Regular exercise and early treatment can help people suffering from arthritis to beat the pain of the disease, according to researchers.

A review of scientific research concluded that physical activity could cut the risk of disability and help relieve the pain of a range of conditions including arthritis, back pain and brittle bone disease.

For some, the level of improvement increases with the number of exercise sessions, the researchers found.

A second study also hailed the benefits of aggressive, early treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, the Daily Express reported.

The researchers noted that the chances of disability could be significantly reduced when drugs, which can halt the disease’s destructive process, are started soon after it begins.

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Reading more, saving money, and losing weight have replaced giving up smoking, cutting out alcohol or taking more exercise as top New year resolutions for 2013, according to a survey.

Quitting smoking and drinking less were placed at the 22nd and 26th most popular resolutions for 2013, the Daily Mail reported.

After reading, saving, dieting and redecorating the house the fifth most popular aim was taking better photographs on our hi-tech gadgets like iPhones or iPads, according to the poll of 2,000 people.

Other modern resolutions included reducing the amount of time spent on social networking sites or leaving work on time more often.

People also plan on upgrading their cars, topping up their wardrobes regularly and making more time for friends and family.

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Dr Gowthaman, Medical Director, Dr Gowthaman’s Ayurveda Panchakarma Center, Chennai, answers readers’ questions on Ayurveda. Get your doubts cleared and see them featured on our FAQ page every Tuesday.

This week’s answers:

I am 33 yrs old and underwent ayurvedic detox 2 months back. When I started detox I weighed 95 kgs but after completion of 60 days program, my weight reduced to 85 kgs and since then it is steady on this. I now do yoga everyday, eat home cooked food which is a mix of fruits, cereals, rice, rotis, sabzi, dal and in non-veg – eggs, fish, chicken. I am hypothyrodic and have PCOD as well. I was told that my liver is weak and so I now feel that inspite of following a healthy regime, I do not seem to be loosing weight. I need your guidance to make my lifestyle further healthier and how can I get my liver to work effectively and how can I effectively loose cholestrol.
Taruna

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An individual’s face not only gives non-verbal signals about someone’s true well-being from unconscious facial expressions, but the state of their skin reveals a great deal about what’s going on inside, both physically and emotionally.

In fact, practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine have used facial analysis as a diagnostic tool for centuries, marrying specific facial areas and features with organs and emotional states.

So when you get a recurring zit on the same part of your chin or have a perpetually congested or flaky forehead, your skin could be trying to tell you that there’s a deeper health concern in need of attention.

Facial diagnosis is not an absolute science, but it could certainly point you in the direction of a healthier lifestyle, Fox News reported.

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An expert has come up with some ways to avoid a horrible hangover if you find yourself drinking more than you planned at a holiday party.

Jonathan Pogash, hospitality holdings director of cocktail development at the World Bar in New York City, has given the 411 on how to have a good time without paying for it the next day, Fox News reported.

According to Pogash, there are certain drinks you should avoid if you want to decrease your chances of a bad hangover.

One of the drinks would be a Long Island Iced Tea because it has too many different liquors, a lot of sugar and cheap liquor.

It is best to stick to fresh ingredients that don’t contain too much sugar and always skip the cheap stuff. If you are going to drink, opt for high-end products.

Also, try to drink cocktails that are high in antioxidants, like cranberries or pomegranates.

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45 percent of people will make a resolution at the start of 2013, yet less than half of those promises will still be in effect six months later.

Monday is like the January of the week: the day that people can reset their intentions after the weekend and try again. By recommitting to their resolutions every Monday, they get 52 opportunities to stick with it and incorporate healthier habits into their lives.

Plus, having a Monday resolution means people don’t have to do it alone.

The tips to help stick to their new year resolutions are:

On Monday, people should eat a more diverse, nutrient-dense diet by swapping meat one day a week for fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains.

People can take 8-11 quit attempts to kick smoking for good, so they should gain an advantage by recommitting to their quit every Monday.

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Good nutrition and an active lifestyle are fundamentals to good health and a healthy living. However, in today’s increasingly rapid pace of life, it becomes very difficult to stick to an ideal routine diet. On the contrary, chances are very high that majority of the population binge on junk food which is an unhealthy supplement. It is only good to attract your taste buds. Youngsters, especially, fall in this category and health issues such as obesity, heart ailments, blood pressure and diabetes have become synonymous with their generation.

A research conducted by AC Nielsen in 2010 reveals that 64 % of men in the age group of 40-50 in cities like Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune and Kolkata cannot stay away from unhealthy food. This is a major cause of heart disease and diabetes. Adding to this, a busy and highly stressed life-style is forcibly driving people towards a diet of convenience which is devoid of vitamins and minerals, overloaded with fat, sugar and high calories.

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The memory of having eaten a large meal can make people feel less hungry hours after tucking into food, according to new research.

Researchers from the University of Bristol found that people who think they have eaten more – but have actually eaten an average-sized or smaller portion – are less likely to experience hunger pangs hours later.

The discovery may help those struggling to lose weight.

Jeffrey Brunstorm and colleagues from the University showed volunteers either a small or large portion of soup just before lunch, and then manipulated the amount of soup they actually consumed by means of a covert pump that could refill or empty a soup bowl without the eater noticing.

Immediately after they ate, the level of hunger reported by the volunteers was proportionate to the amount of food they had eaten, not the amount they had seen just before eating.

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Researchers have found that subtle reminders of platonic love rather than sexual love may help foster healthy food choices.

Symbols of platonic love evoke feelings of commitment and caring that are long-term, whereas sexual love tends to evoke feelings of passion and romance that have a relatively short life span, said David Raska, a Northern Kentucky marketing professor who was lead author of the study.

And those feelings can affect food choices. Subtle signals of commitment may lead consumers to unwittingly choose healthier snack foods, according to the researchers at Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, who tested their hypothesis on college students.

Between 45 and 97 students completed three experiments. In the first, they were randomly assigned to view one of three snack menus on a computer screen. Each menu had one of three possible backgrounds: hearts, kisses or a blank white screen.

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It’s that time of the year again. Time to celebrate, party, and gorge on sweets! Excitement is in the air. But once the festive mood is over, tension starts mounting. The after-effects of every delicacy that you indulged in start showing up in the form of extra pounds on the body.

Now you can enjoy the festive spirit to your heart’s content while keeping a check on your weight as well.

Yoga practices, which comprise asanas (body postures), pranayama (breathing techniques), and meditation, will help you stay fit and healthy this festive season.

Follow these simple tips to remain in good shape:

1. Keep up with your yoga practices - This is extremely important, more so during the festive season when chances of putting on weight are higher. There’s no stopping yourself from enjoying delectable recipes but let the festivity not be an excuse to postpone your yoga routine. Make sure you do a few yoga postures every morning, some pranayamas and a few minutes of meditation. Even if you are busy with the preparations and don’t have too much time, Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) is a complete body workout and the best exercise that can be done in short time.

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