canadian housing swings back into downturn...

JACQUELINE FERNANDEZ GIORGIA ANDRIANIELLI AVRAMSHILPA SHETTY

TOYOTA PLATFORM HELPSUNSHACKLE RAV4

SWARA BHASKAR

First gene-edited babies claimed in China

Kareena Kapoor Khan definitely stole the spotlight at Mowgli: Legend Of the Jungle screening and press conference. (Instagram)

Kareena Kapoor Khan took our breath away in two glamorous black gowns

Canadian Housing Swings Back Into Downturn ModeAfter showing signs of a rebound over the spring and summer

months, Canada's national housing market has slipped backinto downturn mode, two new repor ts released Thursday show.

Sales of existing homes slipped 1.6 per cent in October, according tothe Canadian Real Estate Association, marking the second straightmonth of declining sales. Sales were 3.7 per cent lower than theywere in the same month a year earlier.The national average price came in at $496,800, down 1.5 per centfrom a year earlier.The real estate group's home price index showed prices falling inseven of 18 markets measured, all of them in Western Canada andnotably including Greater Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton."National sales activity lost momentum in October," Gregory Klump,CREA's chief economist, said in a statement."In par t, this reflects waning activity among some urban centers inOntario's Greater Golden Horseshoe region and the absence of anoffsetting rise in sales in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia."But the balance between sales and listings in these markets "point tostable prices or modest gains," Klump added.That's not the case for Alber ta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland,where the sales-listings balance "indicates a weak pricing environ-ment for homeowners who are looking to sell."But another measure of Canadian house prices — the Teranet/Na-tional Bank house price index — shows much more widespread pricedeclines across the country. The price index fell in 10 of 11 majormetro areas covered in October, with only Montreal eking out a small

gain. Vancouver, which appears to be in the midst of a significantslump, saw its price index drop 0.8 per cent in one month."Vancouver showed no gain for a fif th month in a row, for a cumulativeloss of 1.6 per cent," National Bank economist Marc Pinsonneaultwrote in a client note."Moreover, the weakness extends to condos as well as to more ex-pensive dwellings. This is consistent with the fact that since the beginning ofthe year, home sales declined markedly in both segments."In Toronto, the "picture is mixed," Pinsonneault noted, with condo prices stillon the rise, even as detached-home prices have been declining.

HONG KONG: A Chinese researcher claims that he helped make theworld’s first genetically edited babies—twin girls born this monthwhose DNA, he said, he altered with a power ful new tool capable ofrewriting the very blueprint of life.If true, it would be a profound leap of science and ethics.A US scientist said he took par t in the work in China, but this kind ofgene editing is banned in the United States because the DNA changescan pass to future generations and it risks harming other genes.Many mainstream scientists think it’s too unsafe to try, and somedenounced the Chinese repor t as human experimentation. The re-searcher, He Jiankui of Shenzhen, said he altered embryos for sevencouples during fer tility treatments, with one pregnancy resulting thusfar. He said his goal was not to cure or prevent an inherited disease,but to try to bestow a trait that few people naturally have—an ability toresist possible future infection with HIV, the AIDS virus.He said the parents involved declined to be identified or interviewed,and he would not say where they lived or where the work was done.There is no independent confirmation of He’s claim, and it has notbeen published in a journal, where it would be vetted by other exper ts.He revealed it on Monday in Hong Kong to one of the organisers of aninternational conference on gene editing that is set to begin on Tues-day, and earlier in exclusive interviews with The Associated Press.

Nearly 25 years af ter the launch of the first Toyota RAV4, it's hard tobelieve that someone had to invent the segment. But it's true. Thecar-based compact crossover was once a novelty.The pioneering Toyota nameplate arrived in Japan and Europe in 1994,beating early sales expectations, and then made its way to the U.S. in1996, creating what would become a crowded and fiercely competi-tive segment. Last year, the RAV4 crossed 407,000 U.S. sales, sur-passing the Camry and all other nonpickup vehicles in the U.S., andreaping the benefits of an ongoing consumer transition from sedansto crossovers. And yet, says Yoshikazu Saeki, chief engineer of the2019 RAV4, something was holding it back: a platform shared withthe sedate Corolla that gave it a more carlike ride but also limited itsversatility as a utility vehicle.That limitation is gone, Saeki says, now that RAV4 has migrated tothe Toyota New Global Architecture, a more versatile platform that un-derpins Toyota's next generation of products. That list includes the Corolla sedanand hatchback, yes, but it also has been adapted to accommodate thePrius, Camry and Avalon, along with a range of power tain options.

26 MidWeek MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2018

Sara Ali Khan makes a case for casualwhite T-shirt, blue jeans airport look

‘Gone are the days where simplewhite T-shirts were reserved for lazydays. As of late, even your mostsimple white tee can be synonymouswith casual-chic, it’s just a matterof styling. Let Sara Ali Khan showyou how it’s done.

