Monday, February 28, 2011
lifestyle tips: Healing herbs
lifestyle tips: Healing herbs: "After a lifetime of dependence on modern medicine, it is a trifle difficult to think of ayurveda as a viable alternative or complementary ..."
Healing herbs
After a lifetime of dependence on modern medicine, it is a trifle difficult to think of ayurveda as a viable alternative or complementary option. But in Rishikesh, where swamis, healers and scientists were meeting and sharing experiences together with Indian and western ayurvedic experts, it was not all that difficult to get convinced.
We began to understand what ayurveda was all about. It was evident that with its stress on herbs, yoga, meditation, chanting and spirituality, ayurveda looked at the whole rather than the part and so is designed to enable followers achieve holistic well-being. There seems to be a kind of resurgence, a renewal of interest in ancient healing systems; both in India and abroad, Ayurveda is coming back in a big way, thanks to growing popular as well as scientific interest in its positive impact on lifestyle.
'Ayurveda and Yoga: Where Science Meets Consciousness' was the theme of a five-day international conference in Rishikesh, (February 17-21), organised by the Coimbatore-based Punarnava Ayurveda Trust. A yagna or sacred ritual fire was done to invoke Lord Dhanwantari, the god of healing, complete with the chanting of Vedic mantras and burning of incense, setting the mood.
Ayurveda's western face
The tall and willowy Robert Svoboda, the first licensed western practitioner of ayurveda in 1980 was clearly the star attraction at the conference. The Hindi-speaking, urdu poetry-quoting American Sanskrit scholar, yoga, astrology and meditation expert is a household name in the west.
Canadians Frank and his partner happily meditating in South Goa promptly enrolled for the conference when they learnt, on googling Svoboda, that he would be lecturing at Rishikesh. Ditto, Coen van der Kroon who runs an ayurvedic academy in Amsterdam. A dozen of his students were also in attendance.
Svoboda believes that allopathy scores in "trauma care and in a life-threatening crisis, but is of little help in teaching people to live healthy and avoid life-threatening crises. I salute modern technology, but air is still air, food is still food, and water is still water, and western medicine can't understand how these interact with living organisms." Ayurveda, on the other hand, encourages people to live right, to alter their lifestyle so that they stay fit. "Ayurveda would have been much more intact today if the British hadn't actively discouraged all forms of traditional knowledge," he adds.
If western science stymied ayurveda in the country of its origin, it was westerners who later rediscovered it and exported it back to their homeland. "India's richness of spirit", is what first attracted Hawaiin Myra Lewin to India to learn yoga and meditation. Soon, she was sold on ayurveda too.
"Don't sweat the small stuff," she now tells her students back in the US, while emphasising the importance of living a life in gratitude — for food and our health. "Treat food as something sacred, not as something mechanised and impersonal. Bring its richness back into your life," she advises. People are finally taking such advice seriously.
Ramkumar of Punarnava is grateful for this. "But it still needs a greater boost especially from the government," he stresses. "Conferences such as these inspire young ayurvedic doctors and students to delve deeper into ancient texts, while exposing them to the global need from ayurveda today," he says. "Look at lifestyle diseases today — allopathy hasn't a comprehensive solution," Ramkumar points out. "But ayurveda is excellent for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic conditions," he adds.
Mind, body and soul
"Ayurveda combines all three: sharira or body, manas or mind and atman or spirit. It emphasises that their symbiotic balance helps a person become stable and strong mentally, physically and spiritually," says ashtavaidyan AN Narayanan Nambi. To lead an ayurvedic way of life, you should know your dharma, fulfil kama or desires in a dharmic way, and practice sukha sadhanam — that is, live right. For good health, necessary for sukha sadhanam, ayurvedic specialists use special healing herbs.
"Besides herbs, Ayurveda also uses minerals, metals, animal products or anything in the world that can be understood in a logical way and can be utilised to treat a certain condition. Ayurveda believes that there's nothing useless in this world; all letters are mantras and all roots are herbs; only that the person who knows it all, is rare," says Nambi. The ancient healing system doesn't offer quick-fix solutions. It explores the real cause of the disease and attempts to eradicate it completely.
