#Health benefits of #pure #ghee

Ghee is mostly considered unhealthy (and is unhealthy when consumed without the necessary portion control), but there are a few parameters that make ‘pure ghee’ healthy.

“Pure ghee contains only those fatty acids or saturated fats that are primarily (89%) short chain fatty acids, unlike some other animal fats,” says nutritionist, Pallavi from Evolve Medspa. She lists out the health benefits of pure ghee. Let’s take a look.

Before you indulge in pure ghee, here are the basic guidelines:

– Consume pure ghee if you are free from cardiovascular diseases, are not overweight.

– Completely avoid ghee if you are obese.

– The recommended amount of fat consumed in the entire day is 10 to 15 grams per person.

So, is ghee healthy for you?

Regular consumption of pure ghee enhances physical and mental strength, and keeps the body healthy. It also helps in taking out the impurities from the body. It enhances eyesight, keeps muscles and tendons healthy.

For people with cholesterol problems, ghee is a better option as compared to butter as pure ghee is lower in fat than butter.

Because of lesser amount of fat in desi ghee, it is easier to digest.

Pure ghee can last for a longer duration of time. It can be stored without refrigeration.

Some people believe that ghee can restore balance to the mind and enhance brain function.

Ghee also helps in stimulating the digestive system and hence also aids in weight loss provided your diet is well balanced and you are exercising.

It is full of Vitamins A, D, E, and K. These vitamins are fat-soluble, meaning they have to be digested with other fat molecules in order for these vitamins to make it into our bloodstream. Ghee has lots of dietary fats (mostly saturated fats) that help our bodies absorb and make use of these vitamins.

Ghee is an excellent cooking medium because it does not break down in high heat like many cooking oils do, resulting in free radicals. Ghee has a high burning point, so it will neither smoke nor burn when cooked.

The body needs certain fats in its diet in order to perform vital functions, including protecting the stomach wall from digestive acids, building and strengthening cell membranes and supporting nerve, skin and brain health. The fats in ghee provide these benefits without any of the trans-fats, hydrogenated oils or oxidized cholesterol of butter and other oils.

Keep in mind, that we are only attaching these benefits to pure homemade ghee made with zero preservative or vegetable fats. Store-bought ghee or ghee prepared with any artificial methods will not fit in the same category as pure ghee.

Ghee is also lactose-free and contains no salt.

Happy eating, but keep a tab on the amount.

Ways to #naturally increase #immunity

You can say bye to those frequent bouts of flu and cold with these simple changes in your lifestyle!

Your immunity is tested day in day out thanks to the 21st century invasion of newer bacterias and virus; not to mention the ever increasing pollution. Here are foods that’ll help enhance your immunity.

Go fishy: The essential omega-3 fatty acid found in fatty fish limits several cellular processes and increases your immunity. If you are a vegetarian and can’t stand the fishy smell, stick to the supplements of fish oil available over the counter.

Go red: Glass of red wine is full of resveratrol, a compound that protects against immune system ageing and inflammation. Red apples, red grapes, red onions also fall in this category and regular intake can help increase immunity.

Go for it: Stress and immunity never go hand in hand. Extreme stress reduces your natural killer cell count and make your immunity levels dip south. Learn some stress coping skills that help your stress level go down.

Go zzzzzz: Lack of adequate sleep increases levels of proteins associated with inflammation and reduces natural body immunity. Make sure you get minimum of 7 to 8 hours sleep every night. It’s not just for your beauty but for your overall health as well.

Go, take a walk: Physical activity can help keep immunity intact. It’s been proved that people who exercise for five days a week are less prone to cold and flu.

Say C: “It’s an old theory that Vitamin C helps you produce more natural fighters to kill germs,” says Dr Micheal F Roizen in one of his research papers. 400 milligrams of vitamin C is required per day. You can eat bell peppers, oranges, berries or take a supplement after consulting your physician.

Say D: Not many know that deficiency of Vitamin D can reduce your immunity. Make sure that you are getting enough of it through your food and Sun. If you are not, then make sure you supplement it by medical supplements after consulting your physician.

Say Z: Zinc supports immunity so much that it can even fight cancer cells. 12 milligrams a day requirement can be gained from crab, oysters, pork, poultry, beans, cashews, and yoghurt. If you take a supplement, then make sure it has less than 15 milligrams. Too much can stop other important minerals from being absorbed.

