You will just not want to miss this!
Romans 8:1
Life Through the Spirit:
Therefore there is now
no condemnation for those
who are in Christ Jesus.
Therefore there is now
no condemnation for those
who are in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1
Taste and see for the Lord is good
Dreams: Vivid Visualisations
Contributed by: Amit Goyal (amitgoyal_pau @ yahoo.com)
When we were young, we had dreams and expectations. We imagine things, we keep thinking about what we want to be, what we want to do, what makes us proud and happy and what will we become.
We grew up, and things seemed like having its own way. We accept our success or failures and we move on. The rapid change, the need to do the urgent things, the works, the pressures and the failures, all kill part of our visions.
Things have changed, but they cannot really take away the dreams. We still have to dream on, to visualize our desires, our wants, our vision of our future, even when we are considered too old for such things.
Cornel Sanders started his business when he was sixty, and started the whole successful KFC business. The main thing is not the age - whether being too old, or too young, but it is the desire to dream on, and the courage to realize it.
Vivid visualization, taking it to sleep, thinking constantly about it, talking about it, planning it, adding all the spices to our dreams will make us a bit closer to the realization of our dreams.
Entrepreneurship starts with a dream, a simple wish of tiny restaurant operation, or a huge business of real-estate development, or a modest training center for English education, or just any other self-employed money learning fun.
The ability to dream on is one of the fine quality of human race that other species do not possess. So dream on, and put a deadline: make it a giant dream, a tiny one, an old everlasting one, a newfound one, a hobby related one, a change of life one, a religious one, a stupid one, a stroke-of-genius one, or just whatever...... just continue to dream on........ Then, Just Go and Do It!
Sixty Uses for Salt
Contributed by: Rajesh (verygood101 @ yahoo.com)
Although you may not realize it, simple table salt has a great number of uses other than simply seasoning your food. The following list will give you sixty uses of salt, many of which you probably didn't realize:
1. Soak stained hankies in salt water before washing.
2. Sprinkle salt on your shelves to keep ants away.
3. Soak fish in salt water before descaling; the scales will come off easier.
4. Put a few grains of rice in your salt shaker for easier pouring.
5. Add salt to green salads to prevent wilting.
6. Test the freshness of eggs in a cup of salt water; fresh eggs sink; bad ones float.
7. Add a little salt to your boiling water when cooking eggs; a cracked egg will stay in its shell this way.
8. A tiny pinch of salt with egg whites makes them beat up fluffier.
9. Soak wrinkled apples in a mildly salted water solution to perk them up.
10. Rub salt on your pancake griddle and your flapjacks won't stick.
11. Soak toothbrushes in salt water before you first use them; they will last longer.
12. Use salt to clean your discolored coffee pot.
13. Mix salt with turpentine to whiten you bathtub and toilet bowl.
14. Soak your nuts in salt brine overnight and they will crack out of their shells whole. Just tap the end of the shell with a hammer to break it open easily.
15. Boil clothespins in salt water before using them and they will last longer.
16. Clean brass, copper and pewter with paste made of salt and vinegar, thickened with flour
17. Add a little salt to the water your cut flowers will stand in for a longer life.
18. Pour a mound of salt on an ink spot on your carpet; let the salt soak up the stain.
19. Clean your iron by rubbing some salt on the damp cloth on the ironing surface.
20. Adding a little salt to the water when cooking foods in a double boiler will make the food cook faster.
21. Use a mixture of salt and lemon juice to clean piano keys.
22. To fill plaster holes in your walls, use equal parts of salt and starch, with just enough water to make a stiff putty.
23. Rinse a sore eye with a little salt water.
24. Mildly salted water makes an effective mouthwash. Use it hot for a sore throat gargle.
25. Dry salt sprinkled on your toothbrush makes a good tooth polisher.
26. Use salt for killing weeds in your lawn.
27. Eliminate excess suds with a sprinkle of salt.
28. A dash of salt in warm milk makes a more relaxing beverage.
29. Before using new glasses, soak them in warm salty water for awhile.
30. A dash of salt enhances the taste of tea.
31. Salt improves the taste of cooking apples.
32. Soak your clothes line in salt water to prevent your clothes from freezing to the line; likewise, use salt in your final rinse to prevent the clothes from freezing.
