New
Delhi hosted 6th World Ayurveda Congress & Arogya Expo from 6th to 9th
November, 2014 and the theme was 'Health challenges and Ayurveda.
One of the main aims of holding such international
conference is to register Ayurveda as a medical system in the minds of global community.
Ayurveda is the ancient Indian system of natural
and holistic medicine using plant properties to treat the diseases. The Sanskrit root Ayur
means 'longevity' or 'life and veda means 'Science'. It is the science of
healing of 5000 years old. In its website 6th World Ayurveda Congress
stated that Ayurveda has strong philosophical foundations unquestionable
science veracity, everlasting practical methodology and eternally vibrant
innovativeness for modifications into allied systems such as Siddha and Unani.
It further said that Ayurveda has a proven track record of success
through the ages.
Anybody's lofty goal is to have a disease-free body
and it is very much possible if you follow the principles of health enshrined in Ayurveda.
Though I am an Indian, I know a little about
Ayurveda until 2004 when I bought David Simon's scholarly book 'The Wisdom of Healing - A comprehensive
guide to mind-body medicine.
The Rig Veda, a collection of more than one
thousand poetic hymns that includes many of the central concepts of Ayurveda,
was composed between 1200 and 900 B.C. Experts say that Ayurveda system
was already centuries old during the time of Charaka, the most celebrated of
the ancient physicians of India, who lived around 700 B.C.
Indian mythology believes that Ayurveda came
directly from the gods. However, during the medieval period Ayurvedic
medicine began to be forcibly replaced by alternative systems imposed by the
ruling classes. Much damage to this ancient healing system occurred
during 12th and 13th centuries when Muslim invaders conquered India. It
is also said that Ayurveda was almost completely suppressed by India's British
rulers.
Ayurveda advises the man to live in consonance with
Nature. Since the body is nothing but a composition of primordial
elements, our life style must be in symphony with Nature's Laws. This is
the foundation upon which 'health' is built.
The recommended daily routine according to Ayurveda is as under :
ARISING : 6 TO 8 AM:
- Wake without an alarm
clock.
- Brush your teeth and
clean your tongue
-Drink a glass of warm
water to encourage regular elimination.
-Empty your bowels and
bladder
-Massage your body with
oil
-Bathe
-Perform light exercise:
Sun Salutes, yoga postures, breathing exercises.
-Meditate
-Eat breakfast
-Take a midmorning walk.
LUNCH : NOON TO 1 P.M
-Eat lunch (the largest
meal of the day)
-Sit quietly for five
minutes after eating.
-Walk to aid digestion (
five to fifteen minutes)
-Meditate in the late
afternoon
DINNER - 6 TO 7 P.M
-Eat a light to moderate
dinner.
-Sit quietly for five
minutes after eating
-Walk to aid digestion
(five to fifteen minutes)
BED TIME : 9.30 TO 10.30
PM
-Perform light activity
in the evening.
-Go to bed early, but at
least three hours after dinner.
-Don't read, eat or watch TV in bed.
When this regimen is followed strictly, the power
of immunity in the body increases and diseases don’t attack you !
One essential factor that
determines your happiness is 'not being haste'. You must distil
it into your DNA to live a peaceful life. Being hurry to every aspect
of life would turn you lunatic.
The best way to manage a day's affairs skillfully is to wake up a little
early. The American sage Ralph
Waldo Emerson, in his book 'The Conduct of Life' says that ' Nothing
is more vulgar than haste'. When you are in haste, you can't
maintain the natural rhythm in your daily chores. The
same feelings were echoed by American writer, historian and
philosopher William James Durant who says that ' No man who is in
a hurry is quite civilized.
Haste is a venom for a writer. If you are carried away by it,
not only it crushes your creativity but harm the surrounding weaker
souls.
French Playwright Moliere summed up the whole lesson with this
beautiful quote : Unreasonable haste is the direct road to error !
Jackfruit has magical nutritious value with no cholesterol or saturated fats. It is rich in antioxidants which not only protects
you from cancer but also improves bone
and skin health. Health experts say that jackfruit contains large amounts of
potassium which is required to maintain sodium levels in the body.
Jackfruit contains good amount of dietary fiber which improves digestion
and prevents constipation. Eating this
fruit keeps the eye free of vision problems like cataract etc.
