A straight back cannot be more hippy (straight forward)

It's not uncommon to come across any good posture note that doesn't ask you to keep your back straight. It's definitely a good practice to do so, but I've experienced difficulty practicing it for a long time. Usually a prolonged straight back tired my upper back muscles and made it stiff. Thanks to my occupation of constantly in coversation with my computer - I have no escape from this dreadful problem. Not to mention the ill effects this has on my entire system and the hardship I'll have to put up with as I grow old and feeble. It's everyone's problem these days.

That being the problem, I was constantly looking for a solution (an easy solution) that eluded me for a long time. I've tried constantly reminding myself, pulling my body from the unconscious slouch, breathing, regular breaks and short walks. They all helped but the slouch seemed persistent.

From an unusual source came the final solution. It's to slightly tilt the hip bone forward. No matter what activity you do, this is a simple adjustment that can come in handy. You could sit, stand, bend down or up, twist and turn, walk or run and even sleep with the hip bone tilted forward.

The back is made of lower, middle and upper and all three are stacked one upon the other with the upper back holding the neck and head. All this is supported by our back bone. All this structure is propped well on the hip supported by the legs. Now if you imagine the body as a tree your legs are stable roots on which the wobbly trunk, branches and all the important parts are perched upon.

Still nothing beats practice and a conscious reminder. Keep reminding yourself to tilt the hip and loosen the upper body. This works like magic. So say no more keep the back straight - just say tilt the hip.

P.S. Try this for at least three weeks in a row and let me know how you get on with it.

Quick fix for an aching neck

When you have an ache in the shoulder or neck muscules or somewhere in between.

1. Choose a stable & hard platform to lie on*.
2. Use a towel or a folded soft cloth around the edge.
3. Lie down on your back with your shoulders in line with the edge of the platform. Palms facing down on your chest or beside you. Legs straight.
4. Your neck and head will droop backward and hang from your shoulder.
5. Breath normally maintaining a rhythm.
6. Focus on the pain and the stretch you get through the length of your body.
7. Maintain position for 5 to 10 minutes or as long as you are comfortable. More than 10 minutes is not advisable.
8. Get up with support and be careful not to strain your neck. If possible, hold on to a support or try to turn around and get up sideways.

Do this once or twice a day. You'll find your posture improves doing your regular activities.

* You could use your bed if that can provide good lumbar support and the edges of the mattress do not sag on a weight. I use a wooden coffee table extended with a few chairs lined up.

Cancer causing Dioxin in daily life. Is that all?

It's true that there are so many hidden things in modern life that are life negative. They cause diseases and damage to the body. They hamper health and progress.
The real solution to such things is not in avoiding them, but to follow a healthy life style that will build the strength of our immune system and the healing systems.

Our bodies are possessed with an inherent ability to heal themselves and stay healthy. It's this power we possess within that can help us.

I believe in not getting hung up to new discoveries of causes and antidotes. Because at a point we become skewed and we helplessly ponder at the never ending list of Dont-Do's.
It's an inevitable truth that our bodies too evolve to the circumstances we are all faced with. This is in preparation for the next stage of evolution that will have to face constant danger from man-made and chemical toxins. By feeding the bodies with the hidden toxins of development, we develop an inherent metabolism that can sustain larger quantities of impurities in our environment in the coming years or in the coming ages, where our future generations are going to tread their feet.

All said, the below news might throw a caution signal to all our minds. Nothing wrong in it. But, we truly don't know if this is a complete list. The list we all can easily guess... is never ending. So go on, read it and if you like, follow it. But stay healthy. Anything consumed in admissible quantities is not a toxin. Whereas even an anitidote over-consumed can become a toxin.


-- fwd msg ---
Cancer News from Johns Hopkins :
1. No plastic containers in micro.
2. No water bottles in freezer.
3. No plastic wrap in microwave.

Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This
information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army MedicalCenter as
well.

Dioxin chemicals causes cancer,
especially breast cancer.

Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't
freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases
dioxins from the plastic.

Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle
Hospital , was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He
talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us.

He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave
using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that
contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and
plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells
of the body.

Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or
ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only
without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and
soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in
something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the
paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc.

He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants
moved away from the foam containers to paper.
The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as
dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As
the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually
melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food.

Cover food with a paper towel instead.

This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your
life!

