Release your Tension

Exercise for at least 20 minutes a day
Warm Cooked food like soups and stews support digestion and increase energy. Take time to enjoy your food. Don’t rush or multi-task.

Slumped shoulders and a bent spine can actually, to some extent, induce moodiness. Tensed stomach muscles can – again, to some extent – induce mental anxiety… As physical tensions can induce, as well as reinforce, mental tensions, so physical relaxation can bring serenity to a worried mind.

Even if you know you are late, don’t allow yourself to rush – as this will make you tense. You can help yourself by beginning each activity, such as driving, speaking at a meeting, or walking to your commuter train, with one gentle inhalation, followed by a calm exhalation.

Take a warm bath. Focus on how the water eases the pain in your muscles, and the sensation of tension draining out of your body.

Deep breathing can reduce stress and increase relaxation.

Participate in activities that leave you with a sense of relaxation and peacefulness.

Physical activities have a built-in relaxation response, such as yoga or taichi.

Pray or Meditate. Studies have shown that mindfulness meditation can reduce pain, and that prayer can effect healing.

Rediscover your hobbies. When was the last time you did something purely because you liked it? Be it pointing, reading, stitching, walking, sports, pottery, craft activities, swimming, gardening, cooking, music, playing on instrument – just do it, at lease once a week.

Checklist for Health

Emotional ill health can be the result of many underlying causes and some may even be because of physical problems. Even food allergies or reactions can cause an emotional upheaval. Deficiency in vitamins and minerals or even hormonal imbalances can create emotional disturbances.

Depression can arise due to low levels of magnesium in the body. Incidences like sexual abuse in childhood can surface many years later and cause havoc in one’s emotional life. Most often, we are ashamed to even acknowledge the fact that we are emotionally disturbed as there is a social stigma attached to such conditions. So we tend to put them on the back burner which only compounds the matter.

Here then are a few common symptoms that you can go through and check for yourself if you are affected with any emotional illnesses.

Do you have a general apathy and disinterest in everything around you?

Are you frequently depressed?

Do you get irritated very often?

Do you feel lethargic even early in the morning?

Do you suffer from frequent anxiety and nervousness?

Do you experience anger and resentment often?

Do you indulge in self pity?

Do you tend to blame others for your shortcomings?

Are you a ‘whiner’?

Do you experience extreme levels of fear and anxiety?

Are you unable to be focused?

Do you feel as if you are not grounded?

Do you lack stability in your emotions?

Do you have extreme mood swings?

Do you act on impulse in a compulsive manner?

Do you need constant change in your life – whether it is work, home or even friends?

Are you prone to quick anger?

Are you in any way abusive?

Do you throw temper tantrums?

Do you feel very intensely though the situation does not demand it?

Are you highly reactive?

Are you unable to understand your own behaviour?

D you get emotional when discussing personal problems?

Are you in the habit of hearing voices?

These then are a few common symptoms of a person with emotional disturbances. Check out carefully if you have any of these on a regular basis and also the intensity of each symptom. Take your time and analyse carefully. Do not hesitate to go for help if you find that you need emotional counseling as most of these emotions may have been repressed in you until your introspection has revealed their existence deep in your mind.
These are but a few pointers to help in your self analysis and should in no way be construed as final medical advice.

Ayurvedic massage can do for you

Are you one of those young overworked in any field who can hardly distinguish night from day?

What you need to do is to have a regular recharge done to your body in order to ward off the ill effects of your long and irregular work hours.

A super way to recharge your system and to rejuvenate your body is massage leaves the body relaxed and healed and gives a general feeling of good health and well being. You must make time for a full body massage at least once a week as the benefits are tremendous.

A total rejuvenation of mind and body takes place – you get relief from fatigue and your stamina shows marked improvement. Another benefit is sound sleep which is a natural result of the oil massage. The nourishment provided by the natural oils serves to improve the complexion, and with the total body relaxation and nourishment, longevity is also promoted.

