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Massage Therapy – Can It Keep you Fit?

The discussion for today was about Massage therapy and whether or not it helps keep you fit.
The special guests on were Dr. Deepa jayaram, who runs an Ayurvedic treatment center and Dr. Karpagam Raghunathan, an expert in the field of Physical Therapy.

Dr. Deepa tells us that Massages can improve skin texture, stimulates nervous system and circulation. Ayurveda actually teaches that one must apply oil on the skin everyday to stay healthy
Some of the benefits of Massage therapy are that it’s great for the skin, acts as an anti ageing catalyst and is a stress reliever.

A regular massage should soothe the body, and any variations must depend on the person, their body type and physical condition.

Dr. Karpagam specializes in Urinary incontinence and vertigo treatment via massage therapy. Urinary incontinence can be caused by multiple or tough pregnancies or any abdominal surgery, and is quite prevalent in women. She says that it is important to go for massages as often as you can as It is medically beneficial. Removes the stress causing cortisol from your system.

When asked how customers should evaluate whether massage centers are legitimate or not, Dr.Deepa says that professional centers should be run by a doctor, have corporation license, and certification to give treatment.
Dr. Karpagam advices customers to do their homework on what their massage should be like and whether they’re going to a legitimate place
Dr. Deepa adds that you should make sure the Ayurvedic oils used are good and authentic and find out if there are any chemicals being used? The best way to validate these things is through word of mouth or referring the centers website, customer reviews, etc.
A caller, Mr. Prabhu describes his first massage experience in Kerala, He was nervous and shy at first, when it started he was in a different world. He calls it a very serene experience.

Dr. Karpagam adds that ladies should start exercising and going for specific massage therapy 6 weeks post pregnancy if they want any hope of getting back their flat stomach. If it is a C Section, they would have to wait until the sutures have healed completely.

Dr. Deepa says that one of the best ways to reduce the post partem weight is a full body abhayangam massage and steam plus an abdomen belt, and it can revert their stomach back to normal.

They both feel that since Massage Therapy is a treatment, it should be accessible to all. So the ideal pricing for a full body massage should be around Rs. 500-Rs. 1000 and not any more.

In conclusion, both doctors advice us to exercise have a healthy lifestyle, eat healthy and stay healthy.

World Cancer Day: How To Reduce Your Risk

You’ve probably heard conflicting reports about cancer prevention. Sometimes the specific cancer-prevention tip recommended in one study or news report is advised against in another. In many cases, what is known about cancer prevention is still evolving. However, it’s well accepted that your chances of developing cancer are affected by the lifestyle choices you make. So if you’re concerned about cancer prevention, take comfort in the fact that some simple lifestyle changes can make a big difference. Consider these seven cancer prevention tips.

1. Don’t use tobacco

Using any type of tobacco puts you on a collision course with cancer. Smoking has been linked to various types of cancer — including cancer of the lung, bladder, cervix and kidney. And chewing tobacco has been linked to cancer of the oral cavity and pancreas. Even if you don’t use tobacco, exposure to secondhand smoke might increase your risk of lung cancer. Avoiding tobacco — or deciding to stop using it — is one of the most important health decisions you can make. It’s also an important part of cancer prevention. If you need help quitting tobacco, ask your doctor about stop-smoking products and other strategies for quitting.

2. Eat a healthy diet

Although making healthy selections at the grocery store and at mealtime can’t guarantee cancer prevention, it might help reduce your risk. Consider these guidelines:

  • Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Base your diet on fruits, vegetables and other foods from plant sources — such as whole grains and beans.
  • Limit fat. Eat lighter and leaner by choosing fewer high-fat foods, particularly those from animal sources. High-fat diets tend to be higher in calories and might increase the risk of overweight or obesity — which can, in turn, increase cancer risk.
  • If you choose to drink alcohol, do so only in moderation.The risk of various types of cancer — including cancer of the breast, colon, lung, kidney and liver — increases with the amount of alcohol you drink and the length of time you’ve been drinking regularly.

