How even fallen trees help curb global warming

Sunday, 29 June , 2008, 00:11

Washington: A 14,000-year-old oak tree has provided evidence that submerged trees store carbon far longer than trees that fall in forests. Researchers came across the tree in Missouri in the US, possibly the oldest discovered in the world, when they were studying the ability of trees to store carbon. For more news, analysis | For more Science and Medicine news While a tree is alive, it has a great ability to store carbon, thus keeping it out of the atmosphere. When it begins to decay, the carbon is released back into the atmosphere. Discovering that certain conditions slow this process reveals the importance of proper tree disposal as well as the benefits of riparian forests, or forests through which water flows. "If a tree falls in a forest, that number is reduced to an average of 20 years. In firewood, carbon is only stored for a year," said Richard Guyette of Missouri University who led the study. "Carbon plays a huge role in climate change, and information about where it goes will be very important someday soon," said Michael C Stambaugh, a co-author of the study. Findings of the study have been published in the latest issue of the journal Ecosystems.

City firm designs disaster management lessons on the lines of Snakes and Ladders

Pune June 23 UNICEF and UN-ISDR evince interest in the computer-based game; plan to take the idea forward

Taking a cue from the established fact that learning is best acquired if taught in a fun manner, Pune-based Neeti Solutions Pvt Ltd has devised a new version of the timeless game Snakes and Ladders. In its new avatar, the computer game is aimed at teaching children about fires and earthquakes and how best to cope with them.

"The disaster management textbooks in schools do not provide practical knowledge on what to do in such situations. In the US, all students — from the youngest to the oldest — are taught about evacuation drills and what to do in case of a disaster. In India the awareness is very low because of the lack of knowledge on the subject. This motivated me to start working with schools after I devised this game. We launched this game also with a motive to switch the interest of children from violent video games to something more constructive," said Dr Parag Mankeekar, CEO, Neeti Solutions.

Mankeekar is currently in talks with UNICEF and United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN-ISDR), both of who have plans to take the idea forward and implement it in other countries.

The game that was conceived in June 2007 is a 3D computer-based game and has been modified to fit the disaster management training in an innovative way.

"Whenever a player reaches the base of the ladder or the mouth of the snake, a question regarding disaster management pops up. A correct answer by participants helps them escape the snake or climb the ladder while a wrong one gets them gobbled up by the snake or restrains them from climbing the ladder. Also for each dice roll, there is a piece of information regarding disaster," explained Mankeekar.

The project was completed in October 2007 and was showcased at the Asia Pacific Regional Workshop on School Education and Disaster Risk Reduction in Bangkok from 8-10 October, where it was much appreciated.

Neeti Solutions, along with their Netherlands-based partner E-Semble, has also created a platform called DiaboloVR that is used to simulate any disaster scenario and build a response-training program around it. "We haven't launched it yet on the Internet but we have promoted it by giving away CDs to different schools," he said.

In January, to test the methodologies they were working on, Mankeekar's team conducted a two-day workshop, a testing field of sorts, in the Film and Television Institute of India campus, in which 500 students from 50 schools in Pune participated.

An erstwhile president of the Indian Chapter of IERN and presently in the running for the US-based Ashoka Fellowship, already having cleared its first round, Mankeekar hopes to use both these networks of people (there being around 200 Ashoka fellows spread over the world) for the widespread dissemination of the game and also to sell the game in India and abroad at subsidised prices.

He has a presentation ready for the contention of the Ashoka Fellowship, which would categorise the development of the game Snakes and Ladders as social entrepreneurship and would financially support the venture.

