Sperms are important, care for them

Taking care of your family jewels will ensure that when the right time comes, you don't fire blanks

Sperm patrol (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images)

Statistics show that of around 15 percent couples that suffer from infertility, nearly half is due to male infertility. According to Dr Hrishikesh Pai, Gynaecologist and Infertilityspecialist, Lilavati Hospital, "We always talk about the biological clock for women. But with men post 40s, sperm DNA fragmentation occurs and the sperm's chances of causing apregnancy reduces. In fact, today, even men in their 30s often experience sperm healthproblems. People who put their careers over family planning need to factor in these issues."

The World Health Organisation's guidelines specify the normal, healthy sperm count to be 20 million sperm per milliliter in a total semen volume of two ml. Pai notes how overtime, sperm counts have gone down across the world. "A decade or two ago, 40-50 million was the normal sperm count. However, WHO has changed the definition of what's 'normal' and has brought it down to 20 million. Urban-influenced lifestyles along with food, water and milk contamination have adversely affected sperm health over the years," he says.

Sperm theory
Dr Pai says, a sperms health is assessed under various heads; sperm count (numbers), motility (movement), morphology (sperm shape and structure) and volume (total volume of ejaculate), among others. "Your lifestyle is key. If your work environment is extremely hot or if you are exposed to toxins, like say, in a chemical factory, it can cause a drop in your sperm count," says Pai. What may also lower it are long, steamy baths, saunas and spending more than 30 minutes in a water tub that's 40 degree celsius or above. Sexpert Dr Mahinder Watsa advises, "Riding the bicycle for too long may rise your scrotal temperature and affect sperm production. Stop for frequent rests while biking. As the scrotum always needs to be a couple of degrees lower than the body temperature, it's better to ditch tight underwear and go for loose cotton ones." So boxer shorts are not just sexy, they offer more air there too. Also, things can get steamy down there due to prolonged sitting at work and using laptops on your lap.

To stay safe, it's best to get a semen analysis test done from a private laboratory so that certain lifestyle changes can be made to improve your sperm health over time, says Dr Pai.

Dr Arun Patil, Founder of the sperm bank Medilabs, says that of the 100 donors who approach them, 90 to 95 are rejected on various criteria. "We ensure that the donor is between 20 and 30 years of age, single, has undergone college education to ensure a certain IQ and doesn't smoke, drink alcohol, chew gutkha or do drugs. This is because these factors plus a few tests ensure that the quality is optimum." Frequent sex also ensures optimum sperm quality as it allows fresh sperm to replace the old. Too much sex though may cut sperm numbers by too much. A day or two's gap between sex works wonders for sperm quality and density.

Road to improvement 
Zinc, which is present in bananas, oysters and almonds, aids testosterone synthesis and increases sperm numbers, motility and volume. Nutritionists say foods with high content of vitamin A (carrots, milk, cheese, eggs), vitamin C (oranges, strawberries, broccoli) and vitamin E (peanuts, spinach, almonds, hazelnuts) optimise sperm health. Selenium-rich foods such as garlic and Lycopene-rich foods such as tomatoes and watermelon help prevent oxidative damage to sperms.

Tips to keep a soaring count 
- Oranges, green tea and pineapples are known to lower sperm acidity

- Avoid frequent ejaculation or masturbation, restrict it to thrice a week

- Detox your body and have a lot of water and fruits for optimum growth

- Destressing with yoga or meditation can greatly help quality » Stop smoking. This hampers both count and motility.

THE BENEFITS OF BEING POLITE

We all believe in the philosophy that the essence of life is talking. Communicating with others is as necessary as food. If we don’t, we tend to fall ill. Today people are rarely talking.

The art of conversation has almost died down. People just usually sit and chat in their office breaks about things that are not even worth thinking about. Let’s face it; we all are going towards doom where each one of us is talking to pass/kill time. The art of using communication is no more existing. People are concerned about others influence in their lives and not about their influence in others life.

It is an unbelievable thing that an effective communication through polite words can have wonderful impact on you and others lives as well. You can win the hearts of many people, climb the corporate ladder, have promotions but not have wonderful relationship with people around you.

The path to a successful life comes thorough the stairs of politeness. An act of politeness can do wonders that no monetary thing can do. Let us go deep in the art of efficient speaking by these methods.