If you can fit in an hour of Ayurvedic massage every day into your routine you can experience the following benefits

Increased blood circulation

Calming effect on the nerves

All the joints get well lubricated

Muscles get perfectly toned

You will find yourself mentally more alert

Elimination of toxins from the body

Improvement in skin texture

Sound sleep at night

General increase in stamina

When and how to have an Ayurvedic massage

It is advisable to have the massage before your morning shower. You can use Aromatherapy oils or herbal massage oils, or even the time-worn sesame oil used by generations before us.
It is important to slightly warm the oil before applying it on the body.

Pour the oil generously on the body and rub lightly with your fingertips. Allow the oil to penetrate into the body for best results.

If you have a masseuse to do the massage, she will begin by putting pressure with her whole palm and then applying lighter pressure on some sensitive areas of the body.
A good masseuse will pay special attention to nerve endings in the body.

It is important to use movements that suit the body .

Circular movements for the head and the joints in the body and straight movement and pressure on the legs and arms. Thus the entire body gets stimulated with the massage.
Once the body gets soaked in the oil, allow for it to penetrate and start having beneficial effects. Be totally relaxed for at least 15 – 20 minutes before you get into the shower for a warm bath.
It’s back to basics again with Ayurveda gaining in importance as a highly successful alternative therapy with no side effects. Spas and Health resorts offering holistic Ayurvedic treatment have become popular as their efficacy is being recognized the world over.

Stress management

Did you know that the Egyptians were among the first to discover that oils extracted from plants can be used for both medical and cosmetic purposes? Maybe these oils were even used for embalming purposes – a technique about which very little is known.

Greeks, Romans and the Chinese have used aromatherapy extensively for luxuriously scented baths, for elaborate massage using these lovely scented oils and for religious purposes like making the incense used in ceremonies (particularly the Chinese). When the French perfumier Gattefosse accidentally discovered the lavender aromatic oil which healed his burned hand, he came up with a book on aromatic oils which has lent its name to aromatherapy.

How the oils act
Basically aromatherapy oils are used as a soothing element – they help in soothing both body and mind and the oils for this are all extracted from plants flowers, roots, bark and seeds. These oils can be used either diluted or undiluted for a soothing effect. The oils enter the bloodstream when gently massaged, and they react with the hormones and the natural enzymes of the body producing the desired effect and relaxing the body.

These oils are known to have extremely beneficial effects on the skin and actually help when the skin is inflamed or when there are unexplained aches and pains. It is also a known cure for stress related problems, post delivery problems and many other conditions. These oils can be used in a spa or at home.

Aroma oils are today synthetically produced and blended for effect and are known to be equally effective as cures.

Use them in your bath for healing the skin and relaxing the body.

Oil diffusers are a great way of spreading the healing smell throughout the room. You can also use them in a spray.

Learn about the properties of each oil before you decide to use them. See if they address your particular need.

No one knows how exactly these oils act on the body but the fact that they do and have done so over ages, and also have beneficial effects cannot be denied. So if you need a sweet smelling quick fix after a tired day at office, just rub the aroma oil or run it in your bath and heal yourself.

Mastering your moods

Mood swings usually do not last long, but it may be a sign of some disorder if it continues to prolong.

Know when it hits you : Like the name, mood swings are unpredictable but have a pattern for every individual. Knowing this - and your energy levels - would certainly help you maintain poise throughout the day.

Get enough sleep : Make sure you get enough sleep, at least eight hours a day. If sleeplessness continues to dodge you, it is an indication of some unperceived disorder.

Eat healthy : This is another vital point that is often overlooked. There is evidence that carbohydrates help you feel better. Reduce your intake of coffee and sugared items.
Take time outdoors : It is important to develop your own distractions. A good walk, for example, would certainly alleviate the heaviness in the head.

Seek company : Good companions and a light conversation increases your energy levels and creates a positive outlook.

Stress Free

Can you eliminate the chaotic frenzy that accompanies the demands we face each day? Balancing academics, maintaining relationships and managing family and friends can be pretty taxing. Today’s Gen-Next is busier than ever before!

