Smile, even a fake one, can trick brain into happiness

Representational Image | Pixabay

Feeling low? Try smiling. Wearing a smile could trick your brain into happiness.

Even a fake smile could make you feel better. Take for instance, a non-Duchenne smile—the smile you wear when someone is about to take a photo of you. In a non-Duchenne smile, someone says , 'cheese,' and you simply raise the corners of your mouth. “It has been shown in many studies that even if you are not happy being in a certain situation, and you just smile, slowly you will start to feel the same situation to be much more okay to be in,’’ says Dr Sagar Mundada, a consultant psychiatrist at Healthspring, Mumbai.

How does a facial expression trigger a corresponding emotion? “Our facial expressions send muscular signals to the brain, making us feel emotions corresponding to the expressions,’’ explains Mundada.

Facial feedback hypothesis states that our facial expressions affect our emotions. It could hold true not just for happiness, but other emotions as well. It is also a good way to keep your emotions in check when you feel overwhelmed by negative emotions such as fear or anger.

A classic experiment by Paul Ekman in 1983 established this hypothesis, says Dr Rekha Ahuja, assistant professor and head, department of psychology and counseling, St Joseph’s Evening College, Bengaluru. “A group of professionally trained actors was asked to make facial expressions such as raising their eyebrow and stretching their lips wide towards the ears. This made their heart rate increase and body temperature decline, similar to the reactions seen during the emotional experience of fear,’’ explains Rekha. “When we smile, we are more likely to experience the emotion of happiness, even though our environment doesn't provide any clue to make us feel happy. Similarly, facial expressions for different emotions evoke physiological changes congruent to that emotion. Therefore facial expressions not only accompany but also produce emotional experiences,’’ she adds.

Facial feedback hypothesis could help us regulate our emotions when we are overwhelmed by anger or fear. It helps us experience positive emotions more and avoid negativity. “So avoid frowning, if you don’t want to feel unhappy. If you don’t want to feel angry, stop clenching your teeth,’’ says Mundada.

Dr Shyam Bhat agrees with the facial feedback hypothesis. “The mind-body relationship is certainly bilateral—each influences the other. And just as moods alter our body as well as facial expressions, alteration of facial expression can influence mood.’’ That said, he adds the facial feedback hypothesis does not work always. For instance, smiling may not make someone having a major depressive disorder feel better immediately. “The effects of facial feedback hypothesis are mild and will not be sustained in people with more serious affective disorders,’’ argues Bhat.

“Moreover, although facial expressions are the most obvious physical manifestation of depression, it affects the entire body, and therefore changing only facial muscle function will not achieve long-term results. A more holistic approach is to use bodywork and yoga,’’ he says.

SOURCE

Read more ...

Soft drinks consumption common factor between obesity and tooth wear: Study

The consumption of sugar-sweetened acidic drinks -- such as soft drinks -- is the common factor connecting obesity and tooth wear among adults, according to a study which suggests that dentists should be concerned about the calories their patients get from carbonated beverages.

The researchers, including those from King's College London, found that being overweight, or obese, was strongly associated with having worn out teeth.

The findings of the study, published in the journal Clinical Oral Investigation, suggests that the increased consumption of sugary soft drinks by obese patients may be the leading cause of the erosion of the tooth enamel, and dentine -- the hard bony structure forming the bulk of a tooth.

The researchers analysed a sample of survey participants of 3,541 patients in the United States based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2004.

For the study, the researchers took into account patient BMI, their intake of sugar sweetened acidic drinks, and their levels of tooth wear.

"It is the acidic nature of some drinks such as carbonated drinks and acidic fruit juices that leads to tooth wear," said lead author Saoirse O'Toole from King's College London.

READ MORE

• Overweight people could develop fat in their lungs
• Multiple cancers linked to being overweight before age 40

According to the researchers, tooth wear ranked as the third most important dental condition -- after cavities and gum disease -- and its leading cause is the consumption of acidic foods and drinks.

"This is an important message for obese patients who are consuming calories through acidic sugar sweetened drinks. These drinks may be doing damage to their body and their teeth," O'Toole said.

