Panasonic Mixie Grinder - the best to buy

I never buy a new version of an old product unless I'm forced to. I loved my Panasonic Mixie Grinder which I bought years ago. It was great for my daily grinding needs - from making dosa batter to churning butter! Alas, it had taken its final beating and I was forced to buy a newer model.

I went back to the best - Panasonic. Since I knew that I wouldn't buy another one for many more years, I went in for the top model - The MX-AC400 - which comes with the following features:

• 550W Heavy Duty Motor
• 4 Jars
• Unbreakable polycarbonate Juicer Jar
• Safety Lid Locking System
• Unique Interlocking Safety System
• Magic Seal Protection
• Samurai Edge blades
• Flow Breaker Jars

I have to admit - I wish I had changed my mixie / grinder years ago! This one is fabulous - twice as fast and best of all, comes with a 4th jar.

What is the 4th jar? It's the one which allows you to make juice in a jiffy! Whether you are in a mood for pomegranate juice or grape juice, this contraption allows you to make it in less than one minute! The juice filter ensures that the unwanted seeds, peel or left behind. Clean-up is so easy that I feel like making juice for my entire neighourhood - that's how easy and simple and clean it is!

If you are planning on revamping your kitchen, start with the Panasonic MX-AC400. You can get it for anywhere from Rs. 4500-5300 in the market. 

If you already have the older version and don't want to trade-in, atleast go in for the Plastic Blender Jar (for the juice). That will cost you around Rs. 1000.

Life is good!

Mudra - that can save your life

There's one mudra that can literally save one's life - it's called 'Apan Vayu Mudra'.

This mudra, if used within the first 2 minutes of heart pain / heart attack, can drastically reduce pain and save one's life. How do you do it? Well, it's the combination of 'Vayu' mudra and 'Apan' mudra; therefore, it is formed by placing the tip of the index finger at the base of the thumb and then joining the tips of the thumb with both the middle and ring finger.

Share this with everyone that you know and save a life!

Mudras -2 Must Read Books

Continuing with my previous posts on Mudras for Healing.

Some of the problems that can be addressed through Mudras include: Anxiety, Arthritis, Anaemia, Anger, -Acne, Asthma, Chest Pain,  Depression, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Ear ache, Eye problems, Fatigue, Fear, Heart Attack, Insomnia, Kidney problem, Knee problem, Liver Problem, Obesity, Psoriasis, Skin problems, Stuttering, Tonsillitis, Varicose vein pain, Weight gain among many others.

Here are two books that you must have if you seriously want to understand how to use mudras to alleviate problems. I use both of them as reference books.

1. Mudras & Health Perspectives - An Indian Approach by Suman K. Chiplunkar

2. Mudras - Yoga in Your Hands by Gertrud Hirschi

Mudras for Healing - Shoonya Mudra

I was turned on to Mudras by a friend a couple of years ago and I am a complete believer. Believer because I've tried it and it works.

What are Mudras? Mudras is a part of Yoga and is based on the fundamental principles of life, the five elements which consists of Fire, Air, Space, Earth and Water. 

Each finger on our hand represents one of those elements. 

1. Thumb - Fire

2. Forefinger - Air

3. Middle Finger - Space

4. Ring Finger - Earth

5. Little Finger - Water

Energy is being passed through our body at all times and through our hands and fingertips. 

Good, balanced health means that all five elements need to be balanced.  When one or more of the elements are out of balance, we can bring it back to the desired level by redirecting energy that is being emitted through our fingertips so that it reaches the right part of our bodies (through our brain which activates the right nerve centres and channels to alleviate the problem). 

Some mudras can just take 10 minutes to work whereas others may take a week or even a couple of weeks to work depending on the severity of the problem.

Here's one which works really quickly : Shoonya Mudra is used to alleviate ear problems / pain.  By performing this mudra in both hands, you will reduce the space element which is the cause of the ear problem. 

Do this for just a few minutes, until the problem subsides. The moment it is gone, you must STOP the mudra.   One of the rules of mudras is that you should not continue after the problem has been solved / balanced. If you continue, you will put it in imbalance once again. 

 

What's wrong with being nice?

I have been told that I compliment too much and have nothing but nice things to say to people. That's true to a great extent - I do try to find the most positive things out of a person or a situation. But it doesn't mean that my compliments are insincere. I don't compliment as a habit but because I really believe what I say to be true.

Case in point - I was walking in the park and I saw this aged woman wearing a beautiful pink silk sari - the types you wear at a wedding or a special function. (I just love it when I see elderly people taking such care/concern to look their best to go out, even while going for a stroll in the park.) I walked past her and looked into her eyes and said that "I love your sari ... it's beautiful" in the local language. She was first startled and then happily said 'thank you' in English. 

Did I go and tell everyone in the park that they were wearing something beautiful? No. 

Did I mean it when I told that one lady? Yes.

Did she feel good that I told her? Yes.

Did it make me feel good to tell her? Yes.

Life's so short. Why not take every opportunity to find something positive, to compliment, to be nice? 

I ask you, what's wrong with being nice? 

Most practical Yoga book ever!

Have you ever noticed that the first clothing, the first shoe, the first anything turns out to be the best option - after going through all the options, you come back to the first one. Well, that's what's happened to me with my first yoga book. 

