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If
you're an investor in the stock market then chances are you haven't
been feeling very chirpy of late. A volatile Sensex that has routinely
been shedding hundreds of points a day-more than 1,100 on one
occasion-can certainly make an investor anxious and depressed.
And if that weren't enough to burn a hole in your nest egg or
investment kitty now you have to also prepare for an imminent
increase in prices of motor fuels, which could be cause for more
depression. But why is Treadmill mentioning all this that rightfully
belongs not in the tail end of the magazine but upfront with the
serious stuff? That's because there's no better way to combat
depression or a mental low than with a good wholesome session
of exercise. Exercise is commonly acknowledged as one of the best
ways of maintaining fitness physically by maintaining blood pressure
levels, preventing obesity and ailments like diabetes. Yet, exercise
can also benefit mental health and, indeed, be a curative for
cases of depression and anxiety. Although doctors and researchers
aren't very sure how exercise helps in fighting depression, according
to research, 25-30 minutes of daily exercise for three or more
times a week has been seen to have positive effects on those suffering
from anxiety or depression. There have even been instances where
exercise has cured chronic depression.
Many runners experience what is called the
'runner's high'-a state of euphoria that is experienced when a
runner is working his body to its maximum potential. It's not
just runners but just about any athlete or sportsperson that can
experience this sort of euphoria, which is believed (but as yet
unproven) to be caused by the body releasing increased levels
of endorphins-neuro-transmitters that have the same effect as
pain-relievers. It's the body's own feel-good drug and not surprisingly
gets its name from two words-endogenous (produced in the body)
and morphine (you know what that is!). Endorphins, therefore,
have the same effect as morphine can have on your mind.
The jury is still out on that theory-in any
case, exercise, as most will agree, is healthier than sticking
a syringe full of morphine into your veins-but the short point
is: exercise helps soothe and unruffle your mind, making that
one more reason why you should opt for it. Whether by release
of more endorphins or otherwise, exercise can take your mind off
depressive thoughts (like the value of your portfolio in a bear
market) and give you more confidence in meeting new goals and
challenges (like building up a new portfolio from scratch!). So,
in these days of a somewhat senseless Sensex, pick yourself up,
cut your losses, and head over to the gym. If that's not an option,
go for a simple brisk walk or a jog or ride a cycle. Remember,
just 30 minutes a day can drive your blues away.
-Muscles
Mani
write to musclesmani@intoday.com
Caveat: The physical exercises described
in Treadmill are not recommendations. Readers should exercise
caution and consult a physician before attempting to follow any
of these.
ALL
ABOUT SUNBURN
Despite
knowing the risks of exposure to the sun, many people avoid the
necessary precautions. But a little care can go a long way in
helping you present your best face.
What Is It: Sunburn is an inflammation
of the skin cells caused by overexposure to the sun's ultraviolet
(UV) rays. Says Dr S.C. Bharija, Senior Dermatologist, Sir Ganga
Ram Hospital, New Delhi: "Damage to the skin can either be
insignificant or serious, depending on the intensity of the rays,
the length of exposure, and the sensitivity of the individual
to UV rays."
Causes: Substances such as deodorants,
soaps, perfumes, cosmetics, and certain medications may produce
heightened sensitivity to UV rays, with a corresponding increase
in the severity of the burn. Fair people usually burn more easily
than dark people.
Symptoms: Irritation, prickling sensation,
itching of the skin may mark the onset; the skin also feels hot
to touch. Tiny blood vessels in the skin become congested and
may produce redness. As the burn progresses in severity, the skin
feels tight, swollen, and dry. Overheating and loss of fluids
through the damaged skin may also produce dizziness, nausea, vomitting,
hyperventilation, and loss of consciousness. In severe cases,
blisters can also occur.
Treatment: Minor sunburn can be effectively
treated by non-prescription ointments, powders, creams and sprays.
In the case of a severe sunburn, overheating and dehydration must
be avoided. The victim should be taken to a shaded area. A coolwet
cloth can be applied to the arms, head, and the legs.
Prevention: Simply avoid prolonged
exposure to the sun. Says Dr Bharija: "If this is not possible,
the first line of defence is to cover exposed areas of the skin
completely, preferably with loose-fitting, light-coloured clothes.
Use sunblocks or sunscreens with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF)
of at least 20."
-Manu
Kaushik
PRINTED
CIRCUIT
The Tough Laptop
Panasonic CF-W2
It
takes quite a bit for a laptop to escape from the realm of the
ordinary, so how about a high-tech, heat dispensing magnesium
alloy casing for a start. The Panasonic cf-w2 signals from the
very moment you take it out of its packaging that it is not an
ordinary laptop. It wears the 'Toughbook' name, a badge its Japanese
manufacturer conferred on it, with some justification; it looks,
feels and is tough all right, though I did manage to scratch the
one that was loaned to me for this article in two days flat.
But despite that, this is a really durable
machine. It is not as impressive as its bigger brothers, the cf-72
and cf-29, which are machines meant for extreme rough use-little
wonder the Pentagon equips its boys in Iraq with these. The w2,
on the other hand, is designed only to survive the rough life
it will lead as an executive companion, which you have to admit
is better than a firefight in Falujjah. But let me qualify that
statement: the w2 is no pansy; the brilliant LCD allows you to
use it even in harsh sunlight and shock protection means that
you don't need to worry about in-flight turbulence garbling your
PowerPoint presentation.
It is also light, incredibly so, for a 13-inch
screen laptop. And it is very compact. Yet, the W2 has both a
DVD writer and a 40-gigabyte hard drive, and-this has to be the
clincher-a spectacular battery life. Even though this writer often
had an external hard drive plugged into the USB port (which supped
off the laptop's battery) the machine would easily carry on for
five hours-plus. Without anything attached, the literature claims
the machine can pull off eight hours-and there is little reason
to doubt that.
But despite such great features the w2 has
one key drawback.
Its sticker price of Rs 1,70,000. And that's
without taxes and just Windows XP Professional. Considering that
you can get a similarly specced, though far more boring and far
less durable, laptops for under Rs 50,000 (see Budget Laptops),
it does make you wonder.
That said, if you want yours to stand out
in a sea of obscurity, and you have the money to blow, the Panasonic
cf-w2 Toughbook is your bling thing.
Budget Laptops
 The
single most crucial imprint in a laptop's price tag is not its
internal circuitry, battery life, computing capacity or metallic
casing. Then what is? The brand, stupid! Think about it-three-quarters
of the world's laptops emerge out of 10-odd factories in China
and Taiwan. They, therefore, share similar pedigrees, workmanship
and provenance. The main differentiator: the company that sticks
its label on them and takes them to market.
Intex Technologies, an Indian peripherals
manufacturer, has recently entered the laptop market. Its 029GD
laptop is quite good value for money. It comes with a 1.7Ghz Intel
Centrino processor, a combo drive, a TV Tuner card, a 40-giga
hard drive, and all the standard frills for under 40K. Zenith's
Director range of laptops also offer similar specs at a similar
price.
Think about it. If you buy a Thinkpad, MacBook,
Dell Latitude, Toshiba Satellite or HP Presario machine with exactly
the same set of features, you end up paying Rs 50,000 for the
privilege, even though it may have been assembled at the same
factory as either of these machines. The additional 10K is the
price of the label.
-Compiled by Kushan Mitra
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