PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXION

I am currently taking a course at USci called Health and Wellness. Now the only reason that I picked this class is to fullfill my requirements for my Minor in Exercise Science and Wellness Management. With that said, I am quite glad that I did pick this class. It is a nice change of pace. Instead of focusing on traditional medicine, it takes an alternate or holistic approach. Instead of taking pills for a cold, we learned to use a device called a Neti Pot (basically, you use a mini teapot to pour saltwater up your nose). The Neti pot, to my suprise, actually did work. The warm saltwater enters your nasal sinus and clears out the unwanted "gook" in there.

     Each and every week we are trying different approaches in Contemporary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). Last week, we tried a stress relieving technique called Progressive Muscle Relaxion. If this sounds familiar, it is. We talked about it in the section dedicated to "Stress" in class. Progressive Muscle Relaxtion is kind of  like giving yourself a massage, kind of. The premise behind PMR is that you tense up a specific muscle group and hold it for several seconds. As you release the tension, you're ultimately relaxing your muscles at a deeper level. I have been trying this technique for a week or so now, and it really does work. I am not saying that it compares to a nice deep massage, but when you dont have time for that or someone willing to give you one it is a nice alternative. Here is a quick guidline to PMR as described on about.com:

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: 5 Minutes

Here's How:

1. After finding a quiet place and several free minutes to practice progressive muscle relaxation, sit or lie down and make yourself comfortable.
2. Begin by tensing all the muscles in your face. Make a tight grimace, close your eyes as tightly as possible, clench your teeth, even move your ears up if you can. Hold this for the count of eight as you inhale.
3. Now exhale and relax completely. Let your face go completely lax, as though you were sleeping. Feel the tension seep from your facial muscles, and enjoy the feeling.
4. Next, completely tense your neck and shoulders, again inhaling and counting to eight. Then exhale and relax.
5. Continue down your body, repeating the procedure with the following muscle groups:
   • chest
   • abdomen
   • entire right arm
   • right forearm and hand (making a fist)
   • right hand
   • entire left arm
   • left forearm and hand (again, making a fist)
   • left hand
   • buttocks
   • entire right leg
   • lower right leg and foot
   • right foot
   • entire left leg
   • lower left leg and foot
   • left foot
6. for the shortened version, which includes just four main muscle groups:
   • face
   • neck, shoulders and arms
   • abdomen and chest
   • buttocks, legs and feet
   Quickly focusing on each group one after the other, with practice you can relax your body like ‘liquid relaxation’ poured on your head and it flowed down and completely covered you. You can use progressive muscle relaxation to quickly de-stress any time.

What You Need:

• A comfortable place.
• Some privacy.
• A few minutes.

PMR on about.com



If you are interested, here are two YouTube videos I found quite interesting (especially the neti pot video):
Enjoy!
PMR Video

Neti Pot Video


-Ryan

Delicious Shahi Khichuri ( A yummy rice preparation from Bengal)

I am back and thanks to all of you for all your love and best wishes. Durga Puja is a traditional festival and a part of our culture , though it is a religious festival but the good part of this festival is that it has broken all the religious boundaries and enjoyed by everybody irrespective of their caste, creed, religion and economic status. This festival is the perfect example of unity in diversity. Now days it has taken a from of carnival and the creative effort that is added to this festival is making it world famous and a major tourist attraction. So any of you want to visit India this part of the year don’t miss Kolkata and it’s Durga puja, I am sure you will take back home bundle of colorful memories.
The colage above will give you a short synopsis of the festival and rest is written in words below.
The festival which is to declare the win of Goodness and Godness over the power of evil, last for five days starting in the sixth day( sashti) of the lunar calendar and end on the tenth day(Dasahami).In this five days Mother God is worshipped with perfect traditional rituals. Some of the important feature of this festival are the beats of dhak , Durga Puja is incomplete without the maddening beats of dhak , a large drum that is played by two thin stick which the dhaki (drumer) hang around their neck and play those enchanting beats that are enough to conjure up the sights and smells of Durga Puja. Sandhi Puja is an important ritual performed during evening at the juncture of Ashtami (eighth day) and Navami(ninthday). The goddess is worshipped with 108 lotus flowers, red hibiscus flowers, wood apple leaves and vermilion. A 108 earthen lamps are lighted to mark the end of the puja.After that Dhunuchi nritya' or ‘the dance with effervescent smoke' which is a traditional dance form Bengal, is performed in front of the idol of the Goddess Durga to the sound of dhak both young men and women participate in this and some places participant are awarded with lots of prizes according to the excellence of their performance. On the ninethday (Navami) various delicious vegeterian dishes is prepared for the  Ma Durga called bhoga and then this is distributed among the people as Prasad. This include shahi Khichuri ( a delicious rice preparation) with fried eggplant and potato with spicy mixed vegetable(labra tardkari) and mango chatni and payas (sweet dessert made with rice and milk). On the tenthday (Dashami) Bengali married women go to worship the Goddess and pray for happiness all the year through and share vermilion (sindoor),among themselves as well as with Ma Durga this ritual is called Sindoor Khela. And on the evening of the tenth day is Visarjan (immersion ceremony), Goddess Durga’s idol is mmersed in the holy river Ganges , Durga Visarjan is the most eye-catching event where the celebrations conclude with a bang.After that happy free hug ( Kolakuli) is exchanged between each other and everyone have rosogolla( melt in mouth tofu balls dipped in simple syrup) to wait for another year with this sweet memory and blessing of Goddess Ma Durga.
It’s hard to describe such festival in such few words but I try my best to give you a brief essence of the whole festival I hope you will enjoy reading.

