Herbs for effective meditation

Herbs For More Effective Meditation

Need a mental tune up before you meditate? You can invite nature’s subtle intelligence in your Meditation practice with some of Your Ayurveda’s mind enhancing herbs. You may find that using these herbs will help you overcome anxiety lethargy and chatter that can surface in the mind during meditation. As you consider the short list below, choose the herbs that offer you the benefits with the strongest appeal and experiment with taking it daily. Later u can try combination herbal formula as herbs often have a synergistic effect when taken in concert.  Yogies use herbs to help prepare their mind for meditation for ages. Now you can too..

BRAHMI  :   The brain tonic

Brahmi

The Sanskrit name is loosely translated in the yoga of herbs as that which gives knowledge of Brahimin or supreme reality,” this herbs promote mental calm and claerity while improving memory and concentration. According to Frawley and lad, Brahmi helps awaken the crown charka and balance the right and left Hemisphere of the brain. Add ½ tea spoon of Brahmi powder to a cup of hot water and then add honey to taste and drink just before your meditation Practice.

SHANKHA PUSHPI :The Mind Rejuventor

According to Frawley and Lad, Shankha pushpi enhances overall intelligence and creativity by increasing  ancient treatise on Ayurveda the Charak Samhita reports that the herb promotes learning memory and recall , making it a favorable meditation aid. Prepare an infusion by mixing ½ teaspoon of the powder dered herb in a cup of hot water.

JATAMAMSI :The mental soother

For an anxious, agitated mind, Jatamamsi can soothe your nerves. This Himalayan native herb has similar calming properties to its relative valerian, but with out the dulling effects its also a powerful brain tonic and memory booster. Boil 1 tea spoon of Jatamamsi in 1+ cup of milk for five minutes and drink in the morning.

HIBISCUS :The Devotion Potion

The Sanskrit name of Hibiscus is Japa, literally means “ Mantra Repetition”

Frawley and lad write that the delicate flowers of this plant “ strength devotion in Japa make Mantras Fruitful and enhance attention in meditation, set ¼ ounce of flower in 1 pint of cool water and drink cup of this refreshing summer tea to encourage devotion to your spiritual practice

Thanks..

Dandruff

Dandruff

Dandruff
The Relationship Between Raw Foods and DandruffAlthough having dandruff can be hugely embarrassing we have lots of ideas for home made preparations you can make from raw foods which will not only rid you of your dandruff but also leave your hair in tip top condition.
What is Dandruff?Healthy scalps shed skin all the time but when the balance is upset too many skin cells are produced too quickly causing dead skin cells to build up on the scalp, sticking together and breaking off in visible flakes.
How is Dandruff Caused?Some people simply have more sensitive scalps and dandruff does indeed often run in families. Diets that are too salty, spicy or sugary can make one more prone to dandruff. Sadly, it often happens in puberty when hormone changes occur and when we are at our most self-conscious.
Changes in your Hair Washing RegimeYou should wash your hair at least three times a week and brush it several times a day. When shampooing your hair, avoid scratching the scalp and rinse well afterwards. Apparently, if you wash your hair first in very hot water and then in cold water this stimulates the circulation in the scalp (as does standing on your head if you’re feeling athletic!) A number of home made preparations have been found to be effective:
Alcohol Rosemary oil or a mix of olive oil and rosemary leaves Tea tree oil Coconut oil Boil 4 tsp. dried thyme in cup of water, strained and cooled, do not rinse Gel of Aloe Vera leaves, leave in overnight, shampoo off in the morning Cold compress soaked in olive oil, leave on overnight and shampoo off in morning Apple cider vinegar diluted in water, let dry Olive oil and ginger root applied to scalp before washing Chemicals on the hair should be avoided.
Whenever you wash your hair, be sure to soak your hair brushes and combs in very hot water containing some antiseptic.
Sun exposure is good for dandruff because direct ultraviolet light is great for scaly skin conditions. This may explain why dandruff tends to be less severe in summer than winter months.
Raw Foods to Improve Our Scalp ConditionAdd more vegetables and fruits to your diet especially anything containing vitamin B6 such as cabbage, wheat germ and yeast which provide sulphur which is good for the scalp. Other good foods for fighting off dandruff are:
Fruits Nuts and Flaxseed oil – said to prevent dandruff, take a tablespoon every day, this also has Omega 3 oil in it which protect the skin from dandruff. Garlic is good for dandruff as are onions taken internally or rubbed on the scalp. But be sure to reduce your intake of the following as they help dandruff increase and spread:
Refined carbohydrates Animal fats Dairy foods Citrus foods Spicy and greasy foods If you suffer from dandruff these concoctions should be a great tonic for your hair and scalp and leave your hair smelling good as well as looking good. Increasing omega 3 oils and cutting out dairy and processed foods, especially spicy food will make your breath smell sweeter as well.

Herbs and Weight loss

Herbs And Weight Loss

Some herbs for Weight loss are:

Cascara sagrada

It is Strong stimulant laxative, diuretic tempered in formulas with digestive soothers. It can be taken in the form of Capsules.

Dandelion

This enhances fat metabolism removes fatty acid and cholesterol from the blood stream before they are stored in fat cells, restores minerals when taking a diuretic.

Garcinia

It is a metabolic stimulant, appetite suppressant, fat burner and digestive aid.

Licorice Root

It sacrifices craving for sweets and prevents habitual snacking without adding calories. You should eat 1 to 2 sticks a day.

Most Popular Herbs

Some of the Common Weight Loss Herbs with their benefits are as follows:

Herbs For Increase In Energy Expenditure

• Ephedra
• Bitter orange
• Guarana
• Caffeine
• Country mallow
• Yerba maté

Herbs To Modulate Carbohydrate Metabolism

• Chromium
• Ginseng

Herbs For Increase In Satiety

• Guar gum
• Glucomannan
• Psyllium

Herbs To Increase Fat Oxidation Or Reduce Fat Synthesis

• L-carnitine
• Hydroxycitric acid
• Green tea
• Vitamin B5
• Licorice
• Conjugated linoleic acid
• Pyruvate

Herb That Block Dietary Fat Absorption

• Chitosan

Herbs Which Increases Water Elimination

• Dandelion
• Cascara

Herbs That Enhance Mood

• St. John's wort

Herbal Remedies For Weight Loss

To reduce weight there are various Herbal remedies

Aloe Vera

Oral forms of AlOE VERA create strong cathartic response (producing bowel movements). Many aloe weight-loss products are marketed as "internal cleansers."

Cascara

Cascara is a common ingredient in herbal weight loss products and is a srong stimulant laxative. It may interact with medications such as digoxin and diuretics (i.e. furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide, etc.).Pregnant women should avoid Cascara.

Dandelion

It is a Natural diuretic, may produce a significant weight loss by decreasing body water. It has been known to cause allergic reactions.

Guarana

This is commonly known as Zoom contains caffeine 2.5 to 5%. It is an effective central nervous system stimulant. Used as a weight loss product due to its stimulant and diuretic effects.

