What is the significance of the Swastika (Sathiyo)?

What is the significance of the Swastika (Sathiyo)?

During a marriage ceremony, the swastika is painted on the wall or entrance of the house to wish for the well-being and happiness of the newly weds. The word swastika means auspicious in the Sanskrit language. It is regarded as a divine sign by Hindus and is usually found in temples, symbolizing the four directions, thus making it a universal symbol. It sends out pure vibrations for universal peace and prosperity.

The lines turning inwards tell us that each individual being a part of the Universe has to turn inwards in order to attain salvation. Each person has to strive for his or her self-realization by turning inwards.

Never tell a patient that you are suspecting a diagnosis of cancer

Never tell a patient that you are suspecting a diagnosis of cancer

Informed consent and a premature communication can be dangerous. Communicate the diagnosis only after it is confirmed that too if it is necessary, said Padma Shri and Dr B C Roy National Awardee Dr K K Aggarwal President Heart Care Foundation ofIndia and National President-Elect IMA.

Suspicions of a cancer or any serious illness should not be communicated unless it is confirmed as it can cause more harm and the harms can persist for years, added Dr S Arulrhaj Past President Commonwealth Medical Association.

A prospective cohort study reveals that negative psychological consequences of false-positive findings on screening mammography may persist for at least 3 years after the initial diagnosis. Women with false-positive findings had similar psychosocial outcomes to those diagnosed with breast cancer at 6 months in the study. At 6 months, psychological testing showed that women who received false-positive results remained as upset as women who had breast cancer.

Three years after the false mammography results, women still exhibited greater psychosocial consequences compared with women who had normal mammograms Dr John Brodersen and Dr Volkert Dirk Siersma, PhD, of the University of Copenhagen in Denmark wrote in an article published in Annals of Family Medicine.

The reported frequency of false-positive mammography results ranges from 20% to 60% in the U.S.and Europe, said Dr Anita Kant Senior Gynecologist at Faridabad.

Lathmar Holi

Lathmar Holi is celebrated in Barsana, the birth place of Radha. This year it was celebrated on March 24, 2013.

As the name suggests, in this Holi the girls hit the boys with sticks. As per mythology, Lord Krishna visited his beloved Radha's village on this day and playfully teased her and her friends. Taking offence at this, the women of Barsana chased him away. Since then, men from Krishna's village, Nandgaon, visit Barsana to play Holi in the town which has the distinction of having the only temple dedicated to Radha in India. The Holi is unique as women chase men away with the sticks. The men also sing provocative songs in a bid to invite attention of the women and women then go offensive with Lathies to beat men who protect themselves with shields.

Only mythological answer I can think of Lathmar Holi is that this holi represents cleaning of the mind towards physical attraction to the women and lust. The five vices  are Kaama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha and Ahankar. Moh or attachment and lust need to be removed before Holi is celebrated. The burning of Holika means burning of sum total of all the five vices. During this festival, one tries to get rid of sexual lust. Other dedicated festivals where one tries to get rid of sexual lust are:

1.       Worship of Nandi which means you cannot enter a temple with sexual desires and you keep your Nandi or bull nature outside the temple before you enter. Nandi is always worshiped outside the Shiva Temple.

2.       During meditation, you need to take away your sexual desires first. In journey to  Amarnath, Nandi was left first by Lord Shiva and Parvati.

3.       Raksha Bandhan, Bhaiya Dooj and Krishna Balram Subhadra Yatra during Jagannath Puri Yatra are all festivals where sexual lust towards women are neutralized. 

Should Sanjay Dutt be pardoned?

Should Sanjay Dutt be pardoned?

If the law is clear that under Section 25 (1 A) of the arms act that after the possession of arms without license, there is a minimum punishment of five year imprisonment, then why a long trial. As I understand the role of a judge is to look for the mitigating circumstances at the time of crime.

The Supreme Court judges did use their discretion while giving the verdict by reducing the sentence of Sanjay Dutt from 6 to 5 years. Making this less than five years was not under the powers of Supreme Court of India.

“Section 25 (1 A) of the Arms Act states that if a person has in his possession a prohibited weapon without a licence, he shall be awarded punishment of not less than 5 years imprisonment and not more than 10 years”.

This mean the judges were convinced that the circumstances were not that he could be labeled as a criminal mentally, or a terrorist or had a link with them. In that case they could have given a sentence of not less than ten years. The very face the court reduced the sentence from 6 to 5 years means the court took a positive and lenient stand in his favor.