Today I want to share with you a very delicious, easy and healthy dish that is served during this festival . This is shahi khichuri a fragrant subtle preparation pepped up by a number of side dishes. The finished khichuri smells awesome and taste incredible.
Ingredients:

Basmati Rice    150 gram
Whole mung  bean dal  (without skin)  100 gram
Bengal gram dal    50 gram
Whole red chilly  2
Cardamom       2 whole
Cinnamon         1 inch stick
Clove                 2 
Tomato            1 big chunks
Carrot                1  big chunks
Potato                 1 big chunks
Peas                   1/2  cup
Cauliflower          6 big florets
Cumin seed        1/4  tea spoon
Turmeric powder  1/4  teaspoon
Chilly powder         1/4  teaspoon 
Cumin powder       1/4 tea spoon
Coriander powder   1/4  tea spoon
Salt                          to taste
Sugar                       1 tea spoon
Fresh coriander leaves   1/2  cup  coarsely chopped
Mix  raisin , cashew , almond, coconut  finely sliced    1/2 cup lightly fried
Graram masala    1/2  tea spoon ( whole -black pepper 2, clove 1, cardamom 1,cinnamon 1/4  inch dry roast them together then gind into fine powder)
Clarified  butter    1 table spoon
Soya or vegetable oil   3 table spoon
 Water      2   glass 

Procedure:
Cut and wash all the vegetable. Mix all the dal and rice and wash it. Heat oil in a pan and then break the whole red chilly little bit add it with whole cardamom, cinnamon and cumin seeds. When they start to crack add all the spices and tomatoes , vegetables , rice, daal , salt mix well and then pour two glass of water. Mix well. Put the lid and let it cook for 10 to 12 minutes or till the rice and dal are well cooked. Then add sugar ,chopped coriander, gram masala powder , fried coconut, cashew and raisin and at last a sprinkle a spoon full of clarified butter. (Instead of red chilly powder you can use black pepper and for clarified butter you can use butter but that will not give you the exact flavor and taste that I want to share with you.) Mix well. Your delicious pure vegetarian delicious khichuri is ready. This is a whole meal you can have it for lunch and dinner with fried eggplant or potato  or simply relish this Indian delicacy. Though the list of ingredient is bit long but once your prepared it is just few minutes job. I hope you will love it.

Cherish the music of Dhak , if you like just leave a comment may be your best wish vibes reach and inspire a  a drummer far away whom you will never meet-


Be Happy And Stay Healthy.
indiafoodandtravelguide.com –image source kchidri


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Postseason Baseball : The Most Stressful Time of the Year

    Anyone who knows me, or knows of me, knows that I am a diehard Phillies fan. I was there for the hard times of the late 90's, and I was there in the front row of Championship Parade down Broad Street. I eat, sleep and live baseball. I think it is the greatest game ever invented. I know some people don't share the same enthusiasm as I do. They find it hard to see excitement in such a slow paced sport. Now with that said, I know I am going to get a lot of funny looks when I say: "For me, there is nothing more stressful and nerve racking than watching the Phillies in Red October."

   At the middle and end of every semester here at USciences, students are (for the most part) required to take midterms and finals for each of their classes. That means late nights trying to recall all the information you crammed in your brain for the first time. That means reviewing dozens of pages of notes and slides, half of which you can't even find. That right there is probably what most people consider the most stressful time of the year. I don't. An exam or a project, you can control that. You can control the outcome of the exam and what grade you are going to get. I was never one to worry the night before a test. As long as I put the effort in, I knew I would be just fine. Watching the Phillies in the post season- that is something you can not control. You can't control how well the three headed monster of Halladay, Hamels, and Oswalt (also known as H20-funny because I go to a science school) will pitch. You can't control how well Utely, Howard and Ibanez are going to hit against Lefties. Instead, you have to sit there and wait. Wait for every pitch, every swing, and every out.