3. Maintain a healthy weight and be physically active

Maintaining a healthy weight might lower the risk of various types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, prostate, lung, colon and kidney. Physical activity counts, too. In addition to helping you control your weight, physical activity on its own might lower the risk of breast cancer and colon cancer. Adults who participate in any amount of physical activity gain some health benefits. But for substantial health benefits, strive to get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic physical activity. You can also do a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. As a general goal, include at least 30 minutes of physical activity in your daily routine — and if you can do more, even better.

4. Protect yourself from the sun

Skin cancer is one of the most common kinds of cancer — and one of the most preventable. Try these tips:

  • Avoid midday sun. Stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun’s rays are strongest.
  • Stay in the shade. When you’re outdoors, stay in the shade as much as possible. Sunglasses and a broad-rimmed hat help, too.
  • Cover exposed areas. Wear tightly woven, loosefitting clothing that covers as much of your skin as possible. Opt for bright or dark colors, which reflect more ultraviolet radiation than pastels or bleached cotton.
  • Don’t skimp on sunscreen. Use generous amounts of sunscreen when you’re outdoors, and reapply often.
  • Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps. These are just as damaging as natural sunlight.

5. Get immunized

Cancer prevention includes protection from certain viral infections. Talk to your doctor about immunization against:

  • Hepatitis B. Hepatitis B can increase the risk of developing liver cancer. The hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for certain high-risk adults — such as adults who are sexually active but not in a mutually monogamous relationship, people with sexually transmitted infections, intravenous drug users, men who have sex with men, and health care or public safety workers who might be exposed to infected blood or body fluids.
  • Human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that can lead to cervical and other genital cancers as well as squamous cell cancers of the head and neck. The HPV vaccine is available to both men and women age 26 or younger who didn’t have the vaccine as adolescents.

6. Avoid risky behaviors

Another effective cancer prevention tactic is to avoid risky behaviors that can lead to infections that, in turn, might increase the risk of cancer. For example:

  • Practice safe sex. Limit your number of sexual partners, and use a condom when you have sex. The more sexual partners you have in your lifetime, the more likely you are to contract a sexually transmitted infection — such as HIV or HPV. People who have HIV or AIDS have a higher risk of cancer of the anus, liver and lung. HPV is most often associated with cervical cancer, but it might also increase the risk of cancer of the anus, penis, throat, vulva and vagina.
  • Don’t share needles. Sharing needles with an infected drug user can lead to HIV, as well as hepatitis B and hepatitis C — which can increase the risk of liver cancer. If you’re concerned about drug abuse or addiction, seek professional help.

7. Get regular medical care

Regular self-exams and screenings for various types of cancers — such as cancer of the skin, colon, prostate, cervix and breast — can increase your chances of discovering cancer early, when treatment is most likely to be successful. Ask your doctor about the best cancer screening schedule for you. Take cancer prevention into your own hands, starting today. The rewards will last a lifetime.

Article Courtesy: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/

Key Foods That Boost Longevity

In the perennial quest for longevity, there are no miracle cures. But what’s on your plate matters more than you think. Here are some foods to make sure are in your pantry.

Healthy Greens

How They Help
They contain folate, calcium, and other nutrients that support bone health, protect against cognitive decline, and help prevent age-related eye problems. Diets high in cruciferous veggies, such as broccoli and cabbage, help reduce risk of memory loss and cancer.

How To Eat
Crucifers and leafy greens like kale, escarole, and spinach make delicious additions to all manner of dishes, including stir-fries, salads, stews, and soups.

Whole Grains

How They Help
Rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, whole grains can lower the risk of age-related illnesses like cardiovascular disease and cancer. Because they’re digested more slowly than processed grains, they also help prevent high blood sugar and diabetes.

How To Eat
Grains such as brown rice, quinoa, barley, oatmeal, and millet make hearty side or main dishes — even breakfasts. They’re more filling than a plain white bagel.

Berries

How They Help
Blueberries, blackberries, and cranberries are rich in antioxidant compounds known as anthocyanins, which have been shown to slow the growth of certain cancers as well as improve brain function, muscle tone, and balance.

How To Eat
Choose fresh berries when they’re in season or frozen varieties year-round. Enjoy them alone as a snack, in salads and smoothies, or in cooked sauces.

