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Best Gaming Laptops In Nepal For Every Budget

2019-11-09T23:22:00.000+05:45

With gaming laptops providing comparable performances to a full-fledged desktop computer, right now seems to be the best time to buy a gaming laptop. And if you are looking for the best gaming laptops in Nepal, you might get confused which one to buy. Also, there is so much variety in the market right now that you will find it very hard to select a product on a particular budget. Well, worry not, to make it easier for our readers to buy a product in any particular budget range, we have prepared a list for you.

This article will list the best gaming laptops in Nepal which are available in different budget categories, from low budget laptops to high-end laptops. Now, let’s get into the business.

1) Lenovo Ideapad 320

Lenovo Ideapad 320 price in Nepal

The Lenovo Ideapad 320 or Lenovo IP320 is a 15.6-inch laptop, priced at Rs. 68,000/- to Rs. 70,000/- and we consider it to be the bare minimum device if you want to play any of the newer games even at the low settings. The laptop features the Nvidia 150MX (GDDR5 2GB) GPU, 8GB DDR4 of RAM and an 8th Gen Intel i5 Quad-core processor which make sure that you will be able to play all the newer games even if it is the low settings.

Key Specifications of Ideapad 320:

Display: 15.6 inches Full HD
Processor: Intel Core i5 8th Gen ( Max Turbo Boost 3.1GHz)
Graphics Card: Nvidia 150MX (2GB)
RAM: 8GB DDR4
Operating System: Free DOS
Hard Drive: 1TB
Optical Drive: Yes
Battery: 30Whr
Price: Rs 68,000 to Rs 70,000

2) HP Pavilion 15-Power

HP Pavilion 15-Power Price In Nepal

This laptop from HP can be considered best bang for the buck devices on this list. It features a 15.6 inch FHD screen, i5 7300HQ @ 2.8 GHz, 1TB hard disk and backlit keyboards, 8GB of RAM and GTX 1050 GPU with 4GB of dedicated memory. However, these specs are nothing out of the ordinary for a gaming laptop but what will shock you is that Pavilion 15 Power is priced at Rs. 85,000. At this price, HP Pavilion 15 Power practically kills all the other competing laptops in this range. GTX 1050 is a capable GPU, which can easily play even very heavy games at medium settings.

Key Specifications of Pavilion 15 Power:

Display: 15.6 inch FHD
Processor: Intel Core i5 7300HQ Quad Core @ 2.5GHz
Graphics Card: Nvidia GTX 1050 (4GB)
RAM: 8GB DDR4
Operating System: Windows 10
Hard Drive: 1TB
Optical Drive: NO
Battery: 70 Wh
Price: Rs 85,000

3) Acer Aspire 7

Acer Aspire 7 Price In Nepal

The Acer Aspire 7 is priced at Rs. 94,000 and features a GTX 1050 Ti which provides a lot of improvement over the GTX 1050. At this price range where competitors are offering only GTX 1050 laptops, it becomes very easy for Aspire 7 to outperform them. The GTX 1050 Ti will allow you to play even the heavy games at medium to high settings.

Key Specifications of Aspire 7:

Display: 15.6 inch FHD
Processor: Intel Core i5 7300HQ Quad Core @ 2.5GHz
Graphics Card: Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti (4GB)
RAM: 8GB DDR4
Hard Drive: 1TB
Optical Drive: NO
Battery: 48 Whr
Price: Rs 94,000

4) Dell Inspiron 7567

Dell Inspiron 7567 Price In Nepal

The dell Inspiron 7567 is a competitor to the Acer Aspire 7 with both the laptops featuring similar graphics card and processor. The Inspiron 7567 also features a 15.6 inch FHD IPS display and is priced at Rs. 98,000/- for 8GB RAM variant. The laptop is equipped with GTX 1050 Ti which will provide you a smooth gaming experience at a medium to high settings for most of the games. Also, a bigger 74 WHr battery ensures that it will last you a bit longer than the Aspire 7.

Key Specifications of Inspiron 7567:

Display: 15.6 inch FHD
Processor: Intel Core i5 7300HQ Quad Core @ 2.5GHz
Graphics Card: Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti (4GB)
RAM: 8GB DDR4
Storage: 256GB SSD
Optical Drive: Yes
Battery: 74 Whr
Price: Rs. 98,000

5) Acer Predator Helios 300

Acer Predator Helios 300 Price In Nepal

If you want something that can play all of your games in high settings then Predator Helios 300 is the laptop you are looking for. The starting price of this laptop is Rs.1,13,000, which comes with i5 7300HQ, to Rs.1,36,000 which replaces i5 with a Core i7 7700HQ and adds a 128GB SSD. All the models feature a GTX 1060 with 6GB of dedicated video memory and 8GB of DDR4 RAM, which will give you butter smooth frame rates in any games you play. So, if you want to be able to play any games without any hiccups, this is the laptop you are looking for.

