Author: News Updates

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WHAT REALLY ARE VACCINES?

BY: VAIBHAVI MENON

A vaccine is a biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe, its toxins, or one of its surface proteins. The agent stimulates the body’s immune system to recognize the agent as a threat, destroy it, and to further recognize and destroy any of the microorganisms associated with that agent that it may encounter in the future. Vaccines can be prophylactic (to prevent or ameliorate the effects of a future infection by a natural or “wild” pathogen), or therapeutic (to fight a disease that has already occurred, such as cancer).

The administration of vaccines is called vaccination. Vaccination is the most effective method of preventing infectious diseases; widespread immunity due to vaccination is largely responsible for the worldwide eradication of smallpox and the restriction of diseases such as polio, measles, and tetanus from much of the world. The effectiveness of vaccination has been widely studied and verified; for example, vaccines that have proven effective include the influenza vaccine, the HPV vaccine, and the chicken pox vaccine. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that licensed vaccines are currently available for twenty-five different preventable infections. The terms vaccine and vaccination are derived from Variolae vaccinae (smallpox of the cow), the term devised by Edward Jenner (who both developed the concept of vaccines and created the first vaccine) to denote cowpox. He used the phrase in 1798 for the long title of his Inquiry into the Variolae vaccinae Known as the Cow Pox, in which he described the protective effect of cowpox against smallpox. In 1881, to honor Jenner, Louis Pasteur proposed that the terms should be extended to cover the new protective inoculations then being developed. The science of vaccine development and production is termed vaccinology. There is overwhelming scientific consensus that vaccines are a very safe and effective way to fight and eradicate infectious diseases. The immune system recognizes vaccine agents as foreign, destroys them, and “remembers” them. When the virulent version of an agent is encountered, the body recognizes the protein coat on the virus, and thus is prepared to respond, by first neutralizing the target agent before it can enter cells, and secondly by recognizing and destroying infected cells before that agent can multiply to vast numbers. Limitations to their effectiveness, nevertheless, exist. Sometimes, protection fails because of vaccine-related failure such as failures in vaccine attenuation, vaccination regimes or administration or host-related failure due to host’s immune system simply does not respond adequately or at all. Lack of response commonly results from genetics, immune status, age, health or nutritional status. It also might fail for genetic reasons if the host’s immune system includes no strains of B cells that can generate antibodies suited to reacting effectively and binding to the antigens associated with the pathogen.

Even if the host does develop antibodies, protection might not be adequate; immunity might develop too slowly to be effective in time, the antibodies might not disable the pathogen completely, or there might be multiple strains of the pathogen, not all of which are equally susceptible to the immune reaction. However, even a partial, late, or weak immunity, such as a one resulting from cross-immunity to a strain other than the target strain, may mitigate an infection, resulting in a lower mortality rate, lower morbidity, and faster recovery. Adjuvants commonly are used to boost immune response, particularly for older people whose immune response to a simple vaccine may have weakened.

ARRANGED MARRIAGES

BY: VAIBHAVI MENON

Arranged marriage is a type of marital union where the bride and groom are primarily selected by individuals other than the couple themselves, particularly by family members such as the parents. In some cultures a professional matchmaker may be used to find a spouse for a young person. Arranged marriages have historically been prominent in many cultures. The practice remains common in many regions, notably South Asia, though in many other parts of the world, the practice has declined substantially during the 19th and 20th centuries. Forced marriages, practiced in some families, are condemned by the United Nations, and is not an arranged marriage. The specific sub-category of forced child marriage is especially condemned. In other cultures people mostly choose their own partner.

Arranged marriages were very common throughout the world until the 18th century. Typically, marriages were arranged by parents, grandparents or other relatives. Some historical exceptions are known, such as courtship and betrothal rituals during the Renaissance period of Italy and Gandharva Vivah in the Vedic period of India. In China, arranged marriages sometimes called blind marriages were the norm before the mid-20th century. A marriage was a negotiation and decision between parents and other older members of two families. The boy and girl were typically told to get married, without a right to demur, even if they had never met each other until the wedding day. Arranged marriages were the norm in Russia before the early 20th century, most of which were endogamous. Until the first half of the 20th century, arranged marriages were common in migrant families in the United States. They were sometimes called “picture-bride marriages” among Japanese-American immigrants because the bride and groom knew each other only through the exchange of photographs before the day of their marriage. These marriages among immigrants were typically arranged by parents, or relatives from the country of their origin. As immigrants settled in and melded into a new culture, arranged marriages shifted first to quasi-arranged marriages where parents or friends made introductions and the couple met before the marriage; over time, the marriages among the descendants of these immigrants shifted to autonomous marriages driven by individual’s choice, dating and courtship preferences, along with an increase in interracial marriages. Similar historical dynamics are claimed in other parts of the world. Arranged marriages have declined in prosperous countries with social mobility and increasing individualism; nevertheless, arranged marriages are still seen in countries of Europe and North America, among royal families, aristocrats and minority religious groups such as in placement marriage among Fundamentalist Mormon groups of the United States. In most other parts of the world, arranged marriages continue to varying degrees and increasingly in quasi-arranged form, along with autonomous marriages.

