learnings – Page 147 – Take off with Natarajan

அகத்தியர் அருளிய முருகன் மந்திரம்…

December 3, 2014NatarajanLeave a comment

ஓம் முருகா,குரு முருகா,அருள் முருகா,ஆனந்த முருகா

சிவசக்தி பாலகனே ஷண்முகனே சடாக்ஷ்ரனே

என் வாக்கிலும் நினைவிலும் நின்று காக்க

ஓம் ஐம் ஹ்ரீம் வேல் காக்க சுவஹா

முருகனின் ஆறெழுத்து மந்திரப் பிரயோகம்:-

சகல ஜன வசீகரமாம் சஹாரத்தாலே

தனமுதல் அழைத்து வரும் ரஹாரத்தாலே

பகைபிணி நோய் தீர்த்து வைக்கும் ஹகாரத்தாலே

பகைத்தவரைக் கொல்ல வைக்கும் ணகாரத்தாலே

சகலமுமே மோஹிக்கும் பகாரத்தாலே

சகலரையும் ஸ்தம்பிக்கும் வகாரத்தாலே

அகங்குளிர ஓதிய ஆறெழுத்தின் பெருமை

ஆரறிவார் மகிதலத்தில் சொன்னேன் கேளே….

– அகத்தியர்

மேற்கண்ட மந்திரம் அகஸ்தியர் அருளியது எந்த காரியத்திற்காக கிளம்பும் முன் இதை ஜெபித்து திருநீறு அணிந்து செல்ல காரிய வெற்றி உண்டாகும்.

ஷண்முக சடாட்சரம் ,ஆறெழுத்து மந்திரம் எனப்படும் சரஹணபவ மந்திரத்தின் பிரயோகம்:-

1. சரஹணபவ – என தொடர்ந்து ஜெபித்து வர சர்வ வசீகரம் உண்டாகும்.

2. ரஹணபவச – என தொடர்ந்து ஜெபித்து வர செல்வம், செல்வாக்குடன் கூடிய வளவாழ்வு உண்டாகும்.

3. ஹணபவசர – என தொடர்ந்து ஜெபித்து வர பகை,பிணி நோய்கள் தீரும்.

4. ணபவசரஹ – என தொடர்ந்து ஜெபித்து வர எதிர்ப்புகள், எதிரிகளால் வரும் துன்பங்கள் நீங்கும்.

5. பவசரஹண – என தொடர்ந்து ஜெபித்து வர உலகத்து உயிர்கள் யாவும் மனிதர்கள் முதல் ஜீவ ஜந்துக்கள் வரை நம்மை விரும்பும்.

6. வசரஹணப – என தொடர்ந்து ஜெபித்து வர எதிரிகளின் சதி,அவர்களால் வரும் தீமைகள் யாவும் செயலற்றுப்போகும்.

அவரவருக்கு தேவை என்னவோ அதற்குண்டான மந்திரத்தை தேர்ந்தெடுத்து ஜெபிக்கலாம்.ஜெபம் ஆரம்பம் செய்யும் நாள் வளர்பிறை காலத்தில் விசாகம் அல்லது கார்த்திகை நட்சத்திரத்தன்றோ , செவ்வாய்க்கிழமை அன்றோ இருந்தால் சிறப்பு.

90 நாட்கள் குறைந்தது 108 அதிகபட்சம் எவ்வளவு வேண்டுமானாலும் ஜெபிக்கலாம்.முதல் நாளும் ,ஜெபம் முடிக்கும் நாளும் வெற்றிலை,பாக்கு,திணை மாவு,பழங்கள் வைத்து வழிபடவும்.மற்றைய நாட்களில் இயன்றதைப் படைக்கலாம்.

ஒரு செம்புத் தட்டில் விபூதி பரப்பி அதில் ஆறுக்கோணசக்கரம் வரைந்து அதில் முதல் கோணத்திலிருந்து (அதாவது மேலே முதலாவது கோணம் ) நாம் ஜெபிக்கும் மந்திரத்தை வரிசையாக ஆறுகோணத்திலும் எழுதி ஆறுக்கோண நடுவில் ”றீங்” என்று எழுதி ஜெபம் செய்து அந்த விபூதியை அணிந்து வர விரைவான சிறந்த பலன் உண்டாகும்.

