Vegetarians at risk of brain disorders

Vegetarians are at an early risk of mental disorder such as dementia and alzheimer's as they develop a Vitamin B-12 deficiency, doctors said here Wednesday.Fish, shellfish, meat, eggs, milk and their by-products are some of the biggest sources of Vitamin B-12.'Deficiency of Vitamin B-12 can reduce working capacity of the brain and result in progressive memory loss that has an impact on day to day activities,' Praveen Gupta, consultant neurologist at Artemis Health Institute in Gurgaon, told IANS.'Since majority of the Indian population is vegetarian and milk consumption has reduced considerably, they are more prone to early onset of dementia. Those who suffer from lactose intolerance are also at risk,' Gupta explained.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), India had nearly 3.5 million alzheimer's and dementia patients in the year 2000.'We see at least 30 patients under the age of 40 every month -- suffering from memory loss and other manifestations due to deficiency of vitamin B-12. Once diagnosed, these patients respond very well to vitamin B-12 supplements,' Gupta added.Forgetting day to day activities, names of familiar people, frequent irritability, panic episodes and depression are some of the common symptoms of the mental disorder.The disease can be diagnosed with a simple blood test, say doctors.WHO estimates that there are currently about 18 million people worldwide suffering from Alzheimer's. The figure is projected to nearly double by 2025.

Five Investment products in current times

Young investors have varied objectives while choosing their investments - buying a home, purchasing a car, their child's education, early retirement plan etc are some of the goals individuals set for themselves early in life. Each of the goals may require a specific type of investment. Further, it is important to time your investments in such a manner that they pay returns at a time when you need the money. For example, if A wants to buy a car on loan and wants to repay his EMIs using the returns on his investments, then his investments should pay him returns equal to the amount of his monthly installments. So, if he invests in a FD, then the interest amount that A earns on his FD should equal the amount of monthly installment that A pays towards his car loan.

It is important to set your goals from your investment so that your investment can work accurately for you. For example, one must know the time and amount of money that he / she will need in the future. At the same time it is important to evaluate the risk involved in the investment as well as the amount of returns and amount of initial investment required. Say B would like to invest a lump sum now and time his returns to pay for his child's marriage somewhere after 10 years, he needs to choose an appropriate investment. An FD would be safe but returns may be lower. Stock investments are likely to pay higher returns but the risk involved is greater.

Here are 5 recommended investment options in current times:

1. ETFs

This is a relatively new path of investment and one is likely to have the fear of the unknown. However, considering the returns that ETFs have fetched for its investors, it is certainly amongst the top 5 investment options of this era. Much like stocks, an investment in ETF should be for the long run. Here is a table of popular ETFs in India:

Commodity ETFs especially Gold ETFs have done very well in India. ETFs are yet an untapped market amongst individual investors. However, we would recommend them as investment with high earning potential and also an investment type that has different source, like a commodity ETF can have its source in agriculture.

Name of ETF	Index	Largest Sector	Expense Ratio
PIN	Indus India Index	Energy	0.78%
INP	MSCI India Total Return	Financial	0.89%
EPI	Wisdom Tree India Earnings Index	Financial	0.88%
INDY	S&P CNX Nifty Index	Financial	0.89%

2. Gold

Gold is a high return and traditionally favored investment option and stands good in most economic conditions. Even during times of recession, gold prices increased at an average rate of 19.30 percent in 2009 and 12.5 percent in 2010. Here is a table of changes in the prices of gold in the past 5 years:-

An investor can buy gold as a long term investment. Long term goals like your child's marriage are well covered by investments in gold. You can also use 24 karat gold coins/chips to make jewelry for the wedding. Or you may sell the gold and use the money to meet any other wedding expenses.

Year	Change in Gold Price (%)
2005	24.2
2006	20.8
2007	16.5
2008	28.8
2009	19.3
2010	12.5

3. Fixed Deposits

This is another safe investment with reliable and known returns. One can invest in FDs with a predefined goal for its returns. One knows the amount of returns as well as the timing of returns on investment in case of an FD. Hence one can reliably plan expenses and time them with the FD maturity date. For example, you can plan your vacation by using the returns on your investment in FDs. FDs are a good investment option to match with repayment of loans. Interest amount of FDS can be timed with repayment of loan installments. So, if you want to buy a car or two-wheeler on loan, you can invest in FDs and match the interest amount with loan installments, either in whole, or part. On the other hand, you can time your purchase to make the down payment towards the vehicle from the proceeds of a FD

In case you are willing to take higher risk, floating rate FDs may be an option for you. In a growing economy, a floating rate FD has a higher earning potential in comparison to traditional FDs.