Talking about ideas and not people

It’s truly said, great minds talk about ideas and small minds talk about people. Politeness is an attitude of life. Talking about ideas heightens your politeness towards innovations and stimulates your mind too. This is effective for the speaker and the listener both. To start talking about people you can breathe out all negative energies about anyone: latest crush, which dress she wears, which perfume she uses, her bad attitude. The idea is that everything you talk about people usually comes negative. This develops a feeling of self love and comparison at all means. You do not value your life as much as you do to others.

Using intellect instead of the tongue

Usually people chatter on at length not worrying about the impact it would have on others. Since people are so occupied in themselves they’d rather talk about themselves only. This instigates them to speak rubbish endlessly. Have you ever thought how much of an impact we can have on others by our words? By trying to use our brains before speaking, we will save others sentiments and preserve a healthy relationship between our near ones.

Avoiding gossip

The one who usually starts a gossip or backbiting about someone does not know that he is the one to have the last laugh. People who start commenting and spreading rumors about others usually end up in a muck of politics and bickering about themselves from the other end. Such people should be avoided at arm’s length. Even listening to gossip is as harmful since the listener had the power to listen to negative communication. This unhealthy gossiping could have been stopped if the listener would have ignored the speaker.

Exchange of compliments

We should not limit our compliment intake be restricted to our close relatives. People like our helpers such as servants, cleaners, house maids are those on whom we can count on. Speaking politely to them will ensure that your day is made. They are the ones who offer your services to make your life comfortable. So we should make endeavors to enrich their lives by complimenting and praising them.

Look for positive things in negative people

We all have negative and positive sides. Nobody on this earth has a squeaky clean nature. We all have flaws, however some people are observed negatively by their rude behavior and we become very judgmental about them putting them in the negative category. We should understand that people who are rude have their own weaknesses. They do not choose to be like that. Frustrations at work or domestic front make them act in this behavior. Such people should be offered more help than others comparatively. Talking politely with them will make a difference in their lives and yours too.

Feel positive about you all the time 

Quite often we do not realize that we subconsciously become negative. Pent up emotions and unfulfilled desires make us behave rudely towards others and emit negative radiations from the body. Thus we tend to overreact and become rude and harsh to others in some or the other way. This might demolish the social circle that we have. So politeness in the hearts at all means will result in polite attitude.

Whatever is rested in your heart is bound to come out in the open some or the other day. Make sure you have a prosperous life with a polite attitude and selfless love. This will make you immortal in the hearts of millions as people are going to remember for your polite words and not by your status.

A photographer once clicked a photograph of ex-president of India, Dr. Kalam with a shawl placed on his shoulder. After the photo shoot was over, the photographer rudely took off the shawl and walked off. The President smiled. After being asked about his composed behaviouir, he politely answered that maybe the photographer needed the shawl more than he did, and continued his work.

People with big positions come and go but it is only their humble nature that draws millions of people towards them. Their polite words filled to the brim with modesty and love melt the hearts of even the rudest amongst the crowd. By talking politely to all we can make an impact on others lives.

http://timesofindia.speakingtree.in/spiritual-blogs/seekers/wellness/the-benefits-of-being-polite

5 Ways to SuperSize your Life

1. Say Yes to Life."Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact." -Henry James

Saying yes to life allows wonderful blessings to come to you. Say yes to opportunity and success. Say yes to a life that you live by your standards. Say yes to making your own decisions and not seeking approval of others. Say yes to a fulfilling and rewarding career. Say yes to a relationship that energizes, supports and stimulates you. Say yes to a promising future. Say yes to living without guilt, resentment or regrets. Say yes to spending more time on your self improvement. Say yes to living an authentic life. Say yes to taking chances and freeing yourself from fear. Say yes to happiness and achievements. Say yes to a well-lived life.

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2. Love Yourself and Others Unconditionally."Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs....."I Corinthians 13: 3, 5)

When was the last time you loved without hesitation or caution? Withholding love as a means of control only leads to distrust and resentment. Loving unconditionally means loving without judgment. Free yourself from unrealistic expectations and accept the person you love for who they are. Do not expect your needs and wants to be fulfilled by someone else. Allow those you love to express themselves without fear of rejection. Do not punish yourself or loved ones for past mistakes. People use the word love very loosely, but do not stop to think of the implications of using the word. Take the time to be responsible in how you show love. Allow yourself to love and be loved.

