You are what you "eat"

You are what you "eat"

Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj ji

Om shanti. Many of us are raised believing the common myths that we become weak if we don't eat non-vegetarian food like fish, meat or chicken or do not take proper proteins.
But we can start discrediting these myths if we imagine an elephant eating leaves and branches. As a matter of fact, some of the strongest animals in the world are strict vegetarians. When a person gets to know these facts, from that moment onwards, his spiritual nature starts awakening, he starts experiencing many changes.
One of them is the development of his sensitivity through which the relationship between his body and soul takes a new meaning and importance.
His subtle energies become more tangible and that person clearly finds out whether the food his body had ingested was healthy for him or not?
The question that arises here now is why follow vegetarian diet? The answer to this is very simple. Human beings by nature are non-violent. The true nature of human soul is peace, tranquility, and calmness.
Spiritual energy accumulates while practicing non-violence. In this world there is so much anxiety, tension, irritability, mainly due to the dietary patterns of human beings. This is because the food that one eats has all the vibrations of violence and negativity. Hence one must avoid eating food that comes through violence or the act of killing.
A healthy body is the one that is kept clean from within. When we feed our mind, as well as the body, with love, the world around us will also become peaceful and a loving place to live in.

Spinal cord in detail

Roll your mouse over any of the 24 vertebrae in the human spine!!!

What a fascinating demo of how our spine affects our bodies.  Move your mouse over back bones and see the parts that are affected!

What an amazing site

http://www.chiroone.net/why_chiropractic/index.html

Wine, peach or pink... Get your bridal colour Red and green have always been typical wedding colours. So, how about some contemporary colours? These days brides and even grooms are very choosy about their clothes — be it for cocktails, marriage or the reception

Wine, peach or pink... Get your bridal colour

Red and green have always been typical wedding colours. So, how about some contemporary colours? These days brides and even grooms are very choosy about their clothes — be it for cocktails, marriage or the reception



For everyone their marriage day is such wherein, they want to look their very best. Especially brides in today's times will begin the hunt for the wedding costume almost months in advance. With marriages no longer having remained just a one day affair, the bride is keen on bearing a different and enticing look during each and every ceremony of her marriage. Not only brides but even the groom today have got extremely choosy over their costumes and want to look their stunning best be it for the cocktails, marriage or during the reception ceremony.

With India being a land of diverse cultures every community has their own bridal wear which differs depending on the colours, patterns and designs as well. Amongst the Hindu brides, colours like red, maroon and orange have always known to dominate. "A Marwadi bride will always prefer traditional kundan work on her lehenga. Since most of the Marwadi brides wear ancestral jewellery like kundan uncut designer jewellery sets, they like their bridal outfits also to be designed in the very same manner. Half brocade and half gold foil net sarees with sheen of tissue on it is also loved by most brides," says Kanch Advani from Kanch studio pret in Vashi.

Amongst Gujarati brides the gharchola sarees are mostly worn by the brides. "Readymade sarees are in huge demand now-a-days, considering the bride does not have to face a lot of discomfort while draping it up. Besides amongst Hindu brides colours like wine, peach and pink are also gaining prominence. For the catholic bride, I use huge buckram inside the gown along with some attractive swarovski work which is done over the gown," asserts Advani.

Most designers feel that it's better if brides go to just one designer while getting their entire bridal trousseau made as that designer will be able to give the bride a wide variety of outfits. "Punjabi brides love to go in for heavy hand made or stone work on their lehenga choli's. Besides amongst Sindhi's you will find a lot of heavy embroidery work on their lehenga. Most Hindu brides prefer wearing a bridal outfit which has a lot of shimmer and glamour in it," says Vashi-based fashion designer Sulagna Chatterjee. She believes royal colours like dark blue and emerald green are being asked by a lot of brides currently. Maharashtrian brides have always loved wearing the paithani sarees. The unique stone studded work with the awesomely attractive kundan work on it makes these nine yards look even more fabulous.
"The concept of readymade pleats is gaining prominence amongst brides of almost all communities. From around 7,000 onwards you can get some really beautiful bridal sarees. Mirror work and sequin and diamonds on the sarees makes the sarees look really beautiful," says Nilesh Chedda from Roopsangam store in Vashi. The kanjeevaram saree amongst the South Indian brides is also available at this store.
Velvet work on sarees is also catching up rapidly but the only problem is that velvet work makes the saree heavy which in turn makes it difficult for the bride to move around. For the groom too there are huge options available in both sherwani's and blazers. A bit of shimmer in blazers is 'in' and designer sherwani's in royal colours are available. Stores are seen to design unique sherwani's or suits depending on the person's choice of colour, cut and style.

A heavy baby is born — 4.5kg Three doctors used special techniques during a three-hour procedure

A heavy baby is born — 4.5kg

Three doctors used special techniques during a three-hour procedure



Bundle of joy. Anjali Sugur, 28, was
brought to the hospital on Tuesday morning after she
went into the labour and delivered at 10 am. This is her
fourth child. Her first three babies were delivered at
home. India's heaviest baby was a baby girl born in Surat
last year. She weighed 5.7kg. The normal weight of an
Indian newborn is between 2.5 and 3.5kg