Sara Ali Khan has come up with a few stellar skinny-jean outfitsin the past few months, so we’re always eager to see whatshe’s going to put together next. And with her new airpor t on

Monday, she didn’t disappoint. Sara’s light-wash ripped denim andwhite tiger-themed graphic T-shir t, which she paired with white sneak-ers. It’s a casual-cool airpor t look that could just as easily translateto a brunch or lunch with friends. Or need to run a few errands butdon’t feel like putting together a full look? Follow in Sara’s footstepsand throw a white tee on over your go-to jeans-and-sneakers pairing:A not-so-basic white-tee-blue-jeans outfit is one to watch, as celebri-t ies, such as, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Malaika Arora, DeepikaPadukone, Priyanka Chopra and more have proven their loyalty to it,and we have a feeling you might be next. Ahead, we’re proving to youjust how much celebrities love a white T-shir t by highlighting some ofour favourite looks featuring white tee and blue jeans, over the pastcouple of months:

FROM BEAUTY TO WELLNESS, SALONSAND SPAS GET A ‘HEALTHY’ MAKEOVER

‘A 2018 global survey by Cigna TTKHealth Insurance conducted across23 markets noted that nine out of 10Indians are stressed, with 95% ofthem being millennials.

Once simple grooming destinations to keep your nails in perfect shape, hair shining and skin glowing, salons and spas aregetting a makeover in these days of increasingly stressful

urban lives.In towns big and small and targeting those with varying degrees ofdisposable incomes, beauty junctions are evolving to become healthand wellness centres for people to also relax and rejuvenate.From simple massages and back rubs at home to luxurious “metime” hours spent at high-end spas, the market caters to clients withpockets shallow and deep, going from several hundred rupees tomany thousands.According to Dr Madhurima Gupta of the centre for wellness at Delhi’sSarvodaya Hospital and Research Centre here, visits to spas andsalons help one reconnect mind, body and spirit.She recommends such sessions weekly, as well as on vacations.“Today’s lifestyle is such that people have money but no time forthemselves. In such situations, spas and salons are becoming ex-tremely popular because these are places where people can get awayfrom their phones and work, de-stress and relax,” Gupta told PTI.A 2018 global survey by Cigna TTK Health Insurance conducted across23 markets noted that nine out of 10 Indians are stressed, with 95% ofthem being millennials. The study also cited work as one of the majortriggers for shooting stress levels. A nice back rub or a foot massagedoes the trick for city-based Sharad Agarwal, leaving him refreshedfor an all-consuming month at work. Every month, he spends about5% of his earnings at spas and salons, getting head and neck mas-sages, pedicures and sometimes even full body spas if he is in amood to splurge.“The massages facilitate better blood circulation, relieving me of bodyaches due to the long hours of sitting at work,” the 27-year-old said.The range of services offered at the spas and salons are varied andoften are a combination of beauty and health. Hair spas are combinedwith head, neck, shoulder and back massages, pedicures and mani-cures come with complimentary arm and leg massages, and bodyspas usually involve the use of ayurvedic and essential oils and scrubsthat give the skin a renewed glow. Full body spas like Thai massage,hot stone massage, deep tissue therapy, aromatherapy, ayurvedicmassage among others can be enjoyed by spending anything be-tween Rs 2,000 and Rs 4,000.A combination of massages can cost up to Rs 7,000. Vibha Rastogi,director of the Sawadhee Traditional Thai Spa in Vasant Kunj, saidspas provide the “me time” most of her clients are looking for.“Our guests are usually looking for relaxation and to de-stress fromtheir everyday life. Seeking a kind of ‘me time’ or ‘time to pamper

oneself ’ is gaining great impor tance,” she said.The wellness programmes at the spa are aimed at balancing as wellas rejuvenating the mind, body and spirit, with their treatments beinga blend of traditional spa rituals and modern therapies.“We put great emphasis on the overall wellness of an individual. Thetherapies focus on relaxation and de-stressing, general well-being,fitness and anti-aging,” Rastogi said.She added that many visitors also look to relieve aches and painsafter the gym. Other benefits of such spas include improved circula-tion and firming of the skin. “Me time” is sought also by the visitors ofNEU Salonz, which has multiple outlets across NCR. “A salon visit isan emotional experience and they go to salons for their ‘me’ timewhich is rare nowadays. After a good salon visit, they walk out notonly looking beautiful but also rejuvenated and relaxed,” said Vibhoar,CEO of the salon franchise.Doorstep delivery of this much sought after ‘me time’ is being madepossible with apps like UrbanClap. At the touch of a button one canschedule an appointment with a trained therapist, who will bring thespa home. From a spa bed, essential oils, disposable bedsheets andtowels, to scented diffuser, oil warmer, candles and speaker for mu-sic, the therapist will have everything to relieve you of all stress.Massages on UrbanClap star t at Rs 1,199 and go up to Rs 1,799. Apopular package is the 100-minute long ‘Top to Toe Relaxation’ thatincludes 60 minutes of Swedish massage, 20 minutes of head andshoulder massage and 20 minutes of foot reflexology.They also have a dedicated 80-minute ‘de-stress treatment’, includ-ing a 60-minute Swedish Massage and 20-minute head and shouldermassage. In Gupta’s view, regulated spa and salon sessions arenecessary in addition to the daily health routine that one might followto maintain “functional efficiency”.“Good health is achieved not only through your daily habits includinga healthy diet, moderate exercise, quality sleep and preventive care,but also by giving your mind and body a chance to reconnect, whichis why I would recommend visiting spas and salons,” she said.