Make #time for #lunch at #work

Many people don’t bother about a lunch break and eat at their workstations. But they end up paying a heavy price for it.

If you’re reading this at your desk, sandwich in one hand and pen in the other, it seems you’re not alone. Don’t even bother with a lunch break, eating at our workstations. But are we paying the price with our health?

Eating quickly is bad
“Eating quickly can be detrimental to our health for a variety of reasons,” says nutritionist Shona Wilkinson. “It’s important that we sit up straight while eating, rather than being hunched over our desk, and it’s also important to eat slowly.” Sitting up straight improves your digestion, which reduces bloating and discomfort.

Chew your food well
Chewing each mouthful slowly and thoroughly also releases more nutrients from our food, leaving us healthier, whereas swallowing half chewed chunks of food causes undigested particles to ferment in the gut, causing more bloating. However, thanks to the recession, the average person is busier and more stressed than ever, so a leisurely lunch is a luxury many of us can’t afford.

Don’t eat in a hurry
If lunchtime is always rushed, you can undo some of the damage by buying or preparing the right meal. “When we’re in a hurry, we’re more likely to reach for quick, processed foods that are full of fat and sugar,” says Shona. “But sugary or high-carbohydrate lunches will cause a 4pm energy slump. They’ll give you a quick burst of energy but then you’ll experience a rapid fall in blood sugar levels, leaving you tired and lethargic and craving sugar in the form of biscuits and chocolate.”

Protein, on the other hand, will slow down the release of sugar from carbs into your bloodstream and leave you fuller for longer with more energy.

Taking a lunch break is important
Taking your time over meals gives your body the opportunity to release cholecystokinin, or CCK. This hormone is a “full up” signal that allows our brains to register we’re no longer hungry and to stop eating. If we eat too quickly, we don’t register fullness, which can cause us to overeat.

Dos and don’ts

1. Don’t drink your calories. Seemingly healthy juice drinks can contain as much sugar as a doughnut. Stick to water.

2. Don’t eat in front of a screen. According to research in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, we consume more calories when we eat at a computer or watching TV. Dr Connie Diekman, who worked on the study, advised: “Eat, then look at your computer. Look away, then eat a few more bites.” Better still, just focus on your lunch for at least 20 minutes.

3. Have healthy desk snacks. Eating something small and healthy between breakfast and lunch will stop you craving stodgy or fatty foods. Try almonds and/or an apple.

4. Skip morning coffee. “Too much caffeine floods your body with the stress hormone cortisol,” says A-list trainer Dalton Wong. “This can lead to sugar cravings later on. Stick to one or two coffees. Better still, green tea increases metabolism and is full of antioxidants.”

5. Don’t drink while eating. “Drink water before or after meals,” says nutritionist Henrietta Nortona adding, “Fluids with food can slow your digestive system, which can cause bloating. Drink five minutes before or after a meal.”

Top 5 #healthiest #alcohol #drinks

Plan to go drinking but afraid you may gain weight? Fret not! There are alcoholic drinks that have less calories and that do not make you gain weight as much as their counterparts. We give you top five healthiest alcoholic drinks to try this weekend.

 

Healthiest Alcohol Drinks

Vodka Soda

Hip hop artists endorse it as the ‘cool quotient drink’, but the Russians believe it is a cure to all their problems and they might just be on to some thing. In several cultures, Vodka is used as an alternative medicine. Consume no more than 1-2 units (30ml each) of Vodka at one go.

Healthiest Alcohol Drinks

Bellini

Bellini is prepared with champagne orange or peach juice. Champagne is rich in antioxidants which is beneficial for your skin. When you add orange or peach to champagne you are adding vitamin A, B and C to your drink. The juices are good sources for calcium, riboflavin, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, niacin and thiamine.

Healthiest Alcohol Drinks

Red wine

Indians have opened up to drinking wine. It is no longer associated with just the Italians and the French. From rosy cheeks to a happy heart, wine was and is a popular beverage. Red wine is considered the fountain of youth by many thanks to the high level of antioxidants. A great accompaniment for romantic dinners, wine will boost your body’s defenses, build bones and balance blood sugar levels. Red wine can also increase women’s libido too.

White wine
Red wine may be popular, but white wine has health benefits too. While red wine has antioxidant resveratrol, white wine has hydroxytyrosol which is an important antioxidant and effective for clearing blockages.