A 28-year-old woman who arrived at the state-run Cama and Albless Hospital for Women and Child hospital in advanced labour, with the head of the baby jutting out of her, has delivered a boy weighing 4.5kg. The baby, who hasn't been named yet, is 55 cm tall.
A team of three doctors used special manoeuvres during a three-hour procedure to deliver the baby. The mother, Anjali Sugur was brought to the hospital on Tuesday morning after she went into the labour and delivered at 10 am. This is her fourth child, and the delivery was normal.
India's heaviest baby was a baby girl born in Surat last year. She weighed 5.7kg. The normal weight of an Indian newborn is between 2.5 and 3.5kg.
Dr Rajshri Katke, medical superintendent, Cama and Albess hospital said, "Though this is Anjali's fourth delivery, this was her first delivery in hospital. The first three babies were delivered at home. She had registered herself soon after her pregnancy was detected and was regular in her check-ups."
Last year, the hospital delivered a 4.3kg baby.
According to the doctors, she would have landed the baby and herself in trouble if she had not come to hospital for delivery. "It was good decision taken by the family as it requires skillful doctor to deliver such a huge baby. She would have risked her and the baby's life otherwise," said Dr Katke.
Doctors were surprised that such a huge baby was delivered by a non-diabetic mother. "Normally, overweight babies are delivered by diabetic mothers. In Anjali's case, we knew that the baby is huge but since she was non-diabetic we got worried. We are happy that her delivery was normal," said Dr Katke.
The baby is presently in under observation in the neonatal intensive care unit.
"Such overweight babies are prone to develop hyperglycaemic conditions in which the amount of blood glucose (sugar) in the blood is lower than normal. His sugar levels were low yesterday," said Dr Katke.
The mother has been asked to breast-feed the baby frequently. "Such babies have to be fed more frequently than a normal newborn as the they need glucose more," Dr Katke added.
Meanwhile, Anjali and her family can't wait to take the new family member home. "I am very happy that my baby is so healthy. I am happy that I decided not to deliver the baby at home and came to hospital," said Anjali.
Dr Sudeshna Ray, consultant of gynaecologist and obstetrician, Jaslok hospital and member of the committee of medical disorder in pregnancy said,"It is a challenge for both the mother and the obstetrician to deliver an overweight baby normally."
"Overweight babies are born to the mother has diabetes mellitus during pregnancy, the mother has excessive weight gain during pregnancy or where the woman has delivered more than two babies before," Dr Ray added.

Lucky year for you ahead? An astrologer and some celebs decipher the mystery behind good luck cycles in people's lives

Lucky year for you ahead?

An astrologer and some celebs decipher the mystery behind good luck cycles in people's lives


Is experiencing good luck in your life a cyclical process? Western astrology, with its 12 zodiac signs, believes that the Jupiter return — when the planets returns to the birth house of the individual, which happens once every 12 years for the period of 12 months — is an exceptionally lucky period in one's life. Chinese astrology also follows the 12-year cycle based on animals which says that people are lucky roughly once every four years and extremely lucky on the 12th year when they are in the year of their birth animal. However another version of it based on elements believes that people experience cycles of good luck that can last upto 10 years in succession for a major cycle. So what do our celebs feel?
Actor Vidya Malavade feels that the four year cycle works for her. "I had my first big professional break as a model in the year 2003. Four years later I experienced the huge success of my feature film Chak De nationally. I got my first job as an airhostess in 1998-99. And further beyond in 1995 I was a happy kid in college with my singing and extra-curricular activities." Vidya feels that when one is 'down' one has to keep fighting to life one's spirits up on a daily and even moment-by-moment basis.
Aanchal Kumar who's proved a long-distance runner in the modeling sweepstakes feels that she's been quite lucky. "Between October 2010 and October 2011 I've had a great run of luck especially as far as my professional life was concerned." Aanchal's previous run of great luck had been four years earlier in 2006-2007 when "everything just seemed to fall into place" for her. However she believes that she's been luckier than most people. "I keep thanking God for the constant element of buoyancy in my life," she says. Gallerist Bina Aziz feels that she's currently going through a 10 year major cycle of good luck. "I can sense it from the good things happening to me for the last three years. It's been a period of ascent and next year I'm planning to start a new business venture," she says happily.
Corporate honcho Ashwini Kakkar has had a difficult last four years with the illnesses of his parents. "I lost both of within the span of a year recently," he says. But he agrees that he had a couple of good years in succession starting from 2000. Art broker Ashish Balram Nagpal believes that "some people can have a run of good luck for 20 years and then have one bad year which could nullify all the previous years". According to astrologer Bejan Daruwalla who follows both Western and Indian systems of astrology while the Jupiter return is generally lucky, it comes with certain conditions. "Even during a Jupiter return one has to take into consideration the positions of all the other planets which will determine just how lucky the occurrence is. Jupiter has to be in a good position with the other planets for it to be an exceptionally lucky year," he says. "If everybody was so lucky during a Jupiter return, we'd all be Superman!"

Instant makeover ...seems to be the new mantra that city to-be-marrieds are embracing before their big day

Instant makeover

...seems to be the new mantra that city to-be-marrieds are embracing before their big day


With the marriage season round the corner, quick lunchtime makeover treatments is becoming a rage now. The pressure of looking good is constantly increasing not only among the brides but other scenarios in our daily life as well. Considering our busy schedules there have been an increase number of people visiting the nearest cosmetologist opting for a quick makeover to look fresh, young and attractive. The treatment is so easy and convenient that people can take it during a lunch break.
"Lunch time makeover trend is surely on the rise and the makeovers include a quick facial rejuvenation procedure that involves getting rid of wrinkles in the form of botox and contouring of the face with dermal fillers as they add the right volume to the face where there is volume loss. This is for middle age group women. For younger women it is lip fillers." said Dr. Abhijit Desai, makeover expert and Dermatologist, Evolve Medspa. Some of the procedures that are being used are Lip Fillers — doctors use inject lip fillers to give the lips a plump, voluptuous look and the procedure takes around 20-25 mins. Fillers of Aging Hands — smoothing the gnarled hands can be achieved by aesthetic dermal fillers. This new techniques makes the procedure fairly painless, giving your hands the much required volume to restore their earlier smooth, soft and fuller look. The procedure takes about 20 -40 mins. Facial Rejuvenation — botox treatment is an anti-ageing facial rejuvenation treatment. It is a 20-25 mins procedure and is non surgical and safe. Botox helps to soften wrinkles of forehead, frown and around the eyes called crow's feet. Botox is also done on masseter muscle of the jaw to give a slimmer jaw line. iLipo — the latest in laser lipolysis, offers you a way to achieve inch loss and body contouring with no pain, no needles and no down time. The i-lipo emits low levels of laser energy, the fat cell membranes are disrupted and the stored triglycerides are broken down into smaller molecules — free fatty acids, glycerol and water. These are then released into the surrounding interstitial space, causing the cell to lose its shape. Light exercise post treatment can accelerate the breakdown and removal of fat from the area and the procedure just takes just around 20 mins.
Though these treatments are very handy in terms of time, it does come with a word of caution. The caution being that the procedures should be done only by experienced cosmetic surgeons; otherwise it may lead to side effects.

