The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Foods to make you younger
By including certain foods in your diet, you can live healthy
Gyan Marwah
AN increasing number of doctors and dieticians are suggesting reverting back to the healthy eating habits to combat growing heart disorders. Medical science has known the disease-preventing abilities of some foods, and the quantity to be consumed has only now been determined. The California Health and Longevity Institute recommends that exercising regularly and eating right are the two key words for living up to a healthy 100 or even 125 years.

Follow the Mediterranean diet
Changing taste of medical research

PACESETTER Gursheel Singh Sahni
Booking a slot for success
Gursheel Singh Sahni of Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, came up with Bookshaala.com to sell second-hand books online
Vasudha Gupta
RUNNING around in book-stores just to find the one and only “right book” is the normal course of action for any student. Keeping this idea in mind, Gursheel Singh Sahni, Abhishek Bhambhu, Anmol Gagneja and Sahil Ratra, all 20-year-old students of Punjab Eng neering College, set up Bookshaala.com. The thought was simple, to sell second-hand books online.

CENTRESPREAD
mobile magic
Science fiction is suddenly turning into reality. The mobile phone has metamorphosed into a hydra-headed gizmo that comes in various forms and has many accessories
Mukesh Khosla
THE future has arrived. The device in your hand is no longer just a mobile phone. And not even just a fashion accessory. It is also a camera, a video recorder, a remote control, a television, an FM radio, a gaming console, a bottle opener, a chef, a computer on which you can browse the web and send and receive e-mails, a voice activated assistant, an e-reader, a weatherman, a navigator that will safely take you to your destination, and even a heart and blood pressure monitor.

YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHING YET

Bling it on
Objects of desire

Foods to make you younger
By including certain foods in your diet, you can live healthy
Gyan Marwah

AN increasing number of doctors and dieticians are suggesting reverting back to the healthy eating habits to combat growing heart disorders. Medical science has known the disease-preventing abilities of some foods, and the quantity to be consumed has only now been determined. The California Health and Longevity Institute recommends that exercising regularly and eating right are the two key words for living up to a healthy 100 or even 125 years. It recommends eating 10 of the following anti-ageing super foods everyday for a long and healthy life.

Garlic
It can act as a potent shield against a host of illnesses, including heart disease and high blood pressure, as it is a natural blood thinner. According to ayurveda it prevents arthritis and osteoporosis. It is said to block the chemical process that turns normal cells into cancerous ones.

Broccoli
This fibre-rich wonder vegetable contains Vitamins A and C, folic acid, potassium and iron. It helps fight various forms of cancer and sustains tissue growth in the body. It controls Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, heart problems, arthritis and can reverse signs of ageing.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Healthiest of all oils, it contains antioxidants and monounsaturated fatty acids. It protects against heart diseases by reducing LDL (bad cholesterol) and raising HDL (good cholesterol).

Spinach
It is one of the most nutrient-rich foods you can eat. It contains Vitamins A, C and K as also folate, manganese, potassium and iron. It has antioxidants and vital nutrients making it a super food for the heart, brain, eyes and bones. It prevents colon cancer, osteoporosis and arthritis.

Pulses & Lentils
Pulses and lentils pack a punch of health benefits. They are rich in carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals and a great source of folic acid, manganese, iron, copper, calcium, potassium and zinc. They can ward off a host of diseases and ensure longevity.

Apples
The king of all fruits, apple is considered a complete fruit. It is a rich source of antioxidants like flavonoids and polyphenols and contains Vitamins A, B, C and E, calcium, potassium and iron. It prevents obesity, protects bones, lowers cholesterol and reduces risk of various forms of cancers.

Walnuts & almonds
Walnuts contain Omega-3 fatty acids, Vit E, folate and fibre. They prevent plaque build-up that minimises heart-attack risk. Almonds contain monounsaturated fats, Vit E, iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium and riboflavin. Potassium maintains normal blood pressure and heart function.

