Sharing: I VOTE FOR AKSHAY KUMAR AS BRAND AMBASSADOR FOR CAMPAIGNS AGAINST SMOKING & DRINKING

We can’t deny that most of our public is totally attuned to Bollywood stars and Cricketers. They form the best kind of brand ambassadors for many industries – be it the many colas, tourism, cars, watches, hair colour, whitening creams, soaps, etc. Well, this is for selling glamour.

To create Awareness of Tuberculosis, Mr. Amitabh Bachchan has been chosen to head the campaign against TB, launched by Mumbai Municipal Corporation, called “TB Harega, Desh Jeetega”. When it’s a film star heading a campaign, the reach is that much further.

We have a couple of documentary films running in theatres before a movie begins – campaigns against smoking and drinking. They are completely negative and extremely irritating. The result: People shut their eyes and ears when they are run (I definitely do that); smokers continue to smoke and drunkards continue to drink. Obviously these films have no impact at all.


Here’s my idea:

Akshay Kumar is a non-smoker and teetotaller. Unlike a lot of actors who pretended to create this image and failed each time – heard a few stories but don’t plan to share them here – Akshay Kumar is fanatic about his health. He will make a perfect brand ambassador to promote health and fitness.

What if a documentary is made about this star – how he keeps good health; his habits and how he does his own stunts even at the age of 48; how he remains fit – most of it thanks to his not smoking and not drinking? Won’t people respond better to such a film? Won’t it have a more positive effect?

Instead of telling people what will happen if they smoke and drink; it will be more positive to show them what can happen if they don't inculcate these habits.

I am sure people will not shut their eyes and ears when such a film is screened before a movie begins. By and by, it should have a powerful impact on the public.

Is anyone listening?

A-Z Challenge 2014: ‘S’ for SMILE

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It takes 43 muscles to frown and 17 to SMILE, so why not choose the latter, especially as it leaves better looking lines on your face as you age?

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I am not suggesting that you should bury your pain and smile. Cry your heart out, heal and then face the world smiling. Nothing can beat the feeling! I believe that SMILE adds to one’s health.

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One more post on health full of picture quotes that speak many thousands of words. Smile your way to Great Health.

This is so true! That sure chucks racism out with a SMILEGoogle Images

A-Z Challenge 2014: ‘R’ for RADISH

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Radish (मूली, முள்ளங்கி) is a root vegetable that I regularly use in my kitchen. I use it in sambar, as a salad, in raita or as filling for parathas. The taste needs a bit of getting used to as it is quite pungent. But once you acquire it, you will find that radish is both delicious and healthy.

Radish is a natural diuretic, helping the functioning of kidneys and bladder. It also helps reduce weight when added to your regular diet.

Incidentally, the red variety of radish is what the fairy tale character Rapunzel’s mother craves for when she’s pregnant.



Other health benefits of Radish (Source: www.health.india.com) 

• Reduces your risk of cancer
• Keeps your blood pressure in check
• Good for diabetics
• Beats cold and cough
• Helps you recover from jaundice
• Fights constipation
• Helps with weight loss

Radish - there are a few more varieties too
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A-Z Challenge 2014: ‘J’ for JOY

J for JOY
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The dictionary meaning for JOY:

1. the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying
2. intense pleasure
3. elation
4. a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight
5. something or someone greatly valued or appreciated

Imagine living in a state of JOY forever. I am sure it will simply drive away ill health. Is there a better way to pure health?

But how to achieve this state of JOY?

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Source: www.stevepavlina.com

How do you know when you’re living your purpose?  When your present moments begin to feel perfect.

When you live on purpose, your relationship with time changes dramatically.  You’ll no longer be looking for happiness somewhere in the future.  You’ll stop saying to yourself, “Once X happens then I’ll be where I want to be.  Then I’ll be happy.”  Instead you will look to your present and say, “This is exactly where I want to be right now… and nowhere else.  Nothing could be more perfect than this precise moment.”

The emotion that accompanies this state is joy.  Joy results from total acceptance of your present moment.

This one is for you and me Nilima :)
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Source: www.simpletoremember.com

Joy gives you the power, motivation and confidence to achieve things that otherwise seem too difficult to attempt. Joy is pure energy.

Do you remember the thrill of hitting a home run? Getting out on the last day of school? Riding your new bicycle? You jump with joy. Fantastic! Joy gives you energy and makes you feel great. You can achieve all kinds of things that otherwise may seem too difficult to attempt. You’ve got energy, buoyancy. You’re alive!

Picture Courtesy: http://www.homeschoolwithlove.com

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A-Z Challenge 2014: ‘I’ for INDUPPU

I for Induppu AKA Himalayan Rock Salt

It was my sister Jayashree who introduced me to Induppu (இந்துப்பு) or Himalayan Rock Salt. She was in turn introduced to this salt by her Acupuncture Therapist. Jayashree came up with the Tamil word Induppu when I was searching for an alternate health product for the A-Z Challenge.

I just got together some interesting information that I found on the internet regarding Induppu aka Himalayan Rock Salt. I am sure this is of great use to all of us.