Only the President of India or the Governor can grant a pardon.

Article 161 in the constitution ofIndia1949 defines the power of Governor to grant pardons, etc, and to suspend, remit or commute sentences in certain cases.  The Governor of a State shall have the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any person convicted of any offence against any law relating to a matter to which the executive power of the State extends.

Public is also supreme. The Public elects the government and government elects governors and the President of India. Both the governor and the President of India normally respect the sentiments of the people.

It is easy to say that the law should be equal and everybody should be punished but there are always grounds for a mercy. All of us make mistakes and seek pardon.

Even Bill Clinton was pardoned by the American society. Hanumana was also pardoned by Ravana when he went to Lanka as an envoy of Lord Rama.  He was not killed.

Nanavati was pardoned by the government when he was facing murder charges. Harbhajan Singh was pardoned by the society when he spoke in an abusive manner about Symonds, which was mistaken by the Australian as racial remark and under the cover of racial discrimination remark; his abuse to Symonds was totally forgotten by the community. The society forgave Phoolan Devi and elected her to the Parliament. In our day to day life, we always pardon our children when they use filthy abusive language, tease girls or other such actions.

I personally feel that everybody who wants to change and can show that he has changed should be given a special consideration and under the Constitution, if the case can be filed convincingly before the President of India or the Governor of the State, he or she should be pardoned.

Sanjay Dutt has already been in the jail for over 18 months and now considering that he has totally reformed, one should take it positively. He may be given a suspended sentence under which he may be allowed to live a free life, provided he does not break the Law of the Land for next 3 ½ years for which he is being sentenced. In case he breaks any Law during this period he may be liable to go to prison for the law that he breaks + 3 ½ years.

There are two types of suspended sentences. A judge may unconditionally discharge the defendant of all obligations and restraints. An unconditionally suspended sentence ends the court system’s involvement in the matter, and the defendant has no penalty.

 A Munich court recently handed an 18-month suspended sentence and a 200,000 Euro fine to former ForceIndiadriver Adrian Sutil after he was found guilty of injuring the chief executive of the then Renault Formula One team at a night club inChinalast year.

The purpose of giving punishment is to reform a person and as we all know Sanjay Dutt is already a reformed person so the very purpose of the punishment is defeated if he not pardoned.

This is my personal opinion and Vedic philosophy clearly talks that every personal opinion needs to be respected. Only if my opinion is agreed by 51% of my friends it will be called as a public opinion and 49% may still differ.

Physical illness can trigger depression

Physical illness can trigger depression

If you have depression a thorough physical exam and careful medical history should be evaluated to pinpoint a physical source of the problem for an appropriate treatment.

In depression not only look for what’s going on in the mind and brain but also check what’s going on in the body. Many medical problems are linked to mood disturbances.

Over fifty percent of heart attack survivors and those with cancer report feeling depressed. Depression is also linked to diabetes, Parkinson’s and other chronic conditions.

Depression too can affect the course of a physical disease. Depression is linked with slower recovery from a heart attack and an increased risk for future heart trouble.

Thyroid disorders also affect mood.  Overactive thyroid can cause mania and under active thyroid can cause depression. Other medical conditions associated with mood disorders include certain neurological conditions (multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s), other hormonal imbalances, and lack of vitamin B12.

Science Behind Holasthak

Science Behind Holasthak

In the year 2013, the time between 19th March 2013 to 27th March 2013 is celebrated as the festival of Holashtak. It is name used to refer to the eight days prior to Holi festival and is considered inauspicious in mythology.

In North India, Holashtak begins on the Phalgun Shukla Ashtami (eighth day during the waxing phase of moon in Falgun month) and ends on the Phalgun Purnima day (full moon day). The Purnima day is observed as Holika Dahan.

It is considered inauspicious to perform auspicious ceremonies during the period like marriage, housewarming or any of the sanskars. People also avoid starting of new business etc. The day is considered ideal for performing Dhaan – alms giving.

The difference between Holi and Diwali is that holi is observed in Uttarayana (the period with positive state of mind) and Diwali in Dakshinayana (the period with negative state of mind).

In Holi we try making up with our enemies and in Diwali we only redefine our existing friendship.

Holi means burning negativity in our mind and in the mind of our enemies. This can only happen in a period of positive state of mind (first six months of the year). The process of removing negativity requires multiple attempts. As per mythology it requires eight days (or eight attempts) to remove the negative attitude of a person and hence the word Holasthak.

