Jerry Leung asked:


Nowadays, a lot of people are suffering from heart disease. And we should be very careful about that.

According to a survey, 50% of men die from heart disease. Something you may probably know is that the chance of developing into heart disease will be higher if we eat bad food every day. As a result, we should try to eat healthily. What you eat will certainly affect your health. However, do you really know what kind of food is bad for your health?

Deep Fried food is certainly bad for your health. And you may probably be aware of this. Yes it is true that deep fried food can do harm to your health. You should not take such food every day. At the end of the day your risk of developing into cancer will be higher if you eat too much of deep fried food.

Refined flour can also be something bad. The fact is that refined flour is usually bleached. You will not get any good from it. You should try to stick to whole wheat since they are the best for your health.

As you may also know, sugar should be not taken too much. We are actually taking too much sugar nowadays. One thing you have to bear in mind is that drinks such as soda also contain sugar. You should consume as little sugar as possible.

There are also people who love canned soup very much. However, I have to tell you that canned soup is not good for your health since there will probably be too much salt. This will have real harm to your heart. If you really love soup, you should try to cook it yourself and try to put less salt into it. Too much salt will not be a good idea if you would like to keep yourself healthy. In fact, this is also true for processed meat. The salt content of processed meat is usually very high. Another thing is that this meat will also be high in fat content. You should avoid eating such bad meat.

Now you should know that there are a lot of bad foods you should avoid. As you will also know, you should try to take more good food. Of course a balanced diet is always important. Even if you are eating good food, eating too much of it will also pose harm to your health.

NoR asked:


Good health is important to all of us and a natural approach towards health is becoming increasingly popular.

There has been for some time now, a growing trend towards the acceptance and acceptability of what are commonly called ‘alternative’ therapies.

Many traditional doctors incorporate alternative therapies in their practices or recommend such therapies to patients for the treatment of certain c ond

itions.

However, should your health only depend on cure or could prevention be part of your regular daily life? Is it possible to be and remain healthy?

There have been many clues that prevention of illness might be possible; from innocuous advertisements such as ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ to more specific ideas such as recommended diets to prevent certain conditions.

However, have you ever considered how you can possibly prevent illness and disease, or even if you can possibly prevent illness and disease?

Why does it seem that ‘some people’ can manage to be and remain fit and healthy throughout a long life; some of them maintaining habits that have been declared as ‘bad for you’ such as smoking?

Why is it that some people become ill and possibly die, even though they have maintained what many would call a ‘healthy lifestyle’?

How can these paradoxical situations be reconciled with the information you are given about ‘how to be healthy’, ‘what to eat’ and ‘what not to eat’, ‘how much exercise to take’?

There is a huge range of books, television programmes and medical advice about what is healthy and what is not healthy. The trouble is that what you are told today is healthy may be on next week’s ‘bad for you’ list.

So, how can you possibly manage to find a way through this barrage of information that often seems to conflict with your experience?

The clue may be in some very interesting research on the ‘placebo effect’, which demonstrates that a person’s beliefs alone can make him or her better.

Many doctors today use placebo pills on a regular basis. The pill itself is just a sugar pill with no medicinal properties but the patient doesn’t know this. Because the patients have belief in the doctor and belief in the medicine they’ve been given, they become well again.

Even more astounding was the result of a major trial in the USA on the placebo effect of surgery for arthritis of the knee.

A team of surgeons in Texas tested the procedure by performing the surgery on 180 patients with osteoarthritis in the knee. Two-thirds had two different types of the surgery.

But for a third, the surgeons went through the motions by giving a tranquilizer, making three incisions and pretending to do the surgery.

All participants in the study had to sign their chart to show that they understood they might receive the placebo surgery, which would not help their arthritic knee.

Most arthroscopic surgery on the knee is done to repair injured ligaments and cartilage, which doctors say is useful. The experiment was designed to see whether the surgery helped reduce pain and increase mobility in patients with an arthritic knee.

The researchers found patients who underwent the placebo surgery were just as likely to report pain relief as those who received the real procedure. It seems for osteoarthritis patients, the relief is all in patients’ heads.

Dr. Bruce Moseley, an orthopaedics professor at Baylor College in Houston and one of the study’s co-authors, said “I don’t believe that arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee is any more beneficial than a placebo effect, and I don’t recommend it,”

Further evidence was shown on a recent TV programme in the UK made for BBC’s Open University,

The researchers found that the effectiveness of all medicine, orthodox and alternative, is certainly partly due to the ‘placebo effect’, meaning that if you believe something will do you good then it most probably will.

The programme continued by saying that the placebo effect could demonstrate the power of a person’s mind and body to heal itself, thus further illustrating how the importance of expecting a positive outcome plays an important role in the effectiveness of both alternative and orthodox medicine.

To expand the placebo effect to the area of diets, consider the statement that ‘if diets really worked, there would only need to be one diet and it would work for everyone.’

As stated by Prof. Fletcher, Dr. Pine and Dr. Penman “Diets are so ineffective in controlling weight that around 95% of people who go on one end up just as fat a year later (and sometimes fatter too).”

In a 20 year study of behavioural flexibility in British Universities and for the UK’s Medical Research Council, Professor Ben Fletcher, Dr Karen Pine and Dr Danny Penman discovered that the more flexible your behaviour, the more weight you will lose.

What is really amazing about this study is that weight loss or gain had nothing to do with food consumption.

This is a powerful example demonstrating that ‘what goes on in your mind determines your physical experiences’.

As further examples of how your health is affected by ‘what you think’, consider the following medical research findings.

