Slow down the aging process:

I had a fascinating discovery. I was trying different poses given in a nature cure book one by one on a daily basis. The effect of ‘Viparitakarani’ (inverted action pose) for a minute was fantastic. I could feel the blood rushing to my face and head. The blood circulation improved

When I went for the morning walk which includes a steep climb to measure my blood vessel capacity I was astonished to find my lung capacity increased by about 15 to 20% by this single pose. I repeated the pose for a week. Now I can climb the hill and still breathe normally without discomfort. While on pose the blood comes down to the chest area and head and the pressure opens the blood vessels and make them flexible. This looks an easy and risk free method to clean even blocks

This pose increases the blood circulation to brain and hence should slow down the aging process of our brains, the depletion of brain cells and memory loss for those like me who find Sarvangasana (Shoulder stand pose) and Shirshasana (Topsy-turvy pose) too difficult to practice. This is a safer and simpler version. A little help from anybody make the pose easier.

VIPARITAKARANI (Inverted action pose)

Lie flat on your back with your feet together and arms by your side. Press your palms down, raising your legs to a perpendicular position without bending the knees. Your palms should touch the waist. Then straighten your legs. The trunk should not make a right angle with the ground but simply an upward slanting position. The chest should not press against the chin but be kept a little away. To return to the ground, bring your legs down slowly evenly balancing your weight.

MEDITATION MADE EASY

Medittion can keep us healthy. Is it complicated? No. It is as simple as going through the morning papers or scanning through the net for news updates.

First fix a time for meditation. First in the morning or last in the evening are the best. We can do even on the closet. Best place and no disturbance!!. Evening is preferred because it will improve our sleep.

How to meditate AND or what to meditate on?

Go through the activities for the last 24 hours. Start from getting up till going to bed. Go through everything we did. We will automatically analyze every incident. Find out what we did well and what could have been improved. If we did something seriously wrong make amends.

It may look complicated. In the beginning it may take some time to remember everything. By dividing the day into hours we can get all what we did. It may take some time to get adjusted. But after a few days everything will come naturally to us. A good habit which will keep us emotionally and physically healthy.

LIST OF POSTS

WHY ARE WE SICK,
HEALTHY LIFESTYLE 10/26/08

JOY TO BLOOM IN STRESS 10/24/08

HEALING IS A NATURAL WONDER 10/24/08

BODY'S NATURAL DESIRE TO BE HEALTHY 10/20/08

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT MADE EASY 9/30/08

HOW TO INCREASE YOUR SORROW 9/30/08

BE HEALTHIER 9/26/08

ROMANCING WITH LIFE!!! 9/22/08

ABOVE FORTY? 9/8/08

YOU CAN BE HAPPY 9/8/08

MIDRIFF FAT 9/1/08

BEAUTY OF LIFE 8/28/08

WHY SOME ARE BORN RICH? 8/12/08

TIME WILL TELL ME 8/7/08

RIDING ON EMOTIONS. 8/7/08

ANY GUSS, WHAT IS HAPPINESS? 7/23/08

CARDIOVASCULAR DECEASES 6/23/08

You can change your genes!!!! 6/23/08

How to dance in the Rain 6/23/08

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF HEART ATTACK 6/23/08

HEART ATTACKS AND DRINKING WARM WATER. 6/23/08

HEART ATTACKS 6/23/08

HEART ATTACKS 6/23/08

AM I BLIND? 6/23/08

AIR HUNGER 3/29/08

RELATIONSHIPS 3/19/08

MUTUAL HAPPINESS 3/8/08

How to live upto a healthy old age. 2/21/08

Oxygen, Key to wellbeing happiness, 2/12/08

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE 2/7/08

DESIRE VERSUS HAPPINESS. 1/15/08

RELATIONSHIPS - DUMP OR NURTURE??? 1/14/08

HAPPY LIFE-STYLE 1/8/08

RELATIONSHIP 1/4/08

HOW TO BE HAPPY 1/4/08

HOW COME, HAPPINESS IS IN WHAT I DON'T HAVE AND NO 12/31/07

HAPPINESS IS HERE 12/28/07

HAPPIEST PERSON IN THE WORLD 12/28/07

HOW TO HAVE A HAPPY AND MERRY LIFE-STYLE 12/27/07

THE CHANGING MOODS OF LIFE 12/11/07
HOW COME PEOPLE SAY LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL? 11/30/07