During the period one is trying to wash out the negativity, it is best to avoid calling people for community functions as in that case you will need to call the one with whom you are trying to patch up and the same may not be in sound frame of mind with you and you may end up with an uncomfortable situation.

How to Eat Salt?

How to Eat Salt?

As per WHO, one should not take more than 5gm of salt in a day. If salt intake is reduced, the incidence of heart attack, heart failure, will be reduced substantially.

Here are the ways:

1. Substitute white salt with black salt wherever possible.
2. Do not keep salt shaker on the table.
3. Do not add salt in your food except in pulses and cooked vegetables.
4. Do not add salt to salads.
5. Avoid adding salt to foods at the table.
6. Take stock of the sources of salt in your diet, such as restaurant meals, salt-based condiments and convenience foods. Some of these are really loaded with salt.
7. Read the labels when shopping. Look for lower sodium in cereals, crackers, pasta sauces, canned vegetables, or any foods with low-salt options. Or, eat less processed and packaged foods.
8. Ask about salt added to food, especially at restaurants. Most restaurant chefs will omit salt when requested.
9. Remember the word ‘Na’, which is present in many drugs, soda etc.
10. Nothing can be preserved without adding salt to it, therefore beware of processed and frozen fruits.
11. Many sweet food items have significant hidden salt in them.
12. To cook with reduced salt, one can add more lemon, garlic, amchur (mango powder) etc.
13. It takes three months of salt-free diet to get adjusted to it and to ultimately start liking it.
14. Never add salt to milk.
15. Beware of salt in tooth pastes.
16. Replace sodium with potassium salt.
17. Achar, papad, chutney traditionally used in Indian diet have very high salt content. Most sauces will also have very high salt content.

Hospitals must have a prayer room

Inaugurating a symposium on prayer, faith, meditation and healing, Prof. B.M. Hegde, Chairman Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, Mangalore Kendra said that every hospital should have a prayer room where people from every religion can pray.

The symposium was organised by Heart Care Foundation of India jointly with Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan at Bhawan’s Auditorium and was participated by speakers from various religions.

Moderating the session, Padma Shri & Dr. BC Roy National Awardee, Dr. KK Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India said that often doctors get request from the patients and relations either to let them pray or have the doctors pray for them or with them. There are studies which show that prayer has a positive healing effect.

Dr. Aggarwal said that both prayer and meditation shifts one from sympathetic to parasympathetic mode and helps in healing. Positive faith in doctors and drugs also has a healing effect.

In a joint statement Mr. Ashok Pradhan, Mr. G C Garekhan, Mr. J Veeraraghavanfrom Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan said that spiritually religions and cultural beliefs always play significant role in the lives of patients who are seriously ill and dying. They said that the wishes of the dying patients and their relations should be respected and their spiritual needs must be taken care of.

On the subject of praying with the patients Rev. Ivan Moses said that in Christianity dying patient’s request for the healthcare professional to pray with him or her is usually honoured. If the doctor is uncomfortable with the request to pray with the patient, he or she can sit by in silence as the patient prays in the patient’s language and tradition.

Maulana Dr. Mufti Mohammad Ahmad said that in Islam doctors may pray for patients and they are encouraged to. Islam also believes that patients should not only pray for themselves but also for other fellow patients.

Prof. Sunil Kumar and Dr Nirmal Jit Singh said that in Hinduism and Sikhism there are no specific guidelines issued to physicians praying together with the patients. But both religions believe in prayers when the person is sick.

Shiksha and Sabhyata

Shiksha and Sabhyata

Suno, Samjho, Jaano and Karo is the mantra for education and involves not only hearing but listening and understanding and converting understanding into wisdom by doing it practically.

One of the components of education is etiquettes or manners which can be at every level of education. In older era, Rajkumars were sent to Gurukuls for formal education including that of warriorship. They were also sent to Gharanas/Kothas to learn tehzeeb the Lucknowi way where they were taught how to talk to each other and respect others. Their language in typically Lucknowi style used to be ‘we’ oriented and not ‘I’ oriented. Today’s education is more oriented towards ‘I-ness’ or ego and not towards the soul or respect.

We in our days were taught that a senior is a senior and needs to be respected. Even today, when we meet our teachers, we take blessings by touching their feet but today’s students believe in shaking hands or saying ‘hi’. There is more and more commercial touch in the teacher-student relationship of today.

Ego makes one rude and arrogant with a mentality full of Rajas and Tamas. Road rage, gang rapes, murders, violence, terrorism are all examples of not learning etiquettes at the right time.

