Reel trouble: Family dials helpline over 62-year-old's Insta addiction
Vadodara: When this 62-year-old woman from Manjalpur began skipping meals, losing sleep, and throwing tantrums, her family feared something serious. They assumed it was some age-related health ailment but were shocked to find that the culprit was Instagram reels.
Her family realized that the social media scrolling that began as a harmless pastime had spiraled into a dangerous addiction.
The elderly woman's withdrawals on being kept away from the phone reached such proportions that her son and daughter-in-law had to seek help of 181 Abhayam women's helpline.
The woman particularly followed reels posted by a certain influencer. Her night routine revolved around watching his videos, and she couldn't fall asleep without this digital 'dose'.
She would like, comment on, and eagerly await replies to her messages on his posts. On days when her comments were ignor, she would become upset, even refusing food.
Concerned over her mood swings, her family reached out to counsellors for intervention.
The couple decided to delete Instagram from her phone, but this worsened things. She got depressed and and got into quarrels with the couple, telling them to re-install the application.
The helpline sent a team, including counsellors, who interacted with the woman and the couple to get details on the situation.
The woman was advised to focus on family, meet people, pray, read, meditate, do light exercises and interact with people of her age. The couple were advised to spend more time with the woman and not leave her alone. They were also told to take the woman out, avoid putting unnecessary restrictions on her and to be compassionate.
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Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
Reel trouble: Family dials helpline over 62-year-old's Insta addiction
Vadodara: When this 62-year-old woman from Manjalpur began skipping meals, losing sleep, and throwing tantrums, her family feared something serious. They assumed it was some age-related health ailment but were shocked to find that the culprit was Instagram reels. Her family realized that the social media scrolling that began as a harmless pastime had spiraled into a dangerous addiction. The elderly woman's withdrawals on being kept away from the phone reached such proportions that her son and daughter-in-law had to seek help of 181 Abhayam women's helpline. The woman particularly followed reels posted by a certain influencer. Her night routine revolved around watching his videos, and she couldn't fall asleep without this digital 'dose'. She would like, comment on, and eagerly await replies to her messages on his posts. On days when her comments were ignor, she would become upset, even refusing food. Concerned over her mood swings, her family reached out to counsellors for intervention. The couple decided to delete Instagram from her phone, but this worsened things. She got depressed and and got into quarrels with the couple, telling them to re-install the application. The helpline sent a team, including counsellors, who interacted with the woman and the couple to get details on the situation. The woman was advised to focus on family, meet people, pray, read, meditate, do light exercises and interact with people of her age. The couple were advised to spend more time with the woman and not leave her alone. They were also told to take the woman out, avoid putting unnecessary restrictions on her and to be compassionate.
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
Leading biologist exposes what fuels cancer, and, no, it's not what most people think
credit: Instagram/@thomasseyfriedbc credit: Instagram/@thomasseyfriedbc 1 2 Cancer continues to be one of the most difficult diseases to treat, with ongoing research uncovering new dimensions of its biology. One such voice advocating a different lens to understanding cancer is Dr. Thomas N. Seyfried, a professor of biology at Boston College and a recognized authority in the field of cancer metabolism. ( source: Boston College, National Institute of Health) In a recent viral video, Dr. Seyfried deconstructs two biological compounds that, in his research, supply the growth of cancer: glucose and glutamine. His perspective conforms to the metabolic theory of cancer, which holds that cancer is derived more from aberrant cellular metabolism than from mutations in genes alone. A renowned researcher in cancer metabolism Dr. Seyfried received his Ph.D. in genetics and biochemistry from the University of Illinois and finished postdoctoral fellowships in the Department of Neurology at the Yale University School of Medicine. He is now a professor at Boston College, where he studies the ways in which cellular energy metabolism can drive cancer, epilepsy, and neurodegenerative disease development. His pioneering book, "Cancer as a Metabolic Disease," released in 2012, offers scientific proof that mitochondrial breakdown—not genetic mutation—is the underlying cause of most cancers. What does his expertise say? Glucose: It nourishes your tumor Dr. Seyfried maintains that glucose is the major fuel for cancer cells. In contrast to healthy cells, which have the flexibility to cycle between burning sugar and fat, cancer cells depend nearly completely on sugar. This characteristic makes them susceptible to interventions that lower blood glucose, including ketogenic diets or fasting. This concept is derived from the Warburg Effect, a discovery made by Nobel Prize Winner Otto Warburg, where cancer cells have abnormally high glucose metabolism even when oxygen is present. Glutamine: The secret fuel The second fuel is glutamine, an amino acid that tumors use to keep growing even during glucose starvation. Glutamine sustains key processes that fuel cancer cell growth and evade immune responses. Dr. Seyfried contends that the combination of therapies that limit both glucose and glutamine may be a promising approach to inhibiting tumor growth, although he emphatically warns that such treatment should be undertaken only by experienced professionals. Are the paradigms shifting or are we clinging to some new hope? By pinpointing cancer as fundamentally a metabolic disorder, Thomas Seyfried reframes the prevailing genetic-focused paradigm in oncology. Although not yet mainstream, his research has generated excitement in the realm of metabolic therapies, such as nutritional treatments and non-toxic, metabolism-targeting medications. As a seasoned scientist of many decades, Dr. Seyfried stresses evidence-based, holistic strategies over band-aid remedies. While increased attention is being paid to metabolic strategies for treating cancer, these strategies should not displace mainstream therapy until they are tested in the clinic. Cancer is exceedingly personalized, and any dietary or supplement modification must be done at the direction of oncologists and medical doctors. Dr. Thomas Seyfried's research keeps challenging the traditional thinking in cancer understanding and treatment. Whether or not this approach will open new paradigms in oncology is an intriguing question for the future of medical research. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
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Business Standard
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Dutch govt recommends children under 15 stay off TikTok, Instagram
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