Start Swimming to be Healthy, Happy and Fit!

Mush Health , ,

0909 swimming

Swimming is a very unique activity that can be used for health, fitness or fun. It doesn’t require any special gear or  equipment. Swimming can be a regular exercise, a warm up or cooling down activity with other exercises, or a social activity that can be enjoyed with family or friends.

Here are ten health and fitness benefits to motivate you to take up regular swimming:

  1. Swimming involves the use of almost all the muscles required for movement, without the weight of your body pounding you with each move like when you are walking or running.
  2. Swimming builds muscle strength, endurance, and cardiovascular fitness. The longer you swim, the more your endurance and speed improves.
  3. Swimming improves the body’s use of oxygen and increases lung function, without overworking the heart.
  4. Swimming stimulates circulation, and promotes proper breathing.
  5. Swimming helps you sleep better.
  6. Swimming burns calories at about 3 calories a mile per pound of body weight, so it helps maintain a healthy weight.
  7. Swimming helps tone the upper arms, shoulders and legs.
  8. Swimming doesn’t make you hot and sticky, as many other forms of exercise do.
  9. Swimming is a great stress-buster. It relaxes the body and soothes the mind.
  10. Swimming is a skill that can save your life, or help save someone else’s live.

Like any other sport or exercise, you can also use swimming to build discipline, enhance will power, increase competitiveness and improve your goal-setting skills.

[Photo taken by Salma when I jumped off the boat in Goa]

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Clutter is Procrastination

Mush Productivity, Work, Business , ,

0909 declutter

An excellent post by Leo in Mnmlist.com – one of my favorite blogs:

When our houses or offices get piled with clutter, much of the reason is procrastination.

We all procrastinate — let’s just get that out in the open. There’s not a one of us who doesn’t, to some degree. But while our tasks and projects can pile up, giving us some anxiety, the clutter is a visual sign of that procrastination, and carries with it just as much anxiety.

When we put down an object, a piece of paper, an article of clothing, a stack of mail … and we leave it there, undealt with, saying that we’ll put it away or deal with it later … that’s procrastination.

Unfortunately, this piles up, accumulates over time, and then we’re stuck with a mountain of clutter that’s too overwhelming to deal with. You’ll need to deal with that mountain. I’ve shown you some methods. Get it down to minimal, and enjoy that.

But once you’ve dealt with the mountain, you need to stop it from happening again. That’s where beating your procrastination habits becomes so important. When you’re going to put something down, deal with it right now. It only takes a few seconds. Continue reading →

4 Reasons Why You Can’t Achieve Your Goals

Mush Motivation, Productivity, Relationships

0909 everest

I have wondered about these questions for many years: Why most people can’t fulfill their dreams? Why most goals are not achieved? Why most plans don’t work out? Why so much action doesn’t produce the desired results?

Working with thousands of salespeople and sales managers for over 20 years, I have learnt that there are only four reasons. Whether it’s about your career, health, money, relationships or any other goals that you fall short of, it must be because:

  1. You don’t really want it. Whatever ‘it’ is that you are after. Are you having sleepless nights thinking and planning for it? What if you don’t get it? Will you settle without it? Do you have a specific time frame in mind? These questions can help you determine if you really want something badly enough. Otherwise, it’s not even a goal – just one of those wishes which may or may not be fulfilled. And you will be OK either way.
  2. You don’t believe it’s possible. It’s an inner voice that tells you, you can’t do it. ‘I can never lose so much weight.’ ‘I don’t think I am made for this.’ ‘It’s just not worth it.’ You believe you don’t have what it takes – the talent, opportunity, looks or whatever.  Continue reading →

Negative Emotions Can Cause Heart Diseases!

Mush Happiness, Health , ,

0909 depressionThere’s huge amounts of research into the effects of our emotions on our health. It seems to have been established that negative emotions like anger, anxiety, bitterness, un-forgiveness and depression release chemicals into our system that weaken our immune system and reduce its ability to fight disease. And positive emotions like happiness, gratefulness, pleasure, love and kindness produce chemicals that strengthen the immune system. Following quotes by experts suggest a direct link between stress and heart diseases, especially in women:

“Because men’s hearts aren’t as responsive to emotional stimuli, emotion is a more important predictor of heart problems in women. Hurtful emotions can cause a woman’s arteries to spasm and close down like a boa constrictor squeezing around its prey.” (Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD, Cardio Surgeon at NY-Presbyterian/Colombia University.)

