How to Use Feng Shui

Feng Shui Tips for Better Health

Feng shui priorities for a home that will support vibrant health:

1. Fresh, good quality air. Easier said than done, I know. Very often ignored, good quality air is indeed the # 1 feng shui health priority. Work with feng shui air-purifying plants, open the window often to aerate the space, use essential oils to clear the air, use air-purifiers, etc. Do whatever it takes to find solutions for better air in your home; breathingclean air regularly is the feng shui foundation for your health and well-being.

1. Sufficient natural light. This also includes intelligent, smart indoor lighting. I know this feng shui step, again, is easier said than done. Once you focus on the quality of light, though, you will very quickly sense  a shift in your health and well-being. Light is our #1 nutrient, be wise and give your body enough light nutrition. This also includes the smart use of feng shui colors, as color is light.

1. A clutter-free space. Again, not easy to do, thus often the feng shui step of clutter clearing is ignored in favor of more “flashy” feng shui cures. Be serious and realize that no amount of wind chimes, good feng shui colors or feng shui plants will negate the low, depressing energy of clutter. You just have to deal with your clutter, as clutter constantly drains energy from you.

You might not have the energy to start clearing clutter or do major furniture rearranging, but you might still employ some easy feng shui solutions to help you out.

• Thoroughly cleanse your kitchen and let go of any unhealthy foods.
• Bring fresh herbs like basil, rosemary or mint (Wood feng shui element), ideally in clay pots (Earth feng shui element) and find a good place for them in your kitchen.
• Always have fresh water in site. A good idea is to place a row of spring water bottles (Water feng shui element) that you replenish as necessary.
• Have 9 oranges (Fire feng shui element) in a round metal bowl (Metal feng shui element.) Replenish them, too, as needed.
• Be sure to aerate your kitchen often and let natural light in.
  

  What makes the energy unhealthy?

  clutter - energy which has become stuck and stale around piles of stuff which we have not attended to for some time, can make us congested in our body, confused in our mind and stuck in our life.

  badly arranged furniture or rooms - bed facing the wrong direction, furniture out of balance in the room,  corners and edges of furniture aiming at people, long empty stretches of room or hall.

  harmful energy from outside - single trees or telegraph poles in line with the front door, heavy foliage in the front, weak foliage at the back, energy rushing around instead of meandering

  wrong colours - each colour has an energy vibration which affects us in different ways.

  badly placed objects - spiky plants,  the wrong picture for the room, poor lighting, uninspiring ornaments

  a negative attitude - which can affect you, your environment, other people and your life situation – but this is where feng shui can help.

  1) Wealth Tips      2) Wealth Feng Shui   3) Harmony at Home

Harvard:Dairy not Healthy

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/harvard-declares-dairy-not-part-of-healthy-diet.html#ixzz1iQa1o5si

Harvard Declares Dairy NOT Part of Healthy Diet
Michelle Schoffro Cook

The Harvard School of Public Health sent a strong message to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and nutrition experts everywhere with the recent release of its “Healthy Eating Plate” food guide.  The university was responding to the USDA’s new MyPlate guide for healthy eating, which replaced the outdated and misguided food pyramid.

Harvard’s nutrition experts did not pull punches, declaring that the university’s food guide was based on sound nutrition research and more importantly, not influenced by food industry lobbyists.  The greatest evidence of its research focus is the absence of dairy products from the “Healthy Eating Plate” based on Harvard’s assessment that “…high intake can increase the risk of prostate cancer and possibly ovarian cancer.”  The Harvard experts also referred to the high levels of saturated fat in most dairy products and suggested that collards, bok choy, fortified soy milk, and baked beans are safer choices than dairy for obtaining calcium, as are high quality supplements.

Kudos to Harvard for promoting greater consumption of vegetables and fruits, as well as healthier protein options such as fish, beans or nuts.  And kudos to Harvard for ignoring the lobbyists and showing the USDA what healthy eating is all about.

Related Articles:

1)  Cancer can be Cured    2)  GB on Cancer    3) DCA Therapy

Alkalinity and Acidity

Getting in Balance – Alkalinity and Acidity

Human blood pH should be slightly alkaline ( 7.35 – 7.45 ).  Below or above this range means symptoms and disease.

A pH of 7.0 is neutral.  A pH below 7.0 is acidic.  A pH above 7.0 is alkaline.

An acidic pH can occur from, an acid forming diet, emotional stress, toxic overload, and/or immune reactions or any process that deprives the cells of oxygen and other nutrients.  The body will try to compensate for acidic pH by using alkaline minerals.  If the diet does not contain enough minerals to compensate, a build up of acids in the cells will occur.

An acidic balance will:  decrease the body’s ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients, decrease the energy production in the cells, decrease it’s ability to repair damaged cells, decrease it’s ability to detoxify heavy metals, make tumor cells thrive, and make it more susceptible to fatigue and illness.  A blood pH of 6.9, which is only slightly acidic, can induce coma and death.

