Headphones may interfere with pacemakers and defibrillators

By A Bisht at 10:25 AM

If you are the one implanted with a pacemaker or a cardioverter defibrillator, then the information below may be useful to you.

As according to a study, Headphones used with MP3 digital music players like the iPod etc.interfere with the working of the above mentioned implants.

The interference is due to strong little magnets inside the headphones.

The headphones affect the normal working of these implants when placed at a distance of 1.2 inches of the implants.

When placed within the above mentioned distance(1.2 inches), 25 out of 100 people with a pacemaker experienced interference.

This number was 50 out of 100 (double) with people implanted with a cardioverter defibrillator.

So those with the implants should use Headphones normally; that's headphones should be placed in the ears; and should not be hung over the chest or put in shirt or coat pocket near the chest (when not being used).

The idea is not to bring headphones even when not in use, close to the implants (1.2 inches).

Ask others not to bring their headphones close to your implants as well, the study added.

Cellphones with Bluetooth(wireless technology)are unlikely to affect the normal working of pacemakers.

For happy and Healthy Heart :)

Eating slowly has its advantage too

By A Bisht at 11:38 AM


Here in India people generally don't like men who eat slowly. Eating slowly is equivalent to being lazy and unmanly (yes in India, eating slowly is a virtue a for girl but a vice for a boy!). And as many among us would already have experienced; the issue indeed attracts a lot of criticism.

But criticisms never go solo; they come with the long list of perceived disadvantages. Like, because of this habit one can miss his/her bus; reach late for some important meeting; has to stare at empty serving bowls at some function and so on. At times the criticism becomes too much.

Call it a societal pressure, boys in India; seldom admit of being a slow eater.

But some brave ones do admit of being one.

Amidst this pressure, a study seems to be extending some help.

According to the results of this study – EATING SLOWLY IS INDEED A VIRTUE

And definitely helps.

As people who eat FAST until Full triple their risk of being overweight.

The probable reason may be that fast eating substantially increases the quantity of food ingested and thus increases the risk of being overweight.

So even if the Indian society will take another decade to change its perception towards slow eaters; slow eaters can definitely feel some pride in having such a golden habit.

Alcohol and its visible effects on brain

By A Bisht


A Tippler is actually a person of smaller brain.

According to a study, the more alcohol is consumed, the smaller the brain volume.

Things which are good for the heart are not always good for the brain.

Moderate drinking is proven to be good for the heart; but it shrinks the brain volume.

Even little amount of alcohol consumption causes the decrease in brain volume

Only abstainers can boast of zero brain shrinkage; as any amount of alcohol consumption – light, moderate or heavy, results in decrease in brain volume.

A certain amount of brain shrinkage is normal with age

Shrinkage in brain volume at the rate of 2% per decade is normal. Shrinkage above this rate can be a health problem.

Men are more prone to alcohol addiction than women

Brain Shrinking characteristics are more distinct in women than in men

In men, though brain shrinkage happens in all—light, moderate and heavy drinkers, the change is distinctly visible only in heavy drinkers.
On the contrary, when compared to abstainers or former drinkers, even light and moderate drinkers among women have distinct brain shrinkages.

All these facts point to very small differences ,the difference in brain volumes of drinkers and non-drinkers is quite small

Less than 1.5 %