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Wednesday, April 25, 2012

50 tips to set you on your way to a better day


Here are 50 tips to set you on your way to a better day. Do yourself a favor and don't try more than a handful of these in a single day. In fact, put these ideas in a hat and pick one randomly the next time you get in a funk.

Think Positive Thoughts Before You Sleep The quality of sleep you get the night before can affect your mood the next day. Thus, if you want to create a better day tomorrow, you have to make sure that you think only positive things before you go to bed at night. Do not fret about your mortgage problems or dwell on the bad things that happened to you during the day. You need a good night's rest in order to prepare your mind and body for the busy day ahead. Tell yourself That Today is a Better Day The first thing that you should say to yourself the moment you wake up is that today will be great and marvelous. Know that you have control of what kind of day you will have. Telling yourself that today is going to be a great day will give you a positive attitude and a winner's outlook. The power of the mind is strong so feed your mind with positive things. Wake Up a Few Minutes Earlier If you want to get out of bed at 6AM, set the alarm for 5:45 and then allow 15 minutes for your body and mind to adjust and wake up. At 6, hop out of bed! Waking up late and rushing through things will increase your heart rate and simply stress you out. On top of that, you'll inevitably forget to do something and then stress about that too! Take It Easy Take things easy. Breathe deeply and slowly. If you are feeling rushed, take a deep breath and remind yourself that in the big scheme of life, being a minute late is pretty small. Keep a Mental Note of the Things You Need to Do It is always a good thing to try to keep a list of the things that you ought to do or accomplish for the day. If you are forgetful, you should write these things down. Aside from the things that you need to do at the office, you also need to remember those that you need to do for your family or friends. Write them all down so that you can manage your time wisely throughout the day. Get Some Inspiration Do not expect manna to come down from heaven. If you want to create a better day, you have to make a conscious effort to achieve things. Give yourself a boost with some inspiration. Be sure to read, listen or watch something that can perk your day up. Sometimes, just seeing your child laugh is enough to make your heart smile. Eat a Healthy Breakfast Your mood for the day can actually be affected by the things that you do and eat. In order to jump start your day and prepare your mind and body for the busy day ahead, you need to have a power breakfast. Make sure that you eatsomething healthy. Whole grains, protein, and fruits can surely give you the nutrients that you need to do the things that you need to accomplish for the day. Some Stretching Will Do You Good Stretching and exercising your muscles will also help in jump starting your system. If you wake up sluggish, you need some exercise and stretching to perk up your day. Besides, stretching and exercising can also prevent muscle cramps and other aches that can ruin your mood for the day. Pay Attention to your Hygiene and Appearance One of the things that people are conscious about is their appearance. To ensure you won't feel insecure, make sure to take a bath, wear clean clothes and pay attention to your face and grooming. If you know that you look presentable, you will feel empowered and confident. Compliment Yourself Say good things about yourself. Do not be afraid to compliment yourself once in a while. However, be careful not to be conceited because people hate narcissistic individuals. Adopt a Positive Attitude Before you step out of the house, make it a conscious effort to be positive in all things you do. Tell yourself that you will stay positive throughout the day. Exert Some Effort to Smile Studies show that smiling, even if there is no reason to do it, can lift up your mood. Besides, a smile can make you look even more attractive. Try Not To Be Reactive There is a tendency for men to react to everything negatively, especially on the road. Thus, you should try not to be reactive, especially when you are driving. If somebody cuts you on the road, just let it pass and think that the other guy may be having a bad day. Or just be please that you are not as rude as that individual. Count to Ten to Keep You from Exploding If you think that you are going to get mad, count to ten to calm your nerves. This will let some steam out. Think before You Act Many people end up feeling remorse after they have done nasty things without thinking. To prevent feeling guilty and remorseful, think first before you do something. Don't Take Things Too Seriously Not everything that you hear people say about you should be taken seriously. Some people just like being nasty so you should not get affected with what they are saying. Be More Attentive to People In order to minimize altercations or misunderstandings, it would really be a good thing to listen attentively to what others are saying. Being attentive will also help you come across as being sincere, thus making you more likable. Of course, don't do it for the sake of being likable. Be genuine in it. Look at People and Situations in a Positive Light You really can't prevent bad things from happening. Sometimes shit does happen. In order not to let these things ruin your day, try to look for the silver lining in everything. Give Compliments to Other People Make a conscious effort to compliment other people. This will help build better relationships. Just make sure that you are complimenting them genuinely. Manage Your Time Wisely A good day can turn bad if you feel stressed out. Thus, manage your time wisely to ensure that everything that you need to do can be accomplished with time to spare. Take a Break To prevent being burned out, you should take a break once in a while. Try walking around the office or doing some stretching while you are in your desk every time you are feeling a bit drained. Deal with Things the Mature Way Do not be petty and do not act like a child. You are an adult so try to do things maturely. Laugh a Lot Laughter can pick up your mood. Just do not laugh at other people's mistakes. Consider Inputs from Other People Take time listening to the suggestions and inputs of other people. Even if you are the manager or head of your department, you need other people's contributions too. Grab Fruit Instead of a Bar of Chocolate Fruits can surely wake you up in the middle of the day, whereas a bar of chocolate will just give you energy spike for a few minutes. So, you will end up feeling even more tired and sleepy.Inline image 4 Always Do Your Best You will not have regrets if you know that you have given your all in everything that you do. Don't Wallow in Sorrow and Defeat Nobody is perfect and sometimes you need to experience losses and defeats to learn. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, use these negative things to make you a better person. Stay Away From Negative People Negative people can just pull you down so there is really no point in spending your time with them. Stay away from them whenever possible. If they happen to be your mates, seek to inspire them. If that won't do, perhaps it's time to find yourself new mates. Be Courteous and Kind Doing other people some good will give you a warm and fuzzy feeling. And also make you more likable. Build Bridges and Develop Friendships Having enemies can surely drain your energy, whereas building friendships can make your support team bigger and stronger. Be Careful with What You Say It is often hard to take back the bad things that you say, so you need to be careful with your words. Take Time to Stop and Smell the Flowers You can enhance your mood by counting your blessings and seeing the good in other people, things or situations. Learn to Pace Your Energy You need to be careful with energy bursts and crashes. Try not to exhaust yourself in the morning because you will surely have a nasty and tiring afternoon if you do. Incorporate Exercise Throughout the Day Exercise can give you a “high” because endorphins are released after a good workout. Wear Comfortable Shoes It is very hard to stay positive if your feet are hurting. I've seen too many of my female friends wear heels that hurt their feet just because they look good. Drink Plenty of Water Dehydration can cause lethargy. So avoid it at all costs. Pay Attention to What You Eat Eating junk food can contribute to mood swings. So eat moderately. Go Easy on the Coffee Too much coffee can make you nervous and fidgety. Treat Yourself Be sure to give yourself small rewards every time you did well. We all need to give ourselves a nice pat on the shoulders to give ourselves a little encouragement. Plan the Next Day before Going Home Before you head home, make a list of the things that you need to accomplish in the office the following day. Spend Quality Time with the People You Love Don't take anyone for granted. Sustain your relationships. Spending quality time together is the best way to keep and improve relationships. Keep in Touch With Friends and Family If you live alone, calling your loved ones or just dropping by to say 'hi' can lift your spirit as well as theirs. Have a Hobby To keep your mind off your work, do something that you love outside your office work. Have No Regrets You cannot go back in time so you cannot undo the things that you have done. Instead, make a conscious effort to make things better in the future. Keep a Journal Writing things and ideas down can help you to keep track of your goals and remember things you've learned and observations you've made. And it can also help you figure out new directions for your life and then guide you as you go. Take a Relaxing Bath After a stressful day, a relaxing bath can help you go to sleep comfortably. Prepare the Things You Need Before You Go to Sleep This will help make tomorrow less stressful because you won't feel at a lost of what to do. Being prepared always help you to stay focused and assured. Get in the Mood to Sleep Do the things that can help you go to sleep early because a restful sleep can help you improve your mood for the next day. Reading a book before bed or listening to soft music helps me to sleep better. Make Love Making love can also release endorphins and help you have a good night's sleep. Plus, it helps to improve your relationship. Of course, I don't expect you to do it every day. Go to Bed Early Try to go to bed early and get enough sleep to prepare yourself for the day ahead tomorrow. You don't want to wake up the next day feeling like a zombie. source: dumblittleman.com