Power of motivation

Power of motivation



Nothing fuels performance as much as motivation.
Otherwise poor performers shine when motivated. It could be from an external force or can be purely self driven. Motivation comes from drive and attitude and positive self-talk. Auto suggestions work like magic. Talk to yourself about how you need to achieve more, polish your skills, rise and shine. Self-belief it itself a great motivator. But, you must do it everyday. Slowly, it naturally merges into your mental architecture. There is nothing as powerful as self-motivation. But to do that one must get ready to get out of our comfort zones, explore and maybe, even fail. Drop the fears that crop up when you do this as that works against motivation.
It is a good idea to write down your goal so that you fix focus. Keep it with you. Look at it daily. It gets embedded into your sub-consciousness and starts working towards making it happen. You may not even realise how your mind subtly plots to draw the path ahead. Never underestimate the power of an idea. It is ideas that germinate into realities if you are determined to make it happen.
Today, many employers try to use fear to motivate their employees. It may get them short-term gains, but it is counterproductive as in the long term, its negative spin offs affect performance and reputation. Workers lose the passion and joy that work could bring. It also destroys creativity and positive attitudes towards work that is crucial to carry it to the next level of growth.
External motivation in the form of incentives, bonuses, commission and recognition can also work. But these work only as long as the incentive is there.
That is why internal motivation works best as it comes from within-such as pride, a sense of achievement, responsibility and belief. Internal motivation is lasting because it is real and genuine. Recognition of your goal and responsibility to carry it out is what works as the best motivator.
Watch out for de-motivation signs. It usually starts rearing its head when you encounter unfair criticism, public humiliation, non-performers being rewarded, fear or failure, lack of direction, office politics and negative self-talk. Tackle them head on so that your self-esteem is intact and confidence does not sag. Rewrite negative scripts in your head.
You can also motivate others by giving them recognition, making work interesting, being a good listener, encouraging goal setting, providing opportunities, creating challenges and helping others. Use motivation to ignite a new drive in your life. Discover a new you.
Ramesh Menon is an author, journalist and corporate trainer.

'Clown docs' entertain kids at KEM They put on a show at the paediatric ward of the hospital as a part of Israel Month

'Clown docs' entertain kids at KEM

They put on a show at the paediatric ward of the hospital as a part of Israel Month

The Israel embassy organised a visit by 'medical clowns' from Israel to KEM hospital on Tuesday as part of the 'Israel Month in Mumbai'. Medical clowns or clown doctors are professional performers, usually with a theatre background, who visit hospitals and interact with patients.
The two medical clowns, Hamutal Ende and Ofir Renan were representing Dream Doctors, a project started in Israel ten years ago which integrates professional medical clowning into the medical services provided at hospitals.
Dressed in colourful jumpers with clown hats and red noses, the clowns jumped and sprinted from one pediatric ward to the other.
As soon as the clowns walked in, some of the children were scared, some curious, but within minutes they were all delighted. Renan and Ende used balloons, music and toys to entertain the children.
The director of KEM, SN Oak said: "KEM hospital gets around 180 to 200 children, usually from the low income group, on a daily basis and parents do not have time or money to think about entertaining their children in the hospital. Such an experiment could be very helpful."
Renan and Ende talked about the small but significant effect medical clowning has on patients, particularly children. "Medical clowning is a way to empower the children, to help them forget their worries and pain for some time," explained Ende who has been doing this for almost 4 years now. "You can now even get a BA in medical clowning in Israel".
Renan, also a medical clown for 7 years, said that clowning "creates a connection with the kids which makes them happy and empowers them physically too." She said it has been experimented on adults also, and even though they tend to be suspicious, the effects have always been positive.
Milind S Tullu, a pediatrician, said: "medical clowning could be very effective in replacing sedatives for children."
Deepshikha Palit, an anaesthetist at the ward, said that she had never seen anything like this in the hospital before.

3 days of hell in 11-month-old's life 2-cm-diameter wooden object finally taken out of her throat

3 days of hell in 11-month-old's life

2-cm-diameter wooden object finally taken out of her throat
Three days of agony for Toshita and her parents ended in three hours at the Fortis Hospital. The 11-month-old girl from Navi Mumbai recently had a 2-cm-diameter wooden object lodged in her throat, which went undetected by a neighbourhood physician.
While mother Tanuja Khanolkar was busy in household chores on November 11, Toshita approached her, pointing at her throat. "She was trying to tell me that something was stuck in her throat. I saw a round object stuck deep inside her throat. When I tried to remove it, it went further in to the point that it was not visible anymore," said Khanolkar.
The alarm bells were set off when Toshita began salivating and complained of uneasiness. The mother rushed her to a physician in the neighbourhood. "He inserted a 7-inch pipe inside her throat. Since it went through the throat without any hindrance, the doctor ruled out the possibility of a coin being stuck in the throat."
He suggested a chest X-ray when the child continued to complain of uneasiness. But the test did not reveal the presence of any foreign object in the chest. "We believed the doctor. He claimed that the uneasiness was because Toshita was scared and assured that she'd be fine in some time."
But over the next two days, Toshita refused food and continuously cried. "She felt hungry, but the moment I fed her, the food came out. She complained of uneasiness, cried a lot and kept asking for water," said Khanolkar.
Toshita's parents realised that things had got out of hand when she started spitting blood. They immediately tried to book an appointment with a paediatrician. "He was not available at the hospital, though, since it was a weekend. We waited till Monday morning," said Geetesh Khanolkar, Toshita's father.
An X-ray of the throat revealed that a round, wooden object was stuck in her throat.
The object was placed right above the voice box. "It's shocking that the doctor couldn't detect it. Toshita was lucky that it didn't obstruct her windpipe," said paediatrician Dr Ashok Gavade .