SOURCE:::: www.swathiktv.com and murugan bhakthi.org

Natarajan

Message For the Day…” Have Implicit Faith in God and Communicate with HIM…”

December 3, 2014NatarajanLeave a comment

Enter upon that task of Sadhana from now on; that is the lesson you must learn here. Otherwise yatra (pilgrimage) leads only to the accumulation of patra (objects and souvenirs). Devotion is something sweet, soothing, refreshing and restoring. It must confer patience and fortitude. The devotee will not be perturbed if another is blessed with more grace. The devotee is humble and bides one’s time, knowing that there is a higher power that knows more and that it is just and impartial. In the light of that knowledge, the devotees will communicate their troubles and problems only to their Lord; they will not humiliate themselves by talking about them to all and sundry, for what can a man, who is as helpless as another, do to relieve them? It is only those who have that implicit faith in God, who will deign to communicate only with the Lord and none else, who deserve Amrita (nectar of immortality).

Sathya Sai Baba

” Days of Darkness this December …? Of course NOT …”

December 2, 2014December 2, 2014NatarajanLeave a comment

Days of darkness this December? Of course not.

Heard the rumor that “NASA says” Earth will experience several days of total darkness in December 2014? Not true, of course.

Question: Will Earth experience six (or three) days of darkness in December, 2014?

Answer: No.

We at EarthSky have received many questions already about the so-called days of darkness supposedly announced by NASA and supposedly coming up in December, 2014. This rumor has spread like wildfire, as did the same rumor in 2011, which called for days of darkness caused by the erstwhile Comet Elenin. 2014’s version of the rumor apparently first began with this article from Hutzlers.com. The article states:

NASA has confirmed that the Earth will experience 6 days of almost complete darkness and will happen from the dates Tuesday the 16 – Monday the 22 in December. The world will remain, during these three days, without sunlight due to a solar storm, which will cause dust and space debris to become plentiful and thus, block 90% sunlight.

Oh, brother. Just reading that quote gives us a combination of heartburn plus giggles. Why? Let’s ignore for the moment that space scientists can’t yet predict when a solar storm will occur, although, in the hours leading up to one, they sometimes suggest a probability that one might occur. That aside, there’s never been an event where a solar storm created enough “dust and debris,” whatever that means, to darken Earth … at least not in living memory. Could such a thing even be predicted, sort of like Superman’s dad Jor-El predicted the explosion of planet Krypton (which also had never happened before)? Let’s remember for a moment that Superman was fiction, but, even given that, many other imaginary scientists on that imaginary planet Krypton were arguing that the explosion wasn’t really imminent. Likewise, here on our real Earth, a prediction of days of darkness caused by solar storms would be such outlandish science that scientists would argue about it up until the time it happened … or didn’t happen. NASA wouldn’t just suddenly “predict it,” in other words.

Before we go on, the inquiring reader may want to read what Hutzlers.com says about itself:

Huzlers.com is a combination of real shocking news and satirical entertainment to keep its visitors in a state of disbelief.

Well, they got that part right.

Needless to say, the NASA Earth Observatory website totally disavowed the hoax.

This incredible image of the night side of Earth is a composite of data gathered by the Suomi NPP satellite in April and October 2012 and mapped over previous imagery of the whole Earth. Image via NASA/NOAA.
. Is Earth totally dark when it’s night for you? No. Earth is always half illuminated by sunlight. Notice the crescent of illumination on one edge in this photo. If you were on the other side of Earth when the images used in this composite were acquired, you’d see Earth shining brightly in reflected sunlight, aka daylight. Image via NASA/NOAA.
Is all of this a replay of the December, 2012 winter solstice hysteria?

We don’t know what it is about the December solstice, the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice, but it seems to inspire all kinds of pseudo-scientific claims and apocalyptic fantasies. The days-of-darkness theme appears to be a revival of sorts of the bogus galactic alignment prophesy, which did not take place – as expected – on the 2012 winter solstice.

