how to be healthy & successful -a presentation at the sales kick-off

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How to be Healthy & Successful

ByShashi Ullal

February 10, 2007

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• Most of the time, we tell our body to shut up, instead of listening to it.

• In fact, we pride ourselves on how we abuse our body; we gloat on how much we can drink, how late we can party, how hard we can work, & how badly we can treat ourselves & our body.

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• No wonder, we need more food to stop feeling hungry, more drugs to overcome illnesses, more wine to get drunk, more air-conditioning to feel comfortable &, more TV to stop feeling bored!.

• Our body has tremendous intelligence, built over 600 million years of evolution, as a living being.

• Most of our body activity, is controlled by the autonomous nervous system, that takes care of us, with no inputs from us, consciously.

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• Breathing, digesting, maintaining our balance or, even regulating our sleep & waking cycles, happen by themselves.

• This is the miracle body of intelligence!

• Every cell in our body is gifted with intelligence, to carry out its own functions & to coordinate with the functions, of the related cells.

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• People who can get along with others, are invariably more successful, in both their personal & professional lives.

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• The feel-good factor (Endorphin), is Nature’s high with no adverse effect.

• However,unhappy people release a stress factor (Cortisol), which sucks away stamina, cripples immune systems & deteriorates the functioning, of the brain.

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• In this internal environment, the body works at a low efficiency, leading to more setbacks & frustration.

• A host of stress-related syndromes develop, like Diabetes, Backache & Ulcerative Colitis.

• Advice on stress reduction is useless, unless emotional needs, relationships, career paths & attitudes, are taken into consideration.

• Medical treatment may be unsuccessful, unless we identify & treat, emotional causes as well.

• We build our competencies of emotional recognition & regulation, on EI

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• A Rich Man’s Best Friend is Health”…

---Paul Johnson, in Forbes Asia of 10/10/05 .• You may be the richest man in the world; you

may be the most powerful man in the world; but if you lose your good health, YOU WILL BE THE MOST MISERABLE MAN IN THE WORLD!

• So, look after your health!

-- Lord Beaverbrook (the greatest British press baron of his generation)

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How to be Healthy & Successful(The consequences of not taking care of your Physical & Mental Health)

1. This is what happened to some of the wealthiest people in the world!

2. Charles Schwab, President of the largest steel company, DIED BANKRUPT, after living on borrowed capital, for five years.

3. Howard Hubson, President of the largest gas company, WENT INSANE.

4. Arthur Cutton, one of the greatest commodity traders, WENT INSOLVENT.

5. Richard Whitney, President of NYSE,WENT TO JAIL.6. Albert Fall, a MEMBER of the U.S. PRESIDENT’s

Cabinet, was PARDONED from JAIL, to go home & die in peace.

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6. Jessie Livermore, the greatest bear on Wall Street COMMITTED SUICIDE.

7. Ivar Kreuger, President of the world’s greatest monopoly, COMMITTED SUICIDE.

8. Leon Fraser, President of the Bank of International Settlement, also COMMITTED SUICIDE.

• From: “You Can Win”

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What MONEY CAN & CAN’T BUY:• Amusements, but NOT HAPPINESS.• A bed, but NOT SLEEP.• Books, but NOT WISDOM.• A clock, but NOT MORE TIME.• Companions, but NOT FRIENDS.• Finery, but NOT BEAUTY.• Food, but NOT APPETITE.• A house, but NOT a HOME.• Medicines, but NOT HEALTH.• A ring, but NOT LOVE.• From: “You Can Win.

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• Depression is caused by an imbalance in the brain chemicals.

• It seriously hampers executive effectiveness.

• The chemical is SEROTONIN,a low level of which causes depression.

• Any company with a large staff, suffering from undiagnosed depression, is headed for trouble.

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• As workplace stress rises, so does the incidence of depression.

• Drugs have been introduced to boost Serotonin levels (Prozac, by Eli Lilly), but the most desirable solution, is to change one’s lifestyle.

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• The National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health USA, finds that stress related ailments cost the companies about $200 billion/pa, in increased absenteeism, tardiness & loss of trained workers

• 70—90% of employee hospital visits are linked to stress.