Source: www.divine-therapy.com

Himalayan Rock Salt is a pristine source of natural mineral salts. Unbleached sea salt and Celtic salt are other good forms of unrefined natural salt, but why is Himalayan Rock salt the best?

For a start it looks impressive on the dining table, due to the different shades of pink/orange/red/gold colours the salt comes in.  These colours are formed from the 84 minerals contained in the Salt.  Himalayan Rock Salt comes from a time when planet earth was a pristine eco system, over 250 million years ago.

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How will your body benefit from Himalayan Rock Salt?  Unlike the white processed version, Himalayan Rock Salt helps:

• Regulate the water content throughout your body
• Balance excess acidity from your cells, particularly Brain cells
• Clear mucus and phlegm from your lungs
• Clear congestion in your sinuses, as it is a strong natural antihistamine
• Prevent muscle cramps
• Make the structure of your bones firm - Osteoporosis can occur when your body needs more salt and takes it from your bones
• Regulate your sleep - it is a natural hypnotic
• Maintain your libido
• Prevent varicose veins and spider veins on your legs
• Stabilize irregular heartbeats - in conjunction with water (salt) is actually essential for the regulation of your blood pressure!

Source: www.nutri-tech.com.au

The ancient Indian culture and civilisation developed in the Indus valley and The Salt Range within this valley is the source of a special salt that has been mined for thousands of years. This Indus salt (often called Induppu or Saindhava) has been used in the ayurvedic wellness and longevity philosophy for many centuries and is widely considered the best salt in India. The Western world is only now discovering the unique properties of this salt as you will find by checking the net. Induppu originated from the ocean and these original deposits, formed during the Cambrian period, have remained protected from environmental pollution by a dense cover of overlaying rock. This salt has matured within the earth for the last 500 million years to become one of the most valuable foods on the planet. Induppu is mined, washed by hand and dried in the sun. There are no additives or further processing involved. The salt has a faint pink hue derived from its iron content. In the Ayurvedic tradition this salt is considered to be cooling which broadly implies that it is anti-inflammatory rather than inflammatory like most salts. It is also considered sweet, calmative and digestive and is consequently widely used in Ayurvedic digestive remedies. It penetrates very rapidly and is a tonic for the eyes and it is also used as an aphrodisiac. However, one of the most appealing characteristics of this salt is the taste. It is simply the best salt I have ever tasted anywhere and it has profound flavour enhancement potential when used as a condiment.

A-Z Challenge 2014: ‘H’ for HUGS

H for HUGS
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I believe HUGS sort out 100% of relationship problems. I hail from Madras and am from a Tam-Bram family. Hugs were unheard of in our household. Luckily for me, we live a different life here in North India. But of course, I could not help introducing HUGS to my family back there in Chennai.

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A picture speaks a thousand words and I am bringing a number of pictures here to you to speak many thousand words about ‘H’ for Hugs.

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Picture Courtesy: http://api.ning.com

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Please Pass It On!

A-Z Challenge 2014
'A' for Asafoetida
'B' for Bananas
'C' for Chin Mudra
'D' for Dance Therapy
'E' for Elephant Yam
'F' for Fenugreek Seeds
'G' for Ginger & Garlic

A-Z Challenge 2014: ‘G’ for Ginger & Garlic

G for Ginger
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Using ginger or garlic adds a special flavour to many cuisines around the world. Combine the two and you have an unbeatable combo in flavour as well as health. I bring you these two roots whose names begin with ‘G’.

GINGER

I use grated ginger while making most of the curries and dals. Half a teaspoon of ginger extract mixed with half a teaspoon of honey is an excellent cough relief measure. Ginger adds flavour to tea and makes an awesome drink, especially in the rainy season. Ginger extract added to lemon juice prevents nausea.

Wikipedia says:

Ginger produces a hot, fragrant kitchen spice. Mature ginger rhizomes are fibrous and nearly dry. The juice from old ginger roots is extremely potent and is often used as a spice in Indian recipes, and is a quintessential ingredient of Chinese, Korean, Japanese and many South Asian cuisines for flavouring dishes such as seafood or goat meat and vegetarian cuisine.

Powdered dry ginger root is typically used as flavouring for recipes such as gingerbread, cookies, crackers and cakes, ginger ale, and ginger beer. Candied ginger, or crystallized ginger, is the root cooked in sugar until soft, and is a type of confectionery.

G for Garlic
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GARLIC

I use grated or chopped garlic to many of my food preparations. It adds an excellent flavour. Garlic rasam is a hot favourite at home.

Consuming garlic regularly keeps blood pressure under control. It’s high in Vitamin C and balances blood sugar levels. It also helps in maintaining cholesterol and improves your immune system.

Wikepedia says:

Garlic is widely used around the world for its pungent flavour as a seasoning or condiment. The garlic plant's bulb is the most commonly used part of the plant. Garlic cloves are used for consumption (raw or cooked) or for medicinal purposes. They have a characteristic pungent, spicy flavour that mellows and sweetens considerably with cooking.