Steven Greer and his colleagues of Kings College Hospital medical school in London conducted a study on breast cancer. They found that patients with ‘fighting spirit’ or ‘denial’ were more likely to be alive and relapse-free five years after diagnosis than patients who resigned themselves to the disease.

Further to this, in a study by Brenda Penninx and her colleagues on the relationship between depression and cancer, it was found that chronically depressed non-smokers were more likely to develop cancer than smokers.

In addition, a great deal of study has been carried out on how ‘natural killer cells’ in the body’s immune system are affected by stressful periods in a person’s life. It was clearly demonstrated that the effectiveness of the ‘natural killer cells’ was reduced during periods of high stress.

These findings are supported by an experiment conducted on a group of dental students. Small holes were made in the roof of the mouths of a group of students, once during a holiday period and once just before their exams. The wounds took on average 40% longer to heal around exam time than they did in the more relaxed holiday period.

Not only do your beliefs affect your health, they also affect how long you live. Daniel E Moerman, PhD and Wayne B Jonas MD were able to show that non-white Chinese Americans die much earlier than would normally be expected if, according to Chinese traditions, it was indicated that they had an ill fated combination of birth date and disease. They demonstrated that the more a person believed in the traditional Chinese culture, the more pronounced the effect. The differences in life span, up to 6% or 7%, were not due to having Chinese genes but to having Chinese beliefs.

This powerful example shows the dire consequences of erroneous and often hidden thought patterns.

The placebo effect shows that there is more to human health and wellbeing than is currently explained by either orthodox or alternative medicine.

All the above examples are a clear demonstration that there is a hidden factor in the general understanding of the nature of reality.

Reality is far stranger than you can imagine.

NoR

About the Author

Many people are dissatisfied with the contradictions between science, religion and the mutually exclusive world views with which we are constantly bombarded. Therefore, NoR set out to use their lifelong studies in philosophy, metaphysics and science to create the Nature of Reality Course, bringing together ancient wisdom and contemporary science in a way that provides new and exciting insights.

To find out more about the Nature of Reality Course, which is acclaimed in over 25 countries worldwide, click on the following links http://www.thenatureofrealitycourse.com/preface.php  http://www.thenatureofreality.com

Mandy Conrad asked:


Most Americans know ways to improve their diet, but have trouble following through with healthy choices and habits. Do you find yourself learning about proper nutrition, but discover it difficult to put that knowledge into action? You may frequently read about how to eat “right” in order to promote overall health and weight loss. You know WHAT to do, but have no idea HOW to begin practicing what you know. Often times, HOW we approach nutrition leads us to frustration and confusion.

In order to succeed in the long run, try taking baby steps towards healthy nutrition choices. This allows you to comfortably develop habits for health and weight control, instead of feeling frustrated when you fail at radically changing your eating habits (again).

First, choose what you feel is the most important area you need to address nutritionally. For example, your concern could be a consistent breakfast pattern, appropriate portion control, appropriate meal timing for exercise, or healthier snack choices. Next, ask yourself what one small step you could take at reaching that nutrition goal. Start small, so that a positive change is easy. For example, if you need help developing a consistent breakfast pattern, set out your cereal bowl and box of cereal the night before to help the morning

breakfast times go smoother. Or, if your goal is to eat five fruits and vegetables a day and you are eating only one serving, make it your goal to eat at least two servings a day. Allow the two servings to become a habit, and then add a third serving, and so on.

Nutrition goals should be approached in the same way as any goal- long-term and short-term. Determine an overall goal and make a simple plan, with many small, accomplishable goals, so that you are continually motivated towards success. Celebrate each accomplishment and enjoy your journey to good health.

Hovering Albatross asked:


A Side View on Good Health

T.C. Gopalakrishnan*

There are perhaps more books on good health then there are people! In engineering drawings, as the reader knows, there are usually the main views known as Plan and Elevation. Now and then they supply a side view to make matters clear. This article is one such on good health. After reading this article, you may provide your own side views so that people can look at the issue from different angles and get better clarity on health – or just prefer to leave it alone and mind their business. In any case, let us propose and those who find it inviting will have their Plan and hope for their Elevation!

General

Before we plunge into the matter of good health, we should be aware of the general scenario of life on this planet. It is known that stable mental peace is possible only through an inner transformation of the mind based on self-awareness. Our minds are caught unconsciously by the habit of thought inherited over centuries. As a result, human beings are externalized – hooked on to the outer aspects of life such as material possessions, fame, strong identification with a religion, nation or the like, and so on. This is creating a lot of unhappiness to the individual and, therefore, to humanity as a whole. Those who realize this begin to turn inward and indulge in ‘Athma Vichara’ – the Soul Search. This clicks with a statement of Jesus Christ – “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you.” The associated awareness helps one bring about a vibrant life, though not at the early stages of attention. Some adjustment period is involved. Once interest in the esoteric approach to life gets going, it never withers; it only furthers itself in intensity. Very soon, awareness associated with that interest brings about a calmer and quieter mind in contrast to the state engendered by the habitual, noisy mind. While this attention to the mind is essential in bringing about the inner dive and the associated transformation, attention to the body is equally important. There is a Tamil proverb: Suvarai Vaithukkonduthan chiththiram ezhutha vendum. It means that for producing a painting or drawing, a good mural background is necessary. It is obvious that the body provides such a background on which evolution of consciousness can take place. Therefore, for bringing about inner transformation in the psychology of a person, good physical health is sine qua non.

