Eye Exercises to Strenghten Your Eyes

 Despite being an avid reader I avoided glasses till I reached the 10th Class. Then with the combined effect of studies and sleepless nights I began to get solid headaches. That is when I was taken in for eye tests and came back with spectacles. The number was quite low. +0.05 and I was instructed to wear them all the time.

As any teenager would, I reacted quite badly to the news. Although my mom got me some nice frames, I felt I looked aweful. That is when my Grandpa told me to do this set of eye exercises. He said if I did them regularly I would not spoil my eyes any further, as the eye muscles would get a good work out and become stronger.

Having nothing to lose, I started out and was doing them daily for about nine months. It would take me about 15-20 minutes to do the whole set. Then as i went into the tenth month, I started getting my headaches again. Oh no! I though to myself, now i'll get an increased number and will look like an absolute horror.

Off I went to the optician again. This time I was in  for a pleasant surprise. When he had finished testing my eyes, he asked for my glasses. He then checked them for the numbers and asked me who gave them to me? I told him I was prescribed glasses 10 months ago. Guess what he said? You don't need glasses. Just get rid of them and your headaches should vanish. And they did.

It wasn't till many years later that I got glasses again, that was a year or two ago. I know I must start the eye exercises again and I might just get rid of them this time as well. All it takes is 15- to 20 minutes a day. If only I can do it as regularly as I did them as a child.

Step one

With the middle finger gently massage the closed eye lids. Now open the eyes and fix two points. One in the distance and one right up close. Now close your eyes and open and focus on the far away point for 10 seconds and then shift to the close by point for 10 seconds. Repeat ten times.

Step two

Close your eyes. Look up and rotate the eyeballs clockwise for 5 circles and then close them again. Now look down and rotate them anti clock wise for 5 more times.

Step three

Now look up and then look down. Follow the line of sight. You must not go from one point at top to one point at bottom right away. Slowly follow all the points that make an arc. Now again slowly look up. Do this ten times.

Step four

Now its time to look from right to left and back again. In the same way that you did in step three. Again repeat the exercise 10 times.

Step five

Next we look from left top to bottom right. Again follow the arc as you go diagonally up and down. Repeat 10 times.

Step six

Now we make the arc from right top to bottom left. Again do the eye movements 10 times.

Step seven

So far all the eye movements have been smooth and flowing. Now starting at the top we move the eyes clock wise to right top, right, right bottom, bottom, left bottom, left, left top and top again. It is like doing the clockwise circuit, only you go directly to a point in that direction and pause a second before you move to the next. Repeat 5 times. Do the exact same thing in reverse. So move anti clockwise and pause in all the cardinal directions. Again repeat 5 times.

Step eight

Now close your eyes and count till ten. Relax the eye muscles. Your eye exercises are done.

What is Homoeopathy?

An alternative to Allopathy, the regular western medicine which an MD will give you.

Homoeopathy was founded by Dr Sammuel Hahnemann in Germany. He was a german physician who found the medicine practices of the day rather ineffective and decided to do some research on alternative drugs.

He found the basic principle of "Like cure like" of Homoeopathy. This means that a substance which produces the symptoms of a particular disease is likely to cure that disease. For instance he used the Peruvian Bark extract to conduct his first experiment.

Since the symptoms that this drug induced in the healthy subject were similar to the intermittent fever that is the primary symptom of Malaria, it was found highly effective in treating patients who were suffering from Malaria.

His experiments began in 1970 and by 1811 he had published a book. This book gave the outline for a new science of healing which he named Homoeopathy. He was criticized by the medical fraternity for his revolutionary findings.

However since his methods seemed to work, he also attracted a number of students and volunteers. Based on his experiments on these new volunteers he was able to produce the book of Homoeopathy Materia Medica.

Translations of this book still form the basis of treatment in homoeopathy to date. He was also credited with actually investigating the effects of a drug on the human body for the first time. It was truly ground breaking work.