5 simple ways to stay fit inthe changing season

The change of seasons should be used as a cue to takeeven more care of your health.The change in temperature results in modification ofthe routine, diet and even exercise regimen. However,if you have been investing the whole year in becomingmore fit, you also don’t want that effor t to go waste.So, how can you maintain that balance between enjoy-ing the winter season and simultaneously maintainingyour health?There are five lifestyle changes recommended byYamnish Kaul of Indian Ear th, that each of us can adoptthroughout the changing season.Eat, but don’t over-eatOver-eating is the key word here. You must enjoy whatyou eat, even if it means a dessert or a glass of wine,but be sure to never overdo it. Our body only uses whatit needs, and the excess gets stored as energy, andthat excess energy is in the form of fat for later use.Do not eat with guiltEven the sight of sweets seems to make some peoplenervous and jittery. Festive food is meant to be en-joyed with joy, and if it leaves you feeling guilty, youare better off not eating it. If you eat with guilt andanxiety, your body perceives it as a stressful situationand releases a hormone called cor tisol, which makesyou fat. So make a resolution to not feel guilty and youwill be fine all through the season.Be active, but in a smar t wayMany of us are unable to stick to our regular fitnessregimen during the changing season since one getsmore lazy and lethargic. But workouts don’t have tohappen only at the gym. They can happen within thecomfor ts of your home or even while you are travel-ling. If you don’t have 30 minutes to work out, aim for20 minutes or 10, or a minimum of four minutes.Don’t skimp on sleepDuring changing season, it can be easy to skip or notget enough sleep. But you should focus on quality sleepeven in those handful of hours that you are left with.Sleep is when your body detoxifies and rejuvenatesyou from all the hustle and bustle of this season. Itregulates your mood, boosts your gut health, immu-nity, regulates appetite and puts you in a better posi-tion to make healthy choices during the day.Go ‘raw’ till lunchAnother helpful strategy is to eat ‘raw’ until lunch. Thismeans from the time you wake up, you are only onraw, uncooked food like muskmelon seeds, watermelonseeds, cornflakes, fruits, nuts, sprouted pulses, veg-etable juices, and your first cooked meal is your lunch.This helps your body effectively detoxify.

The hunchback problem:Straighten the slouch andcrunch that hunchThanks to our sedentary lifestyle, health problems arisingdue to a poor posture are becoming increasingly common.A bad posture, which usually is a result of the amount oftime we spend sitting in front of our computers or beinghunched in front of our phones, not only causes health prob-lems such as back pain but also makes us feel low, tiredand sluggish. However, with the right exercises, you candefinitely correct your bad postures. Here’s what fitnessexper ts Jinnie Gogia Chugh and Ilu Singh suggest you do.How to know if your posture is incorrect1)If you have rounded shoulders, you slouch, your head is tilted for-ward and your knees are bent, then you can tell yourself that yourposture is poor.2)If you have a straight line from your ear to shoulder to your hip thenyou can say that your posture is good.5 exercises that can help fix a bad posture1)Reverse plank and reverse plank bridgeThese are among the most effective exercises to fix your back, andeffectively, remove your slouch. This exercise specifically targetsyour hip abductors, hip adductors, hip flexors, and the lumbar spine.Reverse plank and reverse plank bridge strengthen also your lowerback, which is essential for good posture.2)DeadliftFor good posture, your back needs to be straight. And if there is oneexercise that straightens and strengthens your lower back, it is thedeadlift. Good posture is also the result of a strong core, legs andhips. Deadlifts work all three in one movement.3)Face pullsIf you slouch or have developed a hunchback, then facepulls are just what you need. A hunched back is usuallycaused by having tight chest muscles and weak upper backmuscles. Face pulls work by strengthening your upper backand rear delts.4)Goblet squatApar t from developing your leg muscles, goblet squats alsostretch your hip flexors, abductors and lumbar spine. Theirstretchability is essential for good posture. Their tightnessor rigidity can lead to bad posture.

l i f e s t y l e

MidWeek 27MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY

TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2012

MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY



TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2018l i f e s t y l e

7215 Goreway Drive Suite 2D03Westwood Square (Upper level near food cour t), Mississauga ON L4T 0B4

TEL: 905-956-2174TICO No. 50023652

Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukonedress up in lehenga, multicoloured

jacket for DJ bash‘Ranveer Singh and Deepika

Padukone danced the nightaway at a DJ bash thrown forthem by Ranveer’s sister Ritika.Here’s what they wore.