Check mate! This winter, bold checks with a contemporary twist have the runway and the high street fashion scene in a tizzy

Check mate!

This winter, bold checks with a contemporary twist have the runway and the high street fashion scene in a tizzy


With winter comes another phase in fashion. And while you have to stuff your sexy halters and backless outfits back into the wardrobe, there's no reason why you can't still look your stylish best. This season, winter wear is back in all its retro-esque glory. What with the '60s and '70s being the buzzword in fashion right now, it's no surprise that the gingham fabric and bold checks are making a splendid comeback in winter wear. Remember actor Judy Garland's blue and white gingham dress in the film, Wizard of Oz? Well, most high street fashion brands and designer wear now seem to have been smitten by the checkered pattern. Be it an overcoat, a jacket, a skirt or a winter cap, checks with a contemporary twist seem to have made its imprint on most winter wear. Interestingly, they are being tagged 'rebel knits'.

Designer Amalraj Sengupta, who recently based his collection of trousers on chess, says, "Checks will never go out of fashion because it can have uncountable combination of pattern, colour and texture. Change it a little and it looks new. Check fabric can be manipulated to form designs and interesting patterns by miterring them." He adds that check fabrics are mostly used in winter wear because it started off with check woolen and thick material fabrics, which were used as mats, rugs or blankets, which is a twill weave. "Several designer brands made more popular now," he says.
Designer Archana Kochhar agrees that the checkered look can now be transformed with a creative tweak. "There are so many different kinds of checks now. Even the two or three-coloured checks look amazing in winter wear. Complement it with something plain and it instantly gives the outfit a wintry feel. Checks have the ability to transform the entire look. What makes checks tick is the fact that they are really appealing to the eyes," she says.
The broader, bolder patterns of checks also give it a warmer appeal. Designer Narendra Kumar Ahmed explains, "Visually, it looks warmer and it's really about creating an effect of warmth. That's the reason you see a lot of checks mostly in winter wear. I think patterns are not really associated with time period but more with styles. For instance, houndstooth is now making waves. This kind of retro look has inspired several TV shows too, like the Mad Men series, and is obviously being lapped up by fashionistas."

The cult of theBig Loser A group of dedicated individuals runs a social network that encourages people to be healthier

The cult of theBig Loser

A group of dedicated individuals runs a social network that encourages people to be healthier

Around February 2011, Asfaq Tapia tweeted that he had lost ten kilos and a substantial amount of inches extra. That tweet inspired B50 (name withheld on request) to think about using the social web to track weight loss for charity.
Ten months later, B50 has found a team of passionate individuals running 'Big Loser' — an initiative that is helping approximately 90 individuals shed the excess weight as their "sponsors" pledge money for every kilo lost to charity.
While increasing obesity is often attributed to a sedentary lifestyle, which, in turn, is attributed to developed technology, it is this same technology that is forcing people to rethink their meals, choose enjoyable physical activities and most importantly, lose excess weight in a healthy manner for a better lifestyle.
"B50 would regularly tweet about how a corporate lifestyle left us without much time to ourselves and often complained about the unhealthy life most of us led. So, when he tweeted what would it take for people to take up that getting-healthy challenge and stick with it, it caught my attention," says Sasha Gusain, a 30 year-old health blogger who offers weekly tips on weight loss and fun facts about exercise and nutrition through the Bglsr (BigLoser) Podcast.
Participants in this year's long initiative that wraps up in February 2012 tweet out their experiences - be it related to diet, exercise or challenges they face. Sponsors fulfill their roles as motivators by encouraging their participants.
"On social media, people like to help out. You might call it armchair activism, but if it gives you tangible results offline, it becomes effective," said Sasha, who has been observing conversations on health and nutrition on social media for quite some time now.
"We are not experts, we are all buddies helping each other. The first-step was people expressing a desire to lose weight, which worked as a hook. After people found sponsors and started talking about it, it organically culminated into an eco-system," says Gusain.
Chhavi Sachdev, a media professional, helps bring out a weekly podcast for the initiative which features a recap of major fitness events by participants in B50's voice, while Sasha steps in to talk about fitness tips. The podcast also announces a big loser of the week.
"Big loser of the week is any person who has made significant contribution towards the initiative, so it could be a participant or even a sponsor," explains Sasha. The Big Loser of the week not only gets to enjoy celebrity-dom with an interview on the website, but also gets goodies like biscuits, soy milk and magazine subscriptions, courtesy corporate sponsorships.

"Encouragement is addictive. The prizes are just an icing on the cake, but the real cake is the way participants feel about themselves," says Sachdev. As they take their presence on social networks seriously, getting associated with such movements is a low-cost, low-risk proposition for corporates and brands.
"The brand association and the positive rub-off of the movement can be beneficial because even though the reach is small, it gets you huge impact with minimal risk," says Girish Mallya of Next Gen Publishing - one of the sponsors for the Big Loser of the week. "For companies and products who don't have the resources to run their own social media campaigns, such initiatives work wonders," he adds
"Corporate sponsorships for such movements on social media are the next step," says Sachdev, an early adopter of the microblogging site.
Once the movement wraps up in 2012, Big Loser will continue with a new phase with a better understanding, Gusain hopes. "The effort to try and stay fit will make the community stronger," says Gusain.
The city is getting healthier, with or without social media, but with movements like Big Loser, Gusain thinks that people can make right decisions about what is good for them and what isn't. "The obsession with looking good can be good or bad, but with a community built on learning through experiences, you can make well-informed decisions for yourselves," says Gusain.
You can follow the developments of this first-of-its-kind initiative on Bigloser.in or followtwitter.com/bglsr for updates.