Time is what no one has today. You may have tried several methods to streamline your life, but every plan seems to work only for a while, and things go out of control again! Right?
Remember, being busy is good, but chaos in your life is not!
Say No! If you are asked to do something, take time to review the offer and take a call. If you take time to reflect you will have a more logical perspective. Learning to say

No is important if it upsets your schedule, eats into your time or creates chaos in your life.
Find time for Yourself… Capture some quiet time for yourself. Solitude can be empowering and refreshing for you. Try exercising or going for a walk - it could be the best thing you did for yourself that day. You may be overwhelmed with “things to do” but a little time for yourself won’t hurt!

Do fun things! Take time to spend with loved ones, whether family or friends. Invariably, when you get stressed out, fun is the last thing on your mind. Do fun things with people you care for: go for a movie, swim, play a game of tennis, play with your dog …watch your stress melt away
Look for inner peace… Yes, it’s important to be at peace with yourself, if you want to get chaos out of your life. Find a way that fits into your schedule.

It could be meditation, Yoga or prayer. Your personal effort at finding inner peace will give you daily strength. You will accumulate as much stress in your life, as you want. These simple steps will help you de-clutter and de-stress your life. Yes, stress may overwhelm you, but eventually how you organize your life, is up to you. So get started today!

Hunger

Hunger today refers not to the overt and obvious hunger of poor people who are unable to afford at least one square meal a day, but to a more insidious hunger caused by eating food that is cheap and filling but deficient in essential vitamins and micronutrients. But unfortunately, the term "hidden hunger" or "silent hunger" is seldom found outside specialist journals and is rarely seen in popular newspapers and magazines, leave alone the policy documents.

Malnutrition in the form of under-nutrition or deficiencies of essential vitamins and minerals continues to cause severe illness or morbidity among millions of people worldwide. It is estimated, more than 3.5 billion people are affected by iron deficiency and two billion are at risk of iodine deficiency and many more are affected by insufficient vitamin A. This is one side of the coin often seen and talked about.

Thus malnutrition is usually equated with under-nutrition. When plans and policies talk of measures to tackle this problem, we often fail to realise that malnutrition also manifests as over-nutrition or obesity. In many countries, health problems related to dietary excess are an ever-increasing threat. As the population goes up the socio-economic scale, cereal intake is likely to decline and the intake of sugar and fats generally increases. Convenience and fast foods find increasing acceptance leading to over-weight.

Using existing World Health Organisation standards, data from 79 developing countries and a number of industrialised countries suggests that about 22 million children under five years of age are overweight worldwide (WHO 1998). Studies prove beyond doubt that obesity in childhood and adolescence is associated with various health problems, and its persistence into adulthood leads to health effects ranging from an increased risk of premature death to several non-fatal but debilitating conditions that affect productivity. These emerging problems are not just limited to developed countries; an increasing number of developing countries are confronted with the double burden of under-nutrition and chronic diet-related diseases, which arise due to over-nutrition or obesity. According to some studies, the incidence of obesity in India is 7-9 per cent mainly in urban centres. Although this number is small as compared to the United States and other countries, it is significant due to the sheer size of the population in India.

Whether in their mildest or most severe form, the consequences of poor nutrition and health result in a reduction in overall well-being and quality of life, and in the levels of development of human potential. It is the time to look at both sides of the coin called malnutrition.
Putting an end to hunger necessarily starts with ensuring that enough food is produced and made available for everyone. However, simply growing enough food does not guarantee the elimination of hunger

. Access by all people at all times to food must be guaranteed. In other words, food security was the goal towards which the developing world was striving. Today, in countries like ours, foodgrain production has registered impressive progress. While sustaining it, the production of quality foods such as horticultural products, legumes and milk have to be significantly raised to ensure nutritionally adequate diets. We need to fight at both ends of the spectrum, feeding the millions and ensuring what we feed them is nutritionally adequate. The need of the hour is not just food security but ensuring Nutrition Security to the hungry millions. This is the time to rework on our objectives; we need to aim at combating Hidden Hunger and not mere Hunger, our programmes catering to malnutrition address the twin-troubles of under-nutrition as well as over-nutrition/obesity and above all talk of Nutrition security instead of food security.