Key Specifications of Predator Helios 300:

Display: 15.6 inch FHD
Processor: Intel Core i5 7300HQ or i7 7700HQ
Graphics Card: Nvidia GTX 1060 (6GB) VR-Ready
RAM: 8GB DDR4
Hard Drive: 1TB (Options available for a additional 128GB SSD)
Optical Drive: Yes
Battery: 48 Whr
Price: Rs. 1,13,000 (i5 7300HQ) or Rs. 1,32,000 (i7 7700HQ) or 1,36,000 (i7 7700HQ + 128GB SSD)

6) HP Omen i7

HP Omen i7 price in Nepal

Well, this the final gaming laptop in this list and we can ensure you that you won’t require anything above this laptop to play any games for the next couple of years. This laptop comes with a GTX 1070 Ti with 8GB dedicated video memory, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, i7 7700HQ coupled with 1TB HDD and 128 GB SSD and is priced at Rs. 1,76,990. With these specs, this laptop will play anything you throw at it at high or ultra settings and what’s more is the competing laptops only feature a GTX 1050 Ti or GTX 1060 at the price which makes this laptop a great value for money.

Key Specifications of HP Omen i7:

Display: 17.3-inch FHD IPS Display
Processor: Intel Core i7 7700HQ
Graphics Card: Nvidia GTX 1070 Ti (8GB) VR-Ready
RAM: 16GB DDR4
Hard Drive: 1TB
SSD: 128GB
Optical Drive: Yes
Battery: 82 WHr
Price: Rs. 1,76,990

The above laptops were the best in their budget range we could find right now in the market. They are available from different vendors all over the country. What do you think about this list or can you find a better alternative at a certain price range? Comment below.

‘Nut Pro 3’ – This is the First Smartphone from TikTok maker ByteDance

2019-11-09T23:18:00.002+05:45

ByteDance, the creator of short video streaming app TikTok, has unveiled their first ever smartphone under the name “Jianguo Pro 3” which loosely translates to “Nut Pro 3”. This is the company’s first ever smartphone and as of now is in collaboration with the brand Smartisan. Apparently, this phone is for enhancing the video sharing platforms by ByteDance.As per the reports, the Nut Pro 3 is a mid-range smartphone with flagship specifications. Even though the phone comes equipped with flagship level specifications, most of them are only for enhancing the software features. The company believes that these modifications will bring out the “TikTok Stars”. So, what are these hardware and software modifications? Let’s find out.

Nut Pro 3 Features Overview

The Nut Pro 3 features a boxy design with curved edges and circular buttons, kind of like the older iPhones. The phone sports a 6.39” AMOLED screen with FHD+ resolution. Under the hood, the phone has a Snapdragon 855+ SoC which is paired alongside 8/12GB RAM and a flexible 128/256GB storage. Thanks to the AMOLED screen, the phone also features an in-display fingerprint sensor.

On the rear, the phone has a boxy cut-out for its quad camera setup. The rear camera centers around a 48MP Sony IMX586 primary sensor. Surrounding the primary camera is a 13MP Samsung ISOCELL S5K3L6 sensor, a 123-degree 8MP ultrawide and a 5MP ISOCELL for depth shots. Besides that, there’s a 20MP selfie camera with 4-in-1-pixel binning. As mentioned earlier, this phone is mostly for bringing out the future “TikTok Stars”. Thus, I think the cameras are going to be great.

On the surface, the phone runs Smartisan OS 3.0 on top of Android 9. The device offers a direct access to the TikTok app with a single swipe in the lock-screen. Handy, isn’t it? Finally, the entire phone is powered by a 4000mAh battery with Quick Charge 4+ support.

Nut Pro 3 Price, Impressions and Availability

Talking about the phone in general, I’m quite impressed by the specifications. For a mid-range device to have flagship level specifications is truly admirable. The cameras on the phone seem to be top grade as well. The UI is something that I haven’t used at all. So, no comments on that. Other than the UI, everything seems pretty great.

In terms of price, the Nut Pro 3 is on Smartisan’s Chinese website for 2,899CNH (roughly $410, £320, AU$600) for 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and 3,199CNH (around $460, £350, AU$660) to bump that up to 256GB of storage, but there’s no availability on 12GB of RAM yet. About the availability though, there’s no saying if it will be available outside china.

Well, that’s all that we know on this device. According to you, is this a hit or a miss? Do let us know in the comments down below.

Apple AirPods Pro will debut in Nepal in November

2019-11-09T23:15:00.000+05:45

Yep, the rumors were true indeed. Apple recently announced its next-gen AirPods, which is called “AirPods Pro” and not AirPods 3. So much for conventional naming strategy! Anyhoo, the newest AirPods comes with some interesting features which I’ll talk in more detail, and the ability to drill a bigger hole on your wallet. Huzzah!

AirPods Pro Overview

Okay, let’s address the elephant in the room – the design. The AirPods Pro comes in brand new design, with a smaller stem and silicon tips for a tighter fit, making it visually distinctive from its predecessors. Also making their debut are active-noise cancellation and water resistance.

“Fit” was a major complaint on last-gen AirPods. It would fall off pretty easy and was a tad bit uncomfortable on the ears too. Well, Apple has engineered the hell out of it and made the new AirPods Pro more comfortable and one that will hold on to your ears, even when you’re aggressively headbanging to “हामी पनि नाच्नु पर्छ बीच-बीचमा”. That may not be entirely true, but you get the point; it is less likely to fall off your ears.