LOOKING FOR HAPPINESS IN FUSTRATION ? 11/28/07

ENJOYING RELATIONSHIPS IN LIFE 11/27/07

PURPOSE OF LIFE 11/27/07

HAPPINESS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM 11/17/07

LIFE - A BURDEN? FEAR IS THE KEY 11/16/07

HEALTHY LIFE STYLE - INDIAN WAY 11/6/07

WHY ARE WE SICK

Mostly all forms of diseases are due to accumulation of waste materials and bodily refuse in the system. The waste materials in the healthy individual are removed from the system through the organs of elimination. The only way to cure disease is to employ methods which will enable the system to throw off these toxic accumulations. Acute diseases such as fevers, colds, inflammations, digestive disturbances and skin eruptions are nothing more than self-initiated efforts on the part of the body to throw off the accumulated waste materials. Find out the ways to a healthy lifestyle by going through the blog.

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

Health is a way of life in tune with the internal working of the human body. A child is born healthy and strong and it can stay healthy and strong if body is allowed to live in the natural way. Fresh air, sunshine, a proper diet, exercise, scientific relaxation, constructive thinking and the right mental attitude, along with prayer and meditation all play their part in keeping a sound mind in a sound body. The power to cure diseases and remain healthy lies within our body itself. Discover the magic of health. Read through the blog.

JOY TO BLOOM IN STRESS

Just think about what gives you joy. Anybody can dish out umpteen number of situations to experience joy. Don’t say no time. Just go and do it, everything else can wait. Balancing life’s stresses and joys is always a priority.

Science has clearly shown that people who feel as though they've lost control of their life invite heart disease. According to Psychologists loneliness, depression and isolation increases mortality by 3 - 7 times. Deliberately plan at least one joy a day and smile all the stresses away. Even death will wait.

Stress is an integral part of daily life. It improves our coping skills. Joy is the highest expression of happiness and is also essential to healthy living. We need a balance of both stress and joy to live life to the fullest.

( Also refer 'HOW TO INCREASE YOUR SORROW' below)

HEALING IS A NATURAL WONDER

STAY TUNED

Body is tuned to get well and stay well. Most effective is intimacy. Strong relationships keep our body and mind healthy. Socially accepted relationships with sexual erotica cools mind and strengthens body. Good friendships and family relations keep us tuned but cushioned against emotional stress.

We can increase the capacity to heal naturally by adding altruism and service mentality to our thinking. Forgiveness is a boost to natural healing and also a check against hatred which cripples both body and mind. Community service not only gives a good feeling but also gives us friends who reminds we are needed

BODY'S NATURAL DESIRE TO BE HALTHY

Take advantage of the body’s natural desire to be healthy.

Our body normally goes by habits. Our brain records all our actions and tries to anticipate daily activities and prepares the body well in time for the action. For example if you start getting up at a particular time every day, after a few days you will automatically get up at that time. The body synchronizes all its activities both internal and external for a smooth tension free life.

When we follow a set pattern, body is happy and functions smoothly. The trouble starts when we don't follow any system. When we change our lifestyle everyday, body finds difficulty in adjusting and hence starts complaining in its own ways. Follow healthy life styles and allow body to be healthy in the natural way.

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT MADE EASY

Weight management is easy.

Take in only what is needed.

Nothing comes free in this world and health is not an exception. To reduce weight I gradually reduce intake on a weekly basis till I get what I want. I can skip evening meals but never the morning one. I know what I want. Then why should I wait. Go ahead and get what I want.

The most important tip.

To increase the burning of calories increase the speed of daily activities. Walking around in the office, home or outside should be made faster. It not only burns fat but makes me smarter. Others notice.

Additional exercises can quicken the process.

I stopped drinking tea and coffee some few years back. The habit is gone. I can still enjoy and a cup of coffee or tea. But I don’t. In every gathering where tea or coffee is served I stand different. People notice. There is admiration on their faces because they think they cannot do it. This admiration is greater than the pleasure of tea and coffee today.