Guar Gum

It is a dietary fiber obtained from the Indian cluster bean. It is used as a thickening agent for foods and pharmaceuticals. It has been studied for decreasing cholesterol, management of diabetes, and weight loss. These have been used to promote normal gastrointestinal motility and maintain fecal bulk. It is noted to decrease appetite by providing a "feeling of fullness."

Precautions:

Guar gums have been implicated in esophageal obstruction. The water-retaining capacity of the gum permits it to swell to 10 to 20 fold and has led to gastrointestinal obstructions. Guar gum has also been known to cause significant fluctuations in blood glucose (sugar) levels. Diabetic patients should not use these preparations.

Herbal Diuretics

This is commonly found among weight loss products and herbal weight loss preparations

• Most of the diuretics used OTC is derived from xanthine alkaloids (i.e. caffeine or theobromine). Avoid preparations that contain juniper seeds (capable of causing renal damage), equistine (neurotoxic--causing brain damage), and horse tail or shave grass (several toxic compounds leading to convulsions or hyperactivity).
• Most of the herbal diuretics are not toxic but have been known to interact with medications (i.e. lithium, digoxin, or conventional diuretics such as furosemide or hydrochlorothiazide).
• Most of the herbal diuretics do not provide enough of a diuresis (water loss) to be considered effective.

Should Dietary Supplements Be Used For Weight Loss

Dietary supplements for weight loss appeal to many patients who desire fast results strongly discouraged. There are more than 50 individual dietary supplements and 125 commercial combination products for weight loss. Currently, no weight-loss supplements meet criteria for recommended use. Chromium is a popular weight-loss supplement, but its efficacy and long-term safety are uncertain. Guar gum and chitosan also appears to be ineffective. Consult physicians before taking them.

We do use these herbs for loosing weight but we generally forget that without their proper use we can suffer too. It all depends on the amount of effort we take to understand about the herbs and their proper usage. Some like Aloe Vera weight loss herb are most popular. Yet its side effects cannot be ignored. So precaution should be taken to have real benefit.

The use of aloe internally has yielded inconsistent therapeutic effects, and has not been shown to be effective for permanent weight loss. In the same way Ephedra known as a principle ingredient if not used properly can cause high blood pressure, central nervous system stimulation (nervousness, insomnia, palpitations). In addition, it can cause significant fluctuations in blood sugar levels, thus diabetic patients should avoid this herb. Many advertisements say that Gurana is free from side effects but it is not true, it causes high blood pressure.

The best way to ensure that everything is on the right track is to consult your physician. He will be able to suggest the right one for you and see to that you are doing the right thing.

Herbs that lowers blood pressure

Herbs That Lower Blood Pressure
Can Work For You

But few people know which herbs that lower blood pressure can be effective and how much to take. Don’t waste your efforts. Read this physician’s guide...

How Many Are There?

There are about fifteen supplements and herbs that lower blood pressure.

Definitions:

An herb is derived from a leafy plant that doesn’t have a woody stem.
Dietary supplements. Congress defined the term "dietary supplement" in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994. A dietary supplement is a product (other than tobacco) taken by mouth that contains a dietary ingredient intended to supplement the diet. Dietary ingredients may include vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and substances such as enzymes, organ tissues, and metabolites. Dietary supplements come in many forms, including extracts, concentrates, tablets, capsules, gel caps, liquids, and powders. They have special requirements for labeling. Under DSHEA, dietary supplements are considered foods, not drugs.
As you can readily see, an herb is just one form of a dietary supplement. The herbs can be used for other purposes such as skin preparations. We will confine ourselves to herbs that lower blood pressure.

Discussion:

According to the Natural Medicines Database there are fifteen supplements including herbs that are rated "Possibly Effective" in lowering blood pressure: Only stevia, garlic, green tea and oolong tea tea are herbs. The others are naturally occurring substances. All fifteen are listed here with comments:

1. Alpha-linolenic acid: Reduces risk of hypertension by about one third. Good preventive effect. Some safety concerns.
   
2. Blond psyllium: Reduces by 8 mm systolic and 2 mm diastolic. Good effect. Do you recognize this? It's Metamucil. Bulky.
   
   
3. Calcium: Very modest reductions. May not be worth the effort. Important in osteoporosis and should be taken in regard to this consideration. Bulky.
   
4. Cod liver oil: Modest effect. Bulky.
   
5. *Coenzyme Q-10: May get up to 17 mm reduction in systolic and 10 mm in diastolic. 26% reduction in isolated systolic hypertension. Takes about 12 weeks to obtain full benefit. Excellent effect.
   
6. Fish oil: A modest effect, similar to cod liver oil. Bulky.
   
7. Garlic: A 2 to 7% reduction. Modest effect. A food and bulky.
   
8. *Green tea and Oolong tea: One half to two cups a day for a year cuts the risk of developing high blood pressure by 46%. 600 ml a day (2 ½ cups) cuts risk by 65%. An excellent preventive effect Very bulky but available as an extract.
   
9. *Olive or olive leaf extract: Some lowering effect. Has other benefits such as cholesterol lowering, reducing heart attacks and heart disease, and reducing risk of breast cancer and colorectal cancer and, oddly, rheumatoid arthritis.
   
10. Potassium: Reduces systolic 2-4 mm and diastolic 0.5 to 3.5 mm. Modest effect. Controls cardiac rhythm Both high and low levels are serious! We won’t meddle with this.
    
11. *Pycnogenol (pine bark extract): Affects only systolic, reducing Stage One hypertensives (140-159) to about 133 mm Hg. Very good effect.
    
    
12. Stevia (stevioside: Reduces systolic by 10-14 mm and diastolic by 6-14 mm. Very good effect. Bulky.
    
13. Sweet orange (juice): Rich in potassium so the effect is that of potassium. Drink some orange juice. A food and bulky.
    
14. Vitamin C: Works only in conjunction with antihypertensive medication, otherwise has no effect. Does it work in conjunction with herbs that lower blood pressure? A study to this effect was not found. Why not try it and see?
    
15. Wheat bran: Modest effects, but how much bran can you eat? A food and bulky.

A number of these are “foods”, are bulky and therefore can only be taken separately, meaning they can’t be combined in a capsule with other agents. They are listed here:

• Blond psyllium
• Calcium
• Cod liver oil
• Fish oil
• Garlic. Can be extract.
• Green and Oolong teas. Can be extract.
• Olive oil. Can be extract.
• Stevia. Can be extract but still too bulky.
• Sweet orange
• Wheat bran

These must be considered singly because of their bulk except for the ones that can be made into extracts or concentrates of their active ingredients.

Whenever I imagine choosing two or three of these and eating them every day my stomach rebels. For instance if I had to drink two cups of green tea every day I might last a week. And that is one of the more pleasant ones.
How nice it would be to have a combination of supplements or herbs that lower blood pressure all in one capsule. This is not available right now but I'm working on it.
Let’s look at the remaining ones, listed here:

• Alpha-linolenic acid.
• Coenzyme Q10.
• Potassium.
• Pycnogenol.(pine bark extract).
• Vitamin C.