The reason acidosis is more common in our society is mostly due to the typical American diet, which is far too high in acid producing animal products like meat, eggs and dairy, and far too low in alkaline producing foods like fresh vegetables.  

Additionally, we eat acid producing processed foods like white flour and sugar and drink acid producing beverages like coffee and soft drinks.  We use too many drugs, which are acid forming; and we use artificial chemical sweetners like NutraSweet, Spoonful, Sweet ‘N Low, Equal, or Aspartame, which are poison and extremely acid forming.  One of the best things we can do to correct an overly acid body is to clean up the diet and lifestyle.

To maintain health, the diet should consist of 60% alkaline forming foods and 40% acid forming foods.  To restore health, the diet should consist of 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acid forming foods.

Generally, alkaline forming foods include: most fruits, green vegetables, peas, beans, lentils, spices, herbs and seasonings, and seeds and nuts.

Generally, acid forming foods include: meat, fish, poultry, eggs, grains, and legumes.

In its natural state, the body is slightly alkaline. It must maintain this slightly alkaline state for your very survival, and has developed complex mechanisms to ensure that this balance is maintained.

Most of us are natural alkaline producers in our early years. This is why many children can get away with eating an imbalanced diet and still be healthy and slender right up until they are in their twenties.

But as we reach our thirties and forties, the majority of us have become overly acidic. That’s because nearly everything we are exposed to – foods, environmental toxins, even stress – contribute to an acidic condition in our bodies, and our natural buffer systems become less efficient over time at neutralizing that acid. We go from being in a more or less continuous alkaline state to having chronic acidosis, or chronic excess acidity.

An imbalanced pH affects all cellular activity in the body, leading to the progression of most degenerative diseases, including acid reflux or indigestion, gout, cardiovascular disease and heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholestorol levels, kidney stones, urinary incontinence, arthritis, osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes, systemic weight gain and obesity.

An imbalanced body pH can also be at the root of many common symptoms such as constipation, digestive problems, heartburn, headaches, frequent colds, fatigue, and sleeplessness, just to mention a few.

A list of Acid / Alkaline Forming Foods

Alkaline Forming Foods VEGETABLES Garlic Asparagus Fermented Veggies Watercress Beets Broccoli Brussel sprouts Cabbage Carrot Cauliflower Celery Chard Chlorella Collard Greens Cucumber Eggplant Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce Mushrooms Mustard Greens Dulce Dandelions Edible Flowers Onions Parsnips (high glycemic) Peas Peppers Pumpkin Rutabaga Sea Veggies Spirulina Sprouts Squashes Alfalfa Barley Grass Wheat Grass Wild Greens Nightshade Veggies FRUITS Apple Apricot Avocado Banana (high glycemic) Cantaloupe Cherries Currants Dates/Figs Grapes Grapefruit Lime Honeydew Melon Nectarine Orange Lemon Peach Pear Pineapple All Berries Tangerine Tomato Tropical Fruits Watermelon PROTEIN Eggs (poached) Whey Protein Powder Cottage Cheese Chicken Breast Yogurt Almonds Chestnuts Tofu (fermented) Flax Seeds Pumpkin Seeds Tempeh (fermented) Squash Seeds Sunflower Seeds Millet Sprouted Seeds Nuts OTHER Apple Cider Vinegar Bee Pollen Lecithin Granules Probiotic Cultures Green Juices Veggies Juices Fresh Fruit Juice Organic Milk (unpasteurized) Mineral Water Alkaline Antioxidant Water Green Tea Herbal Tea Dandelion Tea Ginseng Tea Banchi Tea Kombucha SWEETENERS Stevia Ki Sweet SPICES/SEASONINGS Cinnamon Curry Ginger Mustard Chili Pepper Sea Salt Miso Tamari All Herbs ORIENTAL VEGETABLES Maitake Daikon Dandelion Root Shitake Kombu Reishi Nori Umeboshi Wakame Sea Veggies

Acid Forming Foods FATS & OILS Avocado Oil Canola Oil Corn Oil Hemp Seed Oil Flax Oil Lard Olive Oil Safflower Oil Sesame Oil Sunflower Oil FRUITS Cranberries GRAINS Rice Cakes Wheat Cakes Amaranth Barley Buckwheat Corn Oats (rolled) Quinoa Rice (all) Rye Spelt Kamut Wheat Hemp Seed Flour DAIRY Cheese, Cow Cheese, Goat Cheese, Processed Cheese, Sheep Milk Butter NUTS & BUTTERS Cashews Brazil Nuts Peanuts Peanut Butter Pecans Tahini Walnuts ANIMAL PROTEIN Beef Carp Clams Fish Lamb Lobster Mussels Oyster Pork Rabbit Salmon Shrimp Scallops Tuna Turkey Venison PASTA (WHITE) Noodles Macaroni Spaghetti OTHER Distilled Vinegar Wheat Germ Potatoes DRUGS & CHEMICALS Aspartame Chemicals Drugs, Medicinal Drugs, Psychedelic Pesticides Herbicides ALCOHOL Beer Spirits Hard Liquor Wine BEANS & LEGUMES Black Beans Chick Peas Green Peas Kidney Beans Lentils Lima Beans Pinto Beans Red Beans Soy Beans Soy Milk White Beans Rice Milk Almond Milk