Never let your self-worth diminish. You've got to make things happen


Prakash Iyer, MD, Kimberly-Clark Lever and Executive Coach shares two important management lessons he learnt from a 500-rupee note. Read on.....

1. It happened some years ago but I can recall the evening like it happened just last week. I was in an audience listening to a motivational guru. The speaker whipped out his wallet and pulled out a five hundred-rupee note. Holding it up, he asked, "Who wants this five hundred rupee note?" Lots of hands went up. Including mine. A slow chorus began to build as people began to shout "Me!" "Me!" I began to wonder who the lucky one would be who the speaker would choose. And I also secretly wondered -- and I am sure others did too -- why he would simply give away five hundred rupees. Even as the shouts of "I want it" grew louder, I noticed a young woman running down the aisle. She ran up onto the stage, went up to the speaker, and grabbed the five hundred-rupee note from his hand. "Well done, young lady," said the speaker into the microphone. "Most of us just wait for good things to happen. That's of no use. You've got to make things happen." The speaker's words have stayed with me ever since.

'Simply thinking about doing something is of no use' Our lives are like that. We all see opportunities around us. We all want the good things. But the problem is we don't take action. We all want the five hundred rupee notes on offer. But we don't make the move. We look at it longingly Get up, and do something about it. Don't worry about what other people might think. Take action. Inline image 4 2. Several years later, it was another day, another time. And another motivational guru. As I watched him pull out a five hundred rupee note and hold it up for all to see, I thought I knew what he was going to do next. But he just asked a simple question. "How much is this worth?" "Five Hundred rupees!" the crowd yelled in unison. "Right," said the speaker. He then took the note and crumpled it into a ball and asked "How much is it worth now?" "Five Hundred rupees!" screamed the audience. He then threw the note on the ground, stamped all over it and picked up the note and asked one more time: "And how much is it worth now?" "Five Hundred rupees!" was the response. "I want you to remember this," said the speaker. "Just because someone crumples it, or stamps on it, the value of the note does not diminish. We should all be like the five hundred rupee note. In our lives, there will be times when we feel crushed, stamped over, beaten. But never let your self-worth diminish. Just because someone chooses to crush you -- that doesn't change your worth one bit! Don't allow your self-worth to diminish because someone says something nasty -- or does something dirty -- to you." Inline image 5 Good lessons to remember . 'Never let your self-worth diminish'

A story of courage -fighting against pesticide poisoning


Mother takes on Monsanto, wins global environmental prize

Wed Apr 18, 2012 3:36 am (PDT) Courageous mother honored with Goldman Prize A mother's courage Sofía Gatica took on Monsanto to protect her family & community. Help us share this courageous mother's powerful story. Ms. Sofía Gatica is a mother of three from a small rural community in Argentina. Thirteen years ago, her newborn died after being exposed to pesticides in the womb. Tapping strength she didn't know she had, she turned her family's tragedy into a grassroots movement to protect children in her community and beyond. Over the past decade, Sofía has taken on powerful pesticide industry interests - including Monsanto. And she's winning. Share Sofía's story» We're deeply pleased to announce that today, in honor of her ongoing work, Sofía is receiving the Goldman Environmental Prize, the world's largest prize for grassroots environmentalists. Please help us share her story. When Sofía lost her newborn, she soon realized that such losses were all-too-common in her small community of Ituzaingó Annex. Aerial spraying with Monsanto's herbicide RoundUp had climbed dramatically in the region as the number of acres planted with the company's "RoundUp Ready" soy crops grew. Sofía and other concerned mothers went door to door collecting stories about health problems in each family - basically conducting the community's first-ever epidemiological study. "The Mothers of Ituzaingó" discovered the community's cancer rate to be 41 times the national average, and rates of neurological problems, respiratory diseases and infant mortality were astonishingly high. In response, the mothers launched a "Stop the Spraying!" campaign. Their efforts bore fruit. In 2008, Argentina's president ordered an investigation of the health impacts of pesticides in Ituzaingó Annex; the resulting study corroborated Sofía's door-to-door research. The Mothers of Ituzaingó then won a municipal "buffer zone" ordinance, prohibiting aerial spraying less than 2,500 meters from residences. Despite few resources and real threats - including being held at gunpoint in her own home - Sofía and the Mothers of Ituzaingó are now working to expand protections to families across the country. Help us honor Sofía's courage» Each year since 1989, the Goldman Prize has honored grassroots leaders across the globe, unsung heroes who are campaigning for environmental justice and sustainability in their communities. PAN was asked by Goldman to host Sofía and help spread the word about her work. We are honored to do so. Please join us! Pesticide Action Network North America 49 Powell St., Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94102 USA Phone: (415) 981-1771 Fax: (415) 981-1991 Email: panna@panna.org Web:www.panna.org

