Meditation : The benefits

We are constantly surrounded by the clamour of traffic, television, computers, and of course cell phones. It is no wonder then, that we often can’t hear ourselves think — or even talk. Somewhere our lives seem to have lost that quiet, alone-time. It is important to pull away from the outer world of commotion and reconnect to our inner silence. 

Sit quietly with hands at your sides or in your lap. Now, with your eyes closed, start to breathe lightly and easily. Let your attention follow your breath. Continue this exercise for two to five minutes — just closing your eyes and focusing your mind on easy, natural breathing. 

Focusing on the breath means keeping the mind alert and free of clutter.The mind often wanders, so this discipline trains the mind to develop focus and concentration. 

Meditation is concentration. It is not really forcing your mind to be quiet; it is finding the quiet that is already there.And it requires perseverance to be able to plunge deep within. 

As you meditate regularly, you will find an appearance of youthful energy and vitality; and calmness that the restless mind so often craves for. 

BENEFITS 

Nowadays, stress, depression and physical illnesses are major health concerns. 

Meditation causes deep relaxation at the nervous system level, at the muscles level and in the internal organs. Our heart’s ejection fraction improves and even cholesterol management improves. It is observed that since tension in the arteries is reduced, blood pressure is also regulated. Overall, general well-being is felt instantly. In case of diabetics, glucose tolerance improves to a great extent. So, the insulin dependency reduces. It is observed that if it was stress diabetics, i.e., the occurrence of diabetics is after the age of 40 years and above, the dependency on medicines is greatly reduced. 

Day-to-day stress is managed efficiently through meditation, five to 10 minutes of meditation is recommended for persons who are sick or healthy, burdened with responsibilities or pressed for time. l Meditation de-stresses the mind.The mind is able to concentrate better and there is greater clarity of thought. Regular practice equips the mind to deal with life’s problems calmly. 

The heart rate and respiration rate slows down — this results in efficient working of the heart and lungs. When the mind is calm, there is better balance in the body as the cells work in unison, bringing harmony and health to the system. 

Simple steps to keep your blood pressure under control - Part 3

- Alcohol alert — While it does provide some health benefits, alcohol can also be bad for your health. If consumed in small amounts, it can help prevent heart attacks and coronary artery disease. But, more than one or two drinks and the benefits are gone. Keep a check on your drinking patterns and if you're a heavy drinker, start reducing slowly. Never indulge in binge drinking. Consuming four or five drinks in a row can cause a sudden increase in blood pressure. 

- Tea benefits — Herbal teas are the way to go. In a study conducted, those who sipped on hibiscus tea daily lowered their blood pressure. Many herbal teas contain hibiscus or you can always opt for green tea. The effects of caffeine are still debatable. Drinking caffeinated beverages can temporarily increase pressure. The solution is to check your pressure within 30 minutes of drinking a cup of coffee to determine if it works for your body. 

- Reduce work and relax — Reducing the number of hours you spend in office can help lower hypertension. Working overtime makes it hard to exercise and eat healthy. Ensure that you get out of office at a decent hour. Learning to relax by listening to soothing music (Classical, Oriental or Indian instrumental) can help.

Concluded 

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow - Increase in Baldness - Part 3

TREATMENT

Balding represents aging and very few are able to accept this gracefully. While normal hair represents youth and virility, men mark alopecia as an end to their youth. Though balding is a physical condition, it has psychological repercussions in the form of stress, social stigma, being made fun of and facing humiliation by others, lack of interest in grooming, etc.

Balding is not the end of the world. Remember , the more you worry about it, the more worse it will get. There are treatments that you can opt for to curb and get rid of balding. Hair replacement surgery can help regrow hair when baldness is due to hereditary thinning. Dr.Shah suggests natural extracts of plant which have DHT blocking properties and which does not interfere with the hormonal system is prescribed. As for home remedies, green tea acts as an excellent DHT blocker.

DO'S AND DON'TS

• Use Amla oil on the scalp with the fingers after washing hair in cold water.
• Ensure to consume a well-balanced, nutritious and a healthy diet.
• Massage almond oil on scalp two to three times a day, as this will stop further hair loss.
• Eat plenty of iron-rich foods, like liver, whole grain cereals, dark green leafy vegetables, eggs, dates and raisins.
• Avoid intake of alcohol, nicotine and caffeine.
• Avoid excessive use of hair colors and other chemicals on the hair.

Concluded

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow - Increase in Baldness - Part 2

MEN VS WOMEN

Androgenetic Alopecia (balding) is majorly seen in males because males don't have the support of female hormone oestrogen. Khedekar says that the less hair you have got the more testosterone you have in your body/ bald men usually have higher levels of testosterone then other men. Women have very low levels of testosterone, so they are less likely to go bald.

however nowadays even younger women are susceptible to balding due to excessive hair loss. hair expert Dr. Shreepad says, "Women are generally prone to balding as they are more concerned about their style and looks. many harmful chemicals and advanced equipments are used for straightening as well as colouring hair. The excessive or regular use of these harmful products or equipments can lead to more hair loss in women.