 Also Read Below:

12 Reasons to Avoid Acids and Stay Alkaline

Alkalining Lemon Water

More Ranked Foods: Alkaline (pH)  to  Acidic (pH)

Alkaline:  Meditation, Prayer, Peace, Kindness & Love	Acid:  Overwork, Anger, Fear, Jealousy & Stress
Extremely Alkaline Forming Foods – pH 8.5 to 9.0	Extremely Acid Forming Foods – pH 5.0 to 5.5
9.0  Lemons 1, Watermelon 2   8.5  Agar Agar 3, Cantaloupe, Cayenne (Capsicum) 4, Dried dates & figs, Kelp, Karengo, Kudzu root, Limes, Mango, Melons, Papaya, Parsley 5, Seedless grapes (sweet), Watercress, Seaweeds         Asparagus 6, Endive, Kiwifruit, Fruit juices 7, Grapes (sweet), Passion fruit, Pears (sweet), Pineapple, Raisins, Umeboshi plum, Vegetable juices 8	5.0  Artificial sweeteners   5.5  Beef, Carbonated soft drinks & fizzy drinks 38, Cigarettes (tailor made), Drugs, Flour (white, wheat) 39, Goat, Lamb, Pastries & cakes from white flour, Pork, Sugar (white) 40         Beer 34, Brown sugar 35, Chicken, Deer, Chocolate, Coffee 36, Custard with white sugar, Jams, Jellies, Liquor 37, Pasta (white), Rabbit, Semolina, Table salt refined and iodized, Tea black, Turkey, Wheat bread, White rice, White vinegar (processed).
Moderate Alkaline – pH 7.5 to 8.0	Moderate Acid – pH 6.0 to 6.5
8.0  Apples (sweet), Apricots, Alfalfa sprouts 9, Arrowroot, Flour 10, Avocados, Bananas (ripe), Berries, Carrots, Celery, Currants, Dates & figs (fresh), Garlic 11, Gooseberry, Grapes (less sweet), Grapefruit, Guavas, Herbs (leafy green), Lettuce (leafy green), Nectarine, Peaches (sweet), Pears (less sweet), Peas (fresh sweet), Persimmon, Pumpkin (sweet), Sea salt (vegetable) 12, Spinach   7.5  Apples (sour), Bamboo shoots, Beans (fresh green), Beets, Bell Pepper, Broccoli, Cabbage;Cauli, Carob 13, Daikon, Ginger (fresh), Grapes (sour), Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce (pale green), Oranges, Parsnip, Peaches (less sweet), Peas (less sweet), Potatoes & skin, Pumpkin (less sweet), Raspberry, Sapote, Strawberry, Squash 14, Sweet corn (fresh), Tamari 15, Turnip, Vinegar (apple cider) 16	6.0  Cigarette tobacco (roll your own), Cream of Wheat (unrefined), Fish, Fruit juices with sugar, Maple syrup (processed), Molasses (sulphured), Pickles (commercial), Breads (refined) of corn, oats, rice & rye, Cereals (refined) eg weetbix, corn flakes, Shellfish, Wheat germ, Whole Wheat foods 32, Wine 33, Yogurt (sweetened)   6.5  Bananas (green), Buckwheat, Cheeses (sharp), Corn & rice breads, Egg whole (cooked hard), Ketchup, Mayonnaise, Oats, Pasta (whole grain), Pastry (wholegrain & honey), Peanuts, Potatoes (with no skins), Popcorn (with salt & butter), Rice (basmati), Rice (brown), Soy sauce (commercial), Tapioca, Wheat bread (sprouted organic)
Slightly Alkaline to Neutral pH 7.0	Slightly Acid to Neutral pH 7.0
7.0  Almonds 17, Artichokes (Jerusalem), Barley-Malt (sweetener-Bronner), Brown Rice Syrup, Brussel Sprouts, Cherries, Coconut (fresh), Cucumbers, Egg plant, Honey (raw), Leeks, Miso, Mushrooms, Okra, Olives ripe 18, Onions, Pickles 19, (home made), Radish, Sea salt 20, Spices 21, Taro, Tomatoes (sweet), Vinegar (sweet brown rice), Water Chestnut         Amaranth, Artichoke (globe), Chestnuts (dry roasted), Egg yolks (soft cooked), Essene bread 22, Goat’s milk and whey (raw) 23, Horseradish, Mayonnaise (home made), Millet, Olive oil, Quinoa, Rhubarb, Sesame seeds (whole) 24, Soy beans (dry), Soy cheese, Soy milk, Sprouted grains 25, Tempeh, Tofu, Tomatoes (less sweet), Yeast (nutritional flakes)	7.0  Barley malt syrup, Barley, Bran, Cashews, Cereals (unrefined with honey-fruit-maple syrup), Cornmeal, Cranberries 30, Fructose, Honey (pasteurized), Lentils, Macadamias, Maple syrup (unprocessed), Milk (homogenized) and most processed dairy products, Molasses (unsulphered organic) 31, Nutmeg, Mustard, Pistachios, Popcorn & butter (plain), Rice or wheat crackers (unrefined), Rye (grain), Rye bread (organic sprouted), Seeds (pumpkin & sunflower), Walnuts         Blueberries, Brazil nuts, Butter (salted), Cheeses (mild & crumbly) 28, Crackers (unrefined rye), Dried beans (mung, adzuki, pinto, kidney, garbanzo) 29, Dry coconut, Egg whites, Goats milk (homogenized), Olives (pickled), Pecans, Plums 30, Prunes 30, Spelt