4. Mutual Funds

Mutual Funds are another 'must have' in your investment portfolio. The SIP system enables investors to take modest steps into mutual fund investments. You need not invest a lump sum - one can invest an amount of Rs. 500 per month only under most SIP plans of mutual fund houses. Since experts handle your money, mutual fund investments are less risky as compared to stocks. They also have a large earning potential. However, it is difficult to predict the amount of returns. It is therefore difficult to time your investment for an exact amount of return.

5. Stocks

As compared to fixed deposits, investments in equity, has on an average paid 26.5 percent higher returns in 5 years. Even for a longer term, investment in stocks have paid higher returns even in comparison to real estate and gold. Here is a comparison of investment in stocks against other options:

Nature of Investment	% Returns after 5 Years	% Returns after 10 Years
Real Estate	30%	14%
Gold	10%	7%
Bank FDs	8.50%	12.50%
Equity	35%	16%

Equity investments are good for long term goals like retirement savings, purchasing real estate or buying a car. Mr. A has stocks in a reputed company that earned him high dividends and bonus shares over time. He could pay for his Europe trip through the funds he got from selling these shares. Z used the money from selling his stocks towards the down payment of his vacation home! Now all he has to manage from his salary is his EMI.

14 Ways to Keep Your Relationship Happy

It's amazing that the divorce rate in the United States is estimated at 50%.  It's actually pretty sad too.  People are so quick to just exit out of a relationship without even trying.  But here's a theory - how about learning to keep things happy before problems arise, learning small everyday things that can keep little stresses away?  Isn't that a novel idea?   I thought so, which is why I created this list of items that have helped me personally.  I'm not saying that I have the fairytale relationship but after 13 years I have learned that the small yet simple gestures seem work well.

1. Communicate-not just about your feelings- but about your day.  Share stories with one another about what is going on at work or in a friend's life; share what you saw on the news or in a magazine with your significant other if you found it interesting.  Discussing regular day to day occurrences is just as important as staying in tune with each others' feelings.  It keeps you in tune with your spouse on a daily basis.

2. Take showers together- it doesn't have to be sexual!  My husband and I have done this from the beginning of our relationship, did it start out sexual?  Probably.  But over time it became an intimate thing, just extra time that we can spend together catching up on the day- it just happens that we are naked and in the shower!

3. Go to the park and swing, slide or just play-it's a young and fun thing to do.  It keeps you playful and is a great way to relieve stress.  Real life can get so with overwhelming with work, kids, bills, laundry, chores- sometimes a play break is what's needed to alleviate all of that, even if it's only for half an hour.

4. Take walks-morning walks are a great way to start your day, not a morning person?  Take an evening walk.  Getting fresh air and exercise together is good for your health and the health of your relationship.  Walking relieves stress, keeps you fit and allows quality time to be spent together.

5. Date nights-put everything on hold for an hour or two and plan on just doing something alone with your spouse.  It can be dinner, a walk, the mall, whatever, just make the time for just the two of you with no one else around, catch up on your day or week or just joke around and have fun.  But making time for just the two of you is important.

6. Play video games or wrestle-a healthy dose of competition is always good and it can be an entertaining way to not only have fun but a great stress buster as well.  Just don't take it too seriously and be a sore loser because that would defeat the whole purpose.

7. Have sex-even if you don't want to, you need to keep the sexual chemistry between you and your significant other alive.  Being intimate and showing your love for one another is a significant part of your union.

6 Ways To Be a Star at Work

Have you dreamt of being ‘Employee of the year’, but didn’t know how to get there? iDiva comes to your rescue! Here are some tried and tested tips on how to grab that coveted spot

Always dress well 

So it’s one of those days when you simply don’t feel like dressing up and a casual kurta is all you can muster. And then bam! You have a meeting with the big boss, who is wondering who you are and why you’re here. So look presentable not just for that surprise meeting, but also for the rare sighting of a handsome man who might just join you at that meeting!

Your friends love you, but everyone at work doesn’t have to 

Practical studies and life’s experiments have proven that a person only has about a handful of really good friends who you can trust with your life. At work, do what you’re expected to: work. Even if you feel like it’s your second home, there’s no need to start another family here! You’ll have some friends and some foes, but be realistic, not everyone is going to like you and vice versa because they’re only here to work, make money and go home.

