60 percent of all people in 26 countries are adversely affected by the high cost of food and fuel. Quite logically, the brunt is felt greatest in poor countries. According to an international NGO, upwards of 900 million people faced starvation because of the high cost of food. Additionally, the rise in cost of basic food such as grain had caused hunger this year to some 119 million people. When resources are scarce and food is less attainable, people resort to the only logical thing to do: eat less. Because the cost of food has gone up across the globe, both developing and rich countries have their share of experiences in eating less.

There are major reasons for this pervading hunger. And these have really nothing to do with the current economic meltdown. Today, there simply are fewer lands planted to crops that can produce basic food grain. Most of these lands have been converted into industrial estates in pursuit of exponential material gain, or housing projects for a burgeoning population. Vis a vis, there are simply too many people for so few or even dwindling resources. Farming has turned into crops that can be converted into biofuel, in the pursuit of alternative to precious oil. Food has been expensive to transport because of high energy costs. Droughts and desertification have arisen because of the effects of global warming.
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Like my many friends, I worry a lot about not having a bulky body and being thin. Most young men and adolescent boys strive to achieve the six-pack abs and bulging biceps and workout hard in gyms and fitness centers. I know people who have consumed so much of protein that their kidneys failed and even had to be hospitalized. What has been touted as a disorder found among only women, eating disorders are increasingly wreaking havoc on men and their physical and mental health.

The pressure to grow bigger and more muscular has made guys consume abnormally large quantities of protein, which causes in renal failure. However, the society still has not recognized this is a problem and has been dismissing it as a fad. In my opinion, media plays a major role in shaping our self-image and how we value our bodies, regardless of our age or gender. Eating disorders are prevalent among men and women of all ages equally. In fact, among men it is far more dangerous as the sufferers do not approach doctors nor do their family members realize it is a psychological disorder, which needs medical attention.

However, anorexia nervosa has fueled enough awareness campaigns and hence families do know if a girl has been starving herself. In a guy’s case, he would eat abnormally large quantities and still remain thin and in a quest to grow bigger, he would fall seriously sick. The media, the society and the peer groups in general have wreaked havoc on susceptible minds.

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Via: GordonMoyes

The world of health is struck by news of anorexia hitting men. A medical condition usually associated with teenage girls has left experts dizzy as men have increasingly started to eat less to get the “ideal body.” Laying stress on the fact that most cases go unreported, Susan Ringwood, CEO of eating disorder charity beat, believes that rise in male anorexia is a much bigger problem because men traditionally are less likely to seek help. Psychiatrist Frances said that it was doubly humiliating for men to come forward because mental health and anorexia were seen as “girl problems”.
The rise in the focus in the body aesthetic has affected the masses deeply, men and girls in particular. Male magazines are also being blamed for this. Ringwood adds, “Clinics are seeing many more men, as well as children as young as eight. We know children are more likely to develop an eating disorder during puberty and puberty is starting on average five years earlier than it did 50 years ago.”
Via timesofindia

Does your mummy serve you Hellogs every morning on the breakfast table? Ask juniors and most of them would admit it with a child’s version of irksome smile on their faces!I personally like breakfast cereals a lot (but not those sugary-sticky kinds please!). My reason behind doing this post on these crazy posters is to share with you all, the excitement with which their creators would have made them. These days (thanks to internet, a lot of people can express their creative-arty outputs with all the softwares available at a mouse’s click).

I like these three posters – spoofs on breakfast cereal ads by brands like Kellogg’s .They are likable� for their content and funny graphics…Gruesome Grimy Goo Goo Mucks and bone crunchers! It seems the creators bear shades of Calvin (Bill Watterson’s Calvin & Hobbes) in them.

� While moms might not like the ideas expressed in them but these sure tickle your funny bone every time you see them.� After all, these cereal killers are not to be afraid of! (grin)…

Via: ffffound

Known for its slightly astringent-like taste but extreme refreshing nature Green tea continues to unleash its healthy properties to the medical world. While a lot of studies have already hinted about the beneficial effects of green tea on conditions like inflamed bladder, bacterial infections, prostate cancer, rheumatoid arthritis etc. Recent study conducted by Dr Nikolaos Alexopoulos et al. at the 1st Cardiology Department, Athens Medical School in Greece, reveals that consuming green tea could be good for your heart as well. It was found by researchers that green tea rapidly improves the function of (endothelial) cells lining the circulatory system; endothelial dysfunction is a key event in the progression of atherosclerosis.

The study was conducted as a randomized trial to elucidate the dilatation of the brachial artery of healthy volunteers after they consumed green tea, caffeine, and hot water (for a placebo effect). Post consumption of the drinks the volunteers’ arterial diameter was measured at 3 different intervals: 30, 90 and 120 minutes post drinking.

The results were startling! It was found that those who drank green tea had the maximum dilation and that endothelium-dependent brachial artery dilatation increased significantly with a peak increase of 3.9% 30 minutes after consumption. The effects of caffeine and hot water consumption were not significant. Once restricted to China but now popular in the entire world, Green tea is obtained by curing the young leaves of Camellia Sinensis using various methods and degrees of heat.

But what makes green tea different from our regular tea or black tea is that it undergoes very little oxidization during the entire process. Thus the color of the brew is green and hence the name! When it comes to antioxidants (substances that reduce oxidative damage caused to our body by free radicals) green tea is an ace up than black tea.

The cardiovascular benefits of green tea (as well as black tea, dark chocolate and red wine) are attributed to the flavonoids they contain and their antioxidant activity. Other phytochemicals found in green tea are theanine and polyphenols. It is due to the latter that green tea gets its typical astringent flavor. The class of polyphenols present in this tea is called Catechins. Their role in protection of heart diseases and other ailments is under investigation by the scientists. Here are some more interesting facts as to why you should start drinking more of green tea:

· Recent studies show that a synergistic blend of Green Tea Extract (GTE) reduces breast tumor volume 10 fold and overall tumor inhibition by 80-90%.

· A cup of green tea may provide 10-40mg of polyphenols and has antioxidant activity greater then a serving of broccoli, spinach, carrots or strawberries.

· Green Tea also helps in burning that layer of fat in your tummy!

· Green tea inhibits certain enzymes linked with the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

So, when are you switching over to green tea?

Via ScienceDaily