BIG BENEFITS ARE SEEN FROM EATING LESS SALT

By Pam Belluck

New York Times

January 20, 2010

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/21/health/nutrition/21salt.html

In a report that may bolster public policy efforts to get Americans to reduce the amount of salt in their diets, scientists writing in The New England Journal of Medicine conclude that lowering the amount of salt people eat by even a small amount could reduce cases of heart disease, stroke and heart attacks as much as reductions in smoking, obesity and cholesterol levels.

Tantra Yoga is usually misinterpreted in todays world. Here, one researcher investigated this subject and interviewed one worker of Ananda Marga. '

1. Would you please tell me your age and how you became a senior monk in Ananda Marga?

The answers given here are by necessity short. They scratch the surface of a profound and complex issue. The readers are encouraged to refer to works of Shrii Shrii Anandamurtijii for elaboration of different concepts.

Q 1: What Is?

Drinking beetroot juice boosts stamina and could help people exercise for up to 16% longer, a UK study suggests.

A University of Exeter team found nitrate contained in the vegetable leads to a reduction in oxygen uptake - making exercise less tiring.

The small Journal of Applied Physiology study suggests the effect is greater than that which can be achieved by regular training.

Beetroot juice has previously been shown to reduce blood pressure.

“ We were amazed by the effects of beetroot juice ” Professor Andy Jones University of Exeter

http://www.familyhealthguide.co.uk/meditation-switches-on-disease-fighting genes.html

Researchers attribute these changes to a phenomenon they call the ŒRelaxation Effect.¹ The researchers compared the genetic profile of individuals who were long-term practitioners of relaxation methods such as yoga and meditation to a control group of individuals who were not relaxation practitioners.

More than 20 years of empirical studies offers strong evidence that meditative and contemplative practices can aid in relieving the acute symptoms of fatigue and burnout, including depression and anxiety, and physiological symptoms such as insomnia and a weakened immune system. Additionally, these practices help to cultivate cognitive and physiological capacities that support overall well-being and strengthen the resiliency of care providers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnxcOYVzQTw . Yoga for the Brain includes certain exercises that exercise the left and the right brain. Some of these exercises are used for autistic children with good results. In India, some of these exercises were used as punishment tactic also.

PSYCHIATRISTS REVISE THE BOOK OF HUMAN TROUBLES

By Benedict Carey

New York Times

December 18, 2008

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/18/health/18psych.html

The book is at least three years away from publication, but it is already stirring bitter debates over a new set of possible psychiatric disorders.

Yoga and Ecology: Why Yogis Eat Carrots Rather Than Cows

By Roar Ramesh Bjonnes

To live a life according to the wisdom of ecology is the most urgent task for humanity today. What can the philosophy of yoga contribute to this critical challenge? How can we develop an environmental ethics according to yogic principles? What would a sustainable ethics based on yoga look like?

Mind in Nature

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/mark_bittman_on_what_s_wrong_with_wha...

In this fiery and funny talk, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman weighs in on what's wrong with the way we eat now (too much meat, too few plants; too much fast food, too little home cooking), and why it's putting the entire planet at risk. But we need to go a step further and further say: What is wrong with eating meat? Further, why sentient food is the best for yogiis and non-yogiis alike.

The Relative Efficacy of Concentration and Suppression Strategies of Mental Control

Richard M. Wenzlaff

The University of Texas at San Antonio

Danielle E. Bates

The University of Texas at San Antonio

Shri Shri P.R. Sarkar founded the Samskrta Vidyapiitha at Anandanagar, India. It was his great hope that Samskrta language should be studied and propogated due to its rich history and cultural legacy. Through his works such as Ananda Sutram, Shabda Cayanika and Prabhat Samgiita, he has further enriched this classical language. He also gave directions for Roman Samskrta so that Samskrta can be easily written in Roman script and does not have to rely on Devana'gari script.

People commonly perceive death as being a moment — you're either dead or you're alive. And that's a social definition we have. But the clinical definition we use is when the heart stops beating, the lungs stop working, and as a consequence the brain itself stops working. When doctors shine a light into someone's pupil, it's to demonstrate that there is no reflex present. The eye reflex is mediated by the brain stem, and that's the area that keeps us alive; if that doesn't work, then that means that the brain itself isn't working.

US scientists found that sulforapane increases the activity of the NRF2 gene in human lung cells which protects cells from damage caused by toxins. The same broccoli compound was recently found to be protective against damage to blood vessels caused by diabetes. Brassica vegetables such as broccoli have also been linked to a lower risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Cell pollutants

In the latest study, a team from John Hopkins School of Medicine found significantly lower activity of the NRF2 gene in smokers with advanced COPD.

Vitamin E can be found in foods including wheat germ, soya, nuts, seeds, olives, and green leafy vegetables such as spinach and asparagus. Scientists have been examining the role vitamin E may play in preventing or treating certain health conditions including cancer and heart disease. But some research has indicated very high amounts of vitamin E can be harmful, raising one's overall risk of death. The UK's Food Standards Agency recommends that men should eat a healthy, balanced diet containing 4mg of vitamin E a day. For women the figure is 3mg a day.