However, Kunder took to Twitter to clarify that he is not planning to file any official complaint in this regard.

"Thanks for all your concern and wishes. We are very grateful. Contrary to rumours, we have no intention of filing an FIR or police complaint," tweeted Kunder.

Apparently, while guests were having a ball, at around 4.30 a.m., Shah Rukh entered the venue straight after the Filmfare awards with three of his bodyguards. According to eyewitnesses, he headed towards Kunder and roughed him up.

"We didn't know what was happening. We saw SRK enter. Then we saw him head towards Shirish from behind the director. SRK pulled Shirish down to the ground by his long hair. We were all shocked. We had never seen SRK behave this way before," said an eyewitness.

"Before anyone could react, Baba Dewan, the owner of Aurus, ran in and intervened. SRK told Dewan to keep out. Dewan said the place belonged to him and he must intervene. The fight would've been prolonged had Sanjay Dutt not pulled SRK away from the ugly scene," the eyewitness added.

Kunder apparently left immediately.

Kunder's wife Farah Khan was one of Shah Rukh's closest friends but they fell out a year back. Farah, who was shooting all night for Bela Sehgal's "Shirin Farhad Ki Nikal Padi", got to know of the fight only when she returned home in the morning.

Rafale wins IAF's $ 10.4 billion deal to supply 126 jets


NEW DELHI: French company Dassault Rafale today bagged India's biggest-ever contract for supplying 126 combat aircraft for the air force, edging out European competitor EADS in the multi-billion dollar deal.

The French firm was declared as the lowest bidder, according to which it will get the contract under India's defence procurement procedure, sources said.

"The French firm Dassault Rafale has emerged as the L-1 (lowest bidder) and cheaper than its european rival EADS (maker of Eurofighter) in the tender and will be offered to supply the aircraft to the IAF," the source said.

They said the representatives of Dassault here were informed about the development in the morning and further negotiations on price will be held with them in the next 10-15 days.

The contract will be signed only in the next fiscal. According to the Request for Proposal (RFP), the winner of the contract will have to supply 18 of the 126 aircraft to the IAF in 36 months from its facilities and the remaining would be produced at HAL facilities in Bangalore.

Six companies including American F-16 and F-18, Russian MiG 35, Swedish Saab Gripen alongwith Eurofighter and Dassault Rafale were in the race in the beginning.

But in April last year, the defence ministry shortlisted Dassault and EADS, evicting the American, Russian and Swedish bids.

The process was started with the issuing of a global tender in 2007 after which all the six contenders were subjected to extensive field evaluation trails by the Indian Air Force at several locations across the globe.

Fried food 'fine for heart' if cooked with olive oil


Eating fried food may not be bad for the heart, as long as you use olive or sunflower oil to make it, experts say.
They found no heightened risk of heart disease or premature death linked to food that had been cooked in this way.
But the investigators stress that their findings, from studying the typical Spanish diet in which these "healthy" oils are found in abundance, do not apply to lard or other cooking oils.
So traditional fry ups should not be the order of the day, bmj.com reports.
When food is fried it becomes more calorific because the food absorbs the fat of the oils.
And experts know that eating lots of fat-laden food can raise blood pressure and cause high cholesterol, which are risk factors for heart disease.
For the study, the researchers at the Autonomous University of Madrid surveyed 40,757 adults about their diet.
The participants were asked about what types of food they ate in a typical week and how that food was prepared and cooked.
None of the adults had any sign of heart disease at the start of the 11-year study, but by the end of it 606 heart disease events and 1,134 deaths had occurred.
When the researchers looked at these heart events in detail, they could find no link with fried food in the diet.
This, they believe, is down to the type of oil the food is cooked in.
The Med diet
Before we all reach for the frying pan, it's important to remember that this was a study of a Mediterranean diet rather than British fish and chips”
Victoria Taylor
British Heart Foundation
In an accompanying editorial, Professor Michael Leitzmann from the University of Regensburg in Germany said: "Taken together, the myth that frying food is generally bad for the heart is not supported by available evidence.
"However, this does not mean that frequent meals of fish and chips will have no health consequences.
"The study suggests that specific aspects of frying food are relevant, such as the oil used, together with other aspects of the diet."
Mediterranean diets have long been hailed as healthy, being packed full of low-fat, high-fibre fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as fresh fish.
And numerous studies have shown a balanced diet such as this can cut the risk of illnesses like cancer and heart disease.
Victoria Taylor, a senior heart health dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, said: "Before we all reach for the frying pan, it's important to remember that this was a study of a Mediterranean diet rather than British fish and chips. Our diet in the UK will differ from Spain, so we cannot say that this result would be the same for us too.
"Participants in this study used unsaturated fats such as olive and sunflower oil to fry their food. We currently recommend swapping saturated fats like butter, lard or palm oil for unsaturated fats as a way of keeping your cholesterol down and this study gives further cause to make that switch.
"Regardless of the cooking methods used, consuming foods with high fat content means a high calorie intake. This can lead to weight gain and obesity, which is a risk factor for heart disease. A well-balanced diet, with plenty of fruit and veg and only a small amount of high fat foods, is best for a healthy heart."

