Body Mass Index

Body mass index, or BMI, is a new term to most people. However, it is the measurement of choice for many physicians and researchers studying obesity. BMI uses a mathematical formula that takes into account both a person's height and weight. BMI equals a person's weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. (BMI=kg/m2).

Risk of Associated Disease According to BMI and Waist Size
BMI		Waist less than or equal to 40 in. (men) or 35 in. (women)	Waist greater than 40 in. (men) or 35 in. (women)
18.5 or less	Underweight	--	N/A
18.5 - 24.9	Normal	--	N/A
25.0 - 29.9	Overweight	Increased	High
30.0 - 34.9	Obese	High	Very High
35.0 - 39.9	Obese	Very High	Very High
40 or greater	Extremely Obese	Extremely High	Extremely High

Festivals in India

India, the land of festivals and fairs. It is a land of festivity - religious as well as folkloristic. Whether you go to the East or the West, North or the South you would be able to enjoy every month a festival or a fair. Every day of the year there is a festival celebrated in some part of the country. Be it cultural or religious, it gives everyone an opportunity to enjoy and join the festivity. More... http://www.pagesofindia.com

Basic nutritional principles: Tools to manage your weight

To lose weight and keep it off, it is important to have a good understanding of some basic nutritional principles. These include the Food Guide Pyramid, which provides a guide to daily food choices and portions, and the Food Label, which provides detailed nutrition and ingredient information. Knowing how to use these tools well will be essential in a number of settings: supermarket shopping, preparing a meal at home, or dining out.

The Food Guide Pyramid and Portion
SizesLet's face it, Americans have lost their sense of what is a normal portion size. With "value sizing", buffet restaurants, and the Texas Steakhouses gaining popularity in our everyday life, our perception of a "regular" portion has grown over the years. For instance, in the 1950s, a typical portion of Coke was a 6-ounce bottle, which provided approximately 75 calories. Gradually the size increased to the 12-ounce can, then the 20-ounce bottle and now the Big Gulp, which is 32 oz and approximately 400 calories, containing five times the original calorie content. Our plates and glasses have gotten so large that a once typical 8-ounce serving of juice or a half-cup of rice seems punitive. However, to maintain a lower weight and have a healthy variety of food, we need to scale back on our portion sizes. The Food Guide Pyramid provides suggestions regarding number of servings and serving sizes by food groups: Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta Group; the Vegetable Group; the Fruit Group; the Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese Group; the Meats, Poultry, Fish, Beans, Eggs, and Nuts group; and the Fats, Oils and Sweets Group. Table 1 illustrates the number of servings in a lower calorie, low fat meal plan.

Physical fitness

Physical fitness is used in two close meanings: general fitness (a state of health and well-being) and specific fitness (a task-oriented definition based on the ability to perform specific aspects of sports or occupations).

Physical fitness is the capacity of the heart, blood vessels, lungs, and muscles to function at optimum efficiency. In previous years, fitness was defined as the capacity to carry out the day’s activities without undue fatigue. Automation, increased leisure time, and changes in lifestyles following the industrial revolution meant this criterion was no longer sufficient. Optimum efficiency is the key. Physical fitness is now defined as the body’s ability to function efficiently and effectively in work and leisure activities, to be healthy, to resist hypokinetic diseases, and to meet emergency situations.

High-fat, low-carb diet helps kids with epilepsy

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The results of a study provide strong evidence that a diet high in fat and low in carbohydrates -- a so-called "ketogenic diet" -- can help control seizures in children with stubborn epilepsy that does not respond well to drug therapy.
Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures when the normal working of the brain is interrupted. A ketogenic diet has been widely used since the 1920s to help control hard-to-treat seizures in children.
In their study, Dr. Elizabeth G. Neal, from University College London, and colleagues randomly assigned a group of children who were having at least seven epileptic fits per week despite anti-epileptic drug therapy, to a standard diet or a ketogenic one, which is typically high in fats and very low in carbohydrates.
After three months, children on the ketogenic diet had more than one third fewer seizures, while seizure frequency increased in children on the standard diet, the researchers report in the Lancet Neurology medical journal.
A greater than 50 percent drop off in seizure frequency was noted in 38 percent of children on the ketogenic diet compared with just 6 percent of children on the standard diet.
This study confirms that a ketogenic diet is safe and effective in children with drug-resistant epilepsy, the investigators conclude.
The most common side effects with the ketogenic diet were constipation, vomiting, lack of energy, and hunger, Neal and colleagues note.
In a written commentary, Dr. Max Wiznitzer, from the Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland, notes that some questions still remain regarding ketogenic diets for childhood epilepsy. Among these are the long-term effects, the identification of epilepsies that benefit from early initiation of such a diet, and the mechanism by which the diet produces its anti-seizure effect.
SOURCE: Lancet Neurology, online May 3, 2008.

Juice may reduce Alzheimer's risk

When it comes to preventing Alzheimer’s, juice may have the edge. In a recent study, three servings a week reduced Alzheimer’s risk impressively.
Drink up
Polyphenols in juice may be one of the best things that’s ever happened to your brain. The ones in apple and citrus juices, in particular, are very brain friendly. That’s because they’re able to cross the blood-brain barrier.
Once inside your head, they can protect neurons from a damaging chemical associated with Alzheimer’s. Some of those polyphenols, like quercetin, also squelch inflammation.
Juice it up
Want a super nutritious glass of apple juice? Toss a red delicious apple into your juicer, peel and all.
Tea is still great
Of course, this juicy news about protection against Alzheimer’s doesn’t mean it’s time to toss your tea. Tea still has lots of other healthy benefits, like these:
Tea is great for your heart. The brew helps keep your ticker strong. Tea may help thwart the deadly ovarian cancer. Tea turns down your stress response. Tea may help keep your knees feeling fine.

Hot-smoked salmon salad with a chilli lemon dressing

This delicious salad is thrown together in minutes to make a fresh, seasonal dish that’s stylish enough for entertaining

1. Boil potatoes in salted water for 10 mins until tender, adding the asparagus tips for the final 2 mins of cooking. Drain and allow to cool. Whisk together the salad dressing ingredients. then season to taste.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the potatoes, asparagus, salad leaves, herbs and radishes. Add two-thirds of the dressing, thoroughly mix through the salad, then spread the salad over a large platter. Break the hot-smoked salmon into large chunks, then scatter over the top along with the spring onions. Finish by pouring remaining dressing over the top.