Pesticides and suicides Intial Think-Tank meet at TISS,Deonar, Mumbai


Dear Padma/Sana/Johnson/Jacquleen/Irshad/Evon, Further to my discussion with you, about the issue of toxic pesticides interlinked with Public health problem of suicides - an initial contact (think-tank) meeting was scheduled for Monday, 23rd April at the Board Room. It will be a very short meeting from 9 am - 1 pm. A reading list is attached, a participant list and a program outline below. Pesticides and Suicide in India April 23, 2012 Program Outline 09.00 - 09.30 Opening Remarks & Introduction of Participants: (Dr. T.Jayaraman/Dr. Surinder Jaswal and Dr. Linda Degutis, CDC) 09:30 - 10:15 Dr. Laxmi Vijayakumar, Chennai : Suicide as a Public Health Problem in India 10:15 - 10:45 Dr. Arlene Greenspan, CDC: Injury Prevention and Control at CDC: Focus on Suicide 10:45 - 11:15 Dr. Vikas Kapil, CDC: Environmental Health and Toxicology: Public Health Approaches Lessons Learned from Injury Surveillance Efforts in Latin America 11:15 - 01:00 Group Discussion 12:45 - 1:30 LUNCH at Oasis 2:30 Leave for airport

Letter from Dr. Nobhojit Roy who chaired the meet held on 23rd April 2012, 9 am to 1.30 pm at the disaster Management college Boardroom in the new TISS campus
Thank you all for attending the meeting on Pesticides and Suicides this morning! It was a good interaction, and each participant brought a unique strength to the table. We will be in touch in the coming months, to develop a multi-pronged, multi-disciplinary approach to suicides.
Some of the points that were discussed: 1. Surveillance for collection of primary data (CDC and Dr. Lakshmi V.) 2. Secondary sources of data, to infer about national burden of suicides - attempted and completed. 3. Pilot interventions for suicide prevention - limiting access, and just-in-time counselling and psychological first aid. 4. Input from grassroot NGOs like Aasra, Sneha and Cehat about ground realities for surveillance, referral patterns and under reporting. 5. Suicide prevention research in diverse Indian situations of agricultural, non-agricultural, urban-rural and conflict settings. 6. Advocacy for banning use of highly lethal Class I pesticides (CDC, Sagar Galwankar) and marketing educational initiatives 7. Sensitizing health providers about attempted suicide victims and referral. (Cehat, Aasra) 8. Recent advances in the treatment of OP poisoning in the Indian setting.(Sagar Galwankar) 9. Establishment of Suicide survivors self-help groups.

Participants: Group Photo attached
Linda Degutis Director, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Arlene Greenspan Associate Director for Science National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Vikas Kapil Chief Medical Officer and Associate Director for Science National Center for Environmental Health & Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Dr. Lakshmi Vijayakumar India Representative, International Association for Suicide Prevention Founder, SNEHA (www.snehaindia.org)
Sana Contractor, BDS, MPH Associate Co-ordinator, CEHAT, Vakola, Mumbai (www.cehat.org)
Johnson Thomas Director, Aasra www.aasra.info aasrasuicideprevention.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/aasrasuicideprevention Mob: 9820466726
Sagar Galwankar, MD, DNB, MPH Emergency Physician, Seven Hills Hospital, Mumbai
T. Jayaraman, PhD Dean, School of Habitat, TISS
Surinder Jaswal, PhD Dean, School of Social Work, TISS.
Jacquleen Joseph, PhD Associate Professor (Mental health) JTCDM, TISS
Samrat Sinha, PhD Assistant Professor, JTCDM, TISS
Siddharth David, MDM Research Officer, TISS
Abhijeet Jadhav, MBBS, MPH Sr. Research fellow, Centre for Chronic Disease Control, New Delhi
Nobhojit Roy, MS, MPH Head, Dept of Surgery, BARC Hospital V/Prof, Public Health, JTCDM, TISS