There are two here suitable in effectiveness and lack of bulk, they are Coenzyme Q10 and Pycnogenol (pine bark extract).
If we combined these with Olive leaf extract and the preventive Green tea extract from the other list we would have a very nice preparation of herbs that lower blood pressure and prevent future elevation.
After weeks of part-time research a similar preparation could not be found. The formulas that were found had either inappropriate and ineffective ingredients or were woefully inadequate in dosage or, in most cases, both. You will have to buy them separately.
This is my current personal regimen; one of each daily.

Doctor’s Practical Guide:

Let’s face it. A regimen of Dietary change, Exercise, Weight loss and Salt reduction seems like a monumental task. Of these, Salt reduction is by far the least difficult.
If you couple that Salt reduction with Herbs that lower blood pressure you have an relatively easy program and you might do very well. So start reducing the salt and get the above herbs.
While you are at it you should measure your own blood pressure. It is so easy now with the modern digital monitors, they practically do it for you!

How Infosys started

Seed Money for Infosys

NARAYANA MURTHY: When we started Infosys in 1981, we were seven people, and we put together about USD250 at current exchange rates. We were short of money, but we were very long on hope. - on PBS
This down-to-earth man had to mortgage his wife Sudha's jewelry for Rs. 10,000 to put some funds in the company. - ZDNet India
Established in 1981 by seven professionals who pooled in their savings of Rs 10,000 (borrowed from their wives),... india-seminar.com
IN 1981 MURTY WANTED TO START INFOSYS. HE HAD A VISION AND ZERO CAPITAL. . ....Typical of Murty, he just had a dream and no money. So I gave him Rs 10,000 which I had saved for a rainy day, without his knowledge and told him, This is all I have. Take it. - (unofficial) Sudha Murthy

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Did the Murthys contribute the entire 10,000 rupees (USD250 at 'current exchange rates') or a share of it, at roughly 1,500 rupees assuming equal share among the seven co-founders? And how difficult was it for them to contribute even the higher of these two numbers?

2010 Update

February 2010. To put things in perspective, in 1981 I bought plane ticket to the USA and converted some rupees to dollars from over INR 10,000 I had saved over the prior one year (from 1980 to 1981) working as a first year regular employee earning much less than seasoned professional like Narayana Murthy or Sudha Murthy. No, my mom didn't have to pawn anything unlike poor Sudha Murthy who in 1981 had to raise INR 10,000 under severe hardship.

Narayana and Sudha Murthy : Highly paid Professionals

Estimate of their earnings
Narayana Murthy finished his undergraduate in electrical engineering from Mysore University in 1967 and then went on to obtain a master's degree in electrical engineering from IIT Kanpur. After that he worked at IIM Ahmedabad and then worked for a few years in France. In 1978 he was hired as the general manager at Patni Computers. My conservative estimate of his monthly earning at Patni Computers in 1981, just prior to founding of Infosys, is 6,000 to 8,000 rupees. His wife, Sudha Murthy did her graduate work at the prestigious IISc Bangalore and since 1974 worked for Telco , a Tata company. My conservative estimate of her 1981 earnings at Telco is 5,000 to 6,000 rupees a month.
Estimate of their monthly savings
Assuming gross combined income of Rs 11,000 per month, various deductions at about 3,000 rupees and their combined expenses of 3,000 rupees a month, the net savings comes to about 5,000 rupees a month. This is based on very conservative estimates.

Narayana and Sudha Murthy in the top Tier of Income

In 1981, India's per capita income was around 1,000 rupees a year. Murthys' combined annual income of over 100,000 rupees, placed them solidly in upper-upper-middle class - most likely very comfortably in the top one percentile of income brackets.

Summary

They seems to have been financially very well-off prior to the founding of Infosys, with the 'claimed' seed money of 10,000 rupees just small change for them. All these tales of hardships don't seem to be true, in my judgement.

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Note: A few other hints about how well-off they were. a) After telling us how they spent USD17 on their marriage, and that too with costs split between her and her husband (can't you see how poor we were? impression creation attempt) in the very next sentence Sudha Murthy casually mentions going to the USA shortly after the marriage where she spent a few months. She forgot to mention the cost for that trip. Just plane fare for a single person would have been a few hundred dollars (about USD1000+?) How many poor Indians can afford to go to USA for personal visit like that. b) Just after start of Infosys they bought a house 'on loan.' How many people buy houses after starting up a company which might sqeeze their cashflows and do banks loan them money under such circumstances? c) Mr. Murthy mentioned that how just by chance on a flight that he happened to be sitting next to K.S.N. Murthy of the Karnataka State Industrial Investment and Development Corporation,who expedited his loan approval. I didn't hear of any poor businessmen starting out a company and flying for their business trips. I have seen them travelling by second class trains, though.

Home Remedies for Cold and Cough

Home Remedies for Cold and Cough

The common cold also known as viral rhinitis is a viral infection, a respiratory disorder which is characterized by nasal congestion, a clear, runny nose, sneezing, scratchy throat and general malaise. Cold is a respiratory disease caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis. A rapid expulsion of air from the lungs typically in order to clear the lung airways of fluids, mucus, or material. Also known as tussis. Or it is a voluntary /Involuntary forced expiration.
Home Remedies for Cold & Cough:
Common cold and cough home remedies that are very effective in relieving cold and cough are as follows

• Take 5ml of fresh tulsi and mix it in 10ml of pure honey. Take this daily at least twice a day.
• Mix 5ml of onion juice with 10ml of pure honey. Consume this mixture at least twice a day.
• Another effective natural cough remedy is to chew 4basil leaves and black pepper. This will relief your cough.
• Take ½ teaspoon of ginger juice with ½ teaspoon of honey, three times a day Warm the mixture by mixing a teaspoon of warm water in it especially in winter.
• Take garlic and boil them in water, then drink it. This is one of the useful home remedies for cough.
• One of the most useful remedies for cough is to take 1-2gm powder of fried turmeric with honey, thrice a day.
• Add 5-10 drops of eucalyptus, peppermint, pine, lavender, thyme, tea tree oil to a bowl of steaming water. Place your nose over the vapors and inhale, covering yourself with a towel and inhale deeply. This is one of the effective cure treatments.
• Take some mint and eucalyptuses leaves and boil them together in water and then inhale its vapors when it gets cooled. It will also help in relieving cough and cold.
• One of the natural ways to cure could and cough is to a take bath with a few drops of cinnamon in the bath water that can help in relieving congestion.
• Take hot water in a tub or bucket add some Vicks vaporub in it. Cover your head with the towel and then started inhaling by placing your nose over vapors. This also has been found to be effective in the common cold treatment.
• A cup of grape juice mixed with honey gives quick relief from cough.

Aloe Vera - Uses and Benefits

Alternative Names: Aloe, Aloe Vera, Indian Alces, Kumari, Ghirita, Barbados aloe, Aloe barbadensis (Mill.), Curacao Aloes, Gawarpaltra, Barbados Aloes, Curacao Aloe, Lu hui, First-Aid Plant, Medicine Plant.