Olive Oil

How It Helps
Rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory monounsaturated fat, olive oil figures prominently in the Mediterranean diet. It may explain the lower rates of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and age-related cognitive decline in people who follow this way of eating.

How To Eat
Take a cue from the Mediterranean diet and make olive oil your main cooking oil. Also use it in salad dressings or as a great dip for bread (skip the butter).

Tomatoes

How They Help
Certain red fruits — including tomatoes — contain lycopene, an antioxidant compound that helps maintain youthful skin texture and may reduce the risk of some types of cancer (especially prostate, lung, and stomach cancers) and heart disease.

How To Eat
For lycopene content, go for cooked tomatoes (in sauces and pastes) rather than raw. The cooking process creates a more concentrated source of this nutrient.

Nuts

How They Help
Varieties such as almonds and walnuts contain a generous helping of healthy fats, vitamins, and protein that benefit cardiovascular and brain health. Nuts are also high in compounds that ease inflammation.

How To Eat
Snack on 1/4 to 1/2 cup of nuts, preferably almonds or walnuts, four to five times a week. Keep in mind that peanuts are not true nuts; they’re legumes.

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Article Courtesy: http://www.wholeliving.com/

Questions To Ask Yourself When You Feel Intense Anxiety

Anxiety is often caused by unhealthy thought patterns, worries, and stress. However, sometimes that uncomfortable, distressful, and at times panic-inducing experience has little to do with what we’re thinking, and more to do our biochemistry or what we just ate. Sometimes, it doesn’t matter how much we “talk it out” because our anxiety has little to do with what our thoughts and more to do with these other culprits.

If you ‘re feeling anxious and can’t chalk it up to worry, ask yourself these questions:

1. Did you just have caffeine, sugar, or MSG?

All of the above can increase heart rate and cause hyperarousal and feelings of anxiety in some individuals. Pay attention to labels, and notice if your body reacts to certain foods or drinks containing such ingredients. I, for example, am not generally affected by caffeine (although my colleague’s anxiety skyrockets if she drinks it), but if I order Chinese and forget to make sure there’s no MSG, I’m up all night with heart palpitations and catastrophic thoughts. Check out this link for hidden sources of MSG.

2. Could hormones have something to do with it?

After deciding to cease oral contraceptives after a decade, I experienced a serious hormonal imbalance that mimicked menopause. Hot flashes, night sweats, heart palpitations, and cognitive and physical anxiety were present a good part of my days. After seeing my naturopath and working toward balancing my hormones, I noticed a significant improvement and felt calm (although anxiety still worsens for me at certain times in my cycle). If you’re feeling anxious or depressed and can’t pinpoint why, it might have to do with fluctuating or unbalanced hormones.

3. Are you fatigued or getting sick?

Low energy, foggy brain, and a general sense of malaise contributes to anxiety in a couple of ways: 1) it creates a stress reaction as your body tries to fight illness, and 2) your cognitive functioning is affected, often resulting in feeling anxious, unfocused, and indecisive. Remember to lower your expectations for yourself in this case, especially for tasks involving cognitive performance.

4. Did you have a few too many glasses of wine last night?

I met a friend in Nicaragua who described his experience of “The Scaries” after we imbibed too much the night before. Before that, I thought I was the only one who experienced feelings of depression and anxiety as byproducts of a hangover (why do we drink again?). Alcohol messes with our nervous system and neurotransmitter levels, which can cause anxiety (or “The Scaries”).

5. What’s the state of your gut bacteria?

Growing evidence is revealing a connection between gut bacteria and anxiety. This is thought to be due to the vagus nerve, which connects the gut to the brain. Take your probiotics and be mindful of food intolerances! Many people have no idea of the brain-gut connection, or that their diet could be contributing to their experience of anxiety.

Article Courtesy: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/

Image Courtesy: http://www.gettyimages.in/

How to Breathe Correctly For Every Type of Exercise

Most people don’t pay a lot of attention to their breathing technique when they exercise, but breathing the right way can have a significant impact on your fitness, agility and even weight loss.

Read on to find out the right breathing technique for every type of exercise.

