Close encounters in office

Offices are fertile grounds for rumours. They may range from casual leg-pulling to something serious that may subject you to stress and even a dip in performance.

Here are some tips to deal with them.

Confirm before taking action. Take some time before acting on it. You need to be sure whether what you have heard is true. Cross-check with more people, preferably the ones you trust the most.

Do a self-assessment. Sometimes your actions may have sparked off a rumour. For example, spending more time with your boss, going out with him too often for work that could have been done in office or taking too many liberties with the boss may have sent out the wrong signals. Take stock and take appropriate steps to ensure you're on the right side of office protocol.

Confront the people spreading the rumour. If the rumour still persists, identify the people behind these. Talk to them personally. Tell them what you have heard, the possible consequences it may have on you and try to convince them that what they think is wrong. Make sure your voice and body language do not give out a negative vibe. If the rumour is the product of professional jealousy or an inter-personal issue, then have an open conversation with the person concerned to resolve the differences.

Involve the boss if required. If you find yourself battling with this rumour beyond a point, involve your boss. Tell him how it is hurting you and you would want his help to stop this at once. If your boss can't help, try telling the HR personnel in your company.

Dr Sanjay Salooja

Cut down the risk of giving birth prematurely

Pregnant women can now have the perfect excuse to munch on few chocolate bars, as a new study has claimed eating chocolates regularly may halve a woman's risk of giving birth prematurely.

Researchers at the Yale University in the US found that those who consume higher rates of chocolatey snacks--including hot chocolate drinks -- were less likely to develop pre-eclampsia, one of the most common causes of premature birth that affects nearly 6 million births annually.

It is characterised by high blood pressure and can cause convulsions, blood clots, liver damage and kidney failure, leading to the death of the baby and sometimes the mother, the Daily Mail reported. The findings of the new study are based on the dietary habits of about 2,500 women during pregnancy.

"Women who reported regular chocolate consumption of more than three servings a week had a 50 per cent or greater reduced risk of pre-eclampsia," the researchers wrote in the journal Annals of Epidemiology.

"Regular chocolate intake during the first or third trimester was equally protective." There have been a number of studies which suggested that chocolate has some health benefits if eaten moderately.