Food to fight a

Lowonfat

Ir goes withom saying that bei11g overweighc causes several healch issues and one of them is, most definitely, ageing. \XfhjJe foe is needed as a storehouse of energy and can keep the skin supple (notice how sudden weight Joss causes the skin to sag), one should keep it well within healchy leve ls. You can enjoy butter, milk etc., if yo u can limit cheir incake The cu!prics which are high in fat a1e lard, margarine, fried food, cream and processed food like biscuits and cakes. Include healthy foods like fresh frnic and vegetables, and whole wheat inscead of processed Aour.

In the oi l you buy, check the percentage of mono and poly unsamrated fats. The mono unsamrared fats are healthier and can be found in vegetab le oils, seeds and nuts. Poly unsaturated fars are found in beef, animal fac and full cream milk etc., which are bad for health and can increase cho lesterol leve ls

Go easy on the fizzles

There is someth ing about everything that is bad for u s, and usually they are cascy o r very tempti ng. How many of us reach out for a cola or a coffee when we need a kick? I see so many peop le walking co work w ith a coffee to go. And these peop le have probably alread y had a cup with their brekkie drnc mo rning. Many even smoke, and an increasing number of women smoke too.

Women's bodies age faster if there i s too much intake of alcohol or nicotine. Nor ro mention die fine lines that develop on the upper lip because of pursing die lips to cake a drag on a cigarette. focreased intake of caffeine, alcohol or cigarettes can speed u p ageing b y initiating bone loss.

Caffeine i s, in fact, the cause of a lot of problems and peop le don't realise ir as d1ey guzz le endl ess cups of very strong coffee. h can make one jittery and hyper, and add to stress levels. l have never underst0od d1e

Western concept of a coffee after dinner The milk in the coffee can curdle and cause diarrhoea, once it hirs the stomach. And black coffee can keep yo u u p for hours, playi ng havoc with your sleep patterns. Caffeine can also dehydrate and dus makes che skin dry roo, causing it to w.riokle faster. Just like you would consume alcohol in moderation, do the same with coffee. Don't mindlessly step out fo r a smo ke and a coffee. Drink some water instead, it will benefit you far more than a cup of coffee eve r will.

Deto to de-stress

We may nor realise ic but all the srress o f ,vork and sometimes faoilly life, as well as suppressed emotions like anger, hurt and resentment cause the build -up of toxins in our bodies. Pollution, poor eating habits and for some, a sedentary lifestyle can resul t in other ailments chat have their foundation in diese negative p henomena.

Enter detox tream1ents. When you detox yo ur b ody - preferabl y o nce a week - the body Ru shes most of die toxins out and the right kind o f food gees ingested.

A leafy salad, some fruit like watermelon, papaya and apple can provide die bod y widi fibre to dean ouc the st0mach. Vicamins get abso r bed and antioxidants perform the function of powerful anti ageing agents. So make sure chat at least once a week you eat salads and fru its for breakfast and lunch, and a fibre-rich cereal for dinner, if you are still h1mgry This kind of food will also help you de -stress.

Check your calcium

As one ages, it is important m ensure !ugh calcium intake to keep the bones and nills strong. Women especially, should take a calcium supplement that has a bit of magnesium in it as on its own, d1e body can only absorb small amow1ts of calcium. Milk, dairy products like yoghurt and boiled potatoes are good sources of calcium. In fact, o ne boiled potato is equal ro a cup of milk. Some nuts and fish are also good sources of calcium. }..fake chis a dilly habit if you don't want osteoporosis or cl u!l a11d bri rcle nills.

High on carbs

Carbohydrates are very importam and when people go on a diet, die fust dung they do is give up on carbs. But it is important to keep in n1.ind d1at if your d iet has more cak)ries than you need or expend, you will gain weight. The extra calor.i es in carbs left over after the dill y requirement has been met is what gets converted ro fat. So it doesn't matter if you are eating a low fat di et or not. l.nstead of supersi7.ing everything, go for smaller portions. Whac works for me is chi s simp le crick - ro keep my weight under control and not g ive up on foods I love, I eat slowly ro scare wid1. Then d1e moment I begin tO feel frill, J stop an d tell I am full. Thar's how I avoid overeating. Some people eat healthy food, but they just don't know when tO srop, and eat large portions.

If you are se lf -aware, yo u will know what works for you , and what doesn't. Do not ope for yoyo diets to lose weight. These play havoc with yo ur body and hasten rhe anti -ageing process. Instead, eat small, ear heald1y and exercise.

If you stay stress free and find happiness in little things, your skin and hair will l ook good roo.

Aamir Khan has the l egen dary Midas tou ch - b ut instead of gold, everyth i ng h e tou ch es turns to success

As with h is debut TV show SatyamevJataye, which aired recently d rawing a huge and positive response from colleagues and fans a like Disbel ief, h orror, tears, smiles - Aamir evoked the entire p lethora of emotion among his rapt audience as he dealt with t he sen sitive to p ic of fema le foeticide and b ias toward t h e m ale ch il d And what was amazing is t h at he didn't preach!

