Teenagers

A study on sixth-graders revealed that friendship is crucial and real for kids, and can be as deep as a parental relationship.

Most parents and teachers do not understand the importance of deep bonding among friends at school and tend to regard friendships as a distraction or a nuisance.

Social isolation is the dark side of the school, in which many kids with no friends are at risk of anxiety, depression and low self-esteem. There is a perceived sense of threat with being friendless, and the young, immature mind can deeply internalize the resulting difficulties, leading to depression.

Bullying at this age is also a major problem, with those who are socially isolated becoming the most vulnerable to being bullied.

• Age 0-10: Rapid growth and heavy dietary requirements mark this time, and one has to watch out for junk food eating habits along with certain controlled eating formations in kids.
• Age 10-20: The hormonal changes in this age along with the teen lifestyle trigger unhealthy food choices in this critical age.
• Age 20-30: College, marriage, live-in or parenthood often leads to weight gain, as the body tends to send strong signals to eat, but not for overeating.
• Age 30-40: Lack of a work-life balance and certain food addictions affect one’s health during mid-life. The working population often sacrifice their hunger pangs by unhealthy snacking (like coffee and doughnuts), as the focus is on productivity, not health.
• Age 40-50: Lifestyle problems start to come in the picture in this age due to the kind of diet consumed in the earlier stages, though some symptoms are silent, like high blood pressure or cholesterol.
• Age 50-60: The body starts to decline, with a gradual loss of muscle mass (called sarcopenia) which is due to less physical activity and consuming less protein.

Age 60-70: Good nutrition along with a functioning body is crucial at an old age, due to lack of hunger which leads to a loss of weight and illnesses of the mind and body.

Food is crucial in all ages but is especially important (along with physical activity) in old age even though many complications arise like dental problems, swallowing issues and reduced taste and smell.

One should savour and relish the food we eat and follow the basic guidelines of exercise and nutrition.

• Women and adolescents are quick to feel the negative effects of shame, and dive into low self-esteem and depression at a much faster rate than men.
• Young people have a stronger ‘pull’ towards any kind of emotion, including shame, which is the reason for them being susceptible to severe depression.
• The propensity of shame decreases as we grow older, but elders again start to feel ashamed just as a young person, as they get self-conscious of their actions, appearance and bodily decline.

• Guilt is related to shame but is easier to rectify, as we focus our attention on the other person and apologize, accepting responsibility.
• Shame is an inward emotion that makes us view our entire self in a bad light, with us getting punished by our conscience.
• Guilt is actually a positive emotion, showing our empathy and encouraging us to reverse the harm that we may have done.