Sudhir Ahluwalia's Blog, page 27

What are the best natural remedies to reduce stress and slowing aging?

A huge body of scientific research has looked at this question in depth. Let me share some salient points that I have discovered as I undertook my research on natural remedies for various ailments plaguing us.

Stress is common to most people. Aging is fueled by anxiety.

Sleep lies at the center of stress management, with lifestyle changes aiding alleviate day-to-day pressure.

Therefore, how do we get a night of good 8-hour sleep becomes the central question?

Dr. Satchin Panda, a professor at the Salk Institute, California, recommends that all eating in a 24-hour cycle be restricted to 8 to 12 hours with ten hours as an optimal solution. He is the author of the book “The Circadian Code.” The balance of 14 hours is fasting hours, giving the body enough time for repair and rest.

I prefer to meditate, read my favorite book, play with my pet and kids, talk to my spouse and watch my favorite program in six hours of the 14 hours. Try this mix, and you will feel much better. If you can work your schedule according to this model and follow it assiduously, you will reduce stress and slow the process of aging.

Additional reading:

The Circadian Code by Satchin Panda

Natural Solutions tri-series

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What is a better diet – plant-based of meat?

Let us look at some scientific facts on the subject.

It is estimated that about 2 billion people live primarily on a meat-based diet worldwide, while 4 billion focus on a plant-based diet. The US food production system, a dominant meat-based market with a population of just 300 million, uses about 50% of the total US land area, 80% of its freshwater, and 17% of the fossil energy. Therefore, a vegetarian diet is more ecologically sustainable when compared to a meat-based diet (Pimentel et al., 2003).

While there is increasing scientific support for moving towards a plant-based diet, the shift has certain downsides. For non-vegetarians, reducing meat intake while increasing legumes, whole grains, and the like tend to result in iron and zinc deficiency.

Vegetarians have lower iron stores because of low quantities of it in their diets (Hunt, 2002). In combination with stress reduction, a plant-based diet reduces recurrent prostate cancer (Saxe et al., 2006).

A low-carbohydrate plant-based diet lowers lipids in the blood, which reduces heart disease risks. (Jenkins et al., 2009).

A plant-based diet is a healthier alternative to one laden with meat; It reduces the chances of artery blockage and artery hardening, which are common causes of heart attacks (Tuso et al., 2015; Hu.,2003). It’s been observed that subjects who follow a plant-based diet (especially legumes) have high levels of genistein in their urine. Genistein is also said to help prevent chronic degenerative diseases like cancer tumors (Fotsis et al., 1993).

Replacing animal protein with plant protein will likely reduce mortality rates, lower cholesterol levels, and higher health benefits.

Diet, though, is an individual choice. There are pros and cons of both forms of diet. I have, above, provided you with a preview of this vast and complex subject.

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Why do startups keep disrupting dominant companies of today?

It will not be the first time startups have disrupted big companies. It was not too long ago that Facebook, for instance, was a startup. Or Disney was struggling, Tata Motors was hugely in debt and had a stagnant market share.

Companies keep getting disrupted by incumbents with innovation, vision, vigor, and strategy. Compare the top listed companies in any stock market; you would observe its composition changing. Companies that were small today take the place of market leaders, with many of the latter fading away into history.

Each case of disruption is different. Still, the disruptors possess the following features:

Customer centricityInnovationResponsive to market conditionsFlexibleCommunicating with all stakeholdersDynamic business models

I want to add other characteristics like integrity, transparency, and climate awareness.

My certifications:

Business model expert

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Please share some tips to bring about weight loss?

Let me share with you some fundamental facts on obesity.

The Centers for Disease Control and www.worldobesity.org mention three critical factors that play an essential part in the development of obesity. These are:

Behavior– influences food choices. Behavior management is a useful tool for obesity control. Excess calories get converted into fats.

The environment plays a crucial role in shaping our habits and lifestyle. Availability of motorized transport at home, convenience foods, and home entertainment solutions are some factors that determine the low expenditure of energy.

Genetics, too, has a role in obesity. Genes can cause disorders resulting in obesity.

Obesity is sometimes associated with an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). Medications help manage this condition.

When I was researching for my book on natural solutions for obesity, I learned some basic facts that I am listing below. Maybe these will help you plan your next journey.

Please rule out medical reasons for your weight gain, like hyperthyroidism or other conditions. It is best to speak to a physician who can advise you what tests are required for your specific situation.Keep your eating restricted to a window of 10 hours. The window is calculated from the first cup of tea or coffee you take to the last meal or drink you take before bedtime. There should be a gap of two to three hours when you hit the bed and the last thing you eat or drink.Sleep and rest are two important essential requirements for weight loss. When you restrict your eating window to 10 hours, it will trigger your body towards better sleep quality.Move to a plant-based low-fat diet. The choice of what you should eat will depend on your preference.Do a combination of cardio, strength training, and meditation. The physical training plan should be drawn by a specialist, just like a diet plan should be done by a good nutritionist.