To achieve such a level of fit, Apple has implemented “Silicone Tips“. Thankfully, they come inside the box and you don’t have to purchase them separately! You’re presented with 3 sizes of the silicone/rubber tips: Large, Medium, and Small. A neat feature in iOS, dubbed “Ear Tip Fit Test” tests the optimality of the tips for your ears so you get the best performance.

Moving on, the AirPods Pro is sweat and water-resistant due to the IPX4 rating. So, it should protect your AirPods from splashes and slight rain. But don’t go around swimming in your AirPods Pro, or put it to charge in the charging case when wet, because the case isn’t IPX4 rated.

You wouldn’t buy earbuds for noise cancellation, now would you? Particularly because of their form-factor, the earbuds will not be that effective when it comes to filtering out the external noise. But Apple is pushing its new AirPods to feature “Active Noise Cancellation“. The company says that AirPods Pro will “continuously adapt to the geometry of your ear and fit of the ear tips – blocking out the world..” which honestly sounds very promising.

The exterior vent (microphone) on the AirPods catches the ambient sound, which is then equaled out against “anti-noise“, thus cutting out the undesired audio frequencies. But what if you need to hear certain things like announcements, or your mother’s rant about your performance at the school? Well, you can just press the “Force Sensor” for a second or more which toggles on the “Transparency Mode“. This allows for the external sound to pass through the AirPods.

Personally, I feel that the force sensor should’ve been placed vertically below the external microphone. This way, you could just use one finger to get a hold of the sensor, rather than having to use two fingers to comfortably access it. But unsurprisingly, Apple is trading off eased accessibility for clean design.

Audio performance is commendable as well. Apple’s custom high-excursion driver gives you clear sound and decent bass. Its adaptive equalizer, tunes music to the shape of your ear? What? According to the company, “An inward-facing microphone hears the sound as you do. AirPods Pro then fine-tune the audio by adjusting the mid and low frequencies.” Sounds exciting I know, but we’ll know how much of that is actually true once we get to test them.

On the processing front, AirPods Pro has Apple’s proprietory H1-based System in Package. Its 10 audio cores help deliver low audio processing latency. For clearer calls, it has an expanded mesh microphone port.

Now let’s talk battery life. Apple says the AirPods Pro delivers up to 24 hours of battery using the charging case. Compared to the last-gen of AirPods, the new AirPods’ charging case comes in a wider form-factor. On a single charge, it lasts for about 4.5 hours or one Tool album. Similarly, 5 minutes of charge can give you enough juice for 1 hour of playback.

AirPods Pro Specifications

Dimension (AirPods): 1.22 x 0.86 x 0.94 inches (H x W x D); 5.4 grams; Each
Dimension (Charging Case): 1.78 x 2.39 x 0.85 inches (H x W x D): 45.6grams
Chip: H1-based System in Package
Sensors: Dual beamforming mics; Inward-facing mic; Dual optical sensors; motion-detecting accelerometer; Speech-detecting accelerometer; Force sensor
Audio: Active Noise Cancellation; Transparency Mode; Adaptive EQ; Custom high-excursion Apple driver; Custom high dynamic range amplifier; Vent system for pressure equalization
Controls: Force Sensor; Tap once to play, twice to skip forward, thrice to skip backward, and tap and hold to toggle between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
Sweat and Water Resistance: Yes, IPX4 rating
Battery & Charging: Single charge – Up to 4.5 hours; With Case – Up to 24 hours; Charge via a Lightning connector or Qi-certified chargers

AirPods Pro Price in Nepal, Availability

Though we don’t have the exact date, our sources tell us that the AirPods Pro will see the Nepalese market in November. And it’ll be priced heavily as well because fair pricing of Apple products in Nepal is like your crush, something you’ll never get.

Retailing at $249 in the US, we expect the AirPods Pro to be priced in Nepal somewhere between NRs. 35,000 and Nrs. 40,000. Similarly, Apple offers “free laser engraving” to customize the AirPods Pro in the US and other markets, but I doubt that’ll be a thing in Nepal.

It is expected to be available from shops like EvoStore, OlizStore, and Daraz (online).

Xiaomi launches MI Watch: A feature-packed smartwatch

2019-11-09T23:05:00.003+05:45

If you thought that Xiaomi was going to just sit back for this week after launching the Mi CC9 Pro, then you were wrong. They still had something up their sleeve. Yup! Xiaomi also unveiled the new Mi Watch alongside the Mi CC9 Pro. In fact, this is the first-ever smartwatch that has MI branding.

With the launch of the Mi Watch, Xiaomi too has entered the foray of smartwatches. And it is not there just for the sake of it. This device actually has some serious features packed into it. So much so that Xiaomi has labeled it as “small phone on your wrist”.

Features

Basically, Xiaomi Mi Watch has a 1.78-inch AMOLED display. And it has the always-on capability. It comes in a 44mm casing and the rear is made up of ceramic. For easy control, there’s a button and a crown on the right-hand side. And on the left, there’s the speaker and a microphone. The watch supports the usual smartwatch features such as Bluetooth, NFC, and eSIM support. These features allow the Mi Watch to operate autonomously.