Mechanics of action

Mechanics of action

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

The dynamics of how events happen is a big mystery. Only one who is 100% in doing can recognise the happening. The healthiest way to apply this knowledge is to see the whole past as happening and the present as doing. If you see the past as doing, then ego and regret come along. And when you see the present as happening, laziness and unawareness set in. Let the happening be for the past and the doing for the present. And the future is a mix of both.
The wise will see the doing in happening and the happening in doing simultaneously. One who does a lot of work will never say he did a lot. If someone says he did a lot of work, it that means he can do more. He has not done enough. Work does not tire you as much as the "doership" does.
All actions happen through consciousness. The world moves because of consciousness. Consciousness expresses the three shaktis as — gyan shakti, ichcha shakti and kriya shakti. Knowledge, action and desire. If these shaktis are aligned, life becomes very smooth. If not, life is in doldrums.
Ichcha shakti is desire, gyana shakti is the power of knowledge and kriya shakti is the power to act. Some people have lots of kriya shakti, but lack gyana shakti. They have the power to act, but there is no knowledge of what to do. When this happens, people become restless. There are people who are not so active - lack of kriya shakti. Such people will simply sit quiet but their minds will go on working. Then there are people who lack ichcha shakti. They lack the desire to complete the action and their minds keep changing. Lethargy is manifestation of lack of ichcha shakti. A perfect balance of these shaktis is very rare.
Desire, awareness of the Self and action all are manifestation of the same energy that is you. One of these three dominates at a time. When desire dominates, awareness of the Self will be at its lowest. That's why all the philosophers around the world have always advocated renunciation and dropping of desires. When you are in a state of awareness, happiness dawns and when desire dominates, stress and sorrow take over.

Suffering's end

Suffering's end



Our entire life is a pursuit of joy, chasing after it, trying to outpace it, endeavoring to conquer it. In the process, we are completely miserable. Mullah Nasruddin was seen on his donkey, charging through the streets of the village, looking harried and harassed. Someone yelled at him, "What's bothering you, Mullah?" "My stupid donkey! I'm in search of it!" was his anguished answer. Perched on it, we still vainly seek happiness.
And we ask, "Tell me how to stop suffering," as if the answer lay somewhere outside, in a formula, a book or a person. The Master told of an extraordinarily compassionate monkey. One day, sitting on a rock near a lake, it bent over and with great difficulty, picked out a fish and placed it on a tree. The Master asked, "Why are you doing that?" The monkey answered, "The poor thing was struggling. I didn't want it to drown." Often, what appears to be our suffering is actually our journey to joy.
Suffering is the punishment we give ourselves for not being good enough. But we are! And the most extraordinary, the longest lasting love affair we can ever have is with ourselves. St Augustine says, "Men…wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the seas, at the circular motion of the stars, and pass by themselves without wondering." A visitor to an antique shop looked around at the amazing collection and asked the ancient owner, "Which amongst all these is the most unique, irreplaceable and priceless?" The old man, unhesitatingly pointed to himself. To love ourselves is to cease from suffering.
Ironically, suffering is actually an expression of the ego. It says, "See how extraordinary I am! I am miserable!" But joy breathes through every moment, coming not as a miraculous, heaven-sent revelation, but through little, commonplace occurrences. A man had been fired. He thought of his family, his future, his bank balance and every step, his suffering grew worse. At the bus stop, he saw a bedraggled man, wearing only one shoe yet whistling loudly in good cheer. Disgusted, he asked, "Aren't you unhappy you've lost a shoe?" "What nonsense!" was the reply. "I've actually found one."

Kidney transplant tough at home Annually 40,000 people in Maharashtra need transplant, but only 400 get it. Prohibitive organ transplant laws in the country to blame

Kidney transplant tough at home

Annually 40,000 people in Maharashtra need transplant, but only 400 get it. Prohibitive organ transplant laws in the country to blame

Gira Soni, 43, has been on dialysis for 11 years after an autoimmune disease ravaged her kidneys. Recently, she developed Hepatitis C through an infection contracted during the dialysis process.
Since she doesn't have a family member to donate a kidney, her only hope is a cadaver transplant. But that too is a long shot.
There are 4 lakh people in India who need a kidney transplant. "Only 1% of that number or 4,000 people actually get a transplant. And less than 5% of those 4,000 people get a cadaver transplant," said Dr Bharat Shah, senior nephrologist and transplant specialist.
Gira's brother, Rohit, said his sister would be lucky to get a transplant in the next 10 years. Apart from Gira, Rohit's two brothers and another sister too suffer from kidney ailments.
"Around 40,000 people in Maharashtra need a kidney transplant. Out of that, only 1% (400 people) will get one. And less than 5% of the 400 people will get a cadaver transplant," said Dr Shah.
"The rate of transplants in Maharashtra is pathetic. I was in Ahmedabad where a single government hospital has performed 300 transplants in a year. But in Maharashtra, only 30 to 40 transplants take place annually," said Rohit.
According to Dr Shah, the state urgently needs to make amendments to the Transplantation of Human Organs Act. "Only a few big hospitals based in Mumbai and Pune are allowed to extract organs from patients who've had brain death. So if someone dies in a small town or village, then they have to be first shifted to a big hospital in the city and then the organs can be extracted. Most people opt not to go through the hassle," said Dr Shah.
The other problem hindering the rate of transplants in the city is lack of awareness. "Immediate family members are often dissuaded by relatives. Some people believe that if an organ is taken out of the body then the deceased will be reborn without the same organs. Such misconceptions are common among people," said Jyoti Nagda, a social worker who has worked as a transplant coordinator at Hinduja Hospital.
Lack of awareness also proves to be a procedural hindrance. In cases of accidental death where the victim is brain dead, the police have to give permission to hospitals to extract the organs. "Most police people are not aware of the benefits of organ donation, so they often refuse permission," said Nagda.
So what is the solution?
Dr Shah said there should be a two-pronged approach. "First, we need to amend the Transplantation of Human Organs Act to make sure that the permission is given to more hospitals to extract organs in case of brain death. Second, awareness of the benefits of donating organs should be spread. A single brain-dead cadaver cannot only donate kidneys but also heart, lungs and eyes, saving multiple lives."