It is important to enjoy the weight loss journey. The above tips should help you in achieving your goals.

Additional reading:

Natural Solutions for Obesity Similar Posts:

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What do you mean by a green company?

The following definition on Wikipedia describes a green company quite well –

“A sustainable business, or a green business, is an enterprise that has a minimal negative impact or potentially a positive effect on the global or local environment, community, society, or economy—a business that strives to meet the triple bottom line.”

Green companies will use renewable energy as a power source with buildings that conform to green building norms. Such structures are eco-friendly, leverage natural light, and have low energy usage.

A green company will use electric vehicles for transportation and provide organic food in their cafeteria, tend to prefer a vegan diet over conventional food.

These companies will rely on digital technologies for communication, and day-to-day working will be largely paperless. The digital infrastructure will also depend on renewable power sources.

In summary, these are companies with a low carbon footprint. There is increasing realization amongst the business community that going green is good for the environment will help prepare them and sustain them in a world where the transition to a low carbon world is occurring rapidly.

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Is renewable energy and tree planting enough to reverse climate change?

According to Inter-Governmental Panel for Climate Change projections, we will see global average temperatures 2.6 to 4.8 degrees Celsius higher than the present by the turn of this century.
Even if emissions were to be stopped immediately, temperatures would remain elevated for centuries due to the effect of greenhouse gases from past human emissions. To prevent the most severe impacts of climate change, we will need to keep the rise in average global temperature below 2 degrees C since pre-industrial times.
Renewable energy, including wind, solar, geothermal, and bioenergy, will rise from 5 percent in 2018 to around 90 percent in primary energy consumption by 2050. The share of hydrogen – green and blue is also expected to grow in the future. This increase will come at the expense of hydrocarbons, whose share will decline from 85 percent in 2018 to approximately 40 percent or even 20 percent by 2050.
Even if the world achieves its Net Zero carbon emission ambition by 2070, global warming reversal is unlikely. However, with renewables, including hydrogen, nuclear and hydro-electric in the energy basket, the world will be able to achieve its drift to a complete climate disaster.
Tree planting will aid carbon capture efforts, but I doubt it alone will be able to prevent a climate armageddon.

My UPWORK Profile

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How long has hemp been used by humans?

Hemp is one of the earliest crops known to man (Sagan, 1977). Pottery discovered from an ancient village site c. 7000 BC in Taiwan revealed its use to make hemp cord. Hemp fiber wrapped around a baby skeleton was found at Catahoyuk in Turkey c. 9000 BC.

Cannabis seed and oil were probably used as food in China since at least 6000 BC. The earliest use of hemp in medicine goes back to the Chinese emperor Sheng Nung c. 2727 BC. It was popular as it possesses both yin and yang properties (Deitch, 2003). Excavations in the Yanghai tombs in the Xinjiang-Uighur Autonomous Region of China have uncovered a 2700-year-old grave in which cannabis was found. Cannabis was probably used as medicine or for its psychoactive properties (Russo, 2008).

There are references to marijuana in the Chinese pharmacopeia that go back to 1500 BC (National Institute of Drug Abuse – Marijuana Research Findings – 1976, 1977). The Chinese were said to use cannabis to treat diarrhea dysentery and stimulate appetite.

The use of cannabis in India probably goes back to the Vedic times (c. 1800 BC onwards), as mentioned in the Atharvaveda.

The Zend-Avesta, the Holy Book of the Zoroastrians (composed around 700-600 BC), has numerous references to bhang (local Indian name for recreational marijuana). It is referred to therein as the good narcotic. Sushruta Samhita mentions the use of cannabis as an anti-phlegmatic and as a cure for leprosy.

Pliny the Elder refers to the use of the plant both for rope-making and as an analgesic (23-79 AD). Dioscorides lists it as a medicine (c. 70 AD).

While some scholars believe that cannabis was an ingredient in the Holy Anointing Oils used by the ancient Jews c. 1450 BC, my analysis of the plants and spices used in the Anointing Oil does not support this conclusion (Holy Herbs, Sudhir Ahluwalia, 2017).

Ancient Jews used cannabis both as an intoxicant and in medicine. It was a popular medicinal plant in Pharaonic Egypt too. Pollen of cannabis was discovered in the nostrils of the mummy of Ramesses II. Ancient Egyptians said the plant was used to treat glaucoma, for cooling the uterus, and as an enema.

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Does yoga help bring about weight loss?

