Haemoglobin is an iron-rich protein found in our red blood cells, responsible for carrying oxygen and transporting it to all parts of our body. A drop in level of haemoglobin can make it difficult for the body to get suffecient oxygen and one might exeperiemce dizziness, fatugue, pale skin, etc. Listed below are some foods that can help maintain the level of haemoglobin in blood –
1) Beetroot Beetroot is enriched with natural iron, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, and vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12 and C and can be consumed in either raw form or cooked. It helps in regeneration of red blood cells.
2) Green leafy vegetables Green vegetables like spinach, celery, and broccoli are rich vegetarian sources of iron and including them in your staole diet can help you increase your level of haemoglobin. They can also help you in weight loss and improve digestion.
3) Dates and raisins Dates and raisins are packed with iron and vitamin C. Consuming a handful of raisins and two or three dates in the morning can provide you with instant energy and improve your hemoglobin levels.
4) Sesame seeds Eating black sesame seeds is another great way of increasing your iron intake as they are loaded with iron, calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, selenium and vitamin B6, E and folate
5) Take vitamin-C rich fruits Vitamin C absorb iron more efficiently. Including oranges, lemon, sweet lime, strawberries, bell peppers, tomatoes, grapefruits, berries in your dietary plan will help in boosting haemoglobin levels.
We all feel under the weather from time to time, but if you have been feeling emotianlly drained for a long length of time, then it is likely you are suffering from a mental disorder and you should immediately consult with an expert. Ignoring your mental health can have negative impacts on your physical health as well. Here are 5 common impacts that your mental health can impose on your body –
1) Weight fluctuation Mood disorders can often lead to you eating more and less and not maintaining a proper balanced diet and henceforth can result in weight gain and weight loss.
2) high blood pressure Extreme stress can cause your blood pressure levels to rise up and leave you feeling tired and weak.
3) Insomnia Poor mental health can cause you difficulty to sleep and lack of proper sleep can disrupt your daily schedule.
4) Drugs and Smoking People with mental health conditions often resort to drugs, liqour and smoking in order to avert their problems and feel at ease. This in turn proves detrimental to their health. Expert consultations are always recommended in such cases.
5) Weak Immune System Poor mental heath can weaken your immune system making you more vulnerable to get colds and other infections.
Give whatever you are doing & whomever you are with the gift of your attention – JIM ROHN .
Rightly said by him as with concentration you can achieve anything & everything . Concentration means focused attention, and it has many uses and benefits. It assists in studying, enables faster comprehension, improves the memory, helps in focusing on a task, job or goal, and enables you to ignore meaningless and irrelevant thoughts. When this ability is strong, the mind obeys you more readily and does not engage in meaningless thoughts. This ability plays an important role in meditation, gaining mental mastery, and attaining peace of mind. Without it, the mind just jumps restlessly from one thought to another, not allowing you to meditate properly. everybody wants to increase their concentration power , but this power needs some hacks to grow , so let me share few facts with which you can grow you concentration .
GET SOME ‘GREEN TIME’ !
Each one of us knows that when we are surrounded with green , we feel refreshed & energetic . A dose of nature can work like a doctor for increasing concentration . suggests that exposure to natural surroundings, including green spaces, may prove beneficial for children’s brain development. In a study, children aged 4–5 to 7 years of age with more green space around their homes scored better in attention tests. These results underline the importance of expanding green areas in cities to support children’s health and brain development. exposure to greenery & increasing in concentration won’t stop at childhood , research has shown that colleges & institutes which are surrounded with greenery supports better mental health of children .
You may not have the luxury of a rooftop garden or an office laden with plants, but spending time outside someplace green, or eating your lunch in the park each day, could make a significant difference to your concentration.
2. TAKE a KITKAT BREAK !
People forget to take breaks , & this is what makes them stressful . A study found that people who read emails throughout the day switched screen twice as often and were in an ongoing state of high alert with a constant heart rate. When email was removed from these people for 5 days, their heart rate returned to a natural, variable one. The authors concluded that taking an email vacation significantly decreases stress and improves concentration and focus.
Few examples of break are here :
Take a notification break : Everyone have observed that when ever you get notification from your phone you pic it up & check that notification . This is a thing which breaks your concentration . The team explained that task performance takes a hit because humans have a limited capacity for attention that needs to be split between tasks. The researchers also emphasized that just being aware of a missed text or call can have the same effect. If you need to stay on track and focused, it might be worth either turning off your cell phone, setting it to silent, or putting it away somewhere that you cannot see it.
Social Media break : One should take social media break , because every time one wants to check their account , which break you concentration & make you walk on a less focused path .
Work break : Excess work gives you tension , which lets you less concentration & more confusion .
Researchers recommend taking:
a mid-morning break to replenish concentration
better breaks by doing something you enjoy, which should make your break more restful, provide better recovery, and help you to come back to worked focused
frequent short breaks to facilitate recovery
Taking breaks earlier in the day and doing preferred activities lead to better health, job satisfaction, and revival of energy, motivation, and concentration.
3 . IMPROVE YOU WELL BEING : You know what , you food , sleep habits , working habits tells how concentrative you are . your habits of living you life decides you concentration level . Let me give you some tips to improve your concentration :
Walnuts may improve performance on tests for cognitive function, including those assessing information processing speed, memory, and concentration.
Avocados. Consuming one avocado every day may help improve cognitive function due to an upsurge in lutein levels in the eye and brain. Researchers uncovered that eating an avocado daily enhanced measures of cognitive skills, including processing speed, memory, and attention.
Chocolate — or specifically the cocoa bean — is rich in flavanols, which are compounds that have neuroprotective effects. Cocoa flavanols may help to improve cognitive processing speed, working memory, and attention when ingested for between 5 days and 3 months.
While both men and women contract various conditions, some health issues affect women differently and more commonly.
The following seven illnesses pose considerable health risks.