The researchers said that changing consumption habits can help patients prevent tooth wear, or at least stop it before it gets worse.

"There is also an important message for dentists. We should be asking our patients who are obese and have tooth wear what calories they are drinking as this may be having an effect on their full bodies - not just their teeth," O'Toole said.

SOURCE

Read more ...

MALAIKA ARORA AND MANISH MALHOTRA TURN ASHISH SONI’S CURATED EVENING MEMORABLE

The Chivas 18 Alchemy’ evening curated by designer Ashish Soni had the dapper designer joining hands with five creative reps from the lifestyle space to host the city’s elite for an evening dedicated to tapping into one’s ‘Sixth Sense’. Ashish invited - actor Malaika Arora, designer Manish Malhotra, designer Rahul Mishra, artist Sudarshan Shetty and jeweller Siddharth Kasliwal-- to create a space that combined craftsmanship and aesthetics for a surreal, sensory effect. Guests who walked into these special spaces to enjoy the unique experience included Monish and Alka Bali, Robert Vadra, J J Valaya, Sanjeev and Shelley Batra, Kalyani Chawla. Palak Shah, Nida Mahmood and Ashish Saraf and member of the diplomatic community.

The four abstract concepts that the evening explored, were Fantasy, Intuition, Love, Déjà vu and Memory. Mumbaikar Malaika Arora who gave shape to Fantasy created a shifting, immersive, honeycombed kaleidoscopic world of the real and imagined. Not just her curated space but the sexy lady in a white three- piece suit with a plunging neckline was a big draw for the Capital’s party animals, eager to get a selfie with the diva. Manish Malhotra, Bollywood favourite designer was another sought after celebrity.

Manish chose to interpret the quality of Intuition with mirrors and reflections. Artist Sudarshan Shetty, created a mosaic of love using voices, ragas, video and installation art and Siddharth Kasliwal, revived lost art of craftsmanship handed down generations. Rahul Mishra, normally shy, too was seen enjoying the interest and replying to queries about his installation which recreated memories in a play of light and shadows.

The evening has to be experienced to be fully understood, said Ashish who has considerable experience curating bespoke evenings for select audiences. “As a designer I am usually doing ramp shows but this event is an indefinable melange. A fashion show pales in comparison. For me this was a challenge to put together and one that tested all my aesthetic abilities and senses.”

SOURCE

Read more ...

DEEPIKA PADUKONE PICKS PETER DUNDUS FOR HER RED CARPET APPEARANCE AT CANNES 2019?

The 2019 chapter of the Cannes Film Festival will be beginning on 14th May and will continue till 25th May. Through the ten days, the best of world cinema will be showcased in France's Cannes. Notable actors, directors and other artists associated with film fraternities across the globe will be joining in at Cannes Film Festival. No wonder the Cannes Red Carpet remains a major point of attraction throughout the festival. We have the best of Bollywood turning heads at the red carpet wearing their favourite designers and Bollywood's Deepika Padukone is one of them.

Last year, Deepika's pink gown from Ashi Studios was quite a hit. As per a report on a leading entertainment portal, the actor has decided to pick a customised outfit by Peter Dundus for her Cannes appearance this year. Peter happens to be the man behind Beyonce's unforgettable golden Grammy look in 2017, which also happened to be his first solo design under his own brand name. If his designs meet Deepika's grace (and sass), it might just turn out to be a treat for the fashion police across the globe!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) on Mar 20, 2019 at 1:45am PDT

Peter, before he launched his own label, happened to be the creative director of Roberto Cavalli and also headed Emilio Pucci for six long years. He has been dressing Beyonce for over a decade now. You might have also spotted the likes of Kylie Jenner, Olivia Wilde, and even Michelle Obama wearing his creations.

