Tree Plantation Drive by YES!+: June 5, 2010

When Art of Living Bangalore's YES!+ team took charge in different parts of city, with AoL teachers, BBMP, and other responsible organizations like Vee Technnologies, the outcome was more than 100 new trees in a few hours, across parks!

FAQ: On an average, a human being utilizes resources of 16 trees in a lifetime.

Have you adopted your tree yet? :-)

Contact your Art of Living city coordinator and get started now.

www.artofliving.org

LOVE LEATHER? Get Your Perspective Right

Love flaunting your latest leather watch...

Feel good about your latest sleek leather shoes?

Think your brand new leather purse is the talk of the circle?

I know you are a well-meaning, educated, and socially-acceptable person, and have a good deal of conscience inside you. If you have been using leather anywhere on you or in your living/working space, PLEASE return them to the seller, and share this blog link with him/her.

If you know friends and family around you who use leather, and feel proud of their shallow vanity, please go burst their bubble, and restore sensitivity back. We are more evolved than most species on this planet, and we have the brains and the heart to protect our own habitat and eco-system.

Please dispose your leather accessories, and make way for eco-sustaining, healthier and innovative accessories:

Have a leather wallet?
Buy a trendy, cloth-spun wallet from:
SSRDP Shop, Art of Living International Foundation Centre, (inside Gate5), 21st Km, UdayanPura (UdiPallya), Kanakpura Road, Bangalore
Phone Lines: +918028432274, +918028432273

Have leather shoes?
Leather shoes are dead skin, and dead matter sucks prana (subtle life force) away from the body!
Invest in rexin formal shoes, get a cool pair of canvas shoes. Even better, Woodlands sells very stylish shoes that walk the line between formal and outdoor shoes! :-)

Have a leather purse?
SSRDP Shop sells a refreshing line of jute and cotton purses and bags that are the in-thing across India, Europe and the US today. Jute is also called the "golden fibre" because of its strength, durability, washability and high environment quotient. When you support the jute industry, you are protecting the livelihood of thousands of workers who live day-in and day-out below the poverty line. You are indirectly curbing the evils of CHILD LABOR, EMPOWERING RURAL WOMEN OF INDIA, SUPPORTING CHILD EDUCATION.

Flaunt your education, values and upbringing! Flaunt it with eco-friendly style statements that are like no one else, and also make your consciousness expand!

We own this planet, its time to start owning up too! :-)

Tobey Maguire has banned leather from his house.The mainly vegan actor insists everyone who visits his Los Angeles home remove all their leather garments, including shoes and belts, before entering.One guest to his house said: "I've seen women take off their shoes, belts, and even leave their $4,000 bags at the door. Tobey says the smell of leather makes him sick - he never has it around him."Tobey recently revealed cutting out all animal products from his diet, including milk, eggs and cheese, was easy for him.The 'Spider-Man' star - who has been a vegetarian for over 14 years and only breaks his vegan eating plan when he has to gain weight for film roles - explained: "It's never really been that hard for me. I've never had any desire to eat meat. In fact, when I was a kid I would have a really difficult time eating meat at all. It had to be the perfect bite, with no fat or gristle or bone or anything like that."I don't judge people who eat meat, that's not for me to say, but the whole thing just sort of bums me out."


Back home here, Shahid Kapoor are one of the few celebs who campaign for PETA.


Follow the right ladders and the destination will be worth pursuing! :-)

USA has banned these tablets! What about India?

The US FDA had BANNED tablets containing PHENYL PROPANOL AMIDE or PPA

http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/InformationbyDrugClass/ucm150738.htm

http://www.powerlinefacts.com/Sciam_article_on_lobbying.htm

In the USA, PPA is no longer sold without a prescription due to a increased risk of stroke in young adults, especially women. And Canada withdrew drugs containing PPA from the market, way back in 2001!
Want some live proof too? Here it is.