Do I Need Multivitamin Tablets?

Do I Need Multivitamin Tablets?

1. Multivitamin tablets are not needed unless there is a scarcity of a particular vitamin.

2. If you include all seven colors and six tastes in your food, there is no need for vitamin supplementation.

3. Wheat grass and barley grass juice contain folic acid and vitamin B12.

4. Anything which is green contains vitamin B.

5. Anything which is red contains lycopene.

6. Citrus foods contain vitamin C.

7. All dry fruits contain vitamin E.

8. Sunlight is an excellent source of vitamin D.

9. Carrots contain vitamin A.

10. Folic acid is lost if the food is boiled and the water is discarded.

11. Vitamin D is not absorbed if exposed to sunlight is through glass.

12. Vitamin D is not absorbed through clothes if you are fully-clothed in sunlight.

Treat Holi as Holy

Treat Holi as Holy

The general population should be cautioned to refrain from taking alcoholic drinks while celebrating Holi as excess use of alcoholic drinks can lead to fatal vehicular accidents and also end up into fatal quarrels.

Alcohol acts at the level of intellect and causes its dysfunction. It further leads to loss of power of discrimination and impairment of judgment. Thus, loosing the power to judge individuals and discriminate between the opposites. The person looses all social inhibitions which can lead to indulgence into use of foul language amongst each other ending up into fatal quarrels.

The impairment in judgment can also lead to errors during driving leading to fatal accidents. Three to four drinks are sufficient to raise the blood pressure to dangerously high levels in susceptible individuals. In patients who are prone to heart attacks, this dangerous rise in blood pressure can not only precipitate heart attack, but also paralysis and brain hemorrhage. The incidence of paralytic attacks is found to be high within 24 hours of heavy drinking.

Binge drinking (more than 5 pegs at a time) is also associated with irregular heart beats and increased incidence of sudden death. Heart and high blood pressure patients are therefore specifically cautioned not to indulge into heavy drinking. Drinking one peg of alcohol (one ounce) in one hour can still be considered as safe (social drinking) as this amount of alcohol can be totally metabolized by the liver during one hour.

Women, in whom this habit is becoming day-by-day a fancy should especially refrain from heavy drinking as they cannot digest alcohol as much as men can. The reason is that the level of particular enzyme called Gastric Alcohol Dehydrogenase that helps in alcohol metabolism is by nature much lower in women than men.

Consuming six tablets of paracetamol with alcohol, which is a common practice to reduce the hang over specifically by women, can produce fatal liver damage, and hence the habit of taking these pills should be condemned. Taking aspirin, also, to reduce the hang over can produce fatal hemorrhage in the stomach and hence should be avoided.

The impairment in judgment and co-ordination due to alcohol during daytime at work is also responsible for loss of manpower and gross negligent actions in the factory.

The festival of Holi is to share happiness with each other while forgetting all the differences and should never be allowed to end up into a sad episode of morbidity for some one. Similarly the practice of consuming bhang which can cause impairment in judgment and brain functioning should also be avoided.

Herbal Medicines Causing Kidney Failure, Bladder Cancer In India

Herbal Medicines Causing Kidney Failure, Bladder Cancer In India

These types of news are common in the media and mislead the public that Ayurveda is bad for the country. Most of the herbs that contain aristolochic acid (AA) are Chinese herbs and only one Ayurvedic drug contains AA. However drugs can be adulterated with AA containing herbs. Unless authenticated and proved, these types of researches by UK journals are nothing but a direct attack on Ayurveda.

Aristolochic acid (AA) nephropathy is an interstitial nephritis first described in 1991. A high incidence of cellular atypia and transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis, ureter, and bladder is associated with this disease.

AA in combination with the vasoconstrictive appetite suppressants, fenfluramine and diethylpropion, diuretics, and other potential nephrotoxins may underlie AA nephropathy. Stimulation of the intrarenal renin-angiotensin system likely contributes to the lesion.

Risk factors include women, toxin dose and a genetically determined predisposition. Patients present with kidney insufficiency and normal or only mildly elevated blood pressure.

In the disease, urinary protein excretion is moderately increased and the sediment reveals only a few red and white cells. Corticosteroids may slow the rate of loss of renal function. Renal transplantation is an effective modality.

It is not clear if AA has been part of the herbal preparations used by all patients in most studies. AA (0.15 mg/tablet) has been used as an immunomodulatory drug for 20 years inGermanyby thousands of patients, sometimes in doses comparable to that found in AA-containing slimming regimens; despite this exposure, there is no report relating chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis to AA in Germany.

