Health benefits of sunlight

In some way this way this week’s blog may be considered an extension of one of our articles which highlighted the importance for vitamin D in our lives.

During the recent few decades it has been ingrained in our psyche that exposure to sunlight is bad for our health due the UV rays. It is but partially correct. Actually a lot depends on at what time of the day we expose ourselves to sunlight. It is generally accepted that the early morning rays of the Sun is indeed beneficial for our health.

In this connection we shall share with you the five benefits of sunlight.

a) Sunlight can improve mood

There is little doubt that a bit of sunshine can make a world of difference in our mood. When it is dreary and dark, we can feel depressed and lethargic; when it is a beautiful sunlit day, we are happier and more energetic. This mood change is not only in our imagination. When light enters the eye, it stimulates neurons in the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that influences mood. These nerve impulses travel to the pineal gland, which regulates serotonin, the so-called feel-good hormone that is linked to mood.

b) Sunshine may prevent us from eating too much

The same part of the brain responsible for mood is also responsible for appetite. A recent study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences showed that eating in a dimly lit or dark environment may trigger us to eat more. “Darkness provides a high-risk environment for binge-eating for certain people,” says study author Joseph Kasof, who adds that those people who eat in a darkened room may find they lose their inhibitions against eating.

c) Sunlight helps stimulate the body’s production of vitamin D

When skin is exposed to the Sun’s UV rays, a cholesterol compound in the skin is transformed into a precursor of vitamin D. This fat-soluble vitamin is required for the absorption of calcium by the body. It’s also necessary for growth and protects against muscle weakness. But that doesn’t mean you should sit out in the sun all day; exposing your face and arms to the sun for fifteen minutes, three days a week is an effective way to ensure adequate amounts of vitamin D in the body.

d) Sun can help clear up skin conditions like psoriasis

The itchy, scaly, raised patches of skin that characterize psoriasis can be cleared up by the UV light. That is why, in general, exposing the skin to sunlight for about thirty minutes a day is recommended for those with psoriasis. (This treatment is effective for about eighty percent of people with this skin condition, who typically notice improvement within three to six weeks of starting sunlight therapy.)

e) Sunshine may help maintain the efficiency of the human eye

According to R. S. Agarwal, author of Yoga of Perfect Sight, “The human eye needs light in order to maintain its efficiency. Sunlight is as necessary to the normal eye as are rest and relaxation.” Agarwal’s suggestion: Start the day by exposing the eyes to the sun for just a few minutes with this treatment: sit comfortably facing the sun (morning or evening when the sun isn’t as strong) with closed eyes, and sway the body from side to side gently. Continue for five to ten minutes. Then come into the shade and wash the eyes with cold water.

We hope our readers have enjoyed reading the article and shall from now onwards resolve not to shun sunlight altogether from our lives.

(Insights drawn from www.yogainternational.com)

World Elderly Day

On the occasion of World Elderly Day Porosh extends warm greetings to its members. Since inception it has been a roller-coaster ride. The love and trust reposed on Team Porosh by the members and their children have indeed been beyond expectations. The founders of Porosh – Paushali & Souparno - started the journey on the basis of serving the elderly citizens with a very clear understanding that they had to establish personal rapport with the members to serve them well. They had realized early on that in the absence of children they had the onerous task of filling-in their shoes. Hence, both of them have discharged their collective responsibilities with a missionary zeal.

Learnings have been immense and far-reaching. Getting to know of the needs and aspirations of senior citizens and being able to bring smile on their faces by fulfilling those have been immensely gratifying to say the least. The spontaneous blessings showered on Porosh and the smile on their faces have been the hallmark of Porosh.

All that Porosh needs is to remain steady and continue on its noble endeavor without losing focus and trappings that may come on the way.

A friendly sip of coffee

Introduction

While savouring Colombian coffee in a chic South Kolkata café our eyes fell on a statement displayed on a wall claiming that consumption of coffee may help in arresting dementia and Alzheimer. We were intrigued and thus, decided to do a bit of study on our own and understand whether it is indeed so. The following sections attempt to summarize the findings.

Findings

a) A research paper published in Nutrition (Volume 32, Issue 6, June 2016, Pages 628-636) on “Habitual coffee consumption and risk of cognitive decline/dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies” concluded by stating that the study suggested higher coffee consumption is associated with reduced risk for Alzheimer disease. However, it was added further, randomized controlled trials, or well-designed cohort studies are needed to determine the association between coffee consumption and cognitive decline, or dementia.

b) In yet another paper on “Coffee, tea, and caffeine consumption and prevention of late-life cognitive decline and dementia: A systematic review” in The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging (March 2015, Volume 19, issue 3, pp. 313–328| observed that given the very limited therapeutic value of drugs currently used in the treatment of Alzheimer Disease (AD) and dementia, preventing or postponing the onset of AD and delaying or slowing its progression are becoming mandatory. Among diet-associated factors, coffee is best known psychoactive stimulant resulting in heightened alertness and arousal and improvement of cognitive performance. Besides its short-term effect, study of some long-term effects on brain function provided evidence that coffee, tea, and caffeine consumption or higher plasma caffeine levels may be protective against cognitive impairment/decline and dementia.

c) A research article “Association between Coffee Consumption and Incident Risk of Disabling Dementia in Elderly Japanese: The Ohsaki Cohort 2006 Study” in Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease (Vol. 50, No. 2, pp. 491-500, 2016) investigated the association between coffee consumption and incident risk of dementia in an elderly Japanese population. 23,091 subjects aged ≥65 y living in Ohsaki City, north eastern Japan, responded to the baseline survey in 2006. It was observed that overall, coffee consumption was significantly associated with a lower risk of incident dementia. In addition, this significant inverse association was more remarkable among women, non-smokers, and non-drinkers. Coffee consumption is significantly associated with a lower risk of incident dementia.

Conclusion

The above research papers have not drawn any conclusive evidence of coffee consumption reducing the debilitating impact of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease on an individual and this includes a senior citizen as well. However, the findings unequivocally indicate that it offers protection against cognitive impairment/decline and dementia. More research needs to be done in this domain before a conclusion can be arrived at. It may also be noted that none of the research papers consulted by Porosh have included the Indian populace. Who knows the results may then then be quite different then.