The talk of the paradigm shift has been reverberating in many a scientific forum and it also surfaced at the IX Asian Congress of Nutrition held in New Delhi in February 2003. Isn't it time to look beyond the obvious, broaden our perspectives, reset our goals and foster new stream of ideas that are conducive to general health and nutritional well-being of all?

Exercise helps depression

Depression in the elderly is quite common - it is reported in 5% to 10% of community elders, rising to 18% in nursing home residents.

Moreover, depression is associated with an increase in death rate that is not due to suicide.Antidepressant drugs are quite successful in treating depression in the elderly, but they can have unpleasant side effects that may prevent patients from using them. Instead of taking drugs to control depression, a good alternative such as exercise is now proved to be useful. In a study conducted in the US, exercise treatment was given to elderly patients suffering from depression. It consisted of 30 minutes of continuous walking or jogging (with 10-minute warm-up and 5-minute cool down periods) at a rate to provide 70% to 85% of the heart rate reserve. The sessions were done three times a week for 16 consecutive weeks. It was found that many of the patients felt much better at the end of the period. The reason for the favourable effects of exercise is uncertain. It may be that their improved levels of fitness made people feel better. It may be that the physiological effects of exercise improve mood or self-esteem in some biochemical way (e.g., by release of endorphins). One important point is the social interaction that occurs in the exercise regimens.It may not be possible to get over depression completely. Nevertheless, the findings are encouraging for those elderly people with depression who cannot tolerate antidepressant drugs, or who require the benefits of a social activity that carries numerous other rewards. It looks as if depression can be added to the growing list of theories which claim with certainty- 'Exercise is good for you'.

Heartbreaker

He leers at anything remotely female. You deal with it. He ignores you when his friends are around. You still deal with it. But… *gasp*! Did he just hit on your best friend behind your back? You can’t deal with it! That man’s got to go, and we tell you how to do it without hurting him too much.
1) Food For Thought: Think about what you’re about to do. Sure, y’all have been getting along less and less over time, but is it something you can resolve between yourselves and have you reached the point of no return? Answer this question honestly and then think about breaking up – it’ll save you both a lot of heartache later on.
2) Quick Draw: Now that you’ve decided to break up, do it quickly. Don’t hem and haw over the matter and put off telling him till 2050 – it’ll only make him feel cheated and betrayed. Strike when the iron is hot – in the long run, he’ll thank you for it.
3) It’s Personal: Sure, breaking up over the phone or Internet is the simplest way to go, but hello? Would you like it if someone did that to you? ‘Course not! So do unto him as you’d want him to do onto you – fix up a face-to-face meeting at a relatively quiet place. Clear up your schedule for the day though; you never know how long these things take and it won’t do to suddenly flee for that hair appointment, will it?
4) Honest Goodbye: Be clear about the reasons you want to break up with him and remember, honesty is the key here. At the same time, don’t go about hurling accusations and meting out blame – it takes two to tango and that applies as much to the failure of a relationship as to the relationship itself. Never resort to cruelty to prove your point.
5) 20 Questions: Answer all his questions about the break up as honestly as possible, without skirting the issue. Sure, it might get tedious and you’ll end up repeating yourself, but hey, you’ve found your closure – let him have his, too.
6) Grateful Dead: While you’re ringing the death knell for your relationship, take a moment to think back about all the good times you’ve shared. Make it a point to tell him how much you appreciated your time together, and while it was fun while it lasted, it’s time to let go.
7) Don’t See Red: Chances are your guy, er… ex-guy will accept everything stoically and then go home and sob his eyes out. However, there’s also a good chance he’ll scream and shout and blame everything on you. Don’t lose your temper with him – put yourself in his shoes instead. You’d probably react similarly if someone dumped you, wouldn’t you? Let him stew for a bit and explain things to him when he’s calmed down.
8) Push And Pull: Just to assuage your own guilt, don’t try to be your ex’s best friend. Calling or messaging him, inviting him for coffee etc. might send out the wrong signals and will only make him feel worse. Let him decide the future of your relationship – sometimes a clean break is the best way to go.
9) Touch Me Not: All hunky dory till now, but what if your guy refuses to take no for an answer? “We can still work through this,” he whimpers pleadingly, clutching at your feet. Before his behaviour gets any more stalker-ish, firmly tell him you’ve made up your mind and walk away. Then promptly call up one of his friends and ask him/ her to help your ex move on. If the situation worsens and he still follows you around like a lost puppy, threaten him with the police – that nearly always works!
Ultimately, there’s no way to break up with someone without hurting his/her feelings. Try implementing these pointers though – it might make things easier… for both of you!