Both Ginger & Garlic have many common health benefits:

• They are excellent aids to digestion.
• They are very good at fighting colds, coughs and other viral infections. Regular intake of both in cooked foods keeps infections away. (NOTE: Please understand here that I am not suggesting that a person suffering from viral fever should be fed this. A sick person’s digestive system will not be strong enough to handle ginger & garlic.)
• They help reduce stomach cramps during menstruation.
• Ginger & Garlic added to the diet of pregnant women helps reduce morning sickness.
• It’s also recommended to the diet of women post child birth.

CLICK HERE to know more benefits of ginger & garlic.....

A-Z Challenge 2014
'A' for Asafoetida
'B' for Bananas
'C' for Chin Mudra
'D' for Dance Therapy
'E' for Elephant Yam
'F' for Fenugreek Seeds

A-Z Challenge 2014: ‘F’ for Fenugreek Seeds

F for Fenugreek Seeds
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Day 6 of A-Z Challenge 2014 and here I am with ‘F’ for Fenugreek Seeds.

Fenugreek Seeds (Methi, मेथी, வெந்தயம்) is a common ingredient that is used for cooking in most Indian households. These tiny seeds add an aromatic flavour to Indian cuisine and are used in full while giving a ‘tadka’ or are roasted and powdered to add taste. Fenugreek leaves (Methi greens) are also excellent for health.

The seeds can be soaked along with Urad Dal before making the dough for Idli or Dosa. This increases the fluffiness of the idlis and crispiness of the dosas. Sprouted Fenugreek seeds add taste to salads.

Fenugreek seeds have a bitter taste with a terrific and positive effect on one’s digestive system. I have heard of people recommending the intake of Fenugreek seeds in the form of powder or soaked grains. Believe me, this is one way of ensuring that no one will consume the seeds. Taken in either form, one cannot miss the bitter taste and hence, most of the people I know, refuse to have it.

The best way is to swallow half a teaspoon of Fenugreek seeds along with water the same way that you would swallow tablets. You don’t get to taste the bitterness while the wonder effect on your body is awesome.

F for Fenugreek Leaves
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Why consume Fenugreek seeds at all?

Well, Fenugreek seeds have a wonderful effect on your whole system.

• It protects your stomach lining and ensures that you don’t get stomach ulcers.
• It acts as a digestive and ensures that you don’t get heartburn.
• It acts as a natural medicine whether you have constipation or loose stools. The effect is immediate unless the condition is chronic.
• Having Fenugreek seeds everyday sets your whole digestive system in order.
• It helps you lose weight over a period of time.
• Especially for those who consume alcohol, Fenugreek seeds save you from most of the evil side effects.
• It helps in the functioning of the Pancreas that secretes insulin, very helpful in the case of diabetics.
• Consumption of Fenugreek seeds in the long run helps your skin glow and your hair shine.

Do you need more reasons to use Fenugreek seeds?

A-Z Challenge 2014
'A' for Asafoetida
'B' for Bananas
'C' for Chin Mudra
'D' for Dance Therapy
'E' for Elephant Yam
'F' for Fenugreek Seeds

A-Z Challenge 2014: ‘E’ for Elephant Yam

E for Elephant Yam (Suran)
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Elephant Yam is a root vegetable used all over India. It can irritate one’s skin while peeling and cutting. It is best to use it after boiling in water along with salt and turmeric powder. Boil well and throw away the water before preparing the vegetable to your taste.

It’s a tasty vegetable and suits even a person with diabetes while other root vegetables are best avoided by sugar patients. Elephant Yam is high in Vitamin B12 and is a nutritious addition to your diet. According to Wikipedia, Elephant Yam is used in Ayurveda to treat a number of diseases.

According to the Diet Health Club website:

• The trace minerals and key minerals present in Elephant Yam include copper, zinc, selenium, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium.
• The fibre content in it is naturally high and therefore, it is usually considered a slimming food, as it promotes weight loss and reduces the levels of cholesterol in the body. If Elephant Yam is cooked in the right way, it can be eaten without any fear of weight gain.
• It has a cooling effect on the body, which is why it is good for people who suffer from hypertension.
• Elephant Yams are very high in Omega 3 fatty acids; they help reduce the bad cholesterol in the body and increase the good cholesterol instead.
• People who are undergoing treatment for piles are usually advised to eat high amounts of the vegetable.
• The anti-coagulating properties present in this Yam can prevent the blood from clotting.
• The glycemic index of this Yam is on the lower side, which is why it is good for people who are suffering from diabetes.
• The consumption of Elephant Yam is good for women, as it increases the Estrogen levels in their bodies, thereby helping them to maintain their hormonal balance. Since Yams are high in Vitamin B6 too, it can provide relief from pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS).
• Elephant Yams can help reduce irregular bowel movements & cure constipation.

I think that’s enough information to tell you that Elephant Yam should be a part of your diet on a regular basis – at least twice a month. It’s available throughout the year.

A-Z Challenge 2014
'A' for Asafoetida
'B' for Bananas
'C' for Chin Mudra
'D' for Dance Therapy
'E' for Elephant Yam
'F' for Fenugreek Seeds

A-Z Challenge 2014: ‘D’ for Dance Therapy

D for Dance Therapy
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There are a number of forms of dance around the world like Ballet, Ballroom, Tango, Hip-Hop, Rumba, Belly-dancing and more. Locally we have Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Kathakali and lots more in India.