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3. Take Risks "There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." - Anais Nin

Everything in life involves a risk. Are you allowing fear of rejection and failure to dictate your life? Fear inhibits success. Take chances and free yourself from limiting beliefs. Taking risks empowers you to take charge of your life. Be curious about life; experiment and try new things. Set goals for yourself and take action. Step out of what is safe, comfortable and familiar to you. Examine what feelings emerge when you are thinking about taking a risk. Ask yourself, "What am I afraid of?" Concealing yourself in a safe container prevents you from exploring other possibilities. Embrace the unknown and anticipate success. You will never know the outcome if you don't take the risk.

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4. Make the Impossible, Possible "The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."- Winston Churchill

Think it can't happen; then it won't. It is possible to get through the difficult times in life. Learn from failures and take responsibility for your life. Listening to your inner critic can sabotage your dreams. Silence the critic by reaffirming all the things you are capable of doing. Dream big and be excited about your future. Find and release your untapped talents. Believe in your abilities and discover what you have to offer the world. Think about all the things you can't do and try to do them. Think back to a time, when something was difficult and you were able to overcome the challenge. Continuing to live life in a safe container doesn't help you gain anything in life. Take the necessary actions to achieve your goals. Stop assuming and start achieving!

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5. Make Your Life Really Count. "How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."- Annie Dillard

What's your legacy? How do you want to be remembered? The life you live defines who you are and the choices you make will determine what impact you will have on the lives of others. Never underestimate the power of your words and actions. You were uniquely created to make a contribution to the world. It is your right and your obligation to make your mark in this world. Surround yourself with people who are supportive, positive and encouraging. Show appreciation and gratitude to those around you. If you have a message to share, then share it with the world. Staying small and thinking small will not get you where you need to be in life. Starting today, have a new perspective on life. Start a new chapter in your life.

 http://timesofindia.speakingtree.in/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/5-ways-to-supersize-your-life

25 simple tips for a great living

25 simple tips for a great living (not in any specific order ):

1. Drink lots of water, Eat proper food.
2. Sleep for 6-8 hours a day
3. Exercise your body daily atleast for 30 minutes
4. Follow your passion/s and work.
5. Hurt no one
6. Love everyone
7. Laugh out loud , or atleast smile.
8. Play often.
9. Develop interesting hobbies
10. Take time out to meet old friends
11. Develop your self.
12. Read inspiring books/biographies
13. Remember to connect to the Creator
14. Meditate
15. Travel and admire Nature.
16. Make friends , forgive enemies
17. If in a problem , say out loud : "So , whats the big deal. This too shall pass"
18. See humourous films to have a hearty laugh.
19. Accept the life given to you.
20. Accept the life given to others.
21. Be grateful
22. Surrender to God
23. Sing songs or play music
24. Be truthful to self and others.
25. Do seva / help others.

Happy Living ! Celebrate  Life !

http://timesofindia.speakingtree.in/spiritual-blogs/seekers/wellness/25-simple-tips-for-a-great-living

7 ways to beat your worries

Can’t stop worrying? Try out our seven ways to beat the bother and boost your happiness. Whilst worrying is necessary for spurring us on to achieve our goals, chronic worrying can disrupt the balance in our nervous system and be detrimental to our health. Here are seven ways to wash away your worries:

 

How to stop worrying, tip 1: Forget the things you can’t change
If you’re worrying about something that’s happened in the past, you need to stop. The power of your mind isn’t strong enough to solve problems through panic, so it’s important to beat your worries by thinking logically and tackling them head-on. Bad memories from the past are toxic to our health and highly counterproductive so you must bury the burdens of your past and move on.

How to stop worrying, tip 2: Write a worry list
Write down everything you’re worried about; the bills, your job, the car MOT – everything. Then rate them on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the things that are concerning you most. You can then turn your worry list into an action list. Take action on the worries that you rated the highest first, and then work through the rest of the list. You will feel a sense of relief each time you tick a worry off, and this is a sure-fire way to boost your happiness and relieve your worries.

How to stop worrying, tip 3: Discipline your thoughts
If you’re a chronic worrier, you need to learn to take control of your thoughts rather than letting them take control of you. To do this, every time you think a negative thought, you must turn it into a positive. Every time you worry, think “is this really helpful?” If the answer is no, turn the thought into a positive or forget it completely. Whilst this may seem difficult at first, it will eventually become second nature and you will find that turning a negative into a positive is a much more constructive way of dealing with your thoughts.