A woman who refuses to go through with an arranged marriage, tries to leave an arranged marriage via divorce or is suspected of any kind of immoral behaviour, may be considered to have dishonored her entire family. This being the case, her male relatives may be ridiculed or harassed and any of her siblings may find it impossible to enter into a marriage. In these cases, killing the woman is a way for the family to enforce the institution of arranged marriages. Unlike cases of domestic violence, honor killings are often done publicly for all to see and there are frequently family members involved in the act.

EFFECT OF MASS MEDIA ON MILLENIALS

BY: VAIBHAVI MENON

Individuals that fall into this generation known as “millennials” are particularly interesting to look into the effects of increased media presence, because they are the generation that is constantly surrounded with updated technology. These individuals are the group of people that are regularly online, taking full advantage of these resources; it has become not just a part of their life but their life in its entirety. Everything this generation does is centered on the Internet, whereas someone from an older generation grew up in a different kind of life, so the effects aren’t nearly as drastic or as meaningful. Millenials are the ones that have grown up with the presence of mass digital media in their lives and were the ones constantly subjected to the consequences of this presence while also adapting to new and improved technologies every day.

The existence of the smartphone has completely altered how this group of individuals interacts and participates in society, because they are the ones who stay constant with the progressions in technology and getting the new “iPhone” every time it is released. “The arrival of the smartphone has radically changed every aspect of teenagers’ lives, from the nature of their social interactions to their mental health. These changes have affected young people in every corner of the nation and in every type of household. The trends appear among teens poor and rich; of every ethnic background; in cities, suburbs, and small towns. Where there are cell towers, there are teens living their lives on their smartphone.” (Twenge). This age group is subjected to a life filled with mass media and technology every day, which results in different circumstances and different lives in comparison to older generations. There is a fundamental difference in how this generation and older generations process, analyze and understand information while they function in society. Comparing those who weren’t raised on the power of a smartphone and in the age of media constantly in your face to those who were, the contrast becomes quite clear.

Media messages can have a negative or unhealthy influence on teenage behavior and attitudes in certain areas, including body image, health and citizenship. Body image :- Your child’s body image is influenced by social media, other media and advertising. If teenagers see unrealistic ‘thin’ or ‘muscly’ body types often enough in the media they follow, it can have an impact on their body image and dieting behavior. This is especially true when there’s no-one to disagree with messages like ‘thin is beautiful’. Health and lifestyle :- Social media and other media can influence the decisions that teenagers make about their health and lifestyle. For example, media messages and content can make it look ‘normal’, cool or grown-up to eat junk food, smoke, drink alcohol and take other drugs. Citizenship:-To be responsible citizens, teenagers need reliable and good-quality information. But social media and other media are sometimes used in negative ways during elections and at other times. For example, ‘fake news’ might influence teenagers to believe false information about a politician, public figure or celebrity. Or sometimes online forums promote biased or hateful attitudes towards groups of people.

PHOBIA

BY: VAIBHAVI MENON

A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder defined by a persistent and excessive fear of an object or situation. Phobias typically, result in a rapid onset of fear and are present for more than six months. Those affected will go to great lengths to avoid the situation or object, to a degree greater than the actual danger posed. If the object or situation cannot be avoided, they experience significant distress. Other symptoms can include fainting, which may occur in blood or injury phobia, and panic attacks, which are often found in agoraphobia. Around 75% of those with phobias have multiple phobias.

Phobias can be divided into specific phobias, social phobia, and agoraphobia. Specific phobias include those to certain animals, natural environment situations, blood or injury, and specific situations. The most common are fear of spiders, fear of snakes, and fear of heights. Specific phobias may be caused by a negative experience with the object or situation in early childhood. Social phobia is when a person fears a situation due to worries about others judging them. Agoraphobia is a fear of a situation due to a difficulty or inability to escape. It is recommended that specific phobias be treated with exposure therapy, in which the person is introduced to the situation or object in question until the fear resolves. Medications are not useful for specific phobias. Social phobia and agoraphobia are often treated with some combination of counselling and medication. Medications used include antidepressants, benzodiazepines, or beta-blockers. Specific phobias affect about 6–8% of people in the Western world and 2–4% of people in Asia, Africa, and Latin America in a given year. Social phobia affects about 7% of people in the United States and 0.5–2.5% of people in the rest of the world. Agoraphobia affects about 1.7% of people. Women are affected by phobias about twice as often as men. Typically, the onset of a phobia is around the ages of 10–17, and rates are lower with increasing age. Those with phobias are at a higher risk of suicide. There are various methods used to treat phobias. These methods include systematic desensitization, progressive relaxation, virtual reality, modeling, medication and hypnotherapy. The good news is that over the past several decades, psychologists and other researchers have developed some effective behavioral and pharmacological treatments for phobia, as well as technological interventions.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be beneficial by allowing the person to challenge dysfunctional thoughts or beliefs by being mindful of their own feelings, with the aim that the person will realize that his or her fear is irrational. CBT may be conducted in a group setting. Gradual desensitization treatment and CBT are often successful, provided the person is willing to endure some discomfort. In one clinical trial, 90% of people were observed to no longer have a phobic reaction after successful CBT treatment. There is evidence that supports that eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is effective in treating some phobias. Its effectiveness in treating complex or trauma-related phobias has not been empirically established yet. Mainly used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, EMDR has been demonstrated as effective in easing phobia symptoms following a specific trauma, such as a fear of dogs following a dog bite

TOXIC MASCULINITY

BY: VAIBHAVI MENON

The concept of toxic masculinity is used in academic and media discussions of masculinity to refer to certain cultural norms that are associated with harm to society and men themselves. Traditional stereotypes of men as socially dominant, along with related traits such as misogyny and homophobia, can be considered “toxic” due in part to their promotion of violence, including sexual assault and domestic violence. The socialization of boys in patriarchal societies often normalizes violence, such as in the saying “boys will be boys” about bullying and aggression. Self-reliance and emotional repression are correlated with increased psychological problems in men such as depression, increased stress, and substance use disorders. Toxic masculine traits are characteristic of the unspoken code of behavior among men in prisons, where they exist in part as a response to the harsh conditions of prison life.