Yes, these dance forms definitely act as excellent therapies. But then, it might not be possible for everyone to spend a lot of effort and many years practising these dance forms.

When I say Dance Therapy, I am just talking about swinging your arms and moving your legs to pulsating music - any kind of music that makes you want to flow with the rhythm.

If you have never done it before or feel shy, just close your eyes and swing. Believe me, it’s an awesome form of therapy that helps you let go of all the stress that you have accumulated ever. Just half an hour of swinging to any kind of music you like - I simply love good old Bollywood music - helps you beat stress.

Believe me if, I mean if, you do it regularly, you will also lose a lot of weight and inches. This is probably one of the best ways and a totally fun way to remain fit.

Dance Therapy
Picture Courtesy: http://allisonfwinters.files.wordpress.com

CLICK HERE to watch Kangana Ranaut dance to Hungama Ho Gaya in the movie Queen.

Wikipedia says: Dance therapy can be used to treat numerous illnesses, disorders and ailments. It is most commonly used to treat anxiety disorders, clinical depression and severe stress. Anxiety disorders can be defined as a group of mental disorders, in which a severe, and sometimes permanent state of worry, is the dominant symptom. Clinical depression focuses more on thoughts and feelings of sadness, chronic gloom, inadequacy and lack of activity. Severe stress is simply worry that may arise from a difficult situation. With each issue, there is a form of stress associated with it, so dance therapy is used to calm that stress. Dance therapy also gives results that medications do not. While medications may have harmful side effects, dance therapy strengthens the body. Anxiety, depression and severe stress have the potential to affect all aspects of a person's well-being: physical, social, mental and emotional. Dance therapy has been shown to improve each of those areas.

A-Z Challenge 2014
'A' for Asafoetida
'B' for Bananas
'C' for Chin Mudra
'D' for Dance Therapy
'E' for Elephant Yam
'F' for Fenugreek Seeds

A-Z Challenge 2014: ‘C’ for Chin Mudra

After a couple of days of giving my readers gyaan on healthy foods, I bring you a yoga tip that promises to keep you healthy for posterity.

Most of you must be familiar with Chin Mudra that brings together the tips of the thumb and index finger while holding the rest of the three fingers straight. I do deep breathing while holding my fingers in this Mudra. You can do 100 to 500 counts of deep abdominal breathing depending on the time you can spare. It’s worth the time and effort, I promise.

This Mudra is effective for de-stressing, bringing down one’s blood pressure and getting sound sleep. It improves one's concentration and focus too. So many good things all rolled into one. So what are you waiting for? Try it out NOW.

C for Chin Mudra

TIP: Avoid doing this on a full stomach. A couple of hours after meals is a good time to do it, unless you prefer to do it first thing in the morning.

CLICK HERE to learn more about Mudras.....

A-Z Challenge 2014
'A' for Asafoetida
'B' for Bananas
'C' for Chin Mudra
'D' for Dance Therapy
'E' for Elephant Yam
'F' for Fenugreek Seeds

A-Z Challenge 2014: ‘B’ for Bananas

Bananas can be consumed in the form of ripe fruits or they can be cooked in their unripe state. Raw bananas are even fried into chips and taste yummy. They grow in abundance in most parts of the world and are quite tasty and filling. There are almost a 1000 varieties of banana in the world - quite a lot to suit the most difficult of palates.

Bananas as fruits have a number of health benefits. For one, they aid digestion; eating a banana or two gives great relief from constipation.

Many people are under the mistaken impression that eating bananas might give them a cold. That happens to only those who are allergic to bananas (very few people are). In fact, bananas help one resist a cold.

The best thing about eating a banana is that it immediately boosts your system to give you a ‘feel good’ feeling, increasing your physical and mental energies.

Bananas
Picture Courtesy: http://fitnessandhealthadvisor.com/ 

Some are of the impression that bananas make one put on weight. Weighed (forgive the pun) against the health benefits that one gets from eating a banana a day, it makes sense to give up something else of equal calories.

CLICK HERE to know more about the health benefits of Bananas.

A-Z Challenge 2014
'A' for Asafoetida
'B' for Bananas
'C' for Chin Mudra
'D' for Dance Therapy
'E' for Elephant Yam
'F' for Fenugreek Seeds

A-Z Challenge 2014: 'A' for Asafoetida

Asafoetida is available in the form of a gum as well as powder. Asafoetida or Hing (हिंग) is used in Indian cooking and has a powerful flavour that one needs to get used to. It’s excellent for digestion and adds a special aroma to Indian curries. Drinking a glass of buttermilk with a pinch of Hing powder after a heavy dinner aids digestion.

It also acts as a coolant and is used liberally in mango & lemon pickles in South India. Usually, in Tamil Nadu, we avoid combining Asafoetida and Onions in the same dish as they beat each other’s flavours.

Asafoetida also has a number of useful side effects. It builds body resistance and keeps the regular user free from cold and fever.