Heart Disease
Heart disease causes one in every four deaths among women.Although the public considers heart disease a common issue among men, the condition affects males and females nearly equally.
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer, which typically originates in the lining of the milk ducts, can spread to other organs, and is the most aggressive cancer affecting the global female population.The condition presents more among female populations in developed nations due to their extended life spans.
Ovarian and Cervical Cancer
Many people are not aware of the differences between ovarian and cervical cancer.Cervical cancer originates in the lower uterus, while ovarian cancer starts in the fallopian tubes. While both conditions cause similar pain, cervical cancer also causes discharge and pain during intercourse.
Gynecological Health
Bleeding and discharge are a normal part of the menstrual cycle.However, added symptoms during menstruation may indicate health issues, and unusual symptoms, such as bleeding between menstruations and frequent urinating, can mimic other health conditions.
Pregnancy Issues
Pre-existing conditions can worsen during pregnancy, threatening the health of a mother and her child.Asthma, diabetes, and depression can harm the mother and child during pregnancy if not managed properly.
Depression and Anxiety
Natural hormonal fluctuations can lead to depression or anxiety.Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) occurs commonly among women, while premenstrual dysmorphic disorder (PMDD) presents similar, but greatly intensified, symptoms.
Health Technology for Women
Soon, new technologies will emerge to assist care providers in treating women’s health conditions.
Our diet plays a crucial role in the process of weight loss and having a well-balanced diet and some mind-full eating in regulated portions is always the key for healthy and fit body. It might not be as difficult as it may sound if you start with a little patience and consistency. Sometimes a Subtle tweak here and there in diet is absolutely fine!
Here are few recipes which works out for weight loss journey
TURMERIC TEA
Turmeric consists of a powerful ingredient called as ‘curcumin’ which basically is the main active ingredient in turmeric that aids in cutting down the body fat. ‘Curcumin’ plays a major role to help suppress the fat but it does not fully absorb in the body. To make absorption work other ingredients such as black pepper is made use of. Therefore, this detoxifying drink makes the body light as well as helps cut down the excess fat if used regularly.
India’s favorite comfort food made into a high-protein, healthy one! Brimming with the goodness of oats, moong dal, carrot, green peas, tomatoes, chilies and olive oil, this hearty bowl of khichdi is sure to leave you healthy, happy and satiated
Fenugreek seeds are rich source for vitamins, minerals and poly-nutrients .It is also rich in vital vitamins such as thiamine, pyridoxine, vitamin A , vitamin C and other essential nutrients for optimum health.
Makhanas are popularly known as lotus seeds, fox nuts, Euryale ferox, gorgon nuts and phool makhana. It’s actually the puffed lotus seeds or the puffed fox nuts that has high nutritional and medicinal values
Remember to always fill your plate with good amount of veggies, greens and fruits. Drink loads of water and buttermilk. If possible take a 20-30 min walk or jog because it speeds up the process of weight loss.
-Constipation -Digestive distress -Acne -Poor body immunity
2.Tulasi
-It gives you strength to fight stress -Promotes a longer life -Treats cough -Treats indigestion -Anti-cancer -Good for hair loss, heart diseases, diabetes, etc.
3.Mint
-Keeps the digestive system running -Boosts immunity -Enhances mood -Expels cough from the body -Benefits respiratory health -Keeps mosquitoes away
4.Fennel
-Treats cough -Controls cholesterol -Improves eyesight -Cure acidity -Prevents bad breath -Improves breast milk supply in lactating women
5.Ginger
-Treats indigestion -Eases headaches -Controls blood pressure -Treats cold, cough, flu and asthma -Relives menstrual pains and cramps
The plant world is an immense store of active chemical compounds. Nearly half = the medicines we use today are herbal in origin, and a quarter contains plant extracts or active chemicals taken directly from plants. Many more are yet to be discovered, recorded and researched; only a few thousand have been studied. Across the globe, the hunt will always be on to find species that could form the bases of new medicines. Humans have always used plants to ease their pains. They imbued them with magical powers and then gradually learnt to identify their properties. We can now enjoy the benefits of herbal medicines because, over thousands of years, our ancestors discovered which plants were medicinally beneficial and which were highly toxic.
Thousands of years ago, the ancient Egyptians discovered simple ways to extract and use the active ingredients within plants. Egyptian papyrus manuscripts from 2000 B.C. record the use of perfumes and fine oils, and aromatic oils and gums in the embalming process.
In ancient Greece in the 5th and the 4th centuries BC, Hippocrates, the father of medicine, was already recommending asparagus and garlic for their diuretic qualities, poppy as a way of inducing sleep and willow leaves to relieve pain and fever. In the 1st century AD, another Greek doctor, Dioscorides, established the first collection of medicinal plants. His treatise on the subject was translated into Arabic and Persian. Centuries later, his work was also used by the Muslim scholars who influenced great universities of the period, particularly at Montpellier, Europe’s most famous centre for the study of botany.
As a result of trade with Africa and Asia, the Western world’s store of herbal medicines was enriched by the inclusion of camphor, cinnamon, ginger, ginseng, nutmeg, sandalwood, turmeric and henna. For a long time, however, the use of both local plants and those with more distant origins was based on more or less fanciful beliefs. Throughout the Middle Ages herbal medicine consisted of a mixture of magic, superstition and empirical observation. From the Renaissance onwards, scientists and their scientific studies, discoveries and inventions came to the fore, rejecting alchemists’ elixirs and other magical remedies. Local plants were carefully collected and widely used to make infusions, decoctions and ointments. These plants make up the major part of the traditional cures that we have inherited.
Chandan or sandalwood sticks.
History behind Nature’s Medicines:
In the late 1700s, Carl Wilheim Scheele, a gifted Swedish chemist, obtained tartaric acid from grapes, citric acid from lemons and malic acid from apples. The techniques that he and his contemporaries used led to the isolation of the first purified compounds from plants that could be used as drugs. First came the isolation of morphine from the opium poppy in 1803, then caffeine from coffee beans in 1819, quinine from cinchona bark and colchicines from meadow saffron both in 1820 and atropine from deadly nightshade in 1835.