Idea men feel more pain 'a myth'

New research casts doubt on the idea that women can cope better with pain than men.

In fact, women appear to be more sensitive to pain for illnesses such as neck pain and sinusitis, according to a study of 72,000 US patients.

Doctors should pay more attention to how pain differs between men and women, says a Stanford University team.

Hormones, genes or psychological factors could explain the differences, they report in the Journal of Pain.

Researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine, California, analysed pain scores recorded in the medical records of more than 72,000 patients.

In what they believe to be the largest study of its kind, they found differences in the levels of pain reported by men and women for certain disorders, including back conditions, sinusitis and hernias.

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Maybe because men are supposed to be 'strong and silent' they are underestimating their pain because they don't want to admit to it”

Peter Baker
Men's Health Forum
The team, led by Dr Atul Butte, reported in The Journal of Pain: "Our data support the idea that sex differences exist, and they indicate that clinicians should pay increased attention to this idea."

They say more research is needed into why men and women seem to experience pain differently.

Past studies have found that hormones may influence sensitivity to pain, including the stage of the menstrual cycle.

Commenting on the research, Peter Baker, Chief Executive of the Men's Health Forum, said: "Maybe because men are supposed to be 'strong and silent' they are underestimating their pain because they don't want to admit to it.

"Men can underplay their symptoms, they don't like to make a fuss, which is one of the reasons why men often don't want to seek help."

Halle Berry advised to take parenting classes


Halle Berry and ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry have reportedly been advised to take parenting classes together.

The pair - who have three-year-old daughter Nahla - were in court today (30.01.12) and they are said to have been advised to go on a course by the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services for the sake of their little one.

The organisation is currently investigating claims by the child's nanny Alliance Kamden that Gabriel pushed her while she was holding Nahla.

A source told RadarOnline: "The report recommends that Halle and Gabriel attend parenting classes together, so that they can co-parent Nahla together. The classes will give them the tools to work through their issues, and hopefully become better parents for it."

Gabriel - who is being investigated for child endangerment following the alleged incident - vehemently denies pushing or even touching the nanny.

Nahla is also thought to have been recommended to have counselling by the Family Services department - and TMZ.com is reporting investigators think the former couple's daughter could benefit from such sessions.

But she is not thought to have been hurt in the alleged incident.

Witherspoon finds Pattinson cool


Actress Reese Witherspoon says that actor Robert Pattinson is the most hard-working and cool guy she ever worked with.

The 35-year-old, who has made two movies -- " Vanity Fair" and "Water For Elephants" -- with Pattinson, is impressed with how the 25-year-old handles his fame.

"I've never experienced what he has -- going to premieres and there's just millions of people waiting for him to touch him. I think it must be strange, but I don't even know how to process what he deals with... (He's) a really cool guy," showbizspy.com quoted Witherspoon as saying.

"I would say (he is) the hardest-working person I've ever worked with, honestly. (He's) professional, hard-working, so appreciative, more grateful than I've ever seen anyone for where he is in life," she added.

Jennifer Lopez unsure about a fourth marriage


Jennifer Lopez doesn't know whether she could ever get married again.

The 42-year-old singer-and-actress - who has wed on three occasions and split from estranged husband Marc Anthony last year - is unsure whether she will ever tie the knot with new boyfriend Casper Smart, 24, in the future but she is not considering it at the moment.

