He who cannot forgive himself can forgive nobody else—the beginning of guilt is the inability to forgive yourself.
A Thought for Today
"Three keys to more abundant living:
Caring about others,
Daring for others,
Sharing with others."
~ William Arthur Ward Thought for Today
You just don't luck into things as much as you'd like to think you do.
You build step by step, whether it's friendships or opportunities.
~ Barbara Bush
Thought for Today
I have learnt silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strange, I am ungrateful to these teachers.
-Khalil Gibran, mystic, poet, and artist (1883-1931)
A Thought for Today
We either make ourselves happy or miserable. The amount of work is the same.
~Carlos Castaneda
A Thought for Today
All the water in the world,
however hard it tried,
Could never, never sink a ship
unless it got inside.
All the evil in the world, the
wickedness and sin,
Can never sink your soul's fair craft
unless you let it in.
-A. C. Hoffman
Health is Wealth
Foods to Boost your Immunity
· Selenium rich foods such as oatmeal, seafood, nuts and legumes protect against depression and mood disorders
· Avoid rich fried foods and load up on green vegetables instead. Take two tablespoons of lecithin granules (a by-product of soya beans) daily.
· Avoid too much of butter, ghee, oils etc as a high concentration of fat in the food tends to decrease the action of insulin on the cells
· Make sure you have more low-fat, high-fibre and low sugar foods than other types, and choose more low-fat and fat-free dressings, condiments, sauces and table spreads instead of full-fat ones.
· Avoid too much of butter, ghee, oils etc as a high concentration of fat in the food tends to decrease the action of insulin on the cells
· Make sure you have more low-fat, high-fibre and low sugar foods than other types, and choose more low-fat and fat-free dressings, condiments, sauces and table spreads instead of full-fat ones.
A healthy diet keeps our body strong and helps us fight infections. That is a statement that we had all heard, but hardly thought about till the flu fear renewed our interest in building our immunity. So now that we are all willing to believe that what we eat does affect our immunity, it's a good time to know how your diet can help your immune system work efficiently.
Get a Good Dose of Antioxidants
Maintaining a good supply of antioxidants is one of the most important things that you can do to boost your immunity. Antioxidants fight "free radicals" that not only cause diseases such as cancer, arthritis, atherosclerosis, but also weaken your immune system. The important antioxidant vitamins are vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene. The key antioxidant minerals are selenium and zinc.
Vitamin C: To get a good amount of vitamin C add guavas, papayas, oranges, and melon to your diet. Indian gooseberry (amla), broccoli, brussel sprouts are also rich vitamin C.
Vitamin E: Cooking oils like sunflower oil and safflower oil are rich in vitamin E. Add some dry roasted almonds to your diet to boost your Vitamin E intake. Peanuts, olive oil, broccoli, carrots, mangoes, papaya, pumpkin, red peppers, and spinach also add to the Vitamin E in your diet. In addition whole-grains and fortified breakfast cereals are an important source of Vitamin E.
Beta Carotenes: Beta carotenes are the precursors of Vitamin A. They are found in abundance in yellow-orange vegetables and fruits and dark green leafy vegetables. Add these fruits and vegetables to your plate to get your beta-carotenes:
Yellow-orange fruits and vegetables – carrots, cantaloupes, papayas, mangoes, pumpkins
Dark green leafy vegetables – spinach, broccoli, beet leaves, turnips, mustard leaves
Zinc: As many as 100 enzymes in your body need zinc to work. Its role in building immunity is well recognized since years. Oysters are the richest known source of zinc. Chicken, beef, crab, pork, lobsters are also rich sources of zinc. Yogurt, cheese, chickpeas, kidney beans, peas, milk, almonds and cashew nuts also add good quantities of zinc to your diet.
Selenium: A good amount of selenium is present in rice, wheat, chicken, and eggs. If you eat a well balanced wholesome meal, your body should be getting the selenium that it needs. Tuna is a particularly rich source of selenium, giving as much as 63 micrograms per 100 g.
Adults Too Need Proteins
When you were growing up mom kept reminding you how important proteins are to make you big and strong. What she forgot to tell you was that once you grow big, you will continue to need a good dose to keep you strong. Proteins are the building blocks of all cells, and that includes the cells of your immune system. If your body doesn't get a good supply of proteins, it will simply not be able to make enough white blood cells to fight infections.
Adults need 1g of protein per Kg of their body weight per day. Now since you are an adult, you need to select your protein sources carefully so that you do not end up consuming too much fat along with it. The solution is to opt for lean proteins such as fish, seafood, poultry (without the skin), egg whites, lentils, beans, and soy products.