FOCUS North America May 2008 Update

 

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An Afiliate of the Aga Khan Development Network FOCUS in North America Newsletter May 2008 In this edition: North America Update Joint FOCUS and CIDA Post -Tsunami Project Training Emergency Response Teams across USA Crisis Response in Tajikistan Special Announcement FOCUS Canada and FOCUS USA become FOCUS in North America From left to right: a post-Tsunami  disaster simulation exercise helps train communities in India; a newly certified Community Emergency Response Team member in the USA and the German Ambassador in Tajikistan speaks with FOCUS staff and local community members at a relief distribution. FOCUS HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE SINCERELY THANKS DONORS AND VOLUNTEERS FOR THEIR UNTIRING SUPPORT  Focus Humanitarian Assistance (FOCUS) is an international disaster risk management and emergency relief agency established in Europe, North America, South and Central Asia. It helps to build disaster resilient communities and supports people in need to reduce their dependence on humanitarian aid by facilitating their transition to sustainable, self-reliant, long-term development. FOCUS is affiliated with the Aga Khan Development Network, a group of institutions working to improve opportunities and living conditions, for people of all faiths and origins, in specific regions of the developing world. For further information, please visit http://www.akdn.org/focus   Toronto Office 89 Don Mills Road, Suite 201 Don Mills, Ontario M3C 1T5, Canada Tel: + 1 416 423 7988 Email: focuscanada@focushumanitarian.org Washington DC  Office 7777 Leesburg Pike, Suite 303 South Falls Church VA 22043, USA Tel: +1 703 442 3212 Email: focususa@focushumanitarian.org On the southern coast of Andhra Pradesh, 301 villages along the 1,030 km coastline suffered partial or total destruction CIDA AND FOCUS WORK TOGETHER TO BRING BACK HOPE BY BUILDING SAFER COMMUNITES IN TSUNAMI-HIT AREAS   No doubt, we all remember that fateful Boxing Day in 2004, when the earthquake and resulting tidal waves hit the international headlines. In the days that followed, countless lives, livelihoods and property were lost to the Indian Ocean Tsunami. Local communities feared they would never regain their dignity, livelihoods or hope for the future. The eastern coastline of India was tremendously affected. The district of Krishna was one of the worst affected areas in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), through Focus Humanitarian Assistance (FOCUS), immediately mobilized manpower and emergency humanitarian relief items for delivery to the communities in need. Since the 2005 AKDN facilitated relief effort, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and FOCUS have initiated a longer term programme entitled "The Andhra Pradesh Post-Tsunami Relief to Development Project" (APR2D). This programme is being implemented in the Nagayalanka mandal (sub-district) of the Krishna district, benefiting approximately 14,784 individuals.  The three-year CIDA-FOCUS project seeks to enhance the state of disaster resilience and preparedness among coastal communities; ensuring that lives, property and livelihoods are better protected against potential natural disasters. Currently in its second year, APR2D is supported by several AKDN agencies in India, including Aga Khan Foundation and Aga Khan Planning and Building Services, as well as FOCUS India. To date, 1,500 community members have received disaster awareness education, emergency stockpiles have been created, 2,000 people have attended health camps and a further 240 Community Emergency Response Team members have been trained. In the endeavor to reduce community health vulnerabilities, especially during a disaster, APR2D is also improving the sanitation infrastructure in villages where only 27% of households have sanitation units. Initially targeting the most vulnerable families, APR2D will construct 330 sanitation units this year, with a total 361 sanitation units to be completed by the end of the project. While FOCUS continues to work towards fully engaging communities in disaster preparedness education and provide the technical support for this programme, hundreds of families in the Nagayalanka mandal are able to rebuild their lives with significantly more hope for a safer, better protected future. Through the ongoing generosity of our donors and supporters, FOCUS is able to work with impacting partners such as CIDA, and provide awareness and protection programs for communities living in much more vulnerable circumstances than our own.   TRAINING EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAMS ACROSS USA    FOCUS' Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program trains community volunteers to be better prepared to respond to crisis situations in their communities. When emergencies occur, CERT members can effectively   provide critical support to first responders, immediately assist disaster victims and mobilize volunteer manpower at a disaster site as well as facilitate a community's access to state services when required. In collaboration with His Highness Prince Aga Khan Shia Imami Ismaili Local Councils, FOCUS has trained Crisis Managers across the USA, who have facilitated local CERT training. The training ensures the community has skilled, response capacity and has the ability to serve itself, as well as its neighbors, during and after an emergency. Working with emergency management organizations, such as first aid and fire fighting teams, also enables a CERT to forge strong partnerships with field