Sleep like a baby

MOST people take sleep for granted and fail to observe some simple and healthy habits that help get a restful sleep. Our health and ability to succeed depend on how we meet our body's need for rest and quality sleep. There can be a wide variation in the amount of sleep required for individuals. Most of us require an average of 6-8 hours. The following are some common sleep hygiene measures.
Keep regular bedtime hours
Although this may not always be practical, remember that your body likes regular routines. This may not be very exciting but it is comfortable. SO pick a reasonable and regular time to go to bed each night and stick to it. Even if you don't think you are tired when the time comes, your body will appreciate it. After a while, when it feels it can rely on the routine, it will repay the favour by letting you go to sleep when you want. On the same lines, get up at the same time every day, even on weekends and holidays. Once you're awake, get up. Don't lie in bed thinking about getting up.
Keep your sleep environment comfortable
Keep the bedroom quiet and as dark as possible when you're sleeping. Make sure you sleep in a well-ventilated room. Fresh air and optimal room temperature are the best sleeping conditions. Sleep on a good firm bed that will give the body the support it needs.
Identify bed with sleep
Do not work, read, watch television or work out crossword puzzles while lying in bed. If you can't sleep, get out of bed. Don't lie awake trying to get sleep any longer than 30 minutes. If you can't sleep in 30 minutes, get out of bed. Do something quiet and non-stimulating. When you feel tired, go back to bed.
Avoid stimulants
Preferably avoid coffee, alcohol and tobacco completely. If not at least four to five hours before bedtime. If you are used to them for a long time, it is not wise to stop them abruptly as withdrawal symptoms can disrupt your sleep pattern. Discuss it with your doctor and withdraw them slowly.

Sleep

When women work in shifts, they often find it difficult to fall asleep in the daytime. This trend is getting to be common amongst the present generation of Indian women. Our body is conditioned to turning itself off during the dark hours. But this shifting of sleeping hours also has a more profound effect.Working shifts could also cause irregular menstrual cycles. Changes in exposure to light, and lack of sleep may affect the hormones and cause an imbalance. This may lead to difficulty in getting pregnant and even a higher rate of miscarriages. Premature births and low birth weight babies are also more common among women who regularly work shifts than women working regular hours.Women, who have problems sleeping, desperately need to de-stress. Regular exercise and well-balanced meals help significantly.
A lot of working women are also prone to tension headaches and chronic fatigue. This may make it harder to fall asleep or may cause them to awaken very early in the morning. Relaxation techniques and cognitive therapy play a vital role in dealing with this problem.Women working in shifts may also feel very sleepy at times when they expect to be awake. This may be due to a desperate need for a better quality of sleep. If ignored, it could lead to a persistent neurological disorder called Narcolepsy. You may suddenly lose muscle tone and strength. Very often food with high levels of caffeine and sugar in them tend to keep you awake. Doctors recommend avoiding coffee, tea and alcohol at bedtime. A lot of sleep related problems could be overcome by changing your lifestyle. If problems still persist, you may need professional help.