The succulent, cactus-like Aloe vera plant, one of over 300 Aloe species, was previously known as Aloe barbadensis and Aloe vulgaris. Aloe gel is a clear viscous liquid obtained from the inner portion of the long, fleshy leaves.

Nevertheless, simple emollient and occlusive properties may be soothing. Consistent healing benefits were not demonstrated in studies of open surgical wounds and in studies examining prevention of radiation-induced dermatitis, aphthous ulcers, and pressure sores.

Description of Plant

Aloe Vera is a large succulent perennial plant growing up to 1.5 metres in height, with a strong fibrous root and a large stem supporting a rosette of narrow lanceolate leaves up to 60cm long. The leaves are whitish green on both sides and bear spiny teeth on the margins. The yellow to purplish drooping flowers grow in a long raceme at the top of the flower stalk. Aloe Vera is found predominately in hotter climates such as South America, but is also found in some southern portions of Northern America. It is cultivated in the West Indies and other tropical countries. The tissue in the center of the aloe leaf contains a gel which yields aloe gel or aloe vera gel. Aloe is believed to have been used to preserve body of Jesus Christ.

Uses

Aloe Vera is a virtual necessity for many minor emergencies. This herb has many healing, soothing and cleansing properties making it an ideal addition to any medicine cabinet. And Aloe soothes the intestinal system, too.

Although widely applied as an easy-to-use household remedy, aloe vera has been recognized for centuries for its remarkable health-enhancing properties. Although known specifically for external application to the skin, Aloe Juice is now widely used to help a variety of conditions of the digestive tract.

Some of the Main Uses of Aloe Vera are:

• Aloe Vera is very commonly used for its antibacterial, anesthetic and antiseptic properties, and is good to use as a tool for restoration of tissue.
• When Aloe Vera is used cosmetically, its helps in softening the skin.
• When aloe vera is applied externally, aloe vera restores skin tissues and is very good in treating burns, minor cuts and sores.
• It is also used as a beauty aid for the skin.
• Aloe Vera is especially good in healing sunburns, although it is being used for the treatment of skin cancer.
• It can also be used on blemishes and dandruff.
• Traditionally it has been known to influence digestion.
• Other traditional uses have been in treating stomach disorders, diabetes , scrapes, ulcers , arthritis and constipation, arteriosclerosis, amenorrhea , or suppressed menses, menstrual complaints, infections, herpes simplex viruses, .and skin diseases.

Dosage for Different Types of Aloe Vera

Aloe vera comes in a number of forms: natural gel, powdered form, prepared ointment, salve or lotion and fluid extract.

• When intaking a powder of Aloe, 1-5 gram dosage is recommended.
• In a fluid extract, anywhere from 5-30 drops is what is taken.
• Aloe Vera Eye Wash - To create an eye wash from Aloe, use 1/2 tsp. of Aloe juice and dissolve it in 1 cup of water. A 1/2 teaspoon of Boric Acid may be added to preserve it.
• Aloe Vera Poultice - A poultice of Aloe can be made by slicing a leaf lengthwise and pressing the gelled side toward the cut or burn, and then wrapping.

Dosage for Diseases

• For constipation, a single 50-200 mg capsule of aloe latex can be taken each day for a maximum of ten days.
• For minor burns, the stabilized aloe gel is applied topically to the affected area of skin three to five times per day. Treatment of more serious burns should only be done under the supervision of a renowned healthcare professional.
• However, the most common way to utilize the healing powers of Aloe is to rub the gelled juice from inside the leaves onto the affected area.

Aloe Vera Side Effects

Except in some rare persons, who are allergic to aloe, topical application of the gel is generally safe. There are no reported adverse effects with oral ingestion of the gel. Topically applied aloe gel is generally well tolerated, with occasional reports of stinging sensation, mild itching, or hypersensitivity reactions. For any burn that blisters significantly or is otherwise severe, medical attention is absolutely essential. In some severe burns and wounds , aloe gel may actually impede healing.

Interactions:

There are no recognized drug interactions with topical or oral administration of aloe gel.

How Can Turmeric Benefits…Benefit You?

How Can Turmeric Benefits…Benefit You?

The Health Benefits of Turmeric……….

The health benefits of turmeric lie in the active ingredient called curcumin. This powerful compound gives turmeric its therapeutic benefits, its yellow color, and its pungent flavor. More specifically, curcumin harbors antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, stomach-soothing, and liver-and heart-protecting effects.

Turmeric is thought to reduce inflammation by lowering histamine levels and it may also stimulate the adrenal glands to increase production of a hormone that reduces inflammation. It is often used to ease joint pain and inflammation associated with arthritis. However, it is also used to reduce joint pain and in inflammation in other disorders as well.

Turmeric (curcumin) also harbors rich stores of antioxidants. Antioxidants are disease-fighting substances that mop up the continuous onslaught of free radicals. Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules that damage cells as they travel through the body and are responsible for premature aging and diseases such as cancer if left unchecked. In fact, Naturopaths often recommend turmeric for situations in which high concentrations of antioxidants are required.

Studies with animals show that turmeric benefits liver health. Several animal studies suggest that turmeric protects the liver from the damaging effects of certain toxins, including alcohol. These findings certainly lend credence to the herb's history of use in liver aliments.

Among the many health benefits of turmeric, is that it harbors antiplatelet activity. The herb reduces the ability of the blood to form clots and, as such, this action may improve circulation as well as offer some protection against heart attacks and strokes.
If you suffer from digestive problems this may be the herb for you. Turmeric helps digest fats by stimulating the flow of bile. No wander it was used traditionally as a digestive aid.

Laboratory studies indicate that curcumin has anti-cancer activity. More specifically, it destroys some types of cancer cells. For example, in the laboratory, curcumin kills cultures of human leukemia cells. This action may be due to turmeric's antioxidant properties or some other anti-cancer activity. Needless to say, more research is needed to determine turmeric benefits as a potential cancer agent.

Other possible health benefits of turmeric:

May help fight bacteria infections.

May offer cataracts prevention through its antioxidant properties.

Bottom line........

More research is required to substantiate all of turmeric's purported health benefits. On the other hand, it wouldn't hurt to add it to your spice rack.