Aside from the above logical argument, the body – an amazing mechanism – deserves attention in its own right. Our physical outfit, a product of cosmological intelligence, is a fine example of Divine manifestation in terms of intricacies and coordination. If one listens to a medical scientist explain the subtle connections between various biological units of the body and their functions, one cannot but be moved to the point of feeling tender towards this wonderful mechanism. Our bodies do put up with all kinds of abuse – physical and mental – for 60, 70 or 80 years and complain only when the abuse has gone too far. The somewhat sensitive people, who stop abusing the body before the no-return point is reached, are rewarded with rejuvenation by the hidden intelligence and constructive forces of the biological system. It may be said that, in most people, the body is doing a thankless job. Over and above this is the deplorable issue of committing suicide – punishing the body to have the satisfaction of taking revenge on somebody or to end one’s own overwhelming self-pity. People who go through a near death experience after an attempted suicide return to tell us that this anticipated satisfaction is one of gross deception and that the intended target is never reached by that idiotic approach. When this truth sinks to the level of subconscious mind in human beings, there will be significant reduction in suicides.

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*Author of the book “In Quest of the Deeper Self – A joyous Adventure” form which this article is excerpted.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says that the human body is like a boat primarily meant to carry us across the ocean of life and death to the shores of immortality. We certainly don’t want to travel by a leaky boat! The simile of the boat applies to both ‘Stula Sareera’, the physical body, and ‘Sookshma Sareera’, the subtle body. During the discarnate period, we are carried on by the subtle body. In this article, we are concerned with the physical system. However, a passing note is given in the following paragraph on the mental disposition conducive to an affectionate disposition towards the body.

Under true spirituality, outside of sectarian religious practices, the human mind, freed from its conditioning at least to some extent, feels tender towards everything – even towards the so called inanimate things. That being so, it is needless to say that under those circumstances the human body receives the care and attention that it deserves. Regarding this heightened sensitivity of the free mind towards everything in the world, there is a nice passage in Siddharta by Herman Hesse (Hesse, 1993). The story has it that enlightenment takes place in Siddharta, the hero of the story, after he goes through many experiences, some of them deeply depressing. In the evening of his life, when he functions as an old ferryman across a river, he meets his young days’ friend Govinda who happens to be on his way across that river. The two spend some time together in the wooded ambience reminiscing their young days. Asked to explain his inner discoveries, Siddharta gives a moving description of the state of mind in which pervasive consciousness unites one with everything in the universe. During that description, Siddharta picks up a stone and says that he respects it not so much because it will evolve and become a human being and eventually a Buddha but because it contains all of it in its essence even now and, for the time being, it appears to be a stone. This kind of respect for everything per se begins to impact the mind that transcends conventional sectarian conclusions and belief systems.

The Practical Side

There are six main avenues along which attention to health can be directed. People are familiar with these avenues but, quite often, do not apply themselves seriously to those as a result of too busy a life – professionally, socially or otherwise. Once they understand the intrinsic value of robust health, they somehow find time for attention to the six avenues and they move on to a stable track. The avenues are:

1. Diet and Dietary Supplements

2. Sleep (Duration and Quality)

3. Yoga and Exercise

4. Games and Sports

5. Hobbies

6. Leisure

There are many good books in the market that tell us how we can gainfully apply ourselves to these items. So, in this article, we will not dwell on the conventional aspects but touch upon a few items that don’t usually find a place in literature. Thus, only some issues in the above list will find a place here.

Dietary Supplements: Apart from a wholesome diet, a few supplements can help us maintain good health. These include items like vitamins B complex, C and E, Calcium, honey, dry fruits such as dates, raisins, and so on. There are also some herbal preparations tested over long periods of time. It is part of the adventure to look around for these supplements. Needless to say that any such acrobatics with the supplements should be tried only under the guidance of a family physician. It is wise to have a second opinion too. Make sure that the one you are consulting is himself (or herself) taking dietary supplements! Further, whatever we consume that way should be given a ‘drug holiday’, as the medical field calls it. This means that we don’t take them too regularly for too long a time but give them an appropriate break frequently. This moratorium on the gimmicks ensures that the body gets a chance to flush out whatever is accumulating as a silent poison.

Over-enthusiasm about good health can land us in trouble. Some years ago, Robert Benchley wrote a humorous article in the Readers Digest on phobias. His imaginativeness in defining strange fears and giving them funny titles of phobia make the article hilarious. Mr. Benchley says that there is a phobia whereby the affected person is afraid of falling in front of the chair because he is sitting too much in front. So the person keeps kicking himself backwards until he tips over and falls on the rear side! This is an apt metaphor for those who become over-enthusiastic about good health. We may keep dumping vitamins into our body until hyper-vitaminosis throws us down backwards! Obviously, we must know when to stop. But how does one know how much is too much? Presumably, we have to be inquisitive and trust our ‘gray cells’. Khalil Gibran says, “After 30, the best doctor for you is yourself.”

By the way, in the above spoof on phobias, Mr. Benchley discusses many fears, half of them configured by his fertile imagination. It is so well written, you keep laughing through it to the point that your real phobias don’t seem to matter! Towards the end of his essay, he tickles us by saying “If you tell us what your phobia is, we will tell you what you are afraid of”! Isn’t that cute? Surely, such humor keeps us in good health!