In addition to the fitness apps in the smartwatch, the Mi Watch also includes swim tracking. Furthermore, it is compatible with Firstbeat’s performance analytics. This means that depending upon you’re exercise routine, the smartwatch is capable of giving you a detailed break down of your heart rate.

As for its UI, the watch uses the Xiaomi’s native MIUI specifically developed for watches. It functions on top of Google’s Wear OS. With over 40 built-in apps and an exclusive app store in which third-party developers can contribute, the potential for this watch seems unlimited. Theoretically, that is!

Moving on, the watch runs on Snapdragon Wear 3100 4G chipset. It has 1GB of RAM and 8GB storage. Talking about the battery, its 570 mAh battery can last for up to 36 hours. That too with 4G turned on! Furthermore, the 570 mAh battery is the biggest ever battery in a smartwatch.

Pricing and Availability

The Mi Watch will be available in the Chinese market from the 11th of November. The retail price for a standard version of the watch will be CNY 1,299 ($185). The Premium Edition will, however, will be available at the price of CNY 1,999($285). This Premium Edition Mi Watch has a sapphire crystal screen. Moreover, it comes with a stainless-steel frame and band.

Talking about its availability in Nepal, or the lack of it, there’s no official statement yet. In fact, there has been no word about Xiaomi Mi Watch’s international availability.

However, for the hardcore fans of Xiaomi, you might just get to buy them from the grey market. The same was the case for the Mi Band 4. So, don’t be disheartened so soon. Who knows you might just get your hands on them!

Nuwakot: A traveller’s guide to the historic town near Kathmandu

2019-03-13T18:31:00.001+05:45

History tells you that at one point of time, Nuwakot was stronger than Kathmandu. That was the time when the old town was full of stone art. It was so pretty that people from all over Nepal used to visit the place. It was in Nuwakot that Prithvi Narayan Shah, the king who unified Nepal, began devising his strategy to conquer Kathmandu, in 1744.

The monarchy’s legacy and those of earlier dynasties can be seen in the monumental squares of the Kathmandu Valley and fortresses such as the Nuwakot Durbar – the seven-storey palace.

In the grand durbar, steep wooden stairs pass the queen’s dressing room, Prithvi Narayan Shah’s bedroom and a dark prison on the sixth floor. The seventh floor offers a bird’s eye view of Nuwakot village and the surrounding hills.

However, due to the 2015 earthquake and urbanisation, the historic structures around the area have suffered massive damages. The seven-storey palace looks as if it will crumble any day. Other temples and monuments around the palace are in a similar state.

The city which was once a powerful state in the Shah dynasty can still be regarded as an open museum to history students. Ten minutes’ walk from the palace will take you to Mahamandal, which is an important area from both cultural and historical points of view.

Even though the place has cultural importance, it’s crumbling. The sun and rain that fall on the old structures have made them weak and all of it is turning into ruins.

There are some homestay accommodation arrangements in the area whereas The Famous Farm is the only hotel. It’s an almost 100-year-old mud house that boasts a few city comforts. With a stunning view of the rolling hills and the royal palace from its wooden balconies, a hot shower and fusion cuisine, this place has been called “an ecoluxury hotel”.

The hotel administration says international visitors to Nuwakot are few in comparison with Bandipur and Gorkha, which lie along the highway that connects Kathmandu to popular cities such as Pokhara and Chitwan.

Himalayan Region Of Nepal: Photo Feature

2016-10-11T02:02:00.000+05:45

The Mountain Region or Parbat begins where high ridges begin substantially rising above 3,000 meters (10,000 ft) into the sub-alpine and alpine zone which are mainly used for seasonal pasturage. A few tens kilometers further north the high Himalaya abruptly rise along the Main Central Thrust fault zone above the snow line at 5,000 to 5,500 meters (16,400 to 18,000 ft).

Some 90 of Nepal’s peaks exceed 7,000 meters (23,000 ft) and eight exceed 8,000 meters (26,247 ft) including Mount Everest at 8,848 meters (29,029 ft) and Kanchenjunga at 8,598 meters (28,209 ft). Unlike the Mahabharats, the Himalaya are not continuous across Nepal. Instead there are some 20 sub-ranges including the Kanchenjunga massif along the Sikkim border, Mahalangur Himal around Mt. Everest. Langtang north of Kathmandu, Annapurna and Manaslu north of Pokhara, then Dhaulagiri further west with Kanjirowa north of Jumla and finally Gurans Himal in the far west.

Music, song and dance along the Rapti in Sauraha, Nepal

2016-10-11T01:35:00.000+05:45

Sauraha, in southern Nepal, is best known for its elephant rides and jungle safaris. But the region’s music, which emanates from nature herself, should give you one more reason to visit Sauraha soon.

In Sauraha, music comes from different sources, some expected, some not so much.

Imagine sitting on a boat on the Rapti, the main river flowing through the vast expanse of forest in Sauraha. The river has its own music.

During winter, its music is that of contemplation and calm. Silence is the best tune on the river’s playlist.

However, during the monsoon, the river changes its tunes. After heavy rain, you can hear the water gush through the sandy banks, splashing against the rocks.

