Check out this great MSN Video: Exclusive Khatta Meetha theatrical promo

Check out this great MSN Video: Exclusive Khatta Meetha theatrical promo

Trisha in B'town

AIIMS doctors claim turmeric can cure epilepsy

GOOD OLD turmeric can cure epilepsy, too, doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have found.

They have also found it effective in boosting memory and reducing stress.

Research carried out on rats at the department of pharmacology at AIIMS has yielded positive results. "Epilepsy requires long-term antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy, which is advised according to symptoms. However an effective prevention or cure for epilepsy hasn't been available and many drugs in use have side-effects," said Dr K. H. Reeta, assistant professor of pharmacology at AIIMS.

According to her even new classes of AEDs are not free of side- effects. Phenytoin is a commonly used AED that has been found effective against all types of seizures. But it also causes cognitive impairment (a condition in which thinking abilities are badly affected) in patients as it damages essential macromolecules of the body, including DNA.

"Toxicity is common in patients of epilepsy treated with phenytoin, and thus requires careful drug-level monitoring and supportive care," said Dr Yogendra Kumar Gupta, head, pharmacology department, AIIMS. "The goal of AED therapy is freedom from seizure without side-effects. But this hasn't been achieved. The reasons for this include misdiagnosis of the type of seizure and prescription of the wrong AED," Reeta said.

" Phytochemicals (chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants) have been shown to possess a wide range of properties that facilitate effective treatment without side- effects.

Therefore, we investigated the effects of administering turmeric to rats that suffered from phenytoin-induced cognitive impairment and oxidative stress (the process in which highly reactive molecules such as free radicals impair particular cellular functions)," Dr Jogender Mehla of AIIMS said.

The research team found that turmeric, when administered orally with phenytoin, significantly prevented cognitive impairment and oxidative stress.

Seven days to that fab figure

An important event is round the corner and you feel you are out of shape... Here’s how to tone up in seven days flat!

Swap tea...
...for something else. If you want to get in shape fast, ditch your regular cup of tea and go for a fat-burning one instead. Studies show that green tea revs up your metabolism, so aim for several cups a day.

Take some supplement
Fish oil supplements are a great way to shed pounds. A recent study found that volunteers who took them lost, on an average, two kilos over three months without changing their diet or exercise habits. Fish oils are great for helping your body burn fat more efficiently.

Avoid salt
That’s the advice most weight-loss experts give. When people cut down the salt in their diet, they instantly look slimmer and less bloated. Too much salt makes your body retain water, which makes you puffy around your face and stomach. Go for low-salt breakfast options such as a khichdi .

Also, don’t add tablesalt to your food or cooking, avoid salty snacks such as crisps and go easy on processed sauces which are often packed with salt.

As a guide, avoid foods that contain more than 0.5g of sodium per 100gm on the label (sodium is just another way of describing the salt content). The fresher your food, the less salt it’s likely to contain. And be very careful about take-aways – Chinese food, in particular, is loaded with salt because of the sauces.

Ditch sugar
Like salt, sugar is a diet baddie. Even though sugary foods – such as boiled sweets and mousses – are often labelled ‘low-fat’, they’re incredibly high in calories. And if you don’t work off the calories by exercising, that sugar gets stored as fat – usually around your stomach and waist. Sugar also increases your hunger. So, ditch the sugar in your tea and also the colas that you gulp down every day.

Eat low-sugar snacks instead. Chopped vegetables, for example are rich in fibre, so they’ll keep you fuller for longer and will aid your digestion, which helps to reduce bloating. Alcohol is practically pure sugar, so give that a miss, too. If you drink regularly, you’ll notice the difference after giving it up for a week.

Relax
If it is day seven already, don’t worry. You can still lose weight! Stress really does make you fat. It causes hormones to be released into your body that encourage fat deposits around your waist and stomach.

Scientists have found that those with the biggest waist measurements (though not necessarily the heaviest) had the highest stress levels. The hormones secreted during times of stress are instrumental in causing more fat to be stored, particularly around the abdomen.

Kashmir not the reason for Pak terrorism: Experts

Scholars from the United States and India have said that it is a misperception that Kashmir issue is the reason for Pakistan's support to terrorism. They are of the view that regional disputes are used merely as camouflage for terrorism by Pakistan.

"Understanding of this reality needs to be promoted in the US", the scholars said after two days of in-depth discussions on "Countering Terrorism in South Asia" as part of the ORF-Heritage Dialogue in New Delhi.

US scholars said Washington believes that Pakistan is both the problem and solution of the problem. They said the US is in dire need of Pakistan's cooperation to end the war in Afghanistan and also for intelligence gathering. While it is understandable, it also does create a great deal of ambiguity in US counter terrorism policy, they pointed out.

The US scholars who took part in the Counter Terrorism Dialogue, organized by Observer Research Foundation and Heritage Foundation, are Dr. Ashley Tellis (Carnegie Endowment), Dr. Kim Holmes, Lis Kurtis, Mr. Walter Lohman, Dr. James Carafano (Heritage Foundation) Chris Fair (Georgetown University, Dr. Richard A. Falkenrath, former Deputy Commissioner of Counter Terrorism, New York City Police Department and Mr. Sherif Lee Baca.

They key Indian participants were Mr. Kanwal Sibal, former Foreign Secretary, Gen. V.P. Malik, Maj. Gen. Afsar Karim, Ms. Leela Ponappa, former Deputy National Security Advisor, Ms. Arundhati Ghose, former Indian envoy to the UN, Mr. Vikram Sood, Mr. Wilson John (ORF), Prof. Rajesh Rajagopalan (JNU), Dr. Ajay Darshan Behera (Jamia University), Mr. Siddharth Varadarajan and Mr. Praveen Swami (The Hindu).

The Dialogue concluded that Pakistan is the source of terrorism across the globe and terrorist acts perpetrated in the US. What is more worrying is the fact that there is a clear nexus between the State institutions and terrorist groups, and it is growing.

The Dialogue also expressed concern over the possibility of terrorist groups getting hold of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons in view of Pakistan's nuclear proliferation record.

It also noted that Diasporas-Muslim, Tamil, and others -- are becoming radicalized; and terrorism is no longer the recourse of the poor and deprived. More often than not, terrorists and their supporters belong to Middle or Upper Classes.

King of the World - Australian PM

Australian Prime Minister does it again!!

This man should be appointed King of the World. Truer words have never been spoken ever before.

It took a lot of courage for this man to speak what he had to say for the world to hear. The retribution could be phenomenal, but at least he was willing to take a stand on his and Australia's beliefs.

Whole world Needs A Leader Like This! Prime Minister Kevin Rudd – Australia

Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia, as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.

Separately, Rudd angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques.

Quote:

'IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It.
I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali, we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians. '

'This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom'

'We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the language!'

'Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.'

'We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.'

'This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom, 'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'.' 'If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We did not force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted.'