Kick that pill!

Though I am a healthy person and manage my weight within limits, I had developed gestational hypertension 8 years ago and was taking medication. In 2013, got a health screening done rather accidentally at a camp in my housing society. The reading for blood sugar were slightly higher. This made me take a stock of my health. Thought to myself  that I was on medication for hypertension and if I started another one, I'd be stuck in medications and I wasn't even 40! Thought I really had to do something about it. I checked my BP regularly and it was always on the lower side of the normal with a low dose medication. I wondered if  I really needed the pill?  The next time I visited my doctor I shared my concerns with him. He said that it could be achieved but with lots of efforts and monitoring. So the efforts had to start and they had to start with me. I ensured that I did atleast 30 minutes of exercise everyday, watched my salt intake. With being a bit thoughtful and leading a healthy way of life. I was only on a maintenance dose. Then the doctor put me off the medicines gradually.

Around that time. I had to travel to Kerala doing a series of training programs. I came across an article in the newspaper on Hypertension and how the medicines were not the best solution for it. It also addressed the side effects of the medicines. I also discovered that May 17 was celebrated as World Hypertension Day. I can't recollect other details of the article but it did help me in understanding the condition. I researched on the topic to get more facts.  I made a promise to myself that I'd do ‘whatever it takes’ to kick the pill, I did that and for good! Its a lifestyle disease most of the times. If lifestyle can get it; making changes can drop it too, was my belief. Its been more than two years and I haven't taken the medicines for BP. Of course, I consulted my doctor.  Have made a few significant lifestyle changes, yoga has become a part of it in that quest. 
Let me share, all that I did in the pursuit of kicking the pill! Do check up the internet for more details, I have only mentioned what I have been doing. It'll be half the purpose served if it can motivate another person. Just like an article in the newspaper was an eye opener for me.
Tibetan Yoga
All thanks to my sister, she introduced me to the 5 Tibetan Rites. A quick form of yoga that I find great and doable. Morning 15 minutes are dedicated to The Five Tibetan as it is referred to. It should not be done without the doctor's consultation, if you are suffering from high blood pressure. Found it extremely good for overall health.

Watch salt intake
I am not too much into it, I eat the regular food but avoid anything that has excess salt such as pickles and papads, generally had with Indian food.
Garlic 
I take 2 pods of garlic first thing in the morning, with a glass of warm water. It is said that garlic helps controlling blood pressure.
Ginger
I take some crushed ginger in the form of tea before going to bed. Ginger too is considered helpful in controlling the blood pressure. 
I also walk for half an hour everyday. Do twenty minutes of yoga and deep breathing. This has helped me keep blood pressure under normal limits without any medication. Not only has it contributed in fulfilling my short term goal but also helped improve my overall health. Specially women in their mid 30's- 40's go through a lot of changes. This lifestyle will eradicate all those challenges, if not that, they'll make them bearable. I have experienced that. It helps greatly when you are aware of what you are eating, no need to actually go off certain foods and exercising 'moderation' to everything works. Its also a great idea to have a cup of green tea or may be just black. Above all, be hopeful and optimistic that it'll work for you. I am a very strong believer of that Hope! Placebo works.....

Stress is the biggest spoiler

Remember no one is incharge of your happiness, for that matter not even sorrow; except you! It is said that everyone works hard to make a happy life for himself not to create so much stress that one dies because of it. Stress is one of the main causes of lifestyle diseases. It needs to be under check always, if uncontrolled it spoils everything else that one has done for his health as well as personal and professional goals.
Each one of us is different and different things work for us. Be it on the health front, weight management, lifestyle perception or what works for us on the professional front.  Find out what works for you. It may take time but once understood you can have a lot under your control. That understanding is needed to create a great work life balance and a happy life! 

Keep walking, dancing and running your way to Health, Fitness, Wellness and Happiness!! 

PS pictures are taken from google for representational purpose, with due credits!

Patience is a virtue

Today I wish to focus on a very simple virtue; it’s not even a virtue but just a quality or a part of one’s behavior – Patience!