However widespread acceptance of his work came in only after the Cholera epidemic that Western Europe faced. His medicines were far more effective in controlling the diseases and were given preference over the regular drugs.

From then onward Homoeopathy has reached many more nations and is practiced as a alternative healing medication by many. Unfortunately there is no standard training for a Homoeopathic Doctor and the skill of the doctor greatly determines his success with the discipline.

While an experienced Homoeopath will be able to instantly cure many ailments with the right drugs, an inexperienced one will also be able to cause more suffering by not recognizing the right drug for the treatment of the disease.

So while the medicine is said to have no side effects and is great for treating minor ailments of children, for the more serious and chronic ailments it may be better to get the opinion of your regular allopath.

Are Vaccinations for Kids healthy?

The practice of injecting children with weakened pathogens to immunize them from disease is called vaccination. Is it really healthy for the children?

There is an ongoing debate about vaccinations for children. There are the hard core supporters who feel that it is a must for each child. Then there are the har core opposers who say there is no need to inject a child with pathogens of diseases that he may never get. And then there is the thrid group of confused parents, not sure if they should get vaccinations done for their children or not. Now lets take a look at the pros and cons.

What is the process

The American Paediatric Association has brought out an immunization schedule for children. This gives the names of the vaccines to be given to the child, the age at which it is to be injected and the diseases from which that particular vaccine protects the child. The concept is that the human body needs to develop antibodies to the pathogens which cause a disease. This set of antibodies help the person's immune system fight and defeat the disease.

The opposition

Childhood vaccinations involve injecting the weakened pathogens into the kids at a very young age. This means that the baby is healthy, but is being given disease causing elements to deal with. The child will suffer from fever and may even develop mild symptoms of the disease for a few days before recovering from the vaccine. This is what most of the opposition say is incorrect. Why make a well child sick for some potential disease that he may never get?

The risk

There is also some research which proves that the kids who get immunized are at higher risk for certain other diseases such as autism. The fact is not yet established that vaccines cause autism, but there is a greater tendency showing in the research and parents are worried about this. Why take a risk and protect the child from a disease which he may never get only to end up giving him another disease.

The conclusion

And this is my opinion, as a parent I have given my son all his mandatory shots. Why I did that is beacuse there is a greater risk in India of children getting these diseases. Also I  have avoided giving him flu shots because I don't think I should totally stiffle his immune system. It too needs to stay active with the minor illnesses of childhood so that it gets stronger as my child grows. So the choice is up to the parents.

In the end remember it is your child and your choice. Listen to every one else but make up your own mind.

The UK’s National Love Food Campaign

I read about this campaign in my local newspaper. Essentially the Women’s Institute has come up with this brain child. It involves reducing waste and reusing leftovers by planning meals. The results are supposed to be saving money and boosting health. It is offered as an ultimate solution to Childhood Obesity and the Economic Recession. The participants have even reported reduction in their own waistlines.

I read the article and started to feel very amused. The reason? My paternal grandmother could have told them this without any fanfare. My Aji Aai (That’s what I called her) was the ultimate saver. She would not let one bit of food go waste. She recycling was so efficient. That did not mean that she compromised on taste. Oh no. She was one of those special few who are gifted with the “Hand”.

That’s how one would translate it directly from Hindi. Just doesn’t sound the same in English though. Anyway what it means is that no matter what she made or even if she experimented for the very first time, the food was always delicious. She was always voted the “bestest” cook in the family. With a brood of six kids and her other in-laws to provide for on a government salary she was often pressed for funds, but never for love.

So how would she react to this news? Well with studied indulgence. She would probably tell me something I like “we have known it all along, these people are learning it now.” Which is true not just in terms of this campaign but a lot of other things to do with recycling.