Other traditionally masculine traits such as devotion to work, pride in excelling at sports, and providing for one’s family, are not considered to be “toxic”. The concept was originally used by authors associated with the mythopoetic men’s movement such as Shepherd Bliss to contrast stereotypical notions of masculinity with a “real” or “deep” masculinity that they say men have lost touch within modern society. Critics of the term argue that its meaning incorrectly implies that gender-related issues are caused by inherent male traits. The concept of toxic masculinity, or certain formulations of it, has been criticized by some conservatives as an undue condemnation of traditional masculinity, and by some feminists as an essentialist concept that ignores the role of choice and context in causing harmful behaviors and attitudes related to masculinity. toxic masculine norms are a feature of life for men in American prisons, where they are reflected in the behavior of both staff and inmates. The qualities of extreme self-reliance, domination of other men through violence, and avoiding the appearance of either femininity or weakness, comprise an unspoken code among prisoners. Suppressing vulnerable emotions is often adopted to successfully cope with the harsh conditions of prison life, defined by punishment, social isolation, and aggression. These factors likely play a role in suicide among male prisoners. Toxic masculinity can also take the form of bullying of boys by their peers and domestic violence directed toward boys at home. The often violent socialization of boys produces psychological trauma through the promotion of aggression and lack of interpersonal connection. Such trauma is often disregarded, such as in the saying “boys will be boys” about bullying. The promotion of idealized masculine roles emphasizing toughness, dominance, self-reliance, and the restriction of emotion can begin as early as infancy. Such norms are transmitted by parents, other male relatives, and members of the community. Media representations of masculinity on websites such as YouTube often promote similar stereotypical gender roles.

The concept of toxic masculinity has also been criticized from a feminist perspective. Andrea Waling and Michael Salter have argued that the concept of “toxic masculinity” in contradistinction to “healthy masculinity” emerged from a misunderstanding of Raewyn Connell’s 1987 work on hegemonic masculinity. To Waling, “toxic masculinity” is problematic because it presents men as victims of an unavoidable pathology, an essentialist approach that ignores the surrounding social and material context and the personal responsibility of men. Instructing men to practice “healthy masculinity” dismisses androgyny and adopting aspects of femininity as valid options for men, thereby perpetuating gender binaries and privileging masculinity over femininity.

TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS

BY: VAIBHAVI MENON

A toxic relationship as “any relationship [between people who] don’t support each other, where there’s conflict and one seeks to undermine the other, where there’s competition, where there’s disrespect and a lack of cohesiveness.” While every relationship goes through ups and downs, a toxic relationship is consistently unpleasant and draining for the people in it, to the point that negative moments outweigh and outnumber the positive ones. Toxic relationships are mentally, emotionally and possibly even physically damaging to one or both participants. And these relationships don’t have to be romantic, friendly, familial and professional relationships can all be toxic as well. people who consistently undermine or cause harm to a partner — whether intentionally or not — often have a reason for their behavior, even if it’s subconscious. “Maybe they were in a toxic relationship, either romantically or as a child. Maybe they didn’t have the most supportive, loving upbringing.” “They could have been bullied in school. They could be suffering from an undiagnosed mental health disorder, such as depression or anxiety or bipolar disorder, an eating disorder, any form of trauma.”

Even good relationships take work. After all, our significant other, our close friends, and even our parents aren’t perfect (and, oddly enough, they may not see us as perfect either). We have to learn how to accommodate and adapt to their idiosyncrasies, their faults, their moods, etc., just as they must learn how to do the same with us. And it’s worth it. Some relationships, however, are more difficult and require proportionately more work. We are not clones but individuals, and some individuals in relationships are going to have more difficulties, more disagreements. But because we value these relationships we’re willing to make the effort it takes to keep them. And then there are toxic relationships. These relationships have mutated themselves into something that has the potential, if not corrected, to be extremely harmful to our well being. These relationships are not necessarily hopeless, but they require substantial and difficult work if they are to be changed into something healthy. The paradox is that in order to have a reasonable chance to turn a toxic relationship into a healthy relationship, we have to be prepared to leave it (more about this later). The importance of understanding what defines a toxic relationship is elevated in a global pandemic.

Pandemic precautions have us spending more time at home. Many of us have lost the outlets that bring balance to our social, physical, and mental health–work, friends, the gym, school. Isolation at home can shed new light on the indicators that a relationship is toxic, meaning recent months have been key in identifying unhealthy patterns in our relationships. In April 2020, the Journal of Clinical Nursing reported that “home can be a place where dynamics of power can be distorted and subverted. Often without scrutiny from anyone ‘outside’ the couple or the family unit. In the COVID‐19 crisis, the exhortation to ‘stay at home’ therefore has major implications for those adults and children already living with someone who is abusive or controlling.”