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One tree that generated considerable interest among scientists was the willow. In the early 1800s, chemists from Germany, Italy and France began the search for the compounds responsible for the acclaimed pain-relieving effects of its bark. In 1828, the German pharmacist, Johann Buchner, was the first to obtain salicin, the major compound in a pure form. In 1838, the Italian chemist, Raffaele Piria also obtained salicylic acid from the bark by various chemical processes. But these early compounds caused blisters in the mouth, and stomach upsets when ingested. In 1853, a French chemist, Charles Frederic Gerhardt, synthesised a modified form of salicylic acid-acetylsalicylic acid. But still it wasn’t further modified form developed for more than 40 years until a German chemist, Felix Hoffman, working for Bayer, rediscovered Gerhardt’s compound. Hoffman gave it to his father who suffered from arthritis and reported the beneficial effects.
Bayer decided to market the acetylsalicylic acid as a new drug for pain relief and patented the compound acetylsalicylic acid in 1899. At last from the willow, the first modern drug was born and, with 12000 tons of aspirin sold every year throughout the world, it has kept its number one position.
From the 1930s onwards, advances in chemistry have made it much easier to reproduce the active ingredients in plants. But plants will continue to have a medicinal importance in their own right. Their active constituents may be slightly modified to improve their efficiency or to reduce their undesirable effects, but they are still vital for the treatment of disorders such as cancers and heart diseases or as a means of combating malaria. And they remain the essence of herbal medicine-an area that has still not been fully understood and explored.
You probably know the meanings of the words’ workaholic’ and ‘alcoholic’.
What do you think a ‘foodaholic’ is? Walter Hudson was one.
How much do you weigh? Walter Hudson weighed more, much more. This is his obituary.
WALTER HUDSON, who has died at Hempstead, New York, age 46, was once listed in The Guinness Book of World Records as the heaviest man on earth. About 183 cm tall and 274 around, with cherubic features set off by pigtails braided in the Cherokee style, he long devoted himself to the pleasures of the table. Four years ago, Hudson-then tipping the industrial scales at his top weight of 543 kg gained worldwide notoriety (as “Whopping Walter”) when he became stuck in his bedroom door. He was wedged there for some four hours. It took eight firemen to free him.
Walter Hudson was born at Brooklyn in 1945 and, as he recalled, “began gorging at the age of six.” At 15 he was so obese his legs collapsed underneath him and he was confined to bed. Indeed, except for the time when his family moved to Hempstead in 1970 and he was transported by motor-car (his then 266kg broke the seat,) he remained inside. “I’m just a foodaholic,” he once confessed, “I have no excuse.”
Hudson’s eating habits were fuelled by food brought in by members of his family. He would generally start his day with a breakfast of two pounds of bacon, 32 sausages, a dozen eggs, a loaf of bread, jam and coffee.
For lunch, Hudson favoured four enormous bowls of rice, four double cheese- burgers, eight boxes of fried potatoes, six pies, and six large bottles of coca-cola. For dinner he would eat six roasted corns, half-a-dozen yams, and another six or seven baked potatoes, ending with a whole apple pie. Between these main meals, he would eat a chicken or two, followed by noodles, string beans, six large bottles of soda, not to mention colossal sandwiches, and copious amounts of ice-cream.
“All I cared about,” he recalled, “was food, FOOD!” When not eating and sleeping he would watch television, listen to tapes and read the Bible-he had a particular penchant for the psalms and was apt to recite Psalm 121. “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills…”
Hudson, though, was advised against sitting up for longer than five minutes because of the risk of being smothered by flab. The only exercise he engaged in 8. was when he attended to his ablutions; it took him an hour to negotiate the six yards to the bathroom from his bedroom. Then in 1987, he found himself wedged in the door-way. “The day I got stuck in that door,” he recalled, “that when the Lord got me the help I needed.” The help to which he referred was offered by Dick Gregory, a comedian who masterminded the Slim Safe Diet Scheme.
“We think what might have happened,” said Gregory about his new client, “is that in 27 years of lying around he might, because of the reading of his Bible, have taken on the same characteristics as Buddhist monks – slowed down the biological processes. But we don’t know.” Gregory placed Hudson on a1,200 calorie-a-day diet of raw fruit and orange juice. For exercise he was advised to lie in bed waving his arms about like a conductor.
Hudson soon lost some four inches off his knees, and within three months had shed 178 kg. It began to look as if he might fulfil such ambitions as visiting his mother’s grave, riding on the New York subway, driving into the country-and even flying to a clinic in the Bahamas, from which he envisaged emerging as a sylph of 13 stones. 12. But it was not to be. At the time of his death, of an apparent heart attack, Hudson reportedly weighed 508 kg. Rescue workers had to cut a large hole in the wall of his bedroom to remove the body. He was unmarried.
SO HOW CAN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY BE REDUCED? It is not good for human body in this pandemic era……………….
Overweight and obesity, as well as their related noncommunicable diseases, are largely preventable. Supportive environments and communities are fundamental in shaping people’s choices, by making the choice of healthier foods and regular physical activity the easiest choice (the choice that is the most accessible, available and affordable), and therefore preventing overweight and obesity.At the individual level, people can:limit energy intake from total fats and sugars;increase consumption of fruit and vegetables, as well as legumes, whole grains and nuts; andengage in regular physical activity (60 minutes a day for children and 150 minutes spread through the week for adults).
The most important principle behind Laughter Yoga or the most significant driving force behind the several Laughter Clubs is the theory that Motion Creates Emotion. Quite a few people wonder how a person can laugh when he is in no mood to laugh or when one doesn’t have any reason to laugh. However, the answer is very simple. For, there is a well established link between the body and the mind. Whatever happens to the mind happens to the body as well. This is easily understood and observed too. If a person is sad or depressed, his body also appears quite lifeless and sluggish. Such a person doesn’t walk or talk enthusiastically. But, what most people fail to understand is that the opposite is also true.