ASAFOETIDA
Pic Courtesy: http://www.sunstarinvestments.co.za

Wikipedia says: Asafoetida is the dried gum exuded from the rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, a perennial herb. The species is native to the deserts of Iran, mountains of Afghanistan, and is mainly cultivated in nearby India. As its name suggests, asafoetida has a fetid smell but in cooked dishes it delivers a smooth flavour. It is also known as asant, food of the gods, giant fennel, jowani badian, stinking gum, Devil's dung, hing, kayam and ting.

A-Z Challenge 2014
'A' for Asafoetida
'B' for Bananas
'C' for Chin Mudra
'D' for Dance Therapy
'E' for Elephant Yam
'F' for Fenugreek Seeds

Blogging from A-Z April Challenge 2014

Alternative Health Therapies
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I saw a number of facebook friends putting up posts regarding the A-Z Challenge 2014 to be held during the month of April. Not a very disciplined writer-blogger, I was rather hesitant to join the fray. I got to know from my friend Rubina Ramesh that the posts need not be too long with 300 words being the maximum. This made me decide that I should try this one or at least die trying. So here I am with a theme reveal, all set to take up the A-Z challenge.

I plan to write on a subject close to my heart - alternate healing therapies and using herbs, grains and other things in the course of daily cooking to enhance health. Now I am getting really excited and don't want to take up too much of your time in reading this blog.

I do look forward to posting a healthy piece of information beginning with letter 'A' tomorrow. I hope you enjoy this ride along with me Guys! Thanks for all your support.

A-Z Challenge 2014
'A' for Asafoetida
'B' for Bananas
'C' for Chin Mudra
'D' for Dance Therapy
'E' for Elephant Yam
'F' for Fenugreek Seeds

Health: AWARENESS OF TUBERCULOSIS

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A general perception is that TB affects the poor living in slums. That is not necessarily true, especially in a crowded city like Mumbai. The chances of getting infected increases when one travels by public transport like buses and trains.

TB is a contagious disease and the virus spreads by air. Most of us believe that TB affects the lungs and a recurring cough is the only symptom. While both of these are true, they are not conclusive.

I am speaking from personal experience. About 8 years back, the vision in my left eye blurred. I went to an eye doctor. He could not find the cause of the problem and gave me drops – 3 of them including steroids. The disturbance in my vision kept increasing over a period while the medication had no effect.

From then on, I went to about 6 different doctors to get my eye treated. After a while, my vision deteriorated so much that I could not perceive levels. Like for example, I never could perceive which object was closer to me – the scooter or the car, etc. I had to be extra careful not to miss a step. I developed a cataract in my left eye when I was barely 45 years old.

I went to yet another doctor and had an appointment for a cataract operation for the next day. God was obviously on my side that day. The clinic was overcrowded and the doctor did not keep his appointment. My husband got irritated and insisted we left. He fixed an appointment with Dr. Deosthali in Sion.

That’s when I got to know that blood vessels had formed in my iris – the portion that gives colour to the eyes. In a normal eye, blood does not flow into the iris. Dr. Deosthali also said that if I underwent a cataract operation at that point, my eye would flood with blood and I would lose my vision completely.

He recommended Dr. Ashish Vaidya, a retina specialist at Mahim as I was working in that area in those days. It was a lucky day for me when I met this specialist who had many years of experience at Shankara Nethralaya, Chennai.

The moment he checked me, Dr. Vaidya asked me to get tested for TB. He said that he would have other tests done only if I got this one ‘negative’.

When I tested for TB, I went back to the testing clinic after 2-3 days (as stipulated) and the doctor there had the shock of his life when he saw the state of my forearm. I had very high level of TB and I had never known. I have always been overweight and I had had no symptom of the disease. In fact, when I had taken a chest X-ray for insurance purposes at work, it had shown up nothing.

I am from the upper middle class, have never been mal-nourished in my life and live in a very clean environment. I used to travel to work by taxi and very rarely use the public transport. Despite all this, I had contracted the deadly tuberculosis. There was one thing though. While I rarely caught cold and cough, when I did, the cough used to last for atleast a month and used to be quite severe. But I never made the connection.

Six months of rigorous treatment followed when I kept going back to the retina specialist for regular check-up. The blood vessels receded over this period and I was finally ready for the cataract operation. When Dr. Deosthali performed the operation by laser, he had to spend 45 minutes on it while he said an average cataract operation takes less than 10 minutes. My eye was in that bad a shape thanks to TB.

Now, the pupil in my left eye is permanently dilated and my vision is not 100% back. I manage mostly with my right eye. Such is the impact of TB. So how does one escape such a situation?

I think everyone should test for the disease once in a few years, the same as one would do an ECG after 40. And all people, including children, should get checked every five years or so.

The only way to get cured of TB is to take the medicines the doctor prescribes diligently – not missing even one dosage. This is very important to ensure that the virus is completely killed. Otherwise, it tends to recur and then there is no way to solve the problem.

Health: YOGA MUDRA

Chin Mudra

I have always been one for alternate therapies, especially yoga and meditation. I find that they are the best as they don’t bring you any harmful side effects. More than that, the chances are that you receive a number of unexpected positive side effects.