Snopes.com, which has already investigated and debunked the supposed December, 2014 NASA Blackout Warning, recalled a 2012 prediction whereby:

The Earth will shift from the current third dimension to zero dimension, then shift to the fourth dimension. During this transition, the entire Universe will face a big change, and we will see a entire brand new world. The 3 days blackout is predicted to happen on Dec 23, 24, 25….

Okay then … moving on …

As Comet Elenin passed to within just 7 million kilometers of the STEREO (Behind) spacecraft, NASA rolled the spacecraft to take a look at it (Aug. 1, 2011) with its wide angle HI-2 instrument. Image credit: NASA
As Comet Elenin passed near the sun in 2011, it was supposed to block the sun and cause three days of darkness. Of course, it didn’t. That would have been far more difficult than, say, a mosquito blocking your car headlight. Image via NASA
Remember Nibiru, the fictitious planet, which was predicted to bombard the inner solar system and collide with our planet Earth in 2012?

When acute telescopic observers wondered why this huge planet wasn’t visible in the night sky by 2010, Nibiru proponents answered the challenge by claiming the discovery of Comet Elenin in December 2010 provided proof of Nibiru’s existence.

Moreover, prognosticators went on to say that Comet Elenin itself was to bring three days of darkness – which, of course, never came to pass. Meanwhile, Comet Elenin eventually disintegrated.

So will you experience three to six days of darkness in December, 2014? No … unless you live north of the Arctic Circle, which has continuous darkness in winter every December.

Bottom line: NASA did not predict – and December, 2014 will not have – three to six days of darkness.

SOURCE:::: By Bruce McClure, Eleanor Imster and Deborah Byrd in http://www.earthsky.org

Natarajan

” Astronaut Chris Hadfield Explains The Big Problem With The Mars One Mission”

December 2, 2014NatarajanLeave a comment

If you haven’t heard, there’s a plan to start up a colony of humans living on Mars in the near future.

If the next decade goes as planned, the not-for-profit organization, Mars One, will launch a manned mission to Mars that will land the first human colony on the red planet in 2025.

Here’s the catch: Those who leave Earth for the 7-month-long ride in space will never return.

The four-member crew will learn to call Mars – a freezing, barren, lifeless planet – home. Forever.

That may sound great to the tens of thousands of people who applied, but Mars One is going about their grandiose plans all wrong according to retired Canadian Space Agency astronaut Chris Hadfield.

Right now, Mars One is focused more on raising funds and selecting crew members than developing the technology needed for the trip. And the technology, Hadfield told Elmo Keep, writing in Medium, is the most basic starting point for any space mission.

“There’s a great, I don’t know, self-defeating optimism in the way that this project has been set up,” Hadfield told Keep. “I fear that it’s going to be a little disillusioning for people, because it’s presented as if for sure it’s going to happen.”

Flickr/Benjamin

So far, the company claims they’ve had more than 200,000 people apply, and are about to start interviews with 663 final candidates. Mars One says that they will gather the majority of money for the trip through crowd funding from a global reality television event.

The company anticipates that the trip to Mars will cost approximately $6 billion (that’s shockingly low compared to NASA estimates for a two-way trip to Mars and back costing roughly $100 billion.)

Although Mars One has visions of partnering with companies like SpaceX to procure the proper technology, so far its only contract is with Paragon Space Development Corporation to study initial life support systems.

Hadfield isn’t the only one doubting this project. Doubters at MIT have calculated that “living on Mars” will last only about 68 days before the colonists die.

In particular, Hadfield said, if you don’t have the specifications of the spacecraft, you can’t begin to select the people who will live and work in it.

“I want to see the technical specifications of the vehicle that is orbiting Earth,” Hadfield said. “I want to know: How does a space suit on Mars work? Show me how it is pressurized, and how it is cooled. What’s the glove design?”

NASA/Goddard/Arizona State University

What’s more, Mars should not even be a target for colonization at this point, according to Hadfield. Our sites should be set on a place much closer.

“We absolutely need to do it on the moon for a few generations,” Hadfield told Keep.