Yoga
Controlling your breath is a major part of yoga, since the breath enables the flow of energy through your body. If you are a beginner, you should try to practise sama vritti, or equal breath, where you match the timing and rhythm of your breathing so that your inhales are the same as your exhales. Known as 1:1 breathing, this will help you focus your mind and lower your heart rate and blood pressure.

If you are a yoga veteran, you can try Ujjayi pranayama, or victory breath, which is where you inhale, and keeping your throat in the same position, close your mouth and exhale. This type of breathing should produce a sound from your throat with every breath.

Strength training If you spend a lot of the time at the gym, you’ll know that breathing is an important part of strength training. If you are lifting weights for example, you need to inhale as you lower the weight and exhale as you lift it once again. If you are bench pressing, you need to inhale as you bring the weight down to your chest and exhale as you push it back upwards. Holding your breath for a short stint puts pressure on the chest and helps improve stability, but if you hold it for too long it can prevent the return of blood to the heart, raising your blood pressure.

Running If you prefer to run as your exercise, you should try to match your breathing to your strides to get the perfect rhythm. Not breathing properly while you’re running is what leads to stitches in your side. The best way to breathe while running is to try to take a breath for every two strides. So breathe in, left/right, breathe out, left/right, and so on. This is known as the 2:2 rhythm, and it works for almost all running paces, except for a very fast sprint.

Playing a sport If you are playing a sport like basketball, cricket or football, you should make it a point to breathe from your diaphragm and not your chest, since the diaphragm is the most efficient breathing muscle. Avoid panting, as looking tired makes your opponents more confident about beating you. If you are about to be tackled, take a deep breath right before impact, to help stabilise your core.

Article Courtesy: http://healthmeup.com/

Image Courtesy: http://healthveda.com/

How to Deal With Panic Attacks

Today on the Slice of Health show, we talk about how  to deal with panic attacks.

The Special Guest for the day is Dr. Jayapradha Kanikar, a psychiatrist based out of Chennai.

She describes the term “Panic Attack” as an episode where a person suddenly has an impending sense of doom, loss of control and crushing fear that can be accompanied by chest pains, sweating and tremors. Panic Attacks could be spontaneous or triggered by a stressor. The stressor is usually something that puts a lot of pressure or stress on an individual, for example – exams, an interview, a new job, marriage, parenthood.

It’s not easy to predict when or who is gonna have a panic attack. It is both a physiological as well as a psychological condition. The body goes into flight or flight mode.

Once panic attack symptoms begin, it peaks at about 10 minutes, and fades by 20-30 mins. First time you have a panic attack, you don’t typically know what it was. So the best thing to do is get checked up immediately by a Doctor. If everything else is fine it’s diagnosed as a panic attack. These attacks can be related to depression, anxiety, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Women are generally more prone to panic attacks.

If you get panic attacks frequently, you’ve to seek treatment. People around you, pets, yoga, can all help in avoiding these attacks. Frequency will be reduced and you can calm yourself easier during an attack. A healthy lifestyle also helps.

While having a panic attack, one needs to remember that this is just a fear and nothing bad is actually gonna happen. Don’t let your thoughts run away with you. Remain calm, take deep breaths, repeat to yourself that this is just fear and you’ll get past it. Also try to distract yourself. A Panic disorder is when people are so afraid of having a panic attack that they live in fear and stop doing a lot of things, become a social recluse and stop living their lives. There are treatments and Cognitive behaviour therapy to help rehabilitate them.

In conclusion, Dr. Jayapradha tells listeners to live a healthy lifestyle and not to neglect relaxation exercises. She says don’t panic, because everything can be handled when you’re in the right frame of mind. Keep Calm and Carry On.

Do You Have OCD?

The word “OCD” is thrown around casually to describe a person who is organised or cleans frequently, but obsessive-compulsive disorder is actually a serious anxiety disorder and should be treated as such.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterised by intrusive and unreasonable thoughts and fears that produce repetitive acts or rituals aimed to reduce anxiety. These repetitive behaviours are called compulsions.

OCD typically involves having both compulsions and obsessions. Distress, apprehensions and irrational fears cause these obsessions and compulsions.