• Stress is pretty much the No:1 health problem in the workplace…..Eric Biscamp, co-founder, Work-life Seminars, Dallas, USA

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• A report prepared by the prestigious Harvard Medical School—”Stress Management: Techniques for Preventing & Easing Stress”, noted that:

• Stress has been linked to physical problems like heart attack, stroke, gastro-intestinal problems & asthma.

• It has also been linked to emotional problems like depression, anxiety & an inability to enjoy life.

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• Harvard Medical School……• A relaxation response, the opposite of stress response, is a state of

profound rest & release.• A number of physiological changes occur during the relaxation

response, the report said.• Exercise & meditation help in erasing the cumulative effects of

stress, though, meditation is the only way to elicit the relaxation response.

• Other methods include deep breathing, yoga, tai-chi & repetitive prayer

• The report recommends practising meditation once or twice a day, for a total of 10 to 20 minutes .

• “Evidence suggests, the more often a person practises these techniques, the better the outcome.”

• --The DNA of 18/02/07

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• In a recent survey by Health India, an NGO, across 8 cities of Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Kolkata & Mumbai, revealed that one out of two Indians, is a victim of back pain!

• Mumbai is the worst hit, with a 56% incidence, followed closely, by Chennai (54%) & Kolkata (52%).

• Delhi with 51%, Ahmedabad with 49%, Hyderabad with 48%, Lucknow with 47% & Bhopal with 45% were the other findings.

• 90% of the back pain patients are professionals with jobs that involve sitting, for long periods, putting the spine under maximum stress.

• 10% are victims of stress.• Alcoholism, smoking & coffee —all of which cause calcium depletion

from bones, often act as additional contributory factors, say doctors from the AIIMS.

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• Back pain, the causes……1. 87% of the respondents said: Long & tiring commuting.2. 67% said they sit in front of a computer, for 2-5 hours a

day.3. 55% said they used a computer for up to 8 hours a

day.4. Of those who reporting back problem due to

transportation,34.5% said they used public transportation &, another 34.2% said they commuted on two wheelers.

5. Only 16.6% said they had problems like arthritis or, had hurt themselves in the course of faulty workouts.

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• From: The DNA of 08/04/07— “Watch Your Back.”

• Doctors say about 90% of all back problems can be cured with treatment.

• But about 7-10% degenerate into chronic lower back pain.

• A decade ago, sales people, who were on their feet all day & labourers, who did heavy lifting, were thought to have back problems.

• Today, we’ve discovered that prolonged sitting is actually worse.

• So, everyone, from youngsters in colleges & call centres to office-goers to commuters, are at risk.

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• Back pain, Dos & Don’ts……• When lifting heavy objects, bend your knees,

instead of your back.• This way, you reduce the stress on your back.• Prolonged sitting in one position, is a back

hazard, you may not suspect.• Lumbar support & periodic breaks, to move

around, are essential.

• From “The Times of India” Mumbai,of 07/02/07

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• Back pain, Dos & Don’ts……• Sleep on a comfortable bed & non-foam mattress.• Use a non-foam pillow & avoid sleeping on the floor. • Place the computer monitor above eye-level, to ensure correct

posture.• Exercise regularly & keep your weight under control-a comparison of

weight to height—*BMI—Body Mass Index- is used widely to measure obesity).

• BMI=weight in kgs, divided by height x height (in metres).• A BMI of 19 to 25 kg/2,= normal/optimum weight.• A BMI of 25-30 kg/2 =overweight.• A BMI of 31-35 kg/2 =obesity.• A BMI of above 35 kg/2 = gross obesity.

• *From: “Yoga For Weight Loss” by Bharat Thakur

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• From the ET of 24/04/2007: “Dieting May not Help You Cut the Flab for the Long Term.”

• Two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese.• Obesity raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes & some

forms of cancer; overweight increases blood pressure & cholesterol levels, which can lead to heart disease.

• Losing weight (through dieting) is easy, but keeping it off (for good) is another story.