THE HUNCHBACK PROBLEMSTRAIGHTEN THE SLOUCH AND

CRUNCH THAT HUNCH

There has been lots of buzz about the Deepika Padukone and RanveerSingh wedding. And while the couple are now back in Mumbai posttheir Lake Como wedding extravaganza, the celebrations are still on.While the couple got married on November 14 and 15, they have alsoheld a reception in Bengaluru on November 21.Ahead of their Mumbai bash, Ranveer’s sister Ritika Bhavnaniorganised a DJ wedding par ty at Grand Hyatt, Mumbai, for the newly-weds. The couple danced the night away with their loved ones.Ranveer went all out and wore a colour ful Manish Arora black andpink silk jacket with handcraf ted embellishments and a long shir t andpants with hear t motifs. He also wore pink tinged sunglasses and finejewellery and rings from Amrapali Jaipur for the bash. DeepikaPadukone wore a Sabyasachi lehenga. The couple are seen dancingto their favourite songs from their films.Friends and family were invited for the event with a card that said,“Raise a Toast and Celebrate Ranveer and Deepika”. While the decorwas tasteful, there was also personalised box of sweets for the guests.

Air pollution exposure linked to breast cancerWomen working near busy roads are at high risk of developing breastcancer, due to traffic-related air pollution, researchers have warned.The team, from University of Stirling in Scotland, analysed the case ofa woman who developed breast cancer after spending 20 years work-ing as a border guard at the busiest commercial border crossing inNor th America.The woman was one of, at least, five other border guards who devel-oped breast cancer within 30 months of each other and, at anothernearby crossing, a cluster of seven other cases was noted.According to Michael Gilber tson, the findings “infer a causal relation-ship” between breast cancer and very high exposures to traffic-re-lated air pollution containing mammary carcinogens. A link betweennightshift work and cancer was also identified.“This new research indicates the role of traffic-related air pollution incontributing to the increasing incidence of breast cancer in the gen-eral population,” Gilber tson said.The group of women all developed a cancer believed to have beencaused by exhaust fumes in what researchers have branded a ‘newoccupational disease’.There is a one in 10,000 chance the cases were a coincidence, the

study published in the journal New Solutions said, because the can-cers were all so similar and close together.A review of previous research confirmed that BRCA1 and BRCA2genes -- which try to stop tumours growing -- can be “silenced” byexposures to dioxins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons - bothfound in exhaust fumes.BRCA2 gets rapidly degraded in the presence of aldehydes - alsocomponents of exhaust fumes.“There is much more research to be under taken,” Gilber tson said.“But we now have plausible mechanisms for inferring how the BRCA1/2 tumour suppressors in this highly-exposed border guard becamedysfunctional and likely contributed to the ongoing epidemic of spo-radic, early onset, premenopausal breast cancer among her col-leagues.“With this new knowledge, industry and government can plan for newdesigns for industrial and commercial facilities to cut down on theoccupational exposures to traffic-related air pollution,” Gilber tson said.

Thanks to our sedentary lifestyle, health problems arisingdue to a poor posture are becoming increasingly common.A bad posture, which usually is a result of the amount oftime we spend sitting in front of our computers or beinghunched in front of our phones, not only causes health prob-lems such as back pain but also makes us feel low, tiredand sluggish. However, with the right exercises, you candefinitely correct your bad postures. Here’s what fitnessexper ts Jinnie Gogia Chugh and Ilu Singh suggest you do.How to know if your posture is incorrect1)If you have rounded shoulders, you slouch, your head istilted forward and your knees are bent, then you can tellyourself that your posture is poor.2)If you have a straight line from your ear to shoulder toyour hip then you can say that your posture is good.Exercises that can help fix a bad posture1)Reverse plank and reverse plank bridgeThese are among the most effective exercises to fix yourback, and effectively, remove your slouch. This exercise specificallytargets your hip abductors, hip adductors, hip flexors, and the lumbarspine. Reverse plank and reverse plank bridge strengthen also yourlower back, which is essential for good posture.2)DeadliftFor good posture, your back needs to be straight. And ifthere is one exercise that straightens and strengthens yourlower back, it is the deadlift. Good posture is also the resultof a strong core, legs and hips. Deadlifts work all three inone movement.3)Face pullsIf you slouch or have developed a hunchback, then facepulls are just what you need. A hunched back is usuallycaused by having tight chest muscles and weak upper backmuscles. Face pulls work by strengthening your upper backand rear delts.4)Goblet squatApar t from developing your leg muscles, goblet squats alsostretch your hip flexors, abductors and lumbar spine. Theirstretchability is essential for good posture. Their tightnessor rigidity can lead to bad posture.



MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2018 l i f e s t y l e

Dress up and get your capes ready for

THE DELHI COMIC CON

‘The Delhi Comic Con is back inits eighth edition. From Deadpoolto Thor, from the Joker to theStormtroopers, everyone’s gonnabe at the three-day fan festival.