Go for Green Tea
Do not dismiss green tea as the latest beverage fad. Researchers have demonstrated the antigen-fighting abilities of green tea in the laboratory. The compound responsible for this action is a specific type of antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). So go for green tea during your tea breaks. Soak your green tea bag in hot water for at least 3 minutes to extract all antioxidants.
Add a Portion of Yoghurt
Yoghurt contains good bacteria that stimulate the immune cells. In a study done in Austria, women who consumed yoghurt regularly did have an increased count of T-lymphocytes. So it may be a very healthy choice to round-off your meal with some yoghurt rather than ice-cream or other sugary desserts.
Get Some Garlic
Yes! Garlic! The time-honored remedy for many diseases big and small does work as an immune booster. Scientists attribute this action to compounds called Allicin and Alliin found in garlic. If you love the pungent taste of garlic, you would probably not mind chewing a few raw cloves. Or else, stir in fine chopped garlic in soups and vegetables.
Spice it up
Ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and chilies not only add flavor and aroma to your food, but also work against infections. The cold-fighting properties of these spices have been harnessed by traditional medicine practitioners since centuries. So go for fresh home-made food with a good dose of these spices rather than processed and canned stuff with artificial flavors.
Cut the Saturated Fat
Other than the damage they do to your blood vessels and heart, here is one more reason why you should say no to food containing saturated fats. Trans-fats induce a state of low-grade inflammation in your body and your immune cells have to work hard to fight this inflammation. Now when you are trying to protect yourself from the flu or other infections, you do not want your immune system to be busy doing anything else. You can technically reduce their work-load and give them more time to fight infections by controlling your saturated fat intake.
Supplement with a Multivitamin
It may make sense to take a multivitamin to boost your immunity particularly if you have not been a long term healthy eater. Take a multivitamin that includes Vitamin Bs, Vitamin A, C, E, Selenium and Zinc. Deficiency of these vitamins can occur without any overt signs or symptoms. But do remember that multivitamins are a supplement and not a substitute for a healthy diet. Besides overdose of vitamins E and A is known to have adverse effects, so do check with your family physician what supplement you should be taking and for how long.
Health is Wealth
Thought for Today
Being angry is as close as a human being can come to experiencing hell on earth.
- jlh
Stop Anger Before Anger Stops You
A Thought for Today
"That's what I consider true generosity. You give your all, and yet you always feel as if it costs you nothing."-Simone De Beauvoir
A Thought for Today
Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own, which is the chief reason for that kind of reception it meets in the world, and that so very few are offended with it.
-Jonathan Swift, satirist (1667-1745)
Less Sleep and More Work Out is DANGEROUS!!!
What killed Ranjan Das and Lessons for Corporate India
A month ago, many of us heard about the sad demise of Ranjan Das from Bandra, Mumbai. Ranjan, just 42 years of age, was the CEO of SAP-Indian Subcontinent, the youngest CEO of an MNC in India . He was very active in sports, was a fitness freak and a marathon runner. It was common to see him run on Bandra's Carter Road . Just after Diwali, on 21st Oct, he returned home from his gym after a workout, collapsed with a massive heart attack and died. He was survived by his wife and two very young kids.
It was certainly a wake-up call for corporate India . However, it was even more disastrous for runners amongst us. Since Ranjan was anavid marathoner (in Feb 09, he ran Chennai Marathon at the same time some of us were running Pondicherry Marathon 180 km away), the question came as to why an exceptionally active, athletic person succumb to heart attack at 42 years of age.
Was it the stress?
A couple of you called me asking about the reasons. While Ranjan had mentioned that he faced a lot of stress, that is a common element in most of our lives. We used to think that by being fit, one can conquer the bad effects of stress. So I doubted if the cause was stress.
The Real Reason
However, everyone missed out a small line in the reports that Ranjan used to make do with 4-5 hours of sleep. This is an earlier interview of Ranjan on NDTV in the program 'Boss' Day Out':
http://connect.in.com/ranjan-das/play-video-boss-day-out-ranjan-das-of-sap-india-229111-807ecfcf1ad966036c289b3ba6c376f2530d7484.html
Here he himself admits that he would love to get more sleep (and that he was not proud of his ability to manage without sleep, contrary to what others extolled).
The Evidence
Last week, I was working with a well-known cardiologist on the subject of 'Heart Disease caused by Lack of Sleep'. While I cannot share the video nor the slides because of confidentiality reasons, I have distilled the key points below in the hope it will save some of our lives.
Some Excerpts:
· Short sleep duration (<5 or 5-6 hours) increased risk for high BP by 350% to 500% compared to those who slept longer than 6 hours per night. Paper published in 2009.