-- fwd msg ---

Walk the HealThee way

Want to flex your muscles, want that trim waistline or a firm butt, how about a refreshing visit to your nearest part. All these and more is what a good walk could give you. At the time of writing this I'm in Tokyo. A place known for it's excellent public transport system. Having to walk to the station every morning and evening, it drains the system of all the collected strains of the day.

The good thing about walking as an exercise is, you don't have to make time for it. You could do it as part of a daily chores. A walk to the nearest convenience store, a walk to the station, a walk around the office building. Anywhere anytime is the ease of a walking exercise.

A few observations about walking:
* Makes breathing deep and uniform
* Moves almost all the muscles in the body
* Try this... with the back of your hand, touch the centre part of your back as you walk. These are muscles that stiffen due to prolonged static posture. A walk could move these muscles and prevent stiffness.
* Moving the arms back and forth can exercise the wings, shoulder, elbow and biceps.
* The stiffness of the neck is cured.
* A mild walk can bring the much required oxygen flow and blood circulation within our body.
* Focussing on near and far objects as we walk could easily exercise the eyes and surrounding muscles.
* Look forward as you walk and not down at your shoe. 10ft and above in front of you is a good point to be looking at.
* Do not slouch as you walk. Keep the shoulder blade in line with the body.
* Keep the back straight at the hip.
* Hold the weight of your upper body on your chest.
* Pulling your tummy in could help reduce that extra flab and move those muscles.

Now, how long a walk is a good walk? To start with use time to measure your day's walk. A ten minute walk from your house can take you back in 20 mins. As your regularize the activity, you tend to walk a little faster. This would increase the distance automatically.

Walk on a different route every time. This would keep your interest. Keep the sun on your side and avoid direct sunlight onto your face. Walking towards the sun could tire you easily. Do not keep the sun behind you either. When you return home, the sun will hurt your eyes.

Best time to walk is before the sun starts blazing. Depends on the time of sunrise in your region. Here in Tokyo, summers day breaks as early as 4AM.

Cleansing

Good health starts with clean organs in the body.

A daily regimen for a clean body:

• Colon: As soon as you wake up, do water therapy (1.5 ltrs of water in empty stomach)
• Nose: Clean your nasal track by sucking water from the palm of your hand and pushing it out immediately with force. Warm water with common salt is preferred.
  
• Eyes: Cleaned with an 'eye-cup' that fits the eyes. Fill the eye-cup with water and roll the eye balls in all directions.
• Ear: Using the index fingers firmly fixed on the respective ear, shake the hand as fast as you can to generate a momentum in the outer ear. This will help bring out loose wax and dust from the ear.
• Mouth: Brush with a less corrosive paste, gorgle thoroughly. Do not use a tongue cleaner. Use the index-middle-ring fingers and rub the inner end of the tongue gently.
  
• Pranayama: (A guru is suggested) Practice atleast 10 minutes of pranayama early in the morning. Preferrably 1.5 hrs after the water therapy is done.
• Shower: A warm good shower, with naturally cleansing soaps
• Mind: A 20 minute meditation program

This takes less than 90 minutes in the morning, which is way too much for most of us in our late-to-bed run-to-office regimen. Once you get into the routine, it's a piece of cake.

Water

Water has many curative properties. 70% of our body is just water. Taking 1.5 litres of water first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach is called water therapy.

Water therapy has many proven curative properties on many ailments. Foremost of them is the ability to clean up the digestive system and flush the system. This renders the colon fresh and clean. A healthy digestive system becomes a source of a healthy life. Food, as we all know is the vital source of energy to our body and it's operations.

Apart from a good digestive system, water therapy also helps in keeping up the water content in the body. When the body is drained of the water, even the mind is crippled. A healthy water intake can stimulate the brain cells and keep us active throughout the day.

Tummy Breathing

Breathe out and feel the body relaxing. Breathing, an involuntary activity, when done with awareness can calm your mind, relax your body and elate your senses towards your soul.

I've tried this technique of tummy breathing and have realized quite a lot of benefits.

• Breathe out completely
• Push your tummy out and suck as much air as possible through your nostrils,
• Breathe out completely

When in empty stomach, you could do this by breathing out as fast as you can.

Do it in a relaxed posture with your back straight.

After a few minutes, you'll feel your breathing calms down, and your body will manage with very little breathing and the frequency too reduces significantly.

If you can do this consciously throughout your waking hours, you'll feel a surge of creative energy in you. Just concentrate on pushing out all the air from your body and the tummy movement. Let the 'breathing in' happen automatically.