33. Rub any wicker furniture you may have with salt water to prevent yellowing.
34. Freshen sponges by soaking them in salt water.
35. Add raw potatoes to stews and soups that are too salty.
36. Soak enamel pans in salt water overnight and boil salt water in them next day to remove burned-on stains.
37. Clean your greens in salt water for easier removal of dirt.
38. Gelatin sets more quickly when a dash of salt is added.
39. Fruits put in mildly salted water after peeling will not discolor.
40. Fabric colors hold fast in salty water wash.
41. Milk stays fresh longer when a little salt is added.
42. Use equal parts of salt and soda for brushing your teeth.
43. Sprinkle salt in your oven before scrubbing clean.
44. Soaked discolored glass in a salt and vinegar solution to remove stains..
45. Clean greasy pans with a paper towel and salt.
46. Salty water boils faster when cooking eggs.
47. Add a pinch of salt to whipping cream to make it whip more quickly.
48. Sprinkle salt in milk-scorched pans to remove odor.
49. A dash of salt improves the taste of coffee.
50. Boil mismatched hose in salty water and they will come out matched.
51. Salt and soda will sweeten the odor of your refrigerator.
52. Cover wine-stained fabric with salt; rinse in cool water later.
53. Remove offensive odors from stove with salt and cinnamon.
54. A pinch of salt improves the flavor of cocoa.
55. To remove grease stains in clothing, mix one part salt to four parts alcohol.
56. Salt and lemon juice removes mildew.
57. Sprinkle salt between sidewalk bricks where you don't want grass growing.
58. Polish your old kerosene lamp with salt for a better look.
59. Remove odors from sink drainpipes with a strong, hot solution of salt water.
60. If a pie bubbles over in your oven, put a handful of salt on top of the spilled juice. The mess won't smell and will bake into a dry, light crust which will wipe off easily when the oven has cooled
Cross of Jesus
Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow,
Where the blood of Christ was shed,
Perfect Man on thee did suffer,
Perfect God on thee has bled!
Where the blood of Christ was shed,
Perfect Man on thee did suffer,
Perfect God on thee has bled!
Here the King of all the ages,
Throned in light ere worlds could be,
Robed in mortal flesh is dying,
Crucified by sin for me.
O mysterious condescending!
O abandonment sublime!
Very God Himself is bearing
All the sufferings of time!
Evermore for human failure
By His passion we can plead;
God has born all mortal anguish,
Surely He will know our need.
This—all human thought surpassing—
This is earth's most awful hour,
God has taken mortal weakness!
God has laid aside His Power!
Once the Lord of brilliant seraphs,
Winged with love to do His will,
Now the scorn of all His creatures,
And the aim of every ill.
Up in Heaven, sublimest glory
Circled round Him from the first;
But the earth finds none to serve Him,
None to quench His raging thirst.
Who shall fathom that descending,
From the rainbow circled throne,
Down to earth's most base profaning,
Dying desolate alone.
From the "Holy, Holy, Holy,
We adore Thee, O most High,"
Down to earth's blaspheming voices
And the shout of "Crucify."
Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow,
Where the blood of Christ was shed,
Perfect Man on thee did suffer,
Perfect God on thee has bled!
The Horse that Helped Save a Fawn
This year we had a coyote den along the edge of our field under an upturned aspen. It seems only one pup survived, and they stayed around our field as it is full of ground squirrels.
In June, a doe gave birth to her fawn in our barnyard. The two coyotes, mother and son, zeroed in on the fawn. The doe put up a horrendous fight to protect her fawn by driving off the coyotes, but she was losing the battle because one coyote would divert her attention while the other would circle back to the barnyard.
In moved our old mare to help. She stood guard over the fawn until the doe was able to drive off both coyotes. The doe seemed to accept Bonnie's attention to her fawn. When the fawn finally slipped through the fence to follow her mother, Bonnie nickered over the fence for a long time.
