Benefits of Waking Up Early & Tips for waking up early

“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise” – Ben Franklin 

Getting up early is not easy for so many persons. But if they practice this good habit there are many benefits associated with it.The benefits of waking up early are myriad. It doesn’t take much to change your lifestyle to avail these benefits. After all, personal and professional well-being, and ultimate success are what everyone seeks. 

1. Time to Exercise

Waking up early gives you the time to exercise. You can easily go for a jog, do a few laps in the pool, practice yoga or hit the gym with plenty of time at hand.

2. Time to Meditate

There is nothing like beginning the day with a dose of meditation. It will help calm your mind and sharpen your reflexes to keep you going through your busy schedule of work.

3. Experience the Charm of Early Morning

Only an early morning person knows the charm and serenity that those hours offer. The silence, the birds chirping, the absence of cars honking, and the sunrise are all advantages only early rising can offer.

4. Increase Productivity and Efficiency

A study conducted at the Texas University in 2008 revealed that early risers are more prone to be productive and efficient at work. In fact, students who wake up early are known to get higher grades than those who wake up late.

5. Eating Breakfast

Breakfast is known to be the most important meal of the day. Often, you may land up skipping it if you are running late for work. An early start to the day ensures that this significant meal is never given the slip.

6.Quick & Healthy Breakfast Ideas

"A healthy breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” says Dr Jyothi Prasad, chief dietitian, Manipal Hospital, Bangalore.“There’s a nearly ten-hour long gap between dinner and breakfast, during which the body is on fast mode. As the name suggests, breakfast is the meal you eat to break that fast,” explains Dr Prasad, “It refuels your body with essential nutrients to kick-start your day. So don’t skip it.”


 Less Stress
Giving you ample time to get ready on time, waking up early ensures that you suffer less stress. Beat the traffic and drive to work at ease.


7. Set  Routine
Once you get into the habit of rising early, you are able to set a routine and that obviously leads to better productivity not only at work, but also on the home front and as an individual.


8. Brighter Mood


Early risers are known to be happier and more optimistic than night owls. The latter are known to suffer depression, insomnia and pessimism. The bright start with exercise and optimism is bound to keep you feeling energised and optimistic all day.


9. Better Health


Proper routine and exercise are known factors in ensuring better health in the long run. Waking up early ensures you set aside time to work out. Late risers lack the advantage of time for this.


10. Better Finances


Improved health, enhanced productivity and ameliorated energy can only result in one thing – a higher rate of success. And when this happens in your career, can financial triumph be far behind? So, rise early to kickstart a really great way of doing well in the professional sphere as well.

Here are some tips given by Leo Babauta to get up early

(Source:http://zenhabits.net/10-benefits-of-rising-early-and-how-to-do-it/)

How to Become an Early Riser

• Don’t make drastic changes. Start slowly, by waking just 15-30 minutes earlier than usual. Get used to this for a few days. Then cut back another 15 minutes. Do this gradually until you get to your goal time.
• Allow yourself to sleep earlier. You might be used to staying up late, perhaps watching TV or surfing the Internet. But if you continue this habit, while trying to get up earlier, sooner or later one is going to give. And if it is the early rising that gives, then you will crash and sleep late and have to start over. I suggest going to bed earlier, even if you don’t think you’ll sleep, and read while in bed. If you’re really tired, you just might fall asleep much sooner than you think.
• Put your alarm clock far from you bed. If it’s right next to your bed, you’ll shut it off or hit snooze. Never hit snooze. If it’s far from your bed, you have to get up out of bed to shut it off. By then, you’re up. Now you just have to stay up.
• Go out of the bedroom as soon as you shut off the alarm. Don’t allow yourself to rationalize going back to bed. Just force yourself to go out of the room. My habit is to stumble into the bathroom and go pee. By the time I’ve done that, and flushed the toilet and washed my hands and looked at my ugly mug in the mirror, I’m awake enough to face the day.
• Do not rationalize. If you allow your brain to talk you out of getting up early, you’ll never do it. Don’t make getting back in bed an option.
• Have a good reason. Set something to do early in the morning that’s important. This reason will motivate you to get up. I like to write in the morning, so that’s my reason. Also, when I’m done with that, I like to read all of your comments!
• Make waking up early a reward. Yes, it might seem at first that you’re forcing yourself to do something hard, but if you make it pleasurable, soon you will look forward to waking up early. A good reward is to make a hot cup of coffee or tea and read a book. Other rewards might be a tasty treat for breakfast (smoothies! yum!) or watching the sunrise, or meditating. Find something that’s pleasurable for you, and allow yourself to do it as part of your morning routine.
• Take advantage of all that extra time. Don’t wake up an hour or two early just to read your blogs, unless that’s a major goal of yours. Don’t wake up early and waste that extra time. Get a jump start on your day! I like to use that time to get a head start on preparing my kids’ lunches, on planning for the rest of the day , on exercising or meditating, and on reading.