We are living in the times of instant gratification. The 2 minute, not just noodles but any food even butter chicken or parathas that only need to be micro waved and had. We are living in the Wi-Fi zones and the moment they grow weaker we get panicky. Our children need things as soon as they ask us. In fact most of us want it ‘yesterday’. Today is already late!

This need for instant gratification is playing havoc not only in our lives but also our internal systems. I see a lot of people getting into depression, the age for it becoming smaller and smaller. Even young children are getting affected. Unchecked it leads to behavioral disorders during the school and college days. Just imagine going through such attacks when one is just opening up to life; taking medication for the same. Not a pleasant experience at all.

As a mother I do notice how my children display impatience and have seen the same among student groups. Why separate young people its common among grownups too. I saw a couple break into a horrible fight at a public place the other day and the incident made me think. The lifestyle has a tremendous impact on our thoughts and behaviors. The biggest reason for such outbreaks I could feel is the lack of patience. We are impatient period! We just cannot wait, we have forgotten what the word actually means.

Patience is not just the ability to wait but it’s how we behave while we're waiting.

Life is all about loving, caring, sharing and waiting. This was all the part of the large families or joint families that we lived in. Patience was but natural as there was a demand for everything one wanted. Imagine the morning wait outside the bathroom, when we look back it does bring back some smiles but that did teach some big virtues too. Those life skills learned have such a strong impact on what we do with our lives as we grow up.

Even the happiest life cannot be without a measure of darkness. Would happiness have any meaning if it was not balanced by sadness? It is far better to take things as they come along with patience and calmness. The stress that we take over things not happening that moment is totally not worth it! All things are difficult before they actually become easy, isn’t it? Can patience be adhered to as a natural virtue?  By all means a big Yes!! Patience defines one’s attitude.

For anything worth having one must pay the price; and the price is always hard work, self discipline, sleepless nights, sacrifice and above all patience. It is simple but not easy. Simple things always manifest into great wisdom and sense of fulfillment. With these thoughts, I am certainly going to make patience a part of my life and inculcate the same in my children. Taking it then with my students, I can visualise the results already. It can certainly handle the stress, aggression, depression and many complexes that are so dominant these days. Let there be happiness around.

“He that can have patience can have what he will.” 
― Benjamin Franklin

From my column

PS: Pictures are taken from Google for illustrations, with due credits, if anyone has any objection, kindly let me know they'll be removed promptly.

Indian women are stressed....

A recent Nielsen survey of 6,500 women across 21 different nations, Indian women are the most stressed in the world today. An overwhelming 87% of Indian women said they felt stressed most of the time, and 82% reported that they had no time to relax.

The Nielsen survey's respondents blame the difficulty of juggling multiple roles at home and work. Career opportunities for women in "the New India" are rapidly expanding, but family expectations and social mores remain rooted in tradition.

                                  Reading this I thought of introspection. Certainly it is alarming…. Indian society has rules and its difficult to break from them. In fact the educated working woman is more stressed and of what I see I somehow agree with it so thought of checking out with my own set of friends (both males and females).

A friend responded, “Agree! Also, not to miss the stress of missing a train or a bus to work”. She lives in Mumbai where every waking moment is clockwork, especially for the working class.

I asked another friend what was her stress?

To which she replied, “I do get stressed when I try to be ideal in all roles... for some years now, I have given up being "ideal" and have started taking all roles as they come - no more of stress now - in some roles I guess I am doing really bad but I guess that is ok with me. I can’t change rules & expectations so changed myself :) ”

Another friend said, “Not true....life is not a competition at office or at home. Be what you are and do what you can. At the end when you fall sick nobody will be there to look after you other than your husband...... Count on your individuality because you have one life and if you think of living for others, then when are you going to live for yourself.....all the rankings as best wife, best daughter in law, best employee will not do much for yourself.... think of your health first and then live your life...