Also largely unknown is the fact that ayurveda has comprehensive treatment for emotional and mental wellbeing. Meditation, yoga, and herbs that make your brain strong is the treatment prescribed — not suppressants for the overactive brain as in allopathy.
Customised treatment
Modern biotechnology promotes designer drugs best suited to the genetic makeup of an individual. Interestingly, ayurveda has always advocated customised treatment. "The vaidya gives specific medication in specific doses in accordance with the specific needs of the patient after careful examination of his naadi or pulse, and his tongue, eyes and ears. Instead of relying on lab reports, the vaidya uses his mind and insight as a tool to test and investigate the problem at hand," says Nambi.
Ranjit Pawar, a delegate, who graduated last year and now practises ayurveda in Mumbai, says: "My treatment plan includes guidance on lifestyle and spirituality as suggested by ayurvedic texts".
In ayurveda, costs are lower and remedies are non-invasive with very few side-effects, if any. Critics point out that random studies have shown high metal content in ayurvedic preparations. "However," says Renu Gulati, an Ayurvedic practitioner in Rishikesh who did her Masters in the UK, "metals have a powerful healing effect, but the process for preparing medicines with metals is time-consuming and intricate, and some fly-by-night outfits have bypassed ethical manufacturing guidelines and unwittingly increased the volume of such components that are meant to be just a miniscule part of the medicine. But such concoctions are exceptions." Gulati suggests that patients should avoid self-prescription and visit only a reputed practitioner who will prescribe safe brands.
Harmony healing
Ayurveda works at a holistic level, addressing the physical, mental, spiritual, social, and environment conditions — leading to complete mind-body harmony. Subhash Ranade from Pune has till now trained 3,000 European doctors in ayurveda, evidence that ayurveda is viewd as a serious option abroad. "Maharashtra had 16 ayurveda colleges earlier. Now it has 55," he says. Alternative healing systems like that of ayurveda can be complementary; there is no great divide that demands abandoning one system for the other. The good news is that they can all co-exist in a spirit of co-option, and not competition. It's all about achieving a comfortable rhythm that's life-enhancing.
We began to understand what ayurveda was all about. It was evident that with its stress on herbs, yoga, meditation, chanting and spirituality, ayurveda looked at the whole rather than the part and so is designed to enable followers achieve holistic well-being. There seems to be a kind of resurgence, a renewal of interest in ancient healing systems; both in India and abroad, Ayurveda is coming back in a big way, thanks to growing popular as well as scientific interest in its positive impact on lifestyle.
'Ayurveda and Yoga: Where Science Meets Consciousness' was the theme of a five-day international conference in Rishikesh, (February 17-21), organised by the Coimbatore-based Punarnava Ayurveda Trust. A yagna or sacred ritual fire was done to invoke Lord Dhanwantari, the god of healing, complete with the chanting of Vedic mantras and burning of incense, setting the mood.
Ayurveda's western face
The tall and willowy Robert Svoboda, the first licensed western practitioner of ayurveda in 1980 was clearly the star attraction at the conference. The Hindi-speaking, urdu poetry-quoting American Sanskrit scholar, yoga, astrology and meditation expert is a household name in the west.
Canadians Frank and his partner happily meditating in South Goa promptly enrolled for the conference when they learnt, on googling Svoboda, that he would be lecturing at Rishikesh. Ditto, Coen van der Kroon who runs an ayurvedic academy in Amsterdam. A dozen of his students were also in attendance.
Svoboda believes that allopathy scores in "trauma care and in a life-threatening crisis, but is of little help in teaching people to live healthy and avoid life-threatening crises. I salute modern technology, but air is still air, food is still food, and water is still water, and western medicine can't understand how these interact with living organisms." Ayurveda, on the other hand, encourages people to live right, to alter their lifestyle so that they stay fit. "Ayurveda would have been much more intact today if the British hadn't actively discouraged all forms of traditional knowledge," he adds.
