F.R.I.E.N.D.S

 

Friendship is the easiest way to detox . Spending time with friends takes away all our worries, we are happy in that moment. We are relaxed in a friend’s company . So its very important to have good friends in your life .

When i shifted from Mumbai to Kolkata , while everything else was a source of joy and happiness , the act of leaving my friends behind was the hard part. I could not imagine a life without my two friends . As much as i wanted to stay close to my family in Kolkata , i also did not want to leave my friends in Mumbai. It was a really difficult choice. And  that stress had taken over my whole self. The time i spent with them was my own form of meditation .

Friendship changes our perspective towards life. We all find a way to vent ourselves amongst our friends. There are no inhibitions in friendship . This is true detoxification .

Just a picture of me and my friends in some happy times ……!!

Stop Complaining – Declutter!!

The mind plays funny tricks . It often gravitates towards the negative. We spend most of our times complaining about our lives’s imperfections. This whining and whimpering to achieve perfection is cluttering our lives . We need to stop this to declutter our lives and our minds .

Imperfection is a part of life , we need to accept it and improve our lives each day with better ideas and imaginations. Complaining takes away a better part of our days and what we are left with is so little time to develop and grow ourselves .

When we stop complaining we find our minds fresh and energetic,we have more time and resources when the whining stops.Complaining is unproductive , when we complain we waste our creativity and imagination.

How do we stop complaining?

# REALISATION:  This is the first step. When we realise how complaining and whining is affecting us , we tend to stop ourselves from doing it. So first sit back and realise how this is affecting you negatively. This is half the work done.

#GET BUSY: When we are busy,our mind is occupied with something productive.When you feed your mind it stops gravitating towards the negativity ,this reduces complaining considerably.. You do not complain because you do not have time. To get busy plan your day ahead and work according to this plan.

# PRACTICE YOGA & MEDITATION: While in all my previous posts i have stressed on the importance of yoga and mediation in our daily lives , it also helps in this .Proper practice of yoga can train the mind to see the positive things . This stops us from complaining . Meditation calms the mind. When we are peaceful mentally we hate to complain.

# APPRECIATE THE GOOD : Instead of seeing the worse in people and things around us , we need to pause and appreciate the good in them . Stop being judgemental. Be grateful instead. Everything and everyone around us has something to offer to us , we need to accept our surroundings in the way they are. Instead of trying to change everything , we need to change ourselves. Appreciate what you have instead of cribbing about what you don’t.

# VENT ONCE IN A WHILE: We all have phases in our lives when things don’t go our way. Even after doing all the above we sometimes tend to feel overwhelmed in certain situations. This is the time you need to vent. Talk to a loved one , share your feelings, holding up all the negative thoughts is not necessary. We need to vent it out positively . Sharing with family and friends is the best way to vent yourself.

When we do all this, we learn to take responsibility for our actions. We learn to implement new ideas to bring about change that we seek . We no longer sit on the sidelines and whine, we take action. We become the change . We stop complaining . This brings about a positive outlook towards life , it improves our relationships . We get better at what we do .

Here is calvin”s view on complaining !!! Enjoy, because you can surely not complain about this . 

SWITCH OFF!!

The average person checks their phone every six and a half minutes – 200 times a day. One in four of us admits to spending longer online each day than we do asleep, while 73 per cent say that we would struggle to go the whole day without our phones or computers.

In this age of gadget obsession we are always stuck with some form of digital device around us . It is getting increasingly difficult for us to survive without internet and gadgets. Although this digital world has its benefits , dealing with it everyday is causing many mental and physical ailments that need proper attention . Sleep deprivation, insomnia , depression are some of its side effects .

In order to enjoy the benefits of gadgets and internet we need to take sometime off from them too . It is essential for good mental health that we enjoy the nature around us with undivided attention . This is what is called DIGITAL DETOX! We all have this constant urge to check our phones for latest messages,our Facebook page to see what is happening with our friends.This constant desire is killing our ability to imagine,analyse and judge.These are the three basic functions of a healthy mind .Hence comes the need to disconnect,disconnect from this digital world to restore and reboot our life .