experts. The specialized CERT course includes modules on disaster preparedness, fire suppression, basic medical skills and light search and rescue operations. In 2008, crisis managers are seeking to build and maintain emergency response capacity in their teams. They are also striving to include an increased number of women in these teams across the region. Women are working alongside their male counterparts to ensure the safety of the community and are making significant contributions in the emergency management and volunteer mobilization process in wider society. If you are interested in joining your local CERT, please contact your local Jamati Crisis Representative or contact FOCUS offices at:        focuscanada@focushumanitarian.org  / focususa@focushumanitarian.org   Since 2006, CERT membership has grown to over 700 trained volunteers across the USA "[The training] helps [to facilitate] outreach and partnerships with fire departments and other state organizations to help the community [during a disaster]." Nurbegum Walji, Safety Lead, Southwest Crisis Response Team, USA "As a woman, it gives me strength to reach out to other women and create awareness to help secure community assets and minimize loss during a disaster." Mehrun Vellani, Resource Manager, Southwest Crisis Response "I've been a volunteer for most of my life. This training gives me an increased sense of volunteerism from a broader perspective; it helps me encourage other women to do the same and gives me a great sense of self-achievement." Sabiha Kapadia, Facilitator, Southwest Crisis Response Team   CERT has helped "create the groundwork for the long-term security of our neighborhoods, our communities and our nation. It helps us to proactively be prepared for disasters. It's even more important for women, so we can assist our families to be better prepared. [Also] it gives me satisfaction to know that as a team, we are able to help spread awareness." Rozmin Velani, Crisis Response Program Coordinator, Southwest Crisis Response Team, USA RESPONDING TO EMERGENCY WINTER NEEDS IN TAJIKISTAN   Severe winter conditions in early 2008 resulted in many communities across Tajikistan losing their electricity supply. FOCUS, with the support of the German Embassy in Tajikistan and in collaboration with the Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defence, provided relief to families in Qumsangir in the province of Khatlon, southern Tajikistan in March 2008. Stocks of heating materials and high nutrition food items were provided to more than one hundred households, many of whom are still in a process of rehabilitation since the devastating earthquakes of winter 2006. Almost a thousand homes were completely destroyed and 1,440 were partially damaged. A large number of these homes have not yet been reconstructed, consequently, many families are living in conditions of extreme cold with limited food.   This relief effort was coordinated by a wider relief operation implemented throughout Tajikistan, by several aid agencies to support communities affected by the winter crisis. A further collaborative effort between the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and FOCUS also enabled the provision of relief to over 40 Afghan families living in the suburbs of Dushanbe, Vahdat and Kurgan-teppa, who were affected by the severe winter and ongoing electricity shortages. Special Announcement-FOCUS in North America   As of January 2008, Focus Humanitarian Assistance streamlined the operations of FOCUS Canada and FOCUS USA. The merging  of functions and operations brings the new title of FOCUS in North America. The two entities of FOCUS Canada and FOCUS USA remain as Institutions of their respective National Councils and continue to exist in accordance with their respective Statutes in the countries of establishment. Current governance structures also remain, through a Board for each country. An additional regional steering committee, comprising both Chairs, Vice-Chairs and Regional Executive Officer has been formed and will maintain overall operational responsibility. This exciting opportunity allows FOCUS to effectively maximize existing skills, capacities and expertise of individuals at each unit, including board members, staff and volunteers. Synergies are already vibrant across the North American region in respect of programs, outputs and management. As with any time of transition, there will be opportunities for improvement and during this time, FOCUS values the patience and understanding of its supporters and donors. Board Members for FOCUS in North America are: Canada: Dr. Kabir Jivraj, Zulfikar Jiwani, Dilshad Gillani, Sheny Jaffer, Samir Manji, Allaudin Merali, Zubeida Ramji, Atiya Dharamsi, Natasha Alimohamed, Zahra Hirji, Shakila Hasanyar USA: Moez Virani, Dr. Fatima Mawji, Rubina Ali, Aly Dossa, Amir Kanji, Ahmad Patel, Bilal Pissaris, Dr. Nizar Ramzan, Celina Shariff For further information, please contact your local FOCUS office whose details can be found on the front page IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A DONATION TO FOCUS HUMANTIARIAN ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CLICK ON THE BELOW LINK TO DOWNLOAD:  FOCUSSTAR ENROLLMENT FORM   If you would like to be informed about our new initiatives, events and programs, or if you would like to subscribe to donor correspondence via email, send us an e-mail at SUBSCRIBE@FOCUSHUMANITARIAN.ORG __________________________________________________________ 2008 © Focus Humanitarian Assistance, USA 7777 Leesburg Pike, Suite 303S Falls Church, Virginia 22043 focususa@focushumanitarian.org http://www.akdn.org/focus