Cholera Breakout,its Prevention and Control

Today(23.7.2012) it is reported in the News that 70 persons in Chennai are hospitalised with severe diarrhoea, a symptom of Cholera and one person is reported to be dead. It is also reported in the newspaper(The Times of India,Chennai dt.23.7.2012) that the unclean city could face the cholera very soon. It is better to know about the disease and it prevention and control.

What is Cholera Disease?

• Cholera disease causes a lot of watery diarrhea and vomiting
• Cholera diarrhea can look like cloudy rice water
• Cholera can cause death from dehydration (the loss of water and salts from the body) within hours if not treated

*Cholera is an infection in the small intestine caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. 
The main symptoms are profuse, watery diarrhea and vomiting. 
Transmission occurs primarily by drinking water or eating food that has been contaminated by the feces of an infected person, including one with no apparent symptoms. The severity of the diarrhea and vomiting can lead to rapid dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, and death in some cases. 


The primary treatment isoral rehydration therapy, typically with oral rehydration solution (ORS), to replace water and electrolytes. If this is not tolerated or does not provide improvement fast enough, intravenous fluids can also be used. 


Antibacterial drugs are beneficial in those with severe disease to shorten its duration and severity. Worldwide, it affects 3–5 million people and causes 100,000–130,000 deaths a year as of 2010. Cholera was one of the earliest infections to be studied by epidemiological methods.

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholera

How is Cholera Spread?

• Cholera germs are found in the feces (poop) of infected people
• Cholera is spread when feces (poop) from an infected person gets into the water people drink or the food people eat
• Cholera is not likely to spread directly from one person to another

Prevention and Control

The risk for cholera is very low for people visiting areas with epidemic cholera. When simple precautions are observed, contracting the disease is unlikely.

What to do if you think that you or someone in your family has cholera

• If you have oral rehydration solution (ORS), start taking it now; it can save your life
• Go immediately to the nearest health facility. Continue to drink ORS at home and while you travel to get treatment
• Continue to breastfeed your baby if they have watery diarrhea, even when traveling to get treatment

All people (visitors or residents) in areas where cholera is occurring or has occurred should be aware of the basic cholera facts and observe five basic cholera prevention recommendations.

Five Basic Cholera Prevention Messages

1. Drink and use safe water*
   • Bottled water with unbroken seals and canned/bottled carbonated beverages are safe to drink and use
   • Use safe water to brush your teeth, wash and prepare food, and to make ice
   • Clean food preparation areas and kitchenware with soap and safe water and let dry completely before reuse
   *Piped water sources, drinks sold in cups or bags, or ice may not be safe and should be boiled or treated with chlorine. 
   
   To be sure water is safe to drink and use:
   • Boil it or treat it with a chlorine product or household bleach
   • If boiling, bring your water to a complete boil for at least 1 minute
   • To treat your water with chlorine, use one of the locally available treatment products and follow the instructions. For a list of products distributed by country, visit CDC’s Safe Water System website
   • If a chlorine treatment product is not available, you can treat your water with household bleach. Add 8 drops of household bleach for every 1 gallon of water (or 2 drops of household bleach for every 1 liter of water) and wait 30 minutes before drinking
   • Always store your treated water in a clean, covered container