Pranav mistry resume

Pranav Mistry
Education
PhD at MIT Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2008 to current; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; CPA 5.0/5.0
Master of Science at MIT Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2006 to current; Media Arts and Sciences; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; CPA 4.9/5.0
Master of Design at IDC, IIT Bombay
2003 to 2005; Industrial Design Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay; CPA 4.9/5.0
Bachelor of Computer Engineering at Gujarat University
1999 to 2003; Nirma Institute of Technology; Gujarat University; CPA 4.7/5.0
Working Experience
Research Assistant at Fluid Interfaces, MIT Media Lab
2008 to current, Fluid Interfaces Group, MIT Media Lab.
Visiting Researcher at Japan Science and Technology Agency
winter 2009, JST ERATO IGARASHI Design Interface Project, Tokyo.
Researcher at Microsoft Research
summer internship (summer 2009) with Adaptive Systems and Interaction, MSR.
Research Assistant at Ambient Intelligence, MIT Media Lab
2006 to 2008, Ambient Intelligence Group, MIT Media Lab.
Teaching Assistant at Media arts and Sciences, MIT
2007, New Paradigms in HCI, MIT Media Lab.
Research Intern with Global Connection Project
summer internship (summer 2007) with GigaPan Project (CMU, NASA, Google and UNESCO).
UX Researcher at Microsoft
2005 to 2006, Microsoft India Development Center.
Project Manager at Microsoft
summer internship (summer 2004) with Incubation Team at Microsoft India Development Center.
Awards and achievements
Listed as one of the ‘50 Most Creative People of the Year 2010’, CREATIVITY 50.
Winner of ‘TR35 2009’ award, Technology Review.
Winner of ‘INVENTION OF THE YEAR 2009’ award, Popular Science.
Winner of ‘Young Indian Innovator 2009’ award, Digit Magazine.
Winner of ‘Netexplorateurs of the Year 2010’ award, Netexplorateurs Grand Prix 2010, France
Nominee for Forbes India’s Person of the Year 2009.
Speaker for TED India 2010 talk on ‘sixthsense’, TED India 2010, Mysore, India.
Speaker for TED 2009 talk on ‘sixthsense’, TED 2009, Long Beach, CA.
2nd in SPACE competition in SIGGRAPH2004, Los Angeles.
1st in Innovation Fair at India level, for project MARBO.
Best Paper in USID2007 for ‘Akshar’.
All India 3rd in National Open Hardware Contest at IIT Bombay for project DATAG2.02
3rd in Model Presentation at INGENIUM 2002.
3rd in Creative art competition organized by ISRO.
1st in Design competition organized by IEEE, India chapter.
2nd in website designing organized by ACES.
Selected for the prestigious DIRUBHAI AMBANI FOUNDATION AWARD for securing 1st rank in district.
2nd in on the spot Model Making contest at techfest2001 at IIT Bombay.
Patents
Digital user interface for inputting Indic scripts (US 2007/0174771) (167/DEL/2006)
Radio frequency control of computing system (1416/DEL/2006)
Start menu display model (1417/DEL/2006)
Multi-mode multimedia device and computing system (WO/2007/124083) (1418/DEL/2006)
75 Amherst Street
MIT Media Lab, E14-548G
Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Phone: +1-617-835-4030
E-mail: pranav@mit.edu
URL: www.pranavmistry.com
Task-oriented start menu (1419/DEL/2006)
Hardware control initiated task switching (1420/DEL/2006)
Single hardware control initiated switching between application and utilities (1422/DEL/2006)
Wearable Gestural Interface (US 2010/0199232)
Software-aided creation of animated stories (US 2010/0110081)
Publications
P. Mistry, S. Nanayakkara, P. Maes. SPARSH – Touch the Cloud. To be appear in CSCW2011. Demo.
Hangzhou, China. 2011
P. Mistry, S. Nanayakkara, P. Maes. SPARSH: Passing Data using the Body as a Medium. To be appear in
CSCW2011. Interactive Paper. Hangzhou, China. 2011
P. Mistry, S. Nanayakkara, P. Maes. SPARSH – Touch the Cloud. To be appear in CSCW2011. Video.
Hangzhou, China. 2011
P. Mistry, S. Nanayakkara, P. Maes. Touch and Copy, Touch and Paste. To be appear in CHI2011.
Interactivity. Vancouver, BC, Canada. 2011
P. Mistry, P. Maes. Mouseless - a Computer Mouse as Small as Invisible. To be appear in CHI2011.
Interactivity. Vancouver, BC, Canada. 2011
P. Mistry, P. Maes. Mouseless. In the Proceedings of UIST2010. Poster. NY, USA. 2010
P. Mistry, K. Ishii, M. Inami, T. Igarashi. BlinkBot - Look at, Blink and Move. In the Proceedings of UIST2010.
Demo. NY, USA. 2010
P. Mistry, P. Maes. SixthSense – A Wearable Gestural Interface. In the Proceedings of SIGGRAPH Asia 2009,
Sketch. Yokohama, Japan. 2009
P. Mistry. ThirdEye - Multiple viewers can see different things on a single screen. In the Proceedings of
SIGGRAPH Asia 2009, Poster. Yokohama, Japan. 2009
P. Mistry, P. Maes. SixthSense – A Wearable Gestural Interface. In the Proceedings of SIGGRAPH Asia 2009,
Emerging Technologies. Yokohama, Japan. 2009
P. Mistry. The Thrilling Potential of SixthSense. TED talk in Wonders session. TEDIndia 2009. Mysore, India
2009
P. Mistry, P. Maes. Augmenting Sticky Notes as an I/O Interface. In the Proceedings of 13th International
Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (HCII2009). San Diego, USA. 2009 (Invited Paper)
P. Mistry, P. Maes, L. Chang. WUW - Wear Ur World - A Wearable Gestural Interface. In the ACM CHI2009
extended abstracts on human factors in computing systems. Boston, USA. 2009
P. Mistry. Quickies: sticky Notes of the 21st Century. In the ACM CHI2009, Video Showcase. Boston, USA.
2009
P. Mistry. Drawing On and Above the surface. In the ACM SIGGRAPH Symposium on Interactive 3D Graphics
and Games (i3D2009). Boston, USA. 2009
P. Maes, P. Mistry. The Sixth Sense. TED talk in Reframe session.TED 2009. Long Beach, CA, USA 2009
P. Mistry. Quickies: Intelligent Sticky Notes. MAS Thesis. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. 2008
P. Mistry, P. Maes. Quickies: Intelligent Sticky Notes. In the Proceedings of 4th International Conference on
Intelligent Environments (IE08). Seattle, USA. 2008
P. Mistry, K. Sekiya, A. Bradshaw. Inktuitive: An Intuitive Physical Design Workspace. In the Proceedings of
4th International Conference on Intelligent Environments (IE08). Seattle, USA. 2008
P. Mistry, T. Kuroki, C. Chang. TaPuMa: Tangible Public Map for Information Acquirement through the
Things We Carry. In the Proceedings of the International Conference on Ambient Media and Systems (Ambysys2008).
Quebec City, Canada. 2008.
P. Mistry, P. Maes. Intelligent Sticky Notes that can be Searched, Located and can Send Reminders and
Messages. In the Proceedings of the ACM International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces (IUI2008).
Canary Islands, Spain. 2008.
P. Mistry, N. Nayak. AKSHAR: A mechanism for inputting Indic scripts on digital devices. In the Proceedings
of USID2007. Hyderabad, India. 2007.
P. Mistry. Invent: Design of a Programming Language for Children. M.Des. Thesis. Industrial Design Center,
IIT Bombay. Mumbai, India. 2005.
P. Mistry. Ghost in the machine – making creative machines. Special Project. Industrial Design Center, IIT
Bombay. Mumbai, India. 2005.
P. Mistry. VET: Visual aids to scheduling and decision making for veterinary services. M.Des Project-II
Thesis. Industrial Design Center, IIT Bombay. Mumbai, India. 2004.
P. Mistry. Ants. Student Poster Animation Competition and Exhibition (SPACE), ACM SIGGRAPH2004. Los
Angeles, USA. 2004. (Second Prize)
P. Mistry, G. Agrawal. Functional metaphoric approach to be ‘in the flow’ with computer interfaces. In the
Proceedings of IHCI2004. Bangalore, India. 2004.
Extra curricular
Program Chair of ACM Augmented Human 2010 conference.
Former coordinator of Association of Computer Engineering Students, NIT (ACES).
Former president of Young Scientist Club (YSC), Palanpur branch.
Table Tennis- district Champion for 7 years, Institute champion for 3 years.
Current member of MIT Table Tennis Team.
President of zombie::labs, a research group (www.zombielabs.com).
Founder of the SOROTICS (social robotics) group in IIT Bombay.
Former cultural officer of Ashdown House, MIT
Coordinator of HCIINDIA community
Research Interests
Gestural Interaction, Computer Vision, Intelligent interactive systems and environments, Ubiquitous Computing,
Interaction Design, Social Computing, Robotics, Tangible Computing, Collective Intelligence, Object
Amelioration, Augmented reality, Computational photography
References
Pattie Maes
Professor & Associate Academic Head
MIT Media Lab
pattie@media.mit.edu
Frank Moss
Director
MIT Media Lab
fmoss@media.mit.edu
Hiroshi Ishii
Associate Director
MIT Media Lab
ishii@media.mit.edu
Srini Koppolu
VP, Microsoft Corporation
Managing Director, Microsoft India Development Center
srinik@microsoft.com
Ravi Poovaiah
Professor
IDC, IIT Bombay
ravi@iitb.ac.in
Nicholas Negroponte
Founder and chairman, One Laptop Per Child (OLPC)
Founder, MIT Media Lab
nicholas@media.mit.edu
Last updated 14th DEC 2010