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device that can see through walls: for search and rescue

Israeli company invents device that can see through walls; could aid in military operations, as well as search and rescue

Military and rescue operations around the globe will now get a tad easier with the invention of a portable radar system that can see through walls.
    Developed by Israeli firm Camero, the Xaver 400 – which has already been sold to several security forces around the world – is capable of "seeing through" reinforced concrete, cinder block, brick, stucco, adobe, drywall and other common wall types, with a range of up to eight metres.
    Weighing just over 2.5kgs, and slightly smaller than a laptop, the device provides the operator with a display that indicates the real-time location and number of people behind a wall. This enables tactical teams to make critical decisions before stepping into hostile situations.
    "The Xaver 400 unit represents a huge leap forward in the evolution of through-wall sensors," says Robert Judd, President of Camero USA. "It incorporates various features that Special Operations users have specifically asked for."
    The gadget boasts of wireless transmission capability to ensure a common "operational picture" for the whole ground team as well as the command post.
    Also, it is ready to go at the push of a button, requiring no warm-up time or complicated boot-up routines.
    The company feels that the device could also be beneficial for human operations, such as locating people trapped in burning buildings.
    "The idea of seeing through walls has been around since the 1960s, but modern technology is now ripe enough to enable it to happen," Camero's technology director Amir Beeri said.
    "When we established the company in 2004, we intended to develop sufficiently high vision resolution to allow an untrained user to see through a wall," he added.
    Camero's unique radar utilises Ultra Wide Band (UWB), a technology that has come of age recently – and with the use of special algorithms, can process data picked up by the detector to give a reasonable image of anything behind the wall.
    "Rapid target acquisition, real-time situational awareness and a common operating picture are critical components of Special Forces' ability to find, fix and finish the enemy," said Lieutenant General (Ret) Philip Kensinger, of the US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), who has had a chance to use the system.
    "The Xaver 400 provides our troops with enhanced capabilities in all three critical areas," he added.
    The system, however, still cannot penetrate solid metal walls, like those of shipping containers.
    The firm's CEO, Aharon Aharon, is optimistic about the future of the technology.
    "Like the Israeli army's night vision system, which was once an expensive product and eventually came into broad, general use, we hope that our radar too will become standard issue for all military units," he said.
    MUMBAI MIRROR BUREAU AND AGENCIES

A soldier looks at the small screen of the Camero Xaver 400, which can 'see through' concrete, brick, drywall and other common wall types, and display the real-time location and number of people

SEVEN AILMENTS YOU SHOULD BE WARY OF

The trickle of patients with monsoon diseases, which hospitals have started getting, will turn into a deluge if you do not take precautions

CASES IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS
 The figures, provided by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's epidemiology cell, are of patients admitted to only public hospitals from 8 am on Sunday to 8 am on Monday; but they give an idea of the diseases that we need to be wary of.
    Jaundice and typhoid have not been included in the list because the incubation period of these two diseases is longer than a couple of days. Doctors, with the experience of the past few monsoons, say these cases will start pouring in in the next few days.

