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Archive for July, 2012|Monthly archive page

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20 DAYS TOWARDS HAPPINESS AND HEALTH: DAY 19

In Health, Healthcare, Medicine on July 11, 2012 at 9:24 am

19. BUY A PLANT

Fact: A NASA study found that common house plants could improve air quality. In fact, they reported that houseplants were able to remove up to 87 percent of air toxins in 24 hours. The recommendation? Use 15 to 18 “good-sized” house plants in 6- to 8-inch diameter containers for a 1,800 square-foot house.

Plants are a great asset to any home or office. They depict Life and Growth. Green color has a very deep meaning to it. It is the color of nature. It relates to growth, peace, freshness, fertility and safety. Green color has wonderful healing powers. It is the restful color for the human eye; it can improve vision. Having a plant also increase oxygen content in air giving your more freshness and vitality.

If you already have one or many plants, rearrange them. Change their position. Or add a new plant to your existing collection.

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20 DAYS TOWARDS HAPPINESS AND HEALTH: DAY 18

In Health, Healthcare, Medicine on July 10, 2012 at 8:00 am

18. MANAGE YOUR OWN STUFF

Fact: While cleaning and re-organizing, we use both Left and Right sides of brain. It also improves neuromuscular co-ordination and burns almost 170 calories per hour.

You may be the lazy one and getting stuff done by your mother or spouse. For a change try to do your own stuff. From laundry to dishes or cleaning your room. Just do it without being a burden on others. On the flip side, you may be the one doing most of the stuff for others around the house. Its time for a break now. You need to involve other people to get to go their own chores. Tell them that you need help and they will do it. This will solve two problems. First, you will get a break for resting. Secondly, by giving them opportunity to work, you are helping them to be responsible. It is must for parents to involve their children in daily chores to make them responsible and good human beings later in Life.

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20 DAYS TOWARDS HAPPINESS AND HEALTH: DAY 17

In Health, Healthcare, Medicine on July 9, 2012 at 8:00 am

17. GIVE A SURPRISE

Fact: One of the most important brain regions involved in discovering, processing and storing new sensory impressions is the hippocampus, located in the temporal lobe of the cerebral cortex. Surprise stimuli tend to activate the hippocampus more than familiar stimuli do, which is why the hippocampus serves as the brain’s “novelty detector.” It in turn improves memory and sense of well being.

Whether it’s a card, flowers, dinner or just a movie night, surprise your loved one. Surprise creates a channel of reactions in our minds which lead to secretion of endorphins and lowers down stress hormone. Giving and receiving a surprise are equally good. You are happy to see the smile on your loved one’s face and even happier to know that you are the reason behind it.  It adds spice to Love Life.

 

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20 DAYS TOWARDS HAPPINESS AND HEALTH: DAY 16

In Health, Healthcare, Medicine on July 8, 2012 at 8:00 am

16. TAKE A WALK

 

Fact: Brisk walking (≥3.5 mph) has been shown to reduce body fat, lower blood pressure, increase high-density lipoprotein (good cholesterol), and even reduces risks of bone fracture

 

Put on your sneakers and go out of the house for a nice 15-30 minutes walk yourself or with you loved one or a friend. Breathing all that fresh air leaves you with vitality and lots of energy. Walking increases use of leg muscles which contain 70% of blood in our body. Putting that 70% blood into good circulation detoxifies your body and mind. It also gives you an opportunity to enjoy nature, meet your neighbors who some people don’t even know because they do not go out to walk. It in turn improves your social capabilities and improves confidence.

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20 DAYS TOWARDS HAPPINESS AND HEALTH: DAY 15

In Health, Healthcare, Medicine on July 7, 2012 at 8:00 am

15. CLEAN YOUR CAR

 

Fact: Maintaining the cleanliness of car makes driving even more pleasurable and helps prevent accidents while your eyes are on the road. That is why poorly kept cars are more prone for accidents statistically as compared to well kept ones.

 

For a lot of us these days, cars are the main means of transportation. Ideally, car is like a mini room, air-conditioned with nice seats and good music. But a lot of times we forget to clean the junk in the cars. All those dirty tissues, gum wrapper, non sense flyers and dust are the most common of things that do not deserve to be in the car. The car mats get allergens and dust mites overtime leading to breathing and allergy issues.

The other benefit of cleaning the car from outside is that cleaning car consumes lots of calories which are good for body. It involves use of various muscle groups and helps stretch them for the good. Not to say it keeps your car shining in the lot and you can save a few bucks which you would have spent in automated car wash.

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20 DAYS TOWARDS HAPPINESS AND HEALTH: DAY 14

In Health, Healthcare, Medicine on July 6, 2012 at 8:00 am

14. GET A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP

 

Fact: The “natural alarm clock” which enables some people to wake up more or less when they want to is caused by a burst of the stress hormone adrenocorticotropin. Researchers say this reflects an unconscious anticipation of the stress of waking up.

It is hard to believe, but over 50% of people suffer from sleep disorders of some kind. Sleep constitutes at least 1/3 of our life. That 1/3rd of time spent in sleep creates a lot of neurophysiological reactions in the body. If we do not sleep well, our cortisol hormone which is also the stress hormone, rises rapidly. This in turn leads to weight gain and multiple other health and mental issues. Poor sleep creates imbalance in our neurotransmitters (dopamine and serotonin) in brain leading to mood disorders, anxiety and depression.