some interesting facts about Steve Jobs

Steven Paul Jobs, the co-founder, chairman and CEO of Apple Inc, was an aggressive and demanding manager and an excellent team player, who strove to get better with each passing day by looking ahead of time and made a valuable contribution to the technological advancement in society. Look at some of the facts about Steve Jobs.

Facts about Steve Jobs' Personal LifeBorn on February 24, 1955, in San Francisco, Steve was adopted by Justin and Clara Jobs of California. His adoptive parents named him Steve Paul. He was a student of the Cupertino Junior High School and Homestead High School in California. During his schooling years, he used to attend after-school lectures at the Hewlett-Packard Company, which fetched him a summer job in the company. Here he got the opportunity to work with Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of Apple Inc, later to be. After graduating from high school, Jobs was admitted to the Reed College in Portland, from which he dropped out and took up a course in calligraphy. Calligraphy, which seemed to be of no use in a career in computers, later turned out to be the most important factor that led to the development of fonts.One interesting aspect of Jobs' life is the philosophical side of his personality. He had toured to India with intent of philosophical enlightenment and had returned to his country with head shaved and clad in traditional Indian clothing.In 1984, Jobs purchased a 14-bedroom Spanish Colonial mansion, which he inhabited for around ten years. Reports say that he had kept an old BMW in the living room of this magnificent apartment he owned. In 1991, Steve Jobs married Laurene Powell and they later had three children.In 2004, Jobs was diagnosed with a malignant tumor in the pancreas. He had to undergo a surgery, which could have had several aftereffects on his health. His declining health was widely talked about. Mistakenly, the word 'obituary' was published in the Apple news service, thus intensifying the rumors about Jobs' health. In 2009, Marketing Vice President of Apple, Mr. Phil Schiller came in place of Jobs to deliver the keynote address at the Macworld Conference and Expo, on account of Jobs' ill health. This, for another time, brought Steve Jobs' health issues in the news. In 2009, he underwent a liver transplant and resumed working in June that year. In January 2011, Jobs went on a medical leave and operations were handed over to Tim Cook, making him the acting CEO for the duration of the leave.

Facts about Steve Jobs' Professional LifeIn 1976, Steve Jobs in collaboration with Stephen Wozniak, a former electronics hacker, founded Apple and a success story had begun! They were funded by A.C. "Mike" Markkula. With the effective words, which said, "Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water to children, or do you want a chance to change the world?" Jobs managed to attract John Sculley, to be the CEO of Apple. Previously, Sculley was working with Pepsi-Cola. Macintosh was introduced on January 24, 1984. It went on to become the first commercially used small computer with a GUI.Later, during the same year, Jobs' relations with Sculley worsened and Jobs had to receive one of the greatest blows of his life, a lay-off from Apple! But he was not someone who would lose hope so easily. He went on to found NeXt Computer, a computer company that was experimental and technologically advanced. The NeXt workstation had a built-in Ethernet port; it supported embedded graphics and proved to be a step towards the era of personal computing.In 1996, Apple came forward to buy NeXt, and Jobs returned to Apple. At the 2000 MacWorld Expo, Jobs became the permanent CEO of Apple. From then on, there was no looking back. His ambition, foresight and innovation coupled with effective management skills, led Apple to the pinnacle of success. Jobs was the man behind many of Apple's most successful products. 338 US patents or patent applications in technology are in his name, where he was either the inventor or co-inventor. He won many awards, the most prominent one was the National Medal of Technology from the President. He was also inducted to the California Hall of Fame.In August 2011, Jobs resigned from the position of CEO, Apple and took up his new role the Chairman of the Board. Tim Cook became the new CEO of Apple.On October 5, 2011, Steve Jobs died. A message on Apple's website said,"Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple..."

