The journey to live

The journey to live

For most of us, the journey of life may not be that exciting. Only a minority of us will say that it is or can be an equally great experience. Brandon Bays, in her The Journey, gives many personal healing experiences to make life’s journey easy and enjoyable. One such story is about a 50-year-old Israeli woman hit hard by polio. After going through the ‘journey process’, she had nothing short of a miracle: her polio-hit leg grew longer and that built up her confidence to live and enjoy life to an extent that she had no grudge with life.
And then you have this woman in her late 50s, who was a patient of multiple sclerosis and was thus a mere bundle in a wheelchair. After going through Brandon’s healing process, the woman could, like any other normal person, run, jump and dance.
These and several other such experiences delighted Brandon beyond her expectations.
But such ‘miracles’ don’t happen on their own; one has to take strenuous efforts and have faith and self-confidence of a warrior.
One has to make the best use of the tools to clear all that hinders one’s progress and healing process. Ego, jealousy, shame, violence and many other similar limiting factors have to be ‘ousted’ from one’s mind and soul.
Brandon’s healing process has done wonders even with patients suffering from the so-called life-threatening diseases like cancer. As Brandon herself says her type of journey is not a process of addition but one of subtraction.
Basically, it is all about unlearning and relearning afresh to have a new lease of life through new and innovative approaches. The rot within you has to be taken out and then carry on positively with a clean consciousness.
Life is a process of constant change and one who refuses to learn and walk this lesson refuses to grow. And, surely, one who refuses to grow, refuses to live. Therefore, a journey that involves all the ‘tools’ to self -renewal is a must for all. It gives one an option to choose ---do or die.
Ht inner voice 11 Dec 12

Desire to live and die

Desire to live and die

At times when we feel that our dreams will never be fulfilled, our talents will never be used, and our life will never become meaningful, we yearn for death. When we are in such a state of mind, what inferences can be drawn?
Philosopher Nietzsche said he who has a ‘why’ to live can bear with any ‘how’. He meant that a person who has a reason to live for will be willing to make the effort necessary for living and endure suffering in order to survive.
When a person suffers, he yearns for death; what he needs to do is not to end his life, but to eliminate his baser desires. According to Buddhism, it is the baser desires that give rise to suffering.
A close relationship with another person makes us want to live. We would not like to make an exit when we have a spouse, children or parents to look after.
When do we have the desire to live? When we have the hope that our talents will be put to good use, our dreams will be fulfilled and the well-being of our loved ones will be ensured. Life seems worth living when it is meaningful. But we must remember that the meaning of life cannot be understood solely by reasoning; one needs some kind of faith.
When do we wish for death? When hope is extinguished that we will be successful in our field; when we become helpless and dependent on others; when we do not have any close relationships; and when we feel that our existence is devoid of meaning.
We have to remember that even when the situation is very bad, suicide is not the solution. One should make an effort to solve one’s problems, and leave the rest in God’s hands.
Suicidal thoughts are often caused by depression. Depression can be caused by external conditions or changes in brain biochemistry. We have to bear in mind that even if the external conditions are bad, we can still live a good life if we follow the essential teachings of our religion.
Ht inner voice 10 Dec 12

NUTRITION MYTHS

NUTRITION MYTHS BUSTED

HERE ARE SOME SURPRISING REVELATIONS FOR HEALTH BUFFS ON WORLD NUTRITION WEEK
MYTH: Fast once a week to cleanse toxins from your body

FACT: Periodic fasting habits may lead to deficiency in vital nutrients. Fasting is also not healthy for the liver. “If you have a healthy liver, you need not take extra measures to cleanse toxins from your body. Our body is able to detoxify automatically if the liver is healthy,” says Neelanjana Singh, chief nutritionist, PSRI
MYTH: Eating eggs daily raises cholesterol
FACT: If you have normal cholesterol levels and are eating a balanced diet, you can safely eat one egg a day, say doctors. “If you have a high cholesterol level, ask your doctor for advice if you want to include eggs in your diet,” Dr Cheenu Prashar, senior dietician, Max Hospital.
MYTH: Have multi-vitamin supplements daily
FACT: You don’t need to depend on any artificially-induced supplement if you include fruits, vegetables and whole grains, as well as moderate amounts of low-fat dairy in your daily diet, say health experts. “The lesser you depend on pills the better,” says Dr Aftab Ahmed of Apollo Hospital.
MYTH: Have 8-10 glasses of water daily
FACT: There is no need to measure your water intake, go by your thirst, say doctors. “Sometimes having too much water can lead to water intoxication and hyponatremia and electrolyte imbalance. If your urine is not dark in colour then you are having adequate water and don’t need to overdrink it,” says Dr Singh.
MYTH: Have protein supplements to build muscle mass
FACT: Supplements are only necessary when medically prescribed. “In fact optimum protein requirement can easily come from a good and balanced diet. Supplements often lead to excess protein, which gets stored in the body as fat. Body has to work overtime to get rid of this, which may be difficult,” says Dr Prashar.
MYTH: All alcohol is harmful
FACT: Not really. Moderate alcohol consumption is not harmful, especially if you go for the right spirits, say doctors. One can safely go for beer as it contains very little alcohol. Also, red wine, which contains antioxidants is considered good for health. “Red wine dilates the blood vessels, so 30ml daily is recommended for heart patient,” says nutritionist Shipra Shaklani Mishra, Fortis La Femme.
MYTH: Sugar-free cola is safer than regular colas
FACT: Both the drinks contain harmful fizz and chemicals including phosphoric acid which can lead to bone thinning. “The only difference is that instead of sugar, diet colas contain an artificial sweetner called aspartame, which is equally harmful if taken in excess,” says Dr Singh.
MYTH: Raw-food is better than cooked food
FACT: Raw food may give better fibre and enzymes but may also be a host to many harmful bacteria and viruses if exposed for a longer period or not properly cleaned. “It’s a myth that cooking destroys all nutrients. Healthy cooking methods such as steaming, roasting, pressure cooking may be quite beneficial. In fact, optimum cooking improves digestibility,” says Dr Prashar.
MYTH: All brown breads are healthy
FACT: Multigrain and whole wheat breads are certainly good but only if you actually get your hands on them. Most brown breads available in super markets are not made of 100% whole grains. They are made of the regular refined flour (maida) with dyes that give them the deceiving appearance of whole grain.
MYTH: Microwave cooking is unhealthy
FACT: Till date there are no studies to indicate that microwave cooking harms food items, say health experts. “These waves have been proven to be completely safe. Infact microwave cooking, if done properly can actually preserve nutrients to a great extent,” says Dr Singh.
MYTH: Eating potato makes you fat
FACT: Potatoes are a source of carbohydrate and not fat. Only when had in excess do the carbs transform into fat, so the belief that a potato-free diet will help you lose weight is a myth. “One should not avoid potatoes as it’s a good source of carbohydrates, which are important for energy. Cutting carbs may make you feel weak and lethargic,” says Dr Mishra.
MYTH: If you exercise, you can eat as much as you want
FACT: The fact is much more complex as the burnout rate is different from person to person based on the metabolism rate. “Not only exercise even mental activity burnout rate differs. An excuse to eat more or eat whatever you want under the pretext of exercising can be counter-productive,” says Dr Prashar.
Ht city 6 Sep 12