Benefits of walking after meals

Walk after meals. Stand and move after you eat. You’ve probably heard this advice somewhere. But does it really work?

If the goal is preventing diabetes, it seems to prove true—at least for a group of folks studied by Dr. Loretta Di Pietro at George Washington University.

The Study
People 60 and over at risk for type diabetes—with the extremely common “prediabetes” picture of high fasting sugar—were asked to walk. They did it two different ways—for 15 minutes after meals, or for one 45 minute session in the evening.

The Results
Both walking “interventions” improved glucose tolerance. People produced less insulin following the meal. Internal sugar levels were more  balanced.Yet the blunting of high glucoses after eating was done most effectively when people walked immediately after meals. Insulin peaks peaker lower than with the single 45 minute session.

And when people walked after the evening meal, instead of seeing sugars rise for hours and hours throughout the night, they came back to normal levels quickly. Just from a little bit of walking.

For what ails most of those who suffer from type 2 diabetes is not lack of insulin production. It’s insulin resistance—effectively a learned inability for insulin to work. In most people with type 2 diabetes production of insulin is already high—sometimes very high. It’s just that less and less of it works as messenger to let glucose in through your cell membranes to help power your cells.
In other words, type 2 diabetics are producing huge amounts of insulin—but that insulin does not have the full chance to act.

Walking after meals can dramatically shift the equation. It can decrease insulin resistance and make your body act like it’s built to do—eat, move, and rest. What I call FAR—Food-Activity-Rest.

And there’s more.

Benefits of Walking After Meals

A. If you walk after a meal you can cut back on esophageal reflux.
For when you walk, you’re standing and moving. Food flows down into gut. Gravity helps keep acid in your stomach—not jumping outside it.
That stomach acid can be ferocious. People with reflux have higher rates of esophageal cancer.

You might cut your risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease—GERD, in half—just by walking after meals.

B. You can obtain better weigh control.
Walk after a meal and the insulin peaks are less. Most folks I know want less belly fat—and here is a simple way to get it.

C. Walking immediately following the evening meal may yet more effectively control weight.
Why? Circadian effects. Eat at night and glucose and fat levels go higher in your blood than earlier during the day.

That’s particularly important to shift workers, who gain weight disproportionately by eating at times when others are resting or asleep. When you snack at night you need to get going—fast.

D. Walking makes people feel better.
Walking in light improves mood. Walking with friends increases social support. Walking in the evening can cut back on the frequent leg kicks that wake many folks all through the night, worsening their sleep—and making them hungrier come morning for fattier, sugary foods.

Walking in sunlight also helps grow brain cells—in memory areas. If you’re worried about Alzheimer’s disease, that’s something to remember.

Bottom Line

Want to prevent Diabetes? Alzheimer’s Disease? Heart Disease? Stroke? Weight gain? Various tumors? Improve mood? Feel slimmer?
 It’s all about going FAR—Food, followed by Activity, followed by Rest. It’s a natural rhythm of human beings.And using natural rhythms can make your body—naturally—feel and look better.Plus improve your chances of sticking around. Giving you a better chance to enjoy it all.

Symptoms in old age that warrant attention

Often old age comes with problems, and mostly health related. Many a times, we miss out on things that are obvious.

Especially after those youthful days when one had the attitude of ‘come what may’. Here are some old age signs you should not miss out on, and seek immediate medical attention for.

1.Low mood

Due to the many health problems at their age and the on and off aches and pains they experience, we expect a grumpy mood in most elders to be normal. However, that isn’t how it should be.

If you notice your otherwise cheerful parent, elderly relative or neighbor appearing sullen, it’s worth probing further and also seeking medical advice if things remain unchanged for long.

Elders could feel low or depressed due to loneliness, feeling of worthlessness or troubled relationships at home. Often these aspects are overlooked by them and their family as well.

2.Memory loss

We all forget things occasionally but this is one of the most common and challenging problems of the geriatric population world over. If the person forgets names of people who she/he regularly interacts with or memory of very recent events then it could be concerning. 

Forgetting things like where did they place something or why did they enter the room is normal. But if they lose  the trail of a sentence during their speech or forget words it could be a sign of dementia.

