| Olive oil is widely thought of as being good for our health. In fact, in terms of its health benefits, olive oil is unrivaled. New research continues to reveal more benefits almost every day. Nevertheless, we are only beginning to understand the countless ways olive oil can boost our health and quality of life. What is it that makes olive oil so beneficial to our health?
Nutrient composition of extra virgin olive oil Olive oil contains modest amounts of Vitamins E and K, as well as a wealth of beneficial fatty acids. To start, let’s take a look at the nutritional facts of extra virgin olive oil: 100g of olive oil contains:
*RDA: Recommended Daily Allowance However, one of olive oil’s well-known benefits is its antioxidant content, which helps the body fight serious diseases. Olive oil’s main antioxidants protect the body from oxidation (more on this below) and against LDL (bad) cholesterol. With these facts in mind, let’s look at how olive oil can benefit the body: 10 Health Benefits of Olive Oil 1. It reduces the risk of Type 2 Diabetes A low-fat diet is typically recommended to prevent diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. In fact, studies have shown that high fat diets may increase the risk of certain diseases, such as cancer and diabetes. With that being said, it’s worth pointing out that it’s the type of fat intake rather than the amount that affects health most severely. Consequently, it has been found that a diet rich in monounsaturated fats (such as those found in olive oil, nuts and seeds) actually offers protection from many chronic diseases. Furthermore, according to a study published in the scientific journal Diabetes Care, it was shown that a Mediterranean-style diet rich in olive oil reduced the risk of Type II diabetes by almost 50% when compared to a low-fat diet. Type II diabetes is the most common and preventable form of diabetes. 2. Olive oil may help prevent a stroke According to a study from France, published in the online issue of Neurology, older individuals who consume olive oil daily may be able to protect themselves from stroke. The study gathered information from medical records of 7,625 individuals over the age of 65 from three cities in France – Bordeaux, Dijon and Montpellier – none of whom had a history of stroke. The individuals were then categorized into three groups, based on their olive oil consumption. After five years, 148 strokes were reported. The results showed that individuals who frequently consumed olive oil had a 41% lower risk of stroke, compared to those that did not consume olive oil at all. 3. It keeps the heart young and healthy As we grow older, our heart goes through a normal aging process. Artery function tends to decline with age, leading to a number of health problems. In a recent study, Spanish researchers discovered that a diet rich in olive oil or other monounsaturated fats could improve arterial function in elderly individuals.
4. It helps fight osteoporosis A disease predominantly characterized by a decrease in bone mass, osteoporosis causes the architecture of bone tissue to become fragile, increasing the possibility of fractures, making even the slightest of bumps or falls potentially fatal. However, olive oil supplementation was found to positively affect the thickness of bones. While olive oil is not the only solution, scientists have concluded that it is very promising for the development of future treatments of the disease. 5. Olive oil helps fight depression While olive oil has been found to be beneficial for a number of physical ailments, what about emotional health benefits? Spanish researchers from the University of Navarra and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, found that a diet rich in olive oil can protect from mental illness too. It was recently discovered that a higher intake of olive oil and polyunsaturated fats found in fatty fish and vegetable oils lowered the risk of depression. According to the findings, cardiovascular disease and depression share some common mechanisms related to diet. 6. Olive oil has been found to prevent skin cancer A recent study found that olive oil may contribute to the prevention of malignant melanoma (the most dangerous type of skin cancer). Nevertheless, the use of sunscreen remains the best way to prevent sunburn, however, consuming olive oil and other Mediterranean food could help counter the oxidizing effect of the sun. 7. It can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease Numerous studies have been conducted on olive oil and how it may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. One study published in the journal of Chemical Neuroscience showed that the oleocanthal (a type of natural phenolic compound found in extra-virgin olive oil) has the potential to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and the cognitive decline that comes with aging. Olive oil polyphenols are powerful antioxidants, which may help reverse oxidative damage that occurs due to the aging process.