I remember a contest which was launched to find the most miserly person in the world. As usual the Americans were the only people who took part in it and the person who won was selected on the basis of the fact that he even kept the tiny bits of used soap after it broke up and collected them to reuse. Does that remind you of someone you know? I am willing to bet that every single Indian reading this knows at least one person who does that. It is not considered miserly at all, it is considered to be making full use of the soap.

So ma’am Ruth Bond, I am sure the success of your campaign pleases you, but pardon me for not sharing your naïve enthusiasm. If you truly want to check wastage and not pollute the environment by living healthy, you might want to come down to India and take a few pointers from our grand mamas. Yes the younger generation will not be able to help you much, you see they too live just like you do.

The Heart of the Home: The Dining Room

The importance of the Dining Room is fast dwindling in families today. It is no longer the place to sit down with the family and share the day’s activities besides the family supper. It has instead become an extension of the kitchen with the table being used, more often than not, as a work surface with each family member arriving and spending no more time than required to gulp the cereal down and disappearing till the next meal. In short the room is no longer welcoming.

Time constraints alone can not be blamed for this sorry state of affairs. After all one can always find the time for things that are truly important. A family meal once a day should be important. It gives each member sitting around the Dining Table a sense of belonging. It helps you sit down together and catch up on what’s happening in everyone’s life. For this to happen the chairs must be inviting and so must the room. If you choose to make your Dining Room a meeting place rather than a store room your family will appreciate it.

A few cut flowers in a vase on the Dining Table may draw an appreciative comment. A Side Trolley with an assortment of goodies will be enjoyed by the kids. They will have to be reigned in from treating it as a race car when they push it in from the Kitchen to the Dining Room. As long as they have fun, they will return to the Dining Room with less fuss. In fact they might enjoy meals at the table more than meals with the TV.

The Challenge to create a family friendly Dining Room is yours. Pick the right furniture, choose the correct linen, and get the ambiance right. It is possible even if you have toddlers around who do not understand that the good crockery and cutlery have been laid out. Don’t be obsessed with expected breakages. You used to put in that much effort for a romantic dinner for two, so why not make it a pleasure to dine with the full family.

Colours in the Home

Countless Studies have established that the Human Being is highly influenced by the colours that surround him. Your energy levels respond to colours that they see. The clothes and accessories you choose bear testimony to that fact. While neutral colours like grey and beige may do well for building exteriors the walls inside should have more vibrant shades. After all, the home is not a stark, sterile, white hospital. So painting a room can give it an instant pick-me-up effect.

Each room has a different energy need and so the color that it is painted can influence that need. Even the accessories that you use should be blended with the colour scheme. In the Bedroom you need soothing shades that help you feel rested and not psychedelic lights that give you nightmares. Those belong in a Disco. Similarly for the Dining Room don’t choose a dull grey that brings on the gloomy mood of a rainy day. Make it a colour that is slightly energizing. So what color do you make the Dining Room?

Choose what feeling you want to enforce in your home along with your individuality. After all each colour has a variety of hues and shades that you can choose from. In fact some companies offer to create a paint shade that will be all your own at quite a nominal cost. The curtains and furniture upholstery also help in creating the predominant shade influence.

Here are the basic colours and their attributes.
White – Simple and Elegant
Red – Energetic and Powerful
Orange and Yellow – Warm and Cozy
Lime Green – Fresh and Rejuvenating
Blue – Cool and Calm

Personally I prefer my anteroom to be a calm and welcoming area. I have a touch of white thrown in to complement the basic blue theme. It makes the room seem light on the eyes and friendly. Besides blue is my favorite colour.
There are shades of red and white blended into the bedroom. My study room has a rather cluttered look most of the time and is an area I really need to work on. My Child’s room has Red curtains but is balanced with a neutral shade carpet which also absorbs the dirt and dust that goes with the territory.

So check out the shades available and pick those which appeal to you and make each room in your home a visual treat.