LEPTOSPIROSIS
    It is a bacterial infection caused by the leptospira bacteria spread through water contaminated with the urine of rats and dogs.
    Symptoms include high fever, muscle aches, severe headaches, abdominal pain and vomiting or loose motions. The patient may have a damaged kidney or develop respiratory distress if the initial symptoms are left untreated.
    The incubation period varies between 5 days and 4 weeks.
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
Avoid wading through flood water especially if you have cuts or abrasions on your feet/legs. Always wash your feet after walking through muck.
AROUND THE WORLD
Leptospirosis outbreaks were reported even in Florida and Illinois in 2007.

VIRAL FEVER
    It may be caused by a host of viral infections which result in raised body temperatures and weakness.
    Symptoms include fever, chills, body ache, coughs and colds.
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
Avoid getting wet in the rain. Change into dry clothes and shoes if you do and avoid sitting in an airconditioned room.

MALARIA
    It is a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite and is usually of two types: vivax or falciparum. The second is more worrying and could be life-threatening.
Symptoms include fever with chills and a flu-like illness.
    The incubation period varies between 3 days and 5 days.
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
Empty out all water collected in flower pots, old tyres or pans or other articles, regularly clean overhead tanks in buildings and use mosquito nets and insecticides.
AROUND THE WORLD
Between 35 crore and 50 crore cases of malaria are reported worldwide each year; they cause over 10 lakh deaths.

DENGUE
    It is an infectious disease carried from person to person by the tiger mosquito (Aedes aegypti).
    Symptoms include a sudden onset of fever, severe headache, a falling platelet count; it could occassionally cause shock and haemorrhage, leading to death.
    The incubation period varies between 5 days and a week.
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
Keep mosquitoes away and avoid collection of water around home or office.
AROUND THE WORLD
There are around 5 crore to 10 cases of dengue fever and several hundred thousand dengue haemorrhagic fever cases every year. The average fatality rate of the latter is about 5 per cent.

GASTROENTERITIS
    It is an infection or inflammation of the digestive tract and may be caused by a virus or bacterium.
Symptoms may include vomiting, a watery diarrhoea with or without fever. The incubation period varies between 12 hours and 24 hours.
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
Avoid ice, roadside food, cut fruits and boil your drinking water.
AROUND THE WORLD
Gastro-intestinal infections are common everywhere and, even in the United States, it is estimated to cause 23 million illnesses a year.

TYPHOID
    It is an illness brought about by the inflammation of the intestines and is caused by Salmonella typhi bacteria.
    Symptoms include unrelenting fever, rashes and overall weakness.
    The incubation period is usually 10 days.
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
Drink boiled water, wash your hands after visiting the toilet and try to avoid outside food as drinks or foodstuff contaminated with the bacteria can give you the ailment. Vaccines are available as well.
AROUND THE WORLD
    There are only about 400 cases of typhoid annually in the United States and 75 per cent of these are acquired through international travel.

JAUNDICE
    It is a c o n d i t i o n associated with an increase of bilirubin in the blood, which can cause liver disease. It is caused by the hepatitis virus.
    Symptoms include yellowness of eyes and skin and vomiting.
    The incubation period varies between 15 days and 20 days.
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
Drink boiled water; hepatitis vaccines are available.
    Icons: Deepa Suryanarayanan

This monsoon, keep a hammer with you

Traffic Police issues a list of do's and don'ts for motorists this year; advises people to keep water, snacks handy when driving

