Srinivas Padma: Personal Musings on Life, Growth, and Connections

Are you at risk for creeping weight gain? Knowing is half the battle. 1. Diet. Regularly consuming too many calories, especially from high-fat foods and calorie-laden drinks. 2. Physical inactivity. Inactive people are more likely to carry excess body fat. 3. Genetics . If one or both of your parents is obese your risk rises by 25 percent. 4. Age. As we age we lose muscle to fat and our metabolism declines, reducing calorie needs. 5. Gender. Men expend 20 percent more calories than women, making weight control a tougher challenge for women. 6. Psychological factors. Some people overeat to cope with emotional problems. 7. Pregnancy. A woman’s weight can rise 4 to 6 pounds after each pregnancy. 8. Medications. Some corticosteroids and antidepressants can result in weight gain. 9. Illness. Any medical condition that leads to decreased activity can result in weight gain. 10. Quitting smoking. Smokers can gain up to 8 pounds when quitting

London: Here’s good news for women suffering from sexual dysfunction — a few simple dietary changes could improve their sex drive, say researchers. Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) includes a variety of disorders that are related to desire for sex, arousal during sexual activity, problems with orgasm or pain during sexual activity. It is also an extremely complex problem with a variety of possible causes, including illness, menopause, weight gain, poor nutrition, stress and psychological factors. A new, scientifically proven diet from the US suggests that a combination of fish oils, dark chocolate and controlling carbohydrates may be all that’s needed, reported the on-line edition of Daily Mail. In her book The Orgasmic Diet, author Marrena Lindberg has created a programme that she says not only boosts the sex drive, but aids weight loss, too. Four simple steps, which Marrena says, will help bring back libido in days. She advises women to boost their intake of fish oils, control seroton