Miracles of Turmeric

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400838/Turmeric-for-Arthritis.html

Question : Turmeric for Arthritis?

Answer : Published (12/3/2010)

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a culinary spice that is a major ingredient in Indian curries and is the component that makes American mustard yellow. Accumulating evidence suggests that this brightly colored relative of ginger is a promising disease-preventive agent as well, probably due largely to its anti-inflammatory properties. And at least one new study suggests that it can be used effectively for arthritis treatment.

This research, from Italy, was a three-month trial involving 50 patients diagnosed by x-ray with osteoarthritis of the knee. The Italian team was investigating the effect on arthritis symptoms of a special formulation of turmeric designed to improve its absorption by the body. Half the participating patients took the turmeric formulation in addition to standard medical treatment; those in the second group continued following their physicians’ recommendations.

After 90 days, the researchers found a 58 percent decrease in overall reported pain and stiffness as well as an improvement in physical functioning among the turmeric group compared to the controls. These changes were documented with a standard medical scoring method used to assess symptoms of knee and hip osteoarthritis. In addition, another scoring method showed a 300 percent improvement in the emotional well being of the turmeric patients compared with the others. And blood tests showed a 16-fold decline in C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation. Patients in the turmeric group were able to reduce their use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs by 63 percent, compared to the other group.

Results of this study are very good news for the millions of people worldwide who suffer from osteoarthritis and haven’t been adequately helped by available treatments. The dose of the turmeric formulation used in the study was one gram per day. It is now commercially available in the United States and Europe.

Turmeric may also be useful for prevention of symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, but this evidence comes from animal studies, not human trials.

Research also suggests that turmeric may prevent changes that lead to Alzheimer’s disease, and animal studies have shown that turmeric may be effective in the prevention or treatment of colon, breast and prostate cancers.

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-365491/How-curry-help-cancer-bay.html#StartComments

How curry can help keep cancer at bay

The spice that gives many curries a yellow colour could help halt the spread of breast cancer, research suggests.

Scientists found that curcumin, the main ingredient of turmeric, appeared to stop tumours spreading to other parts of the body.

It proved particularly effective when combined with an existing chemotherapy drug.

Researchers described their findings as ‘exciting’ and said they hoped patients would be able to benefit from the discovery within a few years.

Scientists took 60 mice with breast cancer and, after removing the tumours, gave some curcumin and others a normal, drug-free diet.

The rest were given a common chemotherapy drug called Taxol, or a combination of curcumin and Taxol. The team found that 96 per cent of those on a normal diet with no medication developed tumours in the lungs that were visible without a microscope.

By contrast, none of those given curcumin and Taxol developed clearly visible tumours.

Even when examined under a microscope, only 28 per cent of the mice given a combination of curcumin and Taxol showed signs that the cancer had spread.

Mice given only curcumin also saw a ‘significant reduction’ in the number of visible lung tumours.

Scientists think that the spice helps shut down a protein that plays a key role in the spread of cancers.

The research, published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research, was carried out by the University of Texas’s MD Anderson Cancer Centre.

Bharat Aggarwal, a professor of cancer medicine who took part in the study, said: “We are excited about the results of the study and the possible implications for taking the findings into the clinic in the next several years.”

It is not the first time scien tists have found that curries can be good for health.

Curcumin, a member of the ginger family, is already widely used in Indian and Chinese medicine for a range of ailments from rheumatism to abdominal pain.

Studies have suggested that turmeric – of which curcumin is the active ingredient – can help to slow prostate cancer.

And last year, researchers said curcumin, which gives curries a mustard-yellow colour, could help protect the brain against the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease. This could explain why rates of Alzheimer’s are far lower in India than in the West.

Other curry spices linked to health benefits include coriander, which aids digestion, and fenugreek, which can help prevent mouth ulcers and sore throats.

