'Green' exercise quickly 'boosts mental health'
Just five minutes of exercise in a “green space” such as a park can boost mental health, researchers claim.
There is growing evidence that combining activities such as walking or cycling with nature boosts well-being.
In the latest analysis, UK researchers looked at evidence from 1,250 people in 10 studies and found fast improvements in mood and self-esteem.
The study in the Environmental Science and Technology journal suggested the strongest impact was on young people.
The research looked at many different outdoor activities including walking, gardening, cycling, fishing, boating, horse-riding and farming in locations such as a park, garden or nature trail.
The biggest effect was seen within just five minutes.
With longer periods of time exercising in a green environment, the positive effects were clearly apparent but were of a smaller magnitude, the study found.
Looking at men and women of different ages, the researchers found the health changes – physical and mental – were particularly strong in the young and the mentally-ill.
Green and blue
A bigger effect was seen with exercise in an area that also contained water – such as a lake or river.
Study leader Jules Pretty, a researcher at the University of Essex, said those who were generally inactive, or stressed, or with mental illness would probably benefit the most from “green exercise”.
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 We would like to see all doctors considering exercise as a treatment where appropriate  Paul Farmer, Mind
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“Employers, for example, could encourage staff in stressful workplaces to take a short walk at lunchtime in the nearest park to improve mental health.”
He also said exercise programmes outdoors could benefit youth offenders.
“A challenge for policy makers is that policy recommendations on physical activity are easily stated but rarely adopted widely.”
Paul Farmer, chief executive of mental health charity Mind, said the research is yet further evidence that even a short period of green exercise can provide a low cost and drug-free therapy to help improve mental wellbeing.
“It’s important that people experiencing depression can be given the option of a range of treatments, and we would like to see all doctors considering exercise as a treatment where appropriate.”
Mind runs a grant scheme for local environmental projects to help people with mental illness get involved in outdoor activities.
Reference Link
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8654350.stm
Courtesy
BBC News
Five minutes in the green can boost self esteem
(Reuters) – Just five minutes of exercise a day in the great outdoors can improve mental health, according to a study released on Saturday, and policymakers should encourage more people to spend time in parks and gardens.
Researchers from the University of Essex found that as little as five minutes of a “green activity” such as walking, gardening, cycling or farming can boost mood and self esteem.
“We believe that there would be a large potential benefit to individuals, society and to the costs of the health service if all groups of people were to self-medicate more with green exercise,” Barton said in a statement about the study, which was published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
Many studies have shown that outdoor exercise can reduce the risk of mental illness and improve a sense of well-being, but Jules Pretty and Jo Barton, who led this study, said that until now no one knew how much time needed to be spent on green exercise for the benefits to show.
Barton and Pretty looked at data from 1,252 people of different ages, genders and mental health status taken from 10 existing studies in Britain.
They analyzed activities such as walking, gardening, cycling, fishing, boating, horse-riding and farming.
They found that the greatest health changes occurred in the young and the mentally ill, although people of all ages and social groups benefited. The largest positive effect on self-esteem came from a five-minute dose of “green exercise.”
All natural environments were beneficial, including parks in towns or cities, they said, but green areas with water appeared to have a more positive effect.
Reference Link
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6401Y620100502
Courtesy
Thomson Reuters
Welfare scheme for migrant workers
Security net: Labour Minister P.K. Gurudasan with migrant workers before the State-level inauguration of a scheme for their welfare in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan on Friday launched a welfare programme offering a measure of social security for the migrant people working in various sectors in the State.
This is the first such initiative in the country, Mr. Achuthanandan said while launching the programme at a function here. “Tens of thousands of people from States such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar and West Bengal are working in Kerala in areas demanding heavy manual effort. They contribute in a big way to the development of the State and Kerala owes this gesture towards them,” he said.
Labour Minister P.K. Gurudasan, who presided, said several large companies involved in road and other construction works in Kerala were engaging workers from other States in large numbers. These workers received none of the social protection measures available for the workers hailing from within Kerala.