Sleep: Sleep! – yes, we all love it. However, not many of us give it an affectionate hug. Rather, it is gone through as a matter of course. We have more important things to do – emails to reply, bills to be paid, papers to file, deadlines to meet, the dog to be taken to the vet, and then there is the list of engagements from the spouse! In addition, you are perhaps busy writing a book on how to find leisure. The result: Sleep becomes the first casualty. So long as sleep is treated as a secondary thing, it is unlikely that one becomes interested in esoteric matters. Once a person is drawn to the region outside the common rut, there is a natural pull towards respecting sleep as an honored facet of life. This does not mean wallowing in laziness by extending the hours of sleep. It means one understands the content of sleep as a life-preserver and respects its nuances in terms of quantity and quality. It leads one to appreciate the sublime role that sleep plays in our bio-rhythm.

How much attention do we pay in making the bed? Does the linen in contact with the body get washed frequently? With what care do we prepare the elements? Are the bed, the pillows and sheets homologous with the natural profile of the body while asleep? Is the bedroom well ventilated? Is it dark enough and noise free? After taking food, does enough time elapse before going to sleep? Do we unburden all our mental loads before falling asleep? Is one calm enough to watch sleep entering the body?

Three types of consciousness are recognized in human beings: (1) ‘Susupthi’ – the deep dreamless sleep, (2) ‘Swapna’ – the dreaming state [known as the rapid eye movement (REM) period] and (3) ‘Jaagrat’ – the wakeful state. It is during Susupthi that the body gets its full rejuvenating time. The longer this period, the better it is for the body. One can explore ways of extending the Susupthi hours. Rejuvenation proceeds probably even during the Swapna period but perhaps with less efficacy. However, it has been found that Swapna helps the brain to shed some of its stress. During Jaagrat both the body and mind are active and so they do not get enough rest. The tendency is more towards being stressed. Instead of being de-stressed, they become distressed!

According to some studies, it is known that the body sleeps soundly for the first three hours followed by two hours of light sleep and then again by three hours of deep sleep. It is good to adjust our hours such that we wake up during the light-sleep periods. Usually, the human body needs eight hours of sleep every day. Contingencies in modern living may not always permit these to be carried out satisfactorily but one can avoid the avoidable. Whenever one is unable to fulfill those expectations, it is good to make amends for the lapse at the earliest opportunity.

If some persistent extraneous noise disturbs the sleep, one may try the approach of creating ‘white-noise’ in the bedroom. White-noise is of a steady tone at some acceptable decibel level that smudges the disturbing noise; that is, drown the intruder! This is based on the fact that the brain does not get disturbed by steady noise even if it is louder than the intruder because the intruder has sharp peaks. White-noise can be created by attaching a piece of paper to the back of a table-fan and let it flutter. Fine tuning the paper-flutter to create the required level of white-noise is a matter of fun. Such a suggestion may appear a little crazy but it has worked admirably for some people. The writer has been significantly benefited by it on several occasions when the extraneous noise drove him up the wall. Helped by the white noise, he came down and slept well. He was pleasantly surprised to find the same suggestion being given by the author of an article in Readers Digest. That author recommends, as a second alternative, switching on a radio and tuning it to a non-station frequency. Here, of course, we have better control over adjusting the white-noise level.

The idea of making additional noise in the room may not appeal to some. Jerome K. Jerome wrote, in his humorous book ‘Three men in a Boat’, that one of his friends complained of headache. Another friend offered to play the banjo to sooth his nerves. But the first friend said “No, I prefer the headache”! In that manner, people may prefer to leave the disturbing noise as it is and not have something rattling about in the bedroom to smother the intruder. It depends on the individual. All we say is: Give this matter of white-noise a sincere try and see if you prefer the headache or the banjo.

In any case, once you apply yourself to the matter of sleep as a venerable issue, you begin to discover things on your own. It is part of self-discovery resulting from expanding awareness. Problem of insomnia has to be approached from the medical point of view as well as from the issue of noisy mind. In this connection, you may recall the value of ‘Bardo’ mentioned in Chapter 8. During the Bardo period, if one is quietly self aware, one can sense consciousness converging toward the Heart Center, one of the seven Chakras. It is a good feeling. The deeper you move into esoteric living, the lesser is the problem of insomnia.

Yoga and Exercise: A great deal of information is available from literature on these health items. Here we look into some unconventional aspects only. It is good to know that, in the region of yoga and exercise, there is a possibility of over-indulgence and hence hurting oneself. Moderation is the watch word. For example, excessive jogging or tennis may wear out the knees well before old age. So, we notice that there is such a thing as keeping the body well preserved. A harmonious balance between exercising and preserving deserves attention. Not much is written about the second aspect. This is where special care is needed and one can be creative.

In 1976, Theresa Bertherat and Carol Bernstein published a book in French and it was later translated into English with the title “The Body has its Reasons” (Bertherat, 1976). Its subtitle is: Anti-Exercises and Self-Awareness. A comment on the back cover says “A remarkable book. . . . . The marvelous new rout to Total Body Awareness.” This book is full of unconventional ways of treating the body. It can help us discover a new approach to body care. In it, the ‘well preserved’ concept gets attention.

Of late, more people are taking to walking as a wholesome exercise. It wears out the body less compared to some vigorous exercises and, hence, the preservation aspect is fulfilled. Quite a few of us would have most likely seen the one-sheet bunch of advice under the caption ‘Desiderata’, either in one’s own house or in a friend’s. We feel good in going through that presentation. An important line there is: Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

Some yoga postures involve complicated, twisted positions of the body – the Ganda Berundasana, for example. A new aspirant to yoga may wonder how the bloke unwinds himself after getting into those contortions. The point is that yoga should not be treated merely as a matter of twisted bodily positions. The state of mind during the yogasanas is important. Our minds usually go ‘wool-gathering’ while the body, in its final position of a posture, remains still. Attempting to control the mind cannot help. That can only lead to conflict and a tense situation. What is meaningful is to be quietly self-aware of the noisy mind and its proclivity to wander off during that time. Not to fight with the mind is to be a friend of it and, in that friendly atmosphere, something can take place. This passive attention to the mind during the yoga is not usually emphasized and given the importance that it deserves.

