THE Mediterranean diet’s guarantee of lightness, flavour and health has gained devotees all over the world because it is low in animal fat and high in fruit, vegetables and olive and sunflower oils. But a report by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reveals that the people of Mediterranean countries increasingly spurn it.Increased affluence and the arrival of supermarkets and fast foods in countries such as Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal have also led to a massive increase in obesity, the report finds. The most dramatic example is Greece. …

THE deteriorating state of any society is reflected by its form and expression of art. Considering the deplorable political scenario of Pakistan, it is not surprising to find that its music is in such a wretched condition, being turned upside down.
There seems to be no minimum requirement of education and integrity in order to become a politician, likewise there seems to be no established criterion to be a pop singer. Anyone who has the means and can form a music group is welcome to do so.
Pakistani pop singers are writing …

Washington: Human brain naturally composes melodies, which researchers believe can rival Mozart and Chopin. That’s not all. The experts believe that a piano rendition of the brain’s sound track can help in dealing with insomnia and fatigue in the aftermath of a stressful experience.
The concept of “brain music” is to use the frequency, amplitude and duration of musical sounds to move the brain from an anxious state to a more relaxed one. Over the past decade, the influence of music on cognitive development, learning, and emotional well-being has emerged as …

Washington: Food hijacked David Kessler’s brain. Not apples or carrots. The scientist who once led the government’s attack on addictive cigarettes can’t wander through part of San Francisco without craving a local shop’s chocolate-covered pretzels. Stop at one cookie? Rarely.
It’s not an addiction but it’s similar, and he’s far from alone. Kessler’s research suggests millions share what he calls “conditioned hypereating” — a willpower-sapping drive to eat highfat, high-sugar foods even when they’re not hungry. In a book being published next week, the former Food and Drug Administration chief brings …

The monsoon brings with it, its own little treats. It is not only the season of colourful umbrellas and mouth-watering pakoras; it is also a time of celebration for people of the subcontinent. After all, they have their own love affair with the monsoon.
However, as the season progresses, the indulgence becomes a little inconvenient for the downpour brings with it power cuts, road blocks, spread of different diseases and mosquitoes due to stagnant water and improper sewage facilities. It is only a matter of hours before the blessing turns into …

Pregnant diabetic women have three to four times more probability of delivering a child with birth defects than non-diabetic women, according to new government research.
The study is the largest of its own type, and gives the most latest and detailed information to date on birth defects that occur to infants of diabetic mothers, including heart defects, omitted kidneys and spine disfigurement.
Nearly 40 types of birth defects enlisted during study, which found to be considerably more common in the infants of diabetic mothers than normal or who were diagnosed with diabetes …

MUNICH, Germany – Women naturally become heart patient much later than men, but not if they smoke, researchers said Tuesday. In fact, smoking, in women can cause heart attack fourteen years earlier than women who don’t smoke.
For men, the gap is not as big as in women. Male smokers have risk of heart attacks about six years earlier than non-smoker men.
“This is not a minor difference,” said Dr. Silvia Priori. “Women need to realize they are losing much more than men when they smoke,” she said.
Dr. Morten Grundtvig and colleagues …

Autism can be diagnosed by the set of behaviors, which express as language deficit and social interaction problem. The most important thing to notice is that the two autistic patients show different characteristic, especially children. It has been noticed that each child or adult have its unique requirements and desires.
While answering the questions about autism, researchers explain that each autistic has its own unique personality that is noticeable in many ways, some show affection while other become isolate from the society.
Same sort of things can also be observed in behaviors …

Recently, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan surprised everyone when they shared the dias and spoke at length about the ongoing multiplex issue. Channels and print media had a field day with their coverage of the rare union.
King Khan, known for scribe friendly quotes, was in his element. He said, “The re-union was not a patch up as there was no break up in the first place. If I were to patch up more with Aamir, we would end up getting married.”
Shah Rukh Khan revealed that were some issues between …