8. It may potentially protect against breast cancer A diet rich in fats is directly related to a higher risk of cancer. However, the types of fats consumed can actually play a protective role against the development of tumors. Virgin olive oil is rich in oleic acid – a mono-unsaturated fatty acid, containing several bioactive compounds such as antioxidants. Research shows that a moderate and regular intake of olive oil reduces the risk of certain types of cancer, including breast cancer. 9. Olive oil has been found to reduce oxidative stress Studies suggest that olive oil can protect the liver from oxidative stress. To test this theory, scientists exposed rats to a moderately toxic herbicide known to deplete antioxidants and cause oxidative stress. The findings showed that rats fed a diet containing olive oil were partially protected from liver damage. 10. It contains anti-inflammatory substances Chronic inflammation is believed to be one of the leading causes of many diseases, including heart disease, cancer, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and arthritis. However, one of the benefits of olive oil lies in its ability to fight inflammation. The oil’s anti-inflammatory effects seem to be mediated by the antioxidants in olive oil. One such antioxidant is oleocanthal – which has been shown to work like ibuprofen, an anti-inflammatory drug. In fact, it has been found that 50ml of extra virgin olive oil has an effect similar to 10% of the adult ibuprofen dosage for pain relief. Source……www.ba-bamail.com Natarajan
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health wise
Message for the Day….” Dharma and Adharma …”
In the world the progeny of Dharma and Adharma (Righteousness and Unrighteousness) are continually growing. Consider this lineage: Unrighteousness (Adharma) married delusion (Mithya). Mithya is neither truth nor untruth. This couple had two children, a son calledAhamkara (egoism) and a daughter called Moha (infatuation). As both are the children of Ignorance, with no capacity to judge what is right and wrong, the unholy alliance between them resulted in the birth ofLobha (avarice) and Vanchana (deceit) as son and daughter. From the wrongful union of these two, Irshya (jealousy) and Krodha (anger) were born. Out of their union, Bheeti (fear) and Mrityu (death) were born. This lineage is known as Adharma Santhathi (the progeny of unrighteousness). Following this lineage of Unrighteousness, every union is improper.
Message for the Day…” Let our life be dedicated to ideals…”
Do not feel proud about your cleverness or intelligence or about your ability to win laurels in studies. Good character and righteous thinking are more valuable than scholastic achievements, wealth, power or intellectual abilities. Utilise your intelligence and thoughts for achieving bliss which comes from leading a life of righteousness and goodness. Let your life be dedicated to ideals. The Lord is secured and bound only by the intensity of your devotion. The Ganges of true devotion must flow from your heart. Everything that is associated with Divinity has its origin in the heart. Hence the heart should be emptied of all evil and kept pure and unsullied by right action. It may not be possible to escape the consequences of one’s good and bad actions. But even a mountain of sin can be wiped out by winning the grace of the Divine. Hence one should strive to earn the love of God, which is all-embracing and all-powerful.
Joke for the Day…” Is there any cheaper way …” ? !!!
One day, a man walks into a dentist’s office and asks how much it will cost to extract wisdom teeth.
“Eighty dollars,” the dentist says.
“That’s a ridiculous amount,” the man says.
“Isn’t there a cheaper way?”
“Well,” the dentist says, “if you don’t use an anesthetic, I can knock the price down to $60.”
“That’s still too expensive,” replies the man.
“Okay,” says the dentist. “If I save on anesthesia and simply rip the teeth out with a pair of pliers, I can knock the price down to $20.”
“Nope,” moans the man, “it’s still too much.”
“Well,” says the dentist, scratching his head, “if I let one of my students do it, I suppose I can knock the price down to $10.
“Marvelous,” says the man. “Book my wife in for next Tuesday!”
Source…www.ba-bamail.com
Natarajan
Message for the Day….”When the service to humanity truly becomes service to God….”
Many state that service to humanity (manava-seva) is service to God (Madhava-seva). It is true. Although the service of humanity is holy, unless it is merged in the bigger ideal of divinity in everyone, people won’t benefit, however huge the service. Quoting the slogan is useless if service is done with an eye on name and fame and the fruits of one’s action. Only when you constantly contemplate on the Lord, follow true and righteous means in execution, and work with faith in the essential divinity of people, then the service to humanity truly becomes service to God. Without thoughts of God how can service to God originate? All such talk is mere show. In fact those who are immersed in the uninterrupted contemplation of the Lord need not do any other task at all. The fruit of their prayer itself can make the world holy. However all can’t be thus engaged, so others must prepare for that stage by purifying their mind and diminishing their desires.