ZODIAC SHAMING

BY: VAIBHAVI MENON

If you’re the type of person who thinks astrology is garbage, this entire line of thinking is your personal hell. It’s bad enough that people believe their personalities are based on the planetary alignment at the time of their birth. Now they’re casting off whole groups of people based on that same deranged paradigm? If you’re the type of person who thinks astrology is garbage, this entire line of thinking is your personal hell. It’s bad enough that people believe their personalities are based on the planetary alignment at the time of their birth. Now they’re casting off whole groups of people based on that same deranged paradigm? In China, zodiac discrimination is a well-documented problem. A 2017 study found that 4.3 percent of college students surveyed reported suffering employment-based discrimination because of their astrological sign (Western and/or Chinese). Constellation-based recruitment has its own entry in Baidu Baiku, otherwise known as Chinese Wikipedia. Close to 30 percent of Americans now believe in astrology, a number that’s been rising steadily. Who knows how long it’ll take before zodiac discrimination becomes an institutionalized problem here?

Not all forms of labelling or grouping are bad. You can still use the zodiac to make judgements about people, R but they should be holistic, non-prescriptive observations — ones that take people’s whole selves into account. Instead of writing people off because they’re Scorpios or Geminis. People are their sign, but they’re also far more than their sign. Behavior exists on a spectrum. Just because Virgos are thought of as anal doesn’t mean they all want a vacuum cleaner for Christmas. Writing anyone off without taking time to know them isn’t just unethical, it’s a boring way to live. Obviously discrimination based on, say, racial lines, is far more pronounced in society, not to mention negative. Most astrology signs don’t outright call people stupid or lazy, though they do imply weaknesses and temperent as well as strengths. But both are arbitrary categorizations for personality that utterly lack evidence or rationale. If you believe in astrology, and truly believe that the month someone was born in determines their personality, you are prejudging people based on when their birthday is. And as ridiculous as that sounds, there are still people who pay money to see their horoscopes and make life decisions based on them, including having their perspective and behavior toward others adjust based on each person’s signs. The basic premise of astrology is that people who were born at certain times and places share distinguishing personality characteristics. Libras, for example, are said to be diplomatic, refined, idealistic, and sociable; Capricorns are responsible, disciplined, hard-working, demanding, and so on. Tens of millions of people know something about their sun signs and read their daily horoscopes. There are some interesting parallels between racism and astrology. For one thing, in both cases a person is being judged by factors beyond their control. Just as a person has no control over his or her race or skin color, they also have no control over when and where they were born. In both cases, there is a framework of belief that says, “Without even meeting or knowing you, I believe something about you:   I can expect this particular sort of behavior or traits (sneakiness, laziness, arrogance, etc.) from members of this particular group of people (Jews, blacks, Aries, etc.)” When an astrologer meets a person and finds out that person’s astrological sign, she will bring to that experience a pre-existing list of assumptions (prejudices) about that person’s behavior, personality, and character. In both cases, the prejudices will cause people to seek out and confirm their expectations. Racists will look for examples of anti-social behaviors in the groups they dislike, and astrologers will look for the personality traits that they believe the person will exhibit. Since people have complex personalities (all of us are lazy some of the time, caring at other times, etc.), both racists and astrologers will find evidence to confirm their beliefs.

What is trying to be conveyed here is that zodiac signs or anything else that can be used as a form of discrimination should be avoided. No one deserves to be treated in this manner for these reasons. It definitely shouldn’t be acceptable.

LESSONS TO LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC

The coronavirus pandemic has brought drastic changes upon us. The world is caught up in an unprecedented situation and every new day brings us a ton of challenges. People in every remote corner of the world have been affected by the pandemic situation. It has become really hard to step out of the house without fear and a mask, let alone enjoy vacation getaways. International travel has been restricted to very important reasons only. Country after country, continent after continent is grappling under the deathly waves of COVID-19. Hospitals are brimming with COVID positive patients and finding a bed for a sick family member or relative has become harder than finding a diamond! There is shortage of basic resources everywhere and procuring basic common consumer and commercial commodities has also become quite difficult. The nation’s doctors are working 24 X 7 to save and cure the dying. Police forces and military squads have been deployed on duty day and night and these forces are patrolling the cities very vigilantly without the wink of an eye. People are rarely stepping out in the public unless really necessary. Public gatherings, cultural festivals and gatherings in all probable hotspots that the virus might spread in have been cancelled. The quintessential outdoor exercises and activities are cut off, and excessive care is being taken about infection via public contact. People are switching to at-home workouts and recreational activities, skipping any chance of going outside their safe abode. All the restaurant afficionados are moving towards cooking at home to reduce any miniscule risk of contamination due to any random tiny trigger. Such has become the awareness of people that they don’t dare roam out on the streets or touch their face or food without sanitising themselves. The employment sector has been hit hard by the pandemic. Millions of people around the world have lost their jobs. The circumstances are harder for the daily wage workers, as most of these families live hand to mouth.