I stopped tea and coffee to reduce weight and maintain health. Now admiration is a bonus. Anybody can do it. Reduce weight and your friends will admire you and you will stand taller in any of your groups.

HOW TO INCREASE YOUR SORROW

It is very simple.

Some unpleasant incidents might have happened in your life-every life has an unending list. Click on any in the list and revisit them as often as you can.

Your mind is always free wherever you are and whatever you are doing.

Make use of your available time to revisit the items in the list..

I can assure you, you will never be happy.

Depression will not be far behind.

BE HEALTHIER

Research world over indicates that marriage keeps people healthier. Spouse gives company and reduces stress and gives you good sleep. Man is made to live in a community and his physical health depends on the health of his relationships. So cultivating and investing on your relationships has to be priority number one.

To have good relations at home you have to stay with your family rather than your family staying with you. Treat dinner as a communal event, not a timed one. Some use praying together a family event. Your health has to be your priority now. Anything you do regularly for 21 days becomes your habit and then on it becomes an easy routine.

Plan the activities you want as your habits. Try one one every month and your good habits start giving you result - peaceful and healthier life.
Healthier people age gracefully.

ROMANCING WITH LIFE!!!

HABITS MAKE US OR MAR US

‘Friends make us or mar us’. I would say, ‘Habits make or mar us.’ Good habits are the key to a healthy life. The focus has to shift from everything else. Everything connected to good habits should be special. A craving for good habits should come from within and the craving will keep us in it. A love for good life should be stronger than other emotions. Romantic love is the most powerful emotion on earth. Romancing with life is the most beautiful thing that can happen to anybody. Here there is no rejection and that gives us protection. The beauty can last the whole life.

ABOVE FORTY?

Midriff fat at forty.

True, weight gain is because I spent less than I consume. Then I have to increase my physical activity. Be careful. The increased activity increase the craving for more food than normal. It means the intake has to be reduced with activity or no activity. To reduce weight I have to decrease intake. I have to pay the price to reduce weight. It doesn't come cheap. I have to Suffer the hunger and make it a habit.

Our metablism slows as we grow older. This puts us at increased risk for weitht gain. Beware if you are above forty.

YOU CAN BE HAPPY

Every entrepreneur knows that success comes from the belief

you can do it.

Happiness is not an exception. First and foremost I have to believe that I can be happy. When I know that I can be happy I look forward as to how to. Once I search around, the ways and means are everywhere. If I go inside I can find that my mind is stronger than the outside world and I need not be affected if I don’t want to.

Most Important

the belief that I can be happy.

MIDRIFF FAT

It is better to try our best now


How do we stay healthy? It is easier to stub out a cigarette than to combat lung cancer. It’s easier to lose weight than fight a heart attack. Simple truths that can be ignored today only at the risk of physical peril tomorrow.

Midriff fat is the common symptom of unhealthy body. That is the beginning of all the diseases you can think of after the age of thirty. Every common disease like BP, Sugar and hypertension will follow. This is the time one relays on medicines and one after the other, the number of tablets increases and more tablets for the ill effect of the previous tablets and so on till even the doctors won’t know what tablet to prescribe. Then they will say we will try our best.

It is better to try our best now.

BEAUTY OF LIFE

The beauty of life lies in healthy human relationships.

Throughout our lives, we are involved with many different kinds of relationships. We have friendships, romances, work and school-related connections, familial ties, and, quite often, relationships which cannot be categorized.

A healthy relationship springs from trust and mutual respect. We feel secure and enjoy the time together. This should enrich other relationships as well. If I have a good friend, automatically he is introduced to my other friends and everybody around us enjoys the fruits of our relationship.

If everybody around us enjoys our relationships, it is a good relationship.

Developing good relationships is the key to a healthy lifestyle.

WHY SOME ARE BORN RICH?

Why people are born rich, poor, handicapped, deformed, etc.?
The simplest explanation that many give is God has a right to test you. When the question paper is difficult the valuation is lenient and when it is easy naturally the valuation is tough. Wealth is a test. Poverty is also a test. Every situation is a threat and a test.