The boatmen in Sauraha may not be master singers, but they have own stories to tell. Their stories would make for beautiful lyrics for any song. The stories are of their love of the water, their attachment with the river, and the the times the river made them sad.

As you ride the boat along the Rapti, you hear birds of different hue, sing to nature’s tunes. You may there not understand their language but it is readily apparent that they sing of the happiness of being in their abode and the freedom to move around the lush green.

When dusk comes, you hear nocturnal creatures take up from where the birds left. They sing a chorus like no other.

The Tharus, the sons and daughters of the soil, also sing and dance to songs of nature, love and life. You feel that they are one with nature, and their songs are written by none other than mother nature, herself.

4 reasons trip to Rara, Nepal should be on your bucket list

2016-10-11T01:28:00.000+05:45

What would it look like if someone spilled ink of the deepest blue on water, and then placed green hills to it? While, it may not be technologically possible to do so, one can imagine that God did something of that sort when he created the Rara lake in Nepal’s Mugu district. The lake, located 2972m above sea level offers a serene environment for you to unwind and relax. If you happen to be there during summer, you will get to see red rhododendrons cover the hill. Here are five reasons why visiting Rara should be on your bucket list.

1. The Blue: There are many who call the oceans as the ‘deep blue’. Lot has been written about the deep blue. But you don’t need to go to the ocean to experience the deep blue. You can do that in Rara.

2. The Green: You go to the Rara lake through Shuklaphanta National Park experiencing the greenery it has on offer. The lush green fields are unique to the area, and make for an important ecosystem in the area.

3. The Brown: Although there is no accommodation available at Rara, you can find accommodation inside the national park. The huts are build with wood, and bricks. Spending a night or two in these brown huts can become an experience of a lifetime.

4. The Rainbow: On the way to Rara, you meet the local people. They are hospitable and friendly, and have interesting stories to share.

Rara Lake, Mugu, Nepal

Your coffee habit could be encoded in your DNA

2016-10-11T00:55:00.000+05:45

It’s no secret that everybody’s coffee drinking habits are different. Some people can’t seem get to enough (that would be me), while others limit themselves to a single cup a day, or none at all.

And now scientists might finally have a way to explain your relationship with coffee, finding that genetic variations that affect how the body breaks down caffeine could be responsible for influencing us to drink more or less of this stimulating beverage.

Researchers led by the University of Edinburgh in the UK found that people with a DNA variation in a gene called PDSS2 tend to drink fewer cups of coffee than those without the variation.

The thinking goes that the gene variation slows down the body’s processing of caffeine, inducing those with the variant to drink less, because they’re perfectly-buzzy-already-thank you.

“The hypothesis is that people with higher levels of this gene are metabolising caffeine slower, and that’s why they’re drinking less coffee,” geneticist Nicola Pirastu told Alexandra Sifferlin at Time. “They need to drink it less often to still have the positive effects of caffeine, like being awake and feeling less tired.”

The researchers examined the genetic makeup of 370 people living in a small village in south Italy, and compared it with the DNA of 843 people from villages in the country’s north-east. In addition to being genotyped, the participants completed a survey that included a question about how much coffee they drank each day.

The team found that those with the PDSS2 variation drank on average about one cup fewer daily.

When the scientists replicated the trial with a sample of 1,731 people in the Netherlands, they found a similar result. Participants with the DNA variation drank less coffee, although the difference – measured in number of cups consumed – was less this time.

The researchers attribute this gap between the Italian and Dutch consumption to the countries’ different coffee serving sizes: in Italy people take their coffee in small cups, whereas the Dutch prefer large servings that generally contain more caffeine.

“I think that this study reinforces the idea that genetics play a very important role in our everyday habits and lifestyles and understanding this is helping us not only know how people behave but also why, which will allow us to understand how to act on them,” Pirastu told Sarah Knapton at The Telegraph.

“In this specific case it seems to reinforce the idea that caffeine is probably the main biological driver of coffee consumption.”

While the team says they’ve only found an association at this point, this isn’t the first time researchers have found a link between how much coffee we drink and our genetic code.

A much larger study conducted in 2014 looked at the DNA of more than 120,000 people, and found that gene variants influenced people to moderate their coffee intake based on how efficiently their metabolism processed caffeine, so as to get the optimal effects from the drink.

Further research will be required to verify the findings, but the more we find out about the ties between coffee and our DNA, the better – especially since it could be important for our health.

“The results of our study add to existing research suggesting that our drive to drink coffee may be embedded in our genes,” Pirastu said. “We need to do larger studies to confirm the discovery and also to clarify the biological link between PDSS2 and coffee consumption.”

The findings are reported in Scientific Reports.

Phytonutrient Rich Meal Plan for your Body

2016-10-11T00:49:00.000+05:45

A diet rich in phytonutrients, also called phytochemicals, may help lower your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer and diabetes, according to Stanford Medicine. These beneficial chemicals are mainly found in plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Filling your plate half full with a variety of different colored fruits and vegetables and splitting the other half of your plate between a protein source and grains can help you get enough phytonutrients, according to the Produce for Better Health Foundation.