Digital Detox should be planned in advance. Although it is difficult to stay away from our smartphones, pre planning the event helps to avoid any emergencies especially for working professionals. One can also plan a full family gadget detox so that the whole family is together in this and it is a good opportunity to enjoy quality time with each other. Couples can have their own digital detox time , it will surely rekindle lost romance and enlighten the spirits of love and caring . Children too need a day to disconnect from all the gadgets around them . Restricting their screen time for a day would enhance their awareness and imagination .

To stay away from our gadgets we need to find something which is equally addictive and will nourish our minds and body . Here are a few things one can do when he wants to disconnect to reconnect .

# Read a good book – Reading increases our power of imagination . Reading is also a relaxing activity . It gives our mind an opportunity to be in the present.

# Indulge in a hobby- One can take this time away from gadgets to paint,bake , write or any other hobby.

# Go for a long walk- Walking reenergises the mind and body . Fresh air revitalises.

# Planning the days ahead- When we disconnect from the digital world mind can think clearly. Take this opportunity to plan the next day or next week .

# Meditate- Digital detox  is a good opportunity to meditate . Meditation heals the mind and the body .

Sometime for us it is difficult to devote a whole day for this kind of detoxifying , to solve this problem we can take out a few hours where we involve ourselves in some form of leisure or learning activity  and during these hours we do not use any of our gadgets . Joining a hobby class, gardening , walking your dog these are a few examples where you can digitally detoxify for a few hours on a day to day basis .

And now my favourite part!! This is how Calvin and Hobbes simply do nothing to detoxify .

H2O…..

Staying hydrated is the best way one can detox their whole system . Water is the best and cheapest way to flush out toxins. Water makes 75% of our brain, 83% of our blood and 75% of our muscles too.It helps to carry nutrients and oxygen to each of the cells in the human body . Apart from this water also helps to cushion joints, loose weight, it promotes a healthy glowing skin , it helps to fight unwanted infections , it boosts energy and also prevents constipation .

The daily requirement of water for a grown adult is around 2-3 litres. But drinking water can become boring and monotonous . These are some ways we can make water interesting by infusing it with different healthy ingredients .

# FLAT TUMMY ALKALINE WATER:

Infuse purified water ( 1 lt ) with thinly sliced cucumber (7-8 slices), I lemon thinly slices and a few mint leaves . Let it stay infused for 30-40 mins . Then you can enjoy this water and it can be refilled around 3 times before discarding the ingredients. Cucumber is anti inflammatory and is full of B vitamins which boost energy . Lemon helps to strengthen the immune system and it also clears the digestive tract. Mint eases digestion . All this together with water helps in loosing weight faster .

#AYURVEDIC INFUSION :

Boil a litre of water and add cumin , coriander and fennel seeds ( half tsp of each) to bubbling water . Strain the boiled water and store it in a flask . Sip this throughout the day . This should be always be consumed warm or hot.

# FRUIT INFUSION:

Along with mint and cucumber we could also add a fruit of our choice to water. Kiwi, strawberries, oranges can be infused with water to make interesting infused drinks .

Lastly i would like to add that having warm water instead of cold or chilled water helps the body to detoxify easily. Warm water gets easily absorbed and it helps to flush out all the toxins from the body .Warm water also aids weight loss and soothes cramps and aches.

Here is a good one from Calvin ..just something to do with water!! Happy Hydrating to everyone .

The ultimate luxury & the absolute necessity.

Meditation is the ultimate luxury you can gift yourself, but in today’s time when stress catches you faster than your mind can perceive ,it is becoming the absolute necessity.

What is Meditation ?

The simplest definition of meditation would be a state of mind in the present. When we stop thinking about our past  or planning for our future we are meditating . A new born child is in the state of mediation . He is unknown to past and future , he cries when he is hungry and smiles when he is satisfied , this is meditation. You are just involved in your present .

How does one practice meditation ?