While I learned about Yoga Mudras from many sources – people and the internet – I use the following Mudras to improve my health and lifestyle. I bring you this article from my own personal experience. Most of the Mudras are best done on an empty stomach.

These are long term therapies - or rather, a change in lifestyle. You start doing these Mudras and see the effect over a period of time for yourself. It’s best that you continue with them through your life for preventing a number of illnesses while bringing you tremendous energy. You need to spend less than half an hour every day to do all of these. Believe me, it most definitely is worth it. While I have mentioned a limit of 100-200 counts of deep breathing for each Mudra, you are welcome to do more if you feel so inclined.

There are a number of Mudras. I just bring you those that I personally found useful and know the positive effects of.

Chin Mudra

Most of you must be familiar with this Mudra that brings together the tips of the thumb and index finger while holding the rest of the three fingers straight. I do deep breathing while holding my fingers in this Mudra. One can do 100 to 200 counts of deep abdominal breathing depending on the time one can spare.

This Mudra is effective for de-stressing, bringing down one’s blood pressure and getting sound sleep. It improves one's concentration and focus too.

Go Mudra

Go Mudra

‘Go’ means ‘cow’ in Sanskrit. This is called the Go Mudra as it resembles the head of a cow. You bring the tip of your thumb to touch the middle and ring fingers together while holding the other two fingers straight.

This Mudra helps strengthen your pancreas and keeps away Diabetes. Amazing, isn’t it! But so true. Imagine being able to lead a healthy life free of diabetes by doing 100-200 deep breathing along with this Mudra. It takes less than five minutes.

Varun Mudra

Varun Mudra

As the name suggests, Varun Mudra balances the water content in your body. You bring the thumb tip and the tip of your pinky finger together to do this Mudra. Deep breathe 100-200 times keeping your fingers in this state.

Varun Mudra helps strengthen the kidneys and bladder. I hear that most women of 40 years and above suffer from Incontinence – lack of control over the bladder. This Mudra is extremely powerful in setting that right. It also helps in making sure that you don’t ever get dehydrated. I find this very effective.

Surya Mudra

 Surya Mudra

The name suggests the influence of The Sun. Surya Mudra helps improving the metabolism in one’s system. You bend the ring finger so that the tip touches the middle of your palm. Then press the thumb over the second phalange of the ring finger. Hold your hand in this position for 100-200 breathing counts to bring about tremendous changes in your body.

While officially this Mudra is supposed to improve thyroid function, set right metabolism and do away with constipation, what I found was something more and even better. I had – note the past tense – been suffering from Osteo-arthritis since three years. Those who are familiar with this problem will know that doctors advise losing weight in the short term, recommend steroids most of the time with patients ending up doing knee surgery in the long term. Doctors also insist that the patient should avoid climbing stairs, squatting and a number of other things.

Doing this Mudra with 200 counts of deep breathing brought such tremendous relief in just a couple of months. I had stopped doing Surya Namaskar because I could not bend my knee properly. Now I am able to do Surya Namaskar as well as a few squats because of this Mudra.

Of course, I would suggest you consult your doctor before doing any strenuous exercises. But the Surya Mudra definitely helps in making your body strong. This is one Mudra you can do on a full stomach too. It helps reduce the feeling of heaviness after a meal.

Aakaash Mudra 

Aakaash Mudra

Aakaash Mudra is performed by bringing together the tips of the thumb and middle finger while holding the rest of the fingers straight. This can also be done for 100-200 counts of deep breathing.

This Mudra is effective in reducing blood pressure, cleaning out your sinuses and keeping your heart going strong. Incidentally, it also helps one grow spiritually and is a path to enlightenment.

While a number of websites recommend that the Mudras should be performed for 15 minutes to half an hour, I would suggest that you inculcate them in your lives for about 5 minutes or less. That way, you will not feel the strain of spending a lot of time on this while reaping the golden benefits that these Mudras bring.

Health: ISN’T PREVENTION BETTER THAN CURE?

Mumbai Mirror carried an article on the deteriorating state of health among people who are barely thirty living in Indian cities.

Click Here for the original article in Mumbai Mirror (28.4.2013)

I feel the main reason for this is the lifestyle that is led by people. Please understand that I am just citing examples and not criticising here.

Work hard, party harder

Perfect! But one must also understand the limitations of the body. Sleeping for a minimum of eight hours is a must. Keeping your electronic gadgets at least a few feet away from you, while sleeping, is most important.

When you socialise, it’s not always necessary that you have to guzzle down hard drinks like there is no tomorrow. There are those who say that beer is harmless. In the long run, it most definitely is. Train yourself to enjoy your drink and just have a peg or two if you really must. I understand that drinking gives you a high, but it also wears out your body in a horrible way. Okay, after all this, you do continue to drink day after day – please have at least four to five litres of water every day. I can just hear someone argue that “Arre, already I am drinking so much fluid, why the hell should I add to it with water too?” Do understand that alcohol dehydrates the system. All the more reason for you to drink an extra litre of water every day!

