Brain Power Boosting: Yogic way

Have you ever suffered this experience of standing before the cupboard with an intention of removing something from it but just cannot remember what it was? You also secretly fear that you are ‘losing it’? You worry this is the onset of physical and mental degeneration? Don’t worry. There are many who feel exactly like you, bumbling through the day forgetting names of people whose names they cannot afford to forget or forgetting crucial phone numbers, 

Why we suffer memory problems?

Brain has short-term and long-term memory sections. Most information reaches the short-term part giving you the feeling that you are going to retain it. After sometime, however, the brain sorts through this, decides what it wants to put away into the long-term compartment. And if you have not given the brain enough cues for long-term storage the brain dumps it because it is being efficient actually. This is when you forget.

Stress is a memory-buster. Under stress the brain turns dull. Long-term stress is known to causes severe neural damage. Yoga combats this by kicking the habit of stress.

Other reasons why yoga boosts memory power?

In inverted poses and the forward bends, there is a powerful gush of blood to the brain. This opens up unused blood vessels, boosting a physiological recovery for the brain. Also these poses have a powerful de-stressing effect on the brain. 
Balancing asanas steady the mind, while the inversions in yoga send a rush blood to the brain, stimulating it. They are considered memory-boosters. The king of asanas or the sirsasana (head asana) is contraindicated only in high blood pressure, retinal detachment, heart disease, ear infections, neck pain.

Yogic food habits to help your mind:

• Avoid alcohol and caffeine overload. Particularly alcohol, which blocks the processing of brain vitamins like B1 or thiamin.
• Smoking too causes arteriosclerosis of the brain’s blood vessels, blocking a steady and healthy supply of blood to the memory center.
• Caffeine may be a short-term booster but is damaging long-term.
• Memory boosters are vitamin C, E, anti-oxidants like selenium, magnesium, carotenoids, flavenoids. Good sources for these are, as you guessed, fresh fruits and vegetables with deep colours ranging from red, yellow, orange and deep green. And herbs, including herbal teas, green tea.
• Avoid too much fat and protein which cause plaque on the blood vessels blocking the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the brain.
• Also avoid too much sugar, which causes the insulin yo-yo in the blood, making you feel fuzzy.

Mind power with yoga pose

Yogamudrasana (Psychic union pose)

Sit cross-legged (If you are a regular practitioner you may sit in the classic lotus pose). Pass hand in front placing palms on ground. Inhale. Exhaling, bend torso, bringing forehead to floor (you may not be able to touch it, but dip your head low, or place a low stool or bolster on which to rest head). Continue breathing, holding for as long as you can. Relax hold. Repeat a few times.

Avoid: If having very high BP, cardiac problems, or lower back ache.

Benefits: It relaxes the upper back, where tension is usually lodged. The gush of blood to head soothes the brain. The spinal stretch relieves and untangles tension knots. Relieves anxiety due to pressure on stress glands. Provides relief in anxiety-induced insomnia. Boosts memory power.

Stress Busting: Some Interesting Ways

Stress comes in all shapes and sizes. The troublesome neighbour, the finicky boss, the unpredictable deadlines and untimely traffic are all different faces of stress. These situations are bound to arise in life but how you tackle them is the key. Here are a few new age stress busters that are sure to be of help…

Creative visualisation

This technique was developed in 1970s by Carl Simonton that helped cancer and tumour patients stay positive and contribute to their own healing. Since then, many self-healing visualisation techniques have been developed that have been successful. This method constitutes visualising relaxing images such as beautiful and peaceful places—a beach, a calm lake, fruit-laden trees or colourful, chirping birds.

For example, imagine you are on a beach relaxing on the sands. The waves slowly start to wash over your body. With each passing wave, imagine that as each wave is returning into the sea, it is also reducing your anxiety and stress. With each wave you are bound to feel a little more relaxed.

Megha Vohra, a resident of Chembur says she used creative visualisation to reduce the stress she felt on her wedding day. “I used this technique on my wedding day. I remember when I was waiting for the baraat, I was so stressed thinking about how will it go. But then I just closed my eyes and imagined that I was alone on the beach and having the time of my life. With every passing second, I felt all the stress just melt away.”

Research shows that visualisations practised under the guidance of an expert lowers pain, reduces blood pressure, cures phobias and speeds up the healing process.