Whatever happens to the body also happens to the mind. I remember my father once telling me, “Son, if you are sad or feeling a bit low, don’t sit idle. Keep doing some physical work or go for a walk or do some jogging or go out to play some cricket or football . You’ll feel better.” And most of the times dad was proved correct. I would start feeling better quite soon. In an unhappy state of mind, if we bring ourselves to behaving or acting happy, soon enough we will start feeling light-hearted and chirpy indeed!
So, Laughter Yoga aims to use the two-way body-mind link to change the state of mind through voluntary physical gestures which include repetitive clapping, chanting, specific body movements along with laughter and breathing exercises. The result is so positive and its effects are so powerful that the modern world today has witnessed Laughter Yoga overcome severe and chronic depression in thousands of people right across the globe. In fact, several Laughter Clubs have adopted the motto, “If your Mind can’t laugh, bring your Body to our club.”
Laughter is all about playfulness. Have you ever wondered why children laugh 300 to 400 times a day whereas adults would consider themselves very fortunate if they manage laughter 10 to 15 times in a day? This is because of that seriously wicked and interfering tool called the brain! Adult use their brains or minds first to comprehend humour and then decide if they have to laugh. Very often, they suffer from what is said in Hindi the LKK Syndrome, that is “Log Kya Kahenge” or “What will people say?” This is called the “Mind-to-Body Model of Humour”.
On the other hand, children, who do not allow themselves to be too affected by the LKK Syndrome and don’t use their brain to seriously do the comprehension first, laugh the most while playing. Even if they fall into mud and slime while playing, they laugh heartily together without bothering about the consequences of soiling their spotlessly white school dress in case of a traditionally strict class teacher or headmistress in school or mother at home! Their laughter comes straight from the body and happily they don’t make use of intellectual capacity of the brain for it. Very clearly, they exhibit the “Body-to-Mind Model of Humour”, It is this childlike playfulness that Laughter Yoga aims at cultivating in people who are quite stressed these days.
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What is sadly significant is the fact that more and more children and even women, to whom smiles and laughter and giggling should come as naturally as the turtle coming out of its shell to walk or leaves falling in autumn, are enrolling themselves as members of laughter clubs nowadays!
Laughter Yoga makes a clear distinction between Happiness and Joy. Happiness is a conditional response of the mind which is totally dependent on the fulfilment of certain desires of the mind. By its very nature, it is related to how one’s life had been in the past or how it will be in the future! It is not there at all in the present moment. The ironical and sad fact is that even if some dreams, goals or aspirations are fulfilled, happiness disappears quite quickly as the mind starts chasing new goalposts-a new, job, a new house, a bigger car, etc.
On the other hand, joyfulness is the unconditional commitment to be happy each moment, to have fun for the moment, despite the problems and challenges of life, no matter how insurmountable they seem to the mind. It is the promise that the Body makes to the mind to indulge in playfulness moment by moment and thereby give relaxation to it. During these periods of playfulness triggered by a plethora of physical activities like dancing, singing, playing and laughing, physiological and biochemical changes take place within our body that give us a sense of well-being that completely alters a negative outlook towards life and its challenges replacing it with confident positivism moment by moment.
Therefore, in Laughter Clubs, members develop positive conditioning of joy. By laughing together over a period of time, clapping in a rhythm ,chanting “Ho Ho Ha Ha” in unison and positive affirmations like ” Very Good Very Good Yay Yay”, the brain develops new neuronal connections to produce happy neuropeptides and hormones in the body that rejuvenate the members.
Finally, Laughter Yoga rectifies shallow and irregular breathing, which is the direct consequence of stress and negative mental state. According to Dr. Otto Warburg, a Nobel Laureate, one of the main reasons for falling sick is the lack of oxygen in the body cells due to incorrect breathing. So, let us laugh together and get the oxygen back into our cells!
I’m telling you about on Sleep habits among Indians?
Aviral is a Man .Aviral knew he was dead tired. Though it had been more than thirty eight hours since the forty four year old marketing executive returned to Delhi early one morning from New York, he was still recovering from jet lag. He had forced himself to remain awake the whole day as he had hoped to coerce his body into sleeping at night.
But the much needed sleep seemed to elude him completely. “I hardly managed any sleep that night,” Aviral recalled. The time change had completely disrupted his sleep pattern, and when he got out of bed at 7a.m. to head for office, he was entirely ill at ease, to say the least. At the office, he could barely concentrate on his work.
Aviral wasn’t aware simply how exhausted he was until he had driven a quarter of the twenty-four kilometre stretch on his way back home in the suburbs of Delhi. He halted at a busy signal on the way, but fell asleep suddenly at the wheel. He dazed after the motorist behind him honked. Aviral drove on, but feeling woke up he couldn’t focus any further, he decided to pull off the main road and parked the car in a quiet place. Then, he rolled down the windows a bit and managed to take a two-hour nap in his car. It was only after that that Aviral could drive home safely.
It is an undisputed fact that not getting enough sleep can lead to problems in concentrating. In fact many sleep disorder experts think that lack of sleep is the reason for many ailments. Dr. Kumar Menon and his colleagues presented a study paper on sleep disorders in Mumbai in which they stressed on the need for early detection of the problem and concluded that it was high time that all the physicians “woke up to sleep disorders and included sleep history in evaluating their patients.”
Whatever be the cause of not getting proper and enough sleep, we’ve all experienced the exhaustion caused by lack of sleep. Thus, sleep is as important to a healthy lifestyle as eating properly and exercising. Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the simplest things we can do to stay healthy.