Think you are too old to startup? You might want to read this

It’s not every day that you meet someone that genuinely leaves an impression behind, inspires you and makes you feel proud, though you probably know the person for just about few minutes!It was in one of the pre-launch days of Shopo that I came across Carmina Fernandes. I believe it was at one of these craft exhibitions that I saw her first! She was just sitting in her stall, watching, a kind of knowing smile on her face. The smile definitely stuck on my head but really, I had no idea, how big an impact she was going to leave on me, a few months later. I am going to digress a little bit here. Many a times, I have been a part of a conversation where someone told me “It is hard to see women running startups these days” and I have always disagreed! The word “startup” need not necessarily mean a “Tech Startup” right? I see a lot of women running extremely successful retail lines, building NGOs that are impacting a few lakh people, leaving their jobs to design a line of tote bags to even offices and homes, and to me, these are very much startups too! Same challenges and same learning curves! Now, why did I start with this? Oh yes! Carmina Fernandes!Now, Carmina is an NID Alumnus who has worked for over 30 years in sustaining craft, creating and implementing successful craft-based livelihoods for various artisan networks in India and abroad, before launching her new label – Artesania in May 2010. Now, it’s an unwrit rule that you never discuss a woman’s age. So I am going to leave you do your own calculations on that!Artesania is an NGO behind a lifestyle brand that is slowly, but steadily, re-introducing handicrafts in a trendy avatar and working together with our artisans to creating functional, sustainable, exclusive, and highly-fashionable products. From bags to home décor, to now textile, these guys do work wonders, and for a very affordable price! Oh Yes! We do have them on shopo!So, over one of our conversations, I asked her out of curiosity,“Carmen, you stepped out and kind of started up, almost 30 years back! In a more conservative time when women entrepreneurs were probably less than a handful! You must have had some reactions from people around eh? “The answer she gave me was definitely not what I had expected!“Starting up 30 years ago, I’d say was easier!” She said with her trademark smile! “The potential for craft and artisans that has been unleashed today was only being tapped into at the time. There was very little technology and everyone worked with their hands – in the industry or at home. So, even a lay person, far removed from the industry understood the worth of the hands behind a craft.”Now, it kind of made sense! Just close your eyes and try to rewind back to the time Carmen should have started! (I have to depend on what I have seen on films and heard or read on books here, but still!) Can you imagine a day at work without laptops and mobile phones? Stripping everything down to the very bare basics. Is that just pure simple or more complicated than it sounds?Carmen went on “Starting-up today in a ‘fast-food, mass produced’ generation is far more challenging. When I first discussed the idea of Artesania – one of the first doubts thrown at me were “Does the market have the patience for craft and if it does, is the value for craft still existent?” Since everything’s out there today; craft and design are all over the place – in the malls, the streets, at fashion weeks and now, the internet, how does one compete with all this wonderful ‘young’ energy? People react with much more shock and awe today than they would have 30 years ago. Because, technically, I should be retiring, right?” The same smile again!But did she ever feel it was probably a little too late to startup?“I was confident of a good product and with the backing of a brilliant team, after some slogging, we’re here and people love us. Indian design and craft appreciation is at a wonderful high right now, the opportunities are immense, it would be a shame to miss out on all this energy and watch from the wings.”But did all the 30 years of experience make things easy for Carmina to get Artesania up and about?Apparently, NOT!“Well, Our sole objective is that our artisans get consistent, sustainable incomes without compromising on their craft. In an age where technology is dominant, this can be very challenging. There are still thousands of artisans whose work is yet to be explored, they are not attached to any non-profit organizations. They are ignorant about government schemes and policies, they often underestimate their craft and take to labour – We deal with everything from issues ranging from self-esteem, disbelief in the power of their craft to quality control and communication. The first few years are the toughest – not only is the start-up a baby, the artisans, too, need as much guidance as possible.”Daniella, who is a part of Carmina’s team, had shared something on similar lines to me earlier. Our craftsmen have worked on the same designs and patterns for almost a few centuries now! When you go and ask them to work on things differently, the first reaction you get out of them is resistance! After all, why would they believe you know their craft better than they do?Try going and explaining to your grandmother how to make a better Sambar. Do you really expect her to even take you seriously? Even if you did have a very valid point? Same case! It should have been frustrating for sure. Imagine having to face a few 100 people who will refuse to listen to you, though you are actually trying to make their lives better! It must have taken a zillion struggles before Artesania could get to what it is today!That makes me compare a little. We face very similar struggles every day in early stage startups. Many a times, people don’t believe that you can do what you wish or promise to do. People you want to hire think you are a kid. Vendors don’t take you seriously and don’t respond in time. Things go wrong, and they blame it all on you! In many cases, the founders go bankrupt and bills start piling up! Sometimes there is so much chaos you actually consider giving it all up to go back to a day job!Did Carmina ever want to give up?The smile came back again when I asked her that. “If you don’t have love and passion for what you do, you cannot sustain yourself in a world that is zipping past you in a blink. I just happen to love what I do!”I rest my case!

Victoria Secret Story

Victoria's Secret certainly has a wonderful history, it all started when a graduate student from Stanford Graduate School Of Business felt rather embarassed when it came to purchasing beautiful lingerie from a department store. His name was Roy Raymond who was located in San Francisco, California. In 1977 Roy decided to open his first store at Stanford Shopping Center , thus Victoria's Secret was born. Soon to follow was a mail-order catalog and three other Victoria's Secret stores. The stores were created to make a man comfortable when purchasing women's lingerie, the decor of the stores were Victorian desinged with wood panel walls and friendly staff. Instead of bras and panties being hung on a sterile rack, they were paired together in all sizes and mounted on frames. The stores were very detailed and were quite inviting when a gentleman came to purchase lingerie. After 5 years of operation Roy Raymond sold Victoria's Secret to The Limited, unfortunately his next business adventure ended in bankruptcy and he plummeted to his death off of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Through the 1980's The Limited kept the image intact while expanding to offer an array of merchandies including shoes, perfumes and evening wear with its mail-catalogue that was sent out eight times annually. During the 1990's Victoria's Secret had became the largest American lingerie retailer making over a billion dollars.In July 2007 the retail chain Limited Brands sold 75% of there retail chain to Sun Capitol Partners so that they could focus on the growth of the Victoria's Secret retail chain and Bath and Body works. There are over a 1000 Victoria's Secret stores across the U.S. and over 100 independet Victoria's Secret Beauty Stores which are located comfortably in many of the shopping centers across the U.S. Selling beauty products, lingerie, sleepwear, shoes, bathing suits, bras and panties over four hundred million catalogs are sent out ever year.Victoria's Secret has been going green when environmentalist pressured them to create a catalog which was more environmentally friendly. The catalog is no longer made from and woodland caribou range in Canada. The catalogs are now made with 10% Consumer waste on recycled paper.Victoria's Secret has been targeting middle class America looking to avoid sleaziness due to the image that they carry. In the early 1990's they began to use Supemodels such as Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum and Karolina Kurkova amongst others, deflecting from using celebrity models and endorsments. Victoria's Secret prides themselves in Customer Service and they do believe in trying to upsell the Customer by offering frequent attention along with the Victoria's Secret Credit Card which can provide the consumer with additional discounts and savings including coupons on there merchandise.

Filpkart sucess Story

It’s being touted as India’s answer to Amazon. Founded by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal (not related to each other) in Oct 2007, Flipkart has catapulted to one of India’s most popular e-commerce sites and undoubtedly as the most popular online destination for books within a short span of three years. With expected revenues of Rs. 75 crores this FY, Flipkart plans to generate a whopping Rs. 4,500 crores by FY2015. Now that’s pretty impressive for any business. Flipkart’s initial success can be pegged down to the experience of its founders, both of whom had worked with Amazon. They also successfully used word of mouth marketing and social media to get word out. But there are literally millions of retail websites. And not many have achieved even a fraction of the attention that Flipkart has. So what is it that makes Flipkart stand out? For one, they offer a huge range of titles (more than 7 million) which really sets them apart from the rest of the crowd. But is simply offering so many titles enough? I don’t think so. I mean, how difficult is it for someone with deep pockets to simply replicate this? Not very. In fact, the Bansals started their venture with just Rs. 5 lakhs. So what does Flipkart have that makes its model so robust? An amazingly well-oiled warehousing and delivery system. This ensures that deliveries occur within promised times all over India. And with a business volume of nearly 2 lakh books every year, one can imagine how important logistics is to this business.So what’s my take on Flipkart? I personally didn’t like the website interface so much. And this one’s supposed to be a newer one. It didn’t inspire me at all. And they still haven’t turned a profit yet. But on the positive side, they have the scope and the scale. They are adding new product lines such as movies, music, games, cameras and computers. They are coming up with creative ads and improving operations. They have just received another round of funding. All in all, there’s no doubt that Flipkart has tremendous potential.

