‘Sore throat could turn into heart disease in children’

- TOI, 27th Sept 2013

New Delhi: In developed countries, a child’s sore throat is unlikely to cause anxiety. But in low income countries like India, with its poverty and over-crowded conditions, a sore throat can quickly spiral into rheumatic heart disease that kills 2.3 lakh people every year across the world. 

    In India, the disease burden has been grossly under-estimated with prevalence studies done earlier varying from 3 or 5 children affected per 1,000. New studies show that the ratio of affected children could be as high as 20 per 1,000. Ahead of the World Heart Day on September 29, the Lancet has published a global report that says that between 15 million and 20 million people are believed to have rheumatic heart disease and nearly 3 lakh new cases occur every year, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, central Asia, the Pacific Islands, and among the indigenous populations of Australia and New Zealand.
    

Scientists say that the culprit is the group A streptococcus, with its tendency, given the right conditions, to trigger a pathogenic sequence starting with pharyngitis (strep throat), followed, in a small proportion of cases, by acute rheumatic fever, and ending, in about 60% of rheumatic fever cases, with the life-threatening heart valve damage characteristic of rheumatic heart disease. The right conditions are those of low-income countries where children and young adults, the main victims of streptococcus A, live in overcrowded housing and lack adequate access to health care. The problem, though, as most cardiologists see it, is that despite the toll of death, disease, and disability that the disorder causes, and despite the fact that, if caught in time, it can be easily and inexpensively prevented and cured by simple penicillin treatment. World Heart Federation president Prof Srinath Reddy told TOI, “It is of urgent importance that penicillin be made part and parcel of the primary health centre in India.’’
   

‘You can be happy in life by trying to think so’

 
 - TOI. 11th Sept 2013

 Want to be happier? Then try to be so! Scientists have found that actively trying to be happier can actually make you happy. Two US academics, Yuna L Ferguson and Kennon M Sheldon, in a study published in The Journal of Positive Psychology, described experiments they conducted into ‘trying to become happier’. In the first study, two sets of participants listened to ‘happy’ music. Those who actively tried to feel happier reported the highest level of positive mood afterwards. In the second study, participants listened to a range of ‘positive’ music over a two-week period; those who were instructed to focus on improving their happiness experienced a greater increase in happiness than those who were told just to focus on the music.

STRESS BUSTER

60-second stress relievers

Frazzled with office work and social commitments? Take a minute out of your schedule and try these simple tips

—Times Life, 1st sept 2013

Light a scented candle If you’ve come home after a long and tiring day at work, indulge in some aromatherapy. Light a scented lavender candle and revel in its fragrance. The herb’s scent will rejuvenate you and soothe your nerves.
Brew some green tea When things get hectic at work, instead of reaching for a cup of coffee, sip on green tea. Green tea has several kinds of antioxidants that help lower stress level hormones. Its ingredients help transport glucose through your body, so that you feel less tired, stressed and depressed.
Shrug your shoulders Just before a big meeting or presentation, if you’re feeling nervous, give your shoulders a quick massage to feel relaxed. Stand comfortably and lift both shoulders up to your ears, as you breathe in through your nose. Pause as you exhale through your mouth, drop your shoulders back down vigorously to shake off the tension. Repeat five times.

THE SCIENCE OF BEING HAPPY

Decoded: The formula to happiness

Being happy is the most sought-after state of mind all over the world. But can the newly-discovered ‘Feel Good Formula’ be the answer to a forever happy existence?

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

    Happiness means different things to different people; for some, it’s splurging on a new pair of shoes, for others, it’s spending quality time at home. So, when US-based psychologist and researcher Dr Todd Kashdan claimed that he has discovered the formula to being eternally happy, it got everyone thinking – could this be our final stop to finding true happiness? According to Dr Kashdan, it’s not one, but six factors which, when put together in the right combination, can lead to a happy state. These are: Live in the moment, Be curious, Do something you love, Think of others, Nurture relationships, and Take care of your body. We ask celebs to decode the six factors of happiness.

Amrita Rao 1 DO SOMETHING YOU LOVE The framework for a happy and well-lived life often lies in doing an activity that excites you, whether it’s at work or at play. They say if you turn your hobby into your profession, you will never have to work a single day in your life. Actress Amrita Rao agrees, “I love what I do and also get paid for it! Apart from acting, I love listening to music, especially songs from the black and white era, as they bring some respite. They transport me to another world for those few minutes, giving me a wider philosophical perception of life, reiterating our impermanence and the fact that worrying about the future is not the best idea when you know that life is just a short journey.”

Prahlad Kakkar 2 BE CURIOUS Explore the unfamiliar, mysterious and explained aspects around you, once a day. Ad-man Prahlad Kakkar comments, “Curiosity is a child-like trait. When we grow older, we stop being curious and don’t question everything, thinking that we know all the answers. We get stuck in what we believe is the comfort zone. And that’s when we get screwed. But look at children, they are curious creatures, always asking questions and hence they are so much happier than grown-ups! One should not be shy or afraid to explore the unknown.”

Amit Sadh 3 THINK OF OTHERS FIRST How often do you pay someone a compliment, do a good deed, or simply hear them out? One of the factors to achieving bliss is to put someone else’s need before yours. “In this day and age, we don’t have time to ‘listen’ to ourselves or to others. Once we start doing that, we will get comfortable with ourselves and our surroundings, and become more acceptable and embracing. We should be more compassionate towards each other. There should be more than just ‘you’ in your life. After all, there is no greater joy than giving and sharing,” says actor Amit Sadh.

Tara Sharma 4 LIVE IN THE MOMENT In our fast-paced lives, we often take the little things for granted and forget to appreciate the sounds, smells and sights around us. To be happy, you need to remind yourself every waking hour to live in the moment. Says Tara Sharma, TV anchor, “I am a firm believer in the philosophy of Carpe Diem i.e. seize the moment. In principal, living in the moment is great, because you don’t know what tomorrow will bring. At the moment, I am playing with my kids on the playground and enjoying it. I think dwelling on the past or anticipating about the future won’t bring you happiness, so it’s best to just live in the present.”

Vrajesh Hirjee 5 NURTURE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS It’s important to dedicate time to a spouse, friend or family member as often as you can every single day. After all, studies reveal that the happiest people on the planet are those who’ve always dedicated time to significant relationships. Says theatre personality Vrajesh Hirjee, “Like a plant needs watering daily, a relationship too needs attention. If you stop watering the plant, it will wither and similarly, a relationship too will perish if you don’t nurture it. But if you spend quality time with your beloved ones and make them feel special, it won’t just be a source of joy to them; it will also bring happiness to you.”

Sarah-Jane Dias 6 TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY Did you know, eating a simple but healthy meal three times a day and committing your body to a 30-minute exercise regime daily plays an important role in staying happy? For many of us, taking care of our body means hitting the gym vigorously, constantly fretting about body fat or opting for diet fads! But you don’t need to get so intense. “Exercising doesn’t just keep you fit; it gives you an adrenaline rush that stimulates your mood and excites you, which in turn keeps you happy. I believe caring for your body physically, as well as looking after your mental well-being is important to be happy,” says actress and model Sarah-Jane Dias.