A person suffering from OCD has to carry out a compulsion to feel less anxious. If the compulsion (like repeatedly washing hands) is not carried out, they feel severely nervous. The inability to break from these compulsions can cause depression, too.

The most common obsessions include fears about contamination from dirt and germs, fear of carrying out violent thoughts, irrational thoughts of self-harm or harming others – particularly loved ones, craving order, fears for safety, and inability or unwillingness to let go of worn out objects (hoarding).

Obsessions are usually recurrent, involuntary, distressing and hard to control. Although most of us occasionally have some of these thoughts, people suffering from OCD are unable to dismiss them.

Here’s how you can tell if your OCD tendencies are symptoms that might require professional help:

Excessive hand-washing

If you’re hooked on hand sanitiser and compulsively wash your hands, it could be a symptom of OCD. This urge is caused by a fear of dirt and germs, but could also stem from a fear of contaminating others or of being tainted or depraved. If you are worried about germs even after you’ve washed your hands, or unreasonably fear contracting diseases from unlikely places, you could be carrying out a compulsion.

Counting

Performing a job or chore in accordance with a numeric pattern or counting while doing everyday actions (like counting steps or passing cars) could be a symptom of OCD. Many of these behaviours are caused by superstitions. Seek help if you can’t stop counting and get the numbers out of your head.

 Excessive organisation

Obsessions with order and symmetry while organising personal belongings may be a sign that it’s a compulsion. Seek help if you compulsively organise your desk or other spaces only to relieve anxiety.

Checking behaviour

If you are compelled to perform a checking ritual – returning multiple times to check if your front door is locked, or if the knobs on your stove are off – it could be a compulsion.

Other compulsions include overzealous cleaning, touching objects while passing them, measuring, fears of violence, overthinking in relationships, and repeating certain tasks to relieve stress.

Article Courtesy: http://healthmeup.com/

Top Fitness Habits for the Office

You might have read about how to stay fit at work a dozen times, but how often do you practice what others preach? How many healthy work lunches, office workouts and desk yoga asanas have you attempted lately? If you’re still grappling with how to practice fitness in the office, then take a look at these simple, yet effective, fitness habits. These habits are at the very root of a great work-fitness balance for many fitness enthusiasts. We begin with the popular habit of desk stretches. 

Avoid stiffness from hours of sitting – get stretching: 

Sitting is not a natural posture for the human body. Hours of sitting tightens and lengthens different lower body muscles in a state of perpetual contraction or extension. This means that muscle groups like the hamstrings, glutes, and quads weaken over time. This makes it even tougher for a person who sits for long hours to strengthen the lower body even with exercise. Long hours of sitting also affects your core, causing weak backs and protruding stomachs. The result – lower back pain, an unflattering slouch and a widened pelvic floor.

To avoid this stiffness and weakness:  Get off your chair, stand up and stretch your lower body muscles. Practise quad, hamstring and glute stretches. Add lower back and upper back stretches to the mix. Hold each stretch for 8-10 seconds. 

Avoid dehydration that causes unreasonable hunger pangs – get drinking: 

Most people drink water when eating or right after a meal. However, your body needs a constant supply of water, a few sips now and then, through the day. So keep a bottle of water with a small cup at your desk. 

Sip a cup of water every 45-60 minutes. You could include this with the desk stretches. Try this out for a few days and you’ll notice that you stop craving unhealthy snacks every few hours.

Sit straight – adjust your chair, desk, computer screen and keyboard: 

Do whatever it takes to avoid poor posture at work. Poor posture causes slouching, which leads to an entire chain of unhealthy outcomes. Slouching places strain on the wrong joints, primarily those around the thoracic and lumbar spines. This could be caused by a lower chair, a higher desk, a keyboard that doesn’t have elbow desk space around it, or a computer screen that’s either too close, too far, or too low. 

Ensure that your knees are at 90degrees with the floor. Your back should be straight. Your elbows should be placed on a support (desk or armchair), and your computer screen should be at eye level, i.e., so that you don’t need to bend to see the screen clearly.