Health is Wealth

I had mentioned that I was putting myself on a five week weight loss challenge. This was in response to the realization that I was gaining nearly 2kgs a year since I had got married. I had a BMI of 28 and was bordering on the obese. The basic idea behind the challenge was to make small lifestyle changes whereby leading a more active existence and monitoring what I ate to ensure it was healthy.

The basic forms of exercises that I alternated between were Cycling, Hitting the Gym, Pranayam, Walking and Yoga. I did each between once to four times in a week. I never forced myself to do a form of exercise that I was not in the mood for on a particular day, but also ensured that I did at least three out of the list above everyday.

I realized that when I exercised in the Gym I might be able to loose more calories but I also got very hungry as fast and ended up eating that many calories up again that very day. While when I went cycling I enjoyed what I did and it also made for a more active social life as I would combine it with meeting people who lived at the other end of the cantonment. Yoga beat walking in popularity because of the incessant rains that we had last month. Pranayam is ideal for all days and is also great for an instant energy pick me up.

As for the diet, I ensured two liters of water went down the hatch everyday, as did one helping of fresh fruit and two glasses of milk. It is a boon that I don’t like tea or coffee so I was only on Bournvita which eliminated any form of caffeine in my diet. In addition to this I tried not to eat anything fried, and steered clear of all sweets, chocolates and ice creams. I also ensured accountability by recording every morsel that went into my mouth in my food journal.

Net Result : - I have lost three kgs.
My BMI is currently 27 and I intend to get into the healthy bracket from the overweight bracket in the next challenge that I am setting up for myself. Will keep you updated of the latest news.

Weight Loss ???

Well As I have been cribbing about it for a long time, I finally decided to do something about it. The 15kgs that I have gained since I got married have their days numbered in my body.

I am putting myself on a 5 week challenge to try and loose some of the flab that I have accumulated. AS I am well aware that a little bit over a long time adds up to a lot, I'm going to try and just loose 1/2 kg per week during this 5 week period. Then I'm going to give myself a week's break before resuming another 5 week spell.

This way I wont be pressurizing myself too much and I am giving myself plenty of space to cater for the unexpected socializing that is so much a part of our lives. Also if I get into this routine I expect that by the end of two years I should be back at the desired BMI for my self which is the main reason I am doing this.

After all health is wealth and one cant be obese and look good.

Weighty Issues

Okay there's no easy way to say this so I just need to come right out with it. I have gained 14 kgs in 7 years of married life. That averages about 2 kgs per year. Given the current rate of increase I will be obese next year, putting myself at risk for various diseases including high blood pressure and diabetes. Now that is one way I DO NOT want to go.

So what do I do? The only sensible thing I can. I have to loose some weight and not overnight, but as a lifestyle change. So henceforth I resolve to eat healthier, do more exercise and try and follow a health care regime. My goal is to loose about a kg or two every month from June to Dec and reverse the trend in question.

If I do manage to gain what I set out to loose(confusing but correct) I will put a snap of myself on this blog.

Conserve Plastic

Once there was a time when I would get all hyper about using plastic bags when shopping. I would carry my own cloth bag to the markets and actually would make shop keepers feel guilty when they tried to give me their own plastic bags. After all like who said it? We have not inherited the earth from are parents but borrowed it from our kids.

Things have changed a wee bit now. And the reason that they have changed is my kid. Well, you can't be the mother of an infant and not use plastic. I mean, the diaper is just one part(very small one at that). You need plastic bottles, sippers, sheets, etc etc etc. Not to forget the number of plastic bags you use to keep your self dry when traveling anywhere from the local mall to overnight.

I must say that I have eased up on my fanatic zeal not to use plastic. Although I am now feeling guilty at not doing my bit to conserve nature. Then I thought it over and decided that my kid will get a world preserved as best as I can. Truly that is all that one can do. Just make an effort that you can manage to sustain. So now I try and reuse all the plastic I have in the house as many times as I can. That makes me happy at having done my bit.