I learned something about myself from this experience. As much as I had enjoyed watching the coyotes all spring, and as much as I thought I "believed" in nature as it is, I was not going to let those coyotes take the fawn.
The mystery of predation is the hardest concept for me to get my mind around. J. B. McDaniel wrote somewhere that "God is on the side of the fox and on the side of the rabbit. Should the rabbit escape the fox, God shares in the rabbit's joy and the fox's hunger. By virtue of infinite tenderness, there is suffering even in God."
That helps a little.
You may also like to read -
Relationship Secrets
Contributed by: Amit Goyal (amitgoyal_pau @ yahoo.com)
ANNIVERSARIES
Always celebrate! Whether it's the 1st or the 50th, each year together is a triumph.
APPRECIATION
Let each other know how much you appreciate each other. You may already know but hearing it from each other is always better.
BEST FRIENDS
Be best friends preferably before being boyfriend-girlfriend. Take time to know each other so the relationship will be a deep one. Tell each other about your crushes, dreams and problems. Make sure he/she is your best friend before getting engaged. The strong bond of friendship will help you both survive tough times.
BOND
Make it a point to spend time together often but leave room for each other. Also spend time alone w/ each other, so that at the end of the day you could both share your experiences. This way, you stay interesting with your partner.
CHANGING EACH OTHER
Don't marry an as...le, j.... or a bi.... (an unsuitable person) You'll never change each other.
COMPLIMENTS
Always compliment each other. This will prevent feelings of resentment & thinking that one is being taken for granted.
DATE
Keep doings things that you both enjoy, do them together. Make time & continue to date to keep the romance - look good, smell good to maintain physical attraction
DIFFERENCES
Celebrate differences. Never force your ideologies down each other's throat. Give up trying to turn your partner into you. Accept differences, appreciate them.
FIGHTS
Fight w/the aim to resolve the issue. Don't outdo each other. The longer you extend the fight. The more chances that you'll say something hurtful that you don't really mean. As mad as you were w/ your partner, he/she is still the person who laughs at your jokes & thinks you're hot. Hear each other out, don't dig up old issues. Choose your battles. Make sure the fight will be worth it & that something will change in the relationship as a result of the fight.
FLAWS
Know that the perfect person does not exist. Know that just as there are things that you love about him/her, there will be things that will make you go crazy. We are only human with our own flaws.
FUN
Have fun together! This means keeping the fun & spontaneity that was there in the early days.
Allow yourselves to get silly - shower together, pee w/the door open etc. Being able to make each other laugh & see the lighter, crazier, absurd side is the best way to get through all the differences in personalities, adjustments in lifestyle & opposing viewpoints.
GOALS
Make sure you have similar goals. It would be difficult to keep your bond intact if your views are complete opposite.
GRUDGES
Quit tabulating grudges. Let it off. Discuss it, then trash it, don't recycle it.
KEEPING IT HOT
Keep it hot by traveling to diff. places together. A new setting will do wonders. Always have skin contact - be it holding hands, a massage or just plain leg rubbing.
HONESTY
Don't lie or hide things. The problem will only get bigger.
KNOW EACH OTHER
Learn each other's interest. It really keeps the conversation flowing!
HUG
A hug can be far better more intimate than a kiss.
IDENTITY
Don't lose your personality - that's why he/she fell in love w/you. Have separate interest & activities to keep your individual, & to be able to contribute more to the relationship.
INDEPENDENCE
Having your own income means you're the boss in your life.
IN-LAWS
Make rooms for the in-laws.
INTENTIONS
Wish each other well. Don't wish each other worst
ISSUES
Speak up about the awkward stuff now,like money & sex. The earlier, the better.
LISTEN
Listen, listen, listen. Hear each other out especially during arguments.
LOOK GOOD
Mind your appearance! Stay fit & healthy for each other.
LOVE
It all boils down to your love, chemistry & respect for each other.
MEMORIES
Remind each other of the old days. Do something that you used to do for each other before. It may even be corny but it made you two together. Experience new things together- from dining into a new restaurant to experiencing street food together to exploring to new places. It's the little surprises that make great memories.
MIND READING
No matter how long you've been together, do not think that you can read each other's mind.