 With memories of the paralysing 26/7 deluge of 2005 refusing to fade from the minds of people, the Mumbai Traffic Police have drawn a list of precautionary measures for motorists.
Seventeen persons had lost their lives in the floods, in 14 separate incidents, when the central locking system of their vehicles got jammed. All persons had suffocated to death inside their vehicles.
Taking no chances this year, the traffic police authorities have now issued a list of 'do's' and 'dont's', some of which read as particularly interesting.
KEEP A HAMMER
For one, traffic authorities suggest drivers keep a hammer inside their vehicles. They say it can be they can use it to break windshields in case of an emergency. "In 2005, over a dozen of people died of suffocation when the central locking system of their cars failed. The cars had been submerged in water, causing the doors to jam. During calamities, people tend to lose their presence of mind and start to panic. It's always better to be prepared and so we have suggested people be equipped with a hammer," said Joint Commissioner (Traffic) Sanjay Barve.
    It has also been suggested that motorists keep two litres of drinking water and sufficient amounts of snacks at all times, in case of severe traffic jams. And since high tides contribute to water logging, they have asked motorists to keep tuned in to FM channels and keep a check on high and low tide situations of their areas.
MAINTAIN YOUR VEHICLE
The list also raises concerns about the way vehicle owners maintain their four/two wheelers and the manner they drive them during rains. According to the police, roads get especially slippery after the first few showers due to accumulated dust and lubricants. Therefore, they say it's best to avoid over speeding and breaking suddenly, while driving. Among others things, they say vehicles should be serviced properly before rains and wipers and car batteries be kept in good order. Worn out tyres should also be replaced and a spare tyres be kept handy.
KNOW ABOUT TIDES
The traffic police have cautioned motorists travelling in low lying areas to be careful especially when high tide coincide with heavy rains, as they result in flooding. In such cases, they say, its' best to leave their car at assigned parking places.
    "These are the general guidelines for the public, which is for their safety. We are sure if people adhere to them, the monsoon will be safe," said DCP Harish Baijal who has additional charge of traffic (North).
    To know about parking lots, weather forecast, route diversions and timings of high tide one can visit www. trafficpolicemumbai.org, the official web site of Mumbai Traffic Police.
SOME PRECAUTIONS FOR CITY MOTORISTS

• Check wipers and car battery. Keep a small torch.

• Check brakes, brake oil and condition of the brake axel and brake liners.

• Keep sufficient quantity of fuel in the fuel tank.

• Get your air conditioner serviced before monsoon.

• Check the central locking system of the vehicle and tool kit box.

• Keep fire extinguisher in the vehicle and First Aid Box in ready condition.

• Pool your cars, save fuel and the hassle of driving yourself everyday.

• Avoid frantic calls as it jams cellular networks.

• Try staggering office hours to reduce congestion in the Public Transport System.

• Do not panic, if faced with adversities, call the Traffic Police Control room on 24937746, 24937755, 2 4 9 3 7 7 4 7 , 24939717,24940303 ext - 100.

• Help others in distress — whenever possible.

The deluge of 2005 had claimed more than 400 lives

Seven Mudras for Amazing Health Benefits

    

Health in Your Hand: Seven Mudras for Amazing Health Benefits

by valli, Oct 2, 2007

Mudras are very powerful. If you practice these mudras regularly you can see the wonderful health benefits.