The first one I ever tried was Richard Hittleman's Yoga (28 Day Exercise Plan). My mom gifted it to me and it's simply a fantastic one for people with a busy lifestyle who've never tried yoga but want to.

He starts of with a few postures each day, taking you step-by-step through each asana with pictures (over 500 of them!). With every passing day, he makes you stretch a bit more and before you know it, at the end of just one month, one can actually perform the asana exceedingly well. He also provides meditation tools to end the daily programmes with.

After the 28 day programme, he gives you three routines with all the asanas previously explained which can be rotated to ensure a total body/mind workout. All routines can be modified to different levels - beginning to advanced - depending on your pace.

It worked beautifully for me. I felt lighter. I lost weight. But then I got greedy and tried other books! Now, I'm back to the original and feeling great about it.

If you have never tried yoga before and want to for the first time, this IS THE ULTIMATE YOGA guide! Try it out and get hooked to yoga. 

Life's good!

Technology makes life better!

There's no question that technology helps us younger folks out a lot but technology is also a great boon to the aged as well!

There's a company in India which is marketing imported stair lifts to help the handicapped as well well as the aged. What is a stair lift? Well, simply put it's a mechanical devise that lifts people up and down the stairs. It consists of a rail which is put on top of a staircase. Attached to the rail is a chair / lift which an individual can sit on. With the push of a button, the individual can easily and slowly go up / down the stair case.

We've recently installed one and it has made a huge difference to my octogenarian grandmother. For more info, visit http://www.callidai.com/stair_lifts. They are based in Chennai but they service across the country.

About being Mindful

Jillian Michaels is a famous fitness coach thanks to 'The Biggest Loser' show. She has many different offerings to help people become fit emotionally and physically.

In her 'How to Build an Exceptional Life' workbook, I saw the following comment in one page that I read:

See every action and choice as a moral quest or personally defining moment. Don’t brush off smaller
moments in life, as they add up to our ultimate happiness — give every decision and action the respect it 
deserves. Once you think a choice through, you don’t have to contemplate it each time.


This is absolutely true. I've had some weight issues in my life but that's really because I wasn't being mindful of what I was eating. I would just eat because it felt good to eat. However, I made a conscious decision to pay attention to what I was eating, be mindful of what I was putting into my mouth, my stomach, my body.

Last night I had pizza and lo and behold, I had half of what I would normally have. I loved the pizza - the crisp crust, tasty toppings and the cheese but and here's the big thing, I didn't want another piece. I was happy with the one I had. My stomach / my body didn't need another. So, I stopped.

I was beyond thrilled. Be alive at the moment, make choices and after a while, it becomes automatic - you will choose the best for yourself because you want the best.

Have a great day, everybody!

Walking on Sunshine

A recent study conducted found out what we probably already knew... it's the simple things, the small gestures that truly make us happy. From finding money in our old pair of jeans or tucked under the sofa cushions to sitting in the sun to getting a nice big hug - these are truly life's little treasures. 


Here's a complete list of 50 things that people have said make them happy:

1. Finding a 10-pound note in an old pair of jeans 2. Going on holiday 3. Getting into bed with freshly washed sheets 4. Swimming in the sea 5. Waking up on a sunny day 6. Sitting in the sun 7. Being surprised with flowers or chocolates 8. Getting a nice message from a loved one 9. Cuddles 10. Getting a thank you card in the post 11. Seeing old people holding hands 12. Driving a car with the window down on a sunny day 13. Winning a tenner 14. Booking a holiday 15. Listening to your favourite song 16. Finding a bargain 17. Seeing an old friend 18. Picnic in the park 19. Getting promoted 20. Romantic night out 21. Hearing a song that reminds you of your past 22. Looking back at old photos 23. Making a new friend 24. Getting a quiet moment to yourself 25. Walks in the country 26. Hearing a baby laugh 27. Having a girlie/lads night out 28. Waking up on a Saturday morning and realising it's the weekend 29. Chocolate 30. Eating cake 31. Fitting into a pair of jeans you thought were too small 32. Praise from your boss 33. Smell of freshly baked bread or cookies 34. Warm bubble bath 35. Someone telling you you have lost weight 36. Finding out someone likes you 37. Sunday dinners 38. Smell of freshly cut grass 39. Landing at the holiday airport 40. Good hair day 41. Bank holidays 42. Passing a driving test 43. Swanky hotel rooms 44. Children doing well at school 45. Someone offering elderly people their seat on the bus or train 46. Someone giving you their car parking ticket at the car park 47. Waking up to find out it has snowed overnight 48. Drinking a cold beer after work 49. Eating comfort food 50. Kissing

Genesis of 'Life is Good' blog

I was walking with a dear friend this morning and she mentioned that she had looked at a photograph of the 'gang' which was taken more than 13-14 years ago and how none of us have really aged much. Considering that all of us are now are anywhere from 38-55 years old, that's a great compliment.  

All of us have gone through our fair share of challenges, obstacles and sheer craziness but we seem to be stronger and smarter! I think it essentially boils down to the fact that all of us are outgoing, positive people who love to laugh and yearn to learn! Life is Good! 

In this blog, I'll try to share positive stories, useful tips, funny photographs and so much more to energise, uplift and motivate you or just make you smile.