A good night’s sleep means waking up rested and invigorated. On an average, a healthy adult requires just over eight hours of sleep a night, according to Dr. Jeffrey Lipsitz, a Canadian expert on sleep disorders. However, the amount of sleep it takes to rejuvenate an individual varies from person to person. “It’s not a fixed number,” opines Joseph De Koninck, a renowned professor of psychology, adding that if one consistently gets less sleep than one needs, then “a sleep deficit accumulates.” The time it takes for a sleep deficit to accrue depends on how consistent the problem is. “Missing a couple of hours of sleep every night for a week is probably enough,” says another psychiatrist Robert Levitan.
Swarup Chatterjee, the 28 year-old IIM graduate and assistant manager at a BPO in Hyderabad, knows very well that he doesn’t get enough sleep. “I haven’t had more than four to five hours of sleep for the last three years. There’s always so much that needs to be done in my professional as well as personal life that I am constantly thinking.” Swarup is fully aware that all that is very stressful and he admits that even though he has high energy levels, he is often tired and so he drinks several cups of coffee to counter the fatigue. “But I know that I’ll be able to concentrate better if only I got more sleep,” Chatterjee concludes.
In a study conducted by sleep-disorder experts, it was found that at least one- third of adults have significant sleep loss, i.e. they have just six and a half hours or less of sleep every night. Then a recent survey conducted in India has shown that twenty-nine percent of Indians went to sleep only after midnight and sixty-one percent slept for seven hours or less. The survey also arrived at the conclusion that Indians were among the world’s earliest risers, with sixty-four percent getting out of bed before 7a.m. Is there a need to reiterate that “Early to Rise” is good provided a person follows the “Early to Bed” principle as well?
Sleep is crucial to maintaining one’s health. Without it, we increase our susceptibility to an astonishing array of health problems, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity and depression. Not sleeping enough can compromise your immune system, says Stanley Coren, noted professor of psychology and author of the very popular book, “Sleep Thieves”. You eat well and exercise in order to keep your immune system up, Coren goes on to explain, but if you aren’t sleeping, you undo all that good work. “The immune system works best when you are sleeping,” he says. “That’s when your natural killer cells are generated.”
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Natural killer cells are produced in the bone marrow and found in the blood and lymph fluid. They are part of the body’s defence mechanism against viruses, bacteria, even cancer, and they do not work properly in the persons who are sleep- deprived. A study in Turkey revealed that after 24 hours of sleep deprivation, the percentage of natural killer cells in the blood declined by 37 percent. Another study in the USA conducted on 23 boys and men found that one night of partial sleep-deprivation reduced natural-killer-cell activity to 72 percent of normal levels. Though their activity returns to normal when we begin to get proper sleep, the real problem is that a lot of damage might have been done to our bodies when we were sleep-deprived for several nights and our immune system might have left us undefended and susceptible to infection.
Sleep is important in keeping not only our waistline trim, but ensuring a balanced brain activity too. During sleep, brain neurotransmitters-the chemicals that deliver messages between nerve cells in the brain-are replenished. When we do not sleep well, our brain chemicals become depleted which leads to emotional disturbances like depression, anxiety and general feelings of sadness, anger and irritation.
Yoga is basically a spiritual discipline which is based on an extremely subtle science that concentrates on bringing harmony between mind and body. It is a science and an art of healthy and sound living. The word ‘Yoga’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Yuj’, signifying ‘to join’ or ‘to combine’ or ‘to unite’. Both Yoga and Ayurveda are historically closely related and have developed in tandem with each other since ancient times. According to Yogic sacred writings the act of Yoga prompts the union of individual consciousness with that of the Universal Consciousness, showing an ideal congruity between the mind and body, Man and Nature. Yoga is believed to balance the three doshas i.e Vata , Pitta & kapha. As indicated by modern scientists, everything in the universe is only an appearance of a similar quantum atmosphere. One who experiences this oneness of existence is said to be in yoga, and is named as a yogi, having achieved a state of freedom alluded to as Mukti, Nirvana or Moksha. Therefore, the prime objective of Yoga is Self-realization, to overcome all types of sufferings prompting ‘the state of salvation’ (Moksha) or ‘freedom’ (Kaivalya). Living with freedom in all aspects of life, health and harmony is the primary focus of yoga practice. “Yoga” likewise alludes to an inward science including an assortment of strategies through which people can understand this union and accomplish authority over their destiny.Yoga, being generally considered as an ‘Immortal cultural outcome’ of Indus Saraswati Valley civilization – going back to 2700 B.C., has substantiated itself taking into account both material and spiritual upliftment of humanity.Basic humane values are the very Identity of Yoga Sadhana.
20 ways yoga Improves health:
1. Builds muscle strength – Strong muscles do more than look good. They also protect us from conditions like arthritis and back pain, and help prevent falls in elderly people. And when you build strength through yoga, you balance it with flexibility. If you just went to the gym and lifted weights, you might build strength at the expense of flexibility.
2. Improves your flexibility – Improved flexibility is one of the first and most obvious benefits of yoga. During your first class, you probably won’t be able to touch your toes, never mind do a backbend. But if you stick with it, you’ll notice a gradual loosening, and eventually, seemingly impossible poses will become possible. You’ll also probably notice that aches and pains start to disappear. That’s no coincidence. Tight hips can strain the knee joint due to improper alignment of the thigh and shinbones. Tight hamstrings can lead to a flattening of the lumbar spine, which can cause back pain. And inflexibility in muscles and connective tissue, such as fascia and ligaments, can cause poor posture.
3. Perfects your posture – Your head is like a bowling ball—big, round, and heavy. When it’s balanced directly over an erect spine, it takes much less work for your neck and back muscles to support it. Move it several inches forward, however, and you start to strain those muscles. Hold up that forward-leaning bowling ball for eight or 12 hours a day and it’s no wonder you’re tired. And fatigue might not be your only problem. Poor posture can cause back, neck, and other muscle and joint problems. As you slump, your body may compensate by flattening the normal inward curves in your neck and lower back. This can cause pain and degenerative arthritis of the spine.