3.Lack of care

A sudden drop in the way your ageing parents dress or take care of the home should call for your attention. If you notice a lack of interest in bathing, brushing, dressing neatly then the reason should be probed. Also, if your parents have been living by themselves, keep checking on the condition of the house, especially the bathroom and the kitchen. The reason for this decline could be that they have lost confidence to manage on their own and it’s time they moved in with you or arrange for an outside support to help them with their daily chores.

4.Loss of sensation

If your elderly parent is unable to taste excess salt in the food, or has hurt himself and isn’t feeling any pain it calls for serious attention. Some amount of sensory loss is normal and expected as you age but if this becomes a hindrance then it should be fixed. For instance, loss of hearing has to be fixed with a hearing aid even if it is only a partial loss. Loss of sensation of touch should be diagnosed by an expert and treated. If not it could lead to accidents as the person may use too hot water in the bath or touch a hot utensil in the kitchen causing a burn and not even be aware of it.

  

5.Loss of appetite

Again just like children are fussy about the foods they eat, elderly become picky about foods and their appetite changes and reduces from what it used to be. If this is due to dental problems such as caries or absence of teeth, it could be fixed and normal appetite can be restored. However if the loss of appetite is due to indigestion, inability to procure or cook foods of their liking or a general loss of interest due to loneliness or depression, these concerns need to be addressed separately. They may also have a lack of taste which may make all foods taste bland.

6.Mobility

One of the biggest challenges in the elderly is to prevent a fall.

Like children, the elderly are very prone to falls and with weak bones they are at higher risk of fractures and head injuries. If balance is not good, physiotherapy exercises can help to restore balance.

Home environment plays an important role in fall prevention.

7.Loss of control in urine and stool

Loss of control over urine is a common problem with the elderly.

 In men it can be due to prostate, and in women it can be due to stress incontinence. It can happen as a result of an illness like pneumonia as well. A quick discussion, during the doctor’s visit, on this is very important to prevent emergencies like acute retention of urine. Due to embarrassment your parents may not disclose this complaint to you, so look for signs such as soiled clothes or bed linen.

8.Making the home safe for the elderly:

Encourage them to wear shoes that fit properly and wear non-slip footwear while at home. Wipe spills immediately, do not leave it for later.

If possible, opt for non-polished floors. Leave on the lights in the bathroom and passages. Use door locks that can be opened from both sides in bathrooms and bedrooms.

Keep emergency phone numbers written in big normal fonts, and stick it near the phone. Keep a fire extinguisher handy at home.

Other useful advices to make the home safe:

• Clean bathrooms regularly to avoid slipping.
• Install and use hand rails in bathrooms.
• Remove rugs to avoid tripping over.
• Use bright lights.
• Keep an emergency lamp near the bed.
• In the kitchen keep kitchen floors uncluttered.
• Stick ‘On’ and ‘Off’ position stickers on electrical appliances written in bright colors.
• Keep sharp objects in one rack
• Use labels for items that are kept in opaque boxes
• Keep cleaning materials tightly closed and away from food materials
• Use cotton clothing and aprons while cooking
• Check expiry dates of packaged food.

There’s a lot you can do for the elders of your family and

community to make them feel comfortable, wanted and secure.

But the best thing you can give them is some of your time, spent meaningfully with them.

Source: http://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/8-symptoms-in-old-age-that-warrant-attention/

Hindu Festivals Part VI HOLI

Holi (pronunciation: /ˈhoʊliː/; Sanskrit: होली Holī) is a spring festival, also known as the festival of colours or the festival of sharing love. It is an ancient Hindu religious festival which has become popular with non-Hindus in many parts of South Asia, as well as people of other communities outside Asia.

It is primarily observed in India, Nepal, and other regions of the world with significant populations of Hindus or people of Indian origin. In recent years the festival has spread to parts of Europe and North America as a spring celebration of love, frolic, and colours

Significance of Holi Festival

One of the major festivals of India, Holi is celebrated with enthusiasm and gaiety on the full moon day in the month of Phalgun which is the month of March as per the Gregorian calendar.