Importance of Breathing exercises


Importance Of Breathing
Breathing is important for two reasons. It is the only means to supply our bodies and its various organs with the supply of oxygen which is vital for our survival. The second function of breathing is that it is one means to get rid of waste products and toxins from the body. Why Is Oxygen So Vital? Oxygen is the most vital nutrient for our bodies. It is essential for the integrity of the brain, nerves, glands and internal organs. We can do without food for weeks and without water for days, but without oxygen, we will die within a few minutes. If the brain does not gets proper supply of this essential nutrient, it will result in the degradation of all vital organs in the body. The brain requires more oxygen than any other organ. If it doesn't get enough, the result is mental sluggishness, negative thoughts and depression and, eventually, vision and hearing decline. Old people and those whose arteries are clogged often become senile and vague because oxygen to the brain is reduced. They get irritated very quickly. Poor oxygen supply affects all parts of the body. The oxygen supply is reduced to all parts of the body as we get older due to poor lifestyle. Many people need reading glasses and suffer hearing decline in old age. When an acute circulation blockage deprives the heart of oxygen, a heart attack is the result. If this occurs to the brain, the result is a stroke. For a long time, lack of oxygen has been considered a major cause of cancer. Even as far back as 1947, work done in Germany showed that when oxygen was withdrawn, normal body cells could turn into cancer cells. Similar research has been done with heart disease. It showed that lack of oxygen is a major cause of heart disease, stroke and cancer. The work done at Baylor University in the USA has shown that you can reverse arterial disease in monkeys by infusing oxygen into the diseased arteries. Thus, oxygen is very critical to our well-being, and any effort to increase the supply of oxygen to our body and especially to the brain will pay rich dividends. Yogis realized the vital importance of an adequate oxygen supply thousands of years ago. They developed and perfected various breathing techniques. These breathing exercises are particularly important for people who have sedentary jobs and spend most of the day in offices. Their brains are oxygen starved and their bodies are just ‘getting by’. They feel tired, nervous and irritable and are not very productive. On top of that, they sleep badly at night, so they get a bad start to the next day continuing the cycle. This situation also lowers their immune system, making them susceptible to catching colds, flu and other ‘bugs’.

Oxygen Purifies the Blood Stream One of the major secrets of vitality and rejuvenation is a purified blood stream. The quickest and most effective way to purify the blood stream is by taking in extra supplies of oxygen from the air we breathe. The breathing exercises described in here are the most effective methods ever devised for saturating the blood with extra oxygen. Oxygen bums up the waste products (toxins) in the body, as well as recharging the body's batteries (the solar plexus). In fact, most of our energy requirements come not from food but from the air we breathe. By purifying the blood stream, every part of the body benefits, as well as the mind. Your complexion will become clearer and brighter and wrinkles will begin to fade away. In short, rejuvenation will start to occur. Medical Science Verifies Oxygen's Importance Scientists have discovered that the chemical basis of energy production in the body is a chemical called Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). If something goes wrong with the production of ATP, the result is lowered vitality, disease and premature ageing. Scientists have also discovered that oxygen is critical for the production of ATP; in fact, it is its most vital component. Yoga permits us to tap into this vital nutrient.

Importance of Healthy Breathing We know how to breathe. It is something that occurs to us automatically, spontaneously, naturally. We are breathing even when we are not aware of it. So it seems foolish to think that one can be told how to breathe. Yet, one's breathing becomes modified and restricted in various ways, not just momentarily, but habitually. We develop unhealthy habits without being aware of it. We tend to assume positions (slouched positions) that diminishes lung capacities and take shortened breaths. We also live in social conditions that is not good for the health of our respiratory system. As discussed above, scientists have known for a long time that there exists a strong connection between respiration and mental states. Improper breathing produces diminished mental ability. The corollary is true also. It is known that mental tensions produce restricted breathing. A normally sedentary person, when confronted with a perplexing problem, tends to lean forward, draw his arms together, and bend his head down. All these body postures results in reduced lung capacity. The more intense the concentration, the more tense the muscles become. The muscles in the arms, neck and chest contract. The muscles that move the thorax and control inhalation and muscular tenseness clamp down and restrict the exhalation. The breaths become shorter and shorter. After an extended period of intense focusing, the whole system seems to be frozen in a certain posture.
We become fatigued from the decreased circulation of the blood and from the decreased availability of oxygen for the blood because we have almost stopped breathing. As our duties, responsibilities and their attendant problems become more demanding, we develop habits of forgetting to breathe. Try an experiment suggested by Swami Vishnudevananda. Focus attention upon the ticks of a clock placed at a distance of about twelve feet. If you get distracted, try concentrating harder until you experience the ticking with undivided attention. If you fail at first, you should try again and again until you succeed in keeping the ticking clearly in mind for at least a few seconds. What happened? The majority of persons who took part in this experiment reported that they have completely suspended the breath. The others, who had less concentration, reported that they experienced very slow breathing. This experiment shows clearly that where there is concentration of the mind, the breathing becomes very slow or even get suspended temporarily.

What's Wrong With The Way We Breathe? Our breathing is too shallow and too quick. We are not taking in sufficient oxygen and we are not eliminating sufficient carbon dioxide. , As a result, our bodies are oxygen starved, and a toxic build-up occurs. Every cell in the body requires oxygen and our level of vitality is just a product of the health of all the cells. Shallow breathing does not exercise the lungs enough, so they lose some of their function, causing a further reduction in vitality. Animals which breathe slowly live the longest; the elephant is a good example. We need to breathe more slowly and deeply. Quick shallow breathing results in oxygen starvation which leads to reduced vitality, premature ageing, poor immune system and a myriad of other factors. Why Is Our Breath Fast and Shallow? _

There are several reasons for this. The major reasons are: We are in a hurry most of the time. Our movements and breathing follow this pattern. The increasing stress of modern living makes us breathe more quickly and less deeply. We get too emotional too easily. We get excited easily, angry easily, and most of the rest of the time we suffer from anxiety due to worry. These negative emotional states affect the rate of breathing, causing it to be fast and shallow. Modern technology and automation reduces our need for physical activity. There is less need to breathe deeply, so we develop the shallow breathing habit. We are working indoors more and more. This increases our exposure to pollution. As a result, the body instinctively inhales less air to protect itself from pollution. The body just takes in enough air to tick over. As we go through life, these bad breathing habits we picked up become part of our life. Unless we do something to reverse these habits, we can suffer permanent problems. The good news is that these are reversible. The bad news is that before we can change these habits, we should recognize and accept that our behavior needs to be changed. This means that we see for ourselves the benefits of good breathing techniques. Certainly, yoga is not the only way to cope up with the stress and the resultant drop in oxygen supply to the brain brought on by the constricted breathing. A smoke, a coffee break, a trip to the restroom or a good laugh may all result in some readjustment of constricted breathing patterns. These can be thought of as "mini-yogas". We can benefit by taking or seeking more smokes, breaks, trips or jokes. But for those whose occupations continue to be highly stressful, something more will be needed. Deep breathing exercises and stretching of muscles, especially those primarily concerned with controlling inhaling and exhaling, should be sought. Participation in active sports also will be useful. Going for a walk is very good. For those experiencing restricted breathing at night, morning exercises should be actively pursued.