In this chaotic situation, a lot has changed with respect to the thoughts, views and perspective of humans. People now seem to have developed a sense of humanity. Their response towards others’ problems and plight have softened. Maybe a part of this owes to this terrible pandemic, that people have realized how important it is to maintain people and relations, because it is in absolute necessity that we realise how these relations come to the rescue. Though the pandemic has difficulties made living difficult, it has nurtured people together and brought them closer, too. Some of the COVID learnings this far:

  • Life is precious. The fatal disease has made us realize the utter importance of life. It is really difficult to maintain a healthy life with good physical, stable mental and strong emotional health. The pandemic has taught us to handle anything patiently and maturely.
  • Every problem is an opportunity for a solution. The lockdown came with a number of adversities. Facing and tackling these issues has taught us that every problem has a solution and if not, at least an alternative way of approach.
  • Life blows us away with shocks, but also presents us with a coping mechanism. Though the effect of the advent of coronavirus has been stressful and at times depressing, it has also given us the strength to come to terms with the intensity of the situation and has subtly hinted towards finding solutions to daily problems.
  • When nature realizes it is time for a much-needed break, there is no disagreeing to that. Well, nature has its own ways of restoring and balancing itself, even if that means changing the course of the way the world works.
  • When problems strike hard, give time for things to heal. Initially, there was havoc everywhere regarding the world’s functioning. Slowly, as people accepted the situation and acted on it, they found solutions. Although these solutions are not totally efficient, they sure have bridged the gap to be good enough to suffice.

The world is full of problems and equal opportunities. If we choose to learn and grow out of these, we’ll live happier and contented. The pandemic has made us realize how important it is to live a fulfilling life, and we ought to make the fullest of every moment!

THE POWER OF SUPERFOODS

The world around us is filled with a lollapalooza of relishing, scrumptious dishes which titillate the taste buds of any person around. Earlier, plating any presentable dish was considered a herculean task and was mostly left to the lavish restauranteurs and pro-chefs or artistic people. However, the generation-z has amped up the presentation part of these dishes. So every corner of every city now has a number of eateries offering these delicious-looking dishes. But if we consider these food items from the nutrition perspective, how many of them will actually pass the barrier? Just as the current generation hoots for photogenic food pictures to post on their social media accounts or blog pages, people are on the lookout for healthy and nutritious dishes and food products which they can enjoy without any guilt. The time constraint of today’s world is another factor which demands for a quick, wholesome and healthy dish loaded with all the right ingredients which they can have on the go. This has led to innovation in the kitchens and research laboratories and modern novel food innovators have come up many options for right snacking and all-healthy-and-green options for the calorie conscious crowd. These unique foods are either fusion recipes of traditional dishes with healthier components, or alternative ingredient products of processed and packaged foods or totally new inventions. They are surely capturing the market with a steady and commendable speed, and have exactly eyed and presented to today’s consumers what they are looking for – a tasty food item with the goodness of the daily nutritional requirement and devoid of unhealthy food elements. Most of these superfoods are in ubiquitous use in traditional kitchens, but their potential was not really highlighted until their processed or revamped versions stocked the market shelves. These are simple and easily available. In this article, I have steered attention at a few of my favourite superfoods. Let’s have a look at them.

Moringa: Moringa has made headlines as the newly recognized superfood in town. Many of us have been eating the vegetable of this plant, colloquially known as the drumstick plant too. Moringa is easy to cultivate, as it doesn’t require much water and the plant grows fast. Studies show that this powerful plant is a great source of antioxidants and has anti-ulcer, analgesic and antihypertensive properties. Moringa powder has a mild, earthy taste and blends well with most of the food components to give a refreshing taste. It is high in protein, and contains a good amount of vitamins A and C. Usually, people add moringa to tea preparations or into smoothies for a nice, fresh and healthy drink.

Foxnuts: Foxnuts or makhana are the new snacking delicacy. Foxnuts are packed with myriads of healthy nutrients. Makhana is high in protein and fibre, and low in fats and calories. It also contains essential minerals like magnesium, phosphorous and potassium and is low in sodium. Foxnuts are abundant in antioxidants and help with revitalizing the skin. Foxnuts help in detoxifying the body. They are low in glycemic index. Makhana is usually consumed as a roasted and spiced up or seasoned snack.

We are supplemented with so many beneficial food ingredients in nature. With the intensity and quality of research today, we will discover many more such superfoods with great nutritional value. It is now our responsibility to dig deep into nature’s little secrets and find elements of precious value and use to us.

DARK WEB

BY: VAIBHAVI MENON

The dark web is the hidden collective of internet sites only accessible by a specialized web browser. It is used for keeping internet activity anonymous and private, which can be helpful in both legal and illegal applications. While some use it to evade government censorship, it has also been known to be utilized for highly illegal activity. The dark web refers to sites that are not indexed and only accessible via specialized web browsers. Significantly smaller than the tiny surface web, the dark web is considered a part of the deep web. Using our ocean and iceberg visual, the dark web would be the bottom tip of the submerged iceberg. The dark web, however, is a very concealed portion of the deep web that few will ever interact with or even see. In other words, the deep web covers everything under the surface that’s still accessible with the right software, including the dark web. It is not illegal to access the dark web. In fact, some uses are perfectly legal and support the value of the “dark web.” On the dark web, users can seek out three clear benefits from its use. User anonymity, Virtually untraceable services and site, Ability to take illegal actions for both users and providers As such, the dark web has attracted many parties who would otherwise be endangered by revealing their identities online. Abuse and persecution victims, whistleblowers, and political dissidents have been frequent users of these hidden sites. But of course, these benefits can be easily extended to those that want to act outside of the constraints of laws in other explicitly illegal ways.