Fruits and Vegetables

Adults who follow the dietary guidelines on fruit and vegetable intake have higher intakes of phytonutrients than those who don’t, according to a study published in February 2012 in the “Journal of the Academy of Dietetics.” Phytonutrient-rich fruit choices include grapes, apples, watermelons, persimmons, papaya, oranges, peaches, apricots, guava, pink grapefruit, plums, berries and cantaloupe. Vegetables high in phytonutrients include red onions, red radishes, red potatoes, artichokes, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, winter squash, pumpkin, carrots, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, celery and turnips.

Plant-Based Protein

A phytonutrient-rich meal plan should include at least some plant-based protein, such as nuts, seeds and legumes, as animal-based protein isn’t a good source of phytonutrients. Beans, such as soybeans, are a good choice, as are lentils and peanuts or other nuts. Although an animal-based food, eggs also provide some phytonutrients in the form of zeaxanthin, which helps keep your eyes healthy.

Whole Grains

Whole grains contain more nutrients, including phytonutrients, than refined grains. The main phytochemicals in whole grains, lignans and phytosterols, are mainly found in the germ and bran of the grain, which are removed during the refining process. Include grains such as oatmeal, wild or brown rice, whole-wheat, barley, popcorn, flaxseed, amaranth, quinoa, spelt and millet in each meal.

Beneficial Beverages

Beverages made from plants can also help you increase your phytonutrient intake. Red wine, tea and 100-percent fruit juices, including grape juice and cranberry juice, are healthy choices. They provide flavonoids, which act as antioxidants and may improve your heart health. Teas that are less processed, such as white or green tea, are higher in flavonoids than the more processed black tea.

Exercises and Pullovers to Keep Your Body Fit

2016-10-11T00:41:00.000+05:45

The pullover is one of those exercises that tends to fall in the shadow of the lat pulldown or the bench press, but when it comes to upper-body strengtheners, the pullover is both effective and versatile. Both a pushing and pulling exercise, the pullover trains your back and chest at the same time, helping you to build a strong and developed torso. Pullovers can be performed with dumbbells or barbells and with straight or bent arms, allowing you to tailor the exercise exactly to your liking. Be sure to always warm up your muscles before your workout with five to 10 minutes of light cardio, like walking.

Muscles Worked

A compound exercise, the pullover efficiently strengthens numerous upper-body muscles at the same time. The main muscle group recruited on the back during pullovers is the latissiumus dorsi, which are the large fan-like muscles on both sides of the back. Supporting the lats, arms and shoulders in the pullover movement are the teres major and the rhomboids. On the front of the body, the pullover hits the pectoralis major, or the main muscle on the chest. The triceps on the back of the upper arms and the deltoids, which are the muscles of the shoulders, are also worked during the pushing phase of the exercise.

Choose Your Target

The versatility of the pullover allows you to choose between placing a greater emphasis on your back or on your chest. Bending your elbows to a 30-degree angle activates your lats and transfers the stress to your back. Keeping your arms straight results in a greater engagement of your pecs, although your elbows should always be kept soft to avoid locking them out. Whichever way you choose, be sure to focus closely on your form to maximize muscle development and minimize injuries. Resistance levels should allow you to complete between eight and 12 repetitions with proper form.

Narrow Grip

The narrow-grip pullover is most often associated with using a dumbbell, but you may also use a kettlebell, medicine ball or barbell; your hands should be positioned no more than 2 to 4 inches apart when using a barbell. Straight arms are often used with a narrow grip. Lie on your back on an exercise bench with your head positioned at the end of the bench. Pull your abdominal muscles in and slide your shoulder blades down your back. Hold a dumbbell with both hands over your chest and straighten your arms toward the ceiling while keeping your elbows soft. Maintain straight arms as you lower the dumbbell behind your head and toward the floor. Stop when your arms are in line with your ears. Lift the dumbbell back up toward the ceiling to return to starting position. Complete three sets of eight to 12 repetitions.

Wide Grip

The barbell and bent elbows are typically utilized for the wide-grip pullover, however, you may also execute the exercise by holding a dumbbell in each hand and positioning your arms to be shoulder-width apart. Lie on your back on a bench and take hold of a barbell with your hands separated shoulder-width apart. Contract your abs and push your shoulder blades down and away from your ears. Extend the barbell toward the ceiling directly over your chest; bend your elbows to 30 degrees. Lower the barbell behind your head and toward the floor until your upper arms are in line with your torso. Pull the weight back up to the starting position. Complete three sets of eight to 12 repetitions.

Is Cow Milk Healthy for Human Consumption ?

2016-10-11T00:34:00.000+05:45

Milk is the foundation of every dairy product, a supermarket fixture and the classic accompaniment to a warm cookie. But is it that great for your health? While all types of milk contain valuable vitamins and minerals, the beverage is not necessarily the healthiest source of those nutrients, especially if you have difficulty digesting it.

Nutrition Facts

The amounts of protein, fat and calories you’ll get in a cup of milk can vary widely depending on the type you choose. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1 cup of nonfat milk has about 85 calories, 8 grams of protein, no fat, 12 grams of carbs and 300 milligrams of calcium. The same amount of whole milk has 150 calories, 7.5 grams of protein, 8 grams of fat, 12 grams of carbs and 275 milligrams of calcium.