On average, the moon is about 600 times closer to Earth than Mars. That means if something goes wrong with a colony, we can dispatch help from Earth that will reach the Moon in a matter of hours instead of months. Developing a working moon colony would be an important first step to living on Mars.

NASA

Astronaut Eugene A. Cernan of Apollo 17 tests the Lunar Roving Vehicle on the moon.

Here’s a short list of what Hadfield told Keep we need to know before living on Mars:

How do you completely recycle your water?
How do you completely recycle your oxygen system?
How do you protect yourselves from radiation?
How do you not go crazy?
How do you set up the politics of the place and the command structure, so that when we get it wrong we won’t all die?

While the Mars One desire to get people excited about space travel again is noble – it has been more than 42 years since we last landed a human on anything in space besides the International Space Station. There’s a right way and a wrong way to go about landing people on other satellites throughout the solar system.

“It’s not a race, it’s not an entertainment event. We didn’t explore the world to entertain other people. We did it as a natural extension of human curiosity and matching capability,” Hadfield told Keep. “And that’s what will continue to drive us.”

SOURCE::::Jessica Orwig in http://www.businessinsider.in

Natarajan

Message For the Day…” Close Your External Eyes and Open Your Inner Eyes…”

December 2, 2014NatarajanLeave a comment

People suffer because they have all kinds of unreasonable desires and they pine to fulfil them and they fail. They attach too much value to the objective world. It is only when attachment increases that you suffer pain and grief. If you look upon Nature and all created objects with the insight derived from the Inner Vision, then attachment will slide away, though effort will remain; you will also see everything much clearer and with a glow suffused with Divinity and splendour. Close your external eyes and open your inner eyes – What a grand picture of essential unity you get? Attachment to Nature has limits, but the attachment you develop to the Lord when your inner eye opens, has no limit. Enjoy that reality, not this false picture.

Sathya Sai Baba

When suffering comes in waves, one behind the other, do not be like cowards throwing the blame on some outside power or develop dislike for the Lord. Be glad the shore is near and bear them bravely. – Baba

Joke of the Day…” Think Hard and Tell the Answer …” !!!

December 1, 2014NatarajanLeave a comment

A Detective Story !!!

A policeman was interrogating 3 blondes who were training to become detectives. To test their skills in recognizing a suspect, he shows the first blonde a picture for 5 second and then hides it.

“This is your suspect, how would you recognize him?”

The first blonde answers, “That is easy, we’ll catch him fast because he only has one eye!”

blond pointing

The policeman says, “Well…uh…that is because the picture shows his PROFILE.”

Slightly flustered by this ridiculous response, he flashes the picture for 5 seconds at the second blonde and asks her, “This is your suspect, how would you recognize him?”

The second blonde giggles, flips her hair and says, “Ha! He’d be too easy to catch because he only has one ear!”

The policeman angrily responds, “What’s the matter with you two?? Of course only one eye and one ear are SHOWING because it’s a picture of his profile!! Is that the best answer you can come up with?”

Extremely frustrated at this point, he shows the picture to the third blonde and in a very testy voice asks, “This is your suspect, how would you recognize him?”

He quickly adds “…think hard before giving me a stupid answer.”

The blonde looks at the picture intently for a moment and says, “Hmmmm…the suspect wears contact lenses.”

The policeman is surprised and speechless because he really doesn’t know himself if the suspect wears contacts or not. “Well, that’s an interesting answer…wait here for a few minutes while I check his file and I’ll get back to you on that.”

He leaves the room and goes to his office, checks the suspect’s file in his computer, and comes back with a beaming smile on his face. “Wow! I can’t believe it…it is TRUE! The suspect does in fact wear contact lenses. Good work! How were you able to make such an astute observation?”

“That is easy,” the blonde replied. “He can’t wear regular glasses because he only has one eye and one ear!”

SOURCE:::: iNPUT FROM A FRIEND OF MINE

Natarajan

Top Ten Qualities of Turmeric !!!

December 1, 2014NatarajanLeave a comment

Turmeric may be the most effective nutritional supplement in existence.

Many high quality studies show that it has major benefits for your body and brain.

Here are the top 10 evidence-based health benefits of turmeric.