 ALSO READ BELOW:

Can Turmeric Relieve Pain?  @ http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1910028,00.html

Indian Yellow Milk  @ http://www.indiacurrents.com/articles/2009/09/22/indian-yellow-milk

HOW TO PURIFY YOUR SPACE

HOW TO PURIFY YOUR SPACE

Certain places are intrinsically dirtier than others. If you spend time in these surroundings, you are exposed to greater-than-average energetic contamination. Thus, you may need to practice energetic hygiene more diligently and more regularly — for example, cutting cords and performing general self-sweeping.  You can also directly clean the area. Below are easy to perform techniques used in Pranic Healing to quickly purify your environment.

Steps in Cleaning a room or building of dirty energy

1. Burn incense. Burn a stick or cone of incense in the rooms of your house or work area. Sandalwood is the most common cleansing incense; it contains much high-quality green prana. If you prefer different fragrances, however, lavender incense contains blue-violet prana, and sage incense contains green, blue and violet prana.

2. Chant “OM” or “Amen.”  Chant the mantra “OM” or “Amen” in the room for 20 minutes. This mantra disperses dirty energy, which is why it is universally used as part of many meditation routines to clear the mind of thoughts. As an alternative, you can play the Grandmaster Choa Kok Sui OM CD.

3. Open all windows and curtains to let fresh air and sunlight in. An easy way to clean a house or room energetically, opening windows and curtains allows cleansing solar and air prana to flood a room or house. An hour or two a day should be sufficient for moderate residual contamination.

4. Spray the area with salt water from a sprayer. Mix a few tablespoons of salt with a cup of water in a sprayer with a fine misting capability. Shake to dissolve the salt. Walk through a room spraying the salt and water into the air, allowing the droplets to filter down to the floor. Just as salt water breaks down the dirty energy that you sweep from your own aura, it also effectively cleans a room or building. Holy water of the Catholic Church is essentially salt water with the priest’s benediction on it.

5. Loud clapping. Loud, purposeful clapping with intent can break up and disperse dirty energy in a room. Go into a room, form a clear intent to dispel the dirty energy, and walk through the area clapping about 10 to 30 times, depending on the size of the room. One clap per second is a good pace.

It may be difficult to perform some of these routines in your work area, so here is a technique that can be employed for either home or work:
Project Electric Violet Energy to the room or area. Visualize your house or workplace very small, about a foot in total area, in front of you. Make the visualization as clear as you can.

Form the intent that you are scanning the house or area to determine if there is any dirty energy and then scan it. Be aware of any sensations of stickiness or heaviness, just as you did when you scanned your own body.

Imagine Electric Violet beam projecting from your palm as you focus your Crown Chakra. Flood the house or area with the Electric Violet beams-flushing out all negativity into the earth. Project for a minimum period of 5 minutes or until you feel the area feels lighter. Repeat as necessary. You can also pray as you project Electric Violet. Many will feel strong vibration or ‘buzzing’ sensation on your Crown and Hand Chakras.

Then, rescan the house. It should be much cleaner than it was before you started.

***** Excerpt from the Book “Your Hands Can Heal You“

http://pranichealing.com/article/purify-your-space-negative-energies-psychic-pollution

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Foods for Healthy Hair

Top 9 Foods for Healthy Hair:

Forum.abfun.net

1. Salmon : It is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, this high-quality protein source is also filled with vitamin B-12 and iron. Vegetarian? Include one or two tablespoons of ground flaxseed in your daily diet for some plant-based omega-3 fats.

2. Dark Green Vegetables : Spinach, like broccoli and Swiss chard, is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, which your body needs to produce sebum. The oily substance, secreted by your hair follicles, is the body’s natural hair conditioner. Dark green vegetables also provide iron and calcium.

3. Beans : Yes, it’s true. Legumes like kidney beans and lentils should be an important part of your hair-care diet. Not only do they provide plentiful protein to promote hair growth, but ample iron, zinc, and biotin. While rare, biotin deficiencies can result in brittle hair.

4. Nuts : Brazil nuts are one of nature’s best sources of selenium, an important mineral for the health of your scalp. Walnuts contain alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that may help condition your hair. They are also a terrific source of zinc, as are cashews, pecans, and almonds. A zinc deficiency can lead to hair shedding, so make sure nuts are a regular on your healthy hair menu.

5. Poultry : Without adequate protein or with low-quality protein, one can experience weak brittle hair, while a profound protein deficiency can result in loss of hair color. Poultry also provides iron with a high degree of bioavailability, meaning your body can easily reap its benefits.

6. Eggs : Eggs are one of the best protein sources you can find. They contain biotin and vitamin B-12, which are important beauty nutrients.

7. Whole Grains : Sink your teeth into hearty whole grains, including whole-wheat bread and fortified whole-grain breakfast cereals, for a hair-healthy dose of zinc, iron, and B vitamins.