Sound therapy

Sound therapy consists of listening to therapeutic, soothing sounds, which again is known to lower blood pressure and reduce stress levels. Many doctors recommend acute depression patients to listen to such music for at least two hours a day to a total of 100 hours. Apart from these specially created sounds, you can easily utilize the sounds from nature that are known to soothe. Sounds of the ocean, rustling of leaves, chirping of birds and listening to mantras are known to benefit. It has been proved that meditating on the sound of ‘OM’ can have a calming effect on nerves, muscles, blood circulation and brain.

Tina Sengupta, who listens to the Gayatri Mantra daily, believes that doing so has made her calmer. “Listening to mantras and soothing music has quietened me. Earlier even a small squabble would bother me but after a few months of this practice I feel a lot more centred.”

Tai chi

Though popular as a system of self-defence, Tai chi is also a great stress reliever. Based on the ancient Chinese philosophy of Taoism, this system is picking up fast as a modern day stress buster. Apart from the physical benefits of strengthening muscles, joints and organs, regular practice of Tai chi helps lower BP and direct energy (chi) to flow through the points where energy is getting blocked. It is also known to raise energy level and improve blood circulation.

Dancercise

Along with the various forms of dance, dancercise – a combination of dance and exercise – is fast catching up. A half hour session of dancercise complete with warm-up and cool-down sessions gives your body a complete cardio workout. Many people prefer it over an aerobic workout or a gym session as this is more entertaining and over a period of time helps the person develop his / her unique dance style. This form of exercise is a good stress buster as it is more of a cathartic experience, releases all pent up emotions and is a great mood up lifter. A person can choose jazz, hip hop, Bollywood or masala bhangra dance forms.

Komal Sharma, a resident of Mulund opted for a masala bhangra dancercise class. “I hate regular gyms and so I wanted to join something that was interesting, help me lose weight and also a great stess reliever. Dancercise was everything I was looking for. And now after three months I feel lighter and much more graceful with my movements.”

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a form of alternative healing that makes use of essential oils and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of improving a person’s mood and health. Ingredients such as lavender oil are known to help a person get better sleep and reduce stress levels considerably. Eucalyptus oil is used in spas and work places to make people more alert, aware and active. These aromatherapy oils can be utilized by massaging directly into the skin or by adding a few drops of the oil to bathwater.

Pick up any of these stress-busting techniques and watch your stress melt away.

Heart Healthy Oils

A healthy heart is the most sought after goal for most of us with heart disease striking all – young or old. One of the synergistic contributors towards achieving it is selecting the right cooking medium. Even the right choice may not result in a healthy heart, if we do not regulate the quantity of cooking oil consumed per person per month. Maintain your total oil intake to 500 gms per person per month. (Check your oil consumption by dividing total oil bought per month by the total number of members in the family)

What are the essentials one should keep in mind, while selecting the right cooking medium?

• The fatty acid, which predominates in the oil. It is a determinant of the effect on lowering the bad cholesterol  and protecting the good cholesterol.
• Additional protective factors like phytosterols, anti oxidants and specific phytochemicals present which help in creating a Good environment that lowers the production of destructive factors in the body.
• Compatibility of the oil with the ethnic background so as to get acceptable Options
• Stability of the oil and functional benefits while using the oil.

The fatty acid factor

1. Saturated fatty acids (high amounts of which are present in vanaspati, dalda, butter, ghee, coconut oil, palm kernel oil). These f.atty acids are known to elevate cholesterol levels when used in excess. Based on research, there are 3 saturated fatty acids which are most damaging. They are Lauric, Palmitic and Myristic. They are present in high amounts in palm kernel oil and coconut oil.   In addition some saturated fat sources like dalda, vanaspati, beef fat, lard, high fat bakery products, non branded margarines, etc., contain very high amounts of trans-fatty acids, which are known to raise bad cholesterol and lower the good cholesterol. They also create a bad environment in the body, predisposing users to heart disease and cancers.

2. Unsaturated fatty acids — These are a group of fatty acids, which can be divided into two broad categories:

MUFA (Monounsaturated fatty acid): This fatty acid has been highlighted in recent research, for the prevention and treatment of heart disease. It has shown to have a beneficial effect, by lowering Bad ( LDL) cholesterol, Triglyceride and increasing Good Cholesterol ( HDL) with controlled amounts of total fat. Oils which are rich in MUFA, are olive oil (72%), groundnut oil (55%), rice bran oil (41%) and sesame or til oil (41%).