According to the Indian thinking if I do something for 21 days it becomes a habit to me. Poverty can become a habit too and loose its pinch. Even deformity can become a habit and a lot of them enjoy life by looking at the sunny side of their life. There is variety in God’s creation. But happiness is distributed equally. It depends on how I look at my life. Positive thinking is being talked about in every nook and corner of the globe today. This is making the world a better place to live in. This is making everybody lovable.

TIME WILL TELL ME

There are many lessons in life that only time could teach me. For examble selfishness can only give me unhappiness. If happiness is around me, I am happy. If it is not around me nothing can bring happiness to me. I have to spread love everywhere I go so that I get love. It starts at home. Give love to my children, to my wife to the next door neighbour. Let no one ever come to me without leaving better and happier. O God, let me be the living expression of Your kindness; kindness in my face, kindness in my eyes, kindness in my smile and kindness in my warm greeting.

Happenings around me affects my happiness. How Tsunami spoiled my days. But the way people survived the tragedy gives me strength to face the little hurdles I come acrose

RIDING ON EMOTIONS.

There are a lot of things in life that take a lot of time to build, to understand and rebuild like friendship. Beauty is not in the face, beauty is a light in the heart and its glow is on the face. Without friendship life is not life at all. The beauty of life lays in relationships.

There are many lessons in life that only time can teach me. How much is my love for you? It is immposible to know until I am forced to spend my days without you. The beatings of my heart tell me the deapth of my love. Emotions nearly choke me. Emotions are the waves I enjoy riding on. Emotions are the flowers on my relationships. More the flowers more the life worth living. Here even death cannot stop the flowering. You will live in my heart. I see flowers all around me every time I think of you.

ANY GUSS, WHAT IS HAPPINESS?

After all, what is happiness?

Love, they tell me. But love doesn’t bring and never has brought happiness. On the contrary, it’s a constant state of anxiety, a battlefield: it’s sleepless nights, asking ourselves all the time if we’re doing the right thing. Real love is composed of ecstasy and agony.

All right then, peace. Peace? People say, you go to the woods and you can feel peace. Mother nature is never at peace. One kills the other to survive and that is the order of nature. One chases the other and in effect everybody is chasing and every living being is being chased.

Money brings happiness. Fine. In that case, everyone who earns enough to have a high standard of living would be able to stop work. But then they’re more troubled than ever, as if they were afraid of losing everything. Money attracts money, that’s true. Poverty might bring unhappiness, but money won’t necessarily bring happiness.

I spent a lot of my life looking for happiness, now what I want is joy. Joy is like sex – it begins and ends. I want pleasure. I want to be contented, but happiness? That c an still be elusive.

When I’m with a group of people and I want to provoke them by asking the most important of questions: “ Are you happy?”, they all reply: “Yes, I am”.

The I ask: ‘But don’t you want more? Don’t you want to keep on growing?’ And they all reply: ‘Of course.’

Then I say: ‘So you’re not happy.’ And they change the subject.

CARDIOVASCULAR DECEASES

You worry about AIDS, cancer and the avian flu

but Cardiovascular disease kills more people than everything else combined and it’s mostly preventable.

Changing our eating habits can save lives.

Asians had the lowest cardiovascular deceases and hypertention. Within a generation they have reversed it.

95% of the cardiovascular deceases are not only preventable, they are reversible by simply changing lifestyle.

Come on, let us try.

You can change your genes!!!!

Can you change your fate?

Come on, let us try.

According to Dean Ornish, new research showed how adopting healthy lifestyle habits can affect a person at a genetic level. For instance, when you live healthier, eat better, exercise, and love more, your brain cells actually increase.

Research showed that walking for three hours per week for only three months caused so many neutrons to grow that it acually increased the size of people’s brain.

When chocolates, tea, alcohol in moderation, stress management, and cannabinoids can increase brain cells, saturated fat, sugar, nocotine, opiates, cocaine, excessive alcohol and cronic stress can decrease brain cells.

In reality our brain gets more blood flow and hence more oxigen. Basically any decease can be reduced by better bloodflow. While tumour growth can be reduced sexual ability can be increased.