1. Turmeric Contains Bioactive Compounds With Powerful Medicinal Properties

Turmeric is the spice that gives curry its yellow color.

It has been used in India for thousands of years as a spice and medicinal herb.

Recently, science has started to back up what the Indians have known for a long time… it really does contain compounds with medicinal properties (1).

These compounds are called curcuminoids, the most important of which is curcumin.

Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant.

However, the curcumin content of turmeric is not that high… it’s around 3%, by weight (2).

Most of the studies on this herb are using turmeric extracts that contain mostly curcumin itself, with dosages usually exceeding 1 gram per day. It would be very difficult to reach these levels just using the turmeric spice in your foods.

Therefore, if you want to experience the full effects, then you need to take an extractthat contains significant amounts of curcumin.

Unfortunately, curcumin is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream. It helps to consume black pepper with it, which contains piperine… a natural substance that enhances the absorption of curcumin by 2000% (3).

I personally prefer to swallow a few whole peppercorns along with my curcumin supplement, in order to enhance absorption.

Curcumin is also fat soluble, so it may be a good idea to take it with a fatty meal.

Bottom Line: Turmeric is high in curcumin, a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Most studies used turmeric extracts that are standardized to include large amounts of curcumin.

2. Curcumin is a Natural Anti-Inflammatory Compound

Inflammation is incredibly important.

It helps the body fight foreign invaders and also has a role in repairing damage.

Without inflammation, pathogens like bacteria could easily take over our bodies and kill us.

Although acute (short-term) inflammation is beneficial, it can become a major problem when it is chronic (long-term) and inappropriately deployed against the body’s own tissues.

It is now believed that chronic, low-level inflammation plays a major role in almost every chronic, Western disease. This includes heart disease, cancer, metabolic syndrome, Alzheimer’s and various degenerative conditions (4, 5, 6).

Therefore, anything that can help fight chronic inflammation is of potential importance in preventing and even treating these diseases.

It turns out that curcumin is strongly anti-inflammatory, it is so powerful that it matches the effectiveness of some anti-inflammatory drugs (7).

Curcumin actually targets multiple steps in the inflammatory pathway, at the molecular level.

Curcumin blocks NF-kB, a molecule that travels into the nuclei of cells and turns on genes related to inflammation. NF-kB is believed to play a major role in many chronic diseases (8, 9).

Without getting into the gory details (inflammation is extremely complicated), the key takeaway here is that curcumin is a bioactive substance that fights inflammation at the molecular level (10, 11, 12).

In several studies, its potency has compared favorably to anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical drugs… except without the side effects (13, 14).

Bottom Line: Chronic inflammation is known to be a contributor to many common Western diseases. Curcumin can inhibit many molecules known to play major roles in inflammation.

3. Turmeric Dramatically Increases The Antioxidant Capacity of The Body

Oxidative damage is believed to be one of the mechanisms behind ageing and many diseases.

It involves free radicals, highly reactive molecules with unpaired electrons.

Free radicals tend to react with important organic substances, such as fatty acids,proteins or DNA.

The main reason antioxidants are so beneficial, is that they protect our bodies from free radicals.

Curcumin happens to be a potent antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals due to its chemical structure (15, 16).

But curcumin also boosts the activity of the body’s own antioxidant enzymes (17, 18,19).

In that way, curcumin delivers a one-two punch against free radicals. It blocks them directly, then stimulates the body’s own antioxidant mechanisms.

Bottom Line: Curcumin has powerful antioxidant effects. It neutralizes free radicals on its own, then stimulates the body’s own antioxidant enzymes.

4. Curcumin Boosts Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Linked to Improved Brain Function and a Lower Risk of Brain Diseases

Back in the day, it was believed that neurons weren’t able to divide and multiply after early childhood.

However, it is now known that this does happen.

The neurons are capable of forming new connections, but in certain areas of the brain, they can also multiply and increase in number.

One of the main drivers of this process is Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor(BDNF), which is a type of growth hormone that functions in the brain (20).

Many common brain disorders have been linked to decreased levels of this hormone. This includes depression and Alzheimer’s disease (21, 22).