• “If dieting really worked, there would be a bunch of skinny people walking around”, says obesity researcher, Dr. David Katz, Head of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center.

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• Dieting……• Eating LESS & healthier food & exercising MORE &

regularly, is the best way;however, it means changing one’s lifestyle for good.

• This is almost impossible.• The UCLA researchers analyzed 31 weight-loss

studies & followed people two to five years, after they went on diets; the results are revealing:

1. Between 33% & 67% gained back the weight the lost!

2. Only a small number were able to successfully maintain their weight loss.

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• From: The DNA of 09/04/07—”The Truth About Heart Attacks.”

• Heart disease is now believed to occur when excess cholesterol inside an artery’s wall incites inflammation & the growth of plaque.

1. LDL cholesterol particles are absorbed by the artery wall, prompting cells in the wall to summon the immune system.

2. White blood cells of the immune system squeeze into the artery wall.

3. They send out chemical signals that cause inflammation.

4. The white blood cells grow & start to ingest the LDL cholesterol particles-this is the start of the plaque-- pimple-like growths.

5. The plaque enlarges & gets covered with a cap of smooth muscle cells.

6. The cap ruptures, forming an open wound that attacks red blood cells; they form a clot to seal the surface of the plaque, but the clot can grow, blocking the artery & CAUSING A HEART ATTACK!

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• Wisdom of the Ages…Wayne Dyer:

• “…Daily practice of meditation is the single thing in my life that gives me a greater sense of well-being, increased energy, higher productivity; at a more conscious level, more satisfying relationships & a closer connection to God”

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• The word “YOGA” originates from the Sanskrit “YUJ” meaning UNION OF THE SELF WITH THE UNIVERSAL CONSCIOUSNESS.

• In Yoga, neither the body nor the mind is looked upon in isolation—the focus is on ENERGY.

• The concept of mind & body awareness was documented over three thousand years ago, in “Atharvaveda” & hence, is time-tested.

• Asks a Yogi: “How can one, who does not know his own body, hope to acquire success?”

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• Yoga works in a unique manner; it does not burn calories & drain the body energy, but tries to work on the endocrinal glands & change the hormonal balance in the body.

• This in turn changes the pH (measure of acidity/alkalinity) of the blood &, tones the muscles.

• Physiologically, yoga works on the concept of stretching & applying pressure, on the endocrinal glands.

• Unwanted fat from the body is removed by burning the calories, as well as by altering the hormonal balance of the whole body.

• The internal equilibrium of the body is restored.

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• Tai-chi is an ancient Chinese martial art, based on fluid movement &, on a gentle yielding motion, that relaxes & stimulates every part of the body.

• It literally means, boundless fist.• Tai-chi is about balance & harmony & the factors that

affect them.• The balance between two vital energies—Yin (passive)

& Yang (active).• It teaches discipline & the methods to change, in

response to outside forces, based on the laws of Physics.

• Tai-chi is also known as a moving form of meditation.• Ancient Chinese philosophy, medicine & science are a

part of it.

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Benefits from the regular practice of Tai-chi:• Stress reduction.• Improved posture & health; increased energy &

flexibility.• Loosening & strengthening of joints & muscles.• Weight control & better breathing.• Increased stamina, better blood circulation.

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• Benefits from Tai-chi……

• Rejuvenation of body, mind & spirit.

• Improved concentration & intuition.

• Better control on emotions.

• Easier learning.

• Greater sexual endurance!

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Yoga……• Yogic postures, tone up the body by penetrating

deep into each tissue & muscle, which the general exercises, cannot achieve.

• there are postures, that can stretch everyone of the estimated 72000 tissues, in the body

• Yoga tries to understand the root cause of any functional disorder in the body.

• 90% of disorders, are due to a lack of understanding of the human body,& the lack of clarity & purpose, in one’s life.

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Yoga……• Yoga impacts all aspects of the body & mind—

cardiovascular, hormonal, muscular & spiritual.• You’ll find that your performance in every single

activity, will improve significantly, with regular practice.

• Breathing exercises (Pranayama), a form of meditation, will help you understand life, from a broader perspective, shift the focus of your life, rectify wrong habits, & show you how to go, beyond your indulgences.

