|
|
 |
| Sunday, 12 May 2002 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Talk of the town by Chitra Weerasinghe What are you gossiping about this week? asked an acquaintance. Gossiping? I was trying to fathom what that remark meant when she explained it related to my newspaper column which carries snippets of information on various 'happenings'
The dictionary defines a 'gossip' as 'one who goes about telling and hearing news'. But it could mean different things to different people. A psychologist, for example, would explain 'gossiping' as a person's way of wanting to be the centre of attraction. A company director I met believes it to be a good way of being in 'the know'; of gathering "important information." It could be about a problem in the office. If it is some "rumour an employee is spreading, that rumour-monger could be a dissatisfied person and that could have a negative effect on the work environment." If the dissatisfied person is someone who suffers from a feeling of inadequacy, if he feels he is being overlooked, something could be done to help him out and also solve any problems." And this director laughs: "You know I gossip too - the kind of chatter that occurs between friends over a cup of tea, a bottle of wine or a beer. That is harmless. That is the kind of gossip that belongs to the first of three categories gossip can be divided into." The second category according to him is when two people talk of a third who is not present which could lead to a positive or negative form of gossip. The third and the worst form of gossip is when it is vicious - when a conscious effort is made to slander a person. And what is most amazing is that the characteristics of gossip differ between men and women. Men are believed to be more concrete and discuss "personal items and other people's capacities" while women discuss "behaviours and relationships." Fruits and vegetables as disease fighters It is depressing. It really is, when someone tells you his/her relative or friend has died of cancer. And you begin to wonder whether that could not have been prevented.``If only I knew about it....." You hear those words being said after the worst has happened.
Cancer is said to develop over a long period of time which means you have decades in which to hinder its progress or promote it via your diet and lifestyle. ``What you eat may interfere with cancer growth at various stages for the antioxidants found in the vitamins and minerals in certain foods can snuff out substances" that make you prone to cancer or even "repair some of the cellular damage." One of the antioxidants that protects against cancer is betacarotene found in yellow, orange and deep green vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, brocolli, dark green lettuce and alliums such as garlic, onions and scallions. Other items containing cancer-fighting chemicals are tomatoes which has the antioxidant lycopene, also found in watermelons. A paucity of the latter in the blood could cause pancreatic cancer. Citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, lemons and limes also reduce pancreatic cancer and so do beans, chick peas, lentils, bok choy, cabbage cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and turnips. Sagara Lakmal De Mel's film on Vienna Boys Did you miss any of those splendid performances by the Vienna Boys Choir when they were here in March? If you did, you now have the opportunity to watch them on TV when director/producer Sagara Lakmal de Mel's two hour film on the 'great doings' of these boys is telecast over Rupavahini on May 11 and 18. "This film is in two episodes and includes some interesting facets of their stay at the Hilton Colombo, their performances, their tour of the island with interesting places like the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage and to the NCC Grounds where they gathered some useful hints on the art of playing cricket from Ranjith Fernando," says Sagara who had the exclusive rights to direct and produce this film. Cricketing chefs That practically everybody in Sri Lanka is mad about cricket can be judged from the queues of people on the pavements watching TV through shop windows, when matches are being played. And now, we have news of our chefs islandwide having their share of this game. They call it the 'Six-a-side-Cricket Tournament 2002'; it is being organised by the Chefs' Guild of Sri Lanka; and will be held at the Shalika Grounds, Narahenpita, on May 18. The matches will commence at 8 am and end at 6 pm and this will be followed by an awards ceremony. "This event is being organised for the chefs from the hotels and the food industry islandwide and the organisers are taking great pains to make it a grand event, says Jalan de Silva Vice President, (Social & Welfare) Chefs' Guild of Sri Lanka. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
But
the word 'gossip' set me thinking. Isn't gossiping something most of us do
at some time or the other? I reasoned. And then almost immediately I was
reminded of the 'good' and the 'bad' this six-letter word could do.
But
the good news, and that according to researchers, is that the daily
consumption of five or more helpings of fruits and vegetables could go a
long way in preventing the incidence of cancer - particularly as one-third
of all cancers - lung, stomach, bladder, colon, breast, cervix, oral
cavity and pancreas are all linked to diet. "Those who eat the most
fruits and vegetables have half the cancer rates than those who eat the
least."