One Doctor Is Quietly Building a World-Class Cancer Hospital for the Poor in Assam….
Dr. Ravi Kannan’s vision has turned a small cancer centre into a full-fledged hospital in Assam’s Barak valley.
Barak Valley is a remote area on the Indo-Bangladesh border in Assam. For years, the people in the area had limited access to medical care. In fact, the nearest hospital was in Guwahati, which is 350 km away. This journey would often take 24 hours to complete, due to the difficult terrain as well as the threat of landslides.
The high incidence of cancer in the region, possibly due to extensive tobacco use, prompted citizens of the valley to come together and set up a hospital in 1996.
The Cachar Cancer Hospital Society faced multiple challenges, including a severe financial crunch and lack of infrastructure, right from the start. In fact, the hospital got its first radiation unit only in 2006.
The first qualified nurse came on board in 2008. Though there were other trained personnel in the region, they were choosing to migrate to bigger cities in search of better employment.
The hospital continued to reel under all these problems till 2007, when it got a saviour in the form of Dr. Ravi Kannan.
“When I got the offer to come and work in Assam, my wife was hesitant. But after coaxing her, we came and spent some time here. I worked at the hospital and interacted with the patients. Meanwhile, my wife and daughter mingled with the members of the community. All of us realised that there was much work to be done here and this is where we should be,” he says.
So Dr. Kannan, who was a renowned oncologist at the Adyar Cancer Institute in Chennai, and his family, packed their bags and moved to Silchar.
It was a big change for the family. For instance, his daughter, who studied in a school which didn’t have exams, had to take her first exam to get admission into Kendriya Vidyalya. The weather was different and so was the language. And life here was harder in comparison to their hometown of Chennai. However, slowly, they all settled into the new place and Dr. Kannan got to work.
“From day one, we just kept reacting to situations, whether they were related to finance or manpower or infrastructure,” says Dr. Kannan.
Over the years, this doctor and his incredible team managed to turn the place around. There were only 23 staff members when he joined. Today, there is a 200-member strong team.
From 25 beds, the hospital now has 100 beds. And from 6, the number of nurses has grown to 102.
It is his selfless service and vision that have transformed this unknown cancer hospital into a comprehensive cancer centre that is providing free and heavily subsidised treatment to thousands of poor cancer patients every year,” says Rajeev Kumar, Dr. Kannan’s colleague.
In the early days, Dr. Kannan noticed that only a few patients who came for the initial check-up would come back again for a follow up. Every year, the hospital would conduct a review and find that most patients didn’t return a second time. Finally, it dawned on the administration that most people couldn’t afford the treatment.
Over 60% of the patients visiting the hospital have an income of Rs. 3,000 or less per month. As many as 80% are daily wage earners – labourers, tea garden workers and agricultural workers.
“We realised that most of them were the sole breadwinners of their families. They couldn’t afford to not work. The challenge was to figure out how to get them to undergo medical treatment, without taking away their daily bread,” he says.
This is how the hospital started home visits. The doctors started going to the villages to provide treatment to cancer patients. The patients do not have to pay for home-based care and follow up. Slowly, the hospital started satellite clinics for patients who are unable to travel long distances to visit the hospital. The doctors also provide phone consultations and stay in touch with patients who have returned home with prescriptions.
Dr. Kannan and his team discovered yet another way to get the patients to come in. They started employing those who come as attendants with the patients. These attendants help out in the garden or do other small tasks. Initially they were paid Rs. 30 but now they get about Rs. 100 per day for their work.
According to Dr. Kannan, because of the free food available at the hospital and the opportunity to work, some patients stay behind even after their treatment is completed.
The hospital has a desk in the outpatient department where the staff proactively assess the economic needs of the patients and assist them in getting treatment from the hospital at subsidised rates or for free.
They also provide patients with a better understanding of their treatment options.