When asked on the 'Today' show if another marriage is a possibility, Jennifer - who has come under fire for dating a man 18 years her junior - replied: "I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. We'll see. I mean, I don't know. It's not time to think about that yet. It's still fresh."

Despite splitting with Marc - who she has three-year-old twins Max and Emme with - the 'On The Floor' hitmaker revealed there is "real love" when they are working together on TV show 'iQ'Viva! The Chosen', and she knows he will "always" be a part of her life.

The brunette beauty - who was previously married to Cris Judd from 2001-2003 and Ojani Noa from 1997-1998 - added: "There is real love there.

"Marc and I were friends before we got married. We were friends for years, and we always loved each other.

"And, obviously, we have children together, so it's not going to be like he's not in my life. He's always going to be in my life."

Cynthia Nixon: Being bisexual is not a choice


Cynthia Nixon has backtracked on her controversial comment where she said homosexuality was "a choice" for her.

The 'Sex and the City' actress - who has an 11-month-old son Max with long-term partner and fiancee Christine Marinoni - angered many people in the LGBT community earlier this month by saying she "chose" to be gay, but she has now clarified she is bisexual and that was "not a choice".

In a statement to The Advocate, Cynthia - who has two children, Samantha, 15, and nine-year-old Charlie with Danny Mozes, her former partner of 15 years - said: "My recent comments in The New York Times were about me and my personal story of being gay. I believe we all have different ways we came to the gay community and we can't and shouldn't be pigeon-holed into one cultural narrative which can be uninclusive and disempowering. However, to the extent that anyone wishes to interpret my words in a strictly legal context I would like to clarify:

"While I don't often use the word, the technically precise term for my orientation is bisexual. I believe bisexuality is not a choice, it is a fact. What I have 'chosen' is to be in a gay relationship.

"As I said in the Times and will say again here, I do, however, believe that most members of our community - as well as the majority of heterosexuals - cannot and do not choose the gender of the persons with whom they seek to have intimate relationships because, unlike me, they are only attracted to one sex.

"Our community is not a monolith, thank goodness, any more than America itself is. I look forward to and will continue to work toward the day when America recognises all of us as full and equal citizens."

Daniel Radcliffe can't trim his pubic hair


Daniel Radcliffe was told to leave his pubic hair untrimmed for a new movie.

The former 'Harry Potter' star has landed a role in an upcoming film playing a Jewish man in the 1940s and has revealed the director told him any "landscaping" of the intimate area was off limits.

Daniel - who appeared naked on stage in 'Equus' - revealed: "I'm comfortable with my body. It's funny, actually, I've just been having a discussion with the guy who's directing my new project. It might have a bit of nudity and he said, 'Just to let you know, if you're getting naked, no landscaping of any kind. This is the '40s and you're playing a Jew.'

"I was like, 'Pretty much there anyway, mate! Not a huge amount of maintenance going on.' I mean, there's a little bit, obviously, for courtesy."

It seems natural body hair is important for Daniel as he also revealed he doesn't like girls who have 'Brazilians'.

The 22-year-old actor - who is in a relationship with production assistant Rosie Coker - told this week's heat magazine: "This is way too much information, but I don't like girls with nothing down there either. It freaks me out. You have to have something, otherwise it's f***ing creepy."

Our kids not allowed to Google us: Pitt


Actor Brad Pitt says that he and his partner Angelina Jolie have banned their children from Googling them.

Jolie and Pitt are biological parents to Shiloh, 5, and three-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne. They have also adopted children Maddox, 10, Pax, 8, and Zahara, 6.

"On all the kids' computers we had our names blocked. They can't Google their mom and dad. I don't want to make myself dependent on what other people think. We don't even notice all the noise," showbizspy.com quoted the 48-year-old as saying.

Filmfare’s top 10 ‘priceless’ moments


The Indian nine yards make a comeback on the red carpet at Filmfare 2012. 
At Filmfare, while stars competed to hold the lady in black, the ladies on the red carpet vied for paparazzi attention. Like every year, Bollywood divas tried to grab eyeballs with their stylised gowns and designer ensembles while walking down to the venue. Though many maintained the long flowing gowns trend, the 2012 red carpet saw a return of the Indian nine yards. Mumbai Mirror lists out the women who caught our attention - for better or for worse...