The programme, titled Kerala Migrant Workers’ Welfare Programme, is being implemented through the Kerala Building and other Construction Workers’ Welfare Fund Board. Migrant workers have to register their names under this scheme at the offices of the board paying a contribution of Rs.30 a year. Twice that amount will be remitted to each member’s account by the board and the government will contribute the remaining sum to carry out a host of welfare measures for the members.
Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/01/stories/2010050161680400.htm
Courtesy
The Hindu
ONGC distributes artificial limbs under Corporate Social Responsibility
ONGC has spent 1.80 cr. in 2009-10 under CSR: official — photo: S. RAMBABU
Helping hand:ONGC Executive Director A.A. Khan and GM K. Jayakumar fixing an artificial limb to a girl child during a health camp organised by ONGC on Friday.
RAJAHMUNDRY: Mr. A.A. Khan, Executive Director, ONGC, Rajahmundry Asset said that for ONGC Corporate Social Responsibility is an integral part of business and it will continue to serve the society in this endeavour.
On the occasion of distribution of artificial limbs and financial aid to the beneficiaries at ONGC Base Complex on Friday, Mr. Khan said that the expansion of the business plans of ONGC are preceded by social development and urged the beneficiaries to be ambassadors of ONGC and flag bearers of societal change.
Speaking on the occasion Mr J. A. Kumar, General Manager (HR) said ONGC has spent 1.80 crore for 2009-10 under CSR in East, West and Krishna districts. He exhorted the beneficiaries to use the aid for the purpose intended.
On the occasion 15.45 lakh financial aid has been disbursed and 55 persons were given artificial limbs. Beneficiaries include schools, central jail, NGOs, Mahila Sangam, Telugu University, Nannaya University.
Earlier 100 physically challenged persons were screened in a workshop conducted by Mukti, a Chennai based NGO, at ONGC Base Complex, Rajahmundry. Of them 55 persons were found fit for the artificial limbs.
Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/01/stories/2010050150900300.htm
Courtesy
The Hindu
Budding scientists design combat device
The device gives an idea about the place under siege
It was dedicated to Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan who was killed during 26/11
The system developed by the students can be used even by fire-fighters using fire-filters
Anantapur: Students of information Technology (third year), Gates Institute of Technology under the leadership of P. Bharath have worked on an innovative project code named “Advanced communication and navigation system”. The students using their creative thinking and skills designed a Rover named SUK-26 in memory of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan who was killed in action during Mumbai attacks.
Other students who worked with Bharath included U. Bindu, K. Prajna, G. Ramesh Babu and G. Harish Kumar Reddy.
The students prepared a command control network called HKS command network. The system helps in studying the location and topography of the area. The commandos will get an idea of the location and the conditions inside the place under siege by the terrorists. The response time of the operation can be reduced to a maximum extent. This helps in saving the lives of people and policemen trapped in an alarming situation. The system developed by the students can be used even by fire-fighters using fire-filters.
Team leader Bharath told “The Hindu”, he and his colleagues were inspired to undertake designing of the engineering and surveillance technology after they studied the terrorist attacks in Mumbai and the vulnerability of people and security personnel under siege. The Research and Analysis Wing of India had warned of similar attacks by the terrorists and hence the students ventured to design the model.
Gates Institute chairman Thomas Reddy, MD G. Raghunath Reddy, correspondent V.K. Sudheer Reddy, V.K. Padmavathi, director, Dr. A. Ramesh, principal and D. Venkatesh, head of department helped the students in designing the model.
Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/01/stories/2010050159320200.htm
Courtesy
The Hindu
Award for Akshaya Patra
SANGAREDDY: The Akshaya Patra Foundation, an NGO, feeding nearly 1.2 million children everyday across India including Medak district, has been awarded by the Indian Urban Space Foundation as the Best Innovative Project for the Innovations in Services for Urban Poor.