Balanced meals on time

After a late night with a heavy dinner that was consumed at around 2 am, it’s very difficult to face breakfast at 8 or 9 am. Tough luck! You chose to party. If you miss this meal because you got up late or felt like puking, you are abusing your body.

There are those who are so deep into their work that they just don’t have the time to stop for lunch. Why? You understand you need to work hard to have a great career. Then, don’t you understand that you need to feed your body to make it work, especially to the limits that you stretch it? Check out brain foods and eat those more than food that is required for the physique. That might help you if you are sitting in front of your computer most of your waking hours.

Have your dinner by 7 or 8 pm at the most and try to snack lightly if you are out fraternising at night.

Regular Exercise

You hit the gym at least five times a week or go walking, running, jogging or whatever that suits you. This keeps you fit and helps you go that extra mile – literally and figuratively. This keeps your body well conditioned – your muscles, nerves, your blood circulation and your heart. It also ensures you don’t gain that extra fat that is so harmful to your system.

Yoga and meditation

Yeah, I just heard a lot of you groan. Who has the time? Well, if you fall ill and are forced to be hospitalised at the young age of 30 or 40, can you argue with the doctor that your work or social life is suffering? You don’t have a choice but to drop everything and get stuck in bed round the clock. From that perspective, I am sure you are able to understand the value of yoga and meditation. Just 10 minutes of your time for a few Surya Namaskars and another 10 minutes for either Pranayama or Chakra Meditation – every day of the week – can do wonders to prevent sickness from attacking your system.

What these processes do is to strengthen your aura. Any illness first touches one’s aura and takes at least a few months to reach the physical body. If you have a strong aura, it can absolutely stop the disease from ever reaching your physical body. It’s the truth.

Yoga and meditation also help relieve stress which is the main culprit for hypertension and high blood pressure and all kinds of heart disease.

Don’t pop that pill!

Have a cold? Take Action 500 or Crocin or whatever! Stomach upset? There are loads of medicines out there to stop it. Fever? The chemist has a variety to offer! Headache tho hona hi hai - what with lack of sleep and dehydrated bodies! Wake up with a hangover, pop a pill and rush to work without eating or drinking anything.

This is the shortest route to the hospital. To begin with, these pills break down your body’s immune system. Yes, the body is created with its own immune system that works very well.

When you have indigestion, your stomach gets upset. Give it a rest and allow it to spill its guts – literally. Have a lot of fluids and avoid eating heavy food. Having methi seeds, chaas, coconut water and pomegranate juice can do wonders. And have a lot of water! If your stomach upset does not stop within a couple of days, visit your doctor. If you take a tablet to stop your stomach from clearing itself, you are forcing it to find other methods and that’s when you come up with a major sickness.

Fever usually suggests that there is something wrong with your system. Instead of finding out what it is, you try to cure the symptom with pills. The fever goes away but what about the original illness that had caused the fever? That’s still very much there in your body. Keep doing this repeatedly and why are you surprised when you land up in bed?

A common cold happens when your system is heated up. This is your body’s way of cooling down. There is this common saying that a cold remains with you for a week at least – whether you take medicines or not. Try to have hot soup or rasam and treat it with freshly cooked food. Why bother with pills that abuse your body?

Headaches happen mainly due to dehydration. If you have a bottle of water, the headache usually disappears. Sometimes, it is due to stress. Well, yoga and meditation definitely help. Maybe you are just hungry and the body is craving for fuel and that’s why your head is hurting. You need to be observant. You can’t allow your body to remain without food for more than 4-6 hours, unless you are sleeping. Too many fizzy sodas also dehydrate the body and create headaches.

Click Here to read about how to understand your body.

Alternate Cures

To my knowledge, I find that unless it’s an emergency, alternate cures work better than allopathic medicines. More so, when the treatment is prolonged like in the case of diabetes or the heart. Homeopathy  or Ayurveda medicines – after consulting a doctor, of course – don’t have harmful side effects. You can’t beat nature cures.

Click Here to know about the Wonder Seed Methi.

Click Here to know about the value of Lemon & Water.

Click Here to know about how your body is nourished with Water.

In the long run, I am sure you will all agree with me when I say that Prevention is better than Cure as this involves the least wear and tear on this wonderful body that we are born with.

Health: STOP! THINK! PROCEED!

Flower Therapy

Maintaining good health, I feel, is more important than curing bad health. I am sure most of you who are reading this article will agree with me. 

Popping pills is a pet peeve with me. There are ‘n’ number of tablets that could be bought off the shelf. It never seems to matter that some of these medicines have been banned in countries other than the third world.

Have a headache, swallow Saridon, Crocin, Anacin, Nice or anything else that you could lay your hands on. Having a headache generally means that your body is trying to tell you that something is wrong with it. 90% of the time, a headache means that you are dehydrated. Keep drinking water and you will find that the headache disappears almost immediately. Drinking Coconut Water works like magic. Headache also happens because of indigestion. Suppressing it with a pill is not the cure. I am sure you are able to understand that. STOP and THINK before taking a tablet.