If western science stymied ayurveda in the country of its origin, it was westerners who later rediscovered it and exported it back to their homeland. "India's richness of spirit", is what first attracted Hawaiin Myra Lewin to India to learn yoga and meditation. Soon, she was sold on ayurveda too.
"Don't sweat the small stuff," she now tells her students back in the US, while emphasising the importance of living a life in gratitude — for food and our health. "Treat food as something sacred, not as something mechanised and impersonal. Bring its richness back into your life," she advises. People are finally taking such advice seriously.
Ramkumar of Punarnava is grateful for this. "But it still needs a greater boost especially from the government," he stresses. "Conferences such as these inspire young ayurvedic doctors and students to delve deeper into ancient texts, while exposing them to the global need from ayurveda today," he says. "Look at lifestyle diseases today — allopathy hasn't a comprehensive solution," Ramkumar points out. "But ayurveda is excellent for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic conditions," he adds.
Mind, body and soul
"Ayurveda combines all three: sharira or body, manas or mind and atman or spirit. It emphasises that their symbiotic balance helps a person become stable and strong mentally, physically and spiritually," says ashtavaidyan AN Narayanan Nambi. To lead an ayurvedic way of life, you should know your dharma, fulfil kama or desires in a dharmic way, and practice sukha sadhanam — that is, live right. For good health, necessary for sukha sadhanam, ayurvedic specialists use special healing herbs.
"Besides herbs, Ayurveda also uses minerals, metals, animal products or anything in the world that can be understood in a logical way and can be utilised to treat a certain condition. Ayurveda believes that there's nothing useless in this world; all letters are mantras and all roots are herbs; only that the person who knows it all, is rare," says Nambi. The ancient healing system doesn't offer quick-fix solutions. It explores the real cause of the disease and attempts to eradicate it completely.
Also largely unknown is the fact that ayurveda has comprehensive treatment for emotional and mental wellbeing. Meditation, yoga, and herbs that make your brain strong is the treatment prescribed — not suppressants for the overactive brain as in allopathy.
Customised treatment
Modern biotechnology promotes designer drugs best suited to the genetic makeup of an individual. Interestingly, ayurveda has always advocated customised treatment. "The vaidya gives specific medication in specific doses in accordance with the specific needs of the patient after careful examination of his naadi or pulse, and his tongue, eyes and ears. Instead of relying on lab reports, the vaidya uses his mind and insight as a tool to test and investigate the problem at hand," says Nambi.
Ranjit Pawar, a delegate, who graduated last year and now practises ayurveda in Mumbai, says: "My treatment plan includes guidance on lifestyle and spirituality as suggested by ayurvedic texts".
In ayurveda, costs are lower and remedies are non-invasive with very few side-effects, if any. Critics point out that random studies have shown high metal content in ayurvedic preparations. "However," says Renu Gulati, an Ayurvedic practitioner in Rishikesh who did her Masters in the UK, "metals have a powerful healing effect, but the process for preparing medicines with metals is time-consuming and intricate, and some fly-by-night outfits have bypassed ethical manufacturing guidelines and unwittingly increased the volume of such components that are meant to be just a miniscule part of the medicine. But such concoctions are exceptions." Gulati suggests that patients should avoid self-prescription and visit only a reputed practitioner who will prescribe safe brands.
Harmony healing
Ayurveda works at a holistic level, addressing the physical, mental, spiritual, social, and environment conditions — leading to complete mind-body harmony. Subhash Ranade from Pune has till now trained 3,000 European doctors in ayurveda, evidence that ayurveda is viewd as a serious option abroad. "Maharashtra had 16 ayurveda colleges earlier. Now it has 55," he says. Alternative healing systems like that of ayurveda can be complementary; there is no great divide that demands abandoning one system for the other. The good news is that they can all co-exist in a spirit of co-option, and not competition. It's all about achieving a comfortable rhythm that's life-enhancing.