“We make efforts to offer the best treatment possible to all the patients, irrespective of their socio-economic status. No one should be denied access to treatment due to want of money,” Dr. Kannan says.
The hospital now has a strict follow up policy. The supervisors of each ward are given cell phones. They are required to call up people and find out why they have missed their appointments. They maintain contact with patients and their families and motivate them to complete their treatment as advised.
At present, the hospital has an annual inflow of 3,000 new and 14,000 follow-up patients. It also gets patients from other states, as well as from neighbouring Bangladesh.
For Dr. Kannan and his team, every day presents a new challenge.
“There have been times when my colleagues and I have conducted surgeries in fields we have not specialised in. The patients cannot always go rushing to Guwahati. How can we say no to someone who is critical? By taking up these surgeries, we have also been pushed out of our comfort zones,” he says.
The hospital runs on the funds it receives from various organisations and individuals. A grant from the Indo-American Cancer Association helped establish the Department of Pain and Palliative Care in the hospital in 2011. A Department of Dental Surgery has also been set up. The pharmacy offers medicines at highly discounted prices. An ICU was started from the contributions made by individuals and NGOs.
The hospital is now awaiting permission to set up a blood bank in the region.
“The expenses just keep increasing. We rely on contributions to run this place and provide treatment to so many people. My amazing team has chosen to work here despite the fact that they would be better remunerated in bigger cities. The satisfaction we get from serving the community here is indescribable,” he says.
The Cachar Cancer Hospital Society is raising funds to support cancer patients. For more details visit its page onKetto.
To get in touch with Dr. Ravi, mail him at ravi.kannan@cacharcancerhospital.org
Source…….Meryl Garcia in http://www.the betterindia.com
Natarajan
Message for the Day…”Worrying is fruitless..there is no occasion for despair…you must try prayer, service to others, and mutual love and respect…”
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When there is no possibility of achieving and acquiring devotion, charity, peace, and truth, the great and good people who desire to achieve them pray to the Lord within themselves. When the Lord’s will, the needs of spiritual seekers, and the teachings of great persons unite, the happiness of the world will be assured and undiminished. If all humanity prays at one time for unrest, injustice, disorder, and falsehood to be transformed into peace, truth, love, and mutual service, things will certainly become better. There is no other way out. Worrying is fruitless. This is no occasion for despair. It is against the essential nature of people to plead weakness and want of strength. Therefore giving up the search for other means, people must try prayer, service to others, and mutual love and respect. They should delay no longer; they will soon acquire contentment and joy. |
The Feng Shui Skyscrapers of Hong Kong….!!!
In Hong Kong, a city with one of the most beautiful skyline, the plan and design of a building is determined as much as by architects and engineers as by feng shui masters. This ancient Chinese philosophy of positioning objects and buildings in harmony with nature to bring about good fortune, is deeply rooted in Hong Kong’s culture. Everything from the orientation of a building, the shape of the building, the position of the entrance and position of furniture within are believed to influence the prosperity of a business or the homeowner. Because of this belief, feng shui practitioners are consulted in almost every new home purchase and office floor plans, and even enormous architectural and engineering projects around this island nation are dictated to a large degree by feng shui. It’s not apparent but examples of feng shui practice are almost everywhere in Hong Kong.
Why do these buildings have holes in the middle? Keep reading for the answer. Photo credit: shottapaul/Flickr
Feng shui was suppressed in mainland China during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s but has made a dramatic revival in recent years, especially in the superstitious South. Even in modern Central, where feng shui is regarded as superstition, most developers still consult feng shui experts because they figure it’s better to be safe than sorry. Indeed, many corporations set aside a portion of their annual budget for feng shui consultation. Some of the suggestions that feng shui experts offer can be as simple as repositioning the desk of the CEO or placing coins under the carpet. Others can be as expensive as demolishing and reconstructing parts of the building.
When the famous HSBC headquarters with two bronze lions sitting in front were built in the mid-1980s, the escalators were reoriented from their original straight position to an angle with the entrance to prevent evil spirits from flowing straight off the Victoria Harbor and into the office.