View this post on Instagram

 

MICHELLE O x DUNDAS!!!🐆🐆🐆🐆🐆🐆So excited seeing Michelle Obama in DUNDAS tonight. Thank you for choosing Oslo, my hometown to wear our custom emerald panther tuxedo suit and thank you for choosing DUNDAS!! Made my day. Hey made my week!! #thankyou #michelleobama #becoming #meredithkoop #dundasworld #peterdundas #evbousis #LoveyouMichelle💚💚💚

A post shared by Peter Dundas (@peter_dundas) on Apr 11, 2019 at 12:48pm PDT

Around the time he launched his own label in 2017, Peter also made a visit to Mumbai,  embroideries being the purpose. "I haven’t been to India for work ever, though I’ve been for holidays. It was great to connect with the handcrafters. I really want to take the opportunity this first time around to see how things are done, to connect with people, and to make sure they understand what I want, and I understand their process, too," he told Vogue, in an interview.

Let's just say the association got even better!

SOURCE

Read more ...

AHEAD OF KALANK, ALIA BHATT CHANNELS HER DESI SIDE AT THE AIRPORT

1/4

ALIA BHATT WAS RECENTLY SPOTTED AT A PROMOTIONAL EVENT OF HER UPCOMING FILM, KALANK. KALANK BOASTS OF AN ENSEMBLE CAST THAT INCLUDES MADHURI DIXIT NENE, SANJAY DUTT, ADITYA ROY KAPOOR, SONAKSHI SINHA AND VARUN DHAWAN.

2/4

BHATT RECENTLY WON THE FILMFARE AWARD FOR HER APPLAUD-WORTHY PERFORMANCE IN RAAZI AS A SPY NAMED SEHMAT ACROSS ENEMY LINES. HER NEXT FILM, GULLY BOY ALSO WON HER CRITICAL ACCLAIM AS A SPUNKY FIRECRACKER.

3/4

SHE WAS SPOTTED IN A PINK AND GREEN SAREE WITH GOLDEN PRINTS. THE CREATION HAS BEEN DESIGNED BY TARUN TAHILIANI. BHATT STYLED THE SARI WITH A GLIMMERING MAANG-TIKA.

SOURCE

Read more ...

KANGANA RANAUT: HERE'S THE ROYAL RIDE OF THE QUEEN OF JHANSI

Kangana Ranaut is currently on a promotional spree for Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi. The Queen of Bollywood has left us bewildered with her incredible performance as a warrior in the trailer. The much-talked-about film is now just a month away and fans all around have been waiting with bated breath. Amidst all the hype, we thought of getting you a piece of interesting information about the actor, which not many would be aware of. It’s the royal ride of the Queen, her high-end car. Any guesses?

The stunning lady, who is one of the highest paid actors in the industry, drives around in a BMW 7-Series. The actor is mostly seen in a luxury sedan while arriving for events and shoots. The 7-Series offers features like a rear-seat massager and rear-seat entertainment and has been purchased by many B-Town stars due to its high-level comfort and style quotient. The high-end 4-wheeler has a price range of Rs 1.07 to 1.95 crore.

The BMW 7-Series is produced by the German automaker BMW in 1977. The first generation 7 series was powered by straight-6 petrol engines and following models have been powered by inline-4, straight-6, V8 and v12 engines.

The Queen of Jhansi loves to travel in style, and as the reigning queen of Bollywood, why shouldn't she?

SOURCE

Read more ...

SHAH RUKH KHAN KEEPS IT TIGHT WITH A SPECIAL NUMBER ON HIS LUXURIOUS CARS

Shah Rukh Khan has plenty of things in his possession that could make us go green in envy. Take his Bandra residence for example. The lavish Mannat has almost become a tourist attraction for outsiders, many of them being SRK fanatics who come over to Mumbai, just to pay it a visit. Just a couple of days back, we had a newly married couple dropping in outside SRK's house instead of a temple! And then, there's his garage, boasting some of the world's most expensive cars!

And since we are talking about the cars, did you know what SRK's favourite car number was! He is really fond of the digits 555 and almost all his cars are numbered with it. Not just that, but we hear he really believes 555 to be a lucky combination for him and hence, many of his team members' mobile numbers also have the digits. Not many of you would know that his luxurious vanity van is also numbered 555.

Have a look at some of his prized possessions below.