NEEDS
Be good to yourself, then be good to your partner. That's what love is all about.. Think about your partner. Will it make him/her happy? Will she/he enjoy it? Consider each other's feelings. Be very attentive & sensitive to each other's needs, physically & emotionally, that way your partner learns to do the same for you. Never take your partner for granted.
PRIORITIES
If one says it's important, then it is! Prioritize each other among other things!
SPACE
Give each other space. Have dates with your girlfriends, have your boy's night out. If you can't trust each other with this, then don't get married.
SORRY
Say sorry when you're wrong.
SURPRISES
No matter how long you've known each other, be open to surprises, both good or bad.
TEAMWORK
Think for two & always work as a team. Consult each other before making a decision because everything will always affect both of you. Strengthen couple power. In many ways, we have to decide based on what is best for the relationship in favor of our individual selves.
SUPPORT
Support each other's dream. Be willing to follow your passions, support your partner in his/her decisions & create new ones together. Two heads are better than one.
TALK
Tell each other's stories. Life goes by so fast & its easy to see how easily couple can grow apart. Whenever something funny, scary, exciting or juicy happened to you or to someone you know, tell each other about it & have your partner do the same. Keep each other in the loop of life, even by email if you have to.
In Sight of the Day
Contributed by: Rahul D (bruntno1 @ yahoo.com)
This story should be printed and left where you will see it often - and then everytime you come across a project you think you cannot successfully complete read this story again.
Eight-year-old Glenn Cunningham raced into a burning schoolhouse to rescue his big brother. When he regained consciousness five hours later, his brother was dead and Glenn's horribly burned legs lay limp and without feeling.
Specialists urged his parents to have Glenn's legs amputated immediately
- he would never walk again
- but Glenn pleaded against them.
Even though the toes of his left foot were gone and the bone supporting the ball of his left foot practically destroyed, Glenn was determined to walk again.
That was the summer of 1919.
One week later Glenn announced he was ready to stand up. His father lifted him out of bed, stood him upright and let go.
Glenn crumpled to the floor.
Every day Glenn's parents carefully rubbed his dead limbs.
Every day for weeks, they repeated the lifting-falling exercise.
Then one day, for a few seconds, Glenn Cunningham stood on his own.
A few days later Glenn took a few small, shaky steps.
His parents kept on rubbing his legs. He ate carefully and began to push himself hard, running everywhere he went
- to the fields,
- to the store,
- to school.
In 1930, with no toes on his left foot and almost missing a major bone, Glenn Cunningham set a high school record for the mile run, 4:24.7.
He enrolled in Kansas University and two years later qualified for the Olympics with a United States record-setting mile of 4:11.1.
Despite tonsillitis at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1932, he still finished fourth.
He defeated milers around the world, repeatedly breaking his own records.
In his early thirties he retired, holding the world mile record of 4:04.4.
Curative Powers of Earth
Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)
Earth was used extensively for remedial purposes in ancient times as well as the middle ages. IN modern times, it again came into prominence as a valuable therapeutic agent in the last century through the indefatigable efforts of Emanuel Felke, a German-born Lutheran minister who was nicknamed the "Clay Pastor."
Felke found that the forces of earth have remarkable effects upon the human body, especially during the night. These effects are described as refreshing, invigorating and vitalising. Felke believed that for wounds and skin diseases, application of clay or moistened earth was the only true natural bondage. The body is thus repaired with the element from which it is assumed to be made.
Adolf Just ( 1838 - 1936) , one of the pioneers of nature cure in modern times, believed that all diseases, but especially the serious nervous troubles of our age, would lose their terrors, if only sleeping or lying on the earth at night became customary in the curing of diseases. According to him, by sleeping on the ground, " the entire body is aroused from its lethargy to a new manifestation of vital energy, so that it can now effectively remove old morbid matter and masses of old faces from the intestines, and receive a sensation of new health, new life and new unthought -of vigour and strength. "
Going barefooted all day long, except when it is very cold, is also regarded as a valuable step towards achieving good health and true happiness. Men can draw vital energy and strength out of the earth through their feet. Jesus Christ also attached a great deal of importance to the practice of going barefooted. He himself was barefooted and commanded his disciples likewise.