The friend says, “you said it right - the educated woman is more stressed because she knows too many things and tries to excel in everything. There were days when I have felt my maid servant has a better life than me - not anymore :) ”

I knew what she meant and I also know a lot of women who were on the same boat. But education does give one the logic to hold the strings and be in control of herself.

A professor friend (male) of mine reacted to the question, “Correct! May be more. In a seminar where they stressed on retraining of women teachers I had to argue that unless you change the social attitudes this is useless. A woman gets up at five in the morning, cooks breakfast and readies the children for school, leaves herself for school to teach, comes back and cooks lunch for the family, then teaches her children, home work etc, then evening tea, dinner and sleeps at 11pm.Besides other household chores to complete. If there are more members, more stress and more work. So please change this environment first and then talk of re-training etc. And this is just one example, what to say of lower middle class and the poor? After this there was absolute silence! ”

Another male friend  commented on the professor’s remark, “I agree to the latter part of your statement , but I think they are capable of handling both home and work.”

Now only the males are discussing the issue. Another one chips in

“when we were growing up there was a lot of talk about women empowerment and how they should have freedom to work and I tended to agree. But now I realize women in India have to juggle 2 jobs. They are always full time house wife, this job profile never leaves them and additionally they have to work to provide additional income. It is less of a choice then a matter of necessity. Two jobs mean double the stress no wonder 80% of them are stressed. Now I think our traditional set up was better suited to provide better support. Government  is doing something good in this regard as it gives 2 yrs of paid rest to working mothers”.

To this one more friend commented, “ Working for money is the woman's choice. She is never forced to work. Today's so called 'liberated women' find it compulsory to work to prove something. (exceptions exist for every rule) What has happened is that you tend to find your identity in your job. Go back to your natural roles as the homemakers and you will find that though you have lesser 'say' in the marriage, you have a more fulfilling life: stress free! (provided you can recognise that the man respects you as much for your contribution in his family)

Now turn for my female friends

One says, “Its true and thats the challenge every woman takes and comes out as a winner. You are the creator of your own destiny..and everyone should be thinking they are individuals without gender bais....if we want to work let us work and find space for others happiness if we have committed our lives to those people be it our parents , our family... Stop complaining and being worried!!!! “

A college friend of mine shared her views, “Wow...so many comments! My two cents worth... I felt exactly like you said till a few years ago when I gave up trying to be the 'ideal' anything! I am happy to be who I am, with my strengths and 'non' strengths! I now do what gets me happiness in the time that I have! Only a happy me can spread happiness! It works for me and my family and that's what matters!”

To this comes the guy who didn’t somehow support the study, “Why does nobody consider what stress the man has to go through? I feel today's educated husbands are going through more stress than women! ”

No one is denying that, but women have always been on the receiving end ,for centuries.

He adds, “I agree...but it may be the case of 'crying baby gets the milk'...men never complained...today's husband to wife -father to child (combined with the huge task of providing a roof) is a BIG job profile!

BTW, I think I and  Prof. are definitely comparing different types of wives. I've seen wives/mothers who get up at 8am since they insist on their beauty sleep, supervise the servants who come to wash clothes, cook breakfast, dust & clean the house, wash the utensils. Later they supervise the nanny who looks after their child. They make the effort to call up the driver, ensure that the car is cleaned properly, go to office. When these 'abala naaris' return from office, they make the effort to halt at the market on the way and buy food of their own choice. (The husband has already given up trying to suggest menu) The cook prepares dinner while the children return home from their playground/tuitions with the nanny... STOP this gender discrimination! Everybody can be stressed regrdless of age, sex etc.”

A study might show that men are 100 % stressed, but that won’t change the thing for women. The discussion really got interesting so I thought of sharing it on a larger platform and feature it on my blog!

I am not a feminist I believe in equality, May be my traditional upbringing has made be more like my mom and mom in law who, to me are ideal in every role that they have played. I have the additional urge to have a career and I am able to do so with the help of these two women. I can never measure up to them but I am happy who I am. Everyone is important including "Me"...