It slows down the ageing process and maintains skin glow with high moisture
levels and also protects from skin
diseases.
The only problem with this fruit is the messy process of cutting and taking out
its bulbs. In order to enjoy its countless health benefits, you should not feel
it as hurdle !
There is nothing trivial for sharing. A good
friend of me in a recent social media site
said that :
A Cup that was already
full,
cannot have more added to it;
In order to receive more
good
we must empty it
by sharing it with others
regularly
and consistently ..
So whatever, good I see, my heart craves to
share it instantly with others so as to spread its benefits.
The intention is noble and gives a
sense of inner satisfaction.
Though, we know that copper is widely used in electrical and
electronics, deriving it’s health benefits is not
wide-spread.
Doctors say that copper contains antibacterial
properties. If you drink water from a copper vessel, it would
cleanse your system of various toxins.
I know its benefits since my childhood when
my mother used to give us water only in the copper tumbler.
That habit was out of sync for some years till I get married
when my wife restarted and now we are not breaking the vow to drink water from the copper vessel.
In fact it is a good old Indian tradition to offer
water in the copper tumbler which we replaced with a glass tumbler.
When a tradition is tested scientifically, one
should not abandon it and must kick start the habit to derive
the full health benefits the copper offers !
A lion's share of
one's time is spent in professional life. Therefore the ambiance surrounding
the work place, specially, your desk should be carefully planned.
The world's most creative company : Google has a very flexible system where the
employees can have the liberty to decorate their desks according to their
interests, so as to remain enthusiastic, creative during work hours. In fact
the company has nap pods for their employees to let exhausted employees
enjoy a quick nap during afternoon hours.
Once you are in a sedentary job, you are very prone to weariness. More over, it is very important to protect
yourself from occasional emotional outbursts which is an activity of reptilian
brain i.e. Fight or Flight. Once, we
have been evolved as humans, it means we must be more contemplative in our
actions.
Irrespective of gadgets you put on your desk, don't forget to put a plant or
sapling, in and around your work space. Once you put a plant, it means that you
put a throbbing life in front of you.
In a study conducted by researchers at Texas A& M, workers with plants in
their offices showed more creativity in thinking up new ideas and approaching
old problems. The study further reveals that the employees not only increased
their efficiency but also added colour and freshness to the otherwise dreary office environment.
When you see people in destitute, you show sympathy to them which will not mitigate
their miseries as they need the required help for which you must have
empathy.
Empathy means step into other’s shoes. It is just like reading their mind and
thinking from their perspective. Unless you are at ground zero, you can not think
at their level. The moment you think at their level, then you could establish a
divine contact with them and whatever the little act of kindness you do, not
only soothe them but also brings them a tremendous inner joy.
Understanding the problems of others and giving a lending ear are some of the noble acts which
will rise you above beastly existence.
In fact, sensitivity and creativity are twin sisters. The moment you have one,
the other comes naturally to you. Having empathy reflects your degree of
sensitivity and concern on fellow beings/creatures. So you must come out
from the pre-conceived mindset and start responding in a more constructive way
which will leap the otherwise foggy relationships, whether it is within
family or society.
I was awe-stricken when eminent Hindi film hero Aamir Khan who hosted the
famous TV show " Satyamev Jayate
" started crying while hearing the heart-wrenching stories of a victim in
his show. In fact, my eyes were welled up with emotion when I watched the
episode titled "domestic violence'. But the cynical media accused him of
'acting' and the director of program Satyajit Bhatkal brushed aside such claims
and said that Aamir is a sensitive person. He cries on regular basis even
for the smallest of small things. Like Bhatkal said, any sensitive person
will be moved when he or she listens such heart touching stories
After all, we are all humans blessed with the divine quality of empathy and those who indulge in acts
of cynicism should be taught a lesson, of course with more empathy !
Water is, in fact, the most important liquid which is the primary transporter of nutrients in the
body. About 70% of human body is water. Health experts say that we could
survive without food up to 5 weeks but not more than 5 days without water.
Lack of water in the body immediately affects the blood volume and
thereby burdens the heart and kidney with over-work.
A 2012 study by a team of health scientists led by Lawrence E. Armstrong,
Professor of Physiology at the University of Connecticut (U.S) brought out some
chilling facts before the world. The research finds that even mild dehydration
can alter a person’s mood, energy level and ability to think clearly. The
ill-effects of dehydration are equal both in high-energy consumed treadmill
walker and a person sitting at rest.