As you know, high BP kills.
· Young people (25-49 years of age) are twice as likely to get high BP if they sleep less. Paper published in 2006.
· Individuals who slept less than 5 hours a night had a 3-fold increased risk of heart attacks. Paper published in 1999.
· Complete and partial lack of sleep increased the blood concentrations of High sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-cRP), the strongest predictor of heart attacks. Even after getting adequate sleep later, the levels stayed high!!
· Just one night of sleep loss increases very toxic substances in body such as Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Tumour Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF-alpha) and C-reactive protein (cRP). They increase risks of many medical conditions, including cancer, arthritis andheart disease. Paper published in 2004.
· Sleeping for <=5 hours per night leads to 39% increase in heart disease. Sleeping for <=6 hours per night leads to 18% increase in heart disease. Paper published in 2006.
Ideal Sleep
For lack of space, I cannot explain here the ideal sleep architecture. But in brief, sleep is composed of two stages: REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and non-REM. The former helps in mental consolidation while the latter helps in physical repair and rebuilding. During the night, you alternate between REM and non-REM stages 4-5 times.
The earlier part of sleep is mostly non-REM. During that period, your pituitary gland releases growth hormones that repair your body. The latter part of sleep is more and more REM type.
For you to be mentally alert during the day, the latter part of sleep is more important. No wonder when you wake up with an alarm clock after 5-6 hours of sleep, you are mentally irritable throughout the day (lack of REM sleep). And if you have slept for less than 5 hours, your body is in a complete physical mess (lack of non-REM sleep), you are tired throughout the day, moving like a zombie and your immunity is way down (I've been there, done that L)
Finally, as long-distance runners, you need an hour of extra sleep to repair the running related damage.
If you want to know if you are getting adequate sleep, take
In conclusion:
Barring stress control, Ranjan Das did everything right: eating proper food, exercising (marathoning!), maintaining proper weight. But he missed getting proper and adequate sleep, minimum 7 hours. In my opinion, that killed him.
If you are not getting enough sleep (7 hours), you are playing with fire, even if you have low stress.
I always took pride in my ability to work 50 hours at a stretch whenever the situation warranted. But I was so spooked after seeing the scientific evidence last week that since Saturday night, I ensure I do not even set the alarm clock under 7 hours. Now, that is a nice excuse to get some more sleep. J
Unfortunately, Ranjan Das is not alone when it comes to missing sleep. Many of us are doing exactly the same, perhaps out of ignorance. Please forward this mail to as many of your colleagues as possible, especially those who might be short-changing their sleep. If we can save even one young life because of this email, I would be the happiest person on earth.
A month ago, many of us heard about the sad demise of Ranjan Das from Bandra, Mumbai. Ranjan, just 42 years of age, was the CEO of SAP-Indian Subcontinent, the youngest CEO of an MNC in India . He was very active in sports, was a fitness freak and a marathon runner. It was common to see him run on Bandra's Carter Road . Just after Diwali, on 21st Oct, he returned home from his gym after a workout, collapsed with a massive heart attack and died. He was survived by his wife and two very young kids.
It was certainly a wake-up call for corporate India . However, it was even more disastrous for runners amongst us. Since Ranjan was anavid marathoner (in Feb 09, he ran Chennai Marathon at the same time some of us were running Pondicherry Marathon 180 km away), the question came as to why an exceptionally active, athletic person succumb to heart attack at 42 years of age.
Was it the stress?
A couple of you called me asking about the reasons. While Ranjan had mentioned that he faced a lot of stress, that is a common element in most of our lives. We used to think that by being fit, one can conquer the bad effects of stress. So I doubted if the cause was stress.
The Real Reason
However, everyone missed out a small line in the reports that Ranjan used to make do with 4-5 hours of sleep. This is an earlier interview of Ranjan on NDTV in the program 'Boss' Day Out':
http://connect.in.com/ranjan-das/play-video-boss-day-out-ranjan-das-of-sap-india-229111-807ecfcf1ad966036c289b3ba6c376f2530d7484.html
Here he himself admits that he would love to get more sleep (and that he was not proud of his ability to manage without sleep, contrary to what others extolled).
The Evidence
Last week, I was working with a well-known cardiologist on the subject of 'Heart Disease caused by Lack of Sleep'. While I cannot share the video nor the slides because of confidentiality reasons, I have distilled the key points below in the hope it will save some of our lives.
Some Excerpts:
· Short sleep duration (<5 or 5-6 hours) increased risk for high BP by 350% to 500% compared to those who slept longer than 6 hours per night. Paper published in 2009.