Go on vacation; no one likes a grumpy employee 

Aren’t you beaming already? Going on a vacation is like being happily lost in the magic that unfolds in discovering any new place. It offers you a chance to leave all the stress and baggage of work behind and enjoy some memorable moments, hopefully without your phone! Not only does it calm your frayed nerves, a holiday will also helps you re-energise your system to work better when you’re back. 

Call your mistakes learning lessons 

People make mistakes all the time, but mistakes are often forgiven and forgotten if treated as learning lessons. The first thing you do if and when you make a mistake is to own up and take responsibility. It’ll not only imply that you’re aware of what you did, but it’ll also earn you some respect and keep you from faltering again. So feel free to have some blonde moments; just be sure to learn from them.

Provide solutions 

Being the damsel in distress only works in films, so instead of posing problems or coming up with questions, think of solutions in advance. For example, if you’re working on a shoot and your model ditches you a day before, don’t go whining to your boss about it. Instead, start fixing the problem instantly. Call your contacts who will help and find a model. Then go to your boss and explain how you saved the day. Then, turn sideways and wait for a pat on the back!

Cry in the restroom 

Women have a love/hate relationship with tears; sometimes we cry in frustration, sometimes it’s comforting. However, why go and display this personal relationship at work? People who display their tears are often seen as weaklings, so if you want to cry, go to the restroom! You’ll soon see people whispering, “She’s such a strong girl; she handles things so gracefully. She’s my hero!” Soon, you’ll be crowned ‘Employee of the year’.

Indian Spices Help You Lose Weight

India, particularly South India, is known for its spices: cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, turmeric, red pepper, among others. These aromatic spices have long been used to cure common ailments and are in fact, in Indian tradition, hailed as “medicines of the kitchen”.The west has woken up to this fact – some of these spices are now being sold in tablet form to help alleviate symptoms of many lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol build-up.Super foods like kale and broccoli are not easily available in India – if you don’t count supermarkets. To keep off weight, improve absorption of sugar into the bloodstream or reduce harmful cholesterol, adding or increasing the amount of these spices in your diet will go a long way in helping you feel light and energetic.However, do take note that a doctor’s advice is of utmost importance before you increase your intake of these five spices. Excess intake might lead to other complications.

Five hours of sleep enough for women

Women who manage to get between five and six-and-a-half hours of sleep every night are more likely to live longer, a new study has claimed.

Researchers at the San Diego School of Medicine found that women those who slept for between five and six-and-a-half hours a night had the longest survival rates.

While adults are advised to sleep for seven to nine hours every day to stay healthy, the researchers found that those who get slightly less than the recommended amount tend to outlive those who sleep much more.

The findings, they said, would help dismiss the long-held belief that people aren't getting enough sleep, the Daily Mail reported.

The scientists, who monitored 459 elderly women in San Diego for 14 years (since 1995) to try and establish a link between sleep and mortality, found that those who slept for between five and six-and-a-half hours daily had the longest survival rates.

In their first study they worked out peoples' sleeping habits using wrist activity monitors, which are able to tell whether a person is awake or asleep by how much they move and then count up the overall hours of sleep a night.

Last year the researchers tried to get back in touch with all the women 14 years later to find out whether they were still alive. They established that those who had more than six and a half hours sleep a night or less than five were far less likely to be alive today.

Professor Daniel Kripke, who led the study, said: "The surprise was that when sleep was measured objectively, the best survival was observed among women who slept 5 to 6.5 hours.

"Women who slept less than five hours a night or more than 6.5 hours were less likely to be alive at the 14-year follow-up."

Professor Kripke said their study should allay some people's fears that they're not getting enough sleep. He added: "This means that women who sleep as little as five to six-and-a-half hours have nothing to worry about since that amount of sleep is evidently consistent with excellent survival. That is actually about the average measured sleep duration for San Diego women."

Long term studies show that those who drop down to five hours or fewer face a 70 per cent extra risk of dying from all causes. The new study is published in journal Sleep.

10 commandments for a sound weight loss programme

Here are the 10 commandments for a sound weight loss programme:

1 The diet must be based on scientifically documented literature. A good programme should be backed and validated by scientific evidence, case studies, research papers, etc. Not what you hear at dinner table conversations.

