Thursday, November 04, 2010

THE INVISIBLE SIX –PACK…Good health isn’t skin-deep... !!!

THE INVISIBLE SIX –PACK…Good health isn’t skin-deep. The six essential organs under your bonnet and teaches you how to get the most from your engine. Total body conditioning isn’t that simple. Behind every great six-pack is a system of cogs, pumps and vital organs. To look great you need this internal component to be in mint condition. Here is highlighted how your key organs working to their maximum potential. Think of this as your tune-up.



#1 THE BRAIN
What it does: Your body’s HQ is so complex an organ that to give a full account of its role would fill all pages. Suffice to say you wouldn’t get very far without it, not at least at the gym: every heart beat & biceps flex starts with an electrochemical signal sent by one of the 100 billion neuron in your brain. A sharper mind means greater reflex response.


Put This Test: Shut your eyes & lift one foot off the floor. The longer you can stand, better your brain is functioning. 28 seconds is good going for men aged 20 to 30, 23 seconds for ages 31 to 40; 15 seconds for ages 41 to 60. “This is a good test since balance is key gauge of cerebellar function.


Build to last: To keep your grey cells on their toes, head to the market without written list, try a visual memory. Link image to items you want to remember, say as Bipasha Basu Holding the milk in one hand, a loaf of bread in other, wearing a miniskirt of pasta… etc tec. As you tax your brain it performs better. If job demands leave no time to play, your brain will reap the rewards even if your limbs don’t.


#2 THE LUNGS
What it Does:These airbags comes as standard & with extra high- tech built-in. the lungs primary function is to extract oxygen from air and exchange it for carbon dioxide and bacteria in your bloodstream. The more efficiently they function, the higher your energy levels, the lower your risk of airborne infection, and more toned you’ll be able to make your body as a result.


Put the Test: Lung function test come in two forms. First, the one where you have the job of inflating the balloons at kiddle party. Then there’s the more orthodox version: you can gauge your lungs’ strength with spirometer. Basically, you forcefully blow into a tube attached to a gauge. It is hand held detector that measures your Forced Expired Volume (FEV). This shows how well your lungs empty and refill and warns of problem like narrowing airways or asthma. For more comprehensive analysis, a VO2 Max test is best. It measures the rate at which oxygen is processed by the lungs.


Build to last: If your spirometer or VO2 max test show your lungs to be good working order, then make sure you keep them healthy. “Apples are an excellent source of protective compounds called flavanoids, which are absorbed by the body and help make lung tissue healthier. Also pay attention to keep the things clean, as increased risk of asthma.


#3 THE LIVER
What it does: This small gland performs range of functions and its failure comes at high price, literally, if your liver fails, you could be sustained for few days by liver dialysis, but it is more expensive than kidney dialysis. If you relish your healthy complexion then you’d do well to take care of it. A malfunctioning live ris unale to flush out waste products such as bilirubin, the orange pigment excreted in bile, eventually leading to jaundice and an all over yellow pallor of the skin and eyes.


Put to the test: “Loss of appetite and vomiting, swelling of the belly due to fluid accumulation, dark urine, blackish stool and pain in the right hand side of the abdomen could all foretell liver trouble. Experience any of these & you should see your doctor. Perform blood test and urine analysis. The biggest assasins are excessive alcohol and A, B, C strains of the hepatitis virus (either causing scar tissue or necrosis). But what you may not know is that “across the world, paracetamol overdose is the one of the main reason of live failure.”


Build to last: Much like dish-washer, your liver is susceptible to gathering up residue after all that toxin cleansing. “Saturated fats & cholesterol will forms layer of gall stones, which can eventually lead to blockage. This will leave you susceptible to infection.” To keep your liver lovely, lower your bad cholesterol, lose extra weight- this reduces fat around the liver, letting it work in peace – and maintain a low fat diet.


#4 THE HEART
What it does: At the Oscars of performance and contribution to fitness, your heart will be pumping out fearful acceptance speeches every time. Its primary function is to send blood to lungs where it absorbs oxygen, before returning to the heart to be pumped around the body via arteries. All this pumping enables you to grind, be it on the dance floor or gym.