As you know, high BP kills.
· Young people (25-49 years of age) are twice as likely to get high BP if they sleep less. Paper published in 2006.
· Individuals who slept less than 5 hours a night had a 3-fold increased risk of heart attacks. Paper published in 1999.
· Complete and partial lack of sleep increased the blood concentrations of High sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-cRP), the strongest predictor of heart attacks. Even after getting adequate sleep later, the levels stayed high!!
· Just one night of sleep loss increases very toxic substances in body such as Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Tumour Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF-alpha) and C-reactive protein (cRP). They increase risks of many medical conditions, including cancer, arthritis andheart disease. Paper published in 2004.
· Sleeping for <=5 hours per night leads to 39% increase in heart disease. Sleeping for <=6 hours per night leads to 18% increase in heart disease. Paper published in 2006.
Ideal Sleep
For lack of space, I cannot explain here the ideal sleep architecture. But in brief, sleep is composed of two stages: REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and non-REM. The former helps in mental consolidation while the latter helps in physical repair and rebuilding. During the night, you alternate between REM and non-REM stages 4-5 times.
The earlier part of sleep is mostly non-REM. During that period, your pituitary gland releases growth hormones that repair your body. The latter part of sleep is more and more REM type.
For you to be mentally alert during the day, the latter part of sleep is more important. No wonder when you wake up with an alarm clock after 5-6 hours of sleep, you are mentally irritable throughout the day (lack of REM sleep). And if you have slept for less than 5 hours, your body is in a complete physical mess (lack of non-REM sleep), you are tired throughout the day, moving like a zombie and your immunity is way down (I've been there, done that L)
Finally, as long-distance runners, you need an hour of extra sleep to repair the running related damage.
If you want to know if you are getting adequate sleep, take
Epworth Sleepiness Test:
or use the attachment for manual test
Interpretation: Score of 0-9 is considered normal while 10 and above abnormal. Many a times, I have clocked 21 out the maximum possible 24, the only saving grace being the last situation, since I don't like to drive (maybe, I should ask my driver to answer that lineJ)
In conclusion:
Barring stress control, Ranjan Das did everything right: eating proper food, exercising (marathoning!), maintaining proper weight. But he missed getting proper and adequate sleep, minimum 7 hours. In my opinion, that killed him.
If you are not getting enough sleep (7 hours), you are playing with fire, even if you have low stress.
I always took pride in my ability to work 50 hours at a stretch whenever the situation warranted. But I was so spooked after seeing the scientific evidence last week that since Saturday night, I ensure I do not even set the alarm clock under 7 hours. Now, that is a nice excuse to get some more sleep. J
Unfortunately, Ranjan Das is not alone when it comes to missing sleep. Many of us are doing exactly the same, perhaps out of ignorance. Please forward this mail to as many of your colleagues as possible, especially those who might be short-changing their sleep. If we can save even one young life because of this email, I would be the happiest person on earth.
Courtesy: ROBERT S. FERNANDES
Thought for Today
Shake off all the fears of servile prejudices, under which weak minds are servilely crouched. Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear.
-Thomas Jefferson, third US president, architect and author (1743-1826)
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY
The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.
- Rabindranath Tagore
Thought for Today
What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.
- Richard Bach
A Thought for Today
Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.
~ Helen Keller
Thought for Today
I realize that patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone.
-Edith Cavell, nurse and humanitarian (1865-1915)
Thought for Today
You are a product of your environment. Analyze your environment. Are things around helping you toward success– or are they holding you back?
- W. Clement Stone
A Thought for Today
"The four most expensive words in the English language are:
This time it's different."
- John Templeton
Thought for Today
"Patience is bitter, but the fruit can be sweet."
~Benjamin Franklin
There is no such thing in anyone's life as an unimportant day.
Thought for Today
The person who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.
~ Chinese proverb
A Thought for Today
Plenty of men can do good work for a spurt and with immediate promotion in mind, but for promotion you want a man in whom good work has become a habit.
– Henry L. Doherty
– Henry L. Doherty
A Thought for Today
"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong."
Joseph Chilton Pearce
Thought for Today
Trying to determine what is going on in the world by reading newspapers is like trying to tell the time by watching the second hand of a clock.
-Ben Hecht, screenwriter, playwright, novelist, director, and producer (1894-1964)
A Thought for Today
"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."
- Edith Pierce
TF Monday
You must have long range goals to keep you from being frustrated by short range failures.
~ Charles Noble.
A Thought for Today
You must have been warned against letting the golden hours slip by. Yes, but some of them are golden only because we let them slip by.
-James M. Barrie, novelist and playwright (1860-1937)
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