The HSBC building in Hong Kong. Photo credit: Ishak J/Flickr
The Bank of China Tower, on the other hand, neglected good feng shui practices and is now considered so unlucky that it sits empty most of the year. The tower with its many sharp edges is also said to be leaking its negative energy to its surrounding businesses. The owner of the Lippo Centre, which faces one of the building’s edges, went bankrupt and had to sell the building. Similarly, the Government House, which also faces one of the angles of the Bank of China Tower, had its share of troubles.
To prevent such misfortunes from befalling HSBC, the bank had two cannon-like structures installed at the top of their building. These cannons, which are pointed towards the Bank of China building, supposedly protects HSBC from the dreaded Bank of China Tower’s negative energy by deflecting the energy back to its source.
Hong Kong’s growth in recent years has been attributed to good feng shui. Its geographical location with the mountains behind and waters in front is said to be excellent in accordance to feng shui principles. Legend holds that these mountains are home to the dragons that are said to be the bearer of positive and powerful energy. This energy blows through Hong Kong as the dragons make their way from the mountains to the sea to drink and bathe.
This explains why many buildings along the waterline have gaping holes in the middle. These holes provide the dragons an unobstructed path to the water, so that the winds of positive energy continue to flow through the city.
The “dragon hole” of The Repulse Bay building in Hong Kong. Photo credit: Paul Griffin/Flickr
Photo credit: See-ming Lee/Flickr
Photo credit: See-ming Lee/Flickr
Sources: NY Times / Discover Hong Kong / A Passport Affair / Wall Street Journal Blog
Source…….www.amusingplanet.com
Natarajan
Woman I admire: ‘My daughter is a super hero’….
Here, Jaya Alex writes about her daughter, who, despite the odds, chose to teach in a backward and underprivileged district in India.
Justey P Alex
My elder daughter Justey P Alex is presently working among the tribes in Kalahandi district of Odisha, the second most backward and underprivileged district in India.
There she is teaching in a mission school which provides education to poor children. It is the only English medium school in that area.
After her graduation from the Delhi University (BA English Hon), she told us of her desire to serve the needy and downtrodden children through education. She had taken the decision during a visit to this place when a tour programme was conducted by the Youths of Church Mission.
Being parents of a grown-up girl child we were very worried about her decision.
Jaya Alex with her daughter Justey
All other family members, friends and our well-wishers were also against it because of her well-being.
The place where she was planning to work is prone with diseases like malaria, jaundice, typhoid, etc.
Death due to these diseases is very common there. The nearest hospital is at least 20 km away from this remote village. If you want to buy a pen, book or even recharge your mobile phone you have to travel at least 20 km.
Everybody asked her to rethink the decision, but she stood firm on her ground as she felt that it was right.
At last we agreed and allowed her to go and work there. We thought that she will be back within a month because it is not so easy for a child, born and brought up in metropolitan city. to work in such a remote area.
But she got the willpower to overcome all hurdles and hardships by seeing the happiness of the poor kids studying there and has now completed 10 months. She is one among the three graduate teachers in her school. She is also pursuing her post graduation from IGNOU.
I think an ordinary girl cannot think in this way and I feel that my daughter is a ‘super hero’. I am proud of her.
Source…..Jaya Alex in http://www.rediff.com
Natarajan
Message for the Day……” You must remember that you are truly Divine…”
Embodiments of Love, consider for a moment, where from the rain comes. It comes from the clouds. Clouds come from water vapour, rising from the sea. Rain water becomes a channel on the earth, changes itself into a rivulet and merges into a big river, and finally reaches the sea as its destination. A pot made out of clay when broken, is cast on the ground, and in course of time, becomes clay again. Water from the sea joins the sea, clay from the earth, goes back to earth again, but why does a human being alone forget the source He came from? The only besetting evil in human being is the sense of ‘mine’ (Mamakara), the acquisitive and possessive feeling. This is the root-cause for all other evils. You must remember that you are truly divine. You inhale and exhale 21,600 times – it is a natural reminder of the message of ‘SO-HAM’ (I am God) which is the truth about your divine reality.
Take off with Natarajan 