Equipped with wel l-researched instances and case stu dies, Aamir's one-and-a- half hour programme was telecast on Star Pl u s and Doordarshan si m u ltaneously

Th e mai d en epi sode h igh l ighted h ow unethical medical practitioners are hand in glove with f amilies wa nting to kill the female unborn baby

He al so d ispelled t h e perception among people that female foeticide is practi sed by rural peopl e or those living in small towns with the case of Mitu Kh urana, a doctor who left home to save her twin daughters from death from her ed ucated in- laws.

Three compellin g stories of the three women inter viewed brought tear s to host Aamir's eyes, as well as that of many i n the audience.

According to the 2011 Census, the rate at wh i ch the unborn femal e ch ild is killed amounts to killing off 10,00,000 girls a year

Al so according to the 2011 census, there are 914 girls for every 1,000 boys. Aami r brought i nto focus various dangers of female foeticide, indudi n g human trafficking, whereby Virendra Vidrohi, a social activist from Alwar Rajast han, said thousands of women from poor fam iii es i n eastern states are being usol d" in some p l aces in Rajasthan due to a dea rth of women Aamir also forcefully reminded the audience that the sex of the unborn child depen ds on the chromosome of the father

"If we worsh ip goddess Durga, why kil l unb orn gir ls;'he said. Aamir also brought on the show two journal ists w h o ca rried out a sting operation against doctors i nvolved in sex determination i n Rajasthan and how the case isstill dragging in various courts in Rajasthan

And Aami r's mad e h is poi nt, as viewers ranging from filmmakersto clinical psychologists to professors - have been lavish in their praise for the show

SatyamevJayate is a gutsy, hard- hitting and sensible programme that st ri kes an emotiona l chord with the audience And what's amazing is that Aamir has show n the total picture in all its aspects He has even talked about solutions In t he show Well, once a perfectionist, always a perfectionist. For all t he hard work he puts Into making a show t his good, Aam ir is certa inly wel l-deservi ng of the accolades. Keep up the good work!

Fatboy Slim flattens 'em!

Oh yeah, it certainly was a night to remember as British Disco Jockey (DJ)

Norman Quentin Cook a k a. Fatboy Slim recently rocked an enthusiastic audience of l overs of electronic and house music. The venue in Gurgaon reverberated with the sound of music and the audience's energy, as Fatboy gave it his all in his debut performance

The show began with Indian DJs Arjun Vagale and Dualist Inquiry warming up the crowd with progressive house genres

Then Fatboy Slim entered to the sound of psychedelic radioactive beats in the background and started off his performance with Now you are going to die followed by/ am in Delhi, an altered version of Chuckie.

The artiste also presented late Michael Jackson's classic number Billy Jean in a house avatar, whi l e also doling out some hip-hop numbers to satisfy the varying musical appetite of the crowd.

The fans l oved it, with the crowd dancing vigorous l y to every track. Looks like Fatboy 's got India groovin' to his beats!

Jacqueline in the race again

Actress Jacqueline Fernandez joins the bandwagon of Bollywood actresses who're into action with a vengeance After Sameera Reddy 's creditable performance in Tezz, Aishwarya Rai 's average one in Dhoom 2 and Priyanka Chopra's stunts in Drona and Don, it seems like sexy stuntwomen are fast becoming an industry standard. Even

GUESS WHO ?

the su ltry Katrina Ka if w i ll be doing action scenes in Ek Tha Tiger and Dhoom 3 So now it's Jacqueline in Race 2, and she's been training hard for the action sequences while hoping that the effort pays off.

"I am working hard on the action for Race 2 and concentrat ing on putting all my time and effort into that," said the 26-year-old actress who seems upbeat about the action sequences.

"I love action so I am very excited Actually it's a role I have been waiti ng to do for a very l ong time. I am most excited about this character because I get to do so much," she added.

i n fact, Jacqueli ne and co -star Saif Ali Khan have been going through a gruell i ng routine for a particu l ar action sequence, which incl udes a lot of stunts and back flips They have been training since November l ast year for th is particular sequence, so it had better be a good one. But I reckon that any scene with the su ltry Jacqueline and sexy Saif i n acti on together would be worth watching What do you th i nk?

Lata endorses Sachin's decision

While the entire nation is sti l l having its vociferous say about living cr i cketing legend Sachin Tendulkar's nomination into the Rajya Sabha, India's nightingale Lata Mangeshkar has added her voice to the mel ee In her soft, lilting, stillmel l ifluous voice she says that two of her favourite persona l ities - actress Rekha and cricketer Sachi n Tendu l kar - would perform better than her.

"My tenure in the Rajya Sabha was anyth ing but happy. I was reluctant to be inducted into parliament;' said Lata. "In fact, I pleaded with those who urged me into Rajya Sabha to let me off. Though I had the highest regard for (Bharatiya Janata Party leader) L.K. Advan iji and (former Prime Mini ster) Ata l Bihari Vajpayeeji, I still do - I am not affiliated to any any political party. What did I know about po li tics? I'm sure Sachin knows more about po l itics than me," she added Lataji i s quick to point out that the ace -cricketer must have a game-plan for entering po l itics

"I'm sure Sachin knows what he's doing He won't be a novi ce i n parliamentari an affairs the way I was,"she said.