Holi festival is celebrated with various names and people of different states might be following different traditions. But, what makes Holi so unique and special is the spirit of it which remains the same throughout the country and even across the globe, wherever it is celebrated. 

Season of Bloom
Everybody gets delighted at the arrival of Holi as the season itself is so gay. Holi is also called the Spring Festival - as it marks the arrival of spring the season of hope and joy. The gloom of the winter goes as Holi promises of bright summer days. Nature too, it seems rejoices at the arrival of Holi and wears its best clothes. Fields get filled with crops promising a good harvest to the farmers and flowers bloom colouring the surroundings and filling fragrance in the air. 

How the festival is celebrated?

Holika dahan Days before the festival people start gathering wood and combustible materials for the bonfire in parks, community centers, near temples and other open spaces.


On the eve of Holi, typically at or after sunset, the pyre is lit, signifying Holika Dahan. The ritual symbolises the victory of good over evil. People sing and dance around the fire.

Play with colours

Holi frolic and celebrations begin the morning after the Holika bonfire. There is no tradition of holding puja (prayer), and the day is for partying and pure enjoyment. Children and young people form groups armed with dry colours, coloured solution, the means to fill and spray others with coloured solution (pichkaris), water balloons filled with coloured water, and other creative means to colour their targets.

Traditionally, washable natural plant-derived colours such as turmeric, neem, dhak, and kumkum were used, but water-based commercial pigments are increasingly used. All colours are used. Everyone in open areas such as streets and parks is game, but inside homes or at doorways only dry powder is used to smear each other's face. People throw colours and get their targets completely coloured up. It is like a water fight, but with coloured water. People take delight in spraying coloured water on each other. By late morning, everyone looks like a canvas of colours. This is why Holi is given the name "Festival of Colours".

Legends

A Hindu festival, Holi has various legends associated with it. The foremost is the legend of demon King Hiranyakashyap who demanded everybody in his kingdom to worship him but his pious son, Prahlad became a devotee of Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashyap wanted his son to be killed. He asked his sister Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap as Holika had a boon which made he immune to fire. Story goes that Prahlad was saved by lord himself for his extreme devotion and evil minded Holika was burnt to ashes, for her boon worked only when she entered the fire alone.

Since that time, people light a bonfire, called Holika on the eve of Holi festival and celebrate the victory of good over evil and also the triumph of devotion to god. Children take special delight in the tradition and this has another legend attached to it. It says that there was once an ogress Dhundhi who used to trouble children in the kingdom of Prithu. She was chased away by children on the day of Holi. Therefore, children are allowed to play pranks at the time of 'Holika Dahan'. 

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holi

            http://www.holifestival.org/holi-festival.html

        

Small Habits To Lead A More Peaceful Life

        

                     

       Courtesy:Charlene DeCesare ,

Lifehack Expert since Nov, 2015

1. Don’t go to every fight you’re invited to

Particularly when you’re around those who thrive on chaos, be willing to decline the invitation to join in on the drama.

2. Focus on your breath

Throughout the day, stop to take a few deep breaths. Keep stress at bay with techniques such as “square breathing.” 

Breathe in for four counts, hold for four counts, then out for four counts, and hold again for four counts. Repeat this cycle four times.

3. Get organized and purge old items

A cluttered space often creates a cluttered spirit. Take the time to get rid of anything you haven’t used in a year and invest in organizational systems that help you sustain a level of neatness.

4. Stop yourself from being judgmental

Whenever you are tempted to have an opinion about someone else’s life, check your intentions. Judging others creates and promotes negative energy.

5. Say ‘thank you’ early and often

Start and end each day with an attitude of gratitude. Look for opportunities in your daily routine and interactions to express appreciation.

6. Smile more

Even if you have to “fake it until you make it,” there are many scientific benefits of smiling and laughing. 

Also, pay attention to your facial expression when you are doing neutral activities such as driving and walking. Turn that frown upside down!

7. Don’t worry about the future

As difficult as this sounds, there is a direct connection between staying in the present and living a more peaceful life. You cannot control the future. As the old proverb goes, “Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere.” Practice gently bringing your thoughts back to the present.