Long before this much publicity came to yoga my grand father used to practice asanas, chakras and mudras in yoga. To my knowledge my grandfather has never gone to a doctor. He has neither diabetes nor blood pressure. He taught us the way to practice mudras. Mudras are very powerful. If you practice these mudras regularly you can see the wonderful health benefits. Gyan Mudra (Mudra of Knowledge):   Method: Touch the tip of the thumb to the tip of the index finger, with the other three fingers stretched out. Specialty: As it is a mudra of knowledge, it enhances the knowledge. The tip of thumb has centers of pituitary and endocrine glands. When we press these centers by index finger the two glands work actively. Time duration: There is no particular time duration for this mudra. You can practice by sitting, standing or lying on bed whenever and wherever you have time. Benefits: Increases memory power and sharpens the brain Enhances concentration and prevents Insomnia If we practice it regularly, it will cure all psychological disorders like Mental, Hysteria, Anger and Depression Prithvi Mudra (Mudra of Earth): Method: Tip of the ring finger touches the tip of the thumb, with the other three fingers stretched out. Specialty: It reduces all physical weaknesses. Time Duration: It has no particular time duration. You can practice it any time you want. Benefits: It helps to increase the weight for weak people It improves the complexion of skin and makes the skin to glow It makes the body active by keeping it healthy Varuna Mudra (Mudra of Water): Method: Tip of little finger touches the tip of thumb, with the other three fingers stretched out. Specialty: It balances the water content and prevents all diseases which come due to lack of water. Time Duration: It has no specific time duration and one can practice it according to their time. Benefits: It retains clarity in blood by balancing water content in the body Prevents the pains of Gastroenteritis and Muscle Shrinkage Vayu Mudra (Mudra of Air) Method: Keep the index finger on the base of the thumb and press with thumb keeping the other three fingers straight. Specialty: It prevents all the diseases that occur due to the imbalance of the air. Time Duration: The practice of this mudra for 45 minutes reduces the severity of the disease in 12 to 24 hours. For better results practice it for two months. Benefits: It cures Rheumatism, Arthritis, Gout, Parkinson's disease and paralysis without any medicine It is useful for Cervical Spondilytis, paralysis to face and catching of nerve in neck It corrects the disorder of gas in the stomach Shunya Mudra (Mudra of Emptiness): Method: Keep the middle finger at the mount of Venus and press it with thumb. Specialty: It reduces the dullness in our body. Time Duration: One can practice it for 40 to 60 minutes daily until to be cured from the disease. Benefits: It relieves an earache within 4 or 5 minutes It is useful for the deaf and mentally challenged, but not for inborn ones. Surya Mudra (Mudra of Sun): Method: Bend the ring finger and press it with thumb. Specialty: It sharpens the center in thyroid gland. Time Duration: Practice it daily twice for 5 to 15 minutes. Benefits: It reduces cholesterol in body and helps in reducing weight It reduces anxiety It corrects indigestion problems Prana Mudra (Mudra of Life): Method: Bend ring finger and little finger and touch the tip of thumb with their tips keeping the remaining two fingers stretched. Specialty: As it is the mudra of life, it improves the power of life. Weak people become strong. It reduces the clamps in blood vessels. If we practice it regularly, we will become active. Time Duration: No specific time duration. One can practice it any time. Benefits: It improves immunity Improves the power of eyes and reduces eye related diseases It removes the vitamin deficiency and fatigue Apana Mudra (Mudra of Digestion): Method: The tips of middle finger and ring finger touch the tip of thumb while the other two fingers are stretched out. Specialty: It plays an important role in our health as it regulates the excretory system. Time Duration: Practice it daily for 45 minutes, but practice for longer time yields more benefits. Benefits: It regulates diabetes It cures constipation and piles It helps excreting the normal waste regularly Apana Vayu Mudra (Mudra of Heart):   Method: The tips of the middle finger and ring finger touch the tip of thumb, while the index finger touches the base of thumb and little finger stretched out. Specialty: It benefits the heart. It works like injection in the reduction of heart attack. It is as powerful as sorbitate tablet. It reduces the gas content in body. Time Duration: Practice it as many times as you can. Heart patients and BP patients can practice it for 15 minutes daily twice for better results. Benefits: It strengthens the heart and regularizes palpitation It regulates excretory system It redeems gastric trouble Linga Mudra (Mudra of Heat): Method: Interlock the fingers of both the hands and keep the thumb of the left hand vertically straight and encircle it with the thumb and the index finger of the right hand. Specialty: It generates heat in our body. Take milk, ghee, more water and fruit juices in addition to practice of this mudra for much benefits. Time Duration: Practice it any time you want. But don't practice it a lot as it produces heat in the body. It can cause sweating even in winter if you practice it longer. Benefits: It stops production of phlegm and gives power to lungs It cures severe cold and bronchial infection It invigorates the body It is amazing but true. If you want to see the results, start today!

 

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  Life is a journey NOT the destination, enjoy the trip………….because every moment of our life is an invaluable opportunity, so He who can live up to his ideal is the king of life; he who cannot live up to it is life's slave.