Another healthy aspect of yoga is that one should not be too rigid about the instructions received. Here too it is good to explore one’s own natural inclinations and allow for flexibility. This is where one can learn what it means to listen to the body and follow its instructions. That way we pay attention to the inner Guru who is superior to the outer Gurus. This statement may sound blasphemous to some people but then no insult is meant to the human Gurus. They do help us a great deal in learning yoga and other things and so they deserve due respect. While being grateful to them, we notice that a mere conformist attitude cannot take us deep into the realm of yoga. After they give us the initial push, we must be free to take the journey by ourselves towards the inner Guru. Moving towards the inner Guru is the ultimate objective of yoga. Thus, while following the overall instructions on doing yogasanas, it is good to know how to listen to the body and introduce one’s own variations in the postures. These variations may suggest themselves only once in a while but we must remain open to them. This creative approach helps us understand the value of spontaneity in yogic awareness which serves as an aid to the Inner Dive. It can make yoga sessions very refreshing apart from helping us receive the usual dividends in the region of physical health. The sessions must be enjoyable and not be a period of struggle.

There are two items that may be termed ‘anti-yoga’. They are: Standing and/or Talking for long periods at a stretch. Avoiding these ‘anti-yoga’ items is as important, if not more important, than doing yoga! Self-awareness helps us discover other anti-yoga items in daily life and so, in that very process, free ourselves from them.

The Second Line

Now we come to an important concept of health in the name of ‘Second Line’. It can help us understand the state of our body in terms of its heightened or lessened well being. Once we become familiar with this concept, it functions like a gauge in assessing the body’s state of health. Now, we study the graph below.

In Fig 10, changing level of health is plotted against time. The First Line indicates a level below which the body falls sick. The farther we are below that line, the more the body is unwell. (If we fall all the way down to the bottom line, we are dead! God forbid.) Once we are cured of the illness, we rise above the First Line. The higher we are above that line, the healthier we feel. At the level of the second line, there is a distinct feeling of heightened physical well being. Above this, the euphoria progressively increases.

Normally, we are satisfied to be above the First Line. ‘So long as we are not sick, it is okay’. With some additional care, we rise in the level of health and come closer to the Second Line. On falling sick, we become conscious of our body. When our health is in the region between the First and Second Lines, we are not aware of the body. On rising to the Second Line, we again become conscious of the body, but now with the feeling of wellness. In fact, it is this euphoric feeling in sensing the body that functions as the signal telling us that we are at the second level. This holistic bodily awareness is a characteristic of health levels on and above the Second Line. We notice that if we keep ourselves at that level, the probability of falling sick becomes low because it is quite a distance to go down. In other words, our resistance to sickness increases. Viruses may be going round, bacteria may be dancing around, but they don’t capture us. Even simple illnesses like the common cold, headache and fever do not bother a person in the region above the Second Line because of the metabolic robustness prevailing in that region. Apart from not easily falling sick, we enjoy just being alive if we are at the higher health levels. You may call the level of the Second Line as the Feather Health Level, because there we feel so light. Being of such high quality, it can only be reached with some dedication. One of the obstacles to it is the tendency to feel satisfied in just being not sick.

Those interested in rising to the Second Line, begin to understand the major and minor abuses that we normally subject the body to. That is the first step. Then we take note of those items that significantly contribute to good health. With that kind of interest, sooner or later we climb to the second level, sense its beauty and stay there.

In the early stages of reaching the second level we may frequently fall below it but, with sustained interest and application, it becomes easy to remain constantly above the Second Line. One gets the feeling that the ‘Susupthi’ period is extended. Dreams begin to toe the frivolous line and become less and less disturbing. Body’s intelligence is happy to function at its best. The aging process slows down.

The Third Line

Perhaps there are some more lines above the Second Line, each with its own fine points, which can be lived with intensity. However, we have to go up gradually feeling our way through each line. To many people, even the idea of the Second Line will appear phony – merely a theoretical idea. You probably hear someone say ‘The writer’s imagination has gone amok’! If, however, you feel that this matter of Second Line touches a deep chord in you, then you can explore that and lines above it.

The Second Line is characterized by harmony of the physical system. With deeper attention to living as a whole, the vista expands. One begins to sense the close link between the body and the mind and hence becomes interested in their interactive harmony. Attention focuses on the psycho-physical system as a single unit. This frees the mind from being embroiled in its own self-centered activities. Silence descends on the system. Love, the expression of the soul, begins to flow towards everyone and everything. The exalted Third Line is endowed with that kind of wholesomeness.

Without a stable residence above the Second Line, it is unlikely that the significance and content of the Third Line are felt. However, feeling drawn towards the Third Line at any stage has a meaningful value. That line signifies a synergistic confluence of a calm mind and a healthy body. Orderliness in daily life becomes a natural consequence. There will be no need to fight habits or addictions. Loneliness, boredom, persecution complex and the like quit forever. Empathy, and not emotion, rules. People who have a near death experience report a quality of peacefulness and abundant feeling for all aspects of life. Near the Third Line, those qualities begin to dawn in one’s life even without a life threatening experience. Cosmological significance of our existence and proximity to Divinity are felt beyond all concepts. Self-centered activities related to personal salvation drop off.