With our daily lives being so complex and demanding we are bound to get stressed at certain intervals hence the need for meditating arises. Meditation can be practiced in various ways,what works for me is the guided meditation format. There are very good guided meditation videos on youtube which one can follow , also the Art Of Living foundation has a app specifically dedicated to meditation called SATTVA , this app has worked wonders for my full family ,even my 8 year old son practices meditation with the help of this app.Adding the link for this app so that you guys can download it too .

Link to Sattva App

The benefits of meditation are manifold . A calm mind ,excellent concentration , improved perception , intelligent ideas , spur in creativity , mental healing , better skills all happen after meditation .It is a tool of mental hygiene.It cleanses and rejuvenates the mind and we can devote ourselves to our goals more effectively . Mediation helps to reduce stress considerably . i am a living example of this . After adopting meditation i have controlled my stress to a great extent. I no longer resort to self-apathy or victimhood . I have taken charge of my life and with the help of mediation and yoga i am becoming a better person every day .

Ending this with one of Calvin”s thoughts about life in general . Keep Meditating!!!!

Get into the zzzz.. mode.

Adequate sleep is a necessary ingredient for a overall healthy life. The best way to detox is to get a good night’s sleep. It is the easiest and cheapest way to relax and rejuvenate our bodies .

The benefits of a good sleep are multifold.

# The mind consolidates when we sleep. The skills that we learn when we are awake are refined and consolidated when we sleep thus helping us to learn better.So whatever is it that you are learning , maybe a new language or a new sport , proper sleeping habits will enhance your effectiveness in any skill.

# Apart from consolidating , the mind reorganises and restructures the memories too, this leads to creativity.So if it a new article that you have to write or a painting that you are completing ,a good night’s sleep will help you to do it better .

# A 2010 study found that C-reactive protein, which is associated with heart attack risk, was higher in people who got six or fewer hours of sleep a night. So proper sleep can save you from heart diseases and increase your chances of living more.

# Stress and sleep are closely related , sleep being the antidote . Enough sleep helps us to remain calm and composed which makes it easier to fight stress and depression.

# Weight control and maintaining a healthy weight can be achieved with adequate sleep .

Now that we know the many benefits of sleep , the question arises how do we sleep better. What are the things that can boost a better sleeping pattern . Here i am listing a few of them , but to each its own .

#Avoid coffee or any other caffeinated drink just before sleeping .

# Finish your dinner 2-3 hours before bedtime

# Have a cup of warm milk or chamomile tea before sleeping. Organic india has a deep sleep tea with no added caffeine,it works wonders for me . I sleep like a baby after drinking this.

   

# Reading a good book or listening to some soothing music can provide the necessary boosters for a good night’s sleep .

# Gadget detox before going to bed . As much as we are attracted to checking our phones for whatsapp or Facebook updates while in bed, this is the best way to hamper our sleep. So stay away from all your gadgets once you are in bed .

# Streching before sleeping also helps us to sleep better. We can perform some simple stretches on the bed itself . Like lying down and doing namaste with our feet .

# Lastly have happy thoughts before you go to bed .Think about the good things that happened during the day .

So happy sleeping guys …leaving you with calvin”s thoughts on sleep . Have a happy trip to slumber land all of you !!!

Weekend Wisdom!!!

Better days are coming ..they are called Saturday and Sunday!!!!

I like how my son treats his weekend .. he has no aims or targets , he just relaxes ..does his own thing .. the world bores him !!! He can just pretend to be bowling like a professional bowler without an actual ball .. he looks so happy and relaxed …and he does the same thing over 100 times with resounding joy and happiness !!!

I am going to do the same …i have my pointless things too!!! One of them are just looking at beautiful pictures on the world wide web ….i can go on and on .. pinterest and instagram are my pointless aimless things !! attaching a few for you to enjoy too !!!

Nature”s Smile !! this picture is so simple yet so captivating……

Rainy days!!! i just love the monsoons and rain on the weekend just adds to the magic!!

Well this makes me hungry and inspires me to bake over the weekend and indulge myself!!

I hope you guys have a pointless weekend too … Have fun !!

