Earth Hour 2008

The Entire world is celebrating Earth Hour Tomorrow. Let us also be a part of the same.

What is Earth Hour? It's an international event that asks households and businesses to turn off their lights and non-essential electrical appliances for one hour to promote electricity conservation and thus lower carbon emissions.

What is Earth Hour about? - It is about everyone and every organization, from individuals to global companies, joining together to own a shared problem - “Global Warming"

How could we help? – By switching off the lights at home & office Tomorrow-29.03.08, between 8.00 pm to 9.00 pm (IST)

It is that simple that will collectively make a lot of difference…
Let’s put our hands together to contribute as much as possible to reduce Global Worming and save our Planet.

Blood Donors

Are you from India and looking for blood transfer but not getting the required blood type? Or are you not able to track the donor within your city? Well it all just got as simple than you could have ever imagined. A website http://www.friendstosupport.org/index.aspx provides the cell numbers and other information about the donors who are willing to save lifes by donating the blood.

All you have to do is select the blood type, state, district and city from which you prefer to get the blood.

Do visit the above site and let others know. Forward the link to as many people as possible. If you know of any such sites, feel free to comment on this post and leave the link. I would be pleased to update this post for international viewers as well.

Health Benefits of Watermelon

It's summer time in India and everyone looking for juicy and watery fruits, watermelon stands first when it comes to watery. We would discuss some health benefits of watermelon in this post based on there nutritional value and the functionality of nutrients as well.


Health Benefits of Watermelon

Rich source of Vitamin C, Beta Carotine, Potassium, Lycopene, Vitamin A, Fiber.

Potassium is recognized to maintain blood pressure, heart beat and also helps in preventing strokes. Vitamin C and Beta Carotine are said to be the fighting arms of the disease fighting system and helps in reducing the chances of heart disease and cancer. Lycopene helps in reducing the chances of breast, endometrial, prostate, lung and colon cancer.

Health benefit of watermelon which all would love to hear is it's a fat free fruit (practically calorie free) and yet delivers 100 percent energy equivalent to the energy found in functional foods. It keeps one hydrated as well.

Watermelon is also good for skin. One of the key compound of watermelon helps with skin's healing and regenerative process.

Causes of Diabetes

Almost everyone from my family is suffering from diabetes except me. Yesterday while talking, a person told me he love sweet so much that he has been eating so much sweet right from his childhood but has managed to keep away from diabetes. When I argued about physical work being a contribution factor in his good health, the person responded that he had never worked on physical level. I was surprised to hear this and started hunting the real caused of Diabetes.

Causes of Diabetes

There is no such thing which can be reasoned to cause diabetes. Scientists are still hunting for the causes. However there has been certain observations when it comes to diabetes

a) Inheritance : People who have a family history of diabetics are 25% more prone to being diabetic.
b) Diet : Diet plays a major role in diabetes. One should never take nutrients like carbohydrates, fats and proteins in excess as they hamper the secretion of insulin, the hormone which maintains the blood sugar level.
c) Obesity : Excess fats in a person's body deprecates the functionality of Insulin to allow the sugar in the blood to enter the muscles and tissues of the body. This can lead to diabetes.
d) Virus : Cocksakie B Virus affects the pancreases, indirectly affecting the insulin levels and thus increasing the blood sugar levels.
e) Age : Age can be a factor because a person according to the age grows less active and grows overweight.

Other factors leading to diabetes are stress, grief, anxiety, worry, death etc.

Health Qoutes

I would like to mention some good quotes about health which will always keep us going in search of a good health and constantly inspire us to stay fit. This is what some great people have quoted about health.

There's lots of people in this world who spend so much time watching their health that they haven't the time to enjoy it.
~Josh Billings

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon. ~Doug Larson

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

~World Health Organization, 1948

To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.

~Buddha

If you have any health quotes to share please let know. I would like to update this post with some quotes from the viewers as well.

Medical Insurance Is a Must

It has been quite a long time since, I have written anything on this blog. Let me dedicate this blog post for why one should be having a mediclaim policy. I would like to describe this with a short story as well.

My friend Rohit works as a clerk at a office and earns around 5k rs per month ( approximately 125$). He is the sole earner in a family of three and as you might have guessed no need for me to say he is poor. They stay in a rented apartment with 1500 rs rent. Now just imagine what he must be doing with the remaining 3500 rs. Should he pay the milkman, for food items, for his personal expenses including travelling, for events that are cultural part of Indians, and still there is lot more. It happened that I had explained to him what if some health problem pops up in this tight schedule. But he rightly said what was he supposed to do. He cant bare the existing expenses, so how was he supposed to cope with the mediclaim which does not even has money back facility, if nothing happens.

Unfortunately last friday it happened that his dad met with an accident and lost sense for approximately an hour. He was admited to an hospital and the total expenses were more than 10000 rs. Which my friends is 2 times his monthly salary and he will need atleast one whole year to recover from it, if nothing like this comes up ( I wish nothing comes up ). Yesterday he came up to me and explained that he is facing a hard time and told me how it will take him 1 year to recover financially.

What if he had taken a mediclaim policy of 1000 rs per year which covers mediclaim for parent for 10000 rs. Wudn't he had recovered it in 2 months. This doesn't mean that this policy applies only to poor people. What if you have money in your bank but you can't access your bank account. If you have the cashless mediclaim facility you can avail it without waiting to access the bank account in emergency situations. There are other benefits to mediclaim policy as well. It is exempted in the income tax, it gives you a secure feeling, if you have a policy you can get treatment at a better hospital at expenses which will be much less than what you would be paying at a general hospital. Say for example you have a 5k policy which covers you for 1 lakh rupees. If unfortunately you meet with an accident you can always go to a much better or the best hospital in town and could be treated in 5k rs which you already have paid.

So my dear friends get health insurance as soon as possible.