“Stressful emotions account for roughly 30 percent of all heart attacks. They rank at par with high blood pressure and abdominal fat, straining the heart by increasing your rate and flooding your body with high levels of potentially toxic hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.” (Landmark Interheart Study – a survey of heart disease in 24,000 people in 53 countries)

“Stress from negative emotions also makes the blood clot faster, adding to heart disease risk. Stress can also play an indirect role in heart disease by interfering with exercise, a healthy diet and adequate sleep.” (Karina Davidson, Ph.D., co-director of the Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health at Colombia University Medical Center)

“Anger, anxiety and depression are the main ways women channel stress, and each emotion has a profound effect on the heart.” (Redford Williams, MD, Director of Behavioral Research at Duke University and author of In Control.)

Change Anything That’s Causing You Unhappiness

Mush Happiness, Life, Motivation , ,

0909 sunset

“Every day, God gives us a moment when it is possible to change anything that is causing us unhappiness. The magic moment is the moment when a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ can change our whole existence. Every day, we try to pretend that we do not see that moment, that it does not exist, that today is the same as yesterday and that tomorrow will be the same too.

However, anyone who pays close attention to his day will discover the magic moment. It might be hidden in the instant that we put the key in the door in the morning, in the moment of silence after supper, in the thousand and one things that appear to us to be the same. This moment exists, a moment in which all the strength of the stars flows through us and allows us to perform miracles.”

By Paulo Coelho in By The River Piedra I Sat Down And Wept.

More stuff on having a great day: Great day or lousy day? and Make Today Count!

“It’s Not What You’ve Been Given…” by Eddi Reader

Mush Life, Motivation ,

You must know someone like him; he was tall and strong and lean

With a body like a greyhound; and a mind so sharp and keen

But his heart, just like laurel; grew twisted around itself

Till almost everything he did; brought pain to someone else

It’s not what you’re born with; it’s what you choose to bear

It’s not how big your share is; it’s how much you can share Continue reading →

45 Tips for a Happy Marriage!

Mush Happiness, Life, Relationships , ,

0909 coupleWe just celebrated our 24th marriage anniversary and it’s been over 25 years since we started seeing each other. We consider ourselves very fortunate to enjoy a great relationship and still be in love. Considering that we are so different from each other in so many ways and that we rarely agree on anything, we often wonder what has kept us so happy together. It’s a few things.

We realize and accept the fact that everyone is different; everyone has his or her strengths and weaknesses. We don’t try to change the other. We choose to focus on the strengths and accept the weaknesses – unless one needs help and encouragement in overcoming a certain weakness. We have come to understand that being in love is not enough for a happy marriage. Happy partners choose to be happy, and they do certain things in a certain way. We have been following a certain unwritten code of conduct about how we treat each other and how we deal with our differences.

Communication is the key. Like in any other relationship, good communication is the key to a happy marriage. You don’t need a degree in communications; it’s mostly common sense. It’s Ok to argue, but you must follow certain rules. Few tips to enhance communication with your partner: Continue reading →

How to Sleep Well and Wake up Recharged!

Mush Happiness, Health, Life, Productivity , , ,

0908 sleepWe all know that waking up early is good for us. We can exercise, study, work… simply have more life! But most people find it difficult to sleep well and wake up early and fresh. I think a lot of people feel crappy in the morning. Here are some tips and tricks I have learned over the years that help me sleep better and wake up fully recharged – most of the time:

  1. Dinner time and type. If your digestion process goes on during sleep you will wake up tired. So what you eat for dinner and how much time you allow between dinner and bedtime is critical. If your dinner is light and simple, a couple of hours may be enough for digestion. But if you eat a heavy and complex meal, you shouldn’t go to bed for at least four hours after dinner.
  2. Avoid caffeine and chocolate. These have been shown to have the worst affect on the quality of sleep. Depending on your level of tolerance, stay away from these two 4 to 8 hours before bedtime.
  3. Exercise. A tiring workout or a swim is sure to result in a good sleep. But even moderate exercise like a brisk walk can significantly improve the quality of sleep.
  4. Take a bath. A warm bath can often do wonders if you are having a problems with your sleep. Use a moisturizer to avoid dehydrated skin. Continue reading →

Exercise Alone Won’t Make You Thin!