Seeds
Seeds of pumpkin, watermelon, sunflower, cucumber, melon, fennel, flax and cumin contain vitamins, minerals, calcium, potassium, phosphorous and Omega-3, a polyunsaturated fatty acid which plays an important role in brain function and normal growth and longevity.

Dark chocolate
Over the past few years dark chocolate is finding favour with medical researchers. Studies show dark chocolate has a host of health benefits as cocoa contains a flavonoid called catechin, which helps prevent heart disease and boosts the immune system.

Green tea
One of the most potent of all beverages, it contains powerful flavonoids that prevent heart problems and other chronic diseases like cancer and stroke by neutralising free radicals that damage tissues, cells and genes. Green tea is said to increase memory and alertness.

Soy
Medical researchers say soybean is the best-balanced source of high protein. It has twice as much protein as pulses, groundnut, meat and fish; thrice as much as eggs and 10 times that of milk. It improves immune system, particularly in the elderly, boosting antibodies and lowering cholesterol as also preventing kidney damage.

Follow the Mediterranean diet
Thinkstockphotos/Getty Images An increasing number of medical studies have begun examining the Mediterranean diet very closely after reports of its intriguing association with longevity. Many researchers are now concluding that this may be one of the best eating plans to adopt.
Heart disease in Mediterranean countries is among the lowest in the world. Mortality rates are lower and centurions are prevalent. Whether all this can be attributed to the Mediterranean people’s eating habits is yet to be conclusively ascertained but their diet does seem to have a definite impact on their health and longevity.
The basis of the Mediterranean diet is the same as any heart-healthy eating plan — a generous amount of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, olive oil, fish, milk and dairy products and — surprisingly — red wine in moderation.
Whole grains and beans are also an important part of the diet in the 20-odd countries of the Mediterranean region. These are termed as miracle foods that are rich in protein, fibre, iron and are a major source of complex carbohydrates. All components of a Mediterranean diet are heart-healthy and promote a disease-free, long life.

Changing taste of medical research
There seems to be a revolutionary change occurring in the mindset of medical researchers who are now saying that eggs and pure ghee may not be the kind of villains that we’ve imagined them to be all these years.
A growing number of medical researchers are now coming to the view that eggs contain high-quality protein, Vitamins A and D and are rich in choline — that protects the liver and heart. It is also a source of carotenoids that reduces risk of cataracts and other age-related eye problems.
Another study by Harvard University says that one egg a day is all right. The study based on a huge sampling of 1,17,000 people, says that though eggs marginally raise levels of cholesterol, the increase is very small and appears to be compensated by the rich nutrients that are present in the eggs.
Pure ghee that has been on the banned list of most doctors because of the high amount of saturated fat, too, is coming for a review. A section of the new research feels that while excess of pure ghee intake is clearly undesirable for adults, this does not mean it is harmful when taken in strict moderation. In fact, it may be even good for the body.

Gursheel Singh Sahni battled bandwidth problems and parental indifference Photo: Vicky Gharu

RUNNING around in book-stores just to find the one and only “right book” is the normal course of action for any student. Keeping this idea in mind, Gursheel Singh Sahni, Abhishek Bhambhu, Anmol Gagneja and Sahil Ratra, all 20-year-old students of Punjab Eng neering College, set up Bookshaala.com. The thought was simple, to sell second-hand books online. The website works on a profit-sharing basis with the second-hand book market in Sector 15. Second-hand books are procured from there and put up on the website for the students.

“Since all those who have set up the website are all students, we still deliver the books on our own,” says Gursheel, the brain behind the website.

Armed with appropriate knowledge, thanks to the academics in engineering, the website made its presence felt soon after it was launched in January 2012. “Just like any ordinary student, we too would struggle to find the right course material for the academic sessions. Bookshaala.com is just a way of easing out the search,” he adds. An indepth analysis of the course material is done to judge the right books for the session. Currently, venturing into all fields of arts, management, engineering, law and literature, the website has its own set of troubles. Apart from the fluctuating internet connectivity, parental motivation was just a bit low when the venture started out. “Strangely, none of us have been great in academics,” Gursheel laughs. It was only when the parents saw a positive response that they encouraged Gursheel to carry on investing time in the website. “Apart from minor hiccups, everything else was seamlessly smooth,” he adds.