Health experts define mild dehydration as less than 1.5% of water volume in the
body. The tests further reveal that our thirst sensation does not really
surface until we are 1 or 2% dehydrated. By that time dehydration
already sets in and shows its impact on our mind and body’, says Prof Armstrong.
When it comes to the cognitive tasks that affect due to dehydration, scientists
find that it affects the areas of vigilance and working memory. Some
subjects also experienced fatigue, tension and anxiety when mildly dehydrated.
The impact was found more on females than males.
When dehydration occurs, the neurons in the brain detect it which signals to
other parts of the brain regulating mood. So the solution lies in hydrating the
body on regular basis.
The daily dose of water that our system needs is 8 glasses or 2 liters. The
barometer for our hydration level in the body is to check the colour of urine.
Healthy urine colour is ‘very pale yellow’. If the urine colour is dark yellow
or tan in colour, it indicates a greater dehydration. The study cautions proper
hydration for high-risk groups such as elderly people with diabetes and
children.
Considering the profundity of the issue, one should not water down this caution
!
The myth that body is a structure should be removed
from the mind before you ritualize any
fitness regimen.
Health experts say that it is not what we eat, but when and how that matters a
lot in any weight-loss programme. It looks a difficult task to control
our cravings on what we eat rather than what we should eat. It is also
the timing that plays a crucial role as digestion rhythms are in symphony with
nature's cycles.
After a night's dinner, when you wake up in the morning, it is very essential
to stuff your system with some food. It means that the fast should be broken
soon enough to maintain secretion of digestive juices so that the body
maintains optimum level of energy.
But a working day morning is like a sprint for most of us and some of them prefer
to skip breakfast to manage their time which is totally foolhardy. This can
have a devastating effect on their bodies and sleep rhythms.
Experts say that people who eat breakfast produce more melatonin, a hormone
produced by pineal gland and therefore sleep better.
Fitness experts recommend to eat breakfast, preferably fruits. If you are on
weight-loss programme, better to start your day with fresh fruit juice -
orange, apple, melon, pineapple which supplies the water content, the essential
fuel to your body for detoxification.
In an interesting study undertaken in 2011 by a market research company, about
18% of males and 13% of females between the ages of 35 and 54 are breakfast
skippers. The research also finds that skipping breakfast may increase a
woman's diabetic risk. Another study found that skipping breakfast was
associated with hypertension, insulin resistance and elevated blood sugar
levels.
The better way to take a leisurely breakfast is to wake up a little early so
that the most important food of the day is not fanatically gulped into throat
due to paucity of time !
Tomes were written about
the immense health benefits of early rising. Benjamin Franklin says that ' the
early morning has gold in its mouth'. What beauty lies in rising early and
how it impacts your quality of work life are the questions you must dwell up on
yourself.
Deepak Chopra, the mind-body medicine expert and the author of famous
book "Ageless Body, Timeless Mind"
says that when you live with right questions, the life will move into answers.
He further says that you must treat your body as an energy and information
field and not as a fixed structure.
In fact, when you rise early, the day appears to be slowed down and you feel
leisurely to accomplish all your chores without any tension. If you have any
creative hobbies, early rising is a perfect vessel to nurture those hobbies.
Don't be in indoors after you wake up. Go for a morning run or walk to a nearby woods / park/ green
patch. In those solitary walks, knowingly or unknowingly you tune-up your
system. Experts say that it is the gift you have to give to yourself daily !
One great man sagely advises to get up early to have a bullet-proof mindset. It is true that when
you have passion to your work, literally you will wake up with a fire in the
belly. When you wake up early morning, you feel mystically connected to your
higher -being and the body is naturally at the peak of its performance.
Personality Development Guru Robin Sharma says that new habits are like new
pair of shoes. First 40 days the habit needs to be nurtured blindly so that it
almost becomes your second nature. If you mentally program before night at what
time you need to wake up, you could wake up perfectly to that time without the
aid of an alarm clock , because your bio-clock would act upon and wake you up.
Instead of jarring alarm clocks, Deepak Chopra says, you can set some soothing
music to play at the time you want to get up and that will work. He further
adds that your intention to wake up will stir you even before the clock plays
music.