Guinness

Though beer gives you a beer belly, Guinness has less calories than regular beer. There are 128 calories in 35ml of Guinness beer. This beer also has the same number of antioxidants as red wine. This beer can help reduce and flush out blood clots and improve heart problems.

#Stay #healthy with these #drinks

The thought of taking time for a healthy breakfast rarely breaks the stride of the jet-setting business traveler. Why not opt for a few healthy drinks that are loaded with nutritiotional benefits instead.

Balance Smoothie
Ingredients
70 g Banana, 250 ml Orange juice, 5 ea Baby spinach leaves, 1 tsp Cocoa powder, 125 ml Soya Milk, 2 tbs (20 g) Ground Almonds

Method
Blend the banana, baby spinach, almond and cocoa powder with the Soya milk. Then add the orange juice and blend until completely smooth. Serve chilled.

The nutritionist’s comments
Banana is rich in the important electrolyte potassium. A diet rich in potassium seems to have a blood pressure lowering effect. Banana is also rich in the water soluble fiber pectin’s and acts soothing on the gastro intestinal tract. Pectin’s have a cholesterol lowering effect too.

Nutritional information
Energy 1520 kJ, Protein 12 g, Fat 11 g, Carbohydrates 53 g, Fibers 4 g

Health Smoothie
Ingredients
60 g Banana, 100 ml Fresh squeezed orange juice, 120 g Strawberries, 6 Mint leafs, 125 ml Soya milk, 2 tbs (20 g) Ground Almonds

Method
Blend the banana, strawberries and mint leafs with the soya millk. Add the orange juice and almond and blend until completely smooth. Serve chilled.

The nutritionist’s comments
Apart from the great sweet taste of summer, strawberries offer support for optimal health due to the phytonutrient that gives the vibrant red color in the skin of the berry. Strawberries tend to give us protection against inflammation and heart disease.

Nutritional information
Energy 1290 kJ, Protein 11 g, Fat 12g, Carbohydrates 39 g, Fibers 5 g

Good energy juice
Ingredients
400 g Beetroot, 40 g Baby Spinach, 500 g Carrots, 100 g Apple red, 1 Tsp Chopped dill

Method
Cut the beetroot, baby spinach, apple and carrots and extract juice with a extractor. Add the chopped dill. Mix until juice is smooth. Add a table spoon of crushed ice and stir before serving.

The nutritionist’s comments
This juice is rich in healthy vegetables and helps you balance the blood sugar and gives you great energy and helps enhance your mood. Spinach helps detoxify hormones and beetroot supports digestion, which is important for absorbing nutrients.

Nutritional information
Energy 2141 kJ, Protein 8,5, Fat 4, Carbohydrates 115, Fibers 23

(Courtesy Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa)

#Rules for a #happy and #healthy #life!

We tell you what these are…

They don’t say health is wealth just like that. If you’re among those who take their health for granted, it’s time you change your outlook. There are very few things in life that are as important as your health — so look after it well. Adopting good habits right now will make you thank yourself in the long run. And these rules will help you do just that…

Exercise
If you aren’t a gym person, there are plenty of exercises that you can do in the comfort of your own home. Try and get a couple of your friends together and workout in someone’s home a couple of times a week. Or join an aerobics or kick boxing class together. Having each other to motivate will be an added bonus. Another thing that you could do is go for walks. Walking for 30 minutes everyday has numerous benefits.

Dance
It’s okay if you have two left feet. It’s fine if you look funny when you attempt to dance. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. There are innumerable dance classes all over the city that offer to teach you different styles. Not only will you learn something, you’ll also stay fit.

Meditate
With the fast paced, stressful lives that most of us lead, it is important to slow down and give yourself some time everyday. Allow yourself at least 10 to 20 minutes to just sit and practice some deep breathing exercises. It’ll do you a whole lot of good.

Soak in the sunlight
Sunlight has numerous benefits. That doesn’t mean you spend hours under the sun without any protection. But a few minutes daily will help your body produce enough vitamin D that is so essential for good health.

Sleep
Cutting down on your sleep to get more work or chores done will eventually burn you out. On an average you need to get seven to eight hours of sleep every day. Make up for a late night by resting adequately on the weekend.