Put the test: If you have raised blood pressure, your heart is very likely at risk. If you have family history of heart problems, high blood pressure, cholesterol, ask your doctor to check out. Keep your home kit to check note blood pressure at home.


Build the Last: “Vigorous aerobic exercise for 30mins every day is heart saver. Regular aerobic activity will help carve a congestion free bus lane through any narrowing arteries. Whether it is running, swimming, or procreating, a fast pumping heart will enlarge existing blood channels. It can even provoke the growth of new ones known as arterial anastomosis, which becomes back route in times of high stress or in the event of clogged vessels. In short, more exercise means less cardiac arrest. A top food for strong hearts includes olive oil and carrots. It is the combination of polyphenol and anti-oxidant found in olive oil, that is thought to improve arterial blood flow, while another anti-oxidants, beta carotene, found abundance in carrots, can reduce blood levels of C-reactive protein(CRP) – a key factor in Cardio vascular disease.


#5 THE KIDNEYS
What they do: These coffee-colored organs are like industrious mules that wash away toxins. “The kidneys are the body’s filtration system, regulating water loss, ridding your insides of waste products in the form of urine and supplying your arteries with a clean batch of red blood cells. They also release a hormone called calcitriol, a form of vitamin D, essential for maintaining bone calcium & enabling you to hit the weights room.


Put to the Test: A tape measure is the unlikely tool to help spot potential kidney problems. Bend down and wrap the tape around your ankles. Note their circumstance measurement, the whenever you are next barefoot, take a reading again. Essentially, you are looking for any deviation from the norm because when the kidneys pack up, you retain liquid around your ankles. Be sure to look at your urine, too. “Traces of blood in the bowl could mean your kidneys are inflamed, while a lurid yellow trail means that you are highly dehydrated.” Persistent back pain may indicate kidney stones.


Build to last: Drinking two litres of water per day is the best way to keep your kidneys flushed clean. Toward off stones, recommends a daily glass of black currant juice, research found that it raises the blood pH level of your urine – the higher alkaline content, the fever salt crystal builds up.


# 6 THE TESTICLES & OVERIES
What they do:Real character of men and women are defined by it. Of course, their role in producing sperm and ovum gives their fundamental characteristic, but its testosterone, which is responsible for creating muscle mass, libido, mood, erectile function, hair distribution and bone density. Also LH, FSH, Estrogen and progesterone promotes and develops female reproductive structure. Prepare internal environment for fertility and making it more sperm friendly.

Put the Test: Some sign to check out his is turn in your libido, depression, lethargy, loss in muscle mass, and hair in upper part of body. Treatment will depend on cause.

Build to last: Cause may vary from genetic defect to use of medication. Avoid the usual suspects like putting on weight, smoking and drinking too much will help to maintain a healthy blood supply. For healthy boost eat handful of walnuts, peanuts or almonds every day. Daily porridge, oats are best.

Healthy Life with these SIX PACK.

Monday, November 01, 2010

"ESSENTIALS OF AYURVEDA - a science of Life... !!!

हिताहितम सुखं दुखामायुस्त्स्य हिताहितम ! मनम च तच्चा यात्रोक्तामायुर्वेदाह स उच्यते !!

The science that deals with Hita-aayuh (useful Life), ahita-ayuh (harmful life), sukha-ayuh( happy life) and Dukhayuh (Unhappy or miserable life), along with that span (short & long) of life is designed in Ayurveda, it is clear from this verse that Ayurveda is a science of Life which imparts knowledge of life with special reference to its four aspects i.e. useful, harmful, happy and unhappy life. It not only covers the knowledge of life but also the knowledge of healthy living. Also Ayurveda is not merely a science or knowledge of drugs, herbs or some effective remedies but has much wider aspects.


सो अयमयुर्वेद: शाश्वतो निदिर्श्यते, अनादित्वात, स्वाभावासंसिधालाक्ष्नात्वात ,भावास्वभाव्नित्यात्वाच्च !! Ch. Su. 30/26 In support of eternity of Ayurveda, Charak states that as it has no beginning, as it deals with the things which are inherent in nature and as these natural manifestations are eternal.

