“God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us togive ourselves the gift of living well.”

VOLTAIRE, FRENCH PHILOSOPHER 03LIFESTYLE

HYPE-WORTHY!

BEAT COLD WITH GINGER SOUP This soup stands true to its name and has adistinct ginger flavour. It’s a great remedy toreduce cold and cough. Try it out

HOW TO MAKEStep 1 To make this cold

fighting soup, take abowl and add orange juice, tomatojuice, olive oil, chopped onion, pars-ley, thyme powder, bay leaf andchopped carrot in it. Season withsalt. Mix all these together. Pour thismixture in a pan and cook on lowflame for about 35-40 minutes.

Step 2 Place chopped gin-ger in a bowl and

add water and sugar in it. Mix theseingredients well. Pour this mix inthe pan and stir for 7 to 10 minutes.Serve piping hot in a deep soupbowl. TNN

WINTER RECIPE

Manuka honey is a high-priced nectar made pop-ular by celebrities as ahealth and beauty elixir.Actor Scarlett Johansson

smears it on her face to keep her skinglowing, few others use it to stay healthy.

BONE OF CONTENTIONManuka-branded honey is so valuable thatNew Zealand producers (of manuka) havegone to court to argue that only theyshould get the right to sell it. They saythey are the authentic source of manukahoney, from a single species of bush.

THE BIG FIGHT... New Zealand makers of the honey haveapplied for trademarks in their own coun-try as well as in Britain, the EU, the US andChina. New Zealanders say they have beencompelled to take legal action in partbecause Australian producers are trying toget away with selling an inferior product.

Australian producers have filed papers in New Zealand and Britain opposing the applications.

The dispute revolvesaround the precisetype of bush the honeyis derived from. In NewZealand, manuka honeycomes solely from the nectar ofa plant known asLeptospermum scopari-um, commonly called amanuka bush.

The Australianhoney, the NewZealanders argue,comes not only fromthat bush but also fromdozens of otherspecies inthe same genus.

NYT NEWS SERVICE

HEALTHY LIVING

THE CURIOUSCASE OF

‘SELFITIS’F

rom ‘selfitis’ to the pain of‘text neck’, the 21st centuryis throwing up some verymodern health problems. Butwhat are they and have you

got one of them? Here’s a lowdown ofthe many ways high-tech gadgets couldbe harming you.

All-pervasiveness of technology is giving rise to many modern maladies

that you need to watch out for...

SELFITISCan’t stop posting selfies? You mighthave selfitis, a condition identified byresearchers at Nottingham Trent Uni-versity, UK. The researchers found thatthose with a compulsive need to postwere often lacking in self-confidence.Chronic sufferers are deemed to bepeople who have an uncontrollableurge to take photos of themselvesand post them on social media morethan six times a day. The obsessioncan be fatal. A study reported in ajournal on family medicine showedthat between October 2011 and No-vember 2017 at least 259 people died inaccidents taking photos of themselves.

GAMING DISORDERWith billions playing gripping games,the World Health Organisation (WHO)recently classified gaming disorder asan official mental health issue. Suffer-ers give priority to video games overtheir other daily activities. Symptomsinclude lack of sleep and neglecting social life. Up to 10 per cent of gamerscould be affected. Some countries likethe UK have launched specialist clinictreatment for gamers, aged 13 to 25.

CONSOLE SORESOur physical health can suffer from

video games as much as our mentalhealth. A skin condition called

PlayStation palmarhidradenitis has been de-scribed in a journal ofdermatology. It involvessores developing on thehands of those who playgames for many hours.Dermatologists advise notplaying too much, more so ifyou are prone to sweating.

Researchers also identifiedan injury they called “Wii knee”caused by bending while playing sport-ing games on consoles.

NOMOPHOBIAThis interesting sounding term refersto the anxiety arising from not being able to use a mobile phone (No

mobile... get it?). A survey foundthat 53 per cent of phone users

became anxious withoutthem, and in extreme cir-cumstances, it can evencause panic attacks. How-ever, a study in a journalon social and clinical psy-

chology, found that limitingthe time spent on Facebook

and Instagram to around 10-15minutes a day over time helps

manage nomophobia.