Don’t go on binges
Binge drinking is worse than being a regular drinker. Indulging yourself with huge amounts of alcohol after a long gap upsets and harms your body — skip it. The same goes with extreme diets.

Eat healthy
Do yourself a favour and cut out all the roadside and junk food from your life. It ain’t good for you and if you really can’t do without it, allow yourself to indulge on a rare occasion. Keep yourself hydrated with plenty of water throughout the day.

Laugh
Laughter has so many benefits. Watch funny movies, television shows, meet up with people who are positive and happy. Try to stay away from negativity.

Top 5 #clues to #living a long and #healthy #life

It is often believed that what you eat and how you live, often tend to add years to your life.

But there’s another fact – when it comes to health, education and disease prevention and treatments, we are forthrightly advancing. But, what about the seemingly inconsequential everyday habits, which influence our quality of life and how long we live? Today, in our quest to attain healthy longevity, we bring to you top 5 clues that will help you live upto 100.

You tend to skip colas on the whole. Yes! Even the diet ones.
Sodas or any kind of fizzy drink can add to the woes of cluster of health conditions, such as including high blood pressure, elevated insulin levels, and excess fat around the, thus increasing your chances of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Do note that all sugary drinks are not only adding kilos in your weight, but also have a direct affect your heart. How heart diseases are directly linked to sugary drink is proved by a research, published in the American Heart Association’s Journal Circulation. The research found that 12 ounces of sugar drinks such as soda, or other beverages with added sugar raised the risk of heart disease by 20 percent. So we should limit our intake of sugary drinks. Best is to replace them with fresh juices or lemon water or coconut water. To wrap it all up, any food which contains chemicals and artificial elements is best avoided or had occasionally; such foods should never become a regular part of one’s diet.

Best would be to switch to tea or caffeine or try lemon water without sugar.
You’re the life of the party. According to a research presented in the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, people who are outgoing are less likely to suffer from dementia. People who party in a healthy way are also less likely to feel stressed easily. These people have lower levels of cortisol – i.e. over secretion of the stress hormone, thus adding healthy years to their life.

You are friends with healthy people. According to a study published in the New England of Journal of Medicine, it is importance to associate yourself with healthy people who have similar goals in life in order to add years to your life.

Healthy people make it a point to select friends who are ‘prime movers’ in their life, thus propagating the idea of health by association. Having healthy friends also tends to pose a social pressure to be healthy and it is good thing in more ways than one. Thus, it is important to find an exercise buddy. It can be a friend, spouse or sibling; anyone who can motivate you. Workout buddies are your best bet for feeling comfortable while working out. Play a sport with your better half. Sign up for a sport like squash, tennis, or basketball. These sports will give you a full body workout while bringing out the best in your relationship. There’s a reason why team spirit when combined with healthy friendship always prevails!

If you make fitness as your priority. You can be rushing around from here and there every day but you can still spare 45 minutes to 1 hour in a day to exercise, because that is what people who tend to live longer do- make fitness a part of their daily routine. They plan events that get them moving. Apart from maintaining a daily exercise regimen, they make sure they are squeezing a few physical activities in your social calendar. They include some exercising into their day to day life, and are totally aware about the indicators of physical progress, such as getting a good night’s sleep, having more energy all throughout the day, and having improved levels of cholesterol, blood pressure, bone density, triglycerides, and blood sugars, among many others.

If you do everything in moderation by practicing preventative maintenance. People who tend to live longer, never withhold anything in their life. They are open to any and all experience, be it indulging in their favourite tub of ice cream once in a while or spending a weekend just watching movies and doing nothing. The key lies in understanding that health is a part of life and should be taken care of irrespective of the guilt after indulging in a few glasses of your favourite poison or getting tempted by a cake. If you swear by the mantra of adopting preventive measures in life and follow regular checkups; keep a check on their dietary routine, tend to live longer. They take actions about their health problems and make sure that healthy habits become a part o their everyday life.

#Life #lessons for a long and #healthy life

My father-in-law, Haribhai Chhaya, has turned 100. It was a great joy for family and friends to celebrate the 100th birthday of a man who is walking, talking, listening, reading and having one to two bottles of beer in the evening before dinner.

As a centurion, he is in excellent health.
He was born and raised in Bhuj, Kutch. His father, Somjibhai, was a judge in Bhuj. Haribhai did his schooling in Kutch and then went to Ferguson College in Pune to get his B.Sc. and LL.B. Thereafter, he joined local government working for Kutch state and the British Raj. He has told us many stories of his early days at work when he needed to travel on a horse to visit remote areas of Kutch.