The Third Line is associated with a merger of physical and psychological energies that moves us towards the cosmic oneness of all things. One gets a feeling of the stillness in which the primal energy and intelligence take repose. The associated witness consciousness is the one that releases us from both the body and the mind. There is a feeling of the affectionate bystander attitude and a touch of the ancient. Awareness takes us towards the Primal Self.

The Fourth Line

Thank God, there is no Fourth Line! If you discover one, let us – your fellow passengers on the Journey of Life – know about it before you are attracted to the Fifth Line.

In any case, we do notice that starting from simple attention to good health, there are many heights to be scaled. In this respect, life throws its gauntlet at us affectionately. Let us pick it up with confidence – and win!

References:

Hesse, Hermann. Siddhartha. New Delhi: Rupa and Company, 1993.

Bertherat, Theresa and Carol Bernstein. The Body Has Its Reasons. New York:Avon Books, 1976.

Gopalakrishnan, T.C., In Quest of the Deeper Self – A Joyous Adventure. Sudharsan Graphics. Chennai, India, 2007..

Sue Baker asked:


There is so much talk in the media these days about the growing amount of obesity and the need to cut back on food and exercise more. For those who have no problems with mobility then walking is an ideal form of exercise that almost anyone can do.

Here you can discover the benefits of walking your way to fitness and good health.

When we walk, we work the muscles and joints. The joints require flexibility to assist us with lifting, standing, walking and so on. When the joints do not have this flexibility, it can cause inflammation and pain.

Poor exercise can lead to arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, gout, arthritis and so on. To avoid inflammation and pain, work those muscles need to be worked on a regular basis.

Walking also helps you to reduce risks of heart attack, strokes, diabetes and more. It gives you many benefits, since it builds strong bones, muscles and helps the joints to maintain suppleness.

Although walking fitness is great, you should also consider other exercises to help you take control of your health and weight. If you are overweight perhaps, you will enjoy cardio workouts, resistance routines and strength training. Pilate’s workout is another great set of routines that help you lose weight and stay healthy. You have many options when it comes to health and fitness so why not consider walking to fitness along with building the heart and blood flow to live a long, healthy life. Get walking down the road to fitness.

If you live in a poor neighborhood where crime is high, you can walk in place indoors. Simply lift your legs and start walking in one spot without moving. You can move around the house walking from room to room if you feel bored from walking in place. You can always get a hold of a friend to walk with you so that your not alone while out walking

If you really want to walk, there are ways to do it. Do not forget that you can get a treadmill and put in your house; this way you will have the comfort of walking as well as being safe.

Remember that walking is good for you. Exercising is a great way to stay healthy. In order to stay healthy you also have to eat right. This goes hand and hand with trying to stay healthy. Therefore, the three main ways to get and stay healthy are to eat right, exercise daily, as well as maintain a stress free life.

Jim Brown asked:


People are always searching for low cost methods to take care of healthcare needs because without certain remedies, the cost of getting better might be more than some people can afford. To delay the aging process, many people are making sure that they eat better and those who are nursing homes are living longer because nurses are ensuring good heath by meeting healthcare needs by giving patients vitamins and supplements prescribed by a physician.

Ensuring good health by meeting healthcare needs might require some people to visit a physical therapist every week. While the exercises are not enjoyable at all, the health benefits will outweigh the discomforts over a period that might last a year or more. The healthcare needs of a paraplegic might require more intense therapies to be used to allow the patient to gain control over various muscles. Burn patients are assured of better health options when bone graph treatments and antibiotic regimens are applied in unison, with help of a competent nursing staff.

Congress has taken a more active part in ensuring good health of veteran’s returning from the war by acting on reports of substandard treatment facilities financed with Government funds. Now all Americans are given the opportunity to play an active part in this treatment by participating in watch groups and sharing thoughts on medical programs with presidential candidates that have been focused on healthcare issues for years.

Health care for all Americans is a major issue in presidential primaries across the United States. These topics are generating public interest and demands by some because good health obtained by meeting healthcare needs of the future is worth the cost, and many Americans are tired of scrimping on their health. The political candidates know that the correct legislation in Congress will garner the respect of many Americans, who will probably sleep better at night knowing that their needs are going to be met when their health degenerates to a point where they are helpless.

People will grasp onto any sources that ensure good health, including medical treatment performed by physicians in foreign countries. Americans might not have to venture far from home if healthcare needs in America were being met, such as using stem cells for creating limbs but not as tools to recreate life forms. Navigating through the quagmire of healthcare issues might cost some people the opportunity to live healthy lives and firm decisions by lawmakers will most likely return health benefits to many parts of the community who have been cut short due to Executive orders and decisions.

Physicians do their part in providing treatments that let people live healthier lives. Some guidance on smoking cessation might be needed and others might simply need a lung transplant. People will use the internet to make decisions about their health and begin reading product labels to ensure the products are health oriented and enjoyable to eat. People are getting educated on what is and is not healthy and manufacturers around the world are paying attention to the reviews because store products are more healthy and more affordable too.

Kean Pitcairn asked:


Many people have difficulties with sleep at some point in their lives. For some, it is little more than a rare annoyance which is easily relieved and resolved; but for others, however, the inability to get a good, restful night’s sleep on a regular basis becomes so extreme that it has a very negative impact on their everyday lives. After all, a good night’s sleep is essential in order to function well, to be clear-minded and effective. It is also necessary in maintaining health.