Eliminate food that makes you feel uncomfortable:

This covers the entire gamut of advice regarding eating healthy at work. No matter how strong the attraction towards unhealthy junk food in the office canteen or friendly neighbourhood fast-food café, you do realise that certain foods just make you feel sick.

Fried, cheesy, greasy, fattening, salty, sugar-heavy food and drink; these are all foods that leave you bloated, gassy, stuffed and plain unhappy. This could also include lunch debacles like yogurt that warms up and continues to ferment, eventually making you feel bloated when you eat it. It could also include home-cooked food that’s not conducive to packing and storing, like ghee-heavy dal or cereal-loaded tiffins. Identify these foods and arrive at your work comfort foods through the process of elimination.

Be active – use your phone calls for brisk walks and off-the-chair time. 

This is the simplest stay-fit-at-work advice you’ll ever get. What it boils down to is just any excuse to get off your office chair. Got a phone call? Walk around or stand up. Have an informal gathering or meeting? Remain standing for the entire duration. Need to call a colleague? Walk over to his or her desk instead of using instant messaging. Need to re-fill you water bottle? Walk over to the water cooler instead of asking housekeeping to do the job.

Stretch, walk, do a couple of quick lunges, (maybe a couple of push ups, if you have a cubicle), but get active.

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Article Courtesy: http://healthmeup.com/

Morning Mistakes That Slow Down Metabolism

Morning is the best time to affect one’s metabolism process. Metabolism is the rate of burning of sugar and release of energy. The rate at which the energy provided by the food in our system is used up is determined by our metabolic rate. If the metabolic rate is sluggish it leads to accumulation of fats and sugars in the system which in turn leads to weight gain. If you have a high metabolic rate, you will be able to burn off calories faster and be able to ward off the extra weight. Metabolic rate is influenced by different factors such as genetics, weight and age. Even though these factors are out of our control, there are many ways we can influence our metabolism levels. The right choices will lead to the metabolism rate firing up or fizzling down. If you are targeting weight loss, there are certain mistakes which you might be making resulting in slowing down of the metabolism rate.

Eating Too Late

This is a mistake that many people make. Most people do not have time to have breakfast when they rushing off to work or to drop the kids off to school. However, it has been seen that skipping breakfast can be worse for your health. It makes the metabolism rate slow down for the day. As the body is not provided adequate amount of food, the brain signals to the body to conserve energy. Accordingly the fats are stored up instead of getting burnt off. It is imperative that one eats within an hour of waking up. That sparks off the metabolic process called thermogenesis. This turns the food that is eaten into energy. That also makes it ideal to opt for high protein and even calorie laden food items during breakfast rather having it for lunch or dinner. If you feel like having a donut after having an omelet of egg whites, you might as well pack it in with an early breakfast so that you will burn it off during the day.

Not Exercising

Research has shown that one keeps burning calories even after 24 hours after workout, especially when one does resistance training form of exercises. Research also has proven that exercising in the morning leads to more calories being brunt than exercising at any other time of the day. Thus, if you wish to get an effective exercise without going at it for hours, plan a short and quick workout early in the morning. You could get up and go for a run or a walk as suits your physical activity need and preference. When you do high intensity cardio interval training you challenge the fat burning genes more. As a result, the post workout calorie burn is much more. Doing cardio vascular exercises early in the morning on an empty stomach will prove most effective in reducing fat and weight.

Not Doing Resistance Training

Most people think that resistance training is not for them. They feel that cardio vascular exercises are enough to keep them fit. While that is true in most regard, if you wish to develop lean muscles and want to keep the fat burning process going even after you have stopped exercising. It would be wiser to start doing strength training. Strength training involves working with weights but one can even do other forms of resistance training such as high intensity interval training. That leads to similar effects as weight lifting exercises. These kinds of exercises work on the muscle groups and lead to wear and tear. As the muscles start to recover and rebuild themselves, they burn the fat cells in order to get energy. During the time when you rest, the muscles are repairing themselves and burning calories at the same time. Thus, a metabolism boosting workout even for ten minutes included in one’s morning exercise routine will keep the calories burning through the day.