When viewed through this lens, the dark web’s legality is based on how you as a user engage with it. You might fall to the wayside of legal lines for many reasons that are important for the protection of freedom. Others may act in ways that are illegal for the protection and safety of others. On the network end, the dark web is a bit more of a grey area. The use of the dark web usually means that you are attempting to engage in activity that you could not otherwise carry out in the public eye. For government critics and other outspoken advocates, they may fear backlash if their real identities were discovered. For those who have endured harm at the hands of others, they may not want their attackers to discover their conversations about the event. If an activity is deemed illegal by the governing bodies you fall under, then it would be illegal. That said, anonymity comes with a dark side since criminals and malicious hackers also prefer to operate in the shadows. For example, cyberattacks and trafficking are activities that the participants know will be incriminating. They take these actions to the dark web to hide for this reason. The Tor network makes it easier to hide your identity and allows people to anonymously create and host onion services. As a result, criminals often use the dark web to buy and sell illicit goods and services. Darknet marketplaces can be surprisingly similar to sites you find on the surface web—complete with limited-time sales, customer reviews and advertisements for organic products. However, criminals use these marketplaces to sell illegal products and services, including drugs, weapons and hacking software. Many identity thieves and hacking groups make money selling the information they steal on the dark web. The value of the information can vary greatly depending on what’s being sold.

While there’s no way to ensure all your information stays private, putting protective measures in place can help. Knowing if and when your information is compromised can also help you respond quickly—before too much damage is done. 

WHAT ENSURES THE SAFETY OF OUR FOOD?

Technology has given the Midas touch to almost every sector today. With its far and deep reach, technology has made work efficient and hassle-free. The food industry has gained enormous momentum with its introduction, and many novel products and applications are currently being used in the foods sector. But the downside of modern technology is the cut throat competition that has grown with it and the food sector, too, hasn’t been spared in this regard. With advanced machinery and new substitute ingredients and methods replacing old, slow and expensive ones, many industries have been vested with the power to produce a hefty amount of goods in a short and stipulated amount of time, and with good accuracy too. This has led to huge cost cutting, and manufacturers in search of ways to optimise their product prices have found ingredient modification or manipulation as an effective means to bring down its cost, while keeping the sensory attributes of the product intact. All this noted, there arise concerns over product quality and safety if synthetic ingredients or chemical substances are used in food products. There need to be a set of rules and laws governing the usage of components and techniques in commercial food manufacturing, processing, packaging and storage.

 Almost every packaged food product that we buy made in the commercial market today (not specifying the local food shops or marts) contains the fssai mark. What does the fssai mark on packaged foods ensure?

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is a statutory body established under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare under the Government of India. This body governs and regulates the supervision of food safety. The objective of fssai is to assure safe and nutritious food and inspire trust in the hearts of the common Indian consumer, that the food he/she eats is safe and completely free of hazards. This ensures that the Indian consumer is a part of the food manufacturing process, though indirectly. The mark indicates that the manufacturers also involve in good manufacturing practices and their packaged products are devoid of any adulteration. The body goes by ‘One Nation, One Food Law’:

  • Have globally benchmarked food standards and practices
  • Ensure consistency in enforcement
  • Manage food testing with standardised testing methods and protocols.

The Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 was passed in order to accentuate food laws and establish the fssai to lay down standards and specifications related on food and related articles in science and regulate/keep watch on every step of the process from procuring raw material to the finished food product reaching the customer with minimal damage. This includes manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import, and ensures that the available food to be consumed is safe and wholesome, and takes care of the rules and regulations designed thereof. A number of Food Safety and Standards Regulations have been set up to confine food manufacturers to food grade limits and maintain the quality of food being served on the consumer’s platter. Many other certifications and certifying bodies have been approved and set up by the Government or international bodies, too, to keep up food quality. These bodies audit industrial units or food company units to check if all the components being used in a food industry are well within the required/proper specifications and roll out a report to the producers regarding what they can improve, what they can control or what they can modify to enhance the overall quality of the product and the unit.

Controlling and keeping up the safety and quality of packaged and processed food is a tumultuous task, and it can be daunting to make even the slightest of mistake in the sector, as this can put thousands of lives in jeopardy, but regulating bodies ensure that the end consumer’s safety is well protected and cared for.

CANCEL CULTURE

BY: VAIBHAVI MENON

“It Isn’t Hate to Speak the Truth.” Cancel culture or call-out culture is a modern form of ostracism in which someone is thrust out of social or professional circles whether it be online, on social media, or in person. The expression “cancel culture” has mostly negative connotations and is commonly used in debates on free speech and censorship. The notion of cancel culture is a variant on the term call-out culture and constitutes a form of boycotting or shunning involving an individual (often a celebrity) who is deemed to have acted or spoken in a questionable or controversial manner. The concept of cancel culture has been criticized on the grounds that people claiming to have been “cancelled” often remain in power and continue their careers as before. The practice has also been defended as an exercise of free speech.