8. Low-Fat Dairy Products : Low-fat dairy products like skim milk and yogurt are great sources of calcium, an important mineral for hair growth. They also contain whey and casein, two high-quality protein sources. Try yogurt or cottage cheese cup in your bag when you head out in the morning to snack on later in the day. You can even boost their hair benefits by stirring in a couple of tablespoons of ground flaxseeds or walnuts for omega-3 fatty acids and zinc.

9. Carrots : Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, which promotes a healthy scalp along with good vision. Since a healthy scalp is essential for a shiny, well-conditioned head of hair, you’d be wise to include carrots in your diet as snacks or toppings on your salad.

Uses & Benefits of Spices

The uses and benefits of spices

IndiaParenting.Com

Imagine your food without any spices. Unimaginable, is it? We can easily put it this way; wherever you find an Indian you will find spices. No wonder, when food giants from across the world come to India, they have to add an Indian twist to their menu.

Right from the kitchen and medicinal uses in homes spices have an important role to play in different places. As India is blessed with a varied climate each of its state produces some spice or the other. No wonder why spices are used so extensively for cooking in India. Not only in Indiabut also in some other countries spices are considered to be of great use.

Apart from adding colour, flavour and taste, consumption of spices provide infinite health benefits. You can be more creative in use of spices if you know its uses better. Some may be a substitute for your costly beautyproducts and even medicines. Have a quick overview of Indian spices, their uses and benefits

Spices	Uses	Benefits
Asafoetida (Hing)	It is used for seasoning food especially snacks and has medicinal uses.	A good remedy for whooping cough and stomach ache caused due to gas.
Bay leaf (Tez Patta)	It is used in cooking to add a specific flavour to food. It also has some medicinal properties.	Bay leaf oil possesses antifungal and anti bacterial
Cardamom (Elaichi)	It is used in most of the Indian and other sweet dishes to give a good flavour and smell. It is also used widely in pharmaceutical sector.	Helps to control bad breathand digestive disorder. A whole cardamom chewed is good for coping with diabetes.
Chilli (Lal Mirch)	It is a main ingredient used for adding hot flavour to the food.	The antioxidants present in chilli help to cope with cholesterol. It also helps burning calories
Cinnamon (Dalchini)	It is used for mainly for seasoning food and preparing masalas It has medicinal uses too.	It supports natural production of insulin and reduces blood cholesterol
Clove (Laung)	It is used as a cooking ingredient mainly for seasoning or preparing Masalas.	Clove oil is beneficial for coping with tooth ache and sore gums. It is also beneficial remedy for chest pains, fever, digestive problems, cough and cold.
Coriander (Dhaniya)	Coriander leaves as well as coriander seeds are used in cooking. It also has some medicinal uses.	It can be used externally on aching joints and rheumatism. It is also good for coping with soar throat, allergies, digestion problems, hay fever etc.
Cumin (Zeera)	It is used for cooking and it also possesses medicinal properties.	It is a good source or iron and keeps immune system healthy. Water boiled with cumin seeds is good for coping with dysentery.
Curry leaves(Curry Patta)	It is used as a main ingredient for seasoning in some countries. It has many medicinal uses.	These leaves are beneficial for reducing blood sugar. Each part of the plant provides some benefit or the other. The dried leaves are extensively used in herbal medicines.
Fenugreek (Methi)	It is mainly used as a green leafy vegetable and seeds are used for seasoning and preparingMasalas. It also has medicinal uses.	Fenugreek seed tea or sweet fudge is good for increasing breast milk. It also helpful for treating diabetes and lowering cholesterol
Garlic (Lassan)	It is used for cooking as well as for the medicinal purpose.	It is useful for coping withcough and cold. It also has antibiotic properties.
Ginger (Adrak)	It is used for giving a specific flavour to food and has many medicinal uses.	Helps to avoid digestive problems. It is beneficial for coping with cough and cold.
Mustard (Rye)	It is used for seasoning as well as green leafy vegetable. The use of mustard oil is extensive in India but it is banned in some countries.	Mustard oil is good for body massage and even for getting good hair. It consists of omega-3 fatty acids. It is an excellent source of iron, zinc, manganese, calcium, protein etc.
Nutmeg (Jaiphal)	It is used in powdered form for garnishing and also for masala preparation. It is used in soaps, perfumes and shampoos. It can also be used for medicinal purpose.	It is beneficial for the treatments of asthma, heart disorder and bad breath.
Pepper (Kaali Mirch)	It is extensively used in cooking, especially for garnishing. It is has many medicinal uses too.	It helps coping with cold,cough, infections etc. It helps to deal with muscle pains and digestive problems
Saffron (Zaffran/Kesar)	It is used for cooking as well as in beauty products. It is mainly used in sweet dishes. It has good medicinal properties.	It helps to cope with skin diseases. It is a good remedy for cough, cold and asthma.
Star anise (Chakra Phool)	It is used in cooking and for medicinal purpose	Star anise oil is beneficial for rheumatism. It is helpful for digestion and avoiding bad breath
Turmeric (Haldi)	It is used in cooking and skin care products. It has wide range medicinal uses.	It helps deal with skin problems. Turmeric powder can be used for healing cuts and wounds. It also makes coping with diabeteseasier.

