Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Flat back and correct posture

By Lee Sung-hun Some of the readers who have experienced back pains may have been told that they had a ‘flat back’ when viewed with an x-ray. Human spine when looked from sideways has a c-shape curve that rounds in at the belly. However, some patients display almost a straight spine without the normal c-shape curvature, and this is called a ‘flat back.’ It is also commonly referred to as weak or unstable spine, and it can cause chronic back pains and in severe cases, a herniated lumbar discs. People with bad postures are more prone to a flat back. Sitting in a bent-over pose all day long, slouching the back when seated, reading a book while prostrating over the desk, and sitting at the edge of a chair in a laid-back position would be such examples that can cause a flat back. The lumbar vertebrae support our upper body. With a normal curvature of the lumbar vertebrae, the weight of the upper body is evenly distributed betweenfront and back, allowing balanced load on the spine for a stable support. However, with a flat back, the weight is not distributed, and causes the weight

Sep 28, 2012

Stay healthy with colorful foods

By Park Si-soo The temperature is dropping as autumn settles in. Observed in the change is an increase in the number of people coughing and sneezing by seasonal influenza. This year poses especially high health risks since the country had an extremely hot summer. A wide summer-autumn gap in temperature weakens the immune system, making people more vulnerable to cold viruses and other germs, according to doctors. The upcoming week unfortunately has another risk factor: the Chuseok holiday. Chuseok is Korea’s biggest traditional holiday that, this year, runs from Saturday to Monday, during which time millions of people will hit the road to meet parents or relatives living in remote areas and hold celebrations for grain harvests. Massive traffic jams will clog up highways, resulting in drivers and passengers becoming extremely stressed while stuck on the road. Long-lasting stress causes health problems. Many people suffer indigestion caused by heavy eating and drinking in family gatherings. Ahead of Chuseok, The Korea Times conducted research and interviewed sev

Sep 28, 2012

(205) Does plastic surgery change destiny?

By Janet Shin “Where should I get plastic surgery on my face?” or “I want to have a nose job, will it be ok?” These are two of the most frequent questions I get asked during face readings. People also ask my opinion about whether plastic surgery is related with one’s destiny. My immediate answer to this question is yes. It is the same answer to the question of whether a Caesarean operation affects one’s destiny. These days, many babies are born by Caesarean section and people try to pick an auspicious date so their child can have better fortune. It is not only up to the doctor’s schedule but to the parents’ or grandparents’ will upon reading saju. In Asia, people strongly believe that they are born with an innate fortune and it is absolutely given by our day and time of birth. Actually it is not manageable to pick a truly auspicious day. The specific date and time selected by a fortune teller are not always credible. When parents visit me afterward to confirm whether or not they picked the right date and time, I tell them there is nothing they can do, since the baby is alre

Sep 27, 2012

'Psy does Gangnam no justice'

By Cho Jae-hyon Psy is galloping ahead with his “Gangnam Style” to conquer the pop world. The chubby rapper has been an oddball compared with other svelte, good-looking K-pop stars; but his offbeat style, peppered with elements of fun and humor, is hot worldwide. People have fallen love with this funny and kitschy “Psy style.” Millions of people are mimicking and parodying the horse-riding dance moves and singing. With the song climbing higher on the Billboard chart, his fans are likely to see him perform the song topless, as he pledged, if it reaches the top. And the ideal place for his topless performance would be definitely somewhere in Gangnam, the district which also has risen to global fame thanks to the massive hit. Often dubbed the “Beverly Hills” of Seoul, Gangnam is the most affluent neighborhood full of designer-brand shops, trendy bars, plastic surgery clinics and state-of-the-art office buildings. Psy has called himself “second class” or “B-class,” a classification that doesn’t fit the image of the rich and snobbish Gangnam district. But this irony is one

Sep 26, 2012By Cho Jae-hyon

‘Gangnam style’ through foreigners’ eyes

By Rachel Lee, Ryu Chang-gi, Jun Ji-hye “Gangnam Style” catapulted Psy to overnight global stardom. He is now on top of the world with the unprecedented popularity of his latest single that became the most-liked video in YouTube history. In the three months since the hit song was released it has attracted more than 260 million YouTube views. With the tremendous popularity of the track around the world, the district of Gangnam, which literally means “south of the River,” has also become a place that arouses the curiosity of foreigners. Psy was born and raised in Gangnam but his chubby appearance doesn’t fit the generally-known image of luxury or snobbishness of the area ― a discrepancy that makes the cheesy horse-riding dance performed by the tuxedo-wearing Psy so funny and ironical. What is Gangnam style? Is there such a thing? The simple lyrics of Psy’s song give some hints about the Gangnam lifestyle. He raps about “Gangnam man and woman” who are smart and quiet during the day but turn sexy and fun-seeking at night. The “sexy lady” in the rap “can play when she plays a