These are some of the great ways one can boost their metabolism. If you are not doing these activities, you are missing out on stepping up your metabolic rate.

Is weight gain weighing you down? Does it not seem to help no matter what measures you take? You need to understand the natural processes within your body with respect to fat burning. The kind of food that helps to burn fat, increase the metabolic rate more need to be known in order to affect weight loss. Again, eating the right food at the right time as well as doing the right amount of physical activity will keep the metabolism active. Even if you are born with a sluggish metabolism, you could do many things to step it up and make it work to your advantage in order to help you lose the fat and keep off the extra weight.

Article Courtesy: http://www.myhealthtips.in/

 

The Secret to Holistic Happiness – How do you Follow Your Bliss?

Today’s very interesting topic was on how to follow your bliss and maintain holistic happiness.

Jane kicks off the show with some sage advice that says that we must all spend 2% of what we earn on ourself and our indulgences. She then introduces the first guest, Mr. Parthibhan – dept. of Police and Public Administration at the Madras University.

He says that working with the rural community gives him happiness. He teaches at a rural village and trains faculty there. His idea of holistic happiness is that should be sustainable and long term development.

A Caller – Ganesh, shares his views on happiness. He says It’s not something you just do. He gives an analogy that happiness is like a butterfly that sits on your hand and for that to happen, you have cultivate flowers around you. You’ve to be giving more than getting. Making other people happy around you. He finds his bliss by meditating in the morning along with Yoga and exercise, which gets the good energy flowing. When it comes to happiness in relationships, he feels that relationship issues are caused by ego, which should be nipped in the bud with communication. He also feels that couples should find things to do together.

Another caller, Anjali, says she finds joy in doing small things for her family. Be it making a cup of tea for her hubby in the morning, or tucking her kids in every night, little things she does for them makes her happy.

The second guest on the show calls in from Himachal Pradesh. He is Mr Om Swami. An author of the book “if truths be told – A Monk’s Memoir”

He ran a software company for 7 years but grew up Influenced by religion n spirituality and always thought there must more to life. 2010 he went away to the Himalayas to meet a guru and then went into meditation in caves. After a year up high in the Himalayas, he now lives in the foothills. He feels that the problem with society today is that everybody’s trying to get somewhere, and it’s usually someone else’s benchmark. The stillness of the mind you acquire when you meditate allows you to rise above all your thoughts. They don’t bother you anymore. He advises everyone to follow the path that matters to you. It could be dancing or writing or even being an RJ. We must take a step back and figure out if we’re doing what we want to be doing, and choose the path we want to be on.

Jane then asks Parthibhan when he got the calling to help society. He says that most of us get some benefits from society, and we must give back as well. He teaches a rural community how to make a living without affecting the environment. They provide two meals a day for the students, all organic as they grow their own vegetables. He started with 7 students and now has 160.His students are happy to come to school as opposed to being happy to leave.

A caller, Asha, shares her story. As student of physiotherapy, her class went to an ashram for a month to work with disabled kids. She realised how much of a difference she was making in the kid’s lives that she volunteered to work with them for a year. To see someone else happy because of something you did, especially kids, this is her idea of holistic bliss.

Jane and the guests seem encouraged to see the younger generation volunteering to step up and help the community.

Swami gives another analogy about how our bodies are made of billions of cells, so is the universe. If there is a pin prick on our body, all the attention is on that point. The same way for the universe, when a part of it is hurting, we need to come together to help.

He gives a brief background about his book, which is based on his journey so far. His biggest lesson has been that nothing is really absolute. We may often lose the idea of what our lives should be. All the colours and moments of ups and downs make life. We need to find our bliss in each of these moments. He says half your life is already gone by the time you realise what you’re doing. That’s what triggers people to find their bliss. It makes them take the steps towards inner fulfilment.

Parthibhan points out that in a country like ours, inequality is very high and we cannot depend on the govt to empower the poor. He urges the community to give back.

In conclusion a caller summarises it perfectly. She says happiness is an inside job. Your perception of happiness keeps changing over time. She suggests keeping a journal of things that make you happy. Money can’t buy happiness. So the best way to stay happy is to spread smiles.

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