Reinvent your old clothes

The Tip

Reinvent your old clothes

A quick and easy way to alter the way your old clothes look, is to change the cut. If you have a longsleeved dress or top that’s frayed at the edges convert it into a sleeveless. The same can be done to long pants or jeans by making them into shorts or capris. Add a pretty brooch to your top or stitch on a lace collar and note the difference.
    Most clothes fade in colour over time. If you don’t want to let go of your favourite garment, get it dyed a bright beautiful colour. A red or deep blue can make your clothes look all new.
    Accessorising an old dress or tee can make all the difference. Utilise smart belts, neckpieces or even a lacy hem to make your garment look good.
    If you’re all out of ideas, go to your local tailor for help. He/she will have some embroidery pieces, patches, stylish buttons or zippers that can transform your outfit. Ask him for suggestions or take along pictures of the ideas you have.
    Jeans that are already faded can be made stylish by adding rips in the right places. Cut up an old dress that has shrunk in size and convert into a cute top.

STITCH IT UP: Add a patch to your old garment

Number of abortions in city rise manifold Experts feel lack of contraception knowledge is to blame for the trend

Number of abortions in city rise manifold

Experts feel lack of contraception knowledge is to blame for the trend



The number of abortions in Mumbai has gone up significantly as compared to last year, if civic records are to be believed. As of March this year, 3,238 couples have chosen to get an abortion as opposed to 2,904 last year. According to experts, one of the factors effecting this rise is lack of awareness about the proper use of contraceptives.
Dr AL Sharda, director of Population First, an NGO working on gender issues, said, "Rising cases of medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) in the city is an indication that we are lacking in educating people on contraceptive methods. People are aware of contraceptive methods but don't have knowledge on its use. Many avoid it and this leads to unwanted pregnancy and the decision to abort."
Rekha Daver, professor and HoD of gynaecology at the Grant Medical School in JJ Hospital says that the rise in popularity of emergency contraceptives (morning after pills and medical abortion pills) are making young people more callous about the process of abortion. "Most people are not aware that these emergency contraceptives are only 90-95% effective; 5% is quite a big chance to take. Also, these pills only work in very early pregnancies. Sometimes women take them after 3 or 4 months without medical supervision and because there's some heavy bleeding they think that it's worked and don't get medical follow-up. This leads to a lot of unwanted pregnancies. This can result in medical complications."
According to Daver, there needs to be more reproductive health education among children to teach them about safe sex and proper methods of contraception. "Parents need to speak to their children before they reach sexual maturity about these things." She also indicated that abortion should be a very carefully considered option.
There are daily contraceptive pills that women avoid using because they think that these emergency contraceptives will do the trick, says Dr Kiran Coelho, consulting gynaecologist at Lilavati Hospital. "Women do not want to use safe contraceptive methods like daily pills as they are afraid of side effects. They don't realise that it is safer than popping morning after pills. The sale of abortion pills are without a doctor's prescription," she said.

11 tumours, part of spine taken out of 18-month-old

11 tumours, part of spine taken out of 18-month-old

A history of constipation in a one-and-a-half-year-old girl led to doctors at Sion Hospital diagnosing a rare condition (anterior menin go myelocele), which affects one in 50,000 children.
Akruti Swamy, a resident of Andheri, had tumour formations on the anterior side of the spinal canal, normally found on the posterior side.
"With great difficulty, she would pass stools once in two days. We found hard stool presence in the anal canal and swelling," said Dr Paras Kothari, head of the paediatric surgery department, Sion Hospital.
An MRI and a CT scan revealed that Akruti suffered from a rare condition where the cystic mass arising from anterior sacral and coccygeal defect lies in the retrorectal space between the rectum and sacrum.
"In her case, some pieces of the spine were missing and the tailbone was not formed. There was a huge mass between the anal canal and the missing tailbone that led to problems in passing stool," said Dr Kothari.
"We operated her from the posterior side and removed a part of the spine bone and tumours attached to the spinal canal."
The doctors removed 11 tumours in all. They later tied the dural sac — the membranous sac encasing the spinal cord within the bony structure of the vertebral column.
"We have kept an opening in the stomach for her to pass stool. This is to ensure there is no contamination. We also brought the anal canal to the original position. Once she recovers from the surgery, we will stitch the stomach," said Dr Kothari.