#1 Audi A6

Creation of the German automobile brand Audi, Audi 6 is considered to be a continuation of the Audi 100 lineage. The car is available in both diesel and petrol versions and a range of engines used in different models offer a power output of 150 to 333 hp.  All Audi 6 generation cars also come in either front-while drive or Torsen based four-wheel drive.

#2 BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe

This is the first four-door coupe in the history of BMW. The car offers as many as nine different wheel options in 18-, 19-, and 20-inch diameters. Packed with an all-aluminium inline 6-cylinder with an output of 335 hp, the swanky car has a stunning interior as well. It is decked with heated front seats, pretty wood trims and pleasant lighting.

#3 Rolls Royce Drophead Coupe

This slick beauty offers you unparallel charm.  The British handmade luxury car is a dual door, four-seater vehicle, boasting a V12 6,749 cc engine. It has rearward-opening doors, extensive wood veneering and rollover hoops behind the rear seats, apart from a sophisticated interior and teak wood panelling. No wonder it fits King Khan's taste!

#4 Mitsubishi Pajero

A perfect mix of style and strength, this car is its master's delight as it offers impressive leather-wrapped controls and Illuminated meters inside. The car comes in both chrome and glossed wood-print accent panels and chrome and metallic accent panels with seat material of your choice. With a 141 kW horsepower and 3.2 L 4-cylinder diesel engine, you simply wouldn't want to stop driving.

#5 BMW 7 Series

With its forward-surging front, pre-loaded LED technology and chrome-plated window outlines, the BMW 7 series is a modernised version of the eternal elegance that BMW offers. No wonder this one is SRK's favourite!

SOURCE

Read more ...

DWAYNE 'THE ROCK' JOHNSON INDEED LIVES A 'FAST AND FURIOUS' LIFE AND HIS CAR COLLECTION IS PROOF!

Our celebrities love to flaunt their luxurious lifestyle. Be it wearing all things branded or splurging on sexy road demons, celebs exactly know how to grab the limelight. Out of the many, it’s Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson who has been a complete stunner when it comes to his car collection. The WWE star is an avid car lover which was rightly proved when he was part of the film Fast and Furious. Just like his beefed up body, his private garage is also full of exotic vehicles. FYI, he recently also gifted a Cadillac Escalade to his dad and 2018 Ford Mustang to a USA war veteran. Woah, isn’t he the ultimate car freak?

Talking about his social media presence, The Rock teases fans with loads of videos and images which takes us into the actual life he lives in. In short, Dwayne's lifestyle is elite and when we crawled the internet to know which all cars the tall and handsome man owns, and the list was literally long. So here today without further ado, let us drive you through the top five road beats the ex-wrestler owns to match up his persona. Here we go... vroom:

Custom Built Ford F150 

Just like Dwayne's muscular body and heavy-weight, Ford F150 also comes with the same features. Packed with a twin-turbo V-6 producing 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque, this more of a mini truck kinda car is insane. Paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, this car is capable of pulling a best-in-class 13,200 pounds. Killer, isn't it?

Ferrari LaFerrari

Up next we have a Ferrari which is said to be on lease with The Rock. With an aim to flash is oh-so-stylish avatar, Dwayne at times rides in this classy bitch (giggles). This car comes with a lot of features. Its mid-mounted 6.3-litre V12 engine is electrically assisted by Ferrari's HY-KERS system which churns a total power output of 950bhp. Well, the car goes past 62mph in just three seconds. That's FAST!

Black Gorilla

This car is not called the Black Gorilla, but that's what Dwayne calls it. Second time on the list, The Rock is surely a Ford trucks lover.  Different from the previous one, this is the old F150. The Black Gorilla custom truck comes with 5.0-litre V8 engine and delivers as much as 570 BHP of raw power. Looks like Johnson knows exactly how to make other motorists envious on the road.

Ford GT40

In the above picture, we see Dwayne twinning in white with his car. Again from the Ford family,  GT40 is an extremely advanced beast. Just how 'The Rock' is a limited edition, Ford's this car, in particular, is a limited production car. Rock owns one of the limited production cars in colour white. Powered by a 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol engine the car can easily generate a maximum of 656 Bhp and 746 Nm.

