Saturday, July 30, 2011
Researchers claim that stress suffered during childhood has deeper implications, which show at a later stage.
According to a study of children from Romanian orphanages, the effects of childhood stress could be visible in the DNA on growing up, reports Nature .
It is now proved that children who spent their early years in state-run Romanian orphanages have shorter telomeres than the ones who grew up in foster families.
Biologically, telomeres get slightly shorter each time a chromosome replicates during cell division. However, it has now emerged that stress may also result in their shortening.
Resultantly, shorter telomeres may propel diseases in adults ranging from diabetes to dementia.
The study was initiated at a time when orphanages were still common in Romania and a foster care system was especially established for this project.
Researchers analysed 136 orphans aged between 6-30 months, half of whom were assigned to foster families and the other half remained in orphanages.
They measured the length of the telomeres from DNA samples of the children when they were 6-10 years old and found that kids who stayed in the orphanage for longer had shorter telomeres compared to their peers in foster care.
"It shows that being in institutional care affects children right down to the molecular level," said Stacy Drury, clinical psychiatrist of Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The study is published in Molecular Psychiatry1 .
Don't give into the wave of time and sit back to watch the grey grow. Fight it like a man
Hanging up your dumbbells as soon as you turn 40? Confident that you won't lose hair cause your maternal grandfather could sponsor a toupee at the age of 90? Stop in your tracks right now. Here are a few myths about ageing that you should know aren't true.
No. 5: It gets harder to lose weight
Busted! Though metabolism rate might dip as you get older, you can't blame it for failing to shift the kilos. You need to switch to a low-fat or low-calorie diet to lose weight effectively. Even a low-sodium diet can help you shed kilos because it increases water retention. If everything else is in order, talk to your doctor about the medication you are on. Often medicines prescribed to older adults cause weight gain. Seek alternatives in consultation with your doc.
No 4. Gel makes me lose hair
Abusing hair products such as gel, hairspray, mousse, wax and the like can alter hair texture, but are not entirely responsible for hairloss. Hair growth is dictated by hair follicles; and since hair products coat the hair shaft and do not penetrate the scalp, they can't interfere with hair growth. However, for long-term health of your mane and scalp, go easy on these products.
No.3: mom's genes design male pattern baldness
You can't blame this one on your mother, like you do your poor cooking skills. Baldness is a hereditary trait both parents have an equal hand in. If you want to envision your baldness in advance, take a close look at both sets of grandparents and then hope you were adopted.
No. 2: I should switch to low-intensity work-outs
Don't make age an excuse to grow old in front of the TV with a bag of chips. Any form of activity is good for every age and not exercising is more likely to damage your health than working out. Vigorous exercise will improve cardio-vascular functioning and help prevent heart attacks, and other diseases, such as diabetes, that come with extra kilos. If you do suffer from an existing condition, consult a personal trainer to tailor-make a routine for you.
No. 1: I will age like my parents
While you parents' genes may have provided a blue print for ageing, you life circumstances - where you live, diet, exercise determine your particular aging process. What your parents gave you will affect only tissue degeneration throughout your body, while external factors exert a far more massive influence.
This means you are more in control than you think. So wear sunscreen, walk in the shade, eat healthy, get off the couch and spend some time outdoors getting fresh air.
A new survey has found that couples like to romance in the kitchen. According to the poll, 44 percent of people admitted to sharing “intimate moments” with partners in the kitchen, with almost one in 10 saying it happens at least once a week.
And it’s not just newlyweds getting hot and heavy on the stove top, as one third of couples, who have been together 15 years or more, reported they still found time to get amorous while cooking dinner.
The poll of more than 1000 Australians found 53 percent of respondents revealing that the best way to get in the mood for romance is to share a home-cooked meal. 
“I think shows like MasterChef have increased interest in home cooking and created an expectation among women that men should be able to get involved too, instead of just leaving it to their partner,” News.com.au quoted her as saying.
Ninety percent of The Electrolux Passion For Food Survey respondents said a partner’s ability to cook was important with six out of 10 women wanting a male whiz in the kitchen.