Despite being into business for just a few months, revamping the website has already started. “It’s just about trying to make things easier for the customer base,” he adds. The website replaces a damaged book at no extra cost. And now, there is no dearth of positive feedback and they get invites for various entrepreneurship summits. “It keeps us motivated and proves our approach has been right,” the young lad says. Coming up with major projects like these, does come with jolts. It was during one such instance while trying to assist a friend’s burden that Gursheel came face-to-face with his own sense of responsibility. “Had I gone ahead and done his work, I would have lost my own focus,” he says. Although several companies have started visiting the campus for placements and internships, Gursheel has a one-point agenda. “None of us will ever abandon bookshaala.com and ensure it continues to grow each day,” he says. Hoping to connect all major colleges and institutions, the website is a lot closer to spiralling into a major success story of education, experiments and dedication.

THE future has arrived. The device in your hand is no longer just a mobile phone. And not even just a fashion accessory. It is also a camera, a video recorder, a remote control, a television, an FM radio, a gaming console, a bottle opener, a chef, a computer on which you can browse the web and send and receive e-mails, a voice activated assistant, an e-reader, a weatherman, a navigator that will safely take you to your destination, and even a heart and blood pressure monitor.

To call it just a mobile phone will be doing it injustice. For long, transforming the mobile phone into a magical gizmo has been the dream of most science fiction writers, sci-fi films and TV series. But not any longer. Over the past few years, engineers and designers working from futuristic design centre have been busy creating what they envision as a device which will not just run your entire house but your entire life as well.

Wearable mobile

With the advancement in technology, the all-purpose mobiles in near future are predicted to become an indispensable tool on which will hinge your very existence. According to researchers, the age is soon coming upon us when mobile phones will become wearable and be as much a part of us as our clothes today.

Mobiles could be worn round the neck like a tie, others strapped round the waist like a belt, some slung from the shoulders, others adorning the arms and legs. But these wearable mobile phones would be far from just adornments. These would make work easier and a user would no longer have the need to carry heavy laptops and notebooks.

With everything on our fingertips, would we really need fingertips to operate them? Perhaps not. We would no longer be required to hold them while operating all the apps associated with them.

Memos could, then, be dictated while travelling, or simply utilising the time while having a cup of coffee. Computations could be done while relaxing at home with a drink, or even on the golf course.

Boost to healthcare

But there would be more serious use of such personal mobile phones. These would greatly enhance the quality of medical services with the doctor always being just the press of button away. He may be sitting miles away, but all he has to do is to get the data of a patient via the handset, and then, communicate back his remedy, all through these wonder communication devices.

Research is going on to develop a mobile phone that would be specific to the needs of a doctor. Specific, because it would incorporate a body sensor for immediate response, a video camera to transmit pictures of a patient, and also a medical encyclopaedia for quick reference.

In a decade from now, mobile phones would be so advanced that they would instantly recognise sounds and handwriting over long distances. These sophisticated devices would also incorporate a host of other features which were far in the domain of science fiction and wild imagination.

Wonder gizmos

Time was when the handset weighed and looked like a brick. Weighing no more than a few grams each, the wonder gizmos of the future could be made from myriad type of materials — steel, plastic, glass, and even paper — and come in various shapes and colours — perhaps to match the clothing of the wearer.

Researchers are also close to developing a handset that would be very handy for those working in large department stores. Strapped to a salesperson’s belt, these would transmit data at the flick of a button on inventory, prices of items, sales figures and reading of bar codes.

Science is fast reaching a point of creating mobile phones that would revolutionise the world around us. Whether working in an office or travelling or vacationing, people would no longer need to carry a laptop along. With a touchscreen smartphone, they would have the world in their pocket.

YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHING YET

He may have revolutionised the world by inventing the telephone but Alexander Graham Bell could never have imagined in his wildest dream, the way it will metamorphose into a hydra-headed gizmo. If you feel that the new handset designs are mind-boggling, take a look at some of the concept phones, which can become a reality in near future

LANDLINE OR MOBILE
The mobile phone has virtually rung the deathknell for the landline. But those who miss the old phone’s retro charm can pick up the FD130 that transforms any Android mobile phone into a desktop. With the handset in one hand, your other hand is free to navigate the mobile phone's applications like e-mail and the internet. The headset plugs into the mobile's headphone jack, and lo and behold, you have the good old landline sitting on your desktop…well nearly.
Price: $60 (Rs 3,300)

SONY MOBILE WATCH
It's an intelligent watch that tells more than just time. The Sony Smart Watch has the ability to connect to a nearby Android mobile phone via bluetooth, through a free app downloadable from Google Play. Once it has done that, then its OLED touchscreen lets you read SMSs, emails, calendar reminders as well as social networking updates from Twitter and Facebook. It supports about 60 other apps, including Google maps, weather and Gmail. It comes with a black silicone wristband, though five additional colours are available to match your style.
Price: Rs 6,300

PROP UP YOUR MOBILE
This may be a low tech innovation but a highly effective one for your iPhone or any other mobile handset. Unlike the television set, the mobile phone needs to be held up by hand when viewing a movie or a video. That’s where the iPlunge comes in handy. It firmly attaches itself behind the handset and its two-inch stick props up the mobile or iPhone or iPod for comfortable hands-free viewing.
Price: $8 (Rs 440)

LG-PRADA HEADSET
It's a partnership that is all set to upscale communication products. The tie-up between Prada and LG first resulted in the sleek 3.0 smartphone. Now comes the stylish bluetooth headset HBM-906, which is similar to the phone design. It combines the Italian luxury brand’s distinctive style and Korean electronics giant’s innovative technology. Featuring the Prada logo, the headset comes in a glossy black finish with metal detailing.
Price: $140 (Rs 7,700)

SPICE PROJECTOR
This is not just a mobile phone but a projector in your pocket. Spice Popkorn has a built-in projector, which lets you watch movies, pictures and documents on a large screen or wall. It also has analog TV where you can watch free-to-air TV channels and a wireless FM radio, FM recording and built-in antenna. It can be purchased with a tripod to facilitate projection. But just a word of caution. The projector, TV and FM radio take a toll on its battery life.
Price: Rs 6,000

MUSICAL CHARGING SPEAKER DOCK
Mobile charging docks are boring chargers where you dock your handset and forget about it till it is fully charged. However, the charging speaker dock is different. Apart from being a battery charging platform, it also plays music and videos stored in the handset through the unit's dual integrated stereo speakers. So all the while your phone is charging, you can now watch stored movies or listen to music and keep yourself entertained.
Price: $130 (Rs 7,150)

LG Flutter
This one is straight out of a sci-fi film. The LG Flutter concept smartphone opens like a fan and has a flexible OLED touchscreen scrolling display. The ergonomic alternative to the normal rectangular phone, it’s an attention-grabbing device that will literally have hearts going aflutter if LG decides to manufacture it.

Mobile Script
This phone is being designed to act both as a mobile device and as a pocket laptop. On the face of it, the mobile script looks like any elegant smartphone. But to convert it into a laptop, all you have to do is to pull out the screen from the side of the phone, and, lo and behold, the mobile phone becomes a laptop.

Kambala EarPhone
It’s a tiny phone that gets converted into an earpiece. When you press the centrepiece a clip pops out that can be attached to the ear. The Kambala earphone made of multi-layered polymer has a flexi-screen having plenty of sensors, which can transmit images inside of the phone to outside.

Philips Fluid
This concept phone has an OLED screen which will make it a bendable smartphone. It can be used as a normal mobile or it can be worn round the wrist like a watch. Samsung is another company that is working on the bendable concept and is developing the Samsung Skin that too can take many shapes.