8. Eat real food

The closer the food is to the state from which it came from the earth, the better you will feel in eating it. Choose foods that grew from a plant over food that was made in a plant.

9. Choose being happy over being right

Too often, we sacrifice inner peace in order to make a point. It’s rarely worth it.

10. Keep technology out of the bedroom

Many studies, such as one conducted by Brigham and Women’s Hospital, have connected blue light of electronic devices before bed to adverse sleep and overall health. To make matters worse, many people report that they cannot resist checking email and social media when their cell phone is in reach of their bed, regardless of the time.

11. Make use of filtering features on social media

You may not want to “unfriend” someone completely, however you can choose whether you want to follow their posts and/or the sources of information that they share.

12. Get comfortable with silence

When you picture someone who is the ultimate state of peace, typically they aren’t talking.

13. Listen to understand, not to respond

So often in conversations, we use our ears to give us cues about when it is our turn to say what we want to say. Practice active listening, ask questions, process, then speak.

14. Put your troubles in a bubble

Whenever you start to feel anxious, visualize the situation being wrapped in a bubble and then picture that sphere floating away.

15. Speak more slowly

Often a lack of peace manifests itself in fast or clipped speech. Take a breath, slow down, and let your thoughtful consideration drive your words.

16. Don’t procrastinate

Nothing adds stress to our lives like waiting until the last minute.

17. Buy a coloring book

Mandala coloring books for adults are becoming more popular because of their connection to creating inner peace.

18. Prioritize yourself

You are the only person who you are guaranteed to live with 24 hours a day for the rest of your life.

19. Forgive others

Holding a grudge is hurting you exponentially more than anyone else. Let it go.

20. Check your expectations

Presumption often leads to drama. Remember the old saying, “Expectations are premeditated resentments.”

21. Engage in active play

Let your inner child come out and have some fun. Jump, dance, play, and pretend!

22. Stop criticizing yourself

The world is a hard enough place with more than enough critics. Your life is not served well by being one of them.

23. Focus your energy and attention on what you want

Thoughts, words, and actions all create energy. Energy attracts like energy. Put out what you want to get back.

24. Assign yourself “complaint free” days.

Make a conscious decision not to complain about anything for a whole day. It might be harder than you think and the awareness will stick with you.

25. Surround yourself with people you truly enjoy being in the company of

Personalities tend to be contagious, and not everyone’s is worth catching. Be judicious in your choices.

26. Manage your money

Financial concerns rank top on the list of what causes people stress. Take the time each month to do a budget, calculate what you actually spend and sanity check that against the money you have coming in.

27. Stop trying to control everything

Not only is your inner control freak sabotaging your sense of peace, it is also likely getting in the way of external relationships as well.

28. Practice affirmations

Repeat positive phrases that depict the life and qualities you want to attract. It may not come naturally to you, but it works.

29. Get up before sunrise

Personally witnessing the dawn brings a unique sense of awe and appreciation for life.

30. Be yourself

Nothing creates more inner discord than trying to be something other than who we really are. Authenticity breeds happiness.

Fascinating Facts about the Dead Sea

The Dead Sea – bordering Israel, the West Bank and Jordan – is a salt lake whose banks are more than 400m below sea level, the lowest point on dry land. Its famously hyper-saline water makes floating easy, and its mineral-rich black mud is used for therapeutic and cosmetic treatments at area resorts. The surrounding desert offers many oases and historic sites.
The Dead Sea has attracted visitors from around the Mediterranean basin for thousands of years. In the Bible, it is a place of refuge for King David. It was one of the world's first health resorts (for Herod the Great), and it has been the supplier of a wide variety of products, from asphalt for Egyptian mummification to potash for fertilizers. 


People also use the salt and the minerals from the Dead Sea to create cosmetics and herbal sachets.
Source:Wikipedia
Now let us see some of the fascinating facts about Dead Sea


1. The surface and shores of the Dead Sea are 423 metres (1,388 ft) below sea level, making it Earth’s lowest elevation on land.