Interestingly, curcumin can increase brain levels of BDNF (23, 24).

By doing this, it may be effective at delaying or even reversing many brain diseases and age-related decreases in brain function (25).

There is also the possibility that it could help improve memory and make you smarter. Makes sense given its effects on BDNF levels, but this definitely needs to be tested in human controlled trials (26).

Bottom Line: Curcumin boosts levels of the brain hormone BDNF, which increases the growth of new neurons and fights various degenerative processes in the brain.

5. Curcumin Leads to Various Improvements That Should Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease

Heart disease is the biggest killer in the world (27).

It has been studied for many decades and researchers have learned a lot about why it happens.

It turns out that heart disease is incredibly complicated and there are various things that contribute to it.

Curcumin may help reverse many steps in the heart disease process (28).

Perhaps the main benefit of curcumin when it comes to heart disease, is improving the function of the endothelium, which is the lining of the blood vessels.

It is well known that endothelial dysfunction is a major driver of heart disease and involves an inability of the endothelium to regulate blood pressure, blood clotting and various other factors (29).

Several studies suggest that curcumin leads to improvements in endothelial function. One study shows that is as effective as exercise, another shows that it works as well as the drug Atorvastatin (30, 31).

But curcumin also reduces inflammation and oxidation (as discussed above), which are also important in heart disease.

In one study, 121 patients who were undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery were randomized to either placebo or 4 grams of curcumin per day, a few days before and after the surgery.

The curcumin group had a 65% decreased risk of experiencing a heart attack in the hospital (32).

Bottom Line: Curcumin has beneficial effects on several factors known to play a role in heart disease. It improves the function of the endothelium and is a potent anti-inflammatory agent and antioxidant.

6. Turmeric Can Help Prevent (And Perhaps Even Treat) Cancer

Cancer is a terrible disease, characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells.

There are many different forms of cancer, but they do have several commonalities, some of which appear to be affected by curcumin supplementation (33).

Researchers have been studying curcumin as a beneficial herb in cancer treatment. It can affect cancer growth, development and spread at the molecular level (34).

Studies have shown that it can reduce angiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels in tumors), metastasis (spread of cancer), as well as contributing to the death of cancerous cells (35).

Multiple studies have shown that curcumin can reduce the growth of cancerous cells in the laboratory and inhibit the growth of tumours in test animals (36, 37).

Whether high-dose curcumin (preferably with an absorption enhancer like pepper) can help treat cancer in humans has yet to be tested properly.

However, there is some evidence that it may help prevent cancer from occurring in the first place, especially cancers of the digestive system (like colorectal cancer).

In one study in 44 men with lesions in the colon that sometimes turn cancerous, 4 grams of curcumin per day for 30 days reduced the number of lesions by 40% (38).

Maybe curcumin will be used along with conventional cancer treatment one day. It’s too early to say for sure, but it looks promising and this is being intensively studied as we speak.

Bottom Line: Curcumin leads to several changes on the molecular level that may help prevent and perhaps even treat cancer.

7. Curcumin May be Useful in Preventing and Treating Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease in the world and a leading cause of dementia.

Unfortunately, no good treatment is available for Alzheimer’s yet.

Therefore, preventing it from showing up in the first place is of utmost importance.

There may be good news on the horizon, because curcumin has been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier (39).

It is known that inflammation and oxidative damage play a role in Alzheimer’s disease. As we know, curcumin has beneficial effects on both (40).

But one key feature of Alzheimer’s disease is a buildup of protein tangles called Amyloid plaques. Studies show that curcumin can help clear these plaques (41).

Whether curcumin can really slow down or even reverse the progression of Alzheimer’s disease needs to be studied properly (42).

Bottom Line: Curcumin can cross the blood-brain barrier and has been shown to lead to various improvements in the pathological process of Alzheimer’s disease.

8. Arthritis Patients Respond Very Well to Curcumin Supplementation

Arthritis is a common problem in Western countries.

There are several different types, but most involve some sort of inflammation in the joints.

Given that curcumin is a potent anti-inflammatory, it makes sense that it could help with arthritis. Several studies show this to be true.