No science can stand the test of time and prove its validity in practice without having concrete footings of its fundamentals. The fundamentals once postulated and verified by various means and measures, when get established, should never face otherwise, in every past, present, and future situations acted Ayurveda fully justifies this principles, as its fundamentals are ever changeable and unaffected by ‘winds of Doctrines,’ even though there had been many additions and implications from time to time to the application and implications of the original principles, without however altering or changing their essence. Contrary the fundamentals of basic sciences and modern medicine temporarily stand the test of time and are liable to change with further advances, in the field of concerned. The reality & steadily of any science could be easily detected by understanding the themes of its fundamentals which form the basis for all the practical, theoretical applications and benefits of the science.


The ancient medical science required great medical practice & cosmic spiritual knowledge to be applied in proper way. The Ayurveda-a science of life, where all the fundamentals doctrines have been isolated from ‘darshamas’, teaches us an outlook of problem of health. It has been said that health is chief basis for development of religious, economic, worldly and heavenly happiness of man. The wealth of country merely depends not merely on its natural resources but also on the vitality of the people. Hence it is necessary to have basic conceptions pertaining to science of life( Ayurveda) and its approaches to attaining ‘health’ – a basis for dharma( religious), artha (economic), kama( worldly happiness) and moksha ( heavenly pleasure ) of a man. “धर्मार्थकाम मोक्षनामारोग्य मुलमुत्तम !!


The basic doctrines over which all the Ayurvedic concepts of physiology, pathology, pharmacology, medicines and therapeutics are depend on theory of ‘panchmahabhutas’ (five great elements), The modern anatomy may be said to be classified into different tissues and organs and limited to its detail description. In Ayurveda in addition to these, it is ‘atma’ (soul), ‘panchmahabutas’( 5 great elements), ‘mana’ (mind), which forms essential constituents for ‘doshas’(body humors), ‘dhatus’ (tissues) and ‘malas’ (waste) are regarded as fundamental structural cum functional units of the body. Basically, the body is believed to be composed of 5 primordial factors, i.e. Prithvi (solid components), jala( liquid componenets), teja (heat or energy components), vayu (gaseous components), aakash (ethereal components). The whole universe is also believed to be composed of the same and hence, the food we eat and water we drink and the air we breathe – all these are to aid the nutrition of our body – are composed of the same five components. This leads to a harmony existing between the microcosm (man) and Macrocosm (universe).


The physiology aspect of Ayurveda deals with the combined functions of soul, mind, sense organs, and the body. Here the functions of the body consisting of different systems have been described in terms of trigunas (satva, raja, tamas), five elements, body humors/doshas, tissues/dhatus, malas/waste. In ancient views, all matter whether subtle or gross, exhibit the characteristic of trigunas in terms of reveal, to make active and to suppress or make passive, respectively.


The basic knowledge of preparation and application of drugs depends on its rasa/taste, guna/qualities, virya/potency, vipaka/end product, prabhav/special action. These five factors are responsible to govern the action of the drug and entire pharmacology of Ayurveda is based on this theory. It is most essential particularly on the part of Ayurvedic physician to estimate the correct proportions of combination of the drugs in accordance to the amount of derangements in ‘doshas’, & ‘dhatus’ of the patient to bring about the equilibrium or harmony of the body.


In Ayurveda, entire process of digestion and metabolism is controlled by ‘agni’. Out of 13 types of ‘agnis’ are described in Ayurveda, it is Jatharagni, which plays important part in digestion of food. The ‘bhutagnis’ and ‘dhatwaagnis’ both are directly supported and controlled by Jathargni.


In Ayurveda, the term ‘Vyadhi’ is defined as that which brings about the different forms of unhappiness and the word ‘Roga’ is defined as that which causes discomfort. It is believed that an equilibrium of somatic doshas i.e. vata, pitta, and kapha, maintains homeostasis and brings harmony in functioning of the body. These somatic dosas when they are normal in proportion and action rule the functions of the body in normal manner and thus person enjoys normal health, but due to abnormal diet, practices and certain other obvious reasons, which there is derangements or change in proportions and actions, the body suffers.


Vyadhikshamatva or immunity is one of the many significant concepts developed in Ayurvedic literature. It deals with the body resistance and possesses tremendous importance to the daily welfare of the living body.


Ayurveda-a science of life is like knowledge compared with ocean, its pleasure to learn even one drop of it.