2. Wash your hands often with soap and safe water*
   • Before you eat or prepare food
   • Before feeding your children
   • After using the latrine or toilet
   • After cleaning your child’s bottom
   • After taking care of someone ill with diarrhea
   * If no soap is available, scrub hands often with ash or sand and rinse with safe water.
3. Use latrines or bury your feces (poop); do not defecate in any body of water
   • Use latrines or other sanitation systems, like chemical toilets, to dispose of feces
   • Wash hands with soap and safe water after defecating
   • Clean latrines and surfaces contaminated with feces using a solution of 1 part household bleach to 9 parts water
   What if I don’t have a latrine or chemical toilet?
   • Defecate at least 30 meters away from any body of water and then bury your feces
   • Dispose of plastic bags containing feces in latrines, at collection points if available, or bury it in the ground. Do not put plastic bags in chemical toilets
   • Dig new latrines or temporary pit toilets at least a half-meter deep and at least 30 meters away from any body of water
4. Cook food well (especially seafood), keep it covered, eat it hot, and peel fruits and vegetables*
   • Boil it, Cook it, Peel it, or Leave it
   • Be sure to cook shellfish (like crabs and crayfish) until they are very hot all the way through
   *Avoid raw foods other than fruits and vegetables you have peeled yourself.
5. Clean up safely—in the kitchen and in places where the family bathes and washes clothes
   • Wash yourself, your children, diapers, and clothes, 30 meters away from drinking water sources.

   Source:http://www.cdc.gov/cholera/prevention.html    

Health benefits of Neem Tree

 

Neem is a fast-growing tree that can reach a height of 15-20 m (about 50-65 feet), rarely to 35-40 m (115-131 feet). It is evergreen but in severe drought it may shed most or nearly all of its leaves. The branches are wide spread. The fairly dense crown is roundish or oval and may reach the diameter of 15-20 m in old, free-standing specimens.    The tree is native to Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Myanmar. This amazing tree is claimed to treat forty different diseases. All the parts of the tree is used for treating illness, the leaves, fruit, seeds and even the bark all contain medicinal properties. The use of neem as a medicinal herb dates back over 5,000 years. Today it’s benefits have been proven by scientific research and clinical trials. And, although few of us have access to a neem tree, it can be purchased in the form of oil, powder and pills. To give you an idea of the healing powers of the neem tree, here are a few names that the people of India have given it, “Divine Tree”, “Village Pharmacy”, “Heal All” and “Nature’s Drugstore”. With the almost ending list of uses for neem, I think it could be called, ” The Tree of Life”! DIABETES In treating diabetes, neem has been found to actually reduce the insulin requirements by as much as 50% without altering the blood glucose levels. Take 3 to 5 drops internally each day. BLOOD DISEASES Neem cleanses the blood, stimulates antibody protection and strengthens the immune system which improves the bodies resistance to many diseases. MOUTH INFECTIONS Used as a mouth wash it treats infections, mouth ulcers, bleeding sore gums and will even help prevent tooth decay! PINK EYES For pink eye the juice of neem leaves can be used as eye drops, warm 5-10 ml and apply several drops. JAUNDICE To treat jaundice, mix 30 ml of neem juice with 15 ml of honey, take on an empty stomach for seven days. BURNING SENSATIONS If you suffer from burning sensations and excessive sweating, add 5 to 10 drops of neem oil in a glass of milk before going to bed. ACNE For acne problems take 2 capsules twice daily, you will start to see results within a few days. SINUSITIS For sinusitis, plain pure neem oil can be used as nasal drops. Use tow drops twice daily, morning and evening. ATHLETES FOOT For athletes foot, soak feet in warm water with 15 ml of neem oil. EAR-ACHES Neem oil will quickly stop earaches, just warm some oil and apply a few drops into the ear. LICES To kill head lice, neem oil should be massaged into the scalp and left on over night. Shampoo your hair as usual the next morning. INFLUENZA Drinking neem tea during an outbreak of influenza will help alleviate some of the symptoms and speed up the recovery time. HEAD-ACHES For headaches neem powder should be applied to the forehead, neem oil should also work in combating headaches when used the same way. KIDNEY PROBLEMS Blood disorders such as blood poisoning, kidney problems and poor circulation have been benefited by the use of neem. OTHER BENEFITS Neem is highly effective in treating gastritis, indigestion and heartburn. With all of the countless medicinal benefits that are already provided with the use of neem, it is also being studied very closely for a treatment for AIDS, cancer, allergies, diabetes and both male and female forms of birth control! Neem oil should be stored in a cool dark place, if the oil solidifies it can be placed in warm water to bring back to liquid form. P.S. Do not use this oil if you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant (research indicates that when ingested, this oil prevented implantation & had an abortionist effect as per wikipedia. Although we are using it topically, it’s probably still better to be safe than sorry).