Source: Daily Mirror

SMARTPHONE THUMBA survey found that 43 per cent of smart-phone users have experienced thumb painfrom using their devices. And all thatrepetitive fine motor activity we use whenswiping or typing on our phones cancause numbness aswell as pain in thefingers, wrist andforearm. This maylead to carpal tunnelsyndrome wherenerves are compressed.Doctors also talk of‘mobile elbow’,caused by bendingthe arm for too longwhile texting for a longtime on smartphone.

TEXT NECKTilting your head while scrolling through those latestInstagram posts can put tremendous pressure on yourneck, according to spinal surgeons. Prolonged use maycause muscles to become sore and inflamed – a conditionthat’s known as “text neck”. Australian researchers foundthe behaviour is causing some of us to developextra lumps of bone at the base of our skulls.

WHAT TO DO: Experts recommend trying tolook at your phone at eye level. Moreover,you can do some posture exercises suchas gently lengthening your neck upwardsas you tuck in your chin.

With millions of us using screens forhours on end, many are sufferingfrom CVS – computer vision syn-drome. Symptoms include eye strainand dry eyes, as well as blurredvision. US research suggests that 90per cent of computer users, who are

in front of screens for three hours aday or more, have experienced oneor more of the symptoms. Try andfollow the 20-20-20-20 rule – blink-ing 20 times in a row every 20 min-utes, looking away from the screenfor 20 seconds, and focusing on anobject at least 20 feet away. Takeenough breaks to keep eyes healthy.

COMPUTER VISION SYNDROME

WHAT’S THE FUSS OVERMANUKA HONEY?

Manuka honey sellsfor approx `7,000

for 500 grams

It (manukahoney) adds anamazing glow andyour skin is sosoft afterwards.It pulls out theimpurities.Scarlett Johansson

WHY THEHYPE?

The precioushoney’s promoters sayit can soothe gastricinflammation and help

in treating cuts and burns.

Manuka honey is usedas a natural ointment

for wounds of all kinds. Ithas been hailed as a go-togerm fighter in an age ofresistance to conventional

antibiotics. Proponents alsoclaim that manuka honey can

treat other conditions from acneand eczema to sinus.

Indian dog breeds like the royal Ra-japalayam have high energy levels,and are more resistant to diseasesthat usually afflict most knownbreeds. Here’s more about them.

Rajapalayam’s characteristics This breed is believed to have originat-ed from Tamil Nadu. The name is derivedfrom the place of origin: Rajapalayam, acity in Virudhunagar district of the state.The breed is also known as Shikaries.

THEY LOOK LIKE THIS: Milky white coat,narrow face, broad forehead, golden eyesand pinkish nose, muscular neck, long andslender legs with broad chest, arched backwith long, slender and tapering tail.

Great instinctRajapalayam has a history of being used inthe Karnatic wars fought during 1799. Theirsharp instinct, amazing eyesight, and guard-ing potential makes them guard dogs de-ployed even today on the borders of Jam-mu & Kashmir, by the Indian Army. TNN

Blue to beatthe blues

It seems like ‘blue space’ is the newgreen space. A new study hasfound that spending time close tolakes, rivers and sea has a positiveimpact on mental health.

The Barcelona Institute for GlobalHealth analysed the findings from 35 scientific studies. Their synthesis foundthat people living close to blue spaces re-port higher levels of physical activity,and that interaction with blue spaces canhave a positive effect on mental health –particularly in terms of stress reduction.It’s not only the sights; it’s also the soundsthat make oceans so appealing. Thesounds of crashing waves or lapping wa-ter help us regulate our internal rhythm.

‘Sea’ better mental health!Some studies have focused on how partic-ipating in outdoor aquatic activities suchas kayaking and surfing may help peoplewith post-traumatic stress disorder.