Our genes are not our fate.
Let us change our fate with a healthy lifestyle.

How to dance in the Rain

How to Dance in the Rain

The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.

My friend Chitra send me this note.

'It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry.

The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease.
As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.
I was surprised, and asked him, 'And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?' He smiled as he patted my hand and said,
'She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is.'
I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought,'That is the kind of love I want in my life.' True love is neither physical, nor romantic.
True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.

The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.

I hope you share this with someone you care about. I just did.

'Life isn't about how to survive the storm,but how to dance in the rain.'

Chitra Mathur'

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF HEART ATTACK

Common Symptoms Of Heart Attack.

A serious note about heart attacks -

You should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms. 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive.

HEART ATTACKS AND DRINKING WARM WATER.

The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals, not cold water. In Kerala hot coffee is taken after a heavy meal.

It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer.

It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

HEART ATTACKS

My daily life decides my limits. My body adjusts to my requirements. If I want to increase the capacity of my body sudently it is just not possible.

I have to decide on my limits. I have to slowly increase my capacity by doing everything faster. If the normal daily life is not sufficient I can go for walk or jog. Joging and running will enhance elasticity of my capacity. This will protect me when my body is forced to do something extra.

If my elasticity is good I can withstand high tention situations.

HEART ATTACKS

To avoid heart attacks I have to increase the elasticity of my blood vesels. For that I have to Start pumping more blood by doing more physical work. This process has to be slow and steady.

Is there any other way?
No.

AM I BLIND?

My friend Chitra sent me this mail:

"A blind girl hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, 'If I could only see the world, I will marry you.' One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend. He asked her, 'Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?' The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn't expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him. Her boyfriend left her in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: 'Take good care of your eyes, my dear, before they were yours, they were mine. '

AIR HUNGER

HATE SHOPPING ?

I slowly realized that my inability to walk short distances was the reason for my distaste for shopping. Something had to be done. I started morning walks. That improved the situation. My muscle pain reduced but my breathing problem persisted.

I was not happy with my morning walks. It did not show my upper limit. So I started running till I have breathing problem, air hunger. Doctor said I should not go that far. I went to that far but cautiously. I tried everyday to increase my capacity. Then I realized I cannot go any further or that my capacity was up to what I was doing. I went to naturopathy and reduced my weight by 10 kgs. My endurance increased. But that was only because of my weight lose and not because my lung capacity had increased or my blood vessels had expanded.

After over two years of regular exercise I have come to a situation wherein the air hunger is not acute but gradual and I don’t get stuck with air hunger. Now there is no air hunger but only heavy breathing.

RELATIONSHIPS

THE DNA OF HAPPINESS

I have often wondered why do some people behave the way they do. Putting myself into others’ shoes doesn’t give me the answer. I try to visualize what I would have done had I been in his place. That is the best I can go. But that is not the reality. He is a different person, entirely different from me. So I have to speculate. For that I have to understand the other person with his background. In short the entire input into his brain and the basis of his nature. That is difficult. How can I get into his mind, the most complicated part. How can I understand then?

Our educational system frames the questions and teaches us the answers. So when I get the answer it is final and I move on. The same habit is reflected in my social thinking as well. I look for an answer for everything. I automatically stop thinking as soon as I come across the first possibility and treat it as final. Of course I vehemently protect my knowledge by arguing with him or with anyone and everyone. My ego justifies my answer and even refuses to accept any diversion. The real life is however very different from what is taught in schools. There is usually more than one answer. Some answers are much better than others. My first answer need not be the best one. If I can look for a better answer for others’ behaviour from themselves I create relationships, the DNA structure of human happiness

MUTUAL HAPPINESS

Others failure my success?

BOAT IN WATER OR WATER IN BOAT?

In this competing world other’s failure is my success. If others are unsuccessful that can improve my position and hence I am happy. I can go a step further. Others’ sorrow can give me satisfaction and happiness.

The individualistic thinking has devastated the society. Everything is measured in terms of money as to how much do I get. What others loose is immaterial or rather an advantage to me. The rivers are pure but our selfishness pollute it. We had a beautiful earth. Our greed has destroyed it. We had a protective social structure. Our competition trampled it.

