NYT Opinion Column About the Egg Industry

Nicholas Kristof - who write on many topics for the New York Times, just wrote an opinion column about eggs and the egg industry - in the light of an upcoming expose to be revealed by the Humane Society.

In that, he describes the observations of an undercover worker at a large commercial egg farm and processing facility, which describes the unsanitary and unsafe conditions at the factory farm.

One thing we do an "modern human beings" is that a lot of us eat eggs, meat and dairy on a daily basis (in fact on multiple occasions in the same day). This is vastly different from the ancient humans who had to literally hunt for food. They got more exercise and their diet was more regulated. Now, we sit around more (like I am doing right now) and we eat more! wow....

No wonder health care  is a huge problem - when prevention is not practiced much but pills and knives (and lasers) are seen as panacea.


Good diet (ie reducing meat/animal product intake to twice a week and increasing plant based food to a higher frequency, coupled with exercise should improve over all health fast enough. If you are asking me for scientific proof - I will just say this - please join the study group - not as a control, but as the study subject! And we'll find out for ourselves soon :)

Comments on NPR Article/Radio Piece on Yoga (Apr 2012)

A friend of mine who is a yoga teacher and practishioner in Eastern USA, asked me to comment on this NPR piece. So I am just posting some of my thoughts on the fly. What I am posting here is the general understanding of many things seen and learnt over the years. In no way does this paint any religion in bad light. 

To Some Hindus, Modern Yoga Has Lost Its Way 

by MARGOT ADLER

April 11, 2012About 20 million people in the United States practice some form of yoga, from the formal Iyengar and Ashtanga schools to the more irreverent "Yoga Butt."
But some Hindus say yoga is about far more than exercise and breathing techniques. They want recognition that it comes from a deeper philosophy — one, in their view, with Hindu roots. (More at NPR.ORG )

The question my friend posed was:

"Would you explain to me if this idea I have is correct or not? When missionaries go to India in the name of Jesus, and the people there accept Jesus and celebrate Jesus...is it because that's how Hinduism is (it accepts and celebrates all enlightened beings), not because they have necessarily "converted" to Christianity and now only see Jesus?"

Regarding your question, Hinduism as practiced for many many years in India has baggage from the caste system. So a lot of people who had been neglected and treated as non-equals and lower class, were the ones that embraced Christianity because it offered them hope, respect and some education. This was when the missionaries were first coming in; of course now the Indian Christian community has its own problems and class levels, but my understanding is that conversions worked (both Islamic conversions, Christian conversions) to remove some caste inequality for the downtrodden who were under control of organized religion.

However, the interesting cultural aspect in India is that people of ALL religions celebrate a lot of the local cultural festivals - many of which may seem to be linked to Hinduism.

In the US, yoga as is practiced in many fitness centers is mostly just the stretching part - not even focusing a lot on breathing or preparation to better breathing. However, there are in many universities as well the ISKON movement linked places- where yoga is practiced in a more wholesome manner, including the spiritual aspects quite well.

The people who are converted might still celebrate ALL enlightened beings still, but they just don't care about the "high priests" in Hindu temples and religious hierarchy anymore.

List of Helpful Yoga Poses for Common Illnesses

Sinusitis
Yoga Poses
One website that carries a list of useful yoga poses and other natural techniques that help in preventing common illnesses is the Health and Yoga site. Note that this site lists many techniques that may sound completely new to you. In such a case, locate a trained yoga practitioner in your neighborhood and consult with them accordingly, before proceeding into any self directed program.

Another book that is titled "Yogic Cure for Common (sic) Diseases" also provides information relevant to diet and health. [In "indian english", the author means illnesses, not really 'diseases'.] The interesting part is that this book actually links abdominal disorders to sinus problems and recommends the same diet for both (no fried foods, avoid milk, less spice in food, etc.) This book carries a recommended meal plan (bkfst, lunch, snack time, dinner) with detailed list of items to eat and to avoid. It is a short book divided into multiple illness-related chapters, so it is a quick read.

A link to the book on Amazon.com's website can be found on the left hand side of this post.

Nasal hygiene
The other important tip towards avoiding sinus problems is nasal hygiene. Since the nose is the filter for all the air we breathe, excess mucus needs to be removed from the nose. (Some amount of mucus is normal and needed for keeping the nasal air passage moist and well lubricated.) This book as well as my yoga teachers from India have recommended a procedure called Jalneti Kriya, which is basically saline irrigation of the nose. For the past few years I have been (irregularly) rinsing my nose with either a neti pot or the Neilmed bottle. Penn state's UHS pharmacy as well as the local CVS pharmacies carry this item.

Neti pot video.

Herb Supplements & Other remedies

Quercetin, Bromelaine. Usually avaiable as a combination at Whole Foods, Nature's Pantry (penn state area).

Wellness.com's review on bromelaine

Acupuncture: This is out of my league, but I should give credit to the acupuncturist (Daniel Greenberg) of my friend who told me about quercetin and bromelaine.

Naturopathy: Black pepper smoke inhalation, munching a few kernels of raw black pepper first thing in the morning help clear sinuses. Extremely risky, do not attempt unless you love black pepper.