Rolls-Royce Wraith

Without any doubt, many celebrity garages at least own one Rolls-Royce, and The Rock also has one. Seen in the above photo is the Rolls-Royce Wraith, it's extravagant  2-door coupe beast from the British luxury car maker.  The Wraith comes with a 6.5-litre twin-turbo V12 engine that can pull of 623 BHP. The aura this car spills is supreme to another level.

We literally went gaga over Dwayne's car collection. Did you?

SOURCE

Read more ...

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik sees five-fold rise in wealth, owns Ambassador worth Rs 9,000

Naveen Patnaik has been the Odisha chief minister since March 2000

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has seen a sharp increase in his wealth over the last five years. The rise in Patnaik's wealth is completely due to an appreciation of the few properties he owns in Odisha and New Delhi.

Naveen Patnaik is currently worth Rs 63.87 crore, according to an affidavit the Odisha chief minister filed with the Election Commission. Patnaik is seeking a fifth term in office in the upcoming Odisha assembly election, which will be held along with the Lok Sabha election 2019.

Patnaik's current wealth is more than five times what it was during the 2014 Odisha assembly election, when his Biju Janata Dal won a landslide victory with 117 seats out of 147.

Naveen Patnaik's movable assets, which includes cash, bank balances and jewellery, are currently valued at around Rs 23 lakh, Rs 5 lakh more than the 2014 valuation.

Naveen Patnaik's immovable assets, on the other hand, have seen a sharp rise in valuation -- from nearly Rs 12 crore in 2014 to more than Rs 63 crore right now.

The immovable assets include properties he jointly owns with sister Gita. These include a house on APJ Abdul Kalam Road in New Delhi worth Rs 43 crore and Naveen Niwas in Odisha worth Rs 9.52 crore.

Naveen Patnaik currently has just Rs 25,000 cash in hand and also owns a 1980 Ambassador car currently worth Rs 9,000.

SOURCE

Read more ...

Pregnant Esha Deol glows in ethnicwear with hubby Bharat Takhtani at family wedding

Esha Deol at a family wedding

Esha Deol who is expecting her second child with husband Bharat Takhtani was seen attending a family wedding in Bahrain. Their one-year-old daughter Radhya Takhtani was also seen enjoying the wedding festivities with her parents.

Pregnant Esha has been nailing the maternity fashion. The actress looked gorgeous in her wine coloured South Indian attire which she chose for a recent wedding.

Daughter of dream girl, Hema Malini and Dharmendra took to her official Instagram account to share some lovely family portraits with her fans from the wedding.

The 37-year-old actress matched her lehenga with statement green kundan choker, earrings and a mang tikka by the jewellery designer Astha Jagwani.

Esha tied her hair in a tight low bun and completed her look with smokey eyes and a nude lip.

Keeping in mind the low temperature, baby Radhya was covered with a white jacket and she wore Uggs with her lehenga.

Her husband, Bharat complemented Esha in a blue bandhgala sherwani and white pants.

Esha and Bharat dated a long time before getting married in 2012.

Esha Deol was last seen on the big screen in 2011 in the film, Tell Me O Khuda.

The couple is all set to welcome their second child soon.

SOURCE

Read more ...

Pregnant Meghan Markle flaunts baby bump and mehendi at Royal Gala with Prince Harry

Pregnant Meghan Markle with Prince Harry

Pregnant Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are currently on their one last Royal tour before they become first-time parents.

The couple, who are in Morocco right now, attended a gala event there and they looked every bit royal in their glam attires.

The royal mom-to-be, with her husband, attended a reception hosted by the British Ambassador to Morocco for them.

The Duchess of Sussex attended the bash in a gorgeous Dior gown, which was adorned with draped sleeves.

She styled her bespoke ensemble with her hair pulled back in a bun, stunning diamond earrings and a tan clutch, perfectly matching her ensemble.

She rounded it all off with metallic gold pumps. As for Harry, he complimented his wife in a black suit, looking handsome as ever.

