It was very fitting: I had just finished a Bournville 50% cacao dark chocolate and thought to myself that whether the things people say about dark chocolate and their health benefits true at all. Well here’s what I found. Did you know that places where chocolate consumption is highest have the most Nobel Prize recipients? It’s true, at least according to a 2012 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. It might as well be a coincidence but it is possible that intelligence or other measures of high brain function are actually improved by consumption of chocolate. A review summarizes the evidence and concludes with a resounding “ maybe ”. Let’s talk about some history first, dark chocolate history goes back at least 3,000 years. Early on, dark chocolate was the only form of chocolate available. It was developed around 1900 B.C. as a beverage in what is now central and South America. Later the Mayans and the Aztecs made bitter dark chocolate beverages for ceremonial and m

Defining sexual health is a difficult task as each culture, sub-culture, and individual has different standards of sexual health. Sexual health includes far more than avoiding disease or unplanned pregnancy. Having a sexually transmitted infection or unwanted pregnancy does not prevent someone from being or becoming sexually healthy. Sexual health is the ability to embrace and enjoy our sexuality throughout our lives. It is an important part of our physical and emotional health. Being sexually healthy means: 1. Understanding that sexuality is a natural part of life and involves more than sexual behavior. 2. Recognizing and respecting the sexual rights we all share. 3. Having access to sexual health information, education, and care. 4. Making an effort to prevent unintended pregnancies and STDs and seek care and treatment when needed. 5. Being able to experience sexual pleasure, satisfaction, and intimacy when desired. 6. Being able to communicate about sexual health with others incl

“Our bodies are our gardens-our wills are our gardeners”-William Shakespeare As rightly quoted by ‘Sir William Shakespeare’ our bodies are our own built gardens, what we sow is what we reap. Introduction: We as humans have entered into a new era of advancements and developments in almost every field of our life. We are surrounded by technologies about which nobody could have even thought of a few years back. So we are called ‘MODERN’. But are we actually living a modern and happy life? The shift to purchase power and the coming in of technology has changed our lives in such a way that ‘health’ which is actually the driver of the car of our life has acquired backseat in our life. Many of us may ignore this fact but this is the truth which we all must accept by now. This has lead many of us to a special kind of disease called “LIFESTYLE DISEASE” Lifestyle diseases are the ailments that are primarily based on the day to day habits of people. Habits that de

Ayurveda is just another form of medical treatment Ayurveda is not just the science of prescribing medicines for developed diseases in human body. It is rather a science of life, it advocates proper lifestyle. Its primary aim is to prevent diseases and promote fitness and health. Healthy habits, proper diet and sound sleep are considered important. It doesn't just consider the physical health but also the mind, body and spirit as a whole. It involves elimination of accumulated physical and mental toxins from body through therapies, yoga, meditation exercise etc. It works on the balance of the whole system. Diet, massages, regular habits are part of the treatment regimen.  Ayurvedic medicine never has side effects and can be taken over-the-counter This is not true. Any medicine has an impact on the physical system. Generally, since Ayurveda doesn't use any chemicals, the effect on human body is harmless. But the medicines should never be taken over the counter. It requir

Introduction The sudden outbreak of Nipah virus in Kerala has sent a chilling wave of scare throughout the nation, creating an atmosphere of panic and fear. Each day, a number of new cases are registered in the hospitals. But with no proper treatment and vaccines available, Nipah virus is looked as a threat to human life. Being highly contagious, the virus is engulfing innocent lives at a fast pace. Due to this, there is an urgent need to spread awareness about the cause and prevention for the same. Origin The first outbreak was witnessed in a small village, called Nipah, situated in Malaysia, in 1998, where the pigs were the intermediate carrier of the virus. This caused the death of the contaminated pigs and infected their caretakers. Coming back to the virus, as per WHO Nipah virus (NIV) infection belongs to the category known as zoonosis (a disease which is transmitted from animals to humans). Nipah is a rare virus which is highly contagious with no available vaccine

You gotta look before you flush, ease up when you wipe, and, yes, there is a right way to hang toilet paper.   You sit too long... It's quiet in the bathroom. You can actually lock the door and sit uninterrupted with a magazine, book or, more likely, a smart phone. But you really need to find another spot for a little "me time." Sitting perched in that position too long puts extra stress on the veins in the lowest part of your rectum; if those veins swell or bulge, it's "hello, haemorrhoids." In many cases haemorrhoids usually clear up within a week, but in the meantime, can be itchy, uncomfortable, and are the most common cause of rectal bleeding. But if you see any bright red spots on your stool or toilet paper after you wipe, talk to your doctor to make sure the bleeding isn't a symptom of colon cancer or another serious condition ...and push too hard:   Straining and holding your breath to get stubborn stool out not only ups the pressur