Whether you are in the category of those for whom restless sleep is only an occasional problem, or whether you have become distressed by full-blown insomnia, you will be interested to learn that you no longer need to suffer from lack of sleep– or any of the negative repercussions which you may be familiar with from doing without sleep. You no longer need to feel run-down and tired, unfocused and unmotivated– for you can begin to enjoy restful, healthy sleep on a regular basis!

What is the secret to beating insomnia once and for all, and never having to cope with its energy-draining effects ever again? If you had thought that there was only one option open to you, you will be relieved to know that you can accomplish your quest for sleep without using any harmful or potentially-debilitating drugs. If you have already tried over-the-counter or even prescription sleeping aids, you are probably aware that they do not produce satisfactory results. There is a way, however, for you to tackle insomnia without medications or any of their side-effects.

The secret to consistent sleep on a regular basis, and all of the positive results which you will begin to experience from it, is in your own fascinating human brain!

With some simple, basic techniques, your brain can be conditioned to operate at its highest potential — in a manner which will work the best for you. Instead of merely going with the flow, which in this case comes to mean allowig your ability to sleep to be based on the external events and stressors of your everyday life, your brain can be taught to optimize both its potential and yours.

If you have found lack of sleep to be bothersome, either in a minor way or to an extreme, you will find this process to be truly life-changing! Regardless of how much lack of sleep has already managed to impair your functioning and effect your daily life, the solution is now within your reach.

You no longer need to suffer from exhaustion or lack of clarity in your mind– you can begin to enjoy a good night’s sleep and all of the benefits you will soon start experiencing from it. All you need to do is explore this fascinating new technique, and you will soon see that it is your brain itself that holds the answers which you have been looking for– and then start reaping the benefits of good health!

Martin Van Nostrand asked:


There comes a point on every Catherine Freer wilderness therapy expedition camp for kids, usually in the second week, when the young people start looking different. Our staff refers to it as the “spark” or “signs of life” or “seeing the light in your eye.” The kids just call it “feeling happy.” And as much as we would like to take full credit for creating this feeling through cutting edge programming and brilliant therapy, I am convinced that more than half of the credit should be given to the very basics of what the kids are doing physically and putting into their bodies on a daily basis. These are usually big changes from that to which they are accustomed.

First of all, the participants typically sleep 8-10 hours a night during the expedition. Most researchers recommend that adolescents sleep 8-9.5 hours, an amount that is not usually attained given late nights on chat rooms and early school starts. Second, the groups hike on most days in the morning and the afternoon. The physical exertion varies day-to-day depending on the itinerary and terrain and the stamina of the group but it is safe to say that it far exceeds a Saturday watching television or playing with an Xbox. Exercise produces endorphins, the bodies “natural anti-depressant”, and may positively affect the levels of certain mood-enhancing neurotransmitters.

Young people eat very differently during an expedition than they typically do at home. They choose from a variety of less “processed” foods like beans and rice, and whole grains like oatmeal. And they learn to make the food taste good without deep-frying or adding lots of sugar. There is considerable evidence linking highly fluctuating blood sugar levels with ADHD, depression, anxiety, and other disorders. Blood sugar levels become unstable not only with the intake of refined sugar but also with highly processed, high carbohydrate foods like white bread and some types of pasta.

Expedition participants drink very differently, as well. Along with missing their fruit loops and donuts in the morning, many kids often complain about not getting grande lattes and caramel macchiatos. Needless to say, anxious young people who have trouble getting to sleep do not benefit from their Starbucks runs and Mountain Dew binges. Being without caffeine allows their bodies to readjust to natural cycles of energy and attention. Moreover, excessive caffeine intake may interfere with the efficacy of anti-depressant medication.

On the other hand, insufficient water intake can contribute to mood disorders like depression and anxiety, create low energy and make weight loss more difficult. Staff on the expeditions are continually reminding the kids to drink water and there are expectations for minimum consumption while hiking. Often it becomes a joke on the expedition. Sore muscles? Drink water! Tired? Drink water! Attacked by a bear? Drink water!

Most interesting to us is a study that was recently published by the University of Illinois that demonstrated a reduction of ADHD symptoms by young people who were exposed to “natural settings” on a regular basis. Even 30 minutes a day on a green lawn or a city park was beneficial for children who suffer from ADHD. Imagine what 24 hours in old growth forest and panoramic vistas does for a young person struggling with ADHD.

Eventually, however, participants on a Catherine Freer expedition must leave the woods and return to more “civilized” setting. Unfortunately, it is not possible for most kids to continue with six hours a day of hiking. And at home, parents have much less control over what their children eat and drink throughout the day. That “relapse” or falling back into old behaviors and attitudes that you experience may have just as much to do with sugar and inactivity as anything else.

There are some steps that families can take at home to capitalize on the expedition experience help make lasting, positive changes in behavioral habits:

Check out your own kitchen – Take a look in the fridge and on the dinner table. Does your family eat a lot of fast food and sugary sweets? Ask your child to demonstrate a meal he/she made on the expedition. Can you organize a more regular family dinnertime at a table that includes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and other “good for you” foods?

Include these changes in your recovery plan – Along with not seeing negative friends and attending counseling sessions, all young people leaving Catherine Freer should make specific commitments about how they are going to get exercise and good food. Families can follow up on these commitments when behavior starts to change.

Make it easy to exercise – Membership to a gym, rides to activities, or a new bike are some ways that family can support a young person continuing to get physical exercise.