4. Prevents cartilage and joint breakdown – Each time you practice yoga, you take your joints through their full range of motion. This can help prevent degenerative arthritis or mitigate disability by “squeezing and soaking” areas of cartilage that normally aren’t used. Joint cartilage is like a sponge; it receives fresh nutrients only when its fluid is squeezed out and a new supply can be soaked up. Without proper sustenance, neglected areas of cartilage can eventually wear out, exposing the underlying bone like worn-out brake pads.
5. Protects your spine – Spinal disks—the shock absorbers between the vertebrae that can herniate and compress nerves—crave movement. That’s the only way they get their nutrients. If you’ve got a well-balanced asana practice with plenty of backbends, forward bends, and twists, you’ll help keep your disks supple. Long term flexibility is a known benefit of yoga, but one that remains especially relevant for spinal health.
6. Betters your bone health – It’s well documented that weight-bearing exercise strengthens bones and helps ward off osteoporosis. Many postures in yoga require that you lift your own weight. And some, like Downward- and Upward-Facing Dog, help strengthen the arm bones, which are particularly vulnerable to osteoporotic fractures. In an unpublished study conducted at California State University, Los Angeles, yoga practice increased bone density in the vertebrae. Yoga’s ability to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol may help keep calcium in the bones.
7. Increases your blood flow – Yoga gets your blood flowing. More specifically, the relaxation exercises you learn in yoga can help your circulation, especially in your hands and feet. Yoga also gets more oxygen to your cells, which function better as a result. Twisting poses are thought to wring out venous blood from internal organs and allow oxygenated blood to flow in once the twist is released. Inverted poses, such as Headstand, Handstand, and Shoulderstand, encourage venous blood from the legs and pelvis to flow back to the heart, where it can be pumped to the lungs to be freshly oxygenated. This can help if you have swelling in your legs from heart or kidney problems. Yoga also boosts levels of hemoglobin and red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the tissues. And it thins the blood by making platelets less sticky and by cutting the level of clot-promoting proteins in the blood. This can lead to a decrease in heart attacks and strokes since blood clots are often the cause of these killers.
8. Drains your lymphs and boosts immunity – When you contract and stretch muscles, move organs around, and come in and out of yoga postures, you increase the drainage of lymph (a viscous fluid rich in immune cells). This helps the lymphatic system fight infection, destroy cancerous cells, and dispose of the toxic waste products of cellular functioning.
9. Ups your heart rate – When you regularly get your heart rate into the aerobic range, you lower your risk of heart attack and can relieve depression. While not all yoga is aerobic, if you do it vigorously or take flow or Ashtanga classes, it can boost your heart rate into the aerobic range. But even yoga exercises that don’t get your heart rate up that high can improve cardiovascular conditioning. Studies have found that yoga practice lowers the resting heart rate, increases endurance, and can improve your maximum uptake of oxygen during exercise—all reflections of improved aerobic conditioning. One study found that subjects who were taught only pranayama could do more exercise with less oxygen.
10. Drops your blood pressure – If you’ve got high blood pressure, you might benefit from yoga. Two studies of people with hypertension, published in the British medical journal The Lancet, compared the effects of Savasana (Corpse Pose) with simply lying on a couch. After three months, Savasana was associated with a 26-point drop in systolic blood pressure (the top number) and a 15-point drop in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number—and the higher the initial blood pressure, the bigger the drop.
11. Regulates your adrenal glands – Yoga lowers cortisol levels. If that doesn’t sound like much, consider this. Normally, the adrenal glands secrete cortisol in response to an acute crisis, which temporarily boosts immune function. If your cortisol levels stay high even after the crisis, they can compromise the immune system. Temporary boosts of cortisol help with long-term memory, but chronically high levels undermine memory and may lead to permanent changes in the brain. Additionally, excessive cortisol has been linked with major depression, osteoporosis (it extracts calcium and other minerals from bones and interferes with the laying down of new bone), high blood pressure, and insulin resistance. In rats, high cortisol levels lead to what researchers call “food-seeking behavior” (the kind that drives you to eat when you’re upset, angry, or stressed). The body takes those extra calories and distributes them as fat in the abdomen, contributing to weight gain and the risk of diabetes and heart attack.
12. Makes you happier – Feeling sad? Sit in Lotus. Better yet, rise up into a backbend or soar royally into King Dancer Pose. While it’s not as simple as that, one study found that a consistent yoga practice improved depression and led to a significant increase in serotonin levels and a decrease in the levels of monoamine oxidase (an enzyme that breaks down neurotransmitters) and cortisol. At the University of Wisconsin, Richard Davidson, Ph.D., found that the left prefrontal cortex showed heightened activity in meditators, a finding that has been correlated with greater levels of happiness and better immune function. More dramatic left-sided activation was found in dedicated, long-term practitioners.
13. Founds a healthy lifestyle – Move more, eat less—that’s the adage of many a dieter. Yoga can help on both fronts. A regular practice gets you moving and burns calories and the spiritual and emotional dimensions of your practice may encourage you to address any eating and weight problems on a deeper level. Yoga may also inspire you to become a more conscious eater. One of the benefits of yoga is how the practices resonate through other areas of your life.
14. Lowers blood sugar – Yoga lowers blood sugar and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and boosts HDL (“good”) cholesterol. In people with diabetes, yogahas been found to lower blood sugar in several ways: by lowering cortisol and adrenaline levels, encouraging weight loss, and improving sensitivity to the effects of insulin. Get your blood sugar levels down, and you decrease your risk of diabetic complications such as heart attack, kidney failure, and blindness.
15. Helps you focus – An important component of yoga is focusing on the present. Studies have found that regular yoga practice improves coordination, reaction time, memory, and even IQ scores. People who practice Transcendental Meditation demonstrate the ability to solve problems and acquire and recall information better—probably because they’re less distracted by their thoughts, which can play over and over like an endless tape loop.