Health Pros

Milk is a source of complete protein, containing all essential amino acids, and it also offers healthy amounts of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, riboflavin, and vitamins A and D. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, drinking moderate amounts of milk on a regular basis can lower your risk of developing osteoporosis or colon cancer. The Better Health Channel reports that consuming moderate amounts of milk may also lower your blood pressure levels and lessen your risk of Type 2 diabetes.

Health Cons

Drinking whole milk regularly can raise your intake of saturated fat, cholesterol and calories, which may also increase cardiovascular risk factors. Drinking a lot of any type of milk is also likely to deliver more vitamin A than you need, which can weaken bone health — and consuming too much dairy or milk is also associated with higher risks of prostate cancer and ovarian cancer. Digestion of milk proteins requires an enzyme called lactase, but many humans — some scientists estimate 60 percent or more of the population — do not continue producing lactase after childhood, which means drinking milk for them can cause bloating, discomfort, gas, diarrhea or other digestive distress.

Tips and Alternatives

Drinking moderate amounts of milk on a regular basis is not associated with negative health effects in adults who can tolerate lactose. Because of its vitamin and mineral content, skim or low-fat milk can be a healthy alternative to sugary fruit juices and sodas, although Harvard suggests limiting yourself to two servings of milk or milk products per day. If milk is your main source of calcium, consider taking a calcium supplement or getting the mineral from other foods — broccoli, leafy greens, tofu and beans are all good sources.

Can stress really turn your hair grey ?

2016-10-11T00:23:00.000+05:45

Greying has long been associated with too much stress and ageing, but is there any truth to the idea that extra worries and responsibilities can change the colour of our hair? The short answer is… it’s complicated. While stress can certainly make a physical mark on our bodies, when it comes to greying, scientists are still figuring out what causes it, and research suggests that are several factors that influence the amount of silver on the top of your head.

Our hair gets its colour from cells known as melanocytes, which add pigment to the strands being pushed up through the scalp by the tiny organs known as hair follicles. What happens when we age is that the melanocytes grow weak and die off, which means our hairs are no longer getting the same ‘paint job’. This damage is referred to as oxidative stress, and it occurs in all the cells in our bodies as a natural part of the ageing process – not because of the stress of looming deadlines or exams. When our bodies get older and can no longer fight off particular types of harmful molecules as effectively as they do in our 20s and 30s, oxidative stress kicks in, and our hair can show the effects.

So that’s the natural greying process, but can emotional stress play a role in the onset of oxidative stress, thereby indirectly causing grey hair? Without a wide-ranging study putting a large group of people under a prolonged period of artificial stress – not the kind of research that would get a lot of backing from ethical scientists – it’s hard to prove a definitive link. And while severe bouts of stress have been connected to oxidative stress in the past, the evidence for a link isn’t particularly strong – certainly not strong enough to break the consensus among scientists that most stressful situations won’t directly cause your hair colour to change.

“Stress is more likely to cause hair loss and to increase shedding rather than cause greying,” dermatology consultant Miri Seiberg from the Global Dermatology Institute in Florida told Kate Horowitz at Mental Floss. So forget worrying about premature greys – if you’re in a stressful situation, you’ve got much bigger hair-related concerns to consider, with studies suggesting that major or prolonged worries can interfere with the biological processes that govern hair growth and cause it to fall out more easily. But there are hints of something else going on.

Back in 2007, researchers from Harvard University suggested that regularly being stressed-out could speed up the greying process, because stress can produce highly reactive molecules called free radicals that mess with melanin production. “We’ve seen that people who are stressed [for] two to three years report that they turn grey sooner,” physician Tyler Cymet told Coco Ballantyne at Scientific American. But that was an extremely small study, and we’re still waiting on conclusive evidence for their hypothesis.

Some experts have also made the distinction between psychological stress and emotional stress, but because these conditions come bundled with a host of other effects on the body, it’s difficult to trace a definitive link between how stressed you are and what’s happening in the follicles on top of your head. We’re learning more all the time, though. Earlier this year, scientists in the UK identified a gene called IRF4 that was linked to grey hair, suggesting that some of us are more predisposed to going grey than others. But the team emphasised that there are a range of other environmental factors involved as well.

Those factors include smoking, being exposed to air pollution, and not getting a good diet – all things to avoid if you want to maximise your chances of keeping your hair colour for as long as possible. And it’s probably a good idea to try and relax too… just in case.

Some Facts about Bacteria You Should Know

2016-10-11T00:05:00.000+05:45

Not all are bad. The vast majority of bacteria in our world are harmless to humans, and many are beneficial. Life on earth would not function without bacteria. Bacteria provide many needed nutrients for our survival and the survival of other animals and plants.

Bacteria on our bodies can actually protect us from disease. We are covered with “friendly” bacteria (called our “normal flora”) that tend to take up “space” on our skin and in our gut, making it more difficult for disease-causing bacteria to gain a foothold on us and cause a harmful infection. Our first exposure to such friendly bacteria at birth provides our new immune system with important early exposure to bacteria, so our bodies can learn to control them.