I'm sure now you'd like to know which medicines are banned? I am sure you know almost all of them...and perhaps have also been using most of them UNTIL NOW.

CHEMICAL; ADVERTIZED SOLUTION	BRAND NAME	REASON FOR BAN
PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE for cold and cough	Vicks Action-500	STROKE; Initially, an instant reliever, but symptoms of cold and cough return more pronounced within a few days...also causes fatigue
ANALGIN pain-killer	Novalgin	BONE MARROW DEPRESSION
CISAPRIDE acidity, constipation	Ciza, Syspride	IRREGULAR HEARTBEAT
DROPERIDOL:  Anti-depressant	Droperol	IRREGULAR HEARTBEAT
FURAZOLIDONE:  Anti-diarrheal	Furoxone, Lomofen	CANCER
NIMESULIDE: Fever, pain-killer	Nise, Nimulid	LIVER FAILURE
NITROFURAZONE: Antibacterial cream	Furacin	CANCER
PHENOLPHTHALEIN:  Laxative	Agarol	CANCER
OXYPHENBUTAZONE: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug	Sioril	BONE MARROW DEPRESSION
PIPERAZINE:  Anti-worms	Piperazine	NERVE DAMAGE
QUINIODOCHLOR:  Anti-diarrhoeal	Enteroquinol	DAMAGE TO EYESIGHT

Now that you know the facts, what would you do?

IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO IMPLEMENT A GOOD IDEA.

Please dispose these pills ethically, preferably to the Chemists (hopefully they dispose them well).
And most important of all...


educate as many people as you can.

Does SRK know what he is endorsing?

What can I say? :-) :-)

This one's my favorite :-D

I'll keep most of the text of this post pale yellow in heart-felt condolence for all the educated, sleeping consumers who "consume" Colgate everyday!

SRK...King Khan...Baadshah of Bollywood...what not? certainly...

A compelling actor, a confident man, who stepped into filmdom with Deewana (1992), and stole millions of hearts with hits like
...Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dil Toh Pagal Hai, Mohabbatein, Chak De India (my personal favorite), Om Shanti Om, Ra Ne Banadi Jodi, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Kal Ho Na Ho, Veer Zara, and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna
...has garnered hardcore fans from Pakistan and Germany...to Japan!

I'll tell you why I'm thankful that my date of birth is the only thing Shahrukh and I have in common.....read on....


Some people with chain smoking habits (You know who), know that they are role models for thousands, and yet sometimes they overlook the impact that every slight gesture of theirs can have on the society...


...my guess is, such celebrities may not have learnt the Sudarshan Kriya Yoga or PERHAPS never even experienced the enhanced awareness that meditation and a holistic DIET (excluding poultry meat pumped wth antibiotics, or eggs containing hormones) can bring......in such cases such celebrities consider stress (resulting from their hectic work, super-strenous workouts, the blinding celebrity glitter) as something natural to carry inside their systems...hence the lack of awareness....and they do not mind promoting products without doing their own RESEARCH...


(oh, btw, SRK earns 8 to 9 crores from his brand endorsements.)


What are the ingredients in Colgate?

Water, hydrated silica, glycerin, SORBITOL, PVM/MA copolymer, SODIUM LAURYL SULPHATE, cellouse gum, and flavor, and some other trace chemicals. And of course SODIUM FLUORIDE and Triclosan for whitening.


"Overseas researchers have found Colgate toothpaste contains ingredients that may cause cancer."
Why did I panic when discovered this:

• I had just finished brushing my teeth with Colgate toothpaste (it was in the morning newspaper).
• I have been using Colgate since many years.

My first reaction was to dispose the Colgate toothpaste in my bathroom.Of course I did so...
As I wondered:

• Where have the quality control authorities gone?
• How come harmful products are on the shelves of supermarkets for so long?