Everything I have is because of a great number of other people. I tried to search for my individual success in life and I could not find any. Everything has other’s hand in it.

What matters may be my contribution to others.

How to live upto a healthy old age.

Anybody can be a centenarian.

The tiny Italian island Sardinia boasts of the largest number of centenarian men anywhere.

What is the magic?

Lifestyle.

Anybody can live longer and healthier by suitably modifying the lifestyle.

Now Interesting findings about healthy lifestyle.

The immune system of the body adapts to ageing, according to a recent study by Dr. Franceschi. If the T and B cells decline with age, the macrophages that offer innate immunity gets better after the age of 60. “Those who live longer are able to continuously adapt to the deteriorative changes occurring in the immune stystem with age.” He says.

What to do? Control the risk factors and modify life style. The risk factors are:

a sedentary life with no exercise
Hypertension or uncontrolled blood pressure.
Overweight
smoking
Uncontrolled Diabetes.

Captain C.K. Nair of Kozhicode is 93 and a regular winner in 100m, 200m. Since there is no category above 90 he competes in the category above 80.

On the 80th birthday, a reporter asked Winston Churchill if he could be interviewed on his 90th. Churchill looked at the reporter and said: “I do not see why not, you look healthy enough.”

Oxygen, Key to wellbeing

Depression due to lack of oxygen intake?

Depressed moods are common. How to get rid of it? There seems to be no apparent reason for the lack of enthusiasm and self esteem or the depression.

The state of wellbeing comes from the oxygen content in my cells. To increase the oxygen I have to ask my lungs to increase the intake. For that more air has to be pumped into the lungs. How to do it? Increase my body movements mainly the calf muscles . To put it in the best way is ‘exercise’. The more I exercise, the more air is pumped into my lungs and the blood can absorb more oxygen for the cells. Doing some exercise regularly can help people with depression by improving their mental health. It is reported that the feel good brain chemicals such as endorphins are released during exercise.

When my feelings are down I get out and do something physical.

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

GOOD HABITS

A few years before retirement I started thinking of post retirement life. My planning took an year. I decided to have an active life of 20 years after retirement. That meant I had to live at least up to eighty. How to? How will I be at 80? How can I find out?

I had to look at people above 80 to find out how I would look like. It was easy. None of them was fat and none of them smoked. They were more active than a lot of above 60s. After 25 years of smoking I had to stop. Went to Government Naturopathy Hospital at Varkala and reduced 10 kgs within 15 days to have a reasonable chance of living beyond 80.

That could not be the end. I went through books and health magazines. I started to eat fruits and vegetables. Sleep had to be sufficient. I started to go to bed at 10. A 4 km walk in the mornings became a part of my lifestyle. Slowly a few meters of jogging was added. Tread Mill taught me my limits. Climbing two steps at a time became a habit. My experience taught me to eat only what is required. Eating beyond my requirements converts into fat and get deposited around my waist. My efforts are still on for reduction of my waist.

Enhancing functional capacity can only achieve a healthy lifestyle to enjoy a long life in better health.

DESIRE VERSUS HAPPINESS.

WHY VILLAGE FOLKS LOOKS MORE HAPPY THAN CITY DWELLERS.

Happiness depends on the intensity of desire or felt need. Satisfaction from food depends on the level of hunger one feels. If my desire is more I will get happiness also more. So to increase happiness I have to increase my desire. If I increase my desire naturally all my abilities will be concentrated on the project. Then the chances of my achieving the result are more. And the happiness I get also will be more.

What will happen when my desire is more than what I can achieve? Unsatisfied desires bring more unhappiness. So if I can reduce my desires I can limit my unhappiness. That is what I saw in my parents. They were my role models. They were a happy lot and enjoyed every success their children made. They did not have big hopes. So they did not have much set backs. Their requirements were limited and they were happy in the village environment. Whatever they got through their children were bonus.

Today my needs are more. My requirements are unlimited and hence I am unhappy. My expectations are very high. More the expectations more unhappy I become. Only limited expectations can give me a reasonable level of wellbeing

RELATIONSHIPS - DUMP OR NURTURE???