It is advisable to go entirely barefooted as often as possible, especially on the bare ground but in rooms with painted floors it is better to wear chappals, since the painted floor affects the body adversely if one walks on it with bare soles.
The American Indians lay great stress on earth treatment.
They believe that healing power is strong in leaves and herbs, powerful in the air, but very powerful indeed in the earth. They have a custom to bury sufferers from all kinds of disease in the earth upto their necks, leave them there for some hours, and then remove them. They believe that many of them are cured. Presumably the body draws unto itself the healing minerals and some of the earthʼs magnetism.
MUD PACKS
The nature cure practitioners at present are making increasing use of moistened earth in the treatment of diseases. The use of mud packs has been found highly beneficial and effective in the treatment of chronic inflammation caused by internal diseases, bruises, sprains, boils and wounds. This mode of treatment is normally adopted in conjunction with a proper scheme of dietary and other natural therapies.
The advantage of mud treatment is that it is able to retain moisture and coolness for longer periods than cold water packs or compresses. The cold moisture in the mud packs relaxes the pores of the skin, draws the blood into the surface, relieves inner congestion and pain, promotes heat radiation and elimination of morbid matter.
A mud pack isprepared with clay obtained from about ten cms. below the surface of the earth, after ensuring that it does not contain any impurities such as compost or pebbles. The clay is then made into a smooth paste with warm water. This is allowed to cool and then spread on a strip of cloth, the size of which may vary according to requirements. The dimensions of the pack meant for application on the abdomen are generally 20 cms. X 10 cm.X 2.5 cm. for adults.
Mud packs have been found to be a valuable treatment of diseases relating to general weakness or nervous disorders. It can also bring down fever and is beneficial in the treatment of scarlet fever, measles and influenza. The mud pack is prescribed for swellings, eye and ear troubles, gout, rheumatism, stomach troubles, kidney and liver malfunctions, diptheria, neuralgia, sexual disorders, headache, toothache and general aches and pains.
The mud bandage, after being placed on the body, should be covered with flannel or other protective material. The pack is applied for 10 to 30 minutes. As the abdomen is the seat of most diseases, mud pack applied to this part of the body can cure many disorders including all forms of indigestion affecting the stomach and bowels. It is most effective in decreasing the external heat and breaking up the morbid matter.
It also aids the inactivity of labour pains and for this purpose, the pack may be renewed every hour or two. The mud pack is also helpful as an alternate treatment. The area under treatment is first given fomentation for five to 10 minutes until it is well heated. Mud is then applied directly to the skin for five to 15 minutes, depending upon the reaction required.
Hot and cold applications are useful in relieving chronic pains, intestinal cramps and lumbago. Alternate application helps to relieve discomfort caused by flatulence and intestinal obstructions. It is also helpful in amoebiasis, colitis, enteritis and other inflammatory conditions of bacterial origin.
MUD BATH
Mud or clay bath is another mode of treatment. It is applied in the same way as packs, but only on a larger scale on the entire body. In this, mud or clay is first ground and sifted to remove all impurities, and then made into a smooth paste mixed with hot water. The paste is then spread on a sheet which in turn is wrapped round the body. One or two blankets are then wrapped over this, depending on the temperature of the room and that of the pack.
A mud bath is followed with a cleansing warm water bath and a short cold shower. The mud bath is found to tone up the skin by increasing the circulation and energising the skin tissues. Frequent mud baths help to improve the complexion, clear spots and patches on the skin following skin disorders or due to smallpox. It is very beneficial in the treatment of skin diseases like psoriasis, leucoderma and every leprosy.
This bath is also valuable in getting relief from rheumatic pain or pain in the joints caused by injuries. The duration of the bath should be from 30 minutes to one hour. Care should also be taken to avoid the patient catching a chill during the bath. Mud applications also form a vital part of natural beauty treatment.
You may also like to read -
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous,
do not be afraid or tremble at them,
for the LORD your God is the one who
goes with you. He will not fail
you or forsake you.
do not be afraid or tremble at them,
for the LORD your God is the one who
goes with you. He will not fail
you or forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6
Only God could keep a promise like that!
