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Special
feature
Preventing
a heart attack
There's
a famous saying: "Prevention is better than cure." Even if
you've treated this saying with utter disregard till now, we urge you
to start to heed it, especially when it comes to dealing with your heart.
That's because curing a problem with your heart can be a tedious process
and you'll almost invariably have to spend oodles of money. On the other
hand, by taking a few simple preventive measures you'll be able to ensure
that you'll have a healthy heart.
To learn about what
exactly needs to be done to prevent heart attacks, we contacted eminent
Cardiologist, Professor Mahboob Ali. He told Lifestyle, "Modern
life is putting stress on people, and consequently many of us are suffering
from hypertension. This hypertension is one of the main reasons why
people suffer heart attacks and therefore it is imperative to try to
remain as stress-free as possible."
He further added:
"Another way in which heart attacks can be prevented is by consuming
food which contains less fat. Presently, many of us are consuming food
that has a high fat content, and consequently many of us are being diagnosed
with heart ailments. If we manage to incorporate fruits and vegetables
as part of our regular diet, the number of people suffering from heart
complications will significantly reduce."
"The fact that
the vast majority of us lead sedentary lifestyles is another reason
why many people suffer from heart-related problems. Therefore, it is
of utmost importance to at least do some exercise. Walking is a great
form of exercise and so I urge everyone to do some walking every day.
Even by using the stairs instead of the lift, people will be able to
burn fat and consequently reduce the probability of having a heart attack,"
he said.
Obesity is also
a reason for heart complications. In this regard he mentioned, "Many
parents feed their children excessively. Such parents think that the
excess food will ensure that their child will remain healthy, but actually
this makes them obese. Besides heart complications, obesity can lead
to problems like diabetes, high blood pressure etc."
Other factors that
Professor Ali mentioned we need to carry out in order to prevent heart
attacks include: to stop smoking, alcohol consumption and drug abuse,
and to reduce fast food consumption, reducing salt consumption, and
keeping diabetes under control.
Well, there you
have it. Preventing a heart attack isn't really all that difficult.
All it requires is a bit of discipline.
By
Sayeed Mahmud Nizam
Special thanks to Professor Mahboob Ali
Shop
talk
DVD
Player
Do you still use a video cassette player to watch movies? If you do,
then it's time for you to buy a DVD player. That's because a DVD offers
much better picture quality than a video cassette, and so you'll have
a much more pleasurable experience while watching movies. In other words,
you'll be able to see much clearer images of Aishwarya Rai, Hrithik
Rowshan and all your other favourite actors and actresses. If you go
to the Philips showrooms, you'll be able to purchase a DVD player in
the range of Tk 6,490 to Tk 9,990.
Coaster
If you place a cup of tea on your table or any other piece of furniture,
you might end up with some terrible stains. One way that you can avoid
this problem is by using a coaster. For those of you who aren't sure
what a coaster is, it's a small piece of material put under a glass
or cup to protect furniture from heat or liquid. At the branches of
Aarong, some aesthetically designed coasters are being sold. Their prices
usually range between Tk 40 to Tk 50.
Islamic
Books
Would you like to improve your knowledge about Islam? In this day and
age when certain individuals are deriding Islam, it wouldn't be a bad
idea to do so, as you'll be able to get a clear understanding about
what this religion is truly about. By reading Islamic books you'll gradually
gain a thorough understanding about each and every aspect of Islam.
If you go to Islam Prochar Samity (Elephant Road, Near Katabon Mosque)
you'll find various Islamic books. Most of their books can be bought
for less than Tk 300.
Adult
Diapers
If an elderly relative lives with you and if s/he is incontinent, then
it would be advisable to keep adult diapers at your home. By doing so,
you'll be able to ensure comfort for both your elderly relative and
yourself. Adult diapers are available at quality pharmacies and also
at some supermarkets. There are many brands available in the market,
and one such brand is Certainty. A pack containing 10 adult diapers
is sold for about Tk 750.
Wardrobe
If you love shopping for clothes then you are probably struggling to
store all the clothes that you bought during this month. Well, if that's
the case then perhaps you should consider going on another round of
shopping. However, this time, first go shopping for a wardrobe and then
begin your usual errands of shopping for clothes! At the branches of
Otobi, you'll find that many spacious wardrobes are being sold. The
prices of their wardrobes usually begin from Tk 6,500 onwards.
Soft
Toys
Are you planning to buy a birthday gift for a friend or relative, but
you're not sure what you should buy for them? If that's the case, then
we suggest that you buy a soft toy. The cuddly nature of soft toys is
something that appeals to most people, and so they're great to give
as gifts. Soft toys are available at the branches of Hallmark. If you
happen to live near Gulshan, you can also check out Purple Haze (Gulshan
2, Near Cooper's). At Purple Haze, prices of soft toys range between
Tk 125 to Tk 5,000.
By
Sayeed Mahmud Nizam
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Essentials
Do
you give your roommates a headache with nefarious nocturnal noises,
commonly known as snoring? Do you give the neighbours upstairs many
a sleepless night with the same?
Snoring is a pretty common phenomenon, and everyone does it at least
occasionally, whether they admit it or not. Usually, one is not even
aware of the fact that one is merrily trumpeting away in one's sleep.
It's usually the spouse, or in extreme situations, people sleeping
in nearby rooms, that have to suffer.
The
how
Snoring is caused when there is a narrowed passageway between the
nose and the throat. The passageway narrows because the muscles in
your throat are more relaxed when you sleep. When inhaling oxygen
while the passageway is narrowed, air will have to move faster than
before, and will hit the tissues of the soft palate and the uvula
with more force causing vibrations, which in turn create snoring sounds.
The
why's
There can be many causes to why one snores when they sleep, anything
that causes the air passageways to narrow will likely cause snoring.
Snoring
can be brought on by a stuffy nose, which can be brought on by a cold
or sinuses.
The
physical makeup of your body can be a cause; if one is overweight,
or if one has a long uvula and/or soft palate there is an increased
likelihood of snoring. Other physical characteristics that may bring
about snoring include large adenoids and large tonsils, a long tongue,
a small lower jaw or a deviated nasal septum.
Asthma
and/or smoking can also increase the chance of one snoring due to
the irritation and constriction of the air passageways which is brought
about.
Sleeping
on your back makes one more likely to snore because gravity pulls
the tongue and jaw down to the back of the mouth and limits the air
passageway.
No
more snore
The following tips will hopefully give you relief with your snoring
problems. It's important to remember that different remedies will
have varying success depending on the individual.
Elevate
your head by sleeping on a thicker pillow or multiple pillows will
help reduce your snoring.
Avoid
dairy products, which can cause mucus build-up right before you go
to sleep.
If
you are overweight, losing some weight will reduce snoring by increasing
the space in your air passage way.
Sleeping
on your side instead of your back will help to prevent snoring.
Try following a regular sleep routine.
Try taking in a little bit of honey before sleeping.
Don't eat a big meal right before bed.
Avoid eating "rich" foods such as cakes, cookies, chocolate
and pizza.
Sleep on a firmer pillow.
Inhale steam before sleeping or sleep in a room with a humidifier
turned on, which will reduce congestion and moisturize the throat.
If you are a smoker, stop smoking, if that is not feasible then avoid
smoking right before you go to bed.
By
Sabrina F Ahmad
 On
the cover
This
week, we feature Kay Kraft. On the occasion of Independence Day, the
fashion house has some special offers up for grabs. These are available
in all Kay Kraft retail outlets.
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