3 WAYS TO SUCCESSFULLYHANDLE YOUR IN-LAWS

Do e-cigarettes undermine desire to quit smoking?Tr ying to quit smoking? Spend time with people who use e-cigarettes.The University College London research has found that smokers who were regularly exposed tovapers (as opposed to other smokers) were around 20 percent more likely to have repor ted both ahigh current motivation to quit and made a recent quit attempt.The findings have been published in BMC Medicine.“Our results found no evidence that spending time with vapers discourages smokers from quitting,which should help to alleviate concerns about the wider public health impact of e-cigarettes,” saidthe study’s lead author, Dr Sarah Jackson.Around a quar ter (25.8 percent) of smokers in the study said they regularly spent time with vapers.Of these, around a third (32.3 percent) had made an attempt to quit smoking in the previous year -a higher rate than was observed among smokers who did not regularly spend time with vapers(26.8 percent).“A key factor driving these differences may be that smokers who are regularly exposed to e-cigarette use by others are more likely to use e-cigarettes themselves. When smokers’ own use ofe-cigarettes was taken into account, exposure to other people using e-cigarettes appeared to havelittle impact on how motivated smokers were to stop, and whether they made a recent quit at-tempt,” explained Dr Jackson. E-cigarettes are estimated to be around 95 percent safer than smok-ing tobacco, according to Public Health England. The authors say the findings should offer somereassurance in terms of the wider public health impact of e-cigarettes, par ticularly given evidencethat the alternative, cigarette smoking, appeared to reduce other smokers’ motivation to quit.Kruti Shrotri, Cancer Research UK’s tobacco control expert, said: “So far, there hasn’t been muchevidence about whether e-cigarettes might make smoking tobacco seem normal again. So it’sencouraging to see that mixing with people who vape is actually motivating smokers to quit. As thenumber of people who use e-cigarettes to quit smoking rises, we hope that smokers who come intocontact with them are spurred on to give up tobacco for good.”

It’s that time of the year again when you dust off your superherocostumes and iron your capes. A time when comic lovers and popculture fans gather in one place to celebrate their fandoms together.

The Delhi Comic Con is back with its eighth edition.Much like every year, the three-day fest will have various experien-tial and gaming zones, panels and sessions, exhibitors and some ofthe coolest superhero merchandise for you to choose from. If you’renerding out already, know that this isn’t all. The comic con this yearwill have comic ar tist Peter Nguyen (Black Widow, Catwoman, Aveng-ers); creator,writer and letterer John Layman (Cyclops, Detective Com-ics, Godzil la); and Declan Shalvey (Nick Fury: Post Prologue,Deadpool) as the special international guests this season. If you’re aGame of Thrones fan, you can also get a chance to meet actor VladimirFurdik, who plays the menacing Night King in the popular series.“I’m excited to announce that we are back with the 8th edition of thefest this December to make it the best weekend of the year for the popculture fans and geeks in the city. Like each year, we have a bunch ofawesome experiences, activities, meet-ups, panels this time aroundas well, while fans will have a chance to rub shoulders with guestsfrom India and aboard. In addition, we also have several immersivepanel discussions with some of the most regarded names from the

world of comic book publishing, including ar tists, illustrators, andwriters,” says Karan Kalra of Comic Con India.For cosplayers eager to visit the comic con, this year will con-tinue the tradition of a cosplay contest where fans can comedressed up as their favourite comic, superhero or gaming char-acters. Each contestant stands the chance to win a cash prize ofRs 50,000 each day, and winners of the contest will automaticallyenter the running to represent India at the Crown World Championshipof Cosplay in Chicago, too.Hyped up?Catch It LiveWhat: Delhi Comic Con

Where: NSIC Grounds, OkhlaWhen: December 7-9Timings:11am to 8pmNearest Metro Station: Okhla NSICMetro Station on the Violet line.