The international singer also appears unperturbed for being romantically linked with actor Priyanka Chopra

Jay Sean turns lyricist for PC

The international singer also appears unperturbed for being romantically linked with actor Priyanka Chopra



No matter how much actor Shah Rukh Khan wishes to be the song-writer for his friend actor, Priyanka 'Roma' Chopra on Twitter, the credit might go to international popstar Jay Sean. The singer has revealed that he has written the lyrics for a few songs that Priyanka Chopra will be singing in her upcoming album which is being recorded in the US right now.
"We're just friends… I wrote some songs for her album so hopefully she'll take them," Jay Sean was quoted as saying by a foreign newspaper.
The singer also appeared a little disturbed as there were a few rumours suggesting that he and Priyanka are romantically involved. The singer said that he has enough women around him to be romantically linked to her. "I think I understand women pretty well by now. I've been around enough of them," he was quoted as saying.
Jay Sean revealed that he would love to be in a long-term relationship. "I've had a lot of long-term relationships. I'm fun to be with, I'd hope. I don't take things too seriously even though my life is bonkers. They experience all the fun things but at the end of the day I still enjoy going home and watching a film. It doesn't always need to be popping bottles in nightclubs, we can do that, and its fun but I enjoy the slightly normal things too and that's important," he added.
Meanwhile Priyanka is busy recording her album according to sources. She has just returned to town after being away for a very long time in the US.
"Her album is coming up fine. She is practicing and recording her songs bit by bit. A part of the song is being recorded. Then you go back and record the next portion again. Then the vocals are mixed in the software. So it takes a lot of time and Priyanka is ensuring that everything sounds exactly the way she wants," a source added. Priyanka will be releasing the album in India next year.

'Scarf necklaces'anyone? Trends say it's time to bring out your best scarves — and brighten them up by pinning on your best jewellery

'Scarf necklaces'anyone?

Trends say it's time to bring out your best scarves — and brighten them up by pinning on your best jewellery



With the winter setting in, it's time to dig out your best scarves. However, this year, one can also think of accessorising this style prop.
It's true that jewellery can instantly dazzle, not just the outfit but also a woman's mood. So what do you think of blending jewellery with scarves? Yes, 'scarf jewellery' is the hottest trend that's making waves this season.
Says fashion designer Gaviin Miguel, "Scarves lend a delicate approach to accessorising however, incorporating jewellery adds a certain amount of glam to it. Scarves make a romantic statement and are fast becoming a must-have style statement for the winters. The contrast of a light scarf with jeweled pendants tends to make it applicable for dressier occasions, as well as a part of daily wear."
So what kind of patterns are hot-picks? "The ones with the semi-precious stones and the ones with the South Indian style pendant on stones are a sell-out generally. The best part of these fusion peices are that can be customised. Also in terms of age group, it's for almost all age groups, though young women are kicked about it," says Anand Bathija of Curio Cottage. Tarang Arora of Amrapali feels that scarves can be made funky even by adding interesting brooches. He says, "Scarves are definitely on top of the list when it comes to winter fashion must-haves and a way of teaming jewellery with scarves is using silver brooches on them. These can be simple/heavy depending on the occasion they are for. In fact, using jewellery as an add-on can jazz up and transform a day look into a quick night fashion fix."

Families spend 5% income on diabetes

With one in every 10 people suffering from diabetes in India, on an average, a family spends nearly 5% of its income on treating the disease, said doctors. Most of it is spent on medicines. Pathology tests and doctor's consultation fee follow close on the heels.
Doctors felt that the government needs to look out for plans to bring down the cost of treatment.
Dr HB Chandalia, consulting endocrinologist of the Jaslok Hospital said, "It is high time that the government finds a way out to bring down the cost incurred by a diabetes patient. A strip itself costs Rs25-Rs30. We advise people to check diabetes in the machine twice a week. The strip price needs to be brought down."
Doctors said a person suffering from type II diabetes spends Rs500-Rs2,000 a month, while a type I diabetic can spend Rs4,000-Rs 5,000. "People should control diabetes at an early stage. Once the diabetes is in control, people don't have to spend much," said Dr Shashank Joshi, consulting endocrinologist at Lilavati Hospital.
While the medical expenses for diabetes have been a debatable issue among doctors, they are also worried about the change in the line of treatment adopted by patients without consulting doctors.
"People go for naturopathic, ayurvedic and homeopathic treatment without consulting doctors. Sometimes, they even stop modern medicines and go in for trial and error with alternative medicines. This can be dangerous, as it can lead to uncontrolled diabetes and other complications," said Dr Chandalia.
He said during the intial stages, a 5-km walk, along with naturopathy like methi powder consumption, is effective in controlling diabetes.
"People who have been suffering from diabetes for more than 10 years should combine it with modern medicines and keep the doctor in the loop," he added.
Talking about the trend among diabetes patients to switch the line of treatment, Dr Joshi said, "Diabetes patients are distressed in their efforts to bring down blood sugar levels. That is the reason they keep switching the line of treatment. They should consult a doctor and follow strict regime instead of going for trial and error methods."

Mean girls?! A new survey says that girls in the 21st century are getting cattier than ever before. What do celebs and experts have to say?

Mean girls?!

A new survey says that girls in the 21st century are getting cattier than ever before. What do celebs and experts have to say?


A recent survey stated that the scarcity of good men is partly responsible for women turning into 'mean girls'. Whether in Hollywood with women seducing other women's boyfriends, on reality shows in the country with many of them being nastier than the men, or in real life with cattiness being a badge of independence for many, there seems to be examples galore.
Says socialite Shunali Shroff in reference to the reality of the swish set: "I've found that people don't care if you're mean or catty as long as you're socially relevant. If you're someone it's important to be seen with you could be mean and it wouldn't matter." Shunali says that what bothers her is the world that children and young adults are exposed to on reality TV where stepping on other people's backs is equated to being a winner. "It's a perversity of a human mind that people will laud someone for being nasty to someone else, but then that seems to be the truth we're living in currently. It's also true that in today's society, if you don't like people thrashing other people, or indulge in it, you're considered 'boring'."
Film producer Krishika Lulla agrees that people, including women, are becoming meaner by the day. "It's a reality I live with everyday though I'm ashamed to admit it. I observe women pulling down other women because it's a high for them. I even see educated women indulging in this uncivilised behaviour so what hope is there for the rest?"
Actor Nandinii Sen however begs to differ: "As I see it, the world is increasingly becoming more competitive by the day. I would say it's not just the women but the pressure on young adults and youngsters to perform is so overwhelming that nastiness and bad temperament come in as by-products." Nandinii adds, "People need to wake up and ask themselves whether it is worth it. A self-awareness and simple mind shift in considering what success really is will make our society a healthier and happier place to live in."
Says psychotherapist Seema Hingorrany, "Being aggressive and argumentative is increasingly being seen as a mark of independence for women. Since time immemorial women have been considered submissive, but nowadays aggressive women are saying that they don't want to be put down any longer. They don't want to be just homemakers cooking the food but want to make their mark in society." On whether men are encouraging this behaviour, Seema says, "Men seem to be enjoying seeing women in this mode. For many of them who have grown up with mothers and sisters retire in the background, this new woman is a novelty and an entertaining sight."