Mush Health , ,

0908 muffinTIME magazine article “Why Exercise Won’t Make You Thin” reports interesting statistics showing that most people who exercise end up eating more, and eating worse. Not only these people don’t lose any weight, they often end up gaining weight.

After we exercise, we often crave sugary calories like those in muffins or ‘sports’ drinks. A bottle of Gatorade contains 130 calories. So if you drink one of those after a 20-minute run it neutralizes the calories burned. A blueberry muffin contains about 360 calories, and the illustration below shows what it takes to burn that many calories: over an hour of cycling, over half hour of jogging, and hour and a half of vacuuming are a few.

However, the article also lists many benefits of exercising including enhanced health and prevention of disease. And then goes on to suggest that exercise doesn’t have to be ‘sweaty, exhausting, hunger-producing bursts of activities’. Continue reading →

11 Health Benefits of Fasting

Mush Health , , ,

I found enormous amounts of material when I started looking for the health benefits of fasting. It seemed that every expert in medicine, health and fitness had something to say about the benefits of fasting. But the following piece from Dr. Cinque summarizes it all very well:

  1. Fasting promotes detoxification. As the body breaks down its fat reserves, it mobilizes and eliminates stored toxins.
  2. Fasting gives the digestive system a much-needed rest. After fasting, both digestion and elimination are invigorated.
  3. Fasting promotes the resolution of inflammatory processes, such as in rheumatoid arthritis.
  4. Fasting quiets allergic reactions, including asthma and hay fever.
  5. Fasting promotes the drying up of abnormal fluid accumulations, such as edema in the ankles and legs and swelling in the abdomen.
  6. Fasting corrects high blood pressure without drugs. Fasting will normalize blood pressure in the vast majority of cases, the blood pressure will remain low after the fast, if the person follows a health-supporting diet and lifestyle. Continue reading →

Inspiring Quotes: Paulo Coelho on The Journey

Mush Life, Motivation ,

When every day seems the same, it is because we have stopped noticing the good things that appear in our lives. (The Alchemist)

It is necessary to run risks, to follow certain paths and to abondon others. No one can make a choice without feeling fear. (Brida)

Profound commitment to a dream does not confine or constrain: it liberates. Even a difficult, winding path can lead to your goal if you follow it to the end. (Maktub)

Man needs to choose, not just accept, his destiny. (The Fifth Mountain)

Do You Believe in Luck?

Mush Life ,

0909 lucky coinsSomeone told me today that she would never go back to a particular city for vacation because last time she went there it brought bad luck on her. She then went on to explain how she had lost a lot of business when she returned from that vacation. And she is a very sensible and successful businesswoman!

I asked her what if it wasn’t the place, but the airline she had used. Or the hotel she had stayed in. Or the month/date of her travel. Or her companion on that trip. What if one or more of these things had brought the bad luck? I also asked her if she has ever lost business without going on a vacation, and what were the causes. She got my point, but she is still never going back to that city! Continue reading →

Inspiration from Aimee Mullins: Another Athelete on Prosthetics!

Mush Motivation , , ,

TED has become a regular source of inspiration for me. You can watch and learn from so many wonderful people!

Aimee Mullins was born without fibular bones, and had both of her legs amputated below the knee when she was an infant. She learned to walk on prosthetics, then to run — competing at the national and international level as a champion sprinter, and setting world records at the 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta. Aimee built a career as a model, actor and activist for women, sports and the next generation of prosthetics. She tells her story in this inspiring video:

Say ‘No’ to Diet Coke!

Mush Health , , ,

0908 diet cokeIt’s surprising to see so many people, even health conscious ones, drinking sodas – including the diet varieties which use toxic, artificial sweeteners. Here are  few reasons why you should avoid sodas – especially diet ones:

  • pH of 2.5: Sodas are 50,000 times more acidic than neutral. It would require 30 glasses of clean water to balance out just ONE can of soda. Why is this important? All diseases thrive in an acidic environment.
  • High Fructose Corn Syrup: This highly processed sweetener significantly raises insulin levels and has been linked to diabetes and obesity.
  • Aspartame, Splenda: All artificial sweeteners are the result of a chemical process that produces dangerous neurotoxic compounds. Aspartame has been linked to brain tumors, migraines/headaches, epilepsy/seizures, depression and autoimmune diseases. Sucrolose (Splenda) falls into the same category.
  • Caffeine: Caffeine stays in your body for 12 hours before the effect wears off. Even if you think caffeine doesn’t affect you, it will still alter your sleep cycles and the quality of your sleep. Caffeine is also a diuretic – dehydrating you even though you believe you are ingesting liquids.

