India Today -- July 30th 2007 Edition

Cover Story -- The Good Health Guide

I liked the issue alot and though to pick up some information ans share it with you all.

India is a land of many religions, castes that are divided in 28 states. It is a country that boasts of a mix of various cultures that coincide in some or the other way at the boundaries. With different ways of dressing and mouth watering variety of delicacies, India stands out on the world map. A common man's food in South India is an occasional delicacy for the North Indian commanes.

The most famous traditional Indian thalis are the most sougth after delicacies of all time. These thalis are not just delicacies but are nutritious enough to fulfill body's requirement of necessary intake of vitamins, proteins and carbohydrates.

With all the similarities in terms of nutritional content, still each of these is different from each other. North Indian Thali is considered to have the right mix of protein, vitamins, calcium, carbohydrates and iron whereas in a typical Bangla Ramman (Bengali Thali) is prepared in mustard oil which - according to a study - is considered as one of the best cooking material. In addition to this, it includes fish, which is required by the body for growth of lean muscle tissues. On other hand, a Gujarati Thali is rich in protein due to the meal that includes pulses, green leafy vegetables, yoghurt and dairy products. No less is a Marathi Thali which includes yoghurt that contains calcium and protein.

So does that mean -- A Thali a day, keeps the doctor Away. Ha Ha Ha

Anyways below are some more tips towards healthy living ---

Berries -- From Amla to Kalajamun, they all help the aging brain to stay sharp. So if you are tired of forgetting where did you last keep of glasses better start eating some berries.

Prevent -- Cancer and Heart Diseases

Chocolate -- Wow.. Chocolates in the healthy food list. I am impressed. 100 gms of Dark Chocolate a day can also help keep the doctor away. Isn't that a great news. Yes, researchers say dark chocolates release endorphins (body's natural painkillers) into the brain that can lift your mood.

Beware -- Excess of everything is bad. But this could be worse resulting in high cholesterol levels, increase in body weight and skin problems.

Eggs -- Loaded with vitamins, minerals, proteins and Choline (for effective nerve muscle communication).

Tip -- One hard-boiled egg a day, keeps you healthy

Friends -- Make friends wherever you go because thats the healthy way of life. Except some exceptions like me, they are sure to help keep your Blood pressure under control.

Tip -- Make Friends, Have Fun.

Ginger -- Here's a perfect reason for scoffing a packet a packet of ginger biscuits.

Reason: Antioxidant properties which help prevent cancer, diabetes and heart attacks. It also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent to treat arthritis.

Herbal Tea -- Now don't miss your daily cup of herbal tea to boost your immune system and ease digestive disorders.

Suggestion -- Now tell your bosses to replace those old coffee-vending machines with some herbal tea vendors.

Juicing -- Pulverised raw materials taste good and may encourage you to consume more fruits and vegetables thereby attributing to health-enhancing qualities -- detoxification and weight loss.

Tip -- If you hate to eat your greens, drink up.

K Vitamin -- Great for building bones and promoting a healthy heart found in green leafy vegetables and cooking oils.

Laughter -- A perfect excuse for a half-day leave to watch that Munna Bhai or Hera Pheri. It stilmulates movement of blood to the heart and lungs. It also enhances antibodies that help fight sickness and release stress-fighting hormones.

Money -- Money can't buy happiness but it can buy a good diet, access to gyms, spas and health-care. And they all help you live longer.

Tip: Be rich, live longer.

Nuts -- Prevent heart diseases, help lose weight and also hep fight cholesterol and cancer.

Beware: Don't overdose.

Olive Oil -- Extra-virgin olive oil is the best for increasing good HDL cholesterol.

Beware: Don't go overboard, its both expensive and caloric.

Pomegranate -- A cancer fighting fruit rich in anti-oxidants, has healing and health boosting popertiess.

Tip: Squeeze it into a liquid to reap more benefits.

Quiet Time -- The hugely underestimated lot. It is one of the best anti-stressing activity.

Tip: Sleep well, look though old photographs and listen to music.

Red Wine -- Helps starve off heart disease and cancer. What better excuse to raise a glass of bordeaux every day.

Beware: 3-4 glasses for men and 2-3 glasses for women. More could be dangerous.

Sex -- Nothing unofficial about it. It helps you live longer by slowing down the aging process, reduces flab by burning up loads of calories, boosts immune system, strengthens the bones and increases circulation.

Tip: Perfect excuse for a second honeymoon.

Unsaturated Fat -- Maintain supple joints, healthy skin, hair, teeth and bones.

Tip: Next time you go fishing, catch an oily fish for better health results.

Work out -- Moderate activity or walking 30 minutes a day can add upto 4 years to your lifespan.

Tip: Now stop reading any further and go out for a brisk walk.

Yoga -- It can reverse the build up of plaque in coronary arteries, lower lactic acid levels and restore balance in psychitric disturbances.

Tip: OM is the magic word. Just say 'om' and feel the magic.

Let me know if the above helped you in some way or the other.

A huge cloud of more than 20 km in radius was hovering over Mumbai. No one realised till 3:30 pm that this vast sheet of water-clad rain cloud would bring to Mumbai lots of destruction. Time was not right on 26th July 2005 when weather department issued a warning. But by then it was too late for many. Students had left their schools. Thousands of other people unaware of the expected heavy rains had come out of their offices, homes, shops. Mumbai was buzzling with life as always.

It started raining at 2:30 pm. Nothing unusual for the Mumbaikars. The usual monsoon rains. Oh everyone was enjoying the rain. No one knew but the weather department that there was something unusual about the cloud that hovered over.

A usual monsoon cloud is at a height 6-8 km above the sea level but this was unusually high at a height of 15 km that too covering almost entire Mumbai. And thus the this rain was unusually strong, heavy and poured continuously.

At 3:30 pm, many low lying areas got water logged. Traffic everywhere was affected. Thousands of people got stuck in the water-logged roads. But no one yet imagined the destruction that was to soon follow. There were people stuck everywhere. At homes, at offices, in schools, on roads, in buses, in trains, at airports, at stations, in cars, everywhere. No one could move. By 6:30 pm, entire Mumbai was drowned. There was water water everywhere, nor a drop to drink. Everyone wanted to be safe but no one could. For hours it rained and every hour that rained it claimed more and more lives.

The financial capital of the country by now had realised that the vast stretch of black cover above them will show no mercy.

Continuous downpour was claiming lives. Mumbai electricity board decided to cut-off electricity from the entire city. Mumbai was engulfed in the darkest of all nights. The Bollywood of the world that never sleeps was under a silent attack today. Road, rail and air link were affected. Mobile lines were jammed. Mumbai was cut-off from rest part of the world. It had become an island of small islands that day, unaware of what's happening in the neighbourhood. Because of no connectivity Mumbai could not reach itself. There was no help from anywhere. Amidst all this Mumbaikars were fighting the rain God for their lives and it happened so that many lost their lives. There was no rescue from it.

26th July 2005 rains in Mumbai had brought to those thousands of people every colour of life from dark to bright. But to those who got killed in the fatal rains, there were no more colours.