2. The Dead Sea is 377 m (1,237 ft) deep, making it the deepest hypersaline lake in the world. A hypersaline lake is a landlocked body of water that contains significant concentrations of sodium chloride or other mineral salts, with saline levels surpassing that of ocean water.



3. With 33.7% salinity, the Dead Sea is one of the world’s saltiest bodies of water. Although Lake Assal (Djibouti), Garabogazköl and some hyper-saline lakes of the McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica (such as Don Juan Pond) have reported higher salinity.



4. The Dead Sea’s unusually high salt concentration means that people can easily float in the Dead Sea due to natural buoyancy. In this respect the Dead Sea is similar to the Great Salt Lake in Utah in the United States.
 
5. The Dead Sea is roughly 8.6 times saltier than the ocean. This salinity makes for a harsh environment in which animals cannot flourish (hence its name). The high salinity prevents macroscopic aquatic organisms such as fish and aquatic plants from living in it, though minuscule quantities of bacteria and microbial fungi are present.



6. The Dead Sea is 67 kilometres (42 MI) long and 18 kilometres (11 MI) wide at its widest point. It lies in the Jordan Rift Valley and its main tributary is the Jordan River.



7. The Dead Sea area has become a major center for health research and treatment for several reasons. The mineral content of the water, the very low content of pollen and other allergens in the atmosphere, the reduced ultraviolet component of solar radiation, and the higher atmospheric pressure at this great depth each have specific health effects.



8. Biblically, the Dead Sea was a place of refuge for King David. It was one of the world’s first health resorts (for Herod the Great), and it has been the supplier of a wide variety of products, from balms for Egyptian mummification to potash for fertilizers.

9. An unusual feature of the Dead Sea is its discharge of asphalt. From deep seeps, the Dead Sea constantly spits up small pebbles and blocks of the black substance. Asphalt coated figurines and bitumen coated Neolithic skulls from archaeological sites have been found. Egyptian mummification processes used asphalt imported from the Dead Sea region.



10. The world’s lowest road, Highway 90, runs along the Israeli and West Bank shores of the Dead Sea at 393 m (1,289 ft) below sea level.

Li-Fi could soon replace Wi-Fi with speeds up to 100 times faster

LED lamps in our houses could soon provide you with blazing-fast Internet speeds, leaving the  old Wi-Fi connection in the dust. It's all thanks to a new technology called Li-Fi, short for "light fidelity," which transmits information wireless via visible light.

What is Li-Fi?

Light Fidelity (Li-Fi ) is a bidirectional, high speed and fully networked wireless communication technology similar to Wi-Fi. The term was coined by Harald Haas ^] and is a form of visible light communication and a subset of optical wireless communications (OWC) and could be a complement to RF communication (Wi-Fi or Cellular network), or even a replacement in contexts of data broadcasting. It is so far measured to be about 100 times faster than some Wi-Fi implementations, reaching speeds of 224 gigabits per second.

It is wireless and uses visible light communication or infra-red and near ultraviolet (instead of radio frequency waves) spectrum, part of optical wireless communications technology, which carries much more information, and has been proposed as a solution to the RF-bandwidth limitations.

How fast will be Li-Fi?

The thing that makes Li-Fi so revolutionary is its incredible speed, up to 100 times faster than Wi-Fi. With that speed we can download contents of 23 DVDs in just one second using a Li-Fi connection. Laboratory tests have shown speeds of over 200 Gbps. It could solve the bottleneck problem that currently exists with our Wi-Fi networks, which will only be compounded as an estimated 50 million different objects and devices are expected to be connected to the Internet by 2020.

What is the disadvantage of Li-Fi?

For all of its advantages, Li-Fi does has one drawback. Because it transmits data with visible light, our device has to be in a lit room for it to work. 

Forget about using it in the dark, or out in the bright sunlight for that matter. Sunlight interferes with the artificial light that is transmitting the information. Li-Fi also can't pass through walls, for the same reason that the light from a closed room doesn't illuminate any surrounding rooms.

Will Li-Fi replace WI-Fi completely?

So Wi-Fi will be continued to be in use even after Li-Fi gets widely implemented. The idea will be to use them in tandem, to get the benefits of each .