Sep 26, 2012

'Psy does Gangnam no justice'

Activate brain to avoid dementia

By Kim Bo-eun Some 530,000 Koreans are suffering from dementia, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in July. With Korea rapidly becoming an aging society, the number is expected to continue to rise. The report showed the cost for treating dementia amounts to 810 billion won ($721 million) a year, or 3.1 million won per person each year. Due to high stress levels, younger people are also becoming more susceptible to the disease which has long been associated with the elderly. Dementia patients in their 30s and 40s have increased by 40 percent to 1,221 in 2011 from 876 in 2006, according to the National Health Insurance Corp. The commonly known type is Alzheimer’s disease, which develops as one ages. When brain activity declines with age, it is unable to perform its usual functions. The other type is vascular dementia, which occurs as brain functions decline due to the clogging of arteries. Although the latter is also mainly caused by aging, high-blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and unhealthy lifestyles contribute as well. Altho

Sep 21, 2012

Int’l relationship

Dear Dr. P, Recently, I met this Korean guy on the web while I was searching for a Korean pen-pal. We progressed from friend to good friends shortly. We get along very well and we show concern for each other. We had our photographs exchanged. All this while, he has been very truthful, friendly and gentle. We have interest in each other. But, it seems very difficult to start a relationship. We have a lot of differences in terms of language, culture, etc. He is 27 years old and I am 23. He is the eldest son in the family. I am not sure if he has got a girlfriend because it seems like he never talks about her. I assumed that he doesn't have one. I am a little confused about my feelings. I think I treated him more than a foreign friend. I seem to be hoping for a relationship. How should I start this relationship? I never had a relationship before. Hence, I am worried that I will hurt myself. I am unsure about his feelings towards me as well. I am willing to give it a try even though we have great differences. Doctor, I need your advice. Many Thanks. Dear sender, I think

Sep 21, 2012

(204) Destiny influenced by how they speak

Success story of Psy in his songs By Janet Shin There is a saying that a singer’s life path follows his or her lyrics. It is not an unusual subject that our fate is re-routed by how we think, what we do, whom we meet and where we live. It is even said that what we eat may influence our personality. Some fortune tellers read one’s destiny by the logic of numbers, so they figure as far as the strike counts of one’s name, license numbers and even the zip codes. I do not totally buy all their assertions. However, being a saju master, I am open to see what other aspects steer our life. What is read by saju is mingled by other environmental factors and a true saju master should be able to read other causes that affect the rest by delicate distinction. Let’s look at the story of a singer who always delivers bright and cheerful energy. Psy is enjoying sudden fortune with “Gangnam Style,” having enormous numbers of YouTube views for the music video. His success has become a global sensation, reaching No. 1 on the iTunes chart and he has been invited on many prominent shows in the

Sep 20, 2012

Nostalgia for sights and sounds of the '90s

By Jung Min-ho, Kim Bo-eun, Bahk Eun-ji In the early 90s, before the days of iPhones, rapper Psy and even the Internet, people still used evolving hi-tech communication, and were often star-struck by celebrities and, of course, had fun. To younger people, perhaps the famous figures and fashions of that time seem dowdy and find it hard to imagine how people dealt with daily issues without the aid of instant communication to their friends through smart phones. However, perhaps things were simpler and therefore less complicated in the era when people were content to watch humble color TVs instead of wall-mounted screens with ultra-high-definition and surround sound. When every shot counted “One of the things I no longer see these days are film cameras, and that’s what I miss the most about the 1990s. It was the memory record for my two sons who spent their childhood in the ‘90s. Thanks to my camera, which is over 15 years old now, I was able to preserve our best memories in pictures,” 52-year-old Kim Kyung-nam said. “Things have changed a lot over the past 15 years and most

Sep 19, 2012

Buddhist leader to give lecture in New York

The spiritual leader of Korea's largest Buddhist sect will give a lecture in New York City next month for two independent groups of religious leaders in the United States, organizers said Tuesday. In particular, he will explain the Buddhist view that war, confrontation, suppression, poverty and destruction of natural environment are interrelated and suggest a solution to the problems, the Jogye Order said. Co-hosted by the Interfaith Center of New York and the Temple of Understanding, both non-governmental organizations affiliated with the United Nations, the meeting is set to be held at the Church Center for the U.N. It will bring together some 50 world religious leaders, environmental activists and about 20 diplomats from all around the world, according to the Jogye Order. He is scheduled to return home on Oct. 6 after attending a dinner to be hosted by a group of Islamic religious leaders. (Yonhap)