To many people, this process of publicly calling for accountability, and boycotting if nothing else seems to work, has become an important tool of social justice — a way of combatting, through collective action, some of the huge power imbalances that often exist between public figures with far-reaching platforms and audiences, and the people and communities their words and actions may harm. But conservative politicians and pundits have increasingly embraced the argument that cancel culture, rather than being a way of speaking truth to power, has spun out of control and become a senseless form of social media mob rule. At the 2020 Republican National Convention, for example, numerous speakers, including President Trump, addressed cancel culture directly, and one delegate resolution even explicitly targeted the phenomenon, describing it as having “grown into erasing of history, encouraging lawlessness, muting citizens, and violating free exchange of ideas, thoughts, and speech.” Actually ending someone’s career through the power of public backlash is difficult. Few entertainers or other public figures have truly been canceled — that is, while they may have faced considerable negative criticism and calls to be held accountable for their statements and actions, very few of them have truly experienced career-ending repercussions. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, for example, has faced intense criticism from her own fans since she began to voice transphobic beliefs, making her one of the most prominently “canceled” individuals at the center of the cancel culture debate. But following Rowling’s publication, in June 2020, of a transphobic manifesto, sales of the author’s books actually increased tremendously in her home country of Great Britain. As ideological divides seem more and more insurmountable, the line between the personal and the political is vanishing for many people. Even though cancel culture seems to generate few lasting consequences for celebrities and their careers, some people view it as part of a broader trend they find deeply disturbing: an inability to forgive and move on.

Nonetheless, that divide seems to be widening and growing more visible. And it isn’t purely a divide between ideologies, but also between tactical approaches in navigating ideological differences and dealing with wrongdoing. The view that a traditional approach — apology, atonement, and forgiveness — is no longer enough might be startling. But to those who think of cancel culture as an extension of civil rights activists’ push for meaningful change, it’s an important tool. And it’s clear that, controversial as cancel culture is, it is here to stay.

DARK HUMOR

BY: VAIBHAVI MENON

Black comedy, also known as black humor, dark humor, dark comedy, morbid humor, edgy humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discuss. Writers and comedians often use it as a tool for exploring vulgar issues by provoking discomfort, serious thought, and amusement for their audience. Thus, in fiction, for example, the term black comedy can also refer to a genre in which dark humor is a core component. Popular themes of the genre include death, violence, slavery, genocide, discrimination, disease, and human sexuality.

Black comedy differs from both blue comedy—which focuses more on crude topics such as nudity, sex, and bodily fluids and from straightforward obscenity. Whereas the term black comedy is a relatively broad term covering humor relating to many serious subjects, gallows humor tends to be used more specifically in relation to death, or situations that are reminiscent of dying. Black humor can occasionally be related to the grotesque genre. Literary critics have associated black comedy and black humor with authors as early as the ancient Greeks with Aristophanes. Does dark humor make you laugh? You know, all those jokes about painful or taboo subjects such as death, disease, deformity, or sexuality? Well, researchers say that if you appreciate or indulge in dark humor, also known as morbid humor, black comedy or gallows humor, you are probably not just a genius, but also show lesser aggression and are less negative. Not everyone has the nerves or intelligence for morbid humor. You need the nerves because you are making fun of taboo subjects, and getting others to laugh along with you. And intelligence, because understanding dark humor demands astuteness since it is not as easy to understand as your regular everyday jokes. It requires unraveling intelligent word play, and also demands better emotional control so that you can distance yourself from the content and enjoy the joke! When you try to unravel a single word’s multiple meanings, you are pitting your brain’s left and right hemispheres against each other. Top that with trying to disentangle complex emotions about taboo subjects, as well as laugh at them – and you are right out of your emotional comfort zone! From high profile comedians to teens on TikTok, dark humor is a form of comedy utilized across all media platforms. It can bring people together to make light of an unfortunate situation and it can isolate those at the brunt end of the joke. The idea of dark humor is controversial at its core, especially considering that its subjects are often disputed. The harsh and edgy jokes are meant to poke fun at otherwise not humorous situations. 

One of the biggest components of dark humor is the ability of the user to draw on personal experiences, especially difficult ones, to bring levity to it and connect with others that have similar experiences. Race- or gender-based jokes can be funny when made by a person within the demographic of which they are making fun.  When a joke is made at the expense of others, it crosses the line and becomes offensive. This includes using slurs to describe marginalized groups. When the use of a slur is the only punchline, it is best to rethink the joke.  A good way to judge whether a joke relies solely on insulting a group is whether or not the person would make the same comment in front of those they are describing. If there is any hesitance in whether one would want another to hear or see it, then the joke should not be made in the first place. When making edgy commentary about a friend or family member, it is important to check with them first. Losing relationships is not worth a few laughs at the expense of a loved one.

MODERNIZATION IN AGRICULTURE

Everything we eat is sourced from nature. The plant kingdom has been generously providing us with nutritious and healthy foods to make a plethora of dishes. Earlier, historic people used to hunt animals or gather fruits and vegetables readily available in their living surroundings. These nomadic people moved places according to the availability of basic necessities. As humans started evolving, they realized that they could grow their own food by farming. Hence, people began staying static in settlements and farmed their own land. Agriculture later developed and advanced equipment were used for various farming processes. With time, these techniques were modified or replaced with newer ones which demanded lesser effort and yielded better output of production in return. This started revolutionizing traditional farming methods with more yield centric ones. Soon, farming as a livelihood turned into a booming production industry for an ever hungry world with rapidly growing population. Since almost all plant-based food was commercialized due to it being the starting material for many modern food industries, the agricultural sector came under a lot of pressure and focus for more and more food production to satisfy their needs. The quality of crops and fertility of land have reduced drastically with time, owing to continuous cultivation on the same land for numerous centuries and no opportunity for land replenishment. Extensive research was done to innovate and revamp agriculture into a mechanized and efficient process.