WHOM TO KEEP WHOM TO DUMP

IN RELATIONSHIPS - A DIFFICULT QUESTION

Relationships make life worth living. Wellbeing depends on the quality of relationships. A longing to see, to be nearer, to talk to and to be with, a bliss in each others company, happens with lovers. True, but other relationships are also important.. I have my family members, relatives and neighbours. I have friends around me. I have to decide which one to keep, discard or be nourished. This is a very important decision for a healthy life. Relationships have to be nurtured to keep them beautiful and satisfying.

Some relationships are burdens. Some can test my patience and drag me to boredom or depression. People take advantage of my tolerance. I may characterize it as being charitable. But it is too taxing on my nerves. After talking to them or listening to them for a considerable time my mood dips. It is a drain on my energy and hence I have to select.

To select I have to grade. How do I rate relationships? There is a simple method I call

‘talking time’

How long do I enjoy talking with a person .There are people I can talk to for five minutes, or may be ten or even can tolerate up to fifteen. But there are people I can talk to for hours. I treat half an hour and above as very good. Those relations are to be cared for and nurtured. My mental health comes from those relationships and their memories. Discard relationships or if not possible keep sufficient distance where talking to is not enjoyable.

HAPPY LIFE-STYLE

BE HAPPY NOW

I want something other than what is happening now. Had it been otherwise, I would have been happy. When will I be happy? Desire is good. Hope brings me cheer. Yes, does that mean I should always wait for happiness to arrive?

What happened cannot be rewritten. No meaning in ‘had it been otherwise’. When I talk or think on those lines I am re-experiencing unhappiness by choice. At this point I shifted to a better choice, ‘when I have this or that’, a desire for a better future.

Tomorrow is uncertain. So I come back to the present. I have to find happiness now, every moment. Happiness is an experience. Hence I have to experience happiness now. Happiness is a feeling and it comes from my thoughts. Accept the present and find the good things in the present. It is difficult in the face of adverse situations. But it is there for me to enjoy. Different trees, flowers and bushes make a good garden. In my mind I started to see happiness winking at me from every small thing in life.

I accept the present. It is good for me.

RELATIONSHIP

GATEWAY TO THE BEAUTIFUL HEARTS

The beauty of life lies in relationships. It comes from understanding each other. This means they are what they are. Can I change them to my liking? That is were I failed miserably. I thought I knew how everybody should behave. I went after everybody to change them or in my own words, 'to educate them'.

But nobody changed. They still remain what they are. In the process I became miserable. Everybody started avoiding me. In reality what I did was declaring everybody wrong. That hurt their ego. They defended and stood by what they did. Some went a step further and used ‘attack as the best defense’.

I realized nobody changes. They are what they are. Then what? I tried to comprehend. I had to find some areas of mutual respect. That was difficult after the ‘Kurushetra’. But I had no other alternative. I was looked at with suspicion. But I persisted. Tried to find out why they behaved like that. I did not know their background, experience and the rules their life taught them. May be had I been through their life, I would have behaved exactly the way they did. That changed everything. I found the gateway to the beautiful hearts of others

HOW TO BE HAPPY

WAY TO HAPPINESS

I feel light when I am happy. Best people I have met have the capacity to laugh at themselves. They joke about themselves. They can find a funny side of every situation. Best speakers crack jokes and bring the situation to lighter level.

I feel more at home when the situation is not very serious. I think I should not take everything seriously. Only very serious matters should be taken seriously. Daily happenings can be taken in a jovial manner. I take time to laugh at myself, the foolish things I have done, the awkward situations I was in. I look at my own positioning in the family, in my group, in the class and among my friends. It is unique. I am sure to be a misfit had I been in anybody else’s body. I am best in my body and in my situation. Enjoy the position, the situation and the life.

Taking life seriously can bring stress. Stress can cause physical and mental discomfort. Face the life as it comes. We cannot change the world and change everything to our liking. Actually I cannot do anything about a lot of things. Why should I worry. I look at what I can do, what is possible by me. I avoid thinking about matters I cannot do anything about. Why waste time. Smile at those situations, crack a joke if I can and enjoy doing what I can. There are even laughing clubs to just laugh without reason to feel good.