   From the second I wake up in the morning of a playoff game I start feeling stressed and worried. Hundreds of scenarios run through my head during the entire day. The good, the bad, the ugly... its all in there.  As for the wait for the start of the game- torture! The clock seems to stand still, not moving a single degree around the circle. By the time the game actually starts, my nerves are shot. My heart is beating at a marthon pace and my legs start to bounce up and down ( I have the worst case of the "jimmy legs" during games) uncontollably. After the game, I am emotionally, mentally and physically exhausted. If the Phillies win, I sleep like a baby. If they lose, look out!

   Now you may ask "why, why are you writing about this." Here at USci, there is not a semester that goes by that you don't do some sort of research project. Research is an important learning tool at this University. With that said, I think it would be really cool to do research on the effects on the body while watching a playoff game. I am certain that I would find something! Before my time is done here at Usci, I will do a research project on this, even if I have to do it on my self! Thanks for listening to my rant, and GO PHILLIES!!!!


- Ryan

Is shellfish as healthy as regular fish?

Is shellfish as healthy as regular fish?

Dr Pia Martin DC.CCN

In general, fish (such as baked salmon) is a very healthy food choice. All that protein. Those omega-3 fats. But is the same true for shellfish such as lobster, shrimp, or clams?

To answer that question, we turned to the Department of Agriculture's nutrient database. The nutrient database is easy to use, and free, but you are limited to the foods and the nutrients that the agriculture department has decided to include. Also, for ease of comparison, we chose to standardize all the amounts to 3 ounces (85 grams), which is smaller than a realistic serving size for many seafood.

Omega-3s and shellfish

So what did we find? If you're eating cold-water fish like salmon because of the omega-3s, then shellfish may not be a great substitute. Lobster contains very few omega-3s, and shrimp and clams are pretty modest contributors. Calamari, blue crab, and oysters have about a fourth of the omega-3 content of salmon, or about as much as a fish like flounder. A medium-size, 6-ounce serving would give you a gram of omega-3s, which isn't bad at all.

What about protein?

If you're looking for protein, then you'll do all right at the clam shack or lobster bake. Ounce for ounce, they're pretty much in the same neighborhood as salmon (clams are a bit on the low side). But if you are really serious about protein, eat some octopus. It has more protein than the 10 species of fish we checked out in the nutrient database.

Cholesterol

Saturated fat has a bigger effect on our blood cholesterol levels than the cholesterol we eat. Clams, crab, mussels, and oysters—they may lower cholesterol levels a little bit, partly because they contain compounds called sterols that interfere with the absorption of cholesterol.

Calorie counting

Naturally, the calorie count goes up for anything that's breaded and fried. Aside from that, though, most shellfish are low in calories.

Nutritional curiosities

There are some nutritional curiosities among the shellfish. Oysters are perhaps the best food source of zinc you can find. Clams contain a lot of iron and vitamin B₁₂. And crustaceans are champion suppliers of choline, an obscure nutrient that accelerates the synthesis of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter important in memory and muscle control.

Toxins

There are other issues with shellfish besides nutritional pros and cons. Toxins can be a problem.

About 30 cases of poisoning by marine toxins (shellfish and finfish combined) are reported each year in the United States, and it's possible that many minor cases go unreported. A death occurs, on average, every four years. Still, getting sick from toxin-laden shellfish is a rare event. You should, though, keep an eye out for health advisories about red tides and other toxin-generating "blooms" and eat accordingly.

Allergies

People also get sick from eating shellfish because of allergies. About 2% of adult Americans are believed to have food allergies, and allergies to shellfish are among the most common. The reactions vary, but they tend to be on the severe side. There are case reports in the medical journals of shellfish causing anaphylactic shock and even a small number of deaths.

Some people are allergic to lobster, shrimp, and other crustaceans, but not to the molluscan shellfish, and the other way around. But there's also considerable overlap. As a practical matter, people who are allergic to one type of shellfish are usually told to avoid them all.

Last but no least.... enjoy shellfish, however for more nutritional bang for the buck enjoy the following: salmon,sardines, herring, and black cod.

My best

Dr Pia

Dr Pia Martin DC CCN

cempia1996@aol.com

http://www.cre8wellness.com

http://www.ncwcenter.com

ph 760 632 1134

Top 15 Reasons Why People Do Code Pink Boot Camp

Top 15 Reasons Why People Do Code Pink Boot Camp

1. It doesn't matter what you look like or what kind of shape you are in to get started
2. It is just for women
3. Everyone works at their own level and no one is left behind or waiting on someone
4. There is a lot of motivation and support from the trainer and the other ladies in the group
5. When commitment and dedication is applied serious results happen
6. It is different everyday so it is always exciting
7. The entire body is worked via strength training, cardio and stretching
8. The staff is helpful and accommodating
9. The boot camp trainers are knowledgeable, supportive and encouraging
10. Weight loss up to 12 lbs. can happen in one month
11. Fat loss of 5% or more can happen in one month
12. Muscles are defined
13. More energy is gained