The Effects of Shallow Breathing Reduced vitality, since oxygen is essential for the production of energy in the body. Increased disease. Our resistance to disease is reduced, since oxygen is essential for healthy cells. This means we catch more colds and develop other ailments more easily. Lack of sufficient oxygen to the cells is a major contributing factor in cancer, heart disease and strokes. With our 'normal' sedentary way of living, we only use about one tenth of our total lung capacity. This is sufficient to survive and just tick over, but not sufficient for a high vitality level, long life and high resistance to disease. The ancient yogis knew the importance of correct breathing and developed techniques not only to increase health and life span, but also to attain super conscious states. The Medical Viewpoint on Fast, Shallow Breathing Modem science agrees with the ancient yogis on the subject of shallow breathing. An editorial in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine suggested that fast, shallow breathing can cause fatigue, sleep disorders, anxiety, stomach upsets, heart bum, gas, muscle cramps, dizziness, visual problems, chest pain and heart palpitations. Scientists have also found that a lot of people who believe they have heart disease are really suffering from improper breathing. Importance of Breathing Through The Nose The first rule for correct breathing is that we should breathe through the nose. This may seem obvious, but many people breathe principally through the mouth. Mouth breathing can adversely affect the development of the thyroid gland. It can retard the mental development of children. The nose has various defense mechanisms to prevent impurities and excessively cold air entering the body. At the entrance to the nose, a screen of hairs traps dust, tiny insects and other particles that may injure the lungs if you breathe through the mouth. After the entrance of the nose, there is a long winding passage lined with mucus membranes, where excessively cool air is warmed and very fine dust particles that escaped the hair screen are caught. Next, in the inner nose are glands which fight off any bacilli which have slipped through the other defenses. The inner nose also contains the olfactory organ-our sense of smell. This detects any poisonous gases around that may injure our health.
The yogis believe that the olfactory organ has another function: the absorption of prana from the air. If you breathe through the mouth all the time, as many people do, you are cheating yourself of all this free energy (prana). The yogis say this is a major factor in lowered resistance to disease and impairs the functioning of your vital glands and nervous system. Add to this the fact that pathogens can enter the lungs via mouth breathing, and you can see that it's impossible to be healthy, not to mention vital, if you breathe through the mouth. It is easy to break the habit of breathing through the mouth. Just keep your mouth closed and you will automatically breathe through your nose!

Summary: Benefits of Deep Breathing We will now summarize the benefits of deep breathing. Deep breathing produces the following benefits: Improvement in the quality of the blood due to its increased oxygenation in the lungs. This aids in the elimination of toxins from the system. Increase in the digestion and assimilation of food. The digestive organs such as the stomach receive more oxygen, and hence operates more efficiently. The digestion is further enhanced by the fact that the food is oxygenated more. Improvement in the health of the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, nerve centers and nerves. This is due again to the increased oxygenation and hence nourishment of the nervous system. This improves the health of the whole body, since the nervous system communicates to all parts of the body. Rejuvenation of the glands, especially the pituitary and pineal glands. The brain has a special affinity for oxygen, requiring three times more oxygen than does the rest of the body. This has far-reaching effects on our well being. Rejuvenation of the skin. The skin becomes smoother and a reduction of facial wrinkles occurs. The movements of the diaphragm during the deep breathing exercise massage the abdominal organs - the stomach, small intestine, liver and pancreas. The upper movement of the diaphragm also massages the heart. This stimulates the blood circulation in these organs. The lungs become healthy and powerful, a good insurance against respiratory problems. Deep, slow, yoga breathing reduces the work load for the heart. The result is a more efficient, stronger heart that operates better and lasts longer. It also mean reduced blood pressure and less heart disease. The yoga breathing exercises reduce the work load on the heart in two ways. Firstly, deep breathing leads to more efficient lungs, which means more oxygen is brought into contact with blood sent to the lungs by the heart. So, the heart doesn't have to work as hard to deliver oxygen to the tissues. Secondly, deep breathing leads to a greater pressure differential in the lungs, which leads to an increase in the circulation, thus resting the heart a little. Deep, slow breathing assists in weight control. If you are overweight, the extra oxygen burns up the excess fat more efficiently. If you are underweight, the extra oxygen feeds the starving tissues and glands. In other words, yoga tends to produce the ideal weight for you. Relaxation of the mind and body. Slow, deep, rhythmic breathing causes a reflex stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system, which results in a reduction in the heart rate and relaxation of the muscles. These two factors cause a reflex relaxation of the mind, since the mind and body are very interdependent. In addition, oxygenation of the brain tends to normalize brain function, reducing excessive anxiety levels.

The breathing exercises cause an increase in the elasticity of the lungs and rib cage. This creates an increased breathing capacity all day, not just during the actual exercise period. This means all the above benefits also occur all day.

Three-Step Rhythmic Breathing (3SRB) Is An Ancient Technique Of Self-realisation Which Comes From The Yogasutra Of Sage Patanjali, The Oldest And Most Comprehensive Text On Yoga. The Technique Was Never Revealed To The Public And Handed Down From Guru (teacher) To Shishya (student) For Centuries As A Secret Tradition. It Was Only In The 80s That SN Tavaria, A Rishi (sage) Of The Present Age And A Householder, Began Teaching This Technique To His Students In Bombay, India And Termed It 3SRB, Giving It A Public Form For The Very First Time. Today, The System Has Hundreds Of Followers In India, The United States, United Kingdom, Spain, South Africa, New Zealand And Australia. So, What Is 3SRB? It Basically Consists Of Six Simple Breathing Exercises Set To A Particular Rhythm. Over Mind And Body, We Do Not Have Direct Control. Breathing Is Unique In That It Is The Only Bodily Function We Can Control And Make Rhythmic. Three-step Rhythmic Breathing Is The Rate Of Breathing We Are Born With. As We Grow, This Natural Rhythm Is Speeded Up By Our Thoughts. Just As Thoughts Affect Breathing Patterns, If Breathing Is Controlled, I.e. Three-step Breath Restored, Thinking Is Also Controlled And Rhythmic. These Daily Exercises That Take A Mere 9 Minutes, And When Practiced Regularly, Increase Awareness, Stamina, Concentration Levels And Gradually Reduce Imaginary Pressures Like Competition, Fear Of Failure, Worries About The Future, Etc. It Also Reduces Exhaustion, Irritability, Aggression, Excitability And Depression. It Has Even Been Found To Lead Those Suffering From Many Physical Diseases Such As Asthma, Heart Problems, Diabetes, Arthritis And Digestive Problems, On The Path To Recovery.

