Fitness Fundamentals

 "He (Jean-Christophe, the child) opens the piano, and brings up a chair, and perches on it. His shoulders just about reach the keyboard...His heart beats as he lays his finger on the key...Suddenly a sound issues from it; there are deep sounds and high sounds...they seem to call to you, to draw you away farther - farther and farther into mysterious regions...They are like spirits... [But when his father commenced piano lessons] "There was an end of the magic sounds, and fascinating monsters, and the universe of dreams felt in one moment...Nothing but scales and exercises - dry, monotonous, dull..."  ( Jean-Christophe ,  Romain Rolland) Researching the health benefits of tea and coffee triggered a similar sentiment within me. To me tea and coffee were not merely beverages; they always came as an experience. Tea reminded me of animated discussion with my friends about Rawls' theory of justice, leisurely sitting on the university lawns. It brought back memories of wak...

Your grandpa buys the most expensive tiles for his bathroom floor. A few days later he slips in the bathroom, fractures his hip and gets himself admitted to the most expensive hospital in the city. You become wiser .  You ( still ) buy the most expensive tiles for your bathroom floor. Then you cover the floor with the most expensive ani-skid mat. And, you walk on it in your anti-skid slippers. This only shows that you have a lot of money, and no common sense! Sadly, this is how capitalism grows... A. Don't ignore your bones Bones have three major functions in our body - (i) They carry our muscle frame; (ii) They are important source of minerals, mostly calcium and phosphorous; (iii) They protect our internal organs. Of all the bones you should take particular care of your backbone and funny bone. That will add joy to your life and (sometimes) misery to others' lives!  B. Bones, bridges and banks Strong bones are to our body what high quality steel frame is to a bridge . Yo...

  A.  Effects of eating raw sprouts, as told by a nutrition neophyte Enthused by an article, forwarded to me by one of my ('naturopath') friends, I have been eating raw sprouts for last 3 months. These are the effects of my experiment - 1.   My wife's sleep quality has improved. She does not have to wake up early in the morning to prepare an elaborate breakfast for me. I wake up, rinse the sprouts and eat them. The whole procedure hardly takes more than 5 minutes. 2.   I have lost 3 kg during last 3 months. The very sight of the sprouts is enough to kill my appetite. The earlier breakfasts of aloo-paratha, puri-sabzi, idli-sambhar-chutney...are a thing of the past!😞 3.   My guests have stopped visiting me. I would serve them sprouts - the wonder foods, full of excellent nutrients.  B.  What do the experts say? 1.   The process of germination causes release of  enzymes in the seed which help in improved digestion of carbohydrates and prot...