If there is a reason or two that might motivate someone into becoming a Code Pink Boot Camper, please share this email with them. Next session begins this Monday, Oct. 18th. This is such an invigorating time of year for outdoor workouts! Registration and Auto-Debit options are now available at www.CodePinkBootcamp.com

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1. Lots of fun
2. Can make new friends

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Celebrating Durga Puja

Devi Durga

This is our  most beautiful Mother God Maa Durga we worship for health, wealth and prosperity.
The most auspicious festival that we celebrate in this part of the globe is on. I don’t know that you have heard about it or not but this is the time when we worship Mother God as Devi Durga. All Bengalis all over the world celebrate this special occasion. And in our city this is the carnival time with lots of color lights, glamour, glitz and of course delicious tasty yummy foods. I am busy for this preparation so I am bit late for this post. In my coming post I will share some good festive stories but it will be after a short break because I will be enjoying this once in a year grand festival with my family and friends. But while I enjoy Durga Puja you enjoy this lovely quick to make delicious healthy Chinese egg preparation Foo Yong.

Ingredients:

Egg    4 
Green chilly    1 to 2 chopped
Onion       1 chopped
Garlic        2 clove chopped
Yellow and Red bell pepper   1/4  cup chopped
Shrimp       4 to 6 ( deveined)
Chicken small cube   4 to 6 (optional)
Spring onion    1 teaspoon (finely chopped)
Grated coconut   1 teaspoon  (optional)
Fresh coriander    1 table spoon (finely chopped)
Sugar     2 pinch
Salt and pepper according to taste

Procedure:
Take a big bowl now beat the eggs with a pinch of salt. Now add all the above ingredients. Mix well. Adjust seasoning. Now take another bowl brush it with any vegetable oil and then pour the whole mixture in it. Then steam this whole mixture in your steamer for 10 minutes or till done. (Traditionally Foo Yong  is a fried dish but to make it healthy I tried the steam version.) You are ready to relish another delicious healthy dish.As I have to do lots of shopping and pack gifts for friends and family I have very less time to spend in kitchen so such easy tasty dish is appropriate for such time. Have it with bread for lunch or dinner and your are done with a guilt free filler.

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

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Hydroxycut : The not so miracle weight loss drug

   Now before I get started on this week's blog, I want everyone to know that this particular blog is not about me. I know when a story starts out with " I know someone who" or " I know a friend that", 9/10 times the story is really about the one who is telling the story. I assure you, this one is not.

   I recently was over a friend's house and we were playing XBox in his room. Out in the open, I saw a "HydroxyCut" pill bottle. My friend is by no means extremely overweight or fat. He does however, have self esteem issues. He was skinny pretty much his whole life and he fell victim to the "freshmen 15" and then some. This totally caught me off gaurd because I did not see him as the type of person to take diet pills. After talking to him, it was apparent that he knew nothing about the dangers of Hydroxycut and other weight loss supplements. I told him that there was even a recall of the product in certain pharmacies and Vitamin shops (going to USP, it is impossible not to know about every drug recall that happens). Now I am not the type of person to take pills, for any reason what so ever. I rarely take asprin for headaches, and my mom has to force antibiotics down my throat. There is no way I would take Hydroxycut to start with, but after doing some research I most certainly wouldn't take the chance.

   I had mentioned earlier that there was a huge recall of Hydroxycut from drugstore shelves. It turns out, "following 23 reports of serious Hydroxycut-related injuries, on May 1, 2009, Ioavte in along with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a nationwide recall of 14 Hydroxcut products". To me that seems like an extremely large number. After reading the major and minor side effects, it is a complete mystery to me how this (and products like it) can be on the shelves. Below are just some of the dangerous side effects that I found in my research:

Among the serious dangers of Hydroxycut diet pills and other recalled Hydroxycut products are:

• cardiovascular disorders
• liver damage
• rhabdomyolysis (a rare condition in which muscle deterioration can lead to kidney failure)
• seizures

Such Hydroxycut dangers may be indicated by the following symptoms:

• abdominal pain
• brown urine
• extreme weakness and fatigue
• itchiness
• jaundice
• light-colored feces
• loss of appetite
• loss of consciousness
• nausea and/or vomiting
• palpitations
• tremors

   This week's blog is for anyone and everyone who has ever is taking or thought of taking Hydroxycut. Guy's, it is just not worth the risk. If you are really serious about weight-loss, do it the old fashioned way. Get on a diet and exercise plan and stick to it. Hydroxycut is just a lazy shortcut, that in the end WILL do more harm then good. Look in the everyday and feel good about yourself. If there is something you don't like, then go out and change it! Just do it the right way. What you put in is what you will get back. I hope this blog helps!

- Ryan