Karaoke therapy

Ever since the first karaoke bar appeared in Kobe, Japan, in the 1960s, salary men have understood the calming effects of singing (usually badly) along to a bouncing ball. Only recently, however, have researchers begun to explore karaokes therapeutic benefits.

"Even the shy and socially inhibited, like many Chinese and Japanese, become less restrained when singing karaoke," say Dr. Authur Dun-ping Mak, a psychiatrist at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong. The Hospital's psychiatric department has been using karaoke as therapy since 1990, and Mak says the combination of images and singing helps people focus on positive thoughts.

Mak has found that relax by vocalizing their pent-up grievances through the lyrics of popular songs.People can identify with the characters and moods pictured on the screen while projecting their own feelings through their performance. "Karaoke tends to bolster self image, decrease stage anxiety and encourage social interactions," Mak says.

Pen up your veggie diet

1. Introduce low-fat, high-fiber beans and pulse (such as lentils and chickpeas), which provide essential amino acids.

2. Iron is available from beans, lentils, dried fruit, nuts and fortified breakfast cereal, but is less easily absorbed from plants than from meat. Drinking orange juice or eating vitamin C-rich foods such as citrus fruits or lightly cooked vegetables at meal times helps improve absorption.

3. Vegetarians should eat lower-fat dairy product daily for calcium. Vegan sources include tofu, nuts, grains, white bread, dried fruit and green vegetables.

4. Dairy products, eggs and fortified yeast extracts provide vitamin B12. Vegan can get B12 from vitamin supplements and fortified cereals.

5. Vegetarians usually have ample protein sources, but vegans need to obtain protein from cereals, pulses, nut and seeds.

New ways to live longer.

The world's average life expectancy is about 67 years. But we may son increase that greatly. And we will not be frail and senile at age 150. "In addition to eliminating a lot of diseases of aging, we'll maintain function, vitality, cognition and all the other thing we value in terms of quality of life," says former National Institute on Aging researches George s. Roth, PhD, author of The Truth abouts Aging. Here, a few steps to take towards a longer, healthier life:

Eat a lot less
Slimming down can help prevent disease, and cutting way back on the amount you eat may even slow the aging process. When rodent eat a very low calorie diet, few get cancer, and they don't develop diabetis or obesity. In a study, people cut calories by 25 percent, they had less DNA damage than did those not in the diet.They also had lower fasting insulin levels and body temperature , both of which are linked longevity.

Make friend, get married, adopt dog
Social support, in the form of friend, family, neighbors and colleagues, can prevent the age-related spike in blood pressure that raises your risk of stroke and heart attack. Trying the knot is another anti-ager: Married can add about seven years to a man's life and three to a woman's. Pet can help reduce stress and lower blood pressure, and may even help heart attack survivors live longer.

Get moving
You may live longer, but if you're sick or disable, it won't be much fun. Luckily, exercise can help you attain a better quality of life as you age. You don't need to run or jog.Just walking at brisk pace translates into major health benefits. Aim for 30m minutes a day.

Reach for red.
Revesveratrol, an ingredient in red wine, seems to have powerful anti aging effect. Research suggest that it offers the same life-lengthening benefits as calorie restriction-without the hunger pangs.