In a study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, curcumin was even more effective than an anti-inflammatory drug (43).

Many other studies have looked at the effects of curcumin on arthritis and noted improvements in various symptoms (44, 45).

Bottom Line: Arthritis is a common disorder characterized by joint inflammation. Many studies show that curcumin can help treat symptoms of arthritis and is in some cases more effective than anti-inflammatory drugs.

9. Studies Show That Curcumin Has Incredible Benefits Against Depression

Curcumin has shown some promise in treating depression.

In a controlled trial, 60 patients were randomized into three groups (46).

One group took prozac, another group took a gram of curcumin and the third group took both prozac and curcumin.

After 6 weeks, curcumin had led to improvements that were similar to prozac. The group that took both prozac and curcumin fared best.

According to this (small) study, curcumin is as effective as an antidepressant.

Depression is also linked to reduced levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and a shrinking hippocampus, a brain area with a role in learning and memory.

Curcumin boosts BNDF levels, potentially reversing some of these changes (47).

There is also some evidence that curcumin can boost the brain neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine (48, 49).

Bottom Line: A study in 60 depressed patients showed that curcumin was as effective as prozac in alleviating the symptoms of depression.

10. Curcumin May Help Delay Ageing and Fight Age-Related Chronic Diseases

If curcumin can really help prevent heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s… then this would have obvious benefits for longevity.

For this reason, curcumin has become very popular as an anti-aging supplement (50).

But given that oxidation and inflammation are believed to play a role in ageing, curcumin may have effects that go way beyond just prevention of disease (51).

SOURCE::::www.authoritynutrition.com

Natarajan

Save Your Spine While Texting …!!!

December 1, 2014Natarajan1 Comment

Saving Your Spine While Texting

It seems that we are growing more attached to our cell phones every day, but we never really stop to consider the amount of pressure our spines go through each time we bend our necks down. The poor posture is more commonly referred to as “text neck”, which can add anywhere between 30-60lbs (15-30kg) of pressure on the lumbar region from the awkwad spinal angles.

The force increases by approximately 27 pounds (12.2kg) at a 15-degree angle, 40 pounds (18kg) at a 30-degree angle, 49 pounds (22kg) at a 45-degree angle and 60 pounds (27kg) at a 60-degree angle. That would be like having a small child sitting on your neck while you type!

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The Symptoms & Consequences of “Text Neck”

Texting with your neck in a downward position for extended periods of time can result in severe stretching of the spinal tissue, which could potentially lead to pinched nerves, herniated disks, and even spinal surgeries. Texting can also strain your eyesight, especially when you have to squint down further to read the words or titles. Some of the symptoms of “text neck” can include; tightness across the shoulders, soreness of the neck (stiff neck), and chronic headaches.

Dr. Kenneth Hansraj, who is the chief of spine surgery at New York Spine Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, wrote about how texting drastically affects the spine with bad posture, and published it in the U.S. National Library of Medicine. The research suggested that keeping good posture is ideal to prevent spinal injuries from occurring.

Dr. Hansraj points out a safer alternative to “text neck”. He suggests that your ears should be aligned with the shoulders, while the shoulder blades are retracted. This position reduces the amount of stress on the spine region. Dr. Hansraj also suggests that you should look down at your cell phones and tablets, by moving your eyes down in favor of bending the neck.

source

Preventing “Text Neck”:

Make sure your neck isn’t tilted when you’re glancing down at the phone. Instead, try scrolling with your eyes only, while keeping your neck in a neutral position.
Keep your neck and spine comfortably rested on a few pillows if you’re going to text while in bed.
Keep your ears aligned with the shoulders, and the shoulder blades retracted. This is important posture for texting while sitting inside a moving vehicle or train.
Avoid eye strain by making the fonts on the phone or tablet larger when possible. You can enter the display settings and simply change the fonts to a larger size.
Hold a tablet straight in front of you at a 30 degree angle when typing to keep your neck and wrists protected.
Take a break every 15 minutes or so by looking up and bringing the neck back into the neutral position.

All it takes is a few slight adjustments to maintaining proper posture, and you can limit the potential for unwanted cervical spinal stress.