A few ways to improve sleep are

a. Sleep on time: Stop watching late night TV shows and movies for few days and get to bed at a decent time.

b. Sleep at least 7-8 hours: We all need to balance out life if we want a healthy mind and body. It is not the money that makes us wealthy, it’s our mind, body, thoughts and actions which make us rich.

c. Read a book or listen to calming music before going to bed.

d. Drink a glass of warm milk.

e. Take a shower if you like. That would be icing on the cake.

f. Change your bed sheets: A lot of times we do not change the bed sheets periodically, i.e., at least once a week, which leads to build up of certain allergens and bacteria which may cause skin irritation, sinus congestion, etc which lead to poor sleep.

g. Put your cell phone to silent mode: You do not need to get disturbed by the beeping of your phone every time you get an email which are usually useless emails telling you about some promotional deals or stuff like that.

h. If you snore, get early morning headaches or feel tired and sleepy during the day, then you would need to be evaluated for Sleep Apnea which is a very common problem especially in overweight people and smokers.

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20 DAYS TOWARDS HAPPINESS AND HEALTH: DAY 13

In Health, Healthcare, Medicine on July 5, 2012 at 8:02 am

13. WRITE SOMETHING

Fact: Writing enables the transmission of ideas over vast distances of time and space.

Whether it’s something about yourself, an article, poetry, story or whatever, write something. When we write we use our advanced psychoneuomuscular channels. Big word haan!!

It’s easy. Basically what it means is that we connect our brain centers for thoughts and imagination along with nerves and muscles to achieve a goal to write something. With writing, we open up the imaginative part of brain which is the Right side of brain. With our current lifestyle and needs, we mainly use Left side of the brain which is the logical side. It makes us do the things Right. The Right side is more related to creativity and imagination. So by imagining, you are actually increasing the brain power for the good.

Share your work with friends who you think would love to hear about your creativity. If you don’t feel that there is anyone who would be interested in listening to you, take a look in the mirror. The one you see in the mirror is your best friend for life. It will never leave you till you exist. It will follow you wherever you go. So share your thoughts with yourself. It will help you get to know your own self more.

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20 DAYS TOWARDS HAPPINESS AND HEALTH: DAY 12

In Health, Healthcare, Medicine on July 4, 2012 at 7:58 am

12. DONATE

Fact: Hunger and homelessness are among the most pressing issues faced by US cities. According to the Census Bureau, the nation’s poverty rate rose to 15.1% in 2010, its highest level since 1993. In 2009, 14.3% of people in America were living in poverty. For just $1, food banks can provide 8 meals to men, women and children facing hunger.

 

Human minds are designed in such a way that consciously we want things to come to us, but subconsciously we all have a charitable corner which keeps hidden by clutter in our mind. It is time to remove the clutter. Your clutter could be someone’s need. Your old pair of shoes, shirt, pants, coat etc. are some of the items which you can give out to those who are in need. You just have to dump them in a box and drop it off at the nearest GOODWILL center. You will get a lot of satisfaction by doing this. When we give, we get a sense of contribution to society. Contribution connects you to the outer world. So you achieve two goals, Inner satisfaction and connection to the society.

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20 DAYS TOWARDS HAPPINESS AND HEALTH: DAY 11

In Health, Healthcare, Medicine on July 3, 2012 at 9:58 am

11. ORGANIZE YOUR CLOSET

 

 Fact: Organizing closet saves time in mornings, keeps your mood right and improves your organizing skills. It is well known that people who keep their closet organized are good organizers overall.

Our belongings stay in closet. The way we carry ourselves can be easily correlated with the condition of our closet. So clean it. How we are inside is how we are outside. If inside is good, outside always turns good.

The idea is to organize. When we organize, we feel good, we get a sense of achievement. All high achievers are good organizers. Just keeping your closet organized, would lead to cleaning your subconscious mind, improving sense of well-being.

A few easy ways to do is to follow the 80/20 rule. 80% of the things we have are only used 20% of the times and 20% of the things are used 80% of the times. So put the 20% items in front where they can be easily approached and kept. The rest 80% good stuff that you piled up over time thinking that you will be using it, but as usual did not get a chance to use, needs be the one that needs sorting out soon.

Take 2 big plastic or cardboard boxes. Separate the ones that you honestly feel that you would be using in future and the ones that really fit well. Put them in the Box named MINE.

The ones that do not fit, or are now old fashioned or the ones you have used enough that you don’t feel wearing anymore, put them in a box named DONATE. Most people are able to get at least 25-40% of the stuff in Donate Box.

Now your closet is clean and very well organized. Take a picture with your digital camera to remind you of that moment.

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20 DAYS TOWARDS HAPPINESS AND HEALTH: DAY 10

In Health, Healthcare, Medicine on July 2, 2012 at 9:23 am

10. EAT A HEALTHY BREAKFAST

 

Fact: Researchers from the National Weight Control Registry, a database of more than 3,000 people who have lost at least 60 pounds and kept it off for an average of 6 years, found that eating breakfast every day was a weight control strategy for 78% of the people in the registry.

Eggs, juice, milk, wheat bread, whole grain cereal and oatmeal are the best choices for a healthy breakfast. According to research, skipping meals, especially breakfast, can actually make weight control more difficult. Breakfast skippers tend to eat more food than usual at the next meal or nibble on high-calorie snacks to stave off hunger. Several studies suggest that people tend to accumulate more body fat when they eat fewer, larger meals than when they eat the same number of calories in smaller, more frequent meals. You do not have to have the same thing everyday. Change creates spice in life.