16. Relaxes your system – Yoga encourages you to relax, slow your breath, and focus on the present, shifting the balance from the sympathetic nervous system (or the fight-or-flight response) to the parasympathetic nervous system. The latter is calming and restorative; it lowers breathing and heart rates, decreases blood pressure, and increases blood flow to the intestines and reproductive organs—comprising what Herbert Benson, M.D., calls the relaxation response.
17. Improves your balance – Regularly practicing yoga increases proprioception (the ability to feel what your body is doing and where it is in space) and improves balance. People with bad posture or dysfunctional movement patterns usually have poor proprioception, which has been linked to knee problems and back pain. Better balance could mean fewer falls. For the elderly, this translates into more independence and delayed admission to a nursing home or never entering one at all. For the rest of us, postures like Tree Pose can make us feel less wobbly on and off the mat.
18. Maintains your nervous system – Some advanced yogis can control their bodies in extraordinary ways, many of which are mediated by the nervous system. Scientists have monitored yogis who could induce unusual heart rhythms, generate specific brain-wave patterns, and, using a meditation technique, raise the temperature of their hands by 15 degrees Fahrenheit. If they can use yoga to do that, perhaps you could learn to improve blood flow to your pelvis if you’re trying to get pregnant or induce relaxation when you’re having trouble falling asleep.
19. Releases tension in your limbs – Do you ever notice yourself holding the telephone or a steering wheel with a death grip or scrunching your face when staring at a computer screen? These unconscious habits can lead to chronic tension, muscle fatigue, and soreness in the wrists, arms, shoulders, neck, and face, which can increase stress and worsen your mood. As you practice yoga, you begin to notice where you hold tension: It might be in your tongue, your eyes, or the muscles of your face and neck. If you simply tune in, you may be able to release some tension in the tongue and eyes. With bigger muscles like the quadriceps, trapezius, and buttocks, it may take years of practice to learn how to relax them.
20. Helps you sleep deeper – Stimulation is good, but too much of it taxes the nervous system. Yoga can provide relief from the hustle and bustle of modern life. Restorative asana, yoga nidra (a form of guided relaxation), Savasana, pranayama, and meditation encourage pratyahara, a turning inward of the senses, which provides downtime for the nervous system. Another by-product of a regular yoga practice, studies suggest, is better sleep—which means you’ll be less tired and stressed and less likely to have accidents. Sleep is one of the key benefits of yoga that nearly every practitioner can experience no matter what their skill level.
Positive psychology is one of the newest branches of psychology to emerge. This particular area of psychology focuses on how to help human beings prosper and lead healthy, happy lives. While many other branches of psychology tend to focus on dysfunction and abnormal behaviour, positive psychology is centered on helping people become happier. Positive psychology is designed to “complement and extend the problem-focused psychology that has been dominant for decades,” explained the late Christopher Peterson, author of “A Primer in Positive Psychology” and professor at the University of Michigan, in a 2008 article published in Psychology Today. “Positive psychology is…a call for psychological science and practice to be as concerned with strength as with weakness; as interested in building the best things in life as in repairing the worst; and as concerned with making the lives of normal people fulfilling as with healing pathology,” Peterson wrote.
According to leading authorities in the field, Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, positive psychology will help achieve “scientific understanding and effective interventions to build thriving in individuals, families, and communities.” In order to understand the field of positive psychology, it is essential to start by learning more about its major theories, applications, and history.
History of Positive Psychology
“Before World War II, psychology had three distinct missions: curing mental illness, making the lives of all people more productive and fulfilling, and identifying and nurturing high talent,” wrote Seligman and Mihaly Csikszenmihalyi in 2000. Shortly after WWII, the primary focus of psychology shifted to the first priority: treating abnormal behavior and mental illness. In the 1950s, humanist thinkers like Carl Rogers, Erich Formm and Abraham Maslow helped renew interest in the other two areas by developing theories that focused on happiness and the positive aspects of human nature.
General interest in positive psychology has grown tremendously since the concept was introduced. Today, more and more people are searching for information on how they can become more fulfilled and achieve their full potential.
Uses
Positive psychology can have a range of real-world applications in areas including eduction, therapy, self-help, stress management, and workplace issues. Some of the major topics of interest in positive psychology include: Character strengths and virtues, Flow, Gratifications, Gratitude, Happiness, Pleasure, Helplessness, Hope, Mindfulness, Optimism, Positive thinking, Resilience .
Impact of Positive Psychology
Some of the major findings of positive psychology include: Money doesn’t necessarily buy well-being, but spending money on other people can make individuals happier, People are generally happy, Some of the best ways to combat disappointments and setbacks include strong social relationships and character strengths, While happiness is influenced by genetics, people can learn to be happier by developing optimism, gratitude, and altruism, Work can be important to well-being, especially when people are able to engage in work that is purposeful and meaningful.
Potential Pitfalls
Positive psychology is often confused with positive thinking, and misconstrued as self-help tactics rather than research-backed theories. Positive thinking is a way of thinking ourselves into better behavior and greater resilience, rather than behaving our way into a different frame of mind. Positive psychology, on the other hand, is the scientific study of what makes people thrive. It focuses on behaviors that can lead to a more optimized frame of mind as well as on thought patterns that lead to more functional behaviors.
The thyroid gland is a 2 inch long, butterfly shaped organ located in the front lower part of the neck. It is responsible for the production, storage and release of two main hormones called Triiodothyronine (T3) and Thyroxine (T4).
The hypothalamus and the pituitary gland in the brain is responsible for the production of T3 and T4. The hypothalamus produces a TSH releasing hormone called thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) that signals the pituitary gland to produce TSH. The release of TSH by the pituitary gland regulates the production of hormones in the thyroid gland i.e., T3 and T4.
In case of low T3 and T4 levels, the pituitary gland releases more of TSH, that stimulates the thyroid hormone to produce more of T3 and T4.
In case of high T3 and T4 levels, the pituitary gland reduces the release TSH, that makes the thyroid hormone produce less of T3 and T4.