SOURCE::::www.ba-bamail.com

Natarajan

” Nothing to Beat a Beetroot …” !!!

December 1, 2014NatarajanLeave a comment

The Health Benefits of Beetroots

Not only are they delicious, beets are also packed full of vitamins and nutrients. Their rich content turns them into a powerfully medicinal food, with various beneficial properties. As early as the Middle Ages, they were used for treatment of digestion and circulatory issues.

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They are rich in anti-oxidants, fungicidal and anti-inflammatory agents. Well known as treatment for the gall bladder and gout and even great for reducing cholesterol levels.

The 10 major medical conditions beetroots can help treat are:

Beets 1. Arthritis – In moderation, beets help prevent arthritis by dissolving deposits that accumulate around the joints, thanks to the high alkaline contents.

2. Anemia – The high levels of phosphorous, zinc, iodine, copper, calcium and potassium, combined with fat, vitamins (B1, B2, B6, P and niacin) help keep hemoglobin levels high.

3. Inflammation – Thanks to a moderate amount of choline, beetroot helps maintain your muscles, memory, and cognitive functions, as well as help with insomnia. Choline also helps sustain the structure of the cellular membranes and assists in impulse transmissions. Combine it with its ability to absorb fat, beetroot becomes an effective anti-inflammatory.

4. Heart disease – Rich, in nitric acid, beetroot helps your blood vessels relax remain dilated, which prevents heart diseases caused by insufficient blood flow.

5. Dementia – A recent study performed in the Wake Forest University confirmed that raw beet juice helps oxygenation in the brain. This helps maintain the brain in a healthy capacity, preventing the onset of dementia.

6. High blood pressure – The nitrate in beetroot gets converted into nitric oxide – a key compound in relaxation and widening of blood vessels. This process is highly beneficial to blood flow and circulation.

7. Arteriosclerosis – Nitric oxide’s benefits also help prevent and reduce the risk of arterial diseases like Arteriosclerosis.

8. Diabetes – Alpha-lipoic acid, an antioxidant that lowers glucose levels are abundant in beets. It’s effective in reducing stress-induced changes in diabetics.

Beets 9. Anti-carcinogenic – The beetroot’s distinct color comes from phytonutrients. These nutrients combat and help with the prevention of cancer. Research have shown that in some cases, beetroot extract was effective in reducing multi-organ tumors. It is believed to be effective in treating breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancers.

10. Low stamina – Raw beet juice helps the muscles to oxygenate, helping us improve exercise tolerance. A regular intake of raw beetroot will help those with metabolic, respiratory and cardiovascular issues which cannot exert themselves to return to regular exercise in a short period.

2 Beet juice recipes that aid in weightloss

Beets

1. Powerful detoxing juice:

Ingredients

1 beetroot – cubed
5-6 celery stalks
1 cup chopped spinach
1 handful cilantro
1 tsp salt

Preparation

Blend all the ingredients until they have a smooth consistency and add some lemon juice

Beets

2. System booster, rich in anti-oxidants and beta-carotene:

Ingredients

1 beetroot – cubed
2-3 large carrots – chopped
1 celery stalk

Preparation

Blend all the ingredients until they have a smooth consistency and add a pinch of salt

SOURCE:::: http://www.ba-bamail.com

Natarajan

Message For the Day…” Consider God as Your Companion and Friend … ” !!!

December 1, 2014NatarajanLeave a comment

To pray to God with excessive adulation and request a favour stems from a tone of despondency. Describing Him as One who is beyond praise by Brahma and other gods, and narrating glories beyond description of how He helped devotees and then asking, “Oh Lord! You have talked to them and given them so much! Why don’t You come to my help?” appears to stem from jealousy. It is only when God is regarded as a friend and a companion that He is pleased the most. When you address Him as, “O my dearest friend! My beloved One! The darling of my heart,” you are giving Him the greatest joy. We use words of praise towards an unfamiliar person to show respect and regard as he/she is a stranger. But we welcome an old friend with easy familiarity and intimacy. Hence approach God as your loving friend, He will come to your aid and fulfill your needs

Sathya Sai Baba