2 Should address nutrition and not simply calories. A wholesome diet is not just about cutting down on calories but about understanding nutrition and getting enough of it.

3 Should encourage healthy eating practices. In other words, eat wholegrains, pulses, fresh fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and essential fats, low glycaemic index carbs and enough protein.

4 Should not eliminate any major food group. It must allow you to enjoy your favourite foods from time to time, in moderation.

5 Must encourage principles of variety, moderation and balance. Variety will ensure that the body gets all essential nutrients. Moderation means controlling portion size and balance is about understanding the principle of calories consumed and burnt through physical activity.

6 Should be customised to meet individual needs and lifestyles. No one diet can be suitable for all. The diet tailor-made for you will not only be more effective but sustainable as well.

7 Must be prescribed by qualified health professionals. Any diet must be started and followed under the guidance of a trained and qualified professional. Going by the popularity of a diet is dangerous.

8 Should not contradict or violate traditional wisdom and cultural food practices drastically. It should not isolate you but allow you to make the small changes to your existing food habits, so you can continue enjoying your meals with family and friends.

9 Must encourage other healthy lifestyle habits. The diet must be complemented by exercise and stress management.

10 Can be followed for life. The best diet is one that becomes a way of life without any trouble. This way it will not just manage your weight but keep you healthy, energetic and disease free.

The Ayodhya Dispute

The Ayodhya land dispute has been a bone of contention between the country’s Hindus and Muslims for decades. We answer a few key questions about the history of the disputed holy site.

What is the Ayodhya dispute all about?

Hindus and Muslims have quarreled for years over the history of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya, a town in Uttar Pradesh. Hindus claim that the Babri mosque stands over a temple built in honour of Lord Rama. They say that the Babri Mosque was built by Babur’s general, Mir Baqi, on the orders of the Mughal leader Babur post destruction of the Ram Mandir in 1528.

Tension flared up in 1992 when supporters of VHP, Shiv Sena and BJP demolished the Babri mosque, stirring up nationwide riots between Hindus and Muslims which left more than 2,000 people dead.

Why is the dispute so dangerous?

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said the Ayodhya dispute is one of the biggest security challenges in India this year, along with the Maoist insurgency and the Kashmiri separatist rebellion.

The mosque was demolished by the supporters of VHP, Shiv Sena and BJP in 1992. Supporters of VHP, Shiv Sena and BJP say that they are justified in demolishing the mosque because there used to be a Rama temple on that spot on which the Babri mosque stands now.

In simple words, the Ayodhya land dispute has led to India’s worst bouts of nationwide religious rioting between Hindus and Muslims which left 2,000 people dead.

The Ayodhya land dispute is considered a serious threat to India’s secular identity.

What is the verdict all about?

The court will pass verdict on three key issues:

A) Is the disputed site in Ayodhya the birthplace of Lord Rama?

B) Was the Babri mosque built after the demolition of the Rama temple?

C) Was the mosque built in accordance with the tenets of Islam?

The September 24 judgement on the disputed land will pronounce if a temple will be built on the site or the Babri mosque will be reconstructed.

Is Ayodhya so politically sensitive?

Yes it is; since the country’s main opposition BJP was involved in the destruction of the mosque. For the BJP, the Ayodhya dispute has been a major political agenda and it had come to power at the centre riding on the Ayodhya issue.

But any verdict on the Ayodhya dispute will leave the present ruling coalition at the centre in a soup because endorsing a pro-Hindu verdict will affect the coalition’s secular image, while a pro-Muslim verdict could lead to issuing orders of evicting Hindu groups from the site, which will be a nightmare for the government.

Will this verdict bring an end to the dispute?

Whatever the verdict may be, it is almost certain that it will be challenged in the Supreme Court and a final judgement on the dispute may take years to come.

Playboys 'have shorter lives'

Playboys, beware! You may die early, say researchers.

A new study, led by the University of New South Wales, claims that males who are focused on pursuing multiple partners usually have stunted growth and die young as they can neglect essential needs like eating.

The findings suggest that male promiscuity is not more common, despite its potential evolutionary advantages, as it's subject to natural limitations, the 'Journal of Evolutionary' Biology' reported.

Lead researcher Alex Jordan said: "Perhaps it's nature's way of telling males to be more faithful to their sexual partners. We wondered why the natural world is not a more promiscuous place.

"For males, especially, mating with a high number of partners results in the greatest reproductive success, so you would think that the rule should be the more the better.