Omani bizman turns saviour for Vidarbha suicide widows


Omani bizman turns saviour for Vidarbha widows!

Wed Apr 25, 2012 12:27 am (PDT) Bailing out the distressed Omani bizman turns saviour for Vidarbha widows!
Nagpur : Widows of Vidarbha farmers who ended their lives unable to bear the stress of high debt have found a Good Samaritan in an Omanbased industrialist. Krishnakumar Taori, the Group Managing Director of Hasan Juma Backer Trading and Contracting Co. LLC, engaged in mega construction projects in Oman, has come to the rescue of the distressed community of eastern Maharashtra.
Taori, who was born to a cotton farmer in a remote village Ghuikhed in avatmal, travelled last week to Pandharkavada and distributed token relief to widows and orphans. " He distributed saris and blankets to 200 widows in the village, plus Rs. 1, 000 cash per family which lost its breadwinner to the spate of suicides in the region," Kishore Tiwari of the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti ( VJAS) told. Taori also agreed to bear the actual costs of vocational and academic education for the orphans from the village by way of fees and educational material, Tiwari added.
Saddened by the plight of his erstwhile native region, Taori, who earned his engineering degree from Nagpur, will return next week to finalise plans to set up a technical institute in his native village, Ghuikhed, he said. " Taori will hold meetings with government and other officials to hammer out the modalities for setting up an ITI in this area which would immensely benefit the young population, especially the orphans." Explaining Taori's largesse, Tiwari said he ( Taori) was deeply disturbed by the spate of farmland suicides which have continued unabated in Vidarbha since the past few years. " Accordingly, he decided to take the first step and distributed the token aid in memory of his mother, Kamlabai Taori to the widows of Pandharkavada village," Tiwari said.
Since the past five years, Taori is engaged in providing free education to tribal children of the backward Melghat, in Amravati district through the Eklavya Vidyalaya of Vanvasi Kalyanashram. According to Tiwari, Taori now wants to increase his social presence by taking up the responsibility to educate the orphans, especially girls, to make them economically independent.
URL: http://epaper.fpj.co.in/Details.aspx?id=17314&boxid=151140265

Letter from Reginal representative, south asia, Mela regarding befrienders worldwide steering group meeting


Dear All, The attached letter is to keep you informed of how BW is planning on moving forward. I would love to have responses to the letter. Take care, My warm wishes to you, Mela.

Dear Centres in India and Sri Lanka, Hello! It is good to write to you today. I hope you can feel the new energy I have equipped myself with after the BWSG meeting in early October! It was three full days of dedicated hard work infused with enthusiasm so contagious that I wish I can share some with you!
You may well ask “ What is Befrienders Worldwide like after the New Look? We are working towards making BW a Networking organization. In short, ‘connecting together’- Building a network connecting with all centres around the globe. Engagement- to make sure that BW Networking members feel included/connecting and supporting each other. More credibility- Making sure we work with Recognized and Respected Organizations world wide. Training- BW will offer excellent training by volunteers who excel in this field in our regions. Consistency – We will work towards consistency, offering training materiel of the highest standard, distributing relevant information that helps to improve skills and knowledge among all Networking centres. We have thought of Task Forces that are of the highest priority at present.
1. Website Task Force. 2.Twinning Task Force. 3. Fundraising Task force. 4. Communication Task Force.
Clearly having the BW Website up and running would take first place in the list of ‘highest priorities’. Twinning Task Force- We will aspire to be far more effective- Bringing together centres in all Regions. Having closer ties/ sharing knowledge/ problem. Issues etc.thus making centres feel they are a part of the BW family. Fundraising- We would be looking for volunteers in our Regions who have the expertise of coming up with innovative ideas of approaching would be donors. Members of this Task Force do not necessarily have to bring in donors. However, if they do it would be a huge bonus. We still need volunteers to join the Fundraising TF. If you think you would like to share your expertise on how to get donations please contact me.
Communication Task Force- to develop a communications strategy that ensures every volunteer in a centre receives information from the network, whether it is from the regional coordinators, trustees, secretary general or other centres. Forming other Task Forces is in the pipeline. A BW Board of Trustees will be set up – a selection panel and a selection of criteria for Board members has been established. Once the new Board of Trustees has been identified the BWSG will no longer exist and the members will revert back to their previous designation as ‘Regional Coordinators’.
“If you always do what you always did, You will always get what you always got, If you want something different then think differently! That’s exactly what BW is doing- Having a whole new concept of launching into an exciting and invigorating future.
With my warmest wishes, Mela. (Regional Coordinator for South Asia.) --------------------------------------------------------

LETTER TO S AND bi.docx LETTER TO S AND bi.docx 14K View Download Aasra Helpline aasrahelpline@yahoo.com

11/14/11 to Melanie, Antonio, farrokh, jeevan, me, Kumar, Lifeline, Maithri, Maitreyi, Paresh, Paurami, Rajesh, Saath, sahara, Shanti, Sneha, Sumaitri, thanal, Shankar Mela, Looks like you all had a very fruitful meeting and the formal agenda for the future looks impressive and I am sure will work out best for all the centers and volunteers I am all for turning BW into a networking organisation and think it's also important to network with centers doing similar work even if they may not be befriending centers. Inclusion is important and helping centers to work around their individual problems while connecting and supporting each other makes a lot of sense. Recognition and credibility are vital for growth and it's great that BW will be focusing on working with recognised and respected organisations worldwide. Forming a training core-group in every region would help in spreading the good work to all corners of the globe. Consistency in Training and training material updates would help all centers within the network to keep up with global standards. Task force for Website, twinning, fundraising and commuication are very essential and I am sure all centers around the globe will benefit from it.