Inhale yoga !! Exhale stress!!

There is so much written and recorded about Yoga that it would be foolish of me to attempt at defining it anymore …Yoga- we all know so much about it , in fact from this year onwards we even have a day devoted to it , but the problem here is how many of us actually make it a part of our lives … i  am one of such kind … i know a lot ..i am aware of its benefits but till recently i never took it up seriously …Thanks to the ART of LIVING yoga class that i attended , i am trying on making it a habit just like any other of my daily chores.

I have come to a realisation that given our busy lives we will never actually have time for yoga , but the fact is it works backwards doing yoga actually gives us more time !!! 30-40 mins devoted to yoga every day can actually give us more energy for the rest of the day which means we complete our other tasks faster . Ayurveda says that our body works best closer to nature , so if we follow the sun and rise along with it then early morning is the best time for yoga .

Any form of yoga done with discipline has multifold benefits , the greatest of them being the ability to control our minds . Mind is a beautiful servant but a terrible master. The asanas performed during yoga help us to relax our body and mind . A relaxed mind stays calm and unaffected in any situation .

Most of the diseases these days are stress induced , I am the biggest example of this .. My anger and stress made me believe that i suffer from a variety of diseases …but after pursuing yoga for a few days i feel fit as a fiddle …Yoga is the ultimate stress buster … Stress is the biggest disease of today’s times and the only way out is Yoga ….all the other forms of exercise are just derived varieties ….all the zumba and pilates of the world is just a fad … Yoga is the real thing !!!

My experience with yoga is just magical …. I have to mention here my teacher Ms Richa Kanoria …her training coupled with my determination of not giving up this time is slowly showing signs of improvement in my really stressed out life …. like i said before i am a very negative person by nature …. i don’t accept criticism humbly …my anger totally controls me …. but the fact that i can accept all this here on a social platform is a proof enough that i am changing …. the process is slow … but it is happening !!!

Now for some facts !!!

# Pratice yoga in the morning time because our body has been rested with adequate sleep and is ready to accept challenges in the form of asanas !!!

# Yoga should be done in a clam environment preferable closer to nature !!

# Try to practice at the same time every day … this gives the body a routine.

# Yoga is a way of life !! it should not be restricted to the 30-40 mins of asana practice .. it should be a part of everything we do ..even something small like keeping our shoes properly in its place .

# Yoga is not a competition, even if you cannot touch your toes it is still yoga … the journey of the body from the top to the toes is yoga .

# Lastly go now and get a yoga mat !!  Deposit yourself everyday on it and enjoy the benefits !!

Enjoy Calvin”s yoga for now.

No more breakfast like a king !!

Digestion is a very important process for a healthy lifestyle..more than what we eat , how we digest influences our body , proper digestion can lead to a very healthy body and an equally healthy mind . So how can we assure that what we are eating is getting digested properly , few small changes in our routine can ensure this .

# Starting your day with water : As soon as we our out of bed the first thing we should do is to drink a glass of warm water . Cinnamon added to this will be more beneficial . Cinnamon is a natural mood enhancer and a odour cleanser . It has many more health benefits which will need a separate post dedicated to cinnamon.

#Clean Breakfast: By clean i mean a breakfast comprising of natural foods, not something that is artificially processed like cornflakes or readymade stuff. Anything like fruits or a freshly cooked indian breakfast of upma, poha, idlis  should be the first meal of our day.Breakfast is the time when we nourish our body after it has rested for a few hours hence a meal comprising natural and organic ingredients can rejuvenate the rested body and provide enough energy to start the day.

# Buttermilk : Have buttermilk at noon when the sun is at its highest point. This is a very important tip to improve one’s digestion. This tip was given to me by my yoga teacher and it really works wonders.Adding mint to your buttermilk can increase its benefits  by multifolds.

# Most important meal:Lunch should be the most important and the biggest meal of the day.So now have lunch like a king . Again the importance of fresh and natural home cooked meal holds true here too. At lunch time the digestive fire of the body is at its optimum hence having a big meal at lunchtime satiates this fire and helps to improve digestion .