Amazing but true! The average adult person is estimated to contain more bacterial cells than human cells! (The lowest estimate of bacterial cells is higher than the highest estimate of human cells). A rough estimate of the number of different bacterial genes inside us (based on the estimated number of species, and assuming ~2000 genes per species) is more than the highest estimate for the number of human genes in the human genome. We would do well to learn more about the bacteria on and in us that are such a significant part of us!

Harmful bacteria don’t affect all people the same way. For this reason, it’s often hard to tell whether something you did or took helped to make you better or kept you from getting a certain infection. This is why researchers often study large groups of people to determine if, on average, more people are helped by a certain treatment than another group of people given no such treatment.

Bacteria can develop resistance to antibiotics, so that the antibiotic becomes unable to control the bug. Antibiotics must therefore be used exactly as prescribed (i.e. take all the pills at the correct dosage and frequency per day – don’t stop taking the medication just because you start to feel better).

Antibiotics can be effective against bacteria, but not viruses. Antibiotics do nothing to help a cold or flu and should only be used when really needed. Not only does such inappropriate use of antibiotics increase the risk of antibiotic resistance forming, but also antibiotics don’t just kill harmful bacteria – they also kill many of the “friendly” bacteria on our body too. Therefore this disruption of the “friendly” bacteria (normal flora) can increase your risk of developing subsequent infections with other microbes that may not have otherwise have been able to infect us.

We have little understanding of our microbial world. We have traditionally been studying primarily those bacteria that we can grow in the laboratory, however it is now becoming apparent that there are many more bacteria on our bodies, and in the environment, that can not grow in traditional laboratory media used to grow microbes. These bacteria remain to be studied by other methods (such as analysis of their DNA sequence).

What are Genes and What they do ?

2016-10-10T23:51:00.001+05:45

Each DNA molecule contains many genes. A gene is a specific sequence of base pairs (bases, or “letters”) that contains the information required for constructing a protein (in most cases).

The proteins encoded by the genes provide the structural components of the cell as well as enzymes for essential biochemical reactions.

In other words, proteins are not just in the food we eat, they are the building blocks of life and are main components of our cells.

Genes are the “words” in our genome “encyclopedia” that form the instructions for constructing these proteins.

The human genome is estimated to comprise approximately 30,000 genes, while different bacteria can have as few as approximately 500 genes, or as many as 6000 genes or more.

Proteins are large, complex molecules made up of long chains of subunits called amino acids. Twenty different kinds of amino acids are usually found in proteins.

So how can we build proteins comprising up to 20 different amino acids, if the code within genes for building them only comprises 4 bases?

Well, it turns out that special proteins in our cells examine the genes’ code in “triplets” of three base pairs at a time.

Each “triplet” of three base pairs codes for a particular amino acid. The genetic code to make a given protein is thus a series of “triplets” of three bases in a gene that specify which amino acids are required to make up specific proteins.

A collection of triplets that make up a protein is called a gene, and the collection of genes that make an organism is called its genome.

What the heck is Genome and DNA sequence ?

2016-10-10T23:51:00.000+05:45

The complete set of instructions for making any organism is called its genome. It contains the master blueprint for all cellular structures and biological processes for the lifetime of the organism. A copy of the genome is found in each cell, and it consists of two tightly coiled threads of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) organized into structures called chromosomes.

To use an analogy, think of the genome as the “encyclopedia” of all instructions on how to make an organism. Chromosomes are equivalant to the different volumes of an encyclopedia. Many bacterial cells contain just one chromosome (their “encyclopedia” is only one book), however some have more than one, and humans have 24 chromosomes (i.e. equivalent to a 24 volume encyclopedia, to use the analogy).

If unwound and tied together, the strands of DNA for the genome of a human would stretch more than 5 feet but would be only 50 trillionths of an inch wide. However, through tight packaging, the DNA containing a copy of the full genome is packed into a singlecell (all life is made up of units called cells). Likewise, in bacteria all the DNA for the complete genome is packed into each – even tinier – cell.

Each strand of DNA is a linear arrangement of similar repeating units, often termed bases (think of these as the “letters” in an encyclopedia). Four different bases are present in DNA: adenine (commonly referred to as just “A”), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (you guessed it, G). The particular order of the bases is called the DNA sequence.

The sequence specifies the exact genetic instructions required to create a particular organism, including a particular bacterial species, with its own unique traits.

The two complementary strands of DNA are held together by weak bonds between the bases on each strand, forming base pairs (bp). Think of these complementary strands as “two copies” of the encyclopedia (so that if one copy is damaged, the there is another copy to refer to). Genome size is usually stated as the total number of base pairs (bp).

The human genome contains roughly 3 billion bp. Bacterial genome sequences determined by the turn of the century (year 2000) range in size from approximately half a million bp, to 8 million bp.

Note that each time a bacterial cell divides into two daughter cells, its full genome is duplicated (both strands of the DNA). Therefore, each new bacterial cell produced contains a new copy of the genome sequence (that contains the two complementary strands).

This genome sequence (encyclopedia), comprised of base-pairs (letters) is full of genes (which can be considered the “words” in an encyclopedia).

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