Filmfare's top 10 'priceless' moments 
  1. Two consecutive seats had the same celebrity name: Vidya Balan. Now that's how 'big' a name she has become after The Dirty Picture. 
  2. Last time he performed at Filmfare, he had the late Kishore Kumar for company. After several decades, Bappida returned to the Filmfare stage with Priyanka Chopra and his Ooh La La song. 
  3. For the first time in her 42-year-long playback career, Usha Uthup won her first Filmfare for the Darling song from 7 Khoon Maaf. And when she went on stage to receive it, the singer couldn't hold back her tears. 
  4.  Another SRK-ism: The Khan raving about Kareena and her 'hotness' quotient tells Ranbir that it is his bad luck he is Bebo's brother.
  5. SRK announced Deepika Padukone's performance and when Ranbir refused to get off stage, pulled him aside saying, "Gone are the days when Deepika used to dance for you." 
  6. Bipasha, when asked about her date, pulled her friend who she had come with and quipped, "She is my date." Interestingly, like lovebirds, the two were colour co-ordinated. 
  7.  SRK and Ranbir on stage discussed the Khans and the Kapoors of Bollywood. While they were on the topic, Ranbir mentioned how SRK's KKR cheerleaders should dance for the Kapoors for a change and know how it is to be on the winning side. 
  8. AR Rahman who had let go an Indi-German concert to be at the award did not waste too much time after grabbing the black lady for his compositions in Rockstar. In fact, Rahman headed for the door directly from the stage and did not even return to his seat. 
  9. Grabbing every possible interval as an opportunity to smoke, Rockstar director Imtiaz Ali kept flitting in and out of the venue with a cigarette in his hand. 
  10. Rekha grabbed many eyeballs as always on the red carpet. Sadly for them, the diva did not wait to pose or talk to anybody.



Is your fitness trainer for real?


We go and see a qualified doctor if we are unwell, we visit a qualified dentist if our teeth hurt, a physiotherapist who helps us with any injuries has a university degree.

So when we look for a fitness trainer, someone with whom we are going to trust the health of our bodies, should we not expect the same standard of certification? Do not assume that because your fitness trainer is working at a gym that they are certified. If you find that they are certified, that certification should come from a legit certification body. This is one of the most important aspects to know when learning what to look for in a personal trainer. When you are wondering what to look for in a personal trainer, you want to see that the personal trainer is also keeping his or her certification current. Your trainer should also be currently certified in first aid and CPR.

Before a personal trainer puts you through your first workout, they should take your medical history and have you perform a fitness evaluation -- if they don't, you should tell them what to look for in a personal trainer. A fitness evaluation may come in the form of a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q), which will ensure that your trainer is aware of any conditions that may affect your performance (such as asthma, diabetes, fibromyalgia, and scoliosis). Also, musculoskeletal or orthopedic injuries have to be considered when choosing exercises and any exercise modifications that have to be made. The fitness evaluation includes your fitness goals, your target heart rate, blood pressure, starting weight, and body composition. Don't forget to sign the informed consent form.

Once your personal trainer completes their initial evaluation, they will set up a program that incorporates your goals, but they should also address your needs. For example, if you sit at a desk all day, your chest is probably tight and your rhomboids are probably weak. Your hamstrings and piriformis will also likely be tight and weak. As a result, postural issues and imbalances should be addressed and/or corrected. Men are notorious for neglecting their lower body and it becomes the personal trainer's job to help you train all muscle groups. Every four to six weeks your personal trainer should make changes to your routine to avoid a plateau, helping you continue to make fitness gains.

Before you hire a trainer, don't be afraid to get references. Talk to their previous or current clients to get a feel of how that personal trainer addresses their fitness concerns, handles cancellations and rescheduling, and whether or not they have made progress while working with them. Also, check if your personal trainer only trains a certain type of client. Are all their clients already in shape or do they have clients on a variety of fitness levels and are able to work with all of them?

A trainer who approaches you to offer a session or give pointers on your form, shouldn't look like they need a trainer themselves; they should be in good physical shape. In the health and fitness industry, a fitness instructor's appearance is definitely part of their marketing. Can your instructor demonstrate the exercises they're asking you to perform? It is important that before you shell out bucks and put your trust and, in some instances, your health in the hands of a personal trainer, make sure they are fully prepared, trained and professional.