Deals over dumbells work out at gyms

Is the treadmill the new tee off point for conversation and card exchanges? One doesn’t go to the gym to network, but certainly meeting a range of people in an informal environment, makes it an interesting networking opportunity, says Priya Manikkath (32). The Bangalore-based PR consultant hasn’t exactly signed a deal over dumbbells at her gym Chisel yet, but admits that its a great place to keep her diary buzzing with contacts.
“You tend to meet people who’re likeminded and share the same interest and hobbies. So being gym regular can be great, both personally and professionally,” she says.
Upmarket gyms and fitness centres seem to be the new socialising hubs. So while golf clubs might serve the purpose for the elite and coffee bars do the same for teenagers, gyms go a step further in reaching out to a wider demography of people from various age groups. “Corporates exchange the latest happenings in the industry, youngsters date over protein shakes and housewives go lunching and shopping together,” says fitness guru Leena Mogre. She cites a home-makers lunch gang at her fitness centre in Dadar in Mumbai: They’ve become a motivational, support group for each other. They come in for workouts late mornings and then make it a point to lunch together.
At Fitness One centres in Chennai, members of various film production crews discuss the latest buzz in the industry and look for project hops. “It is common to see directors, producers, music directors and even actors in our gyms talk about the latest in the industry and trade tips,” says Vivek Anand, the MD of Fitness One. And although some IT campuses do have in-house gyms, there’s nothing quite like the neighbourhood gym when it comes to meeting a cross-section of people. “You see CEOs interact informally with mid-management professionals something they would rarely get an opportunity to do in their own companies,” says Anand. He says that in the US, gyms are considered an active social spot, much like the neighbourhood mall since that’s an informal space, neither as formal as an office, nor as private as home. India is fast getting there.
For professionals who’re in the public domain or entrepreneurs there’s nothing quite like the gym to meet a prospective client. Mogre cites the case of a real estate agent in her Bangalore centre who’s struck eight deals over crunches so far.
Rohan Kapoor (24), a freelance DJ, has often struck a chord with people who are inclined to the same kind of music and its helped swell his crowd at whichever club he plays. “Once you’re in a gym, you don’t really care where the person working out next to you comes from. You click on a personal level and its a friendship that isn’t restricted by age-group or profession, but is driven purely by personal interest,” he says.
Fitness centres too promote networking through regular events and promotions. Besides, there’s nothing that beats the power of word-of-mouth. With inviting package deals for friends, family or even colleagues, its slimming and socialising in the same breath.

Chocolate and your skin

You heard right. When eaten, flavanol-rich cocoa-the main ingredient in dark chocolate-improves skin’s texture, thickness, hydration and blood flow. It may even boost your skin’s defence against the sun by to 25 per cent! How? It packs serious antioxidant power. Just don’t overdo it, as it’s also high in fat and calories. And you still need to wear sunscreen every day.

The antioxidant compounds in cocoa, called flavanols, improve artery health by boosting blood flow which may be good for your skin.

Still, don’t toss your sunscreen and indulge in mass quantities of chocolate. Consume the sweet in moderation and apply sunscreen everyday when out!

Want to improve memory?

Eat Blueberries

Want to improve your memory? Just start eating blueberries, for a new study has revealed that a couple of portions of the fruit every day can help better your retention ability and reverse the forgetfulness of old age.

Researchers have found evidence that compounds called flavonoids in blueberries interact with nerve cells, increasing communication between them and stimulating the regeneration of the brain cells. This can help in improving both short and long-term memory and could lead to a new treatment for Alzheimer’s in the future, according to the researchers. “Impaired or filing memory as we get older is one of life’s major in conveniences. Scientists have known of the potential health benefits of diets rich in fresh fruits for a long time. Our previous work had suggested that flavonoid compounds had some kind of effect on memory, but until now we had not known the potential mechanisms to account for this. Our current research provides scientific evidence to show that blueberries are good for you. It also supports the idea that a diet based approach could potentially be used to increase memory capacity and performance in the future” the lead researcher Jeremy Spencer said. PTI

Source: Times of India Wednesday, June11, 2008

Being nuts about health

People who eat nuts at least twice a week are much less likely to gain weight than those who almost never eat nut.

One of the best healthy alternative to unhealthy processed food are nuts. Most of the people tend to avoid nuts altogether because of the fact that they are high in calories and would make them gain weight. No doubt nuts are high in calories but if you are not eating nuts then you are missing out on wide array of important nutrients. Walnuts are my favourite not only because of the numerous health benefits they offer but because it’s a great snack for me. A prospective study published in the journal obesity shows that moderate intake of walnuts is not linked to weight gain. In fact, people who eat nuts at least twice a week are much less likely to gain weight than those who almost never eat nuts. Walnuts are one of the best plant sources of protein. They are rich in fibre, vitamin B. magnesium, and antioxidants such as vitamin E. They are also an excellent source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, a special type of protective fat the body cannot manufacture. The concentration of omega-3s has many potential health benefits ranging from cardiovascular protection, to the promotion of better cognitive function, to anti-inflammatory benefits helpful in asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory skin diseases. They also contain an antioxidant compound called ellagic acid that supports the immune system and appears to have several anti-cancer properties. A recent study by the American College of Cardiology found that eating walnuts after a meal high in unhealthy fats can reduce the damaging effects of such fats on blood vessels.

Do keep in mind that they are high in calories so they should be consumed in small quantities. Instead of adding them to your diet, try and replace those with food in your diet, for example instead of snacking on cookies or chips you can always have walnut snacks. You can also sprinkle some walnuts in your oatmeal or salads instead of having chicken or eggs.

Raghav Pande, Times of India, Wednesday, June11,2008

Drink tea for lustrous hair

Dr. Raksha, one among the leading herbalists in Delhi, claims that the goodness of herbs can be found even in our daily foods, and that if we make conscious variations in what we eat we can change everything about our heir.

For eg, Catechins found in green tea inhibit the enzyme 5-alpha-re-ductase that converts testosterone into hair-unfriendly DHT. So, drinking green tea is good for hair re-growth.

But having said that she also says that, she also says that hair loss is not lifestyle habits, chemical treatments or climatic changes. Our hormones play an equally important role in the health of our hair. However, the good news is that hair loss due to hormonal changes can also be treated and that too, the herbal way.

Acknowledged widely for her success with hair re-growth syndrome, Dr.Raksha’s Products including oils, creams and shampoos, and some oral medications, all developed in house and not available off the shelf are actually customized with finer nuances after she has studied each case with personal attention.

Besides the heir care products, Amazing also offers cost effective solutions for weight loss and complexion enhancement. For online consultations, long on to:

Source: Times of India