Physical fitness and early rising are inter-connected. If you are super fit,
you need less number of hours for sleep. Richard Whately wraps up that "
lose an hour in the morning and you will be all day hunting for it".
As our children grow, we
worry so much about their future. Instead of allowing them to flourish on their
own, we impose our own ideas on them, thereby condition their minds.
Noted Indian spiritual guru Sadhguru Jaggie Vasudev says that it is time to
learn back from children. He further says that think for a moment: Who looks
more happy – you, or your children ? He believes that children are consultants
for happiness.
My daughters when they are taken to evening stroll, they make spirited
discussions which they don't do when they are indoors. So take your children on
regular walks and listen to their ideas. Robin Sharma in his much acclaimed
book 'Who will cry when you Die'
echoes the same point: "Children come to us more highly evolved than
adults to teach us the lessons we need to learn."
The difference between your child and you is that you know a few survival
tricks while he/she is still innocent and brimming with creativity.
Allow them the life they want to lead. Don't be their boss. Be a guardian and
facilitator so that they feel comfortable and share their views liberally
without any inhibition. If you frighten them, they will shy away from you. So
be like a friend. Communication is very vital. The greatest gift you can give
to your children, Robin Sharma says, is the 'gift of your time'. But how much time do we really spend with
our children is a moot point.
When it comes to education, we evaluate our children through their report
cards. We compare them with their peers, and question them why they are not
better than their friends in studies. This mindless comparison kills their
creativity. It is our duty to nurture their inherent talents so that they
achieve their full potential in their area of interest.
Sam Pitroda, former adviser to the Prime Minister on Public Information,
Infrastructure and Innovation, says that you cannot really teach your children.
They learn the way they can. Do what you are supposed to do, and your children
will get the message loud and clear. He further says that give children enough
space so that they can understand the works of the world and adapt themselves
to the situations.
But the present educational system helps little to blossom children. The
marks mania is eroding the educational standards. I was shocked when I read a
news item in a reputed news magazine that India ranked 73 out of 74 countries
in a 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study based on
extensive testing of nearly 5,000 upper primary students in the educationally
advanced states of Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. What is more disgusting is
that eighth graders from India could barely match the Math skills of South
Korean third graders.
With regard to content of text books, the same magazine in their story
reported that Class 3 Urdu-medium schoolchildren in the erstwhile Andhra
Pradesh are being taught Hindustan kevazir-e-azam
PV Narasimha Rao hai ( P.V. NarasimhaRao is India's Prime Minister).
Some tough decisions need to be taken to reform the education sector, otherwise
children continue to be the victims of mediocrity.
I find
it wholesome to be alone the greater part of the time. To be in the company,
even with the best, is soon wearisome and dissipating. I love to be alone. I never found the companion that was so companionable as
Solitude.
One
way to find a loyal reader is to write in an engaging tone. The secret lies on the subject you choose. If you write
on people of everyday life, it would attract more loyal readers. I always give
my first preference to read such stories
where the person shows unmatched resolve
in achieving his/her set goals.
Rishipal,
45, an ordinary cook in a police force
in Delhi, India but with an immense passion for fitness. When I sit with him for a chat, his radiant
eyes and raised biceps narrated half the story.
No tricks were involved but only
four years of workout through a
natural process, he contends. It means,
he has not used any supplements, protein powders in the process of
body-building.
His
daily workout includes 3 km run in the morning after which, he has a set of
exercises on sophisticated machines that would tone up his muscles and
different parts of the body.
When
asked, how he got this whole idea, Rishipal says that God plans us to live this
way, where as most of us are not adhering to the fitness regimen. When asked
about the food he eats, Rishipal says that he takes six bananas after one litre
of water in the morning, then starts exercise. His breakfast includes baked
badam, soya and multi-grams. He advises you to have solid breakfast in the
morning. His special diet includes 1 ltr milk with 20 eggs.
Rishipal's secret behind keeping this envious body lies in this dictum : No
artificial sweets at all. If I require
glucose, I take it from natural sources like fruits.
With a
wink of smile, Rishipal wraps up the chat with these concluding remarks : Even if you lure me with money to skip these workouts, I don't !
What
Rishipal says can't be dismissed as it
is a Science of Body !