Spices are used and imported from India since ages. Many of these spices like cardamom, clove, nutmeg, ginger etc., are inseparable ingredients of the Indian ‘Masala Chai‘. This shows that spices form the basis of not only food in India but also for making a good cup of tea.

Though these spices provide innumerable benefits they should be used sparingly. The excessive use of spices in food can cause harm to the health. Try to make specific use of these spices. This will help you to make optimal use of the resources provided by nature. Strike the right balance and add some spice to your life.

Hand Reflexology Points

Hand Reflexology Points

Reflexology is a touch science. The earliest evidence of Reflexology comes from China, circa 2700 BCE. The reflex is stimulated by direct pressure to the particular point. On the palm and wrist there are some 45 reflex points, and on the back of the hand 28 reflex points, that represent a particular organ, region, or function of the body. Combinations of reflex points are used in Reflex therapies.

Since hand reflexology is performed by applying pressure from fingers and thumbs on reflex points on the hands, the practice can provide an easy, cost-effective and safe way to treat ailments. While reflexology hand mapping feels best (and may be more effective) when done by someone else, it is possible to work on oneself.

Points For Upper Body

Side of head (inside of upper thumb)
Sinuses (fingertips)
Nose (pads of fingers)
Eustachian tubes (Base between the ring and middle finger at the palm)
Ears (base of pinkie and ring finger)
Eyes (base of the first and middle fingers)
Brain (tips of the thumbs)
Neck/Throat (above the base knuckle of the thumb and around)
Thyroid  (below the neck/throat)
Parathyroid (within the thyroid band toward the center)

Middle Body

Heart (below the pointing finger half way on the left hand)
Throat/neck (around the thumb below the first knuckle)
Shoulders (Under the pinkie knuckle at the edge of the palm)
Solar plexus (below the heart area on the left palm and near the space at the base of the thumb)
Spleen (left side halfway down below the ring and pinkie fingers)
Liver (right halfway down below the ring and pinkie fingers)
Gall bladder (right halfway down below the space between the middle and ring fingers)
Pancreas/stomach (around the base knuckle of the thumb)

Lower Body

Ascending, transverse and descending colon (along the lower mid-palm to the rectum point just above the left wrist)
Bladder
Uterus and prostate (the lower outboard area of the palm below the thumb)
Ovaries and testes (where the wrist and the hand meet below the pinkie finger)

Combinations

The empirical evidence of reflex therapy is contained in work performed by the International Institute of Reflexology in Saint Petersburg, Florida. Below are some of the conditions and combinations of reflexes used.

Addiction and craving: (lymph, solar plexus/stomach, pituitary, spine and adrenals; plus full hand massage)
Cold and flu: (lungs, sinus, lymph, solar plexus, adrenals, and pituitary points. Plus the tips of the fingers and thumbs, two areas below the knuckle under the pointer finger, one area under the middle finger knuckle, and one mid way down from the pinkie knuckle)
Sexual energy: reflexes in men (testes, prostate and bladder). Reflexes in women (ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes and bladder)
Back Pain: (the spine area along the edges of the thumbs; points below the thumbnail. Points along the heel of the palm; these points are not exact, tenderness in an area communicates the location of these floating points)
Mental Energy: (all points of the head, the neck, thyroid, sinuses, stomach, and intestines)
Immune System: (all lymph points at the base of each finger on the back of the hand, spleen, liver, adrenals pituitary)

Video on HOW-TO

Breathing : Pranayam

Breathing : Pranayam

The Upanishads, the Hindu sacred scriptures, likewise equate prana, in the form of breath, with the universal soul. When it is done properly and when a yoga practitioner is ready, pranayama, the yogic practice of regulating and channeling one’s breath, can provide a bridge between the individual self and the universal soul.

The philosophy of Yoga is centred around achieving complete harmony between our body and mind through special exercise (posturing), breathing and meditation. The aim of Yoga is to live a healthy living and attain self-enlightenment. Yoga means to yoke (to unite) with the source of our Being. In Yoga through practices of holding a variety of body positions or asanas, and the centering of the mind and breath in a meditative way, the practitioner increases body awareness, posture, flexibility of body and mind and calmness of spirit.

To achieve this an individual has to gain complete control over ‘prana’ . Prana is the subtle force , the essence which pervades all life . The objective of Pranayama is to attain complete control of the Prana .It is the breathing process or the control of the motion of inhalation, exhalation and the retention of vital energy.