Some Herbal Medicine

We currently provide information about the health benefits of the following natural foods and herbal products:
•Alfalfa: A herbal product that is high in vitamins and minerals.
•Aloe Vera: The gel and juice in this plant helps to hydrate and rejuvenate the skin.
•Apple Cider Vinegar: A popular natural remedy for curing a number of common illnesses.
•Black Cohosh: This root is excellent for many women's issues such as PMS and menstrual cramps.
•Black Seed Oil: This oil has antioxidant and antibacterial properties to fight infections.
•Castor Oil: An excellent oil that can help treat arthritis, skin problems, and constipation.
•Chamomile: This herb is great for treating sleep disorders, skin problems, and cramping.
•Chasteberry: This fruit is an excellent remedy for many women's health issues.
•Cinnamon: A common kitchen spice with remarkable healing capabilities.
•Coconut Oil: This amazing oil is a wonderful natural treatment for many skin problems.
•Coconut Water: This water is packed with electrolytes that can boost your energy levels.
•Cod Liver Oil: This nutrient-rich oil can relieve arthritis pain and prevent heart disease.
•Echinacea: This herb can help your body quickly fight off infections such as colds and flus.
•Evening Primrose Oil: This oil can help treat many menstrual and menopausal disorders.
•Eyebright (Euphrasia): This herb is excellent for treating eye problems as well as respiratory conditions.
•Fennel: This aromatic herb is great for treating bad breath and stomach problems.
•Fenugreek: An effective herb for treating skin inflammations and reproductive problems.
•Fish Oil: This oil is rich in essential fatty acids, which is useful for arthritis and osteoporosis.
•Flax Seed Oil: A natural cure for many chronic diseases and ailments.
•Garlic: This plant has excellent medicinal properties to fight common ailments.
•Ginger: A wonderful natural anti-inflammatory for treating arthritis and digestive problems.
•Ginkgo Biloba: This herb is great for improving cognitive functions.
•Ginseng: This amazing root helps boost energy levels and mental alertness.
•Grape Seed Oil: An wonderful oil that can treat arthritis, skin conditions, and hemorrhoids.
•Green Tea: This amazing tea helps with weight loss, high cholesterol, and even cancer.
•Honey: A centuries old natural cure for many everyday ailments.
•Horsetail: This herb is beneficial for many problems including brittle bones, teeth, and nails.
•Licorice Root: This root can treat a variety of problems including depression and high cholesterol.
•Manuka Oil: This oil is an excellent treatment for muscle aches, joint pains, and many other conditions.
•Olive Oil: A wonderful anti-oxidant that can strengthen nails and lower cholesterol.
•Oil of Oregano: A great natural remedy for fighting a variety of infections.
•Peppermint: This minty plant is beneficial for IBS, skin problems, stress relief, and migraines.
•Pomegranate: The juice from this fruit can treat heart problems, osteoarthritis, and PMS.
•Psyllium: A great source of fiber which can help treat constipation, diabetes, and cholesterol.
•St. John's Wort: This flowering herb has been commonly used to treat depression and anxiety.
•Stevia: This plant is beneficial in treating diabetes and osteoporosis, as well as gingivitis and hypertension.
•Tea Tree Oil: A high-potency anti-fungal and anti-bacterial remedy.
•Turmeric: A common spice that can reduce inflammation, fight colds, and promote weight loss.
•Willow Bark: With benefits similar to aspirin, this bark is useful for aches, pains, and cramps.
•Witch Hazel: This plant helps treat many skin conditions, diarrhea, diaper rash, and post-natal tearing.

simple living high thinking

It was in the month of october 1999, ours was the second batch of ICSE.there came a notification about award ceremony organised by ICSE council going to held in XLRI jamshedpur auditorium. All school heads including principal and vice principals were invited. We as a student of 10th standard took it casually and were having our own gala time with friends, most of the school in jamshedpur having a very profile teachers and principals they come in big cars (cars even maruti 800 was considered as status symbols) and dressed like they are going for party, it dosen't means that they were not good teachers, they were indeed very good in teaching. Now comes aur school AAES, a school, opened its arm for poors,needy,gunda party,intelegent,deciple of other school students and all varity of faces and background. The senario was exactly like XAVIERS and MODEL college of JO JITA WAHI SIKANDAR.most of the boys in my school was having low confidence especially infront of heavenly creature called "girls",and few have so much confidence that they some times forget to wear their spectacles, some were secret lovers and some so bold that they were ready to fight a war with teachers. So in a nut shell it was like a FAKIRA CHANACHUR having each ingredients to its perfection.

Our principal was a very simple lady or rather i would say simplicity as synonymous to Madam Benedicta, but same time very strict also very strict. She come with a old moped LUNA where hardly anyone except can sit. Her voice was enough to make pin drop silence in class imagin what her presence could do. I was studing in this school from nursery till ICSE but it took almost 11 years to understand her philanthrophy.I remember one incedence in whitch one of my senior involved in a fight with the local boys, they all were waiting out side my school gate beating each one comimg out, this news came to her and she alone went out and shouted to them that if they want to beat her sons then it would be her first. She was the living example of adminstration, knowledge, philanthrophy and most important a motherhood. She never married because she already has a large number of kids. She was well known among the parents and even she knows every parents individually.

BACK again...with a bunch of friends riding bicycle we use to go for tution in SAKCHI and while returning back we use to come from near XLRI auditorium, we saw many cars parked some very beautiful cars some average. some driven by drivers and some by their husbands, then i saw a old lady coming in luna and recognised her as our principal. She saw us and smiled and stoped we had a small chat in which we come to know that she came for the award ceremony and went away. One of my friend started gigling and said look all principal came in such wonderful cars and our principal came in jet flight (showing her luna). We also smiled and went back to our respective homes.

Next day when we were in assembly and saw a big trophy we were surprised and latter on came to know that she begged the best principal award. We could not understand how to react, in shame for making fun of her travelling in luna or in proud of being her so simple. That day i understood the meaning of the famous line said by Mahatma Gandhi "Simple living and high Thinking".

She was latter retired from that school and now running her own school opened with couple of people of the same frequency, the fee is so nominal that any one can study there..... wish her a long life .....GOD BLESS HER