PUFA (Polyunsaturated fatty acids): These can be classified into two broad categories:

a. Linoliec (n6 fatty acid)

b. Linolenic (n3 fatty acid)

These two groups (n6 & n3) of fatty acids are referred to as essential fatty acids, as they must be obtained through the diet, since they cannot be synthesized in the body. It is a must to provide them to the body, as they serve as raw material to produce a number of regulatory substances called prostaglandins in the body which help in lowering bad cholesterol, maintaining blood pressure and prevent clot formation.

Oils high in Linoliec (n 6) fatty acid are safflower seed oil (74%), sunflower (60%) and corn oil (55%).

Oils high in Linolenic (n 3) fatty acid rich oils are, soyabean oil (5g/100g), mustard oil (10 g/100g), rice bran oil (1.5 g/100g) & til oil (1g/100g).

To create a good environment in the body, we need these two groups of essential fatty acid in a desired ratio. The desired ratio of n6/n3 should be between 5-10. Ideally, it is recommended to use a combinations of cooking oils rich in MUFA with oils rich in n3 .Use a combination of cooking oils like rice bran oil OR groundnut oil,Or Olive oil (high in MUFA), with oils like soyabean or mustard (high in n3 fatty acid), in a proportion of 2:1. One can buy these oils separately and use them in a combination of 2:1 (In other words if 3 litre is the total consumption of oil for a family one can use 2 litres of ricebran oil( high MUFA) and 1 litre of soyabean oil (high n3). One can resort to blended oils available in the market. Look at the composition given on the label such as a blend of ricebran and soyabean oil.

Refining of oils, is a process which essentially helps in removing or clarifying the oil of suspended matter, toxic substances, free fatty acids, colour and odour. In the recent past there has been a substantial improvement in technology with regards to decrease the oil absorption especially while frying food, to prevent loss of desirable protective substances that is phytosterols and also add on the desirable ones. So be sure of the quality of the oils and buy a branded product with food standard grading and labelling

The smoking point of a fat /oil is a desirable quality for a cooking medium. An oil very high in PUFA has a low smoking point and an oil high in MUFA has a relatively higher smoking point. The high smoke point prevents the oil from breaking down to form toxic substances. Thus the slant towards a MUFA cooking base may also be beneficial in this respect. Do not reuse the oil as by reusing you lower the smoking point. Store the oil in clean, dry and cool place.

Don't ignore chronic pain, tackle it

Can you remember the last time you were in pain, and the relief when it was over?

Imagine being in pain every day for months or even years with no end in sight. This is the reality for millions of people for whom conventional treatment has failed.

Experts across the UK are calling for chronic pain to be recognised as a disease in its own right and for GPs to have more training dealing with it.

Researchers on this, caution that it needs to be taken extremely seriously. Without proper treatment, chronic pain can destroy a person's life.

What causes chronic pain?

Chronic pain is unremitting pain that lasts more than two months and isn't helped by conventional treatment.

There are a huge number of possible causes. For some people it's linked to an illness such as diabetes, arthritis or cancer, for others it develops after an injury or accident.

Sometimes chronic pain can start for no obvious reason. Tests and scans can't always pinpoint the source, which is why treatment can be so hit and miss.

Persistent lower back pain is one of the most common complaints and is the second-highest reason for long-term sickness in the UK.

Unexplained pelvic or abdominal pain is also very common, as is nerve pain such as sciatica or post-herpetic neuralgia, which develops after shingles.

Pain may be stabbing, numbing, throbbing, aching, or burning but any type of pain over a long period can erode your quality of life.

I suffered from a frozen shoulder for three years and it wore me down. I tried everything to ease the pain and stiffness, from hydrocortisone injections to heat treatment, but any movement was excruciating. It was only after years of physiotherapy that I got any relief.

Take control

To conquer chronic pain, you need to work at it. Being passive is tantamount to admitting defeat.

You have a greater chance of success if you employ a holistic approach, treating both mind and body.

Pain clinics

The first thing you should do is ask your GP for a referral to a pain clinic. They may be able to help with pain relief in the form of drugs and injections but, more importantly, they will teach you strategies for managing or even overcoming your pain.