After all, the quality control authorities are "supposed to be" responsible for the safety and health of consumers, isn't it?
But by now, my insecurity had turned to proactive anger. A few days down the line, here I am, sharing some interesting facts with you...who knows I may be instrumental in a positive change in your lifestyle...we never know :-)
1. SORBITOL:

Artificial sweetener- also contained in chewing gums, and calorie-conscious sweets

• causes dramatic weight loss with prolonged or excess ingestion
• causes gastro-intestinal problems like weight loss, or abdominal pain

2. SODIUM LAURYL SULPHATE, or SLS, or SLES:
(Aah, this is my favorite compound..technically termed as 'surfactant', an 'emulsifier', and a 'denaturant')
Also contained in:
- Most shampoos and conditioners (even in the ones labelled 'herbal')
- bath and shower crèmes and gels
- liquid hand soap
- moisturizers
- bubble-bath


Used as a foamer and a detergent in toothpastes, and preferred by manufacturers because it is cheap, SLS is used

• to clean oil spillage from petrol forecourts....means it is very effective (sarcastic)
• It is well KNOWN to be a harmful skin irritant (remember why they say 'flush your eyes with plenty of water' if you get shampoo in them)

• Toxic to the liver and kidneys

• Toxic to aquatic animals/fish (remember tons of this stuff washes-off down our drains!!)
  
• On the NIH hazards list
  
• Known to trigger eczema and skin problems

• And this is my favorite: SLS is...Known to cause mouth ulcers!!!

Of late,
Have you noticed the increasing trend of sensitive teeth? Don't be surprised.
Do you still want to use Colgate?


3. SODIUM FLUORIDE, or MSDS:
Used as Rat Poison...need I say more?


I hope SRK is reading this (for his own health)...


what's the irony of it...most celebs do not even use the products they endorse...


A PJ:
When will it be 2012 for the media industry?
When SRK endorses the 'Jaago Grahak Jaago' (wake up consumer wake up) campaign on television! (hahaha)

Lemons!

I discovered the magical properties of LEMON...

Want to share these lemony facts with you...

• Fights Infections…aids higher WBC count

• Antioxidant: deactivates free radicals; prevents/lowers risk of cardiovascular diseases (eg: stroke) and cancers (colon, prostate, breast).

• LOWERS Blood Pressure; increases HDL (good Cholesterol)

• Anti-carcinogen: prevents abnormal cell metabolism, thus reducing risks of colon cancer, prostate cancer and breast cancer; also blocks formation of nitrous amines in the gut.

• Lemon peel powder paste applied on the scalp relieves headache and cools the body

• Lemon juice:

·         dries acne naturally, and prevents acne.

·         Naturally bleaches the hair and lightens complexion; excellent, especially if you are allergic to chemical hair dyes and bleaches; also removes wrinkles

·         Prevents common cold

·         Treats urinary tract infections and gonorrhea

·         Relieves pain and dilutes poison from insect bites

·         Relieves colic pain and gastric problems

·         Applied with a little glycerin, soothes dry skin

·         Ingested with a pinch of warm salt every morning, lowers cholesterol levels, and aids weight loss

·         Prevents dehydration and shocks during diarrhea

·         Is an excellent mouthwash against plaque, whitens the teeth and strengthens the enamel.

·         Relieves chilblains and itchiness of the skin

·         Excellent treatment for dandruff and greasy hair

·         Prevents and cures osteoarthritis

·         With water clears the digestive system, cleanses the liver, relieves gingivitis, stomatitis, and inflammation of the tongue.

Thick lemon syrup eases asthma too!