Have a cold, pop Action 500 or something similar. I did that a couple of decades ago. Had just one Action 500 and had a nose bleed. The tablet lives up to its name. It probably performs 500 actions within our body and not all of them positive. My doctor fired me for swallowing such a strong pill for just a cold. Nowadays, I drink glasses of warm/hot water with a few drops of lemon juice and my cold disappears within 24 hours – the simplest way to treat the body without harmful side effects.

Allopathy is the most accepted form of treatment today in the world. But is it the best?

• Allopathy offers the fastest cure for any disease. It is good for that reason. A course of medicines can last for a couple of weeks or may be a few months. What we need to understand is that medicines with heavy chemical content (Allopathy medicines are high in chemicals) should not be taken for a prolonged period. They will definitely have harmful side effects.
• Doctors generally specialize in certain fields. The diabetic specialist does not understand the heart and both of them don’t know anything about your bones. Okay, maybe ‘anything’ is going overboard. But they definitely don’t know the total effect of their treatment for a particular disease on the rest of their patient’s body.
• Continuously medicating a diabetic patient with medicines such as Insulin weakens the Pericardium. You might know that this is the wall that protects the heart. When the Pericardium weakens, a diabetic patient automatically becomes prone to heart attacks. Listen to my voice of experience. This is the problem my mother faces today.
• Because she had a heart attack ten years ago, my mother was advised to take Ecosprin, once every day. Ecosprin thins the blood and this ensures that the blood flows freely and makes sure that another heart attack does not occur. Almost a year ago, 9 years after she had been on Ecosprin, her doctor felt that she needed a stronger dose and suggested Ecosprin Gold. She has been on that since 11 months. This probably led to her second massive heart attack about 20 days ago. I cannot vouch for this, but all the specialists at Vijaya Hospital, Chennai – there was a cardiac surgeon, a vascular surgeon, a psychiatrist, a diabetic specialist and a couple of others – felt that Ecosprin Gold was the culprit. This is the reason why I mentioned at the beginning that a course of medicine should not be given for a prolonged period.

Well, I am no doctor and this probably means that I don’t know anything about medicine. But I do know my body. And that’s what everyone needs to do.

The body has an in-built IMMUNE SYSTEM. We need to keep that alive. We need to have balanced meals, exercise regularly, drink water and take proper rest.

When we overload the system with pills, we keep interfering with the immune system. The White Blood Corpuscles (WBCs) play a very important role in holding up our Immune System. They form the front-line defense system. When a virus gets into our body – cold, stomach upset, fever, cough, headache and more – the white corpuscles put up a strong fight and most of these problems get set right by themselves. Feed in medicines, the pills push the WBCs out of their way and do the work themselves.

For example, when artificial insulin is injected into the body of a diabetic, the Pancreas are forced to take a back seat and over a period of time, they almost die due to idleness. Does this help in the long run? You need to THINK.

Okay, the doctors give you medicines - say when you have a body ache, the doctor advises you to take a Brufen. The next time you feel an ache – maybe after a long walk that you have taken after a couple of months – you immediately pop a Brufen. Do you really consider the side-effects? In this case, one can’t even blame the doctor. When your feet begin to ache suddenly, it mostly means that you have suddenly put on weight. Or they ache because they have not been exercised over a long period. Is Brufen the solution to this problem? THINK!

When someone has periods, she may have abdominal cramps. One pill might just cure it in a jiffy. But what else does this pill do to your uterus? THINK!

It’s very important that the Excretory System functions perfectly for the Immune System to do its work.

• Constipation is a common problem at least 90% of the world seems to be facing. Popping a pill for this every day of your life IS NOT a solution. Lemon and warm water first thing in the morning; OR a teaspoon of Methi will clear up your intestines in a jiffy.
• Body Odour occurs a lot of the time because the intestines are not cleaned up and also because the body is not sweating enough. Please realize that ‘sweating’ is also part of the Excretory System. The sweat throws away toxins that are not required by the body. Block this with body spray, etc. and watch the bad health implode. Shocking? But that is the truth. When you watch the Desi Boyz on advertisements going around cool after using body sprays, you think ‘WOW’ and ape them. Believe me, it is NOT AT ALL Wow. You block all your pores with chemicals – they smell great, alright – and you stop your skin from breathing. Do this day after day and what do you think happens to all the toxins that the body intended to shed through your sweat? THINK!

God has created our body perfectly, with a classic Immune System that takes care of it. We need to be aware of it and be careful before spoiling it. WATER is a very important ingredient to balance one’s IMMUNE SYSTEM. I know at least five people that I can remember offhand who refuse to drink more than half a litre water every day. One hates the taste of water, two of them are bored of the effort and the rest of them believe that drinking water gives them a bloated look. Incredible! Can we stop breathing? Or let me put it like this – what will happen to us when we stop breathing? We just die. It is the same with drinking water. Not doing it is killing our body over a period of time.

HEALTH once lost can be recovered, with very great difficulty. Please STOP, THINK and PROCEED before you fool around with your body.

There are number of alternate therapies such as Ayurveda, Siddha Vaidya, Homeopathy, Flower Therapy, Naturopathy and more. Opting for one of these for prolonged treatments will go a long way in maintaining good health.

Then there is Yoga and Meditation. You can’t beat that!