Selja Kumari, the Union Minister for Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (MoHUPA), Government of India, presented the award at an awards ceremony in New Delhi, according to a press release issued here on Friday.
Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/01/stories/2010050159400200.htm
Courtesy
The Hindu
Centre to provide Rs.10,000 per hectare for organic farming
VELLORE: The Central government has decided to provide financial assistance of Rs.10,000 per hectare for a maximum area of four hectares per beneficiary, over a period of three years, for the adoption of organic farming for horticultural crops under the National Horticulture Mission (NHM). This was conveyed in a letter written by D. Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Union Ministry of Agriculture, to G.S. Purushothaman, president, Federation of Tamil Nadu Organic Farming Organisations, Vellore.
Mr. Kumar has stated in his letter that there is no provision for providing financial assistance for organic farming for field crops. He advised Mr. Purushothaman to approach the State government for assistance for organic farming for field crops under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).
Consequent to the receipt of this letter, Mr. Purushothaman has written to the Agriculture Production Commissioner and Secretary to the Department of Agriculture, Government of Tamil Nadu requesting the State to provide a sum of Rs.one crore under the RKVY scheme during 2010-11 for the 1505 organic farmers of Javvadhu Hills in Vellore district. The farmers have been cultivating horticulture crops covering an area of about 1000 hectares from 2007 under group certification.
In a separate letter to the Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Mr. Purushothaman requested the Central government to extend the subsidy announced for organic farming in horticultural crops to the field crops as well. He pointed out that the farmers, who switched over to organic farming, were facing 25% yield loss in the first three years.
Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/01/stories/2010050151130300.htm
Courtesy
The Hindu
Honour for Madurai ophthalmologist
P. Namperumalsamy
MADURAI: The Chairman of Aravind Eye Care System, Madurai, P. Namperumalsamy, has been recognised as one among the 100 people “who most affect our people” by the Time magazine. In its annual Time 100 issue, Time has placed Dr. Namperumalsamy under the ‘Heroes’ category.
The magazine has categorised the 100 people under four categories: Leaders, Heroes, Artists and Thinkers. Keeping Dr. Namperumalsamy company in the ‘Heroes’ list’ are Bill Clinton, Sachin Tendulkar, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Serena Williams and Rahul Singh.
This is what Time has written about Dr. Namperumalsamy: “In less time than it takes to read this magazine, a simple surgery can give a blind person her eyesight back.
“A miracle? Absolutely. But Dr. Perumalsamy Namperumalsamy, 70, and his army of cataract fixers at India’s Aravind Eye Care Hospitals make it look easy. The surgery has been around for decades, but the chairman of Aravind — which was founded in 1976 with the goal of bringing assembly-line efficiency to health care — figured out how to replace cataracts safely and quickly: 3.6 million surgeries to date, a new one every 15 minutes.
“Equally brilliant is the business model: the 30% of patients who can afford to pay subsidize free or low-cost care for the 70% who are poor. “All people have a right to sight,” Namperumalsamy says. As I write these words after a long day spent in the slums in India, I cannot tell you how much admiration I have for him and his team.”
Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/01/stories/2010050163460800.htm
Courtesy
The Hindu
Loan target fixed for women SHGs
Coimbatore: District Collector P. Umanath has announced that Rs. 95 crore has been fixed as the target for extending loans to women self-help groups in the district during the fiscal 2010-2011.
Speaking at the district-level bankers’ meeting held at the Collector, Dr. Umanath said that last year, the financial assistance for women self-help groups was utilised well and extended his appreciation to the bankers for the performance. The Central Government has directed for extending banking services in villages that had a population of more than 2,000. Hence, bankers should gear up for the same before March 2011.
The Collector also instructed the bankers to speed up the processing of loan applications under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Scheme, THADCO, Urban and Rural Employment Schemes and for education loan disbursement.
Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/01/stories/2010050158780200.htm
Courtesy
The Hindu
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