Fast-developing chronic tubulointerstitial renal disease is caused by combined exposure to both a potent nephrotoxic substance, AA, and to renal vasoconstrictors, fenfluramine/diethylpropion.

Chinese herbs with AA: Aristolochia species of the family Aristolochiaceae are often found in traditional Chinese medicines, e.g. Aristolochia debilis, A. contorta, A. manshuriensis, and A. fangchi. The medicinal parts of each plant (stem, root, fruit) have distinct Chinese names like fangchi (Root) Guang Fang Ji; Aristolochia manshuriensis (Stem) Guan Mu Tong; Aristolochia contorta (Fruit) Ma Dou Ling; Aristolochia debilis (Fruit) Ma Dou Ling; Aristolochia contorta (Herb) Tian Xian Teng; Aristolochia debilis (Herb) Tian Xian Teng and Aristolochia debilis (Root) Qing Mu Xiang.

In Ayurveda, the herb is ARISTOLOCHIA BRACTEOLATA from family ARISTOLOCHIACEAE, SANSKRIT name Keetmari, Dhumrapatra, Kitamari, Visanika and HINDI names: Kiramar, Kitamar, Aulosa, Hukka-bel, Kalipaad.

In April 2001, the FDA identified botanicals known of suspected to contain aristolochic acid, and others as potentially adulterated with species containing aristolochic acid. This potential adulteration can occur when an aristolochic acid containing herb is mistakenly identified as an herb that does not contain aristolochic acid.

Ask Dr KK:Why curd is to be avoided in night?

It is not curd but one should not take any fermented food in the night as per Ayurveda practice. Fermented foods should not be combined with non-fermented foods in the night when the digestive fire is weak. They will end up in early petrifaction and resultant attack of acidity around midnight. Therefore after sunset, fermented items should be avoided, especially if they combined with non-fermented items. Eating them alone can still make sense from allopathic point of view. In Chennai, idli and dosa are not served in the night and in North India, curd is not offered in the night.

Holasthak the Best Time To Remove Hatred

Holasthak the Best Time To Remove Hatred

You cannot hate a stranger. Negative thoughts are absence of positive thoughts and hatred is only with drawl of love. The very fact you only ‘hate’ someone you loved once it is easy to bring the love back and remove the hatred.

The best period to remove the hatred is the first six months of the year called Uttarayana and in that time the best period is 8 days prior to holi and in mythology the period is called as Holasthak.

In Hindu mythology it has been said that it takes 4 days (chautha) or 13 days (tervi) to let go attachments; 18 interactions to let go any doubt ( 18 chapters of Bhagavad Gita), 9 days for mind body and soul purification  (Navratri) and eight days for removing hatred (Holasthak).

Once decided one should approach the aggrieved person and try to patch up. It is possible that the aggrieved person my hit back initially as he or she may not be ready for the patch up. Go on trying till you achieve the success and as per experience, science and mythology it may take on an average eight attempts to do the dame.

10000 children, teacher and parents will be trained in CPR 10

New Delhi: Tuesday, 19 March 2013: For the first time, 10000 children, teacher and parents will be trained in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation 10 (CPR 10) in one day to commemorate World Health Day. The event will be organized on 6^th April, 2013, Saturday at SKV School, Yamuna Vihar, East Delhi in association with Directorate of Education, Delhi Government. Never in history have so many people been trained in CPR in one day.

Addressing a press conference, Padma Shri & Dr. BC Roy National Awardee, Dr. KK Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India and Vice-President (Elect) National IMA said that the Foundation has already trained more than 35000 people and over 5 lives have been saved in the last three months where the general public could save the person’s life after sudden death. A 16-year-old school girl from Birla Vidya Niketan Pushp Vihar saved her uncle and a teacher from SD Public School Pitampura saved her grandmother by doing successful CPR.

Besides hands-only CPR 10 training, on the spot competitions will also be organized like cartoon, poster, slogan and poem on the subject to sensitize teachers, parents and children, said Mr. Sandeep Marwah, Chairman, Asian Academy Film & Television Institute, Noida.

Hands-only CPR 10 is based on the mantra – “within 10 minutes of death (earlier the better), for at least next 10 minutes (longer the better), compress the chest of the victim continuously and effectively with a speed of 10x10=100 per minute.