...kuch khatta kuch mithaa! :-)

The LINK between FOOD and EMOTIONS

The only connection between one’s emotions and diet is more than just the tendency to eat when depressed or stressed. Western science has just recently uncovered the link between mental states and nutrition, though Eastern civilizations were well aware of the consequences of diet on the mind since around 4000 B.C.
Personally I feel western science and research could do much more and faster if they consulted our ancient Vedas with sincerity, because we’ve been there and done that more than 20 millenniums ago. Saves a lot of resources and the unnecessary exercise.
But the world, I believe is almost reaching that point of intelligence, and soon they would completely recognize the value of the ancient scriptures which have already embedded all the scientific, mathematical and philosophic knowledge that the world by western technique is only grappling to grasp. And this change that we as Indian encourage, is out of the mentality of a unified one world family mindset. This unified One-World-Family mindset is what makes an Indian just smile and brush minor plagiarisms of the west aside…by “plagiarism”, I mean the textbooks saying that Aristotle discovered the shape of the Earth, or Galileo’s discoveries about the solar system, many mathematical equations, the fact that the ancient Indians designed and implemented the first complete flying machine, that the umbrella was first invented in India, and Kalaripayattu, the mother of all martial arts….and much, much more. What the world considers breakthrough inventions and discoveries today, is what ancient Indian civilization knew in entirety, ages ago, right from stem cell invention, to artificial insemination, to knowledge of dark matter, parallel universes, and so on.
One such interesting science I want to share with you today is the effect of food on our mind.
It is simple understanding that what we eat today in a little while becomes integrated as part of our bodily organs and fluids. WE BECOME WHAT WE EAT.


Neurotransmitter chemicals in the brain regulate our moods, emotions and the experience of pain. When we eat, nutrients in the foods trigger amino acids and these acids affect the production of emotional neurotransmitters (dopamine, epinephrine and serotonin).
Take an example, proteins tone blood sugar levels, infuse alertness and generate constancy in energy levels in a person.
Exactly the converse happens in a sugar-rich diet.

The body is a part of the planet’s elements, and it is an evolved, complex living matter. Every living and non-living being functions through conditioning, and conditioning is super important for the body more than for the mind, because the body is more gross, and the mind is subtle. The rules that apply to the body do not apply to the mind. The body needs effort to build itself. The mind needs effortlessness to rest and relax and bounce back with vitality. The body needs conditioning to become lively and healthy. The mind needs unconditioning. Get the subtle point.
Now when I say protein again, your conditioned mind gets mental pictures of eggs and fishes and lean meat, right? Honestly from a very scientific, medical and environmental perspective, MEAT IS NOT AN INTELLIGENT SOURCE OF PROTEIN at all. If you want visual proof, and you are older than 16 years, please feel free to indulge in the video “Meet Your Meat” and educate yourself :-)
I’m sure you’ll find healthier and easily available sources of protein besides the meat.

Complex carbs
Effect- Releases more serotonin: Alleviates depression, Creates mental peacefulness, restful sleep, Reduces appetite and physical pain, cleans blood of all amino acids (except tryptophan- tryptophan which converts into serotonin-)
Source- Whole grains and starchy foods (pasta, potatoes), spinach, orange juice, nuts, seeds, olive oils

Ascorbic acid and selium
Effect- Increases intercourse frequency and mood, reduces anxiety, fidgeting, irritability and violent tantrums
Source- Brazil nut, sunflower seeds, whole grain cereals

Folic acid
Effect- Enables 50-70 year olds fight cognitive decline; deficiency causes anaemia
Source- Spinach and orange juice

Antioxidants-Vitamin E
Effect- Better memory as you grow older and older and older
Source- Vegetable oils, nuts, leafy greens, berries

Omega-3 fatty acids
Effect- Healthy brain, fights mental illnesses (depression and mood disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, dyslexia, dementia), heart disease, cancer, inhibits behavioral problems and spelling and learning disabilities in children
Source- Walnuts, kiwi fruit, flax seeds


Vitamin B12
Effect- Synthesizes red blood cells, maintenance of a healthy nervous system, and development in children. Deficiency can cause anaemia, disrupt DNA production and create abnormal cells (megaloblasts), resulting in anaemia. Symptoms:excessive tiredness, breathlessness, listlessness, pallor, poor resistance to infection, a smooth, sore tongue and menstrual.
Source- Seaweeds (nori), and algae (spirulina), Vit. B12 fortified nutritional yeast extracts (Red Star brand etc), Vecon vegetable stock, veggieburger mixes, textured vegetable protein, soya milks, vegetable and sunflower margarines, and breakfast cereals (Nutri-Grain)