I met Haribhai for the first time in 1962 in Baroda where he was a Land Acquisition Officer for the Koylie Refinery Project. From there, he moved on to become a District Collector in Surat and later in Bhuj, during a major earthquake in 1964. He also served in Godhra as Director of Transport and Inspector General of a prison. After his formal retirement in 1974, he worked for a couple of years as a tribunal judge in Ahmedabad.

I got to know him well in Baroda, and in 1966, I proposed to marry his daughter, Anu. Unfortunately, Haribhai lost his wife, Jyotibala, in 1974. They jointly raised four daughters and one son. Finally, we convinced him to move to Chicago in 1980. His son, Yash, also moved with him and did his MBA in Chicago. While they lived with us, he was a great teacher, mentor, and a wonderful grandfather to both of our kids, Salil and Rajal. They learned from him a great deal about Indian culture, mythology, the Ramayana, and the Mahabharata.

Throughout his professional career in the government, he was well respected for his honesty and commitment to public service. To me, it was surprising that when he retired in 1974, his entire life savings was 40,000 rupees. When I learned this, I was not only shocked, but a bit worried about his future security and well-being.

However, he was confident and comfortable to live on a small government pension. Rarely have I heard of a government IAS (Indian Administrative Services) officer retiring with only Rs. 40,000 for his lifetime of service. Haribhai always lived a modest, simple, Gandhian lifestyle throughout his career.

Having lived with him and around him for the last 50 years, it is important for me to reflect on the secret of his longevity. I find five fundamental lessons from his life.

1. Regulated, disciplined lifestyle. Always get up early, get ready, have simple breakfast, exercise a little bit, and read. Have lunch exactly at 12, take an afternoon nap, have tea at 4 p.m. and read, beer at 6 p.m., dinner at 7:30 p.m. and watch TV and read again. Eat simple vegetarian lunch and dinner with daal, roti, sabji, and rice. During celebrations, indulge in pakora and bhujia. Always sleep at 10 p.m. No matter what happens, he strictly adheres to his schedule.

2. Simplicity in everything. No needs, no demands, no fuss, no expectations from anybody. If you meet his daily minimum needs, he will devote his time to reading, telling stories, and helping others.

3. Lots of love from kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. He likes to live with the family and gets excited when there are grandchildren around. The only sign of unhappiness that I have ever seen in him is when grandchildren leave home for their college at the end of vacation. He loves to play cards and carrom with the kids. He also loves gardening and growing vegetables for the family.

4. Continue to learn, read a lot, and watch sports on TV. After coming to America, he learned all about American football, baseball, and basketball, while continuing his interest in cricket and tennis. While I was in London working at Worldtel, he visited me and was overjoyed to watch the Wimbledon game in person. Even today, he reads at least five to six hours a day. He reads about everything. He is a genuine scholar on Napoleon. I just got him a new nine hundred and seventy-six-page book on Napoleon’s life by Andrew Roberts, which he finished reading in a few weeks. Even at this age, he wants to learn more about history and the world. He published his first book at the age of 90.

5. Enjoy living in the present. He likes to talk about the past, never thinking about the future. He definitely enjoys the present with his beer in one hand and book in the other hand. To him, life is all about living day by day, hour by hour, with discipline, simplicity, and curiosity. Life is about exploring, loving, and caring.

At present, he lives with his son, Yash, and daughter-in-law, Pravina, in Chicago.

(Sam Pitroda is a former technology adviser to the Indian prime minister. The views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at Sam@sampitroda.com)

What your #pet can #teach

If you have a pet, you know that as domesticated as pets are, their instincts are still, well, animalistic. Observing an animal at close quarters is the nearest you will get to the natural world. Even our postures are no longer as natural as they should be. So what can we learn from our them? Here’s looking at what our pets can teach us about health and fitness…!

Have you walked your dog lately?
Taking the responsibility of walking your dog is not only great exercise but also a great way to add a little zing to your workout. Try taking your dog for a walk to a park where dogs are allowed off their leash and just run around with your pet. You will be surprised at what a good workout you’ll get. Your dog will suddenly sprint when she sees something that excites her and will take you on a nice little run, slow down, dart to one side, roll over, try and jump up a tree to chase a bird, and generally just take pleasure in being free. I understand if you’re wary of attracting strange stares, but the fun and spontaneity of it all is well worth it. We forget what good spontaneous fun is all about, and playing catch up with your dog will leave you panting and enjoying your workout.