Thanks for the detailed email, Looking forward to hearing more on this front. Johnson Thomas Aasra Navi Mumbai www.aasra.info aasrasuicideprevention.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/aasrasuicideprevention Mob: 9820466726 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are Invited

World Suicide Survivors Day Program You are Attending · Share · Public event See all Time 19 November · 14:30 - 17:30 Location HELP library D.N.Rd near CST station Created by: Johnson Thomas More info "I wish I could say that it ended there, that I've worked through my grief. I am still plagued by what I call the "if onlys." If only Hrithik and I could have switched places: if I had been born five years before him, instead of the other way around, he would have received more appropriate treatment and perhaps not seen suicide as his only option. If only the psychiatric hospital had committed him. If only he hadn't been on the sixth floor. If only he had been in restraints." 300 other cities in 19 different countries.AASRA and AFSP join hands to make it possible for people living with suicidal loss to come together and express their pain. While we gently encourage all survivors, familiies of suicide attempted victims and as well as those who have themselves survived the attempt, to participate in this day by attending a conference site in-person, this isn’t always possible, and some survivors may not feel emotionally ready. Please For those who can't attend there is a webcast at www.afsp.org. It can be watched from home, 1-2:30 EST, with a live online chat immediately following. (If you live in a time zone where that won’t work – don’t worry, the webcast is saved online survivors can watch online at anytime afterwards too.) Program at HELP library on 19th November 2011 at 3.00 pm onwards Introduction of the theme Powerpoint presentation Video film on survivors General Sharing and discussions Johnson Thomas Director Aasra www.aasra.info aasrasuicideprevention.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/aasrasuicideprevention Mob: 9820466726 JThomas --------------------------------------------------------------

jeevan jeevan.jsr@indiatimes.com

12:02 PM (9 minutes ago)

to Aasra, Melanie, Antonio, farrokh, me, Kumar, Lifeline, Maithri, Maitreyi, Paresh, Paurami, Rajesh, Saath, sahara, Shanti, Sneha, Sumaitri, thanal, Shankar

It gives me pleasure to inform you all that ‘ Jeevan ’ , Jamshedpur has now shifted to a much bigger premises . This has been possible due to kind support of Mr. Hemant Nerurkar , Managing Director , Tata Steel .

‘ Jeevan ’ will be able to provide better service to the society .

New Address - ‘ Jeevan ’ 25 Q Road , Bistupur , Jamshedpur – 831 011 , Helpline - +91657-6453841

Friday, April 6, 2012

Was Dharun Ravi wrongly blamed for Tyler Clementi's suicide?

Dharun Ravi wrongly blamed for Tyler Clementi's suicide Published: Friday, March 30, 2012, 8:07 AM By Star-Ledger Guest Columnist

Former Rutgers student Dharun Ravi sits outside the courtroom in New Brunswick before he was convicted on most counts in his webcam spying trial. (John Munson/The Star-Ledger)
Photo of Dharun Ravi
By Eric Marcus It seems easy to assign blame in the wake of Tyler Clementi’s suicide. Clementi jumped to his death days after his college roommate spied on him while Clementi had an intimate encounter with another man in their dorm room. The roommate, Dharun Ravi, left an electronic trail of outrageous messages that instantly turned the public against him. Long before the jury announced its decision on charges ranging from invasion of privacy to bias intimidation, the public’s verdict was clear: Ravi was to blame for Clementi’s death. Even I blamed him and I know better. Assigning blame in the aftermath of a suicide usually plays out in private — more than 37,000 times a year in the United States. Typically, no formal charges are filed, but every surviving parent, spouse, friend and colleague becomes accuser and accused, judge and jury.
At least that’s how it worked after my father’s 1970 suicide. Everyone pointed fingers at everyone, in part to displace whatever misplaced guilt they may have felt about failing to keep Dad alive. Not surprisingly, my mom was the primary target. She was the one who asked Dad to move out. In the months that followed, my dad, who had a history of mental illness, grew increasingly despondent and killed himself. However unfair, connecting Mom’s actions to Dad’s made sense. Anyone who has lived through the suicide of a loved one knows what I’m talking about. It’s perfectly natural in the wake of such shocking and poorly understood deaths to want to lay blame as we search for answers. We plague ourselves with the “whys” and “what ifs” and look around us — and at ourselves — to make sense of what happened and decide who was responsible. With Ravi and Clementi, that impulse proved irresistible yet again.
We all know that Ravi didn’t physically push Clementi to his death, but it made sense to blame him because we assumed his reckless and callous actions were more than just potential triggers. It looked as though his actions made the events that followed inevitable.
It’s not nearly so simple. We don’t know why Clementi took his life, just as I’ll never really know why my dad ended his. We don’t even know whether Clementi felt bullied, intimidated or even humiliated. What we do know is that bullying, intimidation and humiliation don’t automatically lead to suicide. If they did, few of us would have survived adolescence. At best, we can say that Ravi’s spying and subsequent Twitter messages might have triggered Clementi’s suicide, which is different from causing his suicide. We know, from research, that more than 90 percent of people who take their own lives have some kind of underlying mental disorder at the time of their deaths, most commonly, depression. But with Clementi, we just don’t know what factors came to bear that caused him to end his life. Of course, Ravi is responsible for what he actually did and what he did, as far as we can tell, may have inadvertently triggered an extreme response that no one could have imagined. But no matter how reprehensible Ravi’s actions were, he’s not to blame for causing Clementi’s suicide. Ravi didn’t kill Clementi, just as my mom didn’t kill my dad. Dad and Tyler Clementi killed themselves.
Absent Clementi’s suicide, Ravi might be facing suspension from school for his obnoxious prank rather than 10 years behind bars following a trial that’s been billed as a test case on “bullying over homosexuality in the digital age.” But if we’re honest with ourselves, Ravi’s trial was about assigning blame. More importantly, it was a test of our ability to navigate an exceedingly complex mix of issues about which we’re woefully ignorant, from sexuality and the responsible use of new technologies to bullying and suicide.
In our rush to judgment, we’ve failed that test miserably. We’ve turned Tyler Clementi into a two-dimensional symbol of anti-gay bullying and Dharun Ravi into a scapegoat. This is a case that screams out for compassion and understanding. Instead, we’ve laid blame for a tragic act none of us fully understands on the head of a foolish, immature young man. Eric Marcus is the author of “Why Suicide?” and “What If Someone I Know Is Gay?” He serves on the national board of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Breathing Therapy