Refined white sugar (I call it "chemical menace"...deadly name na :-))
Effect- Depletes the bodily B-vitamins, leading to nervousness and mental depression. emotional outbreaks, especially in children and adolescents. chronic blood-sugar level problems (that may cause diabetes or hypoglycemia depression, irritability and nervous attacks), accompanied by headaches, fatigue, insomnia, irritability, restlessness, crying spells, nervous breakdowns, excessive worry, inability to concentrate, depression, forgetfulness, suicidal thoughts, illogical fears, allergies (do you want sugar now?). The worst is, it coats itself on the inner lining of the digestive and intestinal hair and inhibits the absorption of nutrients by the body.
- Schools that have removed carbonated drink and candy machines have observed a decrease in vandalism and absenteeism

Foods high in artificial flavors and colors
Effect- Interfere with the working of bodily chemicals
Source- You’re smart enough to figure out the names :-)

Curry spice curcumin
Effect- Reduces memory deficits in Alzheimer's disease and brain trauma

Fats
Effect- Dull the mind’s thinking faculty and induces mild depression because fat digestion demands much blood to be diverted away from the brain to the digestive system.
Source- You know which :-)

Preserved foods
Effect- Saturates the bloodstream with toxins that poison the body and interfere with brain function
Source- You knew that! :-)

Nicotine
Effect- Metabolic dysfunction; impairs the vitamin C absorption, destroys currently present Vitamin C in blood, interferes with the blood circulation and deprives the brain of its essential nutrients (blood glucose); causes emotional outbursts and irritability
Source- Tobacco (Are the inspirational old West actors and Shahrukh Khan reading this?)

Caffeine drug
Effect- Nervous and emotional disturbances (anxiety); stimulates insulin secretion, thereby disturbing the blood-sugar level in the body.
Source- 1-3 cups of coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolate

Alcohol
Effect- Disturbs blood-sugar level. Low blood sugar occurs in 70-90% of all alcoholics. Causes niacin (vitamin B3) deficiency that leads to periods of depression and feelings of lack of self-worth.
Source- I'll doubt your IQ if you still want a martini?

The Bhagavad Gita, systematizes foods into three types:

Pure foods ("sattvic")

Calmness, tranquility and clarity of mind, alertness and sweetness of disposition.

Cereals, honey, herbs, sprouts, seeds, nuts, legumes, butter, milk, fresh fruits and vegetables (includes sprouts), fresh juices, and whole meal bread, dairy products, almonds, dates, barley

Stimulating foods ("rajasic")
Induces animal passions, egotism and a restless, dissatisfied state of mind. These foods contribute to nervous disorders and emotional outbreaks.

Salty, dry, sour, hot and bitter food like sharp spices, meat, eggs, onions, garlic, sugar, salt, wheat and rye products, sugar, meat, chocolate, tea and coffee

Impure or rotten foods ("tamasic")
Decrease in thinking capacity (delusion), dull the senses, lethargy, anger, jealousy, greed, pessimism, lack of common sense, doubtfulness and contribute to chronic mental ailments. They accelerate the aging process and cause early death.

Putrified, processed, canned and preserved foods (includes icecreams or log-refrigerated stale food), burnt or half-cooked foods, meat, alcohol, tobacco, onions, garlic, fermented foods (includes wine) and over ripe foods

Broadly, foods affect our mental and emotional state by:
1. furnishing or depleting vital nutrients upon which our mental and emotional health depend, and
2. Producing or not producing toxic by-products, in the body which poison the brain and contribute to emotional problems.