Taking simple pleasure from a long walk
Even if you can’t find a park that allows you to take your dog off the leash, just taking your dog for a simple walk will show you how much joy your dog derives from just walking and spending time with you. The energy will be something that will help you keep a good pace, as your dog won’t allow you to slack off.

The power of touch
It’s impossible not to notice how good your dog or cat feels when you rub under their chin or scratch behind their ears. The comfort of affection through constant touching and caressing, leads to over all happiness and unless you’re happy you can’t really be healthy, can you?

Play daily
This may not be feasible in our well-ordained lives but even incorporating play into our schedules on a weekly or bi-weekly basis can make all the difference to our fitness levels as well as help us attain our goals of being active.

Take pleasure in your food
Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Your dog lives for her next meal and laps it up with such pleasure. Wouldn’t you want to eat like that? Even if on a diet, take that extra step to add flavours and ingredients that you love to a simple salad that will help you enjoy it more. Eat the right food, but make sure that it tastes good too, instead of merely eating empty calories that don’t do anything for you.

Stretch
See how your dog or cat always stretches long and hard after a nap? A good stretch in the morning when you wake up, or when you have been sitting for a long time is a very good habit to incorporate, as it provides your muscles with the necessary movement after prolonged inactivity.

Notice your pet’s posture
Look at how erect your cat holds her head or how beautifully she walks. Most people around us can’t sit, stand or walk with good postures due to years and years of misusing our bodies. If you’ve got a bad posture, correct it now!

Our pets provide us with great insight into how nature intended us to be and how we have become. Learn from them, it’s an enjoyable experience.

Your #smartphone can #diagnose #depression

Worried if that persistent sadness is something more serious? Your smartphone may have a diagnosis.

For those battling depression, negativity is sometimes best repressed. Wearing one’s best face might take some courage, but brushing despair under the carpet could have its own side effects.Seeking therapy is taboo for some.For others, it is too absolute an admission. Technology, though, is again claiming to have come to the rescue. Scientists have found that people with depression can now be diagnosed by their smartphone behavior.

Research at Northwestern University in Illinois, US, studied 28 people, half with depression. It claimed 87 per cent success in diagnosis and in identifying those with depressive symptoms. The findings come as a revelation, but they are also a warning of sorts. People suffering depression, the research found, used their phones four times more than those who were free of the illness.

GPS tracking on the phones revealed that depressed people were likely to visit fewer physical locations. They spent more time at home and were less likely to have a regular routine.Those depressed spent an average of 68 minutes a day staring at their smartphones or similar devices.

Director of the Centre for Behavioral Intervention Technologies at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, David Mohr, believes that depressed people were turning to their phones to perhaps “avoid thinking about things that are troubling them.” The senior author of the study goes on to add, “The significance of this is we can detect if a person has depressive symptoms and the severity of those symptoms without asking them any questions.We now have an objective measure of behavior related to depression.”

The research did at times seem to rely on assumptions. For instance, when people are depressed, they tend to withdraw and don’t have the motivation or energy to go out and do things. But Mohr cited these symptoms as proof: “The data showing depressed people tended not to go many places reflects the loss of motivation seen in depression.” The study, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, analyzed the GPS locations and phone usage for 20 women and eight men with an average age of 29 over two weeks. The sensor tracked GPS locations every five minutes.

Participants were expected to complete a standardized questionnaire about symptoms used to diagnose depression such as sadness, loss of pleasure, hopelessness, disturbances in sleep and appetite, and difficulty concentrating. Research also found that smartphone data was more reliable in detecting depression than daily questions participants answered about how sad they were feeling on a scale of 1 to 10, which could be rehearsed.

Postdoctoral fellow and computer scientist Sohrob Saeb developed algorithms using the GPS and phone usage data collected from the phone, and correlated these with the subjects’ depression test results said: “We will see if we can reduce symptoms of depression by encouraging people to visit more locations throughout the day, have a more regular routine, spend more time in a variety of places or reduce mobile phone use.” An extension of your personality until yesterday, the smartphone, it seems, can now also an extension of the psyche.