Why water?Most of the earth’s surface is covered bywater, and the human body too is com-posed of water – two facts illustratinglinkages between water, health andecosystems. Blue care comes under theumbrella of ‘nature-based solutions’ orNBS, defined by the European Commis-sion as ‘instruments inspired by natureand using the properties of ecosystemsfor multiple health benefits’. TIMES LIFE

WELLBEING

Therapists are relying heavilyon ‘blue care’ – the healingpower and potential of the

deep blue sea

TRACINGTHEIR ROOTS In ancient times, Indian dogswere praised across the worlddue to their hunting skills.They were exported to a num-ber of empires like Rome,Egypt and Babylon.

In the 18th century, around50 distinct dog breeds wereidentified in the Indian subconti-nent. Rajapalayam was one ofthem. They were bred during theNayak dynasty in Tamil Nadu.

They have been used by vil-lagers in the region to protectagricultural crops, livestockand farm produce.

All about this brave petPET INFO

500 ml tomato juice500 ml orange juice150 gm onionSalt to taste2 teaspoon choppedginger, fresh 1 bay leaf2 tablespoon virgin olive oil2 1/2 teaspoon parsley1 teaspoon thyme pow-der (from store)1 large carrot, chopped1/2 teaspoon sugar

INGREDIENTS

MUST SEE

■ SCIENCE: DO OR DIE, NATIONAL GEO-GRAPHIC CHANNEL, 3.00 PM: A meteorexplodes in the sky unleashing a devastating shockwave.

■ FOOD FACTORY, DISCOVERY CHANNEL,5.00 PM: A special machine mixesmany chunks into every pint ofCherry Garcia ice cream, a comput-er-controlled recipe ensures the per-fect blend of Earl Grey tea and onebatch of tapenade fills 15,000 jars.

■ FOOD TECH, HISTORY TV18, 7.00 PM:Bobby travels to Alabama and wadesthrough 2,75,000 catfish during feed-ing time to learn how they are scoopedfrom their ponds and turned into fillets in one hour.

■ THE DAREDEVILS, ANIMAL PLANET, 8.00PM: Cyril visits one of the most dan-gerous environments on the planet,seeking the Nile perch, the largestfreshwater fish in Africa.

■ WILD ENCOUNTERS, NAT GEO WILD, 9.00PM: The filmmaker sheds light on thelives of various animals and explainstheir parenting abilities, behaviour-al and physical traits and the strate-gies they employ to hunt and survive.

1766: James Christie, founder of thefamous auctioneers, held his firstsale in London.

1854: Aaron Allen of Boston gotpatent for folding theatre chair.

1876: Daniel Stillson (Mass) gotpatent for first practical pipewrench.

1901: Movie producer Walt Disneywas born in Chicago.

1932: German physicist AlbertEinstein was granted a visa to enterAmerica.

1941: Amrita Sher-Gil, Indian painter,passed away.

1950: Sikkim became a protectorateof India.

1950: Sri Aurobindo, Indian national-ist and spiritual guru, passed away.

1955: Historic bus boycott began inMontgomery Alabama by Rosa Parks.

1962: The US and the Soviet Unionagreed to cooperate in the peacefuluses of outer space.

2017: Russia was banned from theWinter Olympics in South Korea overstate-sponsored doping.

THIS DAY THAT YEARTELEVISION

■ LAKE PLACID VS. ANACONDA, MNX, 3.15PM: Two teens release anacondas en-hanced by blood orchid and crocodilesof Black Lake into a lake. When thetwo massive creatures fight, the sher-iff tries to prevent the town from being destroyed.

■ SKYSCRAPER, SONY PIX SD, 4.22 PM:After Will Sawyer, who assesses se-curity for skyscrapers, is accused ofa blaze in the safest building in theworld, he must prove himself inno-cent and save his family from theburning building.

■ THE PINK PANTHER, MOVIES NOW, 7.05PM: Inspector Clouseau, a clumsy de-tective, is assigned a task to investi-gate the murder of the coach of theFrench soccer team and the disap-pearance of his expensive ring withthe diamond Pink Panther.

■ SPIDER-MAN 3, &FLIX, 9.00 PM: Peter Parker becomes one with a sym-biotic alien that bolsters his Spider-Man avatar and affects his psyche. Healso has to deal with Sandman andmaintain a fragmented relationshipwith Mary Jane.

MOVIES ON TV

MUST DODECEMBER05, 2019