Appropriate changes to our personal diet system heighten cognition, protect brain from damage and defend the effects of aging. The food we consume is broken down and the vital nutrients are supplied to the brain cells wherein our mental and emotional faculties take shape.

The wrong kinds of foods can cause complete mental breakdowns and personality transformation.

This knowledge is so profound that the mental health of all countries maybe linked to only the diet being promoted by the governments.

End of the day, the bottom line is this: gluttony is bad! If you overeat, you are giving me vibes about your negative self-image, or inability to handle negative emotions (hence the temporary desensitization of emotions).
Remember how Mom or Dad conditioned the ice cream rewards: "If you're good, I'll buy you an ice cream." Now we play the same parent-child reward game with ourselves unconsciously, don’t we? What would you do if you are depressed, eat chocolate chip cookies, (or smoke, if you’ve had a bad upbringing) but they do not erase the cause of that depression. For certain, the foods we are eating may be recreating the emotional problems we are trying to escape from. See the point?
Do you put money in the nearest carbonated drink machine or grab a candy bar, when you are lonely, or bored?
We don’t even stop there. We mindlessly eat turkey, pastries and sweets on holiday festivities, not moderately, but mindlessly.

This brings me to another talking point: under eating/ fab dieting. This is my only take on this: Half the world’s population is starving, and the other half is on a diet.

Need I say more?

The bigger picture is clear: we make hundreds of dietary decisions SUBCONSCIOUSLY everyday. We have conditioned our minds to do that. And it costs money to satisfy the urges momentarily, and even more money to undo the bodily disasters. The shift is only a matter of orientation: Let’s change the way food is served, for the multitudes of unconscious consumers so that they can painlessly cut around 200 calories a day! 200 calories everyday…it really is a big deal !
Start with small measures of changes…promise yourself not to eat that snack unless you have a fresh (and preferably organic) fruit. And get innovative…garnish your meals well. We all know that we also eat with our eyes and smell and touch, so get innovative..get artistic!
No intelligent person will fall for the false sense of security mis-promised by fast food chains like McDonald’s, that talk loud about health food, and so-called nutrients in their happy meals, and parallely trick you into buying coke floats with sugar-cream filled icecream (remember the info on white sugar? :-)) floating in pottycola (you’ll know why, if you’ve read my earlier posts).
I know you are intelligent, and you are aware of it, when you walk into a McD outlet.
My question is: are you intelligent enough?
You may enjoy the illusion of eating a “healthy” wrap sandwich for a meal, but go beyond the mayonnaise pack label that says “0 carbs”. The packet doesn’t mention the 10 grams fat and 90 cals. ! Sorry to ruin your meal, sorry that we are living in a funny civilization, sorry to say you are setting the trend for your family and for your friends when you make a choice. You are the most important person in your life, and you have only one body.

Depressions, worry, nervousness, anxiety, tension and other negative emotions surface out of fear. Worry is fear of the unknown; anxiety is fear of future possibilities; tension is fear of people or their demands; nervousness is fear of one's own inability to handle daily responsibilities.

Primitive man (and animals) had to tackle tangible fear, which was external and he could run from it. Contrary wise, the modern man, today, has fears about the intangible worries. These are internal factors and he cannot run from them. And sadly, our education system never taught us to handle our own minds, so we have been unequipped so far to deal with worry, nervousness, anxiety, tension, depression, and now even panic (an extreme manifestation of fear).

Awareness is a solution, so are affirmations. But these are superficial. What else can one do sureshot?

Enter: Meditation, yoga, and the Sudarshan Kriya.

I bet your parents never knew this, so they never taught you this. I bet you know this now, so you will do what an educated, intelligent, self-empowering, narcissist individual like you can do about it now!

Happy people inspire happiness in people around. Meditative minds create more tranquility and positivity around them. The whole exercise of life is to be happy. And 30 million people around the world are experiencing unshakeable happiness and struggle-free success with Sudarshan Kriya.

Haven’t you experienced it yet?