How to stop worrying, tip 4: Distract yourself through relaxation
When we’re worried – particularly about a number of things at once – our brains don’t tend to find a logical solution to our problems. In order to think logically, we must take the time to relax and unwind. Breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth. After a couple of minutes of relaxation, the tension will leave your body and you will be in a better position to tackle the problem from a fresh perspective.Woman relaxing in bath with candles

How to stop worrying, tip 5: Talk to friends and family
A problem shared is a problem halved. Talk to your family, your friends, or a doctor if you have a good relationship with them. Sometimes saying your problems out loud can get your thoughts straight in your head and if you’re worrying about something useless, saying it out loud can make you realise that it’s just not worth the worry. With those close to you, you can laugh, cry, and moan as much as you like without being judged and this is a healthy way to relieve stress.

How to stop worrying, tip 6: Confront the problem head-on
Some worries can’t be tamed through talking to others or relaxation. A problem that won’t go away until you physically do something about it needs to be confronted head-on. Sometimes, we have so much on our mind that we don’t know what to deal with first. Make a decision on which problem you want to solve and how you will go about it, and then stick to it. You will probably find that once you resolve the problem, you’ll wish you’d done something about it sooner.

How to stop worrying tip 7: Put things into perspective
Don’t be overwhelmed by small things; try and see the bigger picture. Is your problem really as bad as you’re making it out to be? The chances are there will be many people worse off than you. Instead of zoning in on certain things and panicking about them, put everything into perspective. Does this problem affect your entire life? Will you still be panicking about this in a few weeks or months time? If the answer is no, then it’s really not worth the worry.

வீ‌ட்டிலேயே இரு‌க்கு எ‌ளிய வை‌த்‌திய‌ம்

* கடுமையான இரும‌ல் இரு‌ந்தா‌ல் 3 கப் தண்ணீருடன் வெற்றிலையையும், மிளகையும் போட்டு கொதிக்க வைத்து குடித்து வரவும்.

* பல் வலி குறைய துளசி இலை 2, கொஞ்சம் உப்பு மற்றும் மிளகுத்தூள் ஆகியவற்றை வலி இருக்கும் இடத்தில் வை‌த்து அழு‌‌த்‌தி வரவு‌ம். வ‌லி குறையு‌ம்.

* சருமத்தில் உள்ள சிறு தழும்புகளைப் போக்க குளிக்கும் நீரில் துளசி இலைகளை போ‌ட்டு குளிக்கவும். ‌விரை‌வி‌ல் தழு‌ம்புக‌ள் மறையு‌ம்.

* குழந்தைகளுக்கு ஏற்படும் காய்ச்சல் மற்றும் இருமலுக்கு நீருடன் தேனைக்கலந்து கொடுத்தா‌ல் ‌விரை‌வி‌ல் இரும‌‌ல் ‌நி‌ற்கு‌ம். கா‌ய்‌ச்ச‌ல் குறையு‌ம்.

* காரட் மற்றும் தக்கா‌ளி‌ச் சாறு இதனுடன் கொஞ்சம் தேன் கலந்து குழந்தைகளுக்கு கொடுத்து வந்தால் உட‌ல் வ‌லிமை பெரும்.

* வயிற்றுப் போக்கை உடனடியாக நிறுத்த கொய்யா இலைகளை மென்று தின்றால் போதுமானது.

மறந்துபோன எலுமிச்சை சோடா

நாம் எலுமிச்சை சோடாவின் பயன்கள் என்னவென்று பார்ப்போம்.

எலுமிச்சம் பழம்

உடல் வெப்பத்தைக் குறைக்கும். புளிப்பை அகற்றும். உடலைத் தூய்மைப்படுத்தும். உடல் உறுப்புகள் இயல்பாக இயங்குவதற்குத் தூண்டுதல் அளிக்கும். மூளையின் வளர்ச்சியையும் இயக்கத்தையும் மேம்படுத்தும். வாய்க்கசப்பை அகற்றும். கபத்தைக் கட்டுப்படுத்தும்.

