Forgiveness is a key component of the tenets of religions across the globe. However, it is only recently that scientific research on health has focused on forgiveness as an important component of well‐being. Research in the West has indicated that forgiveness is associated with increases in physical health and well‐being, and that rumination may mediate the relationship between forgiveness and health. However, little is known about the relationship between forgiveness, rumination, and health in non‐Western populations such as India. The purpose of the current study was to measure forgiveness, rumination, stress, and physical health in Indian college students, and compare their responses to that of a US sample. Participants were 188 college students (92 males and 96 females) from Mumbai, India. Results indicated that lower levels of forgiveness predicted increased rumination and stress, but not physical symptoms. Similar to data in the US, rumination mediated the relationship between forgiveness and stress. There were no significant differences in forgiveness, rumination, or stress between the Indian and US samples. Results suggest the universality of these variables across cultures. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spiritual and religious values/beliefs/practices are entwined in all aspects of functioning among people in the Indian subcontinent. The current study focuses on understanding the spiritual zeitgeist entwined in the mundane day-to-day functioning (e.g., lifestyles/beliefs) of young people in India. Undergraduates at Xavier's College in Mumbai, India (N ϭ 361; M age ϭ 19 years; Females ϭ 67.7%; Hindus ϭ 41.1%, Christian/Catholic ϭ 38.7%; Other ϭ 20.02%) completed a 30-item survey of lifestyle beliefs. Exploratory factor analysis indicated the presence of 6 factors: collectivism, materialism, collectivism, religiosity, personal agency, spirituality/wellness, and karma. These factors can be conceptualized as karma (action/word/deed-rewards/punishments) and dharma (duty/responsibility/righteousness) and tradition and nontradition (materialism/ambition). Data from a subgroup of the sample (n ϭ 153; female: 92%; Hindu: 42.5%; Christian: 44.4%; Other: 9.8%; Muslim: 3.3%) indicated some overlap in traditional Indian values and Western conceptualizations of spiritual and religious well-being; specifically, collectivism (r ϭ .22), religiosity (r ϭ .75), and karma (r ϭ .21) positively correlated and materialism (r ϭ Ϫ.24) negatively correlated with religious well-being; religiosity (r ϭ .16) and collectivism (r ϭ .17) were positively correlated with existential well-being. Interdependent self-construal correlated with collectivism (r ϭ .46), religiosity (r ϭ .23), and karma (r ϭ .22). Identification with being Indian correlated with collectivism (r ϭ .23), religiosity (r ϭ .29), spirituality/wellness (r ϭ .16), and karma (r ϭ .23) indicating a strong association between self-perceived Indianness and traditional values. This sample represents young people in Mumbai, which is at the forefront of globalization. Overall data indicate resilience of traditional Indian values and beliefs (e.g., karma/dharma) and change as reflected in endorsement of materialism, ambition, and self. These preliminary data provide avenues for further exploring the influences of forces of globalization on resilient traditional Indian values.
Functional food intake has been highlighted as a strategy for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases by reducing risk factors. In this study, we compared the effects of oral treatment with soy milk and simvastatin on dyslipidemia, left ventricle remodeling and atherosclerotic lesion of LDL receptor knockout mice (LDLr-/-) fed a hyperlipidic diet. Forty 3-month old male LDLr-/- mice were distributed into four groups: control group (C), in which animals received standard diet; HL group, in which animals were fed a hyperlipidic diet; HL+SM or HL+S groups, in which animals were submitted to a hyperlipidic diet plus soy milk or simvastatin, respectively. After 60 days, both soy milk and simvastatin treatment prevented dyslipidemia, atherosclerotic lesion progression and left ventricle hypertrophy in LDLr-/- mice. These beneficial effects of soy milk and simvastatin were associated with reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory state in the heart and aorta caused by the hyperlipidic diet. Treatment with soy milk was more effective in preventing HDLc reduction and triacylglycerol and VLDLc increase. On the other hand, simvastatin was more effective in preventing an increase in total cholesterol, LDLc and superoxide production in aorta, as well as CD40L both in aorta and left ventricle of LDLr-/-. In conclusion, our results suggest a cardioprotective effect of soy milk in LDLr-/- mice comparable to the well-known effects of simvastatin.
The metabolic syndrome is a precursor for coronary heart disease. However, its pathophysiology is not clear, its phenotypic expression may vary by region; also, the phenotypic manifestation may be exacerbated by psychosocial distress and family history. The purpose of the current study was to assess the factor structure of the metabolic syndrome in young urban Asian Indians. Asian Indian youth (N = 112) were evaluated for body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio, blood pressure (systolic: SBP; diastolic: DBP), blood sugar, triglycerides, cholesterol, insulin, psychosocial distress and family health history. Factor analyses were computed on components of the metabolic syndrome. Three factors were identified for the entire sample: hemodynamic-obesity (SBP, DBP, waist-hip ratio), Lipid (cholesterol, triglyceride), and insulin-obesity (blood sugar, BMI, insulin). Similar to previous research with this population, three distinct factors with no overlap were identified. Factors did not correlate with psychosocial distress or family history. Lack of correlation with family history and psychosocial distress may be a function of the young age and demographics of the sample.
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