Mood

Change your mood naturally
Have you heard that inhaling essential oils can help change your mood?
Is this true? Citrus scents such as lemon, orange and grapefruit are great mood lifters, while herbs such as eucalyptus will make you less grouchy and can also perk you up. You can find essential oils in health food stores or in ayurvedic stores. But be careful not to put the pure oil on your skin because it can be very potent and can cause irritation and sun sensitivity.
If you are more of a "ready to wear" kind of person, pre-blended products are also available. Try them from stores that stock such items. For example - the Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, has some very interesting oils, candles and perfumes which can be bought to lift your mood right up to the skies.
Don't hide those emotions
Keeping a stiff upper lip during stressful situations appears to interfere with the ability to think clearly during the event and to recall the details afterwards.
Suppressing emotions is a common and often highly regarded habit of modern life. It's what we do to hide ourselves from others. But keeping a lid on emotions takes so much vigilance that it seriously drains brainpower, according to recent studies conducted at Stanford University.
Research suggests that people who can adjust and reappraise the situation as challenging, rather than threatening or uncomfortable, feel and perform better. It also helps to take on the demeanour of a more-disinterested party who wouldn't feel upset in the same situation.

Emotions

Keeping a stiff upper lip during stressful situations appears to interfere with the ability to think clearly during the event and to recall the details afterwards.
Suppressing emotions is a common and often highly regarded habit of modern life. It's what we do to hide ourselves from others. But keeping a lid on emotions takes so much vigilance that it seriously drains brainpower, according to recent studies conducted at Stanford University.
Research suggests that people who can adjust and reappraise the situation as challenging, rather than threatening or uncomfortable, feel and perform better. It also helps to take on the demeanour of a more-disinterested party who wouldn't feel upset in the same situation.

Stress At Everywhere

How often have you woken on a Monday morning wishing it were actually a Friday. The cause for this desperation is ‘Stress’. Stress is slowly but certainly becoming the bane of society. Increased work pressure is leading to stress, which in turn is taking its toll on employee health.
What is stress?
Job stress is a chronic disease caused by conditions in the workplace that negatively affect an individual's performance and/or overall well-being of his body and mind. One or more of a host of physical and mental illnesses manifests job stress. In some cases, job stress can be disabling. In chronic cases a psychiatric consultation is usually required to validate the reason and degree of work related stress.
How does it adversely affect an employee's performance?
In the beginning, job stress can 'rev up' the body and enhance performance in the workplace, thus the term 'I perform better under pressure' works. But if this condition is allowed to go unchecked and the body is revved up further, the performance deteriorates and it affects the person's health adversely.
Time to see how we can deal with stress positively.
The following are good stress busters:
Learn to let go.
We can do this by delegating certain work to our co-workers. By trusting that they will also do a good job of it. Many times we keep dealing with ‘more important things while the rest of the work is left unattended. This adds on to our stress.
Learn to say a polite ‘No’.
We all get interrupted whilst we are working, by those tiny one minute’s we give our co-workers and more often than not these one minute conversations turn into a prolonged discussions. Stay away from these distractions. You will realize how must faster things will move if you were not disturbed.
Taking a Break is Fine
Move away from your workstation once in a while. Grab a couple of minutes in the quiet. These breaks will let you focus better once you get back to work and you will soon realize how they enthuse you, thereby enhancing your productivity.
Staying connected continuously is injurious to your health.
How often have you felt the pressure of answering every call you get or respond to every mail you get within the very next minute! Resist this urge. Electronic disruptions interrupt your workflow, pile up work and increase stress levels.
Talk about it
Probably the most common reason for stress is work relationships. Getting along with co-workers or superiors is always a sore point for most of us . Most colleagues would be mature and understanding enough to sit across the table to sort out trivial issues. Similarly most managers today have some kind of training in handling conflict like situations and would be more than happy to help sort out any issues you may be having.
Do something completely unplanned once in a while.
Do things that you want to do, and don’t be bogged down by life. Think different. Do Different.
Stress has become as much a part of our work culture today as the coffee machines. Dealing with it positively is the best way to combat it.