There is such a loss of emotional connect between relationships that it gets buried in our hurried lives

It’s surprising, how demanding life has become today. Life expects so much out of us that we are modifying ourselves each time to surmount, bypass or face each situation. Be it nature’s fury or the fury of your husband/wife/parent/child/sibling, anything big or small, we are all dealing with it. It is taking so much out of us we are failing to maintain the balance. The very thin line between thinking that we are handling everything well, and actually handling it without letting it affect the quality of life, is not very well understood by many people.

While I was reflecting on the art of living, the standards of life and the mental health of human beings today, it feels living a healthy life in terms of poise, culture and finesse has very little to do with the economic status of people. The basic understanding of why it is important to be so is not present in the minds of many of us. While it doesn’t make sense to expect a deep-thinking, philosophical perception of life from everybody, the educated class has the responsibility to practise it and instil it in our younger generation. Only then can we expect a decent future, if not the best, for them.

It’s remarkable how much you need to do to just keep pace. A mother needs to do so much to meet her child’s demands, children have to meet parents’ demands, a husband/ wife to their partner’s demands, an entrepreneur to the world’s demands, and so on. The difference here is only in the degree of demands, which have grown over time.

In this regard, there is a need for people to maintain balance in life. There is such a loss of emotional connect between relationships that it gets buried in our hurried lives. No exceptions.

To be professionally successful, you need to first be successful as a human being at a personal level. Success starts at home. And a home needs to be a place of respect for each other, care, unbiased thinking, healthy argumentation and happiness. Basic etiquette needs to be followed. How we eat, how we behave, how we carry ourselves, all these matter. Our children learn from us. If we are to look for a better nation and a better quality of life, we need to improve our standards.

The world is improving its standards, and we need to at an individual level, too. We need to prepare ourselves for the world.

Life gives you experiences like a petrichor, and immediately throws you out of your niche. We need to balance it at both times. If life throws a curveball at you, show your strength and make it realise you can withstand it. If it is treating you well, enjoy it, but keep in mind the fact that it’s a passing state and not a permanent one at all.

Be prepared. Show your attitude in life as in how you deal with it. Live it, love it! After all, we all live once, and this is the only chance. And buy a box of chocolates whenever possible. It keeps life healthy

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Chocolate and pizza are one of the most addictive foods, according to a new study which found that these highly processed foods are closely linked to eating disorders or other behaviours that mimic addiction. 

A team of researchers from the University of Michigan and Columbia University looked into common addictive foods.

The team analysed 35 different food items and surveyed 120 undergraduates at the University of Michigan and around 400 adults. The team used the Yale Food Addiction Scale, developed by psychologist and lead author of the study Ashley Gearhardt, to assess food addiction risk.

Chocolate topped the list of foods that are most addictive. It was followed by favourites such as ice cream, French fries, pizza and cookies, Tech Times reported. Cheese, bacon, pretzels, fried chicken, soda and cake also made it to the top 20 list.

Processed foods have higher levels of glycemic load and fat compared to the non-processed ones.

Researchers found that processed foods are closely associated with eating disorders or behaviours that mimic addiction.

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Chocolate so healthy it could be eaten as medicine has allegedly been invented by scientists. Scientists at an American chocolate company that specialises in herbal technologies has claimed to have developed the "medicinal" chocolate, which contains only 35% fat. 

Cacao, the key ingredient in chocolate, contains a variety of antioxidants and minerals, which perform health benefits such as protecting the nervous system, reducing stroke risk and lowering blood pressure. 

However, cacao is extremely bitter meaning many chocolate companies sweeten their products with fat and sugar, overriding cacao's health benefits. 

Kuka Xoco, the Boston-based firm, have discovered a new de-bittering agent in the form of a little-used herb from the Andean region of Bolivia and Peru. Using micrograms of the plant extract can completely de-bitter large amounts of unsweetened cacao, the company have claimed, developing a prototype with only 35% sugar and fat. 

Speaking at the World Chocolate Forum in London this week, Gregory Aharonian, president and chief scientist at Kuka Xoco, said: "This eliminates the need for sugar, sweeteners and much of the fat in chocolate, unleashing the medical benefits of cacao," the Daily Mail reports. The company's long-term goal, he added, is to develop chocolate with just about 10% of fat and sugar. 

If the unhealthy ingredients are removed from chocolate, it could be eaten medicinally, Aharonian said. The firm argues that sugar is the "next nicotine". Artificial sweeteners, they add, have been disastrous because they lead to weight gain and other problematic health complications. 

Aharonian also suggested the chocolate industry could double its annual profits if it also became a health food industry by removing as much fat and sugar from its products as possible. 

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