The thyroid gland absorbs iodine from the blood and incorporate it into the thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for controlling the rate of metabolism in the body. The metabolic rate of the body influences the heart, muscle and digestive function, brain development and bone maintenance. The key to the thyroid hormone is the amount of iodine in our meal. The thyroid gland absorbs the iodine from the blood and incorporate it into the thyroid hormones.
In addition, there are other hormone-producing cells within the thyroid gland called C-cells. These cells produce calcitonin. Calcitonin plays a role in regulating calcium and phosphate levels in the blood, which is important for your bone health and maintenance.
In normal cases thyroid gland produces the exact number of hormones needed to keep the body’s metabolism running and in balance. However, there are several disorders. When the thyroid gland produces too much of T3 and T4, it leads to higher metabolism, excess weight loss, fast heart rate, high irritability/nervousness, muscle weakness and tremors, infrequent menstrual periods and sleep problems. This condition is caused by a hyperactive thyroid gland and hence is called hyperthyroidism. Whereas, when the thyroid gland produces lower amounts of T3 and T4, it leads to lower metabolism rate. Low metabolism leads to depression, weight gain, slower heart rate, fatigue, more frequent and stronger menstrual periods, forgetfulness, dry skin and hair, hoarse voice and intolerance to cold. This condition is caused by an under active thyroid gland and hence is called hypothyroidism.
Different people have different points of view regarding fitness . For a common man to have a good physique is a symbol of physical fitness . For a doctor , the proper functioning of physiological systems is physical fitness . In fact , physical fitness is a simple term with a broad meaning . Physical fitness of a common person means the capacity to do the routine work without any fatigue or exertion and after doing his work he has power to do some more work with quick recovery . Physical fitness is more than the possession of strength and endurance . It means having the best possible health with the capacity to do one’s everyday task , engage in recreational pursuits and meet emergencies , when they arise . As a matter of fact , physical fitness is possessed by that individual , who remains enthusiast , works cheerfully and does the emergency work with vigour . Physical fitness implies a relation between the task to be performed and the individual’s capability to perform it .in fact , to understand the physical fitness in better way , it would be more beneficial to go through the following definitions of physical fitness .
According to Webster’s Encyclopaedia , “ It is the ability of a person to do daily routine work without fatigue ; moreover to participate in playful activities and still reserve enough capacity to meet any emergency .“
According to Don Hoskins ,”The human body’s ability to move with the desired speed , balance , agility and strength gained through proper exercise and nutrition , “
According to Kroles , “Successful adaption to the stresses of one’s lifestyle.”
According to David R. Lamb , “Physical fitness is the capacity to meet the present and potential physical challenges of life with success .”
In fact , it can be said that physical fitness is the ability to function effectively and efficiently , enjoy leisure , be healthy , resist disease and cope with the emergency situations . Physical fitness varies according to the nature of work , individual’s size , shape of the body , age and sex . For physical fitness , we require an efficient motor mechanism , efficient organic mechanism and an efficient mental functioning .
So in the previous article we have discussed about the new variety of tea that are not actually tea but called so. Herbal teas are not true teas as they are not brewed from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. They are infused from fruits, flowers and plants. However, what makes them healthy is the absence of caffeine and presence of high amount of antioxidants.
Some of the types included :
Tulsi tea
Tulsi or the holy basil is famous worldwide for its innumerable properties. It is called the “Queen of Herbs” as it is bestowed with a myriad of complex biochemical compounds including eugenol, urosli acid, carvarcol, apigenin, luteolin and other flavonoids. Moreover, its also imbued with essential nutrients like vitamin A, C, calcium, zinc, iron and chlorophyll which is valuable in healing the body and mind. Tulsi tea, infused from dry or fresh leaves has various anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancer, antimicrobial and radioprotective properties. It is also considered a tonic for the body, mind, and spirit.
Chrysanthemum tea
Chrysanthemum tea is one of the most popular flowers teas in China, infused from its dried flowers. Studies showed it has a strong antioxidant activity and may help fight free radicals. It’s used for its cooling effect, especially during warm season, for potential sedative effect and lowering blood pressure. Chrysanthemum tea is rich in potassium, which helps reduce the risk of serious health conditions like cancer, diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. It is super rich in beta-carotene and vitamin A, that helps in eliminating oxidative stress and damaged cells in organ systems around the body and promote eye health.
Eucalyptus tea
Eucalyptus tea is infused from its dried leaves. It a famous herb native to Australia, providing numerous health benefits. The consumption of fresh or dried leaves is considered toxic because its hard to digest. However, it can be consumed in the form of tea to tap to its various benefits. The main flavonoids in eucalyptus include catechins, isorhamnetin, luteolin, kaempferol, phloretin, and quercetin. Diets rich in these compounds are known to protect against certain cancers, heart disease, and dementia. It possesses multiple antiseptic and antibacterial properties. Hence, they can be used for different breathing and lungs related problems–from treating the common cold and flu to sore throat and pneumonia.
Blue tea
Blue tea has been around in the market for ages. It is infused from dried flowers called Asian pigeonwings, bluebellvine, blue pea, butterfly pea, cordofan pea or Darwin pea. However, they are becoming more easily and widely available for consumption in stores due to its popularisation through travel blogs and shows. The tea is said to have stress busting effects that may also help reduce symptoms of anxiety. It contains anthocyanin, a compound known to increase blood circulation in the head and therefore helps maintain a healthy scalp. Blue tea has more antioxidants than green tea, hence they protect the body against free radical action and promote anti-ageing.
Guava leaf tea
Guava leaf tea is infused from the young leaves of the guava tree. It has in been a part of traditional medicine for centuries in Mexico and parts of South America. The leaves are a powerhouse of antioxidants like vitamin C and flavonoids such as quercetin. The polyphenols in guava leaf tea have been shown to regulate the absorption of carbohydrates from food and hence are beneficial for diabetic patients. The contain flavonoids (antioxidants), tannins, and acids (gallic and betulinic) that has various anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.
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