What if someone told you something that was going to happen in the
future? Then, years later, it really happened! It would be amazing.
God told His people that He would send them a King. Let's see if God
kept His promise.
future? Then, years later, it really happened! It would be amazing.
God told His people that He would send them a King. Let's see if God
kept His promise.
Years and years before Jesus was born, God promised His people that He
would send them someone to rescue them.
The Bible tells us in Isaiah 11:1 that Jesus' ancestors were from King
David's family. In Matthew 1:6 and Luke 3:31, the Bible shows that
what was written in Isaiah is true! Jesus' great grandfather was
David!
In Micah 5:2, God tells His people that Jesus would be born and where.
God's promise did come true. Jesus was born in a small town called
Bethlehem just like Micah 5:2 says! And He used a feed box called a
manger for his crib.
In Isaiah 7:14, the Bible even tells us one of Jesus' names. His name
would be "Immanuel." This means that God would rescue His people. In
Matthew 1:23, an angel tells Joseph that God's son would be called
"Immanuel." God kept His promise!
The book of Isaiah has many places where God gave us promises about
Jesus. Did you know that this book was written over 400 years BEFORE
Jesus was born!
Only God could keep a promise like that!
Mathew 6 : 28-30
Consider the Lilies of the field,
how they grow; they neither toil nor spin;
and yet I say to you that even Soloman
in all his glory, was not arrayed like one
of these, Wherefore if God so clothe
the grass of the field, which today is,
and tomorrow is cast into the oven,
shall he not much more clothe you,
O ye of little faith?
how they grow; they neither toil nor spin;
and yet I say to you that even Soloman
in all his glory, was not arrayed like one
of these, Wherefore if God so clothe
the grass of the field, which today is,
and tomorrow is cast into the oven,
shall he not much more clothe you,
O ye of little faith?
Mathew 6 : 28-30
We should always be content with what we have and not desire for
earthly pleasures;
God gives what we deserve but it hurts if we don't receive what we desire.
Mark 11 : 22-25
Jesus answered them, 'Have faith in God' I assure you that whoever
tells this hill to get up and throw itself in the sea and does not
doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it
will be done for him.
tells this hill to get up and throw itself in the sea and does not
doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it
will be done for him.
For this reason I tell you; when you pray and ask for something,
believe that you have received it, and you will be given whatever you
ask for. And when you stand and pray, forgive anything you may have
against anyone, so that your Father in heaven will forgive the wrongs
you have done.
Mark 11 : 22-25
Whenever there's a problem,
Wherever there's despair
Just bow your head in prayer and know
That God will always be there.
When things look bleak and dreary,
When it seems that no one cares,
Have faith, my friend, in our Lord
And he will answer all your prayers.
I know sometimes it's hard,
Things don't seem to work out right,
But it truly is quite pointless
To kick or scream or fight.
When you really need an answer,
On HIM you can depend.
Only FAITH can move a mountain -
So, have FAITH in God, my friend!
Exercise in Health and Disease
Contributed by: Ahmed Imam (idealimam @ yahoo.com)
A world famous physical educationist, Eugene Sandow, has very aptly said, " Life is movement, stagnation is death.. " Physical exercise is essential for the maintenance of normal condition of life. Lack of natural exercise is one of the chief causes of weakness and ill-health.
In recent years, the need for exercise has been recognised even in sickness. Physio and occupational therapy are now standard procedures in medicine to restore the use of muscles and nerves that have been injured by disease or by accident. Patients with organic ailments are now advised to stay in bed for the minimum period considered necessary.
Exercise and Activity
For corrective living, it is essential to differentiate between exercise and activity. While both are important as they are involved in vital physical movement, they vary in degree and benefits. Both employ the body in voluntary movement. Activity uses the body to a limited degree and generally to achieve a specific purpose. Exercise employs the body over the widest possible range of movement for the particular purpose of maintaining or acquiring muscle tone and control with maximum joint flexibility.
Activity requires less physical effort and often less conscious effort once the routine has been established. Exercise demands considerable physical effort and is more beneficial as mental concentration is simultaneously employed.