வாதத்தை விலக்கும். இருமல், தொண்டை நோய்களைக் குணப்படுத்தும். காச நோய்க்கு நல்ல கூட்டு மருந்தாக உதவும். மூலத்தைக் கரைக்கும். விஷங்களை முறிக்கும். பொதுவாக உடல் நலம் தொடர்பாக இது ஆற்றும் உதவிக்கு ஈடாக வேறு எந்தக் கனியையும் கூற முடியாது.

நரம்பு தளர்ச்சிக்கு

இது மட்டுமின்றி நரம்புகளுக்குப் புத்துணர்ச்சியையும் தெம்பையும் அளிக்கிறது. எலுமிச்சம் பழத்தில் உள்ள மற்றொரு ரசாயனப் பொருளான 'பொட்டாசியம்' இரத்தத்தின் அமிலத் தன்மையைக் கட்டுப்படுத்துவதுடன் நரம்புத் தளர்ச்சியடையாமல் காக்கிறது.

குழந்தைகளுக்கு

மற்ற எந்தப் பழத்தையும் விட எலுமிச்சம் பழம் தான் குழந்தைகளுக்கு ஏற்படக்கூடிய பிணிகளுக்குச் சரியான மருந்தாக உதவுகிறது.

உணவுடன் சேர்த்து

எலுமிச்சம் பழத்தை அன்றாட உணவோடு ஏதாவது ஒரு வகையில் பயன்படுத்தி வந்தால் ஜீரண சக்தி அதிகமாகும். நல்ல பசியும் எடுக்கும். பித்தம் குறையும்.மண்ணீரல் வீக்கத்துக்கு நல்லது, வயிற்றுப்போக்கு போன்றவற்றிற்கும் இது மருந்தாக உதவுகிறது. எலுமிச்சை ஊறுகாய் உணவை ஜீரணிக்க உதவும்.

முக அழகிற்கு

எலுமிச்சையைக் கொண்டு முகத்தை சுத்தம் செய்ய(facial) முகப்பருக்கள்,என்னை பசை,கரும்புள்ளி நீங்கி முகம் அழகு பெரும்.

வெயில் காலத்திற்கு

எலுமிச்சம் பழ ரசத்தைக் கோடை நாட்களில் அருந்தினால் உடல் இயற்கையாகவே குளிர்ச்சி பெறும். சூரிய வெப்பத்தினால் ஏற்படும் ஆயாசம் குறைந்து சுறுசுறுப்பாகச் செயற்பட முடியும்.

சர்க்கரை நோயால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டவர்களுக்கு

சர்க்கரை நோயால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டவர்கள் சர்க்கரைக்கு பதிலாக உப்பு சேர்த்து பருகலாம்.

கல்லீரல் பலப்பட

எலுமிச்சம் பழத்தை சாறெடுத்து, அதில் தேன் கலந்து பருகி வந்தால் கல்லீரல் பலப்படும்.

தலைவலி நீங்க

தேநீரில் ஒரு அரைஎலுமிச்சம் பழத்தை பிழிந்து சாறு கலந்து அருந்தி வந்தால் தலைவலி குணமாகும்.

நீர்க் கடுப்பு நீங்க

வெயில் காலம் என்பதால் நீர்க்கடுப்பு பிரச்சினை சிலருக்கு அவதியை ஏற்படுத்தும். இந்நிலை நீங்க எலுமிச்சம் பழச்சாறுடன் சிறிது உப்பு கலந்து ஒருவாரம் அருந்தி வந்தால் நீர்க்கடுப்பு, நீர் எரிச்சல் நீங்கும்.

* எலுமிச்சம் பழம், உடலில் களைப்பைப் போக்கி உடலுக்கு புத்துணர்வை உண்டாக்கும்.
* எலுமிச்சம் பழச்சாற்றை முகத்தில் தேய்த்து குளித்தால் வறட்சி நீங்கும்.
* தாதுவைக் கெட்டிப்படுத்தும்.
* மாதவிலக்கின் போது உண்டாகும் வலியைக் குறைக்கும்.
* மூலத்திற்கு சிறந்த மருந்தாகும்

முக்கிய குறிப்பு

எலுமிச்சம் பழச்சாற்றை எப்போதுமே வெறும் வயிற்றில் அருந்தக்கூடாது. அப்படிச் செய்தால் இரைப்பை பெருமளவு பாதிக்கப்பட்டு இரைப்பை புண் போன்ற குறைபாடுகள் ஏற்பட்டு அவதியுற நேரிடும்.