Today, farming practices have become highly advanced with a lot of machinery and equipment to lessen human efforts and errors. These methods check the box for sustainability too, doing lesser damage to crops as well as the environment. As a result of modern agricultural practices, the quality of produce has also improved. With the use of advanced technology, it has become possible to introduce certain desirable characteristics in a crop variety, and reduce or completely eliminate the shortcomings. This has been done with genetic manipulation/modification. To improve the aeration and air circulation of farming land and expose the useful soil bacteria to surrounding air, excessive tillage of land is done. Modern farming practices make use of fertilizers to increase the yield of crop. Earlier, synthetic fertilizers were used, but this led to leaching of harmful chemicals in the environment which had adverse effects on other components of nature. So, farmers were directed to make use of organic fertilizers which improved soil fertility as well as were environment-friendly. The use of better and well-planned irrigation technologies like sprinkle and drip irrigation have led to provision of adequate water to plants. These advanced irrigation methods make efficient use of water too. The use of pesticides has led to less crop damage by infestation, reducing invasion of vegetation through pests, and the result is healthful and productive plants. The practice of monocropping gradually lead to depletion of nutrients in the soil making it infertile. So, a lot of research has been done in this arena and recent studies have led to the practice of crop rotation, wherein a series of different types of crops are grown on the same land on a sequence of growing seasons. Usually, after cash crops are grown, leguminous plants are farmed on the same land to enhance soil fertility. This method restores the nutrient level of soil.

The agriculture area has witnessed a lot of modernization for good crop produce and environmental safety. Many more methods are being invented to make conventional farming mechanized, hassle free, environment friendly and sustainable. In the coming years, better use of the small portion of available land will be necessary to overcome shortage of agricultural land and highly developed techniques and technologies might provide the required push to agricultural practices.

TRANSFORMING COMMERCIAL FOOD THE HEALTHY WAY

Since social media has gained popularity and its use has become ubiquitous everywhere, it is quite obvious that trends and hashtags are in the boom. Communicating, comprehending and following are possible at the drop of a hat, and so when something new or revamped has reached people by the trend wave, it becomes massively famous – or rather say a cult following. A major trend that hit off in the recent years is the fitness and physique target, and we can see massive body transformations reeling all over social media pages. Well, many of them owe it to rigorous gym sessions, some to strict and controlled diet plans and some to major lifestyle changes (like healthy eating, sleep patterns, spirituality and sattvic living). Food manufacturing companies and big names in the market have also taken note of this and have put in substantial efforts and money into developing and refurbishing their product range to suit the requirements of the conscious consumer. These biggies have made major changes in their ingredient labels, nutritional charts and overall product composition, and supermarket shelves are now a healthier place for our grocery baskets and of course, our cravings. Most of these now-healthy products today promise a relishing, absolutely satisfying and guilt free eating experience, and they have truly made that transition to a commendable extent, if not the epitome of their sector.

Let us take an instance of companies selling instant noodles. A few years ago, this same product was on the frowny side of the healthiness scale, with maida as the major ingredient. But a lot of research and development efforts have led to the manufacturers opting for healthier and more nutritious grains like whole wheat and oats, with refined flour in minimal quantity or totally replaced. The frying process still remains similar to a great extent, but researchers are looking for a way to optimise the frying process too. Yet still, the frying process has been successfully replaced or highly modified in extruded snack products, wherein high pressure and temperature are applied rather than frying the product in oil and bringing its fat content to about 8-10%. These products contain minimal oil content in contrast to the conventional fried products, in which the fat content is about 25-30%. Extruded snacks have switched to blending better cereal meals too, like rice, corn and pulses. Fox nuts are emerging as a superfood product, with healthier processing options and high nutritional benefits. Whole wheat semolina is another everyday ingredient which has suited well to the requirements of the snacks segment. Oats have proven as a transformational and magical ingredient in many food items, with super health benefits and good blending properties with other cereals. With major inventios and developments in the food industry, many commercial products have changed their propositions from just ‘tasty’ to ‘healthy and tasty’, and have proved that not every healthy food item needs to taste obnoxious, rather quite the opposite of that. The sweets, bakery foods and confectionery section are going sugar-free and maida-free. They are cutting down or simply replacing empty calorie and unhealthy components and optimising preparation processes to make mouth-watering items, all similar in taste but with enhanced nutritional properties and adding sensible value to their consumption. Cakes and pastry items are switching to the goodness of components like better grains, sugar free options, natural sweeteners, dry fruits, minimal saturated fat ingredients. Frozen unsweetened yogurts are in great demand due to their gut-friendly composition and versatility in blinding with a large variety of fruits and flavours. Frozen dessert and ice cream makers are tilting towards sugar-free and low fat options. Biscuits and cookies are also transforming drastically into healthier versions of their original product formulations.

The products mentioned above are just the visible tip of a huge iceberg underneath the water surface. The way today’s food industry is remoulding itself will be greatly impactful in near and far future, and a range of products with sound taste and nutrition are in the line for a healthier diet and subsequently, a healthier tomorrow!