Exercise is of three categories: stretching, cardiovascular and strength training. A balanced workout that has all three types of training is most effective. During research for my book Natural Solutions for Obesity, I looked at the scientific studies that validate the role of exercise in bringing about weight loss.

Let me share with you a few of these studies:

After 12 weeks of dietary regimen for weight loss combined with aerobic and resistance exercise, it was observed to prevent the average decline in fat-free mass and muscular power. The regimen augments body composition, maximal strength, and maximum oxygen consumption compared with weight loss induced by diet alone. (Kraemer et al., 1999)

The yoga results on individuals were comparable in that such individuals showed significant improvements in muscle strength and endurance. Still, there is no significant gain in weight loss than a control group on a weight-loss dietary regimen alone. (Mahadevan et al., 2008)

Yoga training for a short period of six weeks can significantly improve respiratory muscle strength and endurance. (Mahadevan et al., 2008) Regular yoga practice causes weight loss among overweight individuals. (Kristal et al., 2005)

A review has shown that yoga is an appropriate and potentially successful intervention for weight maintenance and obesity prevention. Yoga helps in risk reduction for diseases in which obesity plays a significant causal role. (Rioux et al., 2013)

Besides weight reduction, yoga helps treat binge eating, which contributes to obesity. (McIver et al., 2009)

Asanas (physical exercise postures) performed standing are appropriate for people suffering from the obese condition. Begin the exercise regime by doing the yoga series of warming-up exercises. These start from the neck, then to the spine and arms.

Once you have warmed up the body, you can follow this up with the following yoga exercises:

Tadasana – standing posture

Vrikshasana – tree posture

Ardha chakra asana – half-wheel posture

Trikonasana – triangle posture

Yoga asanas should always include breathing exercises called pranayamas. Kapalbhati pranayama works best for obese individuals.

Additional reading:

Natural Solutions for Obesity

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What all should a pitch deck include to cast the best impact?

A good pitch deck brings out:

The business ideaHow will it compete, grow and evolve in the face of competition?What is the business model?Why would customers get attracted to the business idea?What is the operational model of the venture, and has it been tested?

Investors want to be convinced that investing money into you and your venture will give them long-term dividends.

Take a look at the successful ventures around you; you will observe certain common features. Some of these are:

The energy of the entrepreneurSincerity and integrityClarity of thoughtAbility and willingness to sustain the business

A pitch is great when the investor is convinced that you are the right individual, with the right idea, the desire, and the skill to convert the idea into a successful business.

I use business tools and frameworks to draw out these features in the pitch deck. However, the success of a pitch deck depends on you and you alone.

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Is it possible that acupuncture can be of help in improvement in diabetes profile?

Acupuncture is a popular therapy in China and parts of North Asia. My research on natural solutions for diabetes did discover several studies that support the role of acupuncture in diabetes management and control. Let me share a few of these:

A review of published scientific papers between 1979 and 2009 notes that acupuncture treatment reverses metabolic disorders such as enhanced blood sugar levels, inflammation, obesity, and other effects that contribute to insulin resistance. (Liang, F et al., 2010) Acupuncture and moxibustion, individually or together, were observed to be effective therapy for diabetes. (Liao, H., et al., 2007).

Acupuncture is an effective long-term maintenance treatment for diabetes patients suffering from pain caused by the stimulation of nerves. This condition is called peripheral neuropathy. People with diabetes often observe unexplained pain in the feet. Diabetes causes damage to neural networks. The damage can result in pain in the feet or other parts of the body. This phenomenon is called peripheral neuropathy. Acupuncture helps reduce the pain caused by peripheral neuropathy. (Abuaisha, B.B. et al., 1998; Zhang, C. et al., 2010; Tong, Y. et al., 2010)

Points in the abdominal region are often targeted in acupuncture to relieve obese type 2 diabetes patients. Acupuncture leads to lowering blood pressure and blood sugar levels, improving insulin resistance, and lowering lipid levels in the blood. (Yang, Y., et al., 2015; Wang, Y., et al., 2014; Zhi-cheng, L., et al., 2004) Experimental rats show a similar impact. (Peplow, P.V. et al., 2012)

If you carefully look at the scientific studies supporting acupuncture on diabetes patients, most of these have emanated from China. The lack of geographical variation is a cause of concern. The scientists further stress training Chinese researchers to undertake fair trials. (Chen, W. et al., 2013) The publishers of the journal, though, have distanced themselves from the comments of this group of scientists. But doubts do remain.

My conclusion is based on the weight of scientific evidence that acupuncture has a role in pain management. But does this extend to bringing down blood sugar levels or having any other direct impact on diabetic conditions is a question on which the jury is still out?

Additional reading:

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