...It's a dad's world Here's a thought to ponder on Children's Day today — a popular matrimonial website has revealed that amongst married couples, it's mostly the men who desire to have children as compared to their women counterparts

...It's a dad's world

Here's a thought to ponder on Children's Day today — a popular matrimonial website has revealed that amongst married couples, it's mostly the men who desire to have children as compared to their women counterparts


Even though women are usually perceived as the responsible lot, a survey reveals that men too would love to take on family responsibilities that include the desire to have children. On the occasion of Children's Day, Shaadi.com conducted a survey amongst married couples which yielded surprising results. The survey conducted amongst married couples revealed that 62 per cent men desire to have more children as compared to 38 per cent women. This comes as a surprise, especially in our country where child bearing and all notions associated with it is usually the woman's domain. The survey states the following, "Men opine children are central to their lives and believe them to be indicators of a successful marriage hence the preference of having more babies. On the contrary, women who're traditionally known to take care of children at home are less likely to want more children as they feel it is a huge time investment."
Sangeeta Kapoor, a 28-year-old who just got married a year back, says she has no plans of having a baby for the next five years. "My friends and well-wishers keep asking me to have a baby as my biological clock is ticking. My husband too is open to the idea, but I know a baby will mean a lot of responsibilities, which I am not ready for right now." Psychologist Varkha Chulani though does not have any statistical evidence to prove her point, but she does agree that there has been a role reversal when it comes to having children. "There has certainly been a rise in the number of men wanting to have children. Women are increasingly getting more and more independent and the last thing they want is a child to bog them down. Women today are liberated in every sense and do not like to be tied down by responsibilities. Men, on the other hand, are feeling a void and a sense of emptiness and hence turn to having a child to have that feeling of belongingness in a family," she explains.
Rishi Khanna, who was living in with his girlfriend of five years, got married to her because he couldn't wait to start a family. "I love kids and once I was sure about the woman I wanted to get married to, I didn't want to wait any longer. I come from a joint family and have longed to have a family of my own. A child gives you a sense of belonging," he explains.

Responds to queries raised by animal lovers across the city

 
Are some fish poisonous to eat?
The Puffer fish and the fugu fish — these can kill you within minutes of eating them and many people have daredevil bets when they eat them. But all fish are potentially poisonous. They have the highest amount of Polychlorinated Biphenyls or PCBs, which are carcinogenic. They are full of mercury and pesticides and all fish have a great deal of human faeces in them. All this goes into your own body. This may not kill you at once but certainly the body weakens and becomes open to many more diseases.

Is the vision of red eyed rabbit normal?
Yes. Albino rabbits aren’t that different from other rabbits — they just lack colour pigment. Their eyes are red because you are seeing blood vessels because there is no colour to cover them. Their eyes work the same except they tend to let in more light, so they sometimes have problems focusing and might not like bright light. Red eyed rabbits often move their heads from side-toside scanning to help them see things better.

Our neighbour uses salt in his kitchen garden for snail-free crops. Do snails die when salt is poured over them?
Slugs and snails have a higher percentage of their body weight made up of water, than other animals. Also, their skin is a much more permeable covering than average. When you salt a slug or snail, this increases the concentration of salt on the surface (outside) of the poor snail and decreases the water concentration outside the slug/snail. The process of osmosis is the movement of water from an area of high water concentration through a permeable membrane to an area of lower water concentration. The water inside the slug moves outside the slug, in order to reach an equilibrium concentration on both sides of the skin. Unfortunately, this means that the slug/snail is now much drier then it can tolerate. It literally dies of dehydration. But salt is really bad for the garden soil. Salt causes soil to become more acidic, altering the ionic exchange capability of the soil. This, in turn, affects the soil’s ability to transfer nutrients to plants. Salty soils cause plants, including your grass lawn, to become nutrient deficient because they don’t pick up enough of the nutrients they need, such as nitrogen and phosphorous. Subsequently, plants don’t grow as well, and important nutrients are leached out of the soil into the groundwater.

My dog has a lot of wax in his right ear and always keeps shaking his head. Is that a sign of an ear infection. What can I do at home to relieve him?
You have not mentioned important factors in the diagnosis, such as the colour and frequency of discharge if any, how often the ears are cleaned, how often your dog is in the water and more. Ear problems are one of the most common ailments dogs are taken to vets for, and can be caused by infection, trauma, parasites and various other reasons. The first sign of a problem is usually ‘excessive’ wax production or discharge. In many dogs, a little discharge is normal: compare the ears to see if one is producing significantly more that the other. Head shaking and scratching is the next sign, and this is when yeast or bacteria has started to feast on the excess wax. Dogs with floppy, hairy ears and dogs that swim may be predisposed to developing ear infections. Diagnosis by your vet will usually include an xray of the middle ear and a culture of the bacteria found in the discharge to determine the best treatment. If your dog is floppy eared who is always playing in water, either reduce his water time or make sure you clean and dry his ears properly. Take a moist cotton ball and gently rub away visible dirt from the ear lobe. Using a moist QTip, next clean between the protruding cartilage of the ear, being careful not to probe the ear canal. Never put the Q-Tip in too deep. Towel dry the ear and apply an ear-drying powder to prevent problems.