Bhasrika  @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMoqzvUAb5o&feature=related

Kapalbhati @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAzzv5ytXZQ&feature=related

Anulom-vilom @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rgs4YosrVe4&feature=related

1)  http://knowyoga.org/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=4

2)  http://knowyoga.org/tiki-index.php?page=Pranayama

3)  http://atmabodh.net/anapana_sati_yoga

” LETTING GO”

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/02/100802fa_fact_gawande

‘LETTING GO’

Atul Gawande

Sara Thomas Monopoli was pregnant with her first child when her doctors learned that she was going to die. It started with a cough and a pain in her back. Then a chest X-ray showed that her left lung had collapsed, and her chest was filled with fluid. A sample of the fluid was drawn off with a long needle and sent for testing. Instead of an infection, as everyone had expected, it was lung cancer, and it had already spread to the lining of her chest. Her pregnancy was thirty-nine weeks along, and the obstetrician who had ordered the test broke the news to her as she sat with her husband and her parents. The obstetrician didn’t get into the prognosis—she would bring in an oncologist for that—but Sara was stunned. Her mother, who had lost her best friend to lung cancer, began crying.

The doctors wanted to start treatment right away, and that meant inducing labor to get the baby out. For the moment, though, Sara and her husband, Rich, sat by themselves on a quiet terrace off the labor floor. It was a warm Monday in June, 2007. She took Rich’s hands, and they tried to absorb what they had heard. Monopoli was thirty-four. She had never smoked, or lived with anyone who had. She exercised. She ate well. The diagnosis was bewildering. “This is going to be O.K.,” Rich told her. “We’re going to work through this. It’s going to be hard, yes. But we’ll figure it out. We can find the right treatment.” For the moment, though, they had a baby to think about.

“So Sara and I looked at each other,” Rich recalled, “and we said, ‘We don’t have cancer on Tuesday. It’s a cancer-free day. We’re having a baby. It’s exciting. And we’re going to enjoy our baby.’ ” On Tuesday, at 8:55 P.M., Vivian Monopoli, seven pounds nine ounces, was born. She had wavy brown hair, like her mom, and she was perfectly healthy.

The next day, Sara underwent blood tests and body scans. Dr. Paul Marcoux, an oncologist, met with her and her family to discuss the findings. He explained that she had a non-small cell lung cancer that had started in her left lung. Nothing she had done had brought this on. More than fifteen per cent of lung cancers—more than people realize—occur in non-smokers. Hers was advanced, having metastasized to multiple lymph nodes in her chest and its lining. The cancer was inoperable. But there were chemotherapy options, notably a relatively new drug called Tarceva, which targets a gene mutation commonly found in lung cancers of female non-smokers. Eighty-five per cent respond to this drug, and, Marcoux said, “some of these responses can be long-term.”

Words like “respond” and “long-term” provide a reassuring gloss on a dire reality. There is no cure for lung cancer at this stage. Even with chemotherapy, the median survival is about a year. But it seemed harsh and pointless to confront Sara and Rich with this now. Vivian was in a bassinet by the bed. They were working hard to be optimistic. As Sara and Rich later told the social worker who was sent to see them, they did not want to focus on survival statistics. They wanted to focus on “aggressively managing” this diagnosis.

Sara was started on the Tarceva, which produced an itchy, acne-like facial rash and numbing tiredness. She also underwent a surgical procedure to drain the fluid around her lung; when the fluid kept coming back, a thoracic surgeon eventually placed a small, permanent tube in her chest, which she could drain whenever fluid accumulated and interfered with her breathing. Three weeks after the delivery, she was admitted to the hospital with severe shortness of breath from a pulmonary embolism—a blood clot in an artery to the lungs, which is dangerous but not uncommon in cancer patients. She was started on a blood thinner. Then test results showed that her tumor cells did not have the mutation that Tarceva targets. When Marcoux told Sara that the drug wasn’t going to work, she had an almost violent physical reaction to the news, bolting to the bathroom in mid-discussion with a sudden bout of diarrhea.

Dr. Marcoux recommended a different, more standard chemotherapy, with two drugs called carboplatin and paclitaxel. But the paclitaxel triggered an extreme, nearly overwhelming allergic response, so he switched her to a regimen of carboplatin plus gemcitabine. Response rates, he said, were still very good for patients on this therapy.

She spent the remainder of the summer at home, with Vivian and her husband and her parents, who had moved in to help. She loved being a mother. Between chemotherapy cycles, she began trying to get her life back.

Then, in October, a CT scan showed that the tumor deposits in her left lung and chest and lymph nodes had grown substantially. The chemotherapy had failed. She was switched to a drug called pemetrexed. Studies found that it could produce markedly longer survival in some patients. In reality, however, only a small percentage of patients gained very much. On average, the drug extended survival by only two months—from eleven months to thirteen months—and that was in patients who, unlike Sara, had responded to first-line chemotherapy.

She worked hard to take the setbacks and side effects in stride. She was upbeat by nature, and she managed to maintain her optimism. Little by little, however, she grew sicker—increasingly exhausted and short of breath. By November, she didn’t have the wind to walk the length of the hallway from the parking garage to Marcoux’s office; Rich had to push her in a wheelchair.

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