Monday, February 21, 2011
lifestyle tips: 10 ways to keep your mind sharp
lifestyle tips: 10 ways to keep your mind sharp: "If you don't want your brain to lose its prowess as you age, better follow these tips. Do something Scientists are starting to think ..."
10 ways to keep your mind sharp
If you don't want your brain to lose its prowess as you age, better follow these tips.
Do something
Scientists are starting to think that regular aerobic exercise may be the single most important thing you can do for the long-term health of your brain. For mental fitness, aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every other day, reports Live Science.
Eat, eat, eat
A low glycemic diet—high fiber, with moderate amounts of fat and protein—is broken down more slowly in the body than high glycemic foods, such as sweets and white starches. A steady pace of digestion in the gut gives a more reliable flow of energy to the brain, likely optimizing the organ's long-term health and performance.
Watch that diet
While overindulging can make the brain sluggish and lead to long-term detriments to your brain, too few calories can also impair brain function. Many studies have linked dieting with distraction, confusion and memory impairment.
Take care of your body
Largely preventable diseases — such as Type II diabetes, obesity and hypertension — all affect your brain, too. System-wide health concerns have been linked to an increased risk of cognitive decline and memory impairments.
Get your beauty rest
When we rest and dream, memories are sifted through, some discarded, others consolidated and saved. When we don't sleep, a recent study found, proteins build up on synapses, possibly making it hard to think and learn new things.
Enjoy your coffee
Growing evidence suggests a caffeine habit may protect the brain. According to large longitudinal studies, two to four perk-me-ups a day may stave off normal cognitive decline and decrease the incidence of Alzheimer's by 30 to 60 per cent.
Eat fish
Some theories credit the introduction of fish into the human diet with the evolution of our tremendous cognitive prowess. Essential fatty acids, such as Omega 3s, are critical to brain function and are proving beneficial for treating such brain-sapping ailments as depression.
Chill out
Stress takes a toll on the brain by washing harmful chemicals over the hippocampus and other brain areas involved in memory. Some scientists suspect that living a balanced lifestyle and pursuing relaxing activities such as yoga, socializing and crafting may delay memory impairment by reducing stress.
Skip the supplements
Supplements have been getting a bad rap recently, with even the familiar multivitamin now looking like a waste of money — or worse. Despite their 'natural' origins, they are not free of potential side effects, such as high blood pressure, digestion trouble, fertility problems and depression.
Tease your brain
Whether crossword puzzles, sudokus and other brain teasers actually keep your brain in shape, has not been well-established. However, lack of education is a strong predictor of cognitive decline. The more you've tried to learn, the better you'll be at mental sit-ups in old age.
Do something
Scientists are starting to think that regular aerobic exercise may be the single most important thing you can do for the long-term health of your brain. For mental fitness, aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every other day, reports Live Science.
Eat, eat, eat
A low glycemic diet—high fiber, with moderate amounts of fat and protein—is broken down more slowly in the body than high glycemic foods, such as sweets and white starches. A steady pace of digestion in the gut gives a more reliable flow of energy to the brain, likely optimizing the organ's long-term health and performance.
Watch that diet
While overindulging can make the brain sluggish and lead to long-term detriments to your brain, too few calories can also impair brain function. Many studies have linked dieting with distraction, confusion and memory impairment.
Take care of your body
Largely preventable diseases — such as Type II diabetes, obesity and hypertension — all affect your brain, too. System-wide health concerns have been linked to an increased risk of cognitive decline and memory impairments.
Get your beauty rest
When we rest and dream, memories are sifted through, some discarded, others consolidated and saved. When we don't sleep, a recent study found, proteins build up on synapses, possibly making it hard to think and learn new things.
Enjoy your coffee
Growing evidence suggests a caffeine habit may protect the brain. According to large longitudinal studies, two to four perk-me-ups a day may stave off normal cognitive decline and decrease the incidence of Alzheimer's by 30 to 60 per cent.