Earlier in the day, Meghan and Harry also visited a boarding house where she got mehendi on one of her hands.

It was done by a girl from the house to celebrate her pregnancy.

The Royal tour comes after Meghan Markle’s secret baby shower in New York City hosted by her friends, which Prince Harry had given a miss.

Apparently, according to Princess Diana’s butler the party left Prince William and Kate Middleton very angry.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will welcome their child in late April, 2019.

SOURCE

Read more ...

Smoking 20 cigarettes a day can make you go blind

Smoking 20 cigarettes a day can make you go blind.

While excessive smoking has been linked to various health issues, including heart disease and cancer, a new study has warned that smoking over 20 cigarettes a day can cause blindness.

The study from Rutgers University noted that chronic tobacco smoking can have harmful effects on spatial and colour vision.

Previous studies have also pointed to long-term smoking as doubling the risk for age-related macular degeneration and as a factor causing lens yellowing and inflammation.

Research methodology

1. For the study, the team looked at 71 healthy people who smoked less than 15 cigarettes in their entire lives and 63 people who smoked over 20 cigarettes a day, were diagnosed with tobacco addiction and reported no attempts to stop smoking.

2. The participants were between the ages of 25 and 45 and had a normal or corrected-to-normal vision as measured by standard visual acuity charts.

3. The researchers looked at how participants discriminated contrast levels (subtle differences in shading) and colors while seated 59 inches from a 19-inch cathode-ray tube monitor that displayed stimuli, while researchers monitored both eyes simultaneously.

Findings of the study

Smoking can damage nearly every part of your body.(Image: cdc.gov)

The findings, published in the journal 'Psychiatry Research,' noted significant changes in the smokers' red-green and blue-yellow colour vision. This suggests that consuming substances with neurotoxic chemicals, such as those in cigarettes, may cause overall colour vision loss.

Heavy smokers also have reduced ability to discriminate contrasts and colours compared with non-smokers.

"Our results indicate excessive use of cigarettes, or chronic exposure to their compounds, affects visual discrimination, supporting the existence of overall deficits in visual processing with tobacco addiction," said co-author Steven Silverstein, director of research at Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care.

"Cigarette smoke consists of numerous compounds that are harmful, and it has been linked to a reduction in the thickness of layers in the brain, and to brain lesions, involving areas such as the frontal lobe, which plays a role in voluntary movement and control of thinking, and a decrease in activity in the area of the brain that processes vision," he said.

Although the research did not give a physiological explanation for the results, Silverstein said that since nicotine and smoking harm the vascular system, the study suggests they also damage blood vessels and neurons in the retina.

Eye diseases associated with smoking

Harmful effects of smoking.(Image: cdc.gov)

1. Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

AMD begins as a loss of central vision which makes it difficult to read and see fine details. Over time, vision loss increases significantly. Of the two types of AMD, dry and wet, dry AMD is the most common.

Vision loss in dry AMD usually gets worse slowly. In wet AMD, tiny blood vessels under the retina leak or break open. This changes vision and causes scar tissue to form. Wet AMD is less common, but more quickly harmful to vision.

2. Glaucoma

Glaucoma causes a gradual break down of the cells that make up the nerve in your eye that sends visual information to your brain (optic nerve).

As the nerve cells die, vision is slowly lost, usually beginning with side vision. Often the loss of vision is not noticeable until a large amount of nerve damage has occurred. This is the reason why as many as half of all people with glaucoma may be unaware that they have it.

3. Cataract

Cataract is a clouding of the eye's naturally clear lens. It usually gets worse as we get older. Most cataracts are related to aging.

4. Diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes. It affects the tiny blood vessels of the retina in the eye.

Retinal blood vessels can break down, leak or become blocked and this can affect vision over time.

In some people with diabetic retinopathy, serious damage to the eye can occur when new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina.

5. Dry Eye Syndrome

Dry Eye Syndrome is an eye disease that appears as damaged blood vessels in the eye. This can lead to eye irritation, itchy and scratchy eyes, and burning sensation of the eyes.

SOURCE

Read more ...