If you care about your health, replace your sodas with healthy drinks like water, fresh juice and green tea. Not tomorrow, not next week… do it now!

Beware: Happiness is Contagious!

Mush Happiness, Life ,

0909 happinessAfter seeing Dan Ariely’s video on TED, I started reading his blog and found the following post really interesting:

Social scientists used to have a straightforward, if tongue-in-cheek, answer to the question of how to become happy: Surround yourself with people who are uglier, poorer and shorter than you are – and who are unhappily married and have annoying kids. You will compare yourself with these people, and the contrast will cheer you up.

Nicholas Christakis, 47, a physician and sociologist at Harvard University, challenges this idea. Using data from a study that tracked about 5,000 people over 20 years, he suggests that happiness, like the flu, can spread from person to person. When people who are close to us, both in terms of social ties (friends or relatives) and physical proximity, become happier, we do too. Continue reading →

Are You in Control? Video by Dan Ariely

Mush Life, Work, Business , , ,

Behavioral economist Dan Ariely, the author of Predictably Irrational, uses classic visual illusions and his own counter-intuitive research findings to show how we’re not as rational as we think when we make decisions.

Inspiring Quotes: Paulo Coelho on Chance

Mush Happiness, Life, Motivation ,

It’s not difficult to rebuild a life. All we need is to be aware that we have the same strength we had before, and to use it in our favor. (The Fifth Mountain)

Life always waits for some crisis to occur before revealing itself at its most brilliant. (Eleven Minutes)

No one knows what is going to happen in the next few minutes, and yet people still go forward, because they have trust, because they have faith. (Brida)

The secret lies in the present – if you pay attention to the present, you will be able to improve it. And if you improve the present, whatever happens afterwards will eb better too. Each day brings us Eternity. (The Alchemist)

Buy.ology by Martin Lindstrom – Why We Buy?

Mush Work, Business , , ,

0908 BuyOlogyFind out how everything we believe about why we buy is wrong. A must-read for anyone who buys or sells anything – that’s all of us.

Find out why majority of the anti-smoking campaigns inadvertently encourage people to smoke. Why does the scent of melons help sell electronic products? Why did so many people who took the ‘Pepsi challenge’ say they preferred Pepsi, only to carry on buying Coca-Cola? This books is a fascinating look at how people perceive logos, ads, commercials, brands and products.

Tell us about any great books you have read recently.

Take Time to Read

Mush Motivation, Productivity, Work, Business ,

0908 readingReading a book is one of the best ways of feeding your mind with information, inspiration and ideas. If we can find time to feed our body 3-5 times a day, we can surely find time to feed our mind at least once a day. If you want to keep yourself at maximum creative capacity, you have to make sure you are taking in new ideas and thoughts. If you are a professional, you need to stay up to date with the latest. If you are a parent, you need to set an example for your kids so they also develop a habit of reading and a love of learning. Few tips:

  1. Set aside a time. It doesn’t have to be much but even a 10-minute commitment to yourself can make a difference. For me, it’s the commute, on flights and at night before going to sleep.
  2. Keep a list. I recently read somewhere how keeping a list of what you have read and what you want to read can be so useful, and I have just started doing that. Continue reading →

How Do You Deal with Loneliness?

Mush Happiness, Life, Productivity ,

0907 sunsetOn this lonely weekend (most of my family still not back from Pakistan), as I was reading Paulo Coelho’s blog, I found his post on loneliness that reflected my own thoughts. Here it is:

As Elvis Presley says : “Are you lonesome tonight?” and when you’re alone, what do you really do? How do you deal, how do you cope with yourself? Is it a burden? Or is it for you a way to dive deep into your soul and understand yourself? In my case, it’s both.

Sometimes I feel really alone, and I have no one to talk to. Sometimes there is this moment that I really need to be alone and to understand what’s going on, not in the world, but within myself. So, your thoughts on loneliness, that very very strange feeling that once a day or a week, we do feel.

[Photo taken by me yesterday from home. See the plane that just landed and the cable cars in the background?]