Eat fish
Some theories credit the introduction of fish into the human diet with the evolution of our tremendous cognitive prowess. Essential fatty acids, such as Omega 3s, are critical to brain function and are proving beneficial for treating such brain-sapping ailments as depression.
Chill out
Stress takes a toll on the brain by washing harmful chemicals over the hippocampus and other brain areas involved in memory. Some scientists suspect that living a balanced lifestyle and pursuing relaxing activities such as yoga, socializing and crafting may delay memory impairment by reducing stress.
Skip the supplements
Supplements have been getting a bad rap recently, with even the familiar multivitamin now looking like a waste of money — or worse. Despite their 'natural' origins, they are not free of potential side effects, such as high blood pressure, digestion trouble, fertility problems and depression.
Tease your brain
Whether crossword puzzles, sudokus and other brain teasers actually keep your brain in shape, has not been well-established. However, lack of education is a strong predictor of cognitive decline. The more you've tried to learn, the better you'll be at mental sit-ups in old age.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Etuhu in fitness race for Bolton’s clash
Fulhman midfielder Dickson Etuhu is in the race to be fit for tomorrow's English FA Cup fifth round clash with Bolton at
Craven Cottage.
Etuhu, who has been sidelined since last month with a hamstring pull, returned to training early in the week, and Fulham coach Mark Hughes will decide on the Nigerian international’s fitness for the match.
Meanwhile, five lucky pupils from two Surrey schools had the chance to visit Fulham Football Club’s Motspur Park training ground, to chat the Super Eagles ace.
The pupils put their questions to Dickson on the subject of life, the Premier League and most importantly, his role as this season’s Kick-It-Out ambassador.
The Fulham Football Club Foundation set an assignment for pupils from the Holyfield and Southborough Schools during October’s Kick-It-Out week of action. The project, designed to help pupils identify the ways in which cultures unite within the football industry, led to the creation of some fantastic player profiles based on Fulham squad members born outside of the UK.
The task helped pupils comprehend different cultures and backgrounds and the ways in which people from other countries integrate into society and the football industry.
The winning project entries were selected by a panel of Fulham Football Club employees and the five lucky pupils were given the opportunity to be journalists for the day, by interviewing Dickson Etuhu in a press conference style format.
Dickson Etuhu, Fulham FC midfielder and Club’s Kick It Out Ambassador, said: "It was a real pleasure to meet with the pupils and to share their enthusiasm. A lot of good work has been carried out by the Fulham Football Club Foundation alongside Kick-It-Out, through education programmes locally. It’s important that key messages promoting inclusion and cultural understanding are communicated and I’m delighted to support this worthwhile campaign as an ambassador."Thursday, February 17, 2011
lifestyle tips: Andy Murray pulls out of Dubai Championships with ...
lifestyle tips: Andy Murray pulls out of Dubai Championships with ...: " By the time he plays again, at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in the Californian desert next month, he will not have won a singles ..."
Andy Murray pulls out of Dubai Championships with wrist injury
By the time he plays again, at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in the Californian desert next month, he will not have won a singles match for six weeks, as on his first appearance since losing the Australian Open final in straight sets to Novak Djokovic, he crashed and burned in the opening round of last week’s Rotterdam tournament, with a heavy defeat to Marcos Baghdatis.
Though Murray’s trip to Holland was not a waste of time, as he reached the semi-finals of the doubles tournament with his brother Jamie, it looked as though he had returned too quickly to the tour, and that he should have done what he had said he was going to do, which was to take an extended break from tennis, spending time with his friends, family and Border Terrier.
This wrist injury is a long way from being a disaster for Murray, as it allows him to prime himself before the two Masters-level tournaments in the United States, the first in California and the second in Florida, and to avoid too many reminders of the episode in the Middle East last year.