Benefits
Systematic physical exercise has many benefits. The more important benefits are mentioned below :
Regular exercise taken properly can achieve the increased use of food by the body, which contributes to health and fitness. The basal metabolic rate and habitual body temperature will slowly rise during several weeks of physical exercise, if the programme is not too hard. The healthy person usually has abundant body heat and a warm radiant glow.
i. Regular progressive physical exercise can bring about the balance of automatic, or involuntary , nervous system. The tone of the vagus nerve, one of the nerves that control sensation and motion, is strengthened. This accounts for stronger pulse waves, higher metabolism and better circulation.
ii. Exercise can prevent or reduce gravitational ptosis or sag, as it is commonly called. Ptosis results from uneven flow of blood in the feet, legs and lower abdomen.
iii. Improved capillary action in the working of muscular and brain tissue results from exercise carried to the point of real endurance. This permits greater blood flow and gives the muscles, including the heart, more resistance to fatigue. Massage, heat and moderate exercise are relatively ineffective in producing additional capillary action as compared with vigorous exercise.
iv. The full use of the lungs in vigorous exercise can reduce or prevent lung congestion due to lymph accumulation.
v. Gas and intra-intestinal accumulations can be reduced by exercise that acts to knead and squeeze or vibrate the intraintestinal mass.
vi. Better respiratory reserve is developed by persistent exercise. This ensures better breath holding, especially after a standard exercise. With greater respiratory reserves, exercise become easier.
viii. Improvement in tone and function of veins can be accomplished by repetitiously squeezing and draining the blood out of them and then allowing them to fill.
ix. Sweating in exercise aids kidneys by helping to eliminate the waste matter from the body. Consistent exercise leads to improvement in quality of blood. Studies have shown improved haemoglobin levels, relatively greater alkalinity, improved total protein content and a grater red cell count.
x. Systemic exercise promotes physical strength and mental vigour and strengthens will power and self control leading to harmonious development of the whole system. Exercise promotes longevity Medical researchers at Harvard and Standford Universities who studied the habits and health of 17,000 middle-aged and older men, reported the first scientific evidence that even modest exercise helps prolong life.
Dr. Ralph S. Paffenberger, the visiting professor of epidemology at the Harvard School of Pubic Health, who is the principal author of the report said, " We have found a direct relationship between the level of physical activity and the length of life in the college men we have studied. " He added," This is the first good evidence that people who are active and fit have a longer life span than those who are not. "
A strong connection between a hard and a healthy hard has also been convincingly demonstrated in the same study. The study showed that the less active persons ran a three times higher risk of suffering a fatal heart attack than did those who worked the hardest. Review of fatal heart attacks revealed that the less active men were also three times more likely to die unexpectedly and rapidly within an hour after the attack.
A parallel research report from doctors in Dulles also concluded, after a study of the lives and habits of 6,000 men and women, that the physically fit were less likely to develop hypertension. Dr. Steven N. Blair who headed the research group said, " We followed the physical health and habits of these people for an average of four-and-a-half years and the data showed that the lackof physical fitness leads to hypertension. "
Exercise increases calorie output. The body fat can be reduced by regular exercise. It is therefore, useful for weight reduction in conjunction with restricted food intake. According to a study by Dr. Peter Wood of Stanford University Medical School , author of ʽ California Diet and Exercise Programme ʽ, very active people eat about 600 more calories daily than their sedentary counterparts but weight about 20 per cent less. Upto 15 hours after vigorous exercise, the body continues to burn calories at a higher rate than it would have without exercise.
Moderate physical exercise has been found to be accompanied by less obesity and lower cholesterol levels. Regular exercise plays an important role in the fight against stress. It provides recreation and mental relaxation besides keeping the body physically and mentally fit. It is natureʼs best tranquilliser. Chronic fatigue caused by poor circulation can be remedied by undertaking some exercise on a daily basis. It helps relieve tension and induces sleep. Moderate physical exercise at the end of a try day can bring a degree of freshness and renewed energy. Exercise also plays an important role in the treatment of depression.