Nokia Morph
Nokia has developed an amazing concept phone that can be bent and moulded into any shape like a watch or a bracelet. The transparent handset will run on a combination of solar power and a tiny battery. This is a self-cleaning and self-preserving phone and its transparent electronics offer a new aesthetic dimension.

SMART 'TYPE' PHONE
Smartphones and PDAs offer an impressive amount of computing power. But in practical terms, these are not always easy to use. Writing long e-mails can be a pain on the small mobile keyboard. The virtual key board (VKB) can now solve the problem. It uses the latest infrared and laser technology to project a full-size keyboard onto any flat surface. Users can, then, type as they will on a normal keyboard, enabling them to work quickly and effectively, taking the pain and frustration out of minuscule keyboards.
Price: $ 200 (Rs 11,000)

NATURAL AMPLIFIER
Having trouble with the audio of your handset? What you need is an acoustics amplifier. This ceramic amplifier made in Italy produces naturally resonant sounds when you place the mobile in its cradle. Designed in Milan, it is handcrafted entirely of traditional slip-cast ceramic. Replicating the curvature and amplification of a horn, it augments sound from a handset without requiring power or speakers. It even amplifies music from a mobile or an iPod.
Price: $500 (Rs 27,500)

Bling it on
Objects of desire

CUP OF DEATH
Going by the name, this is not instant coffee but instant death! The Death Wish Coffee is hardly the most imaginative name for a refreshing brew. But the New York-based coffee roaster guarantees that the company’s coffee is two times as powerful as normal coffee. It's made from special beans roasted to a medium-dark level for a strong flavour and then ground to a specific level for maximum potency. Though its name suggests that it will fast-track you to your maker, in reality the coffee’s potency just guarantees to jolt you out of bed in the morning.
Price: $20 a pound (Rs 1,100 per 450 gm)

KEY TO PHOTOGRAPHY
Imagine having the power to click high-definition video footage with your keychain. The #11 808 camera is just that — hanging out there with your keys. And this is no ordinary video recorder. It captures HD video at 1280 x 960 pixel resolution and still pictures at 5 MP resolution. It saves footage in either AVI or JPEG format. It can also capture audio files in WAV format. Videos, images or audio can be saved onto a micro SD card inserted into its built-in memory card slot. So go ahead, start your snooping around with this unobtrusive device that will escape all scrutiny.
Price: $50 (Rs 2,750)

TOAST TO rolling STONES
When you belt out one hit after another for an amazing 50 years, it’s time to say cheers. To mark the Rolling Stones’ half a century in Rock n’ Roll, Suntory the celebrated liquor brand from Japan is releasing a limited-edition of 150 bottles of a special whiskey that blends six different grains in a 700-millilitre bottle. The label too comes specially designed carrying the band’s famous tongue and lip logo. If you like your music—and your sundowners—be sure to grab a bottle of this very special whiskey to be released on October 30.
Price: $6,300 (Rs 3,46,500)

flush teasers
Do you find the bathroom a boring necessity? If yes then this is just for you. With the Sudoku toilet paper you can give yourself ample mental stimulation while you do your ‘business’. All you have to do is to keep a pen in the bathroom. When you sit on the seat tear a piece of the toilet paper and start adding up the numbers. In fact you could set yourself a competition and see which is faster—your brain or your bowels!
Price: Between $5 & $10 depending on quality, length etc. (Between Rs 275 & Rs 550)

fridge on the road
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, travellers and picnickers carried ice boxes in their cars to keep drinks cool. Fast forward to 2012, and now you have technology offering a great alternative — a portable fridge. The Basecamp Fridge/Freezer can be an amazing travelling companion that runs on your car's power system on the road and switches to standard power when you are not travelling. It has a back-up power storage which will come in very handy during those North India power grid failures!
Price: $860 (Rs 47,300)