Murray may not have endeared himself to the sheikhs last February with his concession that he had tried a few things out during his early defeat as, since it was not a grand slam, it was a good place to experiment with his game.
That mini-controversy in Dubai was just one part of Murray’s almost-five-month funk, when he lugged the after-affects of losing an Australian Open final around the circuit, and did not really look himself again until Wimbledon.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Romantic holiday getaway ideas for couples during valentine
Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse for a getaway with your sweetheart. In the United States, February 14th is seen as a holiday for romance. The restaurants nationwide are crowded with couples surrounded with flowers, romantic cards, chocolates and more! But what about a change this year in the routine? A nice Valentine’s Day travel getaway could be the ticket for you! Travel deals are hot around Valentine’s Day!
What are some places to turn up the heat in your relationship on Valentine’s Day?
Lots of places offer package deals for couples. Depending on what you are looking for, you will find packages that include hotel stay, car rentals, air fare, dining experiences, and more! Here aer a few ideas:
Jade Mountain in St. Lucia
Looking to be pampered with your honey? This is the place to check out. Get a massage, indulge in vanilla champagne, as you relax together. Breakfast in bed options are available for those couples that do not plan to spend a lot of time out of the bedroom!
The Blue Lagoon in Iceland
Here is something a bit different. These waters are warm year-round, even if they are surrounded by snow. You will find the visit refreshing. Suitablefor couples, it is a nice way to connect with nature and share some quiet time together.
Africa
How about getting involved in an adventure together, in Africa? Believe it or not, Africa has great potential for beige romanticfor couples . With beautiful islands, vast landscapes, and great opportunities to interact with nature, couples are whisked away to another world.
Niagara Falls
Looking for a classic escape? Niagara Falls has the charm of a friendly town with the appeal of romance all in one. During the day, catch the stunning views of the falls. If you are lucky enough to get a room close to the falls, you’ll be able to see them at night too!
What do you have planned for your sweetheart this year?
What are some places to turn up the heat in your relationship on Valentine’s Day?
Lots of places offer package deals for couples. Depending on what you are looking for, you will find packages that include hotel stay, car rentals, air fare, dining experiences, and more! Here aer a few ideas:
Jade Mountain in St. Lucia
Looking to be pampered with your honey? This is the place to check out. Get a massage, indulge in vanilla champagne, as you relax together. Breakfast in bed options are available for those couples that do not plan to spend a lot of time out of the bedroom!
The Blue Lagoon in Iceland
Here is something a bit different. These waters are warm year-round, even if they are surrounded by snow. You will find the visit refreshing. Suitablefor couples, it is a nice way to connect with nature and share some quiet time together.
Africa
How about getting involved in an adventure together, in Africa? Believe it or not, Africa has great potential for beige romanticfor couples . With beautiful islands, vast landscapes, and great opportunities to interact with nature, couples are whisked away to another world.
Niagara Falls
Looking for a classic escape? Niagara Falls has the charm of a friendly town with the appeal of romance all in one. During the day, catch the stunning views of the falls. If you are lucky enough to get a room close to the falls, you’ll be able to see them at night too!
What do you have planned for your sweetheart this year?
Monday, February 7, 2011
Spaghetti with Quick Meat Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 envelope(s) whole-wheat spaghetti
- 2 bar(s) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 large carrot, finely chopped
- 1 stalk(s) celery, finely chopped
- 4 clove(s) garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon(s) Italian seasoning
- 1 pound(s) lean (90% or leaner) ground beef
- 1 can(s) (28-ounce) crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup(s) chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
- 1/2 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is beginning to brown, 5 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and Italian seasoning; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beef and cook, stirring and breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Increase heat to high. Stir in tomatoes and cook until thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in parsley and salt.
- Serve the sauce over the pasta, sprinkled with cheese.
Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable, 2 lean meat Carbohydrate Servings: 3 Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (49% daily value), Zinc (34% dv), Iron (26% dv), Vitamin C (23% dv), Magnesium (21% dv), Potassium (19% dv).
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