STRESS FACTOR

An increasing number of people in their 20s and early 30s are facing problem of balding due to stress. "Stress is supposed to be the major cause for triggering the problem in youngsters and also because hormonal activity, is more as compared to the later age group and hence baldness is increasing among young people, says Dr.Shah. Dr. Khedekar says that other reasons like tightly tied hair, iron deficiency, thyroid affected patients, skin outgrowths, etc are also responsible for baldness. However severe stress is one common reason why an increasing number of young people fall prey to baldness.

To Be Continued....

10 THINGS TO AVOID DAMAGE FOR OUR SKIN - Part 2

6. Not reapplying moisture / sunscreen

Are you the jet setting type who slaps on lotion in the morning and then spends the next two hours at work without a further thought about your skin? Air conditioned offices sap moisture from your skin in a couple of hours. Also, no sunscreen retains its effect beyond two hours. Apply frequently -- at least during your lunch break, after a quick face wash.

7. Waxing your upper lip / facial hair

A total nightmare for your delicate facial skin -- the trauma causes tiny microscopic bleeding into your hair follicles that, over time, heal with scarring and end up causing roughness and pigmentation that is extremely hard to treat.

8. Going on a 'proteins only' diet

Fad diets deprive your skin (and body) of essential nutrients. You need vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and various micronutrients that a single food diet cannot give you. Talk to a professional dietician before embarking on drastic diet plans and get them to prescribe the appropriate nutritional supplements.

9. Late night partying

Your body sleeps at night, but your skin doesn't -- most of its repair and renewal work is done while you're in bed. Depriving it of the nightly eight hours of rejuvenation will obviously leave it looking dull and tired. Good sleep is a must for good skin!

10. Stressing out

Stress shows up after years on your heart and blood pressure, but almost immediately on your skin. So listen to your skin when it is trying to tell you something -- patchy complexion, blemishes, dullness, itchy redness, rashes appearing at periods of high stress, acne flare-ups -- all point to unwarranted high stress levels. Try yoga, meditation, exercise, or whatever your best stress buster is. 

Warning : The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.Never use any home remedy or other self treatment without being advised to do so by a physician.

How Green Tea is Beneficial - Part 3

17. Green Tea and Immunity

Polyphenols and flavenoids found in green tea help boost your immune system, making your health stronger in fighting against infections.

18. Green Tea and Cold and Flu

Green tea prevents you from getting a cold or flu. Vitamin C in green tea helps you treat the flu and the common cold.

19. Green Tea and Asthma

Theophylline in green tea relaxes the muscles which support the bronchial tubes, reducing the severity of asthma.

20. Green Tea and Ear Infection

Green tea helps with ear infection problem. For natural ear cleaning, soak a cotton ball in green tea and clean the infected ear.

21. Green Tea and Herpes

Green tea increases the effectiveness of topical interferon treatment of herpes. First green tea compress is applied and then let the skin dry before the interferon treatment.

22. Green Tea and Tooth Decay

Green tea destroys bacteria and viruses that cause many dental diseases. It also slows the growth of bacteria which leads to bad breath.

23. Green Tea and Stress

L-theanine, which is a kind of amino acids in green tea, can help relieve stress and anxiety.

24. Green Tea and Allergies

EGCG found in green tea relieves allergies. So if you have allergies, you should really consider drinking green tea.

25. Green Tea and HIV

Scientists in Japan have found that EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) in green tea can stop HIV from binding to healthy immune cells. What this means is that green tea can help stop the HIV virus from spreading.

Concluded

Source : DSDG

Everyday Health Triggers Series

LONG COMMUTES

Yoga - The stress buils anxiety. Chanting something, deep conscious breathing or the Hridayamudra help heal the heart.

Hridaya Mudra

This mudra diverts the flow of energy from the hands to the heart area. The middle and ring fingers relate directly to nadis connected to the heart, while the thumb closes the pranic circuit and acts as an energiser, diverting the flow of prana from the hands to these nadis. Hridaya mudra helps to release pent up emotion and unburden the heart.

Cardio - Daily stress all adds up. reading or listening to music take your mind off the stress and soothes.

Endo - If your commute involves a brisk walk, it is good. If the commute is more than one hour it cuts down your sleep time, is a sedentary activity and adds to hypertension. Listen to music - it lessens stress.

Psych - Long commutes can result in high blood pressure, anger and resentment. The key is to take your mind off it - enjoy music or the view around to relax.

Source - TOI