"In fact, our research revealed that males pay a significant cost of promiscuity that places an upper limit on the number of sexual partners they can have throughout their lifetime."

For the study, the researchers conducted behavioural trials with tropical fish, as well as examining the lifetime costs of male reproduction, the first such study involving vertebrate animals.

Males of many species increase their reproductive effort with unfamiliar mates -- a phenomenon known as the Coolidge effect.

When the male fish were regularly supplied with new unfamiliar females throughout their life, they spent less time looking for food and more time pursuing the females. Males living with unfamiliar females also grew more slowly and to a smaller adult size, and tended to die sooner.

In contrast, males living with a single partner ate regularly, grew steadily and lived longer.

"The considerable costs of promiscuity to individuals involved reveal a natural limitation on promiscuous behaviour, previously undescribed in vertebrates. Perhaps those who wish for a more promiscuous existence will see this as a warning.

"What it tells us scientifically is that the evolution of extreme promiscuity seems to be curtailed by physiological costs involved -- although promiscuity has advantages, the trade-off might be too great in the long-term," Jordan said.

What the New Direct Tax code holds for the Taxpayer

The revised draft of DTC has proposed some major changes for the taxpayers. However, the changes in the revised draft are far from being the bold changes envisaged in the earlier draft. The objective of the new tax code seems to be now of simplifying the tax process. This article lists down the amendments proposed in the revised draft and its impact on taxpayers.

Amendments

1) Under the new direct tax code, exemption for House rent allowance (HRA), Leave Travel Concession (LTC), medical allowance has been retained. However under the new tax code, LTC will be included as a part of your income. LTC was missing from the list of exemption which created perception that the incentive has been done away with. But it has been later clarified by a finance ministry official that the difference will only be on reporting mechanism.

2) The tax slabs will be changed with 10% tax on income of Rs 2-5 lakh, 20% tax on income of Rs 5-10 lakh and 30% thereafter. Marginal exemption of income tax for senior citizens and women has also been proposed.

3) Under the DTC Equity Linked Savings Scheme (ELSS), repayment of principal amount of the housing loan, term deposits with banks do not find any mention. Hence, you might not gain any tax incentive if you have invested in these schemes unless confirmed otherwise.

4) If you have made investments in equity market for less than a year and you want to book profits on the capital gains realized, the tax will now be linked to your individual tax slab. That is to say, the capital gain will be added to your income to calculate the final tax. It means the low-income tax payers who earlier were paying a flat 15% on short term capital gains will now pay less tax because of this amendment. The high-income taxpayer would continue to pay almost the same 15% tax on capital gains. Also, if you have a long term investment horizon, Capital gains will be fully exempted from being taxed. However, you will now have to pay tax @ 5% on equity fund dividends.

5) In the present tax code, if you have invested in long term savings products like PF, gratuity fund, pension fund etc, then you can claim a deduction of Rs 1lakh from being taxed. Now with the introduction of new tax code, you can claim a deduction of an additional Rs 50,000 for tuition fees of children, pure life insurance premium and health insurance premium. Also, if you invest in infrastructure bonds, deduction of an additional Rs 20,000 also can be claimed.

6) If you have taken a housing loan, after DTC gets implemented, you can still claim deductions of up to Rs 1.5 lakh per annum for the interest payments you make every year.

7) Under DTC, tax department will have more powers to impose a penalty. Currently, a penalty is levied for concealing the particulars of your income and if you are able to convince the Government that you didn't intend to evade tax; you are let off without any penalty. But now under the new tax code, you will be levied penalty even for under-reporting. The penalty for tax evasion will now be however decreased to a maximum of 200% of the tax due from the current 300% of the tax due. Also, faulty books and wilful attempt to evade taxes will be levied a penalty of maximum Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh respectively.

So what is the way forward for taxpayers? Here are a few tips for taxpayers!

Tips for Taxpayers

a) If you are a long term investor in Mutual funds then opt for Systematic withdrawal plans (SWP) in a growth plan rather than choosing a dividend plan. This is because you will now have to pay tax @ 5% on equity fund dividends.

b) If you are planning to invest in bonds, you can consider the infrastructure bonds as it has tax benefits associated with it.

c) You can also consider investing in life insurance or health insurance products. The premium you pay will be exempted from being taxed.

d) A housing loan is also a good way to bring down your taxes as has always been the case.