Of ten, when two people star t dating each other, initially, it’sjust the two of them in the picture. Later, the couple alsogets to know each other’s friends and family members. You alsovisit each other’s homes and meet your respective family mem-bers — it’s a rosy picture. But more often than not, after marriage,this set up crumbles, and you or your spouse are at loggerheadswith your respective in-laws or vice versa. And, arguably, manyof us will agree that this is the reality of several marriages.Starting pointThe first difference between your par tner and your parentsor you or your to-be in-laws star t during marriage prepara-tions or around this time. Mary George Varghese, clinical psy-chologist, says that this is a very common situation in most mar-riages. She says, “Whether it is an arranged or love marriage, thepoints of disagreements are usually the same — differences aboutthe guest list, who spends for what during the wedding, making itan expensive or inexpensive affair, you may want to spendon outfits whereas, your par tner and his/her family want tosplurge on food or something else, the venue, menu, décorand jewellery among other things.”Post the weddingIn many cases, the wounds that are caused during thewedding ceremony don’t heal, and the rift only widens.Suyog V Jaiswal, assistant professor in psychiatry, HBTMedical College, says that the root cause of this is the thirdperson involved in the setup. He explains, “The warringpar ties always have one person connecting the two i.e.husband/son or wife/daughter. The dynamics of a relation-ship that pivots on a third person has higher chances ofdifferences due to lack of direct and non-judgmental com-munications.” Also, in our country, post mar riage, manywomen end up staying in the husband’s home along withhis parents. Relationship counsellor, Vishnu Modi saysthat this is a fer tile ground for more friction.He says, “Humans take time to adapt to new situations.Differences arise when both a wife and the in-laws are not ableto adapt to their new environment. Of course, there are many otherfactors as well.” But, according to Jaiswal, the situation may bedifferent in a joint family setup. He says, “It’s easier for jointfamilies to take in a new family member. The very essence of ajoint family is about coexistence despite differences. How-ever, an individual’s relationship nurturing can take an equalamount of effor ts on behalf of the husband or his wife.”



Why coughing doesn’t mean that your child may have asthma

‘Studies from India show thatasthma among children who are13–14 years of age is lower than6–7 years old. In some children,however, asthma may disappearfor some years only to return at alater stage in life.

Coughing and wheezing before the age of six years aresigns that the child is having difficulty breathing, butthese are not always a sign of asthma. With environ-

mental factors such as pollutants, dust, changing weather,pollen, mites, mould, hazardous volatile compounds and foodadditives pushing up allergies and asthma cases, every coughand wheeze prompts panicked parents to call paediatriciansseveral times a day.Paediatricians say more than children, parents need tobreathe easy.Around one in three children under the age of five cough andwheeze when they have colds and other viral infectionsbecause infections cause inflammation, which may also makethe inner lining of airways to swell up and restrict air flow.Unless the difficulty breathing last for weeks after the cold orfever is over, the child is unlikely to develop asthma.Signs of asthmaAround half the children outgrow the symptoms by age six, butthe rest continue to have airway sensitivity and asthma.Studies from India show that asthma among children who are13–14 years of age is lower than 6–7 years old. In somechildren, however, asthma may disappear for some years onlyto return at a later stage in life.Children with a personal or family history of asthma, allergiesor eczema are at increased risk, as are those who have hadfrequent infections or are exposed to severe air pollution,which lowers maximal lung functional capacity exacerbates ofasthma.An estimated 10% to 15% children between the ages of 5 and11 years have asthma in India, which makes asthma the mostcommon chronic disease in children in the country. Between15 and 20 million people have asthma in India, according to

the World Health Organization, with the Indian Journal ofMedical Research estimating the number to be at least 30million. The common symptoms in children include recurrentattacks of dry and hacking cough without fever that get moresevere while sleeping or in the early morning hours. Somechildren may produce a whistling sound while breathing,while a few may complain of chest pain or stomach ache.Severe attacks rarely occur suddenly, but are known to occurwithout warning even in children with intermittent asthma, sotesting for asthma is a must to star t treatment to manage thedisease and prevent acute attacks.Avoiding troubleA major trigger for children is the narrowing of the airwaysbecause of physical exer tion. Exercise-induced asthmacauses breathlessness, wheezing, and coughing within 5 to 10minutes of the cool-down period af ter physical activity, but itmay also occur during running or playing spor ts, such ascricket, football, basketball or athletics. These symptoms

usually disappear within 30 minutes of stopping.Spor ting activities such as swimming cause less airwaycooling or drying and rarely cause exercise-induced asthma.Spor ts involving shor t bursts of activity are better tolerated bychildren with asthma than prolonged exer tion.Along with using prescription medication to dilate airways andlower their sensitivity to minimise attacks, identifying and avoidingirritants is also essential. Till the specific triggers are not identified, achild with airway sensitivity has to be protected from knownallergens like dust and other indoor and outdoor air pollutants, pollen,food colour and additives, secondhand smoke, poorly ventilatedspaces homes and cold weather.Since asthma is a chronic disease, treatment has to continuefor life. Even children with mild asthma must have SOSmedicines, such as inhaled shor t-acting beta2-agonists,handy to prevent symptoms from exacerbating. Those withmoderate to severe asthma need prescription medicines, suchas anti-inflammatory medicines, to lower airway sensitivityand inflammation and prevent asthma attacks.



MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY


ROTHMANS, BENSON & HEDGESOPENS CANADIAN FLAGSHIP STORE

AT WEST EDMONTON MALL TO SUPPORT A SMOKE-FREE FUTURE

EDMONTON: Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc. will open a Canadian flagship location at WestEdmonton Mall (WEM), Nor th America's largest mall, on Nov. 23, where the IQOS tobacco heating system willbe available at retail. The new store opening is another step towards a smoke-free future."We're thrilled to open our flagship store at a world-renowned retail destination," said Peter, Luongo,Managing Director Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc., the Canadian subsidiary of Philip MorrisInternational.Despite all effor ts to reduce smoking around the world, the World Health Organization expects morethan 1 billon people will still be smoking in 2025-about the same number as today. The store in WEMwill feature Heat-not-Burn tobacco products developed in Switzerland and suppor ted by category-leading science and technology, offering cur rent adult smokers a smoke-free alternative to conven-tional cigarettes.The latest opening is par t of an international growth strategy and marks the first mall location in

Canada and 5th store in Canada, with additional standalone street front locations in Toronto,Vancouver, and Calgary. The ongoing expansion is par t of Philip Mor ris International's goal toreplace cigarettes with smoke-free products. Due to the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act, brandedsignage on the store's façade is strictly prohibited. This Act also makes it illegal to share facts -real, factual and scientific information about the differences between cigarettes, e-cigarettes andheated tobacco; but heated tobacco products are not the same as cigarettes. Government shouldnot treat them the same. This is unfor tunate. Through this law the government is sending a mes-sage to all Canadians that they are incapable of making an informed decision.Conversely, Canadianshould have a right to know.Globally, approximately 70 to 90 per cent of people who buy IQOS use it exclusively or predomi-nantly. PMI has invested over U.S. $4.5 billion on research, development, and production to ensureadult smokers have better options.



Basic counselling lowers bullyingVIOLENCE IN BIHAR SCHOOLS

‘A study published in The Lancet onThursday reveals how a one-year‘lay counsellor’-led healthpromotion project in governmentschools in Bihar’s Nalanda districtlowered bullying, depression,substance abuse and violence.

In findings that have implications for the Rashtriya Kishor SwasthyaKaryakram (national adolescent health programme), a one-year ‘laycounsellor’-led health promotion project in government schools in

Bihar’s Nalanda district lowered bullying, depression, substance abuseand violence, and improved teacher-student relationship, decision-mak-ing, gender equity and knowledge of sexual health, according to a studypublished in The Lancet on Thursday. India is home to 236.5 million 10-19year olds, which makes every fifth person in the country an adolescent,according to Census 2011 data. “Health-promoting behaviours and atti-tudes during adolescence, such as improving emotional regulation, haveenormous long-term benefits on both mental health and physical healthbecause this is the period of life when such behaviours are consoli-dated,” said principal investigator Dr Vikram Patel of the , who is thePershing Square Professor of Global Health at Harvard Medical School.The low-resource project, called SEHER, was rolled out in 74 govern-ment-run secondary and higher secondary schools in Nalanda district,with a population of 2.8 million and a literacy rate of 66% compared to thenational average of 74%. Simple initiatives like setting up speak-out boxesfor complaints and suggestions, building a monthly “wall magazine” forknowledge building, and providing individual counselling to address emo-

tional, behavioural, social, nutritional and academic difficulties, showedresults.“Conducted in one of the least-resourced districts, the intervention, ledby lay counsellors called SEHER mitras (friends), improved the schoolclimate which led to children more willing to come to school. It loweredbullying, violence, depression symptoms and improved attitudes towardsgender equity and knowledge of reproductive and sexual health,” saidPrachi Khandeparkar, programme director of the SEHER project run bySangath, a non-profit that works on mental health. “We have few trained

people and trained non-specialistsfrom the community have a majorrole to play for identification andearly referral, especially in ruralareas where stigma is high,” saidDr Rajesh sagar, professor of psy-chiatry at All India Institute of Medi-cal Sciences, New Delhi. RajeevKumar, 32, is one of the graduateswho was trained as a counsellorfor a week and interviewed twicebefore being posted to NaveenAdarsh Plus 2 Uttchh Vidyalaya, ahigher secondary school inVishupur village 45 km outsideBihar Sharif in Nalanda.“I was working as a home tutor inBihar Sharif when heard about theproject and applied for it. The mostcommon complaint was not beinginterested in studies, followed socialconcerns such as peer acceptance,which were causing distress. Talkingto them helped identify the cause of theproblem, which led to resolution inmany cases,” said Kumar, whoworked as a pay counsellor inSEHER Vishupur for two years.