According to Dr. Robert Brown, a clinical associate professor at the University of Virgina School of Medicine, " Exercise produces chemical and psychological changes that improves your mental health. It changes the levels of hormones in blood and may elevate your beta-endorphins (mood-affecting brain chemicals). Exercise also gives a feeling of accomplishment and thereby reduces the sense of helplessness. "
Methods of Exercise
Several systems of exercise have been developed over the years, the most popular among them being the Swedish system and yoga asanas, the later having been practised from ancient times in India . Whichever system you choose to adopt, the exercises should be performed systematically, regularly and under proper guidance.
To be really useful, exercise should be taken in such a manner as to bring into action all the muscles of the body in a natural way. Walking is one such exercise. It is, however, so gentle in character that one must walk several kilometers in a brisk manner to constitute a fair amount of exercise.
Other forms of good exercise are swimming, cycling, horse-riding, tennis, etc.
Precautions
Vigorous exercise of any kind should not be taken for an hour and a half after eating, nor immediately before meals. Weak patients and those suffering from serious diseases like cancer, heart trouble, tuberculosis and asthama should not undertake vigious exercise except under the supervision of a competent physician. If exercising makes you tired, stop immediately . The purpose of exercise should be to make you feel refreshed and relaxed and not tired.
The most important rule about the fitness plan is to start with very light exercise and to increase the effort in gradual and easy stages. The sense of well-being will begin almost immediately. One can start off with a brisk walk for 15 to 20 minutes. A comfortable sense of tiredness should be the aim. It is valueless and possibly harmful to become exhausted or seriously short of breath. Perhaps, one should aim at activities which need about two-thirds of oneʼs maximum ability. One way to assess is to count your own pulse rate.
Counting of pulse is quite easy. Feel the pulse on your left wrist with the middle three fingers of your right hand. Press just firmly enough to feel the beat easily. Now count the number of beats in 15 seconds, with the help of a watch with clear second hand and calculate your rate by multiplying by four..
At rest heart beats 70 to 80 times a minute. This rate increases during exercise. Really vigorous can produce rates as high as 200 beats per minute or more. Reasonable aim is to exercise at about two-thirds of maximum capacity. It follows that heart rate should be about 130 per minute during and just after exercise. Always avoid over-exertion and never allow your pulse go above 190 per minute minus your age.
A to Z of Stress management.
Contributed by: Hiral Lakdawala (hiral_lwala @ rediffmail.com)
Always take time for yourself, at least 30 minutes per day.
Be aware of your own stress meter: Know when to step back and cool down.
Concentrate on controlling your own situation, without controlling everybody else.
D aily exercise will burn off the stress chemicals.
Eat lots of fresh fruit, veggies, bread and water, give your body the best for it to perform at its best.
Forgive others, don't hold grudges and be tolerant -- not everyone is as capable as you.
Gain perspective on things, how important is the issue?
Hugs, kisses and laughter: Have fun and don't be afraid to share your feelings with others.
Identify stressors and plan to deal with them better next time.
Judge your own performance realistically; don't set goals out of your own reach.
Keep a positive attitude, your outlook will influence outcomes and the way others treat you.
Limit alcohol, drugs and other stimulants, they affect your perception and behaviour.
Manage money well, seek advice and save at least 10 per cent of what you earn.
No is a word you need to learn to use without feeling guilty.
Outdoor activities by yourself, or with friends and family, can be a great way to relax.
Play your favourite music rather than watching television.
Quit smoking: It is stressing your body daily, not to mention killing you too.
Relationships: Nurture and enjoy them, learn to listen more and talk less.
Sleep well, with a firm mattress and a supportive pillow; don't overheat yourself and allow plenty of ventilation.
Treat yourself once a week with a massage, dinner out, the movies: Moderation is the key.
Understand things from the other person's point of view.
Verify information from the source before exploding.
Worry less, it really does not get things completed better or quicker.
Xpress: Make a regular retreat to your favourite space, make holidays part of your yearly plan and budget.
Yearly goal setting: Plan what you want to achieve based on your priorities in your career, relationships, etc.
Zest for life: Each day is a gift, smile and be thankful that you are a part of the bigger picture.