The theme for World Health Day this year is high blood pressure. Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in urban India and over 70% of deaths amongst cardiovascular deaths are linked to hypertension, said Dr. KK Aggarwal. Besides learning CPR 10, school children should also learn about good dietary habits which include, eating more fiber, less salt, zero trans fats and zero refined carbohydrate, he further added.

About HCFI : The only National Not for profit NGO, on whose mega community health education events, Govt. of India has released two National commemorative stamps and one cancellation stamp, and who has conducted one to one training on” Hands only CPR” of 31145 people since 1^stNovember 2012.

The CPR 10 Mantra is – “within 10 minutes of death, earlier the better; at least for the next 10minutes, longer the better; compress the centre of the chest of the dead person continuously and effectively with a speed of 10x10 i.e. 100 per minute.”

Weight Gain after Quitting Smoking Does Not Increase the Risk of Heart Disease

Weight Gain after Quitting Smoking Does Not Increase the Risk of Heart Disease

In a study published in Journal of American Association, researchers from Switzerland have shown that in non-diabetics, weight gain after quitting smoking does not take away the cardiovascular benefits of quitting smoking.

Commenting on the study, Padma Shri & Dr.BC Roy National Awardee, Dr. KK Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India and National Vice-President (Elect) IMA, said that there is a net cardiovascular benefit of smoking cessation despite subsequent weight gain. Smoking cessation is always beneficial for smokers.

People gain 6-8 pounds of weight after quitting smoking.  In the study, quitting smoking was also linked with a decreased risk of heart attack or cardiac death compared to smokers.

What are the Vedic principles behind cognitive behavior therapy

What are the Vedic principles behind cognitive behavior therapy

1)   What is counseling?

A: The mental process involves generation of a thought or idea which is analysed and then acted upon. Thought, analysis and action therefore are the primary three process of human mind. Counseling involves action at all three levels.

2)   What are different types of counseling?

A: Counseling involves basically two principles – Cognitive counseling and behavioral counseling. Behavioral when the concentration is only on the actions and cognitive when the concentration is on the changes in either the thought process or in the interpretation of the thought process.

3)   What is cognitive behavior therapy?

A: As against a pure behavior therapy where a person is counseled to do pre-defined things on regular intervals, cognitive behavior therapy involves changing the actions by changing observations of the interpretation of a particular situation.

4)   What is the origin of counseling in India?

A: The origin of counseling goes back to Vedic era. Upanishads were basically text books on counseling based on the original knowledge of Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samveda and Atharvaveda.

5) Is there a relationship of Bhagavad Gita with Counseling?

A: Bhagavad Gita was the counseling done byKrishnato Arjuna on the conflict on Arjuna’s mind whether to fight or not. At that time there were no doctors and hence counseling was given by the elders in the family.

6) Are Bhagavad Gita principles followed today?

A: All the principles of cognitive behavior therapy today are basically principles o        originated from Bhagavad Gita.

7) What is the first principle?

A: The first principle is “counseling cannot be done in one or two sessions. It requires up to 18 sessions which is whatKrishnadid in Bhagavad Gita. Bhagavad Gita contains 702 dialogues in the form of Shlokas therefore a proper counseling involves in-depth conversation between the counselor and the patient.

 What is the second principle of counseling?

A: The second principle of counseling is to listen to the patient in the first session in great detail and that is whatKrishnadid in Bhagavad Gita. In Chapter 1 only Arjuna speaks andKrishnadoes not utter a word. Patient listening is 50% healing done.

9) What is the third principle?

A: As per the third principle the second (first interactive) session between counselor and the patient should be the longest one. Chapter 2 of Bhagavad Gita is the gist ofKrishna’s counseling.

10) What is the fourth principle?

A: The fourth principle is that after giving a detailed counseling in the second session one should expect the patient to get confused. This is what happens in start of Chapter 3 where Arjuna says toKrishna“I am confused. Sometimes you are talking about one path and other time you are talking about another path. Guide me again. The third counseling session therefore, is the most important where one has to counsel slowly and in great detail.

11) What is the fifth principle?

A: The next principle is to give reasoning to the counseling. One should not take patient for granted.Krishnadiscusses each and every aspect of life with Arjuna in great detail giving scientific reasoning at every stage.

12) What is the sixth principle?

A: Re-assure the patient again & again. During counselingKrishnaassures Arjuna on multiple occasions that you did your job and do not worry. I am with you.

13) What is the seventh principle?

A: The seventh principle involves creating some fear in the patient’s mind. This is what Krishnadoes while showing his virat swaroop. This especially works in addiction patient.  Some degree of fear with re-assurance from the counselor always work.