The traditional roast topped the list of favourite meals for romancing, followed by seafood and steak with decadent chocolate pudding the ultimate dessert.
Women play computer games just as much as men, with many saying they enjoy gaming than those who admitted they enjoy sex, according to a new survey. According to the study carried out by Doritos, women spend even more time glued to their screens than their male counterparts. While 50 percent of men readily admit to frequent online gaming, a surprising 49 percent of women confess that they too are addicted to Internet games.
And while men spend 22.3 percent of their time online playing games, women trump them, whiling away 23.2 percent of their time online playing games.
Revealingly, the study showed that not only are women just as keen on gaming as men - but that the majority would rather spend time playing on their gadgets than having sex, reports the Daily Mail.
Worryingly, one in five even admitted to regularly gaming in bed.
The study also found that female gamers would rather play online games than go shopping.
Relationship experts have warned that addiction to gaming could isolate us from our friends and partners, leading to problems.
They said that even if a couple share the passion for gaming, there''s no doubt that with both parties turning their focus to virtual reality, a real-life bond could be harmed.
“I call it being ‘together alone’,” said relationship therapist Douglas Weiss.
“These days, people are on their mobiles at dinner; they spend hours on the computer or watching TV; and they are more connected to their Facebook friends than to the person they promised to love and cherish until death do them part,” he said.
“Technology is interrupting our relationships and allowing us to avoid each other. It has become a way of avoiding real relationships and intimacy,” he added.
When it comes to the year's fashion trends a lot of 2011 will focus on embellished, quality details - it won't be exactly the same for 2011 hairstyles, however. Quality, yes. Embellishment, not always. 2011 won't be a year in which hair trends are based around adornments and accessories - yes, there'll be headbands, but there'll be a larger push towards styles that are au naturel. And amongst those styles will be the double hair knot.
What is a double hair knot?
Taking the lead from last year's hairstyles, the double hair knot continues the infatuation with styles that seem effortless - think the plaited and braided hairstyles that have been so popular for more then 12 months, simplify, and you have the double hair knot.
Like the topsy tail hairstyle of years gone by, the double hair knot sits roughly at the nape of the neck or a little higher. The style also works as a single knot - but by knotting the hair twice the effect is more interesting, and easier to secure.
How to style it
Though a hairstyle suited to the entire year, the style of double hair knot you're seeing in the pictures are best suited to spring / summer 2011. Styled by Orlando Pita for the Michael Kors catwalk, the summer influence comes courtesy of a desire to have fuse urban hairstyle with the feel that its wearer has "been out at the beach all day."
To capture the summer interpretation of the double hair knot, the simplest of instructions are as follows:
- First, spritz the hair all over with a sea-salt spray (Orlando Pita used Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray)
- Next, scrunch the hair into bunches while drying to add waves and texture
- Pull a thick section of hair out at the front, sweeping it into a deep side part
- Finally, take back two sections of hair and tie into a knot - then again into a double knot
For a take on the style that is suited to autumn / fall or winter, play down the beachy-ness by making the hair smoother and a little less textured. Try replacing the sea-spray with a volumizer and keeping the hair in place with a little hairspray.
With the bob in 2011 being generally longer and softer, it's much easier to pull off a waved style with it. While 40s-inspired pin curls are one option, here's one that's more suited to everyday. A casual, textured, beachy wave.
How to create the waved bob
We caught up with ghd at the 2011 AFI Awards as they created a beachy wave on actress Caitlin Stasey. Here are the steps from Heading Out Hair's Caterina DiBiase, working exclusively with ghd, for how you can recreate the style.- Work in ghd Maximise Mousse all through the hair, then dry in.
- Section off the hair then use your ghd Salon Styler to create some loose, semi-curls (they need to have bend, but not be fully curly). Start curling a few inches down from the roots.
- Spray the hair with ghd Sea Spray to create a relaxed, beachy texture.
- Finally, blast the hair with a hair dryer to break it up.
The key to the look in 2011 is not to overdo the curls - the more relaxed and understated, the better.
Friday, March 11, 2011
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