Some clinics have physiotherapists and psychologists attached and you may also be offered treatments such as TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) or complementary therapies such as acupuncture.

Mind over matter

Long-term pain can lead to depression and anxiety which makes the pain worse, not least because it adds to muscle tension. It's vital to adopt a positive attitude. You must believe you are in control of your pain, rather than pain controlling you.

Talking therapies will help you to understand the pain and your reaction to it.

A Warwick University study found that cognitive behaviour therapy can help treat chronic back pain, although I think it should be part of a broader strategy.

Exercise

You might feel like spending all day in bed but it's the worst thing you can do for pain. Exercise is extremely beneficial in relaxing the mind and body and it helps boost your general health, strength and balance.

When you're active you release endorphins, which are natural painkillers.

Ask your doctor or physiotherapist what forms of exercise are suitable and ask for specific stretching and strengthening exercises you can do at home. Pain in one area can affect the whole body and Pilates and yoga are both excellent for redressing imbalances.

Breathing

Deep breathing is the key to relaxation. It soothes away tension in your muscles and helps produce endorphins to block pain signals. Best of all, you can do it anytime, anywhere.

Try to change your shallow breathing to deep, slow breathing, making sure that your abdomen is moving up and down.

7 Hours a week, sufficient exercise for healthy body

The battle for the bulge just got tougher. Women need to get at least an hour a day of moderate exercise if they hope to ward off the creep of extra pounds that comes with ageing, American researchers have said.

The 420 min-solution

The weekly total of 420 minutes is nearly triple the 150 minutes of moderate daily exercise currently recommended by US health officials and illustrates the challenge women face in maintaining a healthy weight.

Winning that war will require individuals to make changes in their daily routines -- like walking or biking to work -- but it may also take a shift in policy to make it easier for people in fit exercise into their lives, researchers said.

"From a public health perspective, it would be better to prevent the weight gain in the first place," said I-Min Lee of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston is reported to have said.

The study

Lee's team studied the guidelines in more than 34,000 healthy US women with an average age of 54 who ate a typical American diet.The women reported their weight and weekly exercise totals in the first year, and then at three-year intervals from 1992 to 2007.

Over the course of the study, the women gained an average of 5.7 pounds (2.6 kg) overall. Only 13% of women in the study maintained a healthy weight throughout the study -- and those who got an hour of exercise a day on average or more were by far the most likely to be in that group.

"Only in this group of women did we find physical activity was associated with less weight gain," Lee said. For the heaviest women, no amount of exercise helped, they found. They needed to diet, also.

Lee said the results suggest that the current recommendations of two and a half hours per week are not enough to keep middle-aged women from gaining weight as they age. Lee said women should not let the findings discourage them from exercising at all, but they may want to make small changes now to prevent later weight gain.

Hike and bike to keep off those inches

"I think the easiest thing is actually commuting," she said, suggesting people walk or bike to work, and if they drive, to park farther away from the office. If 7 hours a week are just too hard to fit in, Lee said people might want to consider vigorous exercise such as jogging, which can cut the weekly time requirement in half.

And she said policymakers need to consider changes that make it easier for people to exercise, such as building sidewalks or bike lanes that make it easier and safer for people to exercise.

God is around us only: Meditation

It is only through the heart one can experience God. The heart of education is the education of the heart. Heart does not mean the beating heart but where love resides. Love is the channel to God.

There are essential and unessential emotions. The most essential emotion is love, whereas emotions like anger and jealousy are unessential. One should let go these emotions and let in love. Love is the transcendence of ego and greed. Unintelligent life gives you ego and greed whereas living wisely gives you love. Love is a deep harmony.

Let love become your prayer and let meditative prayer become your true religion.

The meditation should be focusing on:

• Whatever you do let it reach your heart and let your heart reach your action.
• When you are taking a bath, feel the water that you are pouring reach your heart and your heart is filling with love.
• When you are typing, feel the pressure of each keystroke reach your heart and heart transmitting love to your fingers, which are typing.
• When you are eating, feel the food going to your heart and the love from your heart is filling the food.
• When you are touch someone, feel the touch reach your heart and the heart filling the other person through your touch.

When you practice these you are practicing love, which is the door to God. The mind is always focusing on the future and your planning... but love lives in the present and feels the present.