14) What is the eight principle?

A: The sum up counseling session should be as big as the second session. Chapter 18 of Bhagavad Gita is as big as Chapter 2 where the whole Bhagavad Gita is summarized again.

15 What are the ingredients of counseling?

A: Counseling basically involves in-depth knowledge of dharma, artha,kama, moksha. They are greatly described in dharmashastra, arthashastra, kamasutra and Upanishads through various Vedas.

16) What is stress?

A: Stress is the reaction of the body or the mind to the interpretation of any situation.

17) How to manage stress?

A: Either change the response of the body through yogic living, or change the interpretation by understanding the principles of counseling or change the reaction by willful actions.

18) Are different nitis of our scriptures based on counseling?

A: Yes. Vidur Niti was the counseling given by Vidur to Dhridarashtra when he was not sleeping and Chanakya Niti was based on how to rule a country. Yoga Vashistha was the counseling given by Vashistha to Rama to acquire higher levels of spiritual knowledge.

Apples during pregnancy and Asthma

Apples during pregnancy and Asthma

Quoting a study published in the Journal Thorax, Padma Shri & Dr. B C Roy National Awardee, Dr. KK Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India & National Vice President Elect IMA , said that women who eat apples while pregnant may protect their child from developing asthma.

The study showed that children of moms who munched on more than 4 apples per week were 37 percent less likely to have a history of wheezing and 53 percent less likely to have doctor-confirmed asthma, compared to moms who ate one or no apples per week while pregnant. The effect may be due to apple’s phytochemical content, such as flavonoids, which have been shown to have beneficial effects on adult lung function.

The study also found that eating fish during pregnancy may curb the risk of eczema in offspring. Children of mothers who ate fish once per week or more while pregnant had a 43 percent lower risk of eczema compared to children whose mothers avoided fish altogether.

High Fat Diet and Breast Cancer

Quoting another study from the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda,Maryland, Dr. Aggarwal said that in middle-aged women, eating a high-fat diet raises the risk of developing invasive breast cancer. There was 32% increased risk of breast cancer among women with a high level of fats in their diet. The risk was seen for all types of fat (saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) and seemed to be confined to women who were not using hormone replacement therapy. The higher the fat intake, the higher was the risk for breast cancer.

Eat More Fruits

People who eat a diet high in fruit and low in meat reduce their risk of developing colon cancer said Dr. Aggarwal. A team from University of North Carolina in Chapel Hillob served three groups – people who ate a lot of fruit but little meat, people who ate a lot of vegetables and a moderate amount of meat, and people who simply ate a lot of meat. The people who recalled eating large or moderate amounts of meat were 70 percent more likely to have had a polyp than those who said they ate a lot of fruit but little meat.  Just 18 percent of the people who said they ate a lot of fruit but little meat had a polyp, compared to 30 percent of the moderate meat-eaters and 32 percent of people in the high meat-eating group.

You look people the similar way as you are

You look people the similar way as you are

Honest people look everybody as honest and dishonest people look everybody as dishonest. It all depends on the type of people you interact with. If you do not take bribe, nobody will come and offer bribe to you and you will feel everybody is honest. If you take bribe then everybody will come to you to offer bribe and you will feel that everybody in the society is dishonest.

Never judge people with you personal experience. I recall one of the doctors said that every doctor takes and gives bribe because he was running an imaging centre and every doctor who approached him asked for a bribe. But he did not took  into consideration the doctors who did not approach him.

Triphala can help in reducing bronchial hyperreactivity

Triphala can help in reducing bronchial hyperreactivity

Triphala (TRP), a herbal extract, has been shown to affect lymphocytes and natural killer T (NKT) cell function. It has been shown to ameliorate bronchial hyperreactivity through immune-cell modulations.

In a study carried out at the Division of Allergy, Immunology and Pulmonary Medicine,Washington University in Saint Louis,Saint Louis,MO, asthma mouse models were generated through intraperitoneal (IP) injections of ovalbumin (OVA)/2 weeks followed by repeated intranasal OVA challenges.

Mice were then treated with normal saline (OVA/NS) or Triphala (OVA/TRP). Data were compared with mice treated with inhaled budesonide.

Both TRP and budesonide significantly ameliorated functional and histological OVA-induced bronchial hyperreactivity.

Triphala causes a significant decrease in bronchial reactivity. It alters immune-cell distributions and show anti-oxidative properties. Immune-cell modulation with triphala can ameliorate lung injury.