Breathing Therapy

The nose has a left and a right side; we use both to inhale and exhale. Actually they are different; you would be able to feel the difference. The right side represents the sun, left side represents the moon. During a headache, try to close your right nose and use your left nose to breathe.. In about 5 mins, your headache will be gone. If you feel tired, just reverse, close your left nose and breathe through your right nose. After a while, you will feel your mind is refreshed. Right side belongs to 'hot', so it gets heated up easily, left side belongs to 'cold'. Most females breathe with their left nose, so they get "cooled off" faster. Most of the guys breathe with their right nose, they get worked up. Do you notice the moment we wake up, which side breathes faster? Left or right? If left is faster, you will feel tired. So, close your left nose and use your right nose for breathing, you will get refreshed quickly. This can be taught to kids, but it is more effective when practiced by adults. My friend used to have bad headaches and was always visiting the doctor.There was this period when he suffered headache literally every night, unable to study. He took painkillers, did not work, he decided to try out the breathing therapy here: closed his right nose and breathed through his left nose. In less than a week, his headaches were gone! He continued the exercise for one month. This alternative natural therapy without medication is something that one has to experience. So, why not give it a try?

100 benefits of meditation

100 Benefits of Meditation

Physiological benefits: 1. It lowers oxygen consumption. 2. It decreases respiratory rate . 3. It increases blood flow and slows the heart rate. 4. Increases exercise tolerance. 5. Leads to a deeper level of physical relaxation. 6. Good for people with high blood pressure . 7. Reduces anxiety attacks by lowering the levels of blood lactate. 8. Decreases muscle tension 9. Helps in chronic diseases like allergies, arthritis etc. 10. Reduces Pre-menstrual Syndrome symptoms. 11. Helps in post-operative healing. 12. Enhances the immune system. 13. Reduces activity of viruses and emotional distress 14. Enhances energy, strength and vigour. 15. Helps with weight loss 16. Reduction of free radicals , less tissue damage 17. Higher skin resistance 18. Drop in cholesterol levels , lowers risk of cardiovascular disease. 19. Improved flow of air to the lungs resulting in easier breathing. 20. Decreases the aging process. 21. Higher levels of DHEAS ( Dehydroepiandrosterone ) 22. Prevented, slowed or controlled pain of chronic diseases 23. Makes you sweat less 24. Cure headaches & migraines 25. Greater Orderliness of Brain Functioning 26. Reduced Need for Medical Care 27. Less energy wasted 28. More inclined to sports, activities 29. Significant relief from asthma 30. Improved performance in athletic events 31. Normalizes to your ideal weight 32. Harmonizes our endocrine system 33. Relaxes our nervous system 34. Produce lasting beneficial changes in brain electrical activity 35. Helps cure infertility (the stresses of infertility can interfere with the release of hormones that regulate ovulation). Psychological benefits: 36. Builds self-confidence. 37. Increases serotonin level, influences mood and behaviour. 38. Resolve phobias & fears 39. Helps control own thoughts 40. Helps with focus & concentration 41. Increase creativity 42. Increased brain wave coherence. 43. Improved learning ability and memory. 44. Increased feelings of vitality and rejuvenation. 45. Increased emotional stability. 46. improved relationships 47. Mind ages at slower rate 48. Easier to remove bad habits 49. Develops intuition 50. Increased Productivity 51. Improved relations at home & at work 52. Able to see the larger picture in a given situation 53. Helps ignore petty issues 54. Increased ability to solve complex problems 55. Purifies your character 56. Develop will power 57. Greater communication between the two brain hemispheres 58. Respond more quickly and more effectively to a stressful event. 59. increases ones perceptual ability and motor performance 60. Higher intelligence growth rate 61. Increased job satisfaction 62. Increase in the capacity for intimate contact with loved ones 63. Decrease in potential mental illness 64. Better, more sociable behaviour 65. Less aggressiveness 66. Helps in quitting smoking , alcohol addiction 67. Reduces need and dependency on drugs, pills & pharmaceuticals 68. Need less sleep to recover from sleep deprivation 69. Require less time to fall asleep, helps cure insomnia 70. Increases sense of responsibility 71. Reduces road rage 72. Decrease in restless thinking 73. Decreased tendency to worry 74. Increases listening skills and empathy 75. Helps make more accurate judgments 76. Greater tolerance 77. Gives composure to act in considered & constructive ways 78. Grows a stable, more balanced personality 79. Develops emotional maturity Spiritual benefits: 80. Helps keep things in perspective 81. Provides peace of mind, happiness 82. Helps you discover your purpose in life 83. Increased self-actualization. 84. Increased compassion 85. Growing wisdom 86. Deeper understanding of yourself and others 87. Brings body, mind, and spirit in harmony 88. Deeper Level of spiritual relaxation 89. Increased acceptance of one self 90. Helps learn forgiveness 91. Changes attitude toward life 92. Creates a deeper relationship with your God 93. Increases the synchronicity in your life 94. Greater inner-directedness 95. Helps living in the present moment 96. Creates a widening, deepening capacity for love 97. Discovery of the power and consciousness beyond the ego 98. Experience an inner sense of Assurance or Knowingness 99. Experience a sense of Oneness 100. Leads to enlightenment

You don't know what sleep can do for you