Get outside! – Even a walk in the park or throwing Frisbee in the yard is helpful. If you are up for it, go hiking or camping and let your child teach you some of what he or she has learned.

Making real change is hard and some parents may wonder why they have to give up Twinkies just because their kid got in trouble. It helps to remember the look in your child’s eye when they completed their wilderness therapy expedition when you knew something was different, something had changed, and how you can bring home some of the expedition experience to your home.

James Peterson asked:


Without good health, your body will be like a temple without god. You need to maintain a good health to remain fit and fine forever in your life. No doubt, you will surely have to make some efforts for it, but then you can enjoy its fruits throughout.

Get health insurance- health insurance is a type of insurance that pays for all of your medical expense. It covers disabilities, long term nursing, custodial cares, etc. it is offered by the private insurance companies or sponsored by the social insurance programs.

You can buy it individually or in a group as in a firm to cover their employees. In both the cases, you are required to pay the premiums to protect yourself from the unexpected expenses regarding heath care.

Health insurance estimates the entire risk regarding the expenses of healthcare and then develops a routine structure of finance. It may be monthly premium or yearly taxes. This ensures that finance is available for paying the benefits of healthcare. This benefit is administered through a central organization, may be a private or a government agency. You will be benefitted a lot through these health insurances. If you get sick and are unable to pay the costs of the hospitals and medicines, these health insurance companies take care of it, if you are insured with them.

Get health tools- there are many heath tools available to keep a track of your progress get personalized advice and check your health all for free. Utilize these tools to find out the condition of your body so that you can cure it at an early stage. There are online check-ups that tell you how healthy you are? The quiz offered online gives you a proper estimate regarding your health as well as lifestyle. You can easily find out if you are at risk for any diseased condition.

There are activity and menu planners. Use this tool for tracking out your physical activities and dietary goals. Use them effectively to improve your health. Another health tool is the health calculator. It gives you an exact estimate of the BMI (body mass index), targeted heart rate, calorie intake, etc and many more. Watch and listen is yet another health tool that is easy and comfortable to use. You can hear and view the videos, slideshows, and podcasts to know more about the common health and wellness subjects.

How to get health care- health care is a very important issue needs to be focused on. There are may be alternatives available. You can go for any one that is most suitable to you and your health. There are different health fairs and clinics that provide free screening. You can get an idea of your blood sugar level, blood pressure or any other serious illness that needs to be considered. You need to get insured with the insurance companies that will later take care of your health and the medical expenses.

Jeyaraj asked:


Junk food–every one knowingly or unknowingly consuming junk food as diet often.

By the way, what is Junk food ?

Junk food is an informal term applied to some foods with little or no nutritional value, or to products with nutritional value but which also have ingredients considered unhealthy when regularly eaten, or to those considered unhealthy to consume at all.Factors contributing to labeling as junk food are high levels of refined sugar, white flour, trans fat and saturated fat, salt, and additives such as preservatives and coloring agents. Others include lack of proteins, vitamins, fiber and other nutrients for a healthy diet.

From the above it is clear that junk food has no health value in whatsoever manner and it is a waste of money only. A healthy diet should always include protein, vitamin, fiber and other nutrients which are not at all available in any junk food.

A large number of leading organizations are engaged in the manufacture of junk foods and many have a passion to eat these types of junk foods. The list of junk foods is very exhaustive and the list   would include foods that are high in salt, sugar, fat or calories and low nutrient content.Salted snack foods, candy, gum, most sweet desserts, fried fast food and carbonated beverages are some of the major junk foods. Generally, they offer little in terms of protein, vitamins or minerals and lots of calories from sugar or fat. The term “empty calories” reflects the lack of nutrients.

Some of the important junk foods are Beef Burgers, Potato Chips, Coco Cola, fried fingers.

By spending lot of money we are  purchasing lot of diseases.  The life is to live happily and not to eat in a ridiculous way to have a unhealthy life style.  Having a good health is worth of thousand million dollars and if you lose wealth you can regain but health is not like that. 

Parents should be more conscious in selecting the diets for their children and should avoid completely the junk foods, which may not have any health value to their children.  Children should be discouraged by explaining the ill health value of junk foods.

Obesity and gaining weight are the major causes of eating junk foods.  By allowing our children to eat junk foods, we are allowing a society to grow with obesity only. The children will feel bad about their health once they grow and will surely blame their parent for not having properly fed them.

Everyone tries to lose weight after gaining so much of weight by eating junk foods and fatty foods.  Teachers should also play a role in explaining the bad effects of eating junk foods so that the student community will have more awareness about the junk foods. Most of us are much attracted towards the junk foods of various varieties for its tastiness and unaware of their values we are eating and should set our mind to avoid junk foods by not purchasing from the stores and storing in our houses.

Economy also plays a role in curbing us from purchasing nutrient-rich vegetable filled salad with meat and we are forced to purchase a fatty meal from the Mc Donald. Price war should be kept apart and making good food with calorific value should be prepared at home instead going to KFC or McDonald. Eating junk foods once in a while will not have any adverse effects in your body or health. But regular consumption of junk foods will surely put you and your family in trouble.

Those who are interested in losing weight and maintain a good  weight should not touch the junk foods in any form and should eat good diets having calorific value. Eating lot of fresh vegetables and fruits is very healthy when compared   to these type of junk foods.

I have collected lot of good articles written by great authors and published in my blog http://howtoloseweightbyme.blogspot.com/ which will definitely help you to lose weight.  Many other topics such as six pack and gaining weight are also included in that blog.