Sugary drinks more harmfulto diabetics than sweetenedfoods, warns study

Lay off the sugary drinks. Sweetened drinks pose a greaterrisk of type 2 diabetes than most other foods containingfructose, a naturally occurring sugar, according to a study.The findings, published in The BMJ, suggest that fruit andother foods containing fructose seem to have no harmfuleffect on blood glucose levels. However, sweetened drinksand some other foods that add excess “nutrient poor”energy to diets may have harmful effects.“These findings might help guide recommendations onimpor tant food sources of fructose in the prevention andmanagement of diabetes,” said John Sievenpiper from StMichael’s Hospital in Canada.“But the level of evidence is low and more high qualitystudies are needed,” said Sievenpiper.The role of sugars in the development of diabetes andhear t disease attracts widespread debate and increasingevidence suggests that fructose could be par ticularly harm-ful to health. Fructose occurs naturally in a range of foods,including whole fruits and vegetables, natural fruit juicesand honey. It is also added to foods, such as soft drinks,breakfast cereals, baked goods, sweets, and desserts as‘free sugars’.Current dietary guidelines recommend reducing free sug-ars, especially fructose from sweetened beverages, but itis unclear whether this holds for all food sources of thesesugars. Researchers based at St Michael’s and the Uni-versity of Toronto in Canada analysed the results of 155studies that assessed the effect of different food sourcesof fructose sugars on blood glucose levels in people withand without diabetes monitored for up to 12 weeks.Results were based on four study designs: substitution(comparing sugars with other carbohydrates), addition(energy from sugars added to diet), subtraction (energyfrom sugars removed from diet), or ad libitum (energyfrom sugars freely replaced). Outcomes were glycatedhaemoglobin or HbA1c (amount of glucose attached tored blood cells), fasting glucose, and fasting insulin (bloodglucose and insulin levels after a period of fasting).



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What Kinds of Debts are Not Coveredin a Bankruptcy in Canada?

When you are not in a position to settle your debts, you simply go ahead and file for bankruptcy. However, allthe types of debts are not being covered when you file for bankruptcy. Hence, it is impor tant for you to havea clear understanding on what debts are covered and what debts are not covered at the time of filing for

bankruptcy. It is also possible for you to go ahead and file for bankruptcy without seeking the assistance of a legalprofessional. If you are going to do that, you need to be well-informed about the process. That's why you need to takea look at the debts mentioned below and understand that they are not being covered in a bankruptcy within Canada.As a result, you will be able to stay away from filing for bankruptcy unnecessarily within the country." Student loansIn Canada, student loans will not be covered in a bankruptcy, as long as they less the 7 years old. It has been identifiedthat most of the students living in Canada go ahead and obtain student loans. That's mainly because education is soexpensive in Canada and the students find it as a difficult task to cover up their expenses. However, you need to keepin mind that the student loans are not covered in a case of bankruptcy. If you are not in a position to settle your studentloan, you shouldn't go ahead and file for bankruptcy. It will not be able to provide any assistance to you. Student loansin Canada can fur ther be divided into several categories. They include privately lent student loans, federal studentloans and loans that are directly offered by the colleges. All these types of student loans will not be covered during acase of bankruptcy.However, there is one exception, which you need to keep in mind. If you can prove that you are not in a position to workafter your college or again in your life, due to a permanent or a complete disability, you will be able to include yourstudent loan in the bankruptcy and file for it. But in general, people are not allowed to go for it." Secured debtsThere are individuals who purchase valuable items, such as cars, merchandise or jewelry. After purchasing theseitems, they go ahead and file for bankruptcy. This can be considered as another major mistake that they do. That'sbecause you will not be able to file for bankruptcy because of the items that you have purchased. If you are filing forbankruptcy, you will either have to continue making your payments for the lender or to give up the items that you havepurchased. You need to keep in mind that the lender of the loan has got a security interest against the item that youhave purchased. In other words, you have come into an agreement with the lender in order to pay for the product inreturn of the item. In case if you fail to work according to that agreement, the right that you have to continue with usingthe item would be removed. Hence, you need to think about this factor at the time of filing for bankruptcy.There is an exception in this situation as well. You will be able to surrender the merchandise, jewelry or vehicle youbought back to the lender. Then you will be able to get rid of the obligation that you have in order to make a paymentback. You will not be allowed to keep an item along with you. The security interest of the lender can be considered asthe main reason behind the above mentioned fact. Therefore, you will not be able to retain the item and stay away frommaking a payment to it." Child supportLuckily, you will not be asked to remove the legal obligations that you have to pay for your child as a support at thetime of bankruptcy. If you have an outstanding balance, which you are willing to use as this payment, you will beprovided with the ability to keep it after the case." Credit card debt and legal payments made to the ex-spouseIf you take a look at the divorce cases, the spouse usually agrees to make a payment for the legal expenses. Or else,the spouse will agree to make a payment against the outstanding debts that are owed by the partner. These debts arein a position to provide a tremendous assistance to you with surviving your bankruptcy.You can go ahead and come up with an agreement in order to pay the credit card balance that is against your name.Then you can nominate your spouse as the person who makes that payment. Then you will not be able to turn aroundthen proceed with filing for bankruptcy. That's because filing for bankruptcy will not be able to help you settle of thoseagreements to make the payments or the debts. Your spouse is still in a position to force you and to tempt you in orderto make the payments." Court ordered restitutionLast but not least, you must understand that cour t ordered restitution is not covered when you file for bankruptcy inCanada. If you don't know, restitution is the amount of money that the court will ask you to pay, because of a personal injuryor a financial loss that you have done for another party. Since you are guilty in this case, you will not be provided with any reliefwhen you are filing for bankruptcy. Any help for financial problems contact gtacredit.com or call 416 650 1100



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canadian housing swings back into downturn...

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