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

Right way of eating Fruit

Haven’t we all complained one time or another:

“Ohh, — every time I eat watermelon I burp”…”when I eat durian my stomach bloats up”…”when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet”

Haven’t many of us indulged in fruit sandwiches and felt miserable in restrooms next morning…

Ayurveda has many many secrets to offer…and these are called secrets because these are years of accumulated knowledge of the body, of different foods, their behavior in combination with other foods inside our system, and also at different times of the day...what makes it an exact and superior science is Ayurveda tells you what kind of a personality are you, and what foods suit you or don’t suit you! Isn’t that wonderful, and fascinating? :-)

Let’s get started on the secrets:

Secret# 1:

FRUITS SHOULD BE EATEN ONLY ON AN EMPTY STOMACH

 Corollary: Never eat fruits upto 30 minutes before and after any meal

Results: Fruits serve their real purpose of detoxifying your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.

What do most people do? 2 slices of bread + 1 slice of fruit

Consequence: The fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but the bread (generally made of white flour “maida”) prevents this. Meantime the whole meal rots, ferments and turns to acid. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil....

You will bloat.

If you eat fruits on an empty stomach, you prevent:

Graying hair

Balding

Nervous outbursts

Dark circles under the eyes.

Secret #2:

DRINK ONLY FRESH FRUIT JUICE, WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL WHITE SUGAR.

Any kind of packaged fruit juice (with or without preservatives) advertized as “fresh” is NOT fresh fruit juice. Canned juices..total NO NO.

Don’t drink juice that becomes warm due to heat.

Don’t eat cooked fruits…this includes apple stew. You only get to taste. Cooking destroys all the vitamins. (Europeans who invented apple soup surely had no prior knowledge of Ayurveda.)

Secret # 3:

A WHOLE FRESH FRUIT IS PREFERABLE OVER FRUIT JUICE

Secret # 4:

3-day fruit fast (whole fruits + fresh fruit juice) cleanses the body.

Don’t be surprised when your friends tell you how radiant you look!

If you are really curious about your body type, consult a Nadi Pariksha (Pulse Diagnosis) doctor and he’ll tell you in five minutes what foods are beneficial for you, and which aren’t. Here’s the link to Nadi Pariksha doctors in Bangalore:
http://www.srisriayurveda.in/AboutUs/PanchakarmaCenter/tabid/56/Default.aspx

Secret # 5:

Stay away from microwave ovens.

They kill the nutrition, and mutate the water molecules in your food. What you eat then, is mutated food which causes long-term harm to your genes.

What's the best alternate? OTG: Oven-Toaster-Griller

Secret #5:

Drinking cold water after a meal causes carcinogens to accumulate and develop over long-term.

The cold water solidifies the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer.

Drinking aerated cold drinks after a meal= extended long-term suicide!

It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

Secrets #6:

KIWI: Source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange. APPLE: Has antioxidants & flavonoids (enhances vitamin C activity, thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke).
STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit; highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals.
ORANGE : Sweetest medicine. 2-4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer.
WATERMELON: Thirst quencher; reduces acidity in stomach. 92% water, it is packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which boosts immunity; a key source of lycopene — the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are vitamin C & Potassium.
GUAVA & PAPAYA: Best forms of vitamin C. Guava is also rich in fiber, which prevents constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene (good for the eyes).

Secret# 7:

I saved the best for the last:

MILK MUST NEVER BE CONSUMED WITH FRUITS.

Yes, you heard it right. Milk and fruits make an unhealthy combination.

Examples are custard, mango milk shakes, banana milk shakes.

I gotta go :-) have a good day till the next surprise post.

Balding? Get in touch for an Ayurvedic Miracle

India is the land of Ayurveda, when the rest of civilization was just starting, India had reached peaks of progress in technology, spirituality, health and culture...the fineness of Indian doctors in those days sparkles even today through ancient Ayurvedic treatments which are more effective, long-term and accurate than any other form of medicine known in the world. Heard of Nadi Pariksha..or Pulse Diagnosis. Try it here, and you'll save yourself a lot of monies which you would otherwise have spent in MRI's and CT Scans and X-Rays...and when you recover through the treatment, put that extra money you saved, into something more worthwhile, like this.

WAKE UP! ...SIGN THIS PETITION AGAINST GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOOD

You know by now, the dangers of GM Food to your family and mine.

Simply refuse GM food.
...HOW?

Sign this petition
http://greenpeace.in/safefood/chavan-email/

Here are some latest happenings from the capital city, and some more real facts:
http://www.greenpeace.org/india/press/releases/citizens-uphold-their-right-to

Our words have power, lets use it wisely and timely. We want a cleaner, greener planet, and healthy people around.

Don't allow greedy, insensitive foreign MNC's to abuse this planet and stuff our bodies with time bombs (GM Food)!

How to prevent and cure REPETITIVE STRESS INJURY (RSI)?

 Let's admit this:

Life today isn't just the same as in the good ol' Hindi movies anymore...

Life is no longer roti (wheat), kapda (clothes), makaan (house)...

Life in today's cities is an extended package of Roti, Kapda, Makaan, Cell phone and the Internet!!

Ever since these have come to be included as a basic amenity among most people...the shadow of these amenities also arise...in this case, it is R.S.I. or Repetitive Stress Injury...

RSI is caused due to excessive usage of computers, laptops, cell phones and gadgets that strain the muscles of hand,neck and the back..It translates into a serious disease called CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME.

A serious health hazard amongst most professionals today, many unsuspecting people do not realise its too late until it gets too late.

Follow the golden habits below to avoid an RSI:

Want to learn an exercise that keeps the pain away....
you gotta do it once in a couple of hours, whenever you use the computer or gadgets (QWERTY keyboard phones) for long hours.

If you realise this, these are simply exercises that Americans cut-copy-pasted out of our ancient yoga techniques...so if you want to experience the full benefits of these exercises, come and enrol for a Sri Sri Yoga workshop OR a YES!+ workshop.

Smokers will find this very useful information

ONE REQUEST: Its your life, please put it into perspective. And please enrich it with life-supporting habits, give back to the planet more life, not more smoke and disease.
Please.

Love,
Gaurav

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.

SLS Products banned in Dubai

Talking of SLS...

the Dubai Government has been aware and responsible enough to ban shampoos containing SLS or Sodium Laureth Sulfate!

As I had mentioned earlier, SLS is a surfactant. Simply put, SLS is used as a floor cleaner.
Yes, and given the common sense we have, no consumer would like to use a surfactant which will have long term damage to the hair, the scalp and the soft nerve tissues that absorb this chemical.

SLS is also an ingredient that goes into most toothpastes today!!

Biotechnologists will argue that the percentage of SLS is well within safety levels. But don't we all already know the disclaimer label on toothpaste's which mention "NOT TO BE SWALLOWED"!!
Huh...

I would personally suggest that you do your own research and google out "SLS Free Shampoo" and "SLS Free Toothpaste".

My body is precious to me.
My planet is precious to me.
I would never use a product just because everyone else uses it, and because I choose what is convenient over what is healthy!

Would You?

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)