#Dinner Time : Dinner should be the lightest meal . At this time our digestive fire is weaker so if we eat heavy meal we will have difficulty sleeping . Also an ideal time to eat is 2-3 hrs before bedtime , so that there is enough time for our food to get digested

# Milk:End your day with milk . Dates and cinnamon added to warm milk increase its efficacy. This will also act as a sleep tonic .

# Negative emotions : Our emotions affect our digestion , like when we are stressed we experience heartburns, we loose our appetite when we are sad and when we our happy even our tummy feels lighter …so its all related ..like Mr Bachchan says in his movie pike “Insaan ka emotion uske motion se juda hua hai ” … so we need to find a vent for all our negative emotions to have proper digestion

#Same time : As far as possible we need to have our meals at the same time every day …this gives our body a system … the digestive juices know when to be secreted and they are prepared to digest what we eat . So try and maintain an eating schedule .

And lastly we need to love our food …enjoy the process of eating …do not make eating times dull and mechanical… along with the food if we plan our place of eating , our company while eating  and also the plates and cutlery that we eat in , it all adds to the overall experience . So henceforth make very meal a celebration because everytime we eat its a chance to nourish our body and we should make the best of it .

“Laughter aids the digestion. You can eat a huge stew with your schoolmates and digest it with no bother at all, whereas you can get indigestion eating a leaf of lettuce in boring company.”

Leaving you guys with another one of Calvin’s profound thoughts …i hope you can digest this !!!!

Thought for food…

Ayurveda says “You are what you digest”.The simplest thing one can do to maintain a healthy body is to eat wisely , but with passing generations this simplest form of nature has undergone severe complexities.We have adopted a lifestyle where medicine overpowers food, forgetting the fact that if we eat right we will not need medicines .

Here are a few facts of Ayurveda that i am adopting in my lifestyle to improve my eating habits ;

# NATURALLY INTELLIGENT FOOD: Most of the food that is available at our grocery stores is  made of genetically modified ingredients  or grown with the use of harmful pesticides .These are storehouse of diseases . According to Ayurveda our body possesses the natural intelligence to process the food that is closest to nature . Basically we need to eat more Organic food , whole grains etc. Now the problem with this is usually the organic stuff is more expensive but we don’t always have to buy these off the fancy organic stores , one can visit their local farmer’s market and also there are many cheaper options available if  you look around properly.

# ACID-ALKALINE BALANCE; All the processed food that we eat these days is acidic in nature ,the use of pesticides in farming has made all our food acidic. Caffeniated drinks , sugary snacks etc all are acidic by nature.When your diet consists of mainly acidic type foods, the acid-alkaline balance is disturbed, having a detrimental effect on your health. Acidic fluids surround your body’s cells, causing headaches, fatigue and a weakened immune system, leaving you susceptible to colds and the flu. Alkaline foods support the health of your cells, which, according to a Natural Therapy Info article, are slightly higher in alkalinity. When illness occurs, your pH level drops below 7.0. If acidic levels continue to rise, lowering pH levels, your body is forced to burn alkaline sources to survive. The body doesn’t produce alkaline naturally, so eating a substantial amount of alkaline forming foods is crucial to help your body maintain a healthy acid alkaline balance. Now the question is what foods are alkaline, most fruits and vegetables are alkaline but should be organic in nature ,even citrus fruits though they are acidic turn alkaline while being digested . So eat cautiously.

#SOUL FOOD; Total health requires the well being of  both body and mind , Ayurveda states that the food that we eat can nourish and vitiate both these aspects. Cooking or eating when we are angry or stressed can turn our food into poison whereas the same done in a sattvic and harmonious atmosphere can turn our food into nectar. The nurturing company of family or friends during mealtimes can make our food more nourishing . Sometimes eating alone with all our focus on our food can turn a simple meal into a feast .

The conclusion here is take some time out , plan your meals, eat healthy nourishing food that will add to your total well being !!!

Here is Calvin”s idea of food , Enjoy !!!