(Ref: Horani A, Shoseyov D, Ginsburg I, et al. Triphala (PADMA) extract alleviates bronchial hyperreactivity in a mouse model through liver and spleen immune modulation and increased anti-oxidative effects.  Ther Adv Respir Dis 2012 Aug;6(4):199-210).

Why do people suffer?

Why do people suffer?

1. As per Garud Puran and Hindu mythology, one of the reasons for suffering is your past birth’s debts. Your purpose of life is to face sufferings to pay these debts.

2. Second reasons is your present deeds till today starting from birth. If your sum total of bad deeds is more than good deeds, they get added to your previous birth’s debts.

3. Third reason for suffering is in the form of struggle which you entertain to attain future success. Some people do not call it as suffering.

4. The last reason for suffering is some people acquire yogic powers to take sufferings of others. The classical examples are Shirdi Sai Baba and Jesus Christ who were known to cure others by adding their suffering to their own account. If you see most of the Gods or holy people had suffered in their last time, be it Jesus Christ,Krishna, Buddha or Sai Baba.

Only Rishi Munis can remain alive and die at will even after they have paid for all their debts.

Tdap and Flu Vaccinations during pregnancy

Tdap and Flu Vaccinations during pregnancy

The prevalence of pertussis in US is increasing. Infants younger than three months of age are at highest risk. Vaccination of the mother can decrease the risk of infant exposure, and placental transfer of maternal antibodies may additionally provide a degree of passive protection to the infant for two to six months.

In 2013, the United States Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended that all pregnant women receive the tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine during each pregnancy, optimally between 27 and 36 weeks of gestation, regardless of prior vaccination status. Previously, Tdap was recommended only for pregnant women who had not previously received the acellular pertussis vaccine during adulthood (1).

Influenza vaccination is recommended in pregnancy as both mother and fetus are at increased risk. Maternal vaccination provides passive protection to the infant.

The safety and efficacy of vaccination of pregnant women has been confirmed in a retrospective analysis of over 100,000 pregnancies during the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic inNorway(2).

All women who are pregnant or will be pregnant during influenza season should receive the inactivated influenza vaccine, regardless of pregnancy trimester.

 References

1. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Recommended Immunization Schedules for Persons Aged 0 through 18 years and Adults Aged 19 Years and Older — United States, 2013 http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm62e0128a1.htm?s_cid=mm62e0128a1_e (Accessed on January 29, 2013).
2. Håberg SE, Trogstad L, Gunnes N, et al. Risk of fetal death after pandemic influenza virus infection or vaccination. N Engl J Med 2013;368:333.

How to get rid of negative thoughts

How to get rid of negative thoughts

Darkness is absence of light and similarly negative thoughts are absence of positive thoughts. The answer to negative thoughts is to bring positive thoughts back. Ideal mind is devils workshop and will always think negative.

Here are the ways
1.      Think differently as taught by Adi Shankracharya. Once Menka approached Arjuna with lust and said that she wanted to have a son like him with him. Arjuna said that why wait for 25 years consider me as you son from today.
2.      Think opposite as taught by Patanjali. For example if you are having a though to steal, silently start thinking of charity
3.      Think positive as taught by Buddha. Make a list of positive action to be done today as the first thing in the morning and concentrate on that list. Divert your mind to the pending works. It’s a type of behavioral therapy.

Restricting salt in diet can lower heart disease risk

Restricting salt in diet can lower heart disease risk

Restricting salt in the diet can lower the risk of developing heart disease by 25 percent and the risk of dying from heart disease by 20 percent..

Dietary intake of sodium among Indians is excessively high. Quoting a Harvard Medical School study published in British Medical Journal, Dr Aggarwal said that among hypertensive individuals, lowering sodium is quite well established to lower blood pressure, but now it has been shown that reducing salt also has an effect on cardiovascular disease.

When people with pre hypertension (blood pressure more than 120/80 and lower than 140/90), reduced their salt intake by about 25 to 35%, they were 25% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease 10 to 15 years after the trial ended. There was also a 20 percent lower death rate from cardiovascular disease among those who cut their salt consumption.

Salt restriction is best achieved by avoiding salted, salt cured and salt smoked foods such as lunch meat, hot dogs, ham, olives, pickles and regular salted canned foods, and other prepared foods, which often use more salt than homemade equivalents. Foods we would never think of as salty, such as breakfast cereals, cookies, and even some soft drinks, often contain copious additions of sodium.

WHO recommends limiting the salt intake to less than 5 grams per day.