He won the Best Newcomer Award in 2010, and wil l very shortly be seen sharing screen space wit h t h e Big B

Lataji shoots down the misgiving about Sachin's oratorica l ski l ls in parliament. "Why are people presuming that he is on l y a master of cricket? Sachin is a widely- read, widely-travelled individual. And parliament needs people with an open and fresh approach to po l itics. With me it was different. I li ve only in the worl d of music;'she said. The 82-year- old music legend hopes

Sachin would be given a chance to prove his abi lities i n the Rajya Sabha, and is convinced of his i ntegrity "I can vouch for Sachin's integrity I hope he makes a success of his tenure in Rajya Sabha As for me, if I'm given a chance to return to parliament I'd firml y turn it down with folded hands. I wish Sachin all the best in parliament. He would need it;' she said, tonguein - cheek! So that 's another person convinced that Sachin will make a difference to Parliament! Good I uck Little Master!

Bollywood and the test of time

Whether it is rewinding back to the 191 Os or fast forwarding into 2050, Bollywood filmmakers are going back and forth in time with films like Teri Meri Kahaani and Dangerous lshq, whose stories span over decades

It's a trend that's fast catching on in Boll ywood's chameleon-like vista of concept, but the film maker's biggest challenge is in cr eating the right ambience and weaving a wellconnected story

Take Kuna ! Kohli's upcoming romantic offering Teri Meri Kahaani, starring Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra The movie is set in three time periods - 1910, 1960 and 2012, but each has its own flavour. Similarly, Vikram Bhatt's Dangerous lshq i s a story which, somewhat optimisticall y, spans over 500 years Though alleged to be based on the theme of reincarnation, the movie will see actors Rajniesh

Dug gal and Kar isma Kapoor in varied looks as the story trave ls from one era to another

Bhatt, who went back to the 15th century for Dangerous lshq, says it took a good amount of team effort to shape up the fi l m with the authenticity for each era kept intact

"We did a lot of research in terms of setting, costumes, dialect and colour palette. Otherwise, we could have lost the authenticity. So whether it was art direction, costumes, dialogues or colour all departments did their indivi dual research and worked as a team to perfect the look of the film;' said Bhatt

In the recent past, the transition in the looks of characters and the ambience have been portrayed in films like Veer Zaara, Bachna Ae Haseeno, Actionn Replay, Love Aaj Kai, Maus am, 7 Khoon Maaf and Rockstar Kohli, who had portrayed these changes i n his hit 2004- love story Hum Tum, says more than the sets, costumes and research, it was important to focus on how the story holds over the time zones

"It's very important that the story holds over time zones And how do I overcome the challenge of covering different time zones in a film? Well I write a good story;' he quipped.

Kohli admits that Teri Meri Kahaani reflects his perception of the 1960s and h i s fantasy about the 1910 period.

"Most of my research for the 1960s era came from my passion for films. I have watched a lot ofShammi Kapoor and Raj Kapoor films and enjoyed watching them. So the setting came naturally to me Capturing the 1910 period was complete fantasy for me;'he revea l ed.

"But unlike the way many filmmakers show the preindependence period with serious, khadi-c l ad individuals, I wanted to show it with some fun I'm sure people had fun back then and fe ll i n love; so, that's the aspect I have tried to capture In the 2012 era, I wanted to show a contemporary take on relationships and how l ove is taken forward through SMS and BBM;' he said Fil mmakers, who chose to deal with the subject of reincarnation in movies l ike Madhumati Prem, Milan, Kudrat, Karan Arjun and Om Shanti Om, were also posed with the challenge of showcasing different time zones

Bhatt insisted that the idea of going back and forth in time is not distracting for the audience.

"Whether there are three eras or five eras in a story one film has one story, and that shouldn't be disjointed," he added. We can hope to see a whole new genre of movies spanning centuri es soon, so watch this space for news of their releases!

No recession in this industry, luckily!

Believe it or not, our newest up and coming actress actually trained i n London to become an i nvestment banker. Parineeti Chopra claims she g rew up wanting to be a banker She studied in Manchester Business School and then went to London looking for work. But the recession hit in 2009 and it wasn't easy, so she got back home But l uckil y her hugely successful cousin Priyanka's industry was suffering no such recession, and the plucky Parineeti decided to try her luck in the film business - in the finance side, of course!

"I worked with actors at very close quarters and my respect for the profession increased. I loved what actors used to do and I felt like I cou ld do this, and I could do this well," she says

Well, she impressed in her first off-beat role in Ladies Vs Ricky Behl, and h er first solo film lshaqzaade (opposite Boney Kapoor's son Arjun) hits theatres shortly.

At l east there's no doubt she ' ll know how to handle that pay packet

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