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Yoga……• The venerated sage, Maharishi Patanjali, has estimated

that there are about 8,400,000 postures in Yoga.• But all of them can be categorized into just four postures

— Siddhasana, Padmasana, Vajrasana & Sukhasana – all Meditative postures.

• So you must do all the four, regularly, to get the best out of your life.

• Yogic practice starts with Yama, then Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana & ends with Samadhi.

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• Regular practice of Pranayama or the regulation of bio-energy, makes one indifferent to heat & cold, immune from thirst & hunger, and the effects of various chemicals & natural elements.

• “Prana” means breath & “ayama” means control.

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Yoga……• How to start the yogic practice:1. First practise Yama & Niyama.2. Get yourself thoroughly examined by your doctor to ensure that there is

nothing wrong with you; if there is something wrong, a particular yogic posture/s, may be either specially recommended or completely avoided.

3. Learn from a qualified Yoga teacher. Please do not try the postures yourself. It can be dangerous.

4. Practice in a clean & well-ventilated room, preferably, with plants.5. Wear loose clothes, to give complete freedom of movement; use a cotton/

woollen mat to sit/lie down. 6. The duration should be a few minutes to begin with, to be increased

progressively, depending on your level of comfort & requirements.7. You must be completely relaxed, while doing the asanas, especially during

the pause between two asanas. Shavasana is recommended.8. Time: Early morning, after your morning toilet, on an empty stomach, ideally

two hours before sunrise.

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Yoga…… 9. You do not require any equipment to do yogasanas.10. Breathing: Breathe normally only through the nose….a simple rule

to follow is, to inhale when you bend backwards & exhale when bending forward.

11. Time between Yoga & food: At least an hour.12. Combination of Asanas: If you perform a forward-bending

posture, you must follow it up, with a backward-bending posture.13. Diet: Eat only as much as is required, ideally only fresh food; food

that is sharp, sour, spicy, bitter & heavy is prohibited; eat every FOUR hours; fasting ( except on religious grounds), eating once a day, over-eating are HARMFUL

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• Transcendental Meditation (TM,) concepualized by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi:

1. Sit as comfortably as you can.2. Close your eyes & think of any mantra ( a holy word), given to

you by your TM teacher/guru.3. Keep mentally “chanting’ that mantra.4. Do this procedure for 20 minutes each, twice a day—once in the

morning & the second time, in the evening.5. It should be done regularly, to get the best results.6. There is no concentration or contemplation; if stray thoughts enter

your mind, let them; don’t fight/ struggle to eliminate them; over time, after regular practice, they’ll disappear.

7. The benefits include: lower rate of heart beats & pulse rate, control on blood pressure & temperature of he brain, all leading to a high level of relaxation of the body & mind & ABSENCE OF STRESS.

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Transcendental Meditation……

• It is said, that the daily practice of TM, in two sessions of 20 minutes each, is equivalent to EIGHT HOURS OF SLEEP!

• I earnestly hope, you will start your journey in Yogic practice &, live a very healthy, balanced & successful life!

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• Shavasana—The corpse pose.• A lot stirs up in your system, during a Yoga

session.• The tissues of the muscles & digestive system in

particular, are cleansed of toxins.• If you go on doing asanas without pause, these

toxins can get right back into the tissues.• It is deeply relaxing &, when done in between

two asanas, it filters the toxins out & prepares them for disposal.

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• Shavasana……1. Lie on your back.

2. Let your feet fall loosely, in an outward direction.

3. Bring your arms alongside your body, but keep them loose & slightly away, from the body.

4. Keep your palms, face upward.

5. Relax your whole body, starting with your facial muscles.

6. Breathe naturally, without any effort.

7. Just before coming out of Shavasana, start taking deeper breaths.

8. Move your toes & fingers gently, to awaken sensations.

9. Slowly come back to the sitting position, for your next asana.

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Thank you for your attention

Contact me at

[email protected]

for any clarification

how to be healthy & successful -a presentation at the sales kick-off

Health & Medicine