A SUPERSTAR SUPERCAR
It’s as close to a Formula-1 as any car can be. And if the name happens to be McLaren then anything is possible. To say that McLaren MP4-12C Spider is one of the sleekest cars on the road today would be an understatement. The stunning, lightweight and powerful luxury convertible, with a retractable hard top, offers an unique blend of remarkable beauty and spectacular performance. A combination that’s hard to beat by any of its peers.
Price: $303,000 (Rs 166,65000)

diamond finish
Los Angeles based luxury jeweller Azature has added amazing shine to a woman’s nails by creating the most expensive nail polish in the world. According to the company the ‘Black Diamond’ nail polish is the ultimate fine jewel. It is speckled with 267-carats of black diamonds turning it into a cosmetic of beauty, mystery, and sophistication. A timeless luxury that has—believe it or not—an advance booking of over 500 from presumably the world’s wealthiest women.
Price: $250,000 per bottle (Rs 137,50000)

MASTERPIECES restored in hd
Even 32 years after his death Alfred Hitchcock remains the greatest master of suspense cinema the world has ever seen. The masterpieces he created in the forties and fifties decades are a part of cinema folklore. Many of the present generation of people who have missed out on his movies now have an opportunity of owning 13 new-to-Blu-ray titles. The Masterpiece Collection includes 15 of his digitally restored blockbusters like The Man Who Knew Too Much, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Psycho, and The Birds. Now all you cinema lovers can gorge yourself on this hi-def greatness.
Price: $225 (Rs 12,375)

THIS DJ’s BOOMING
Throwing a party and want great music but can’t afford a DJ? Worry not. The new Philips Mini DJ System is the answer to your prayers. The shiny over-sized boombox works in tandem with your iPhone or iPod and its dual rotatable dock plays the music to perfection. It can mix and scratch the music like a real DJ and it has channel faders for swapping playback between two devices. And its best feature is the dynamic lighting system and an inbuilt FM radio. So go ahead and dance in the cool lights that blink to the rhythm of music.
Price: $470 (Rs 25,850)

BRING HOME A BUDDHA
A Buddha statue in any form is a symbol of tranquillity for people seeking peace and tranquillity. Now you can enlighten your loved ones with beautiful hand- painted Buddha figurines in lush colours from Delhi-based Prithvi Home. Varying in length between 12 inches and 24 inches, the idols are ideal for displaying in a place of worship. The elegant-looking Buddhas exude a serene appearance and can even make great decoration pieces.
Price: Rs 3,999 for 24-inch Buddha & Rs 2,499 for a 12-inch Buddha

PRICEY WATER
We all take water for granted. But not the Osaka-based Fillico Company which is raising the bar by introducing Hello Kitty luxury water. So where is the luxury in water, you may ask? It’s in the bottle that the water comes in! More than the water the company has put the glamour in its bottling by encrusting them with Swarosky crystals. So, next time when you want to up your status pull out a bottle of Hello Kitty and let the world know your standing!
Price: $100 per bottle (Rs 5,500 per bottle)

one of a kind
Hollywood actress Jaclyn Smith once said, “Diamonds can't be made, you have to find them. Each one is unique.” But this diamond discovery is so unique that the world has never seen its kind before. Rio Tinto, the Australian diamond mining company, has discovered the biggest pink rough diamond in the world. The 12.76 carat diamond is so amazing that experts say the world may never see one like this again. Such is the excitement over this rock that the company is getting frantic queries from potential buyers that include royalty, heads of state, celebrities and other very wealthy individuals. Only time will tell which lucky person gets to wear this rarest of rare diamonds once it is cut and polished.
Price: $10 million (Rs 55 crore)

THAT SINKING FEELING
Ever since the Titanic sank over a century ago on April 15, 1912, killing 1,514 of the 2,228 people on board, all memorabilia related to the tragedy has managed to garner much attention from collectors. Such is the recall value of the event that many companies are making a killing by selling fake memorabilia. One such souvenir to remember the Titanic with is a tea bag holder called the Teatanic. Shaped exactly like the doomed ship, it is made of stainless steel which when plunged in boiling water resembles the sinking ship. But just a word of caution…Buy it only if you have a dark sense of humour!
Price: $13 (Rs 715)

Note: All prices are converted at the rate of Rs 55 a dollar

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