Embracing the Power of Small Stress: How a Little Pressure Can Propel Us Forward

Introduction:
In the whirlwind of modern life, stress often carries a negative connotation. Yet, not all stress is created equal. While chronic stress can take a toll on our well-being, there exists a type of stress that can be surprisingly beneficial. Enter eustress – the positive stress that can ignite our motivation, enhance performance, and fuel personal growth. In this blog post, we’ll explore the concept of small stress and how harnessing its power can lead to positive outcomes in our lives.

Understanding Eustress:
Eustress, coined by endocrinologist Hans Selye, refers to stress that is perceived as positive or beneficial. Unlike distress, which overwhelms and debilitates us, eustress energizes and inspires action. It can arise from various sources such as challenges, deadlines, competitions, or new experiences. Eustress prompts us to rise to the occasion, adapt, and ultimately thrive.

The Benefits of Small Stress:
Small doses of stress can have remarkable effects on our performance and well-being. Eustress can sharpen our focus, enhance cognitive function, and boost productivity. It can motivate us to set and achieve goals, fostering a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. Moreover, embracing small stressors can build resilience, teaching us to cope effectively with adversity and bounce back stronger than before.

Finding Balance:
While small stress can be beneficial, it’s essential to strike a balance and avoid tipping into overwhelming distress. Recognizing our limits and practicing self-care are crucial aspects of managing stress effectively. Techniques such as mindfulness, exercise, and time management can help mitigate the negative effects of stress while maximizing its potential benefits.

Embracing the Challenge:
Rather than shying away from stress, we can reframe our perspective and view it as an opportunity for growth. Embracing challenges and stepping out of our comfort zones can lead to personal and professional development. By harnessing the power of small stress, we can unlock our full potential and seize opportunities for success.

Conclusion:
In a world where stress is often demonized, it’s time to reevaluate our relationship with this powerful force. Small stress, or eustress, has the potential to propel us forward, fuel our ambitions, and foster resilience. By embracing challenges and harnessing the positive aspects of stress, we can unlock new levels of achievement and fulfillment in our lives.

Keywords: eustress, small stress, positive stress, motivation, performance, resilience, personal growth

References:

1. Selye, H. (1974). Stress without distress. Journal of Indian Psychology, 2(1), 15-20.
2. McGonigal, K. (2015). The Upside of Stress: Why Stress Is Good for You, and How to Get Good at It. Avery.
3. Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. Springer Publishing Company.

The Truth About Blue Light: Is It Really Harmful?

In today’s digital age, we’re constantly connected to our devices. From the moment we wake up to the time we go to bed, we’re checking emails, scrolling through social media, or binge-watching our favorite shows. But have you ever stopped to think about the blue light these screens emit and its effects on our health?

What is Blue Light?

Blue light is a type of visible light with a wavelength between 400 and 450 nanometers. It’s perceived as blue in color, but it can be present even when light appears white or another color. Our main source of blue light is sunlight, but it’s also emitted by LEDs and is prevalent in the screens of our electronic devices¹.

The Blue Light Debate

There’s been a lot of discussions lately about whether the blue light from our devices is harmful. Some studies suggest that exposure to high-energy blue light can damage our eyes and disrupt our sleep patterns. However, the amount of blue light from devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops is not considered harmful to the retina or any other part of the eye².

Blue Light and Sleep

While blue light may not cause physical harm to our eyes, it can have an impact on our sleep. Exposure to blue light, especially at night, can suppress the release of melatonin, the hormone that signals our brain it’s time for bed. This disruption can lead to difficulty falling asleep and overall poorer sleep quality³.

How to Protect Yourself

If you’re concerned about blue light exposure, there are several steps you can take to protect yourself:

• Use “night mode” settings on your devices, which reduce blue light emission.
• Take regular breaks from screens to give your eyes a rest.
• Avoid using devices right before bedtime to help maintain your natural sleep cycle.

Conclusion

The blue light emitted by our devices is a topic of ongoing research. While it’s not deemed harmful to our eyes, it can affect our sleep. By being mindful of our screen time and taking simple precautions, we can enjoy our devices without compromising our health.

References

• “Blue Light of the Digital Era: A Comparative Study of Devices” – MDPI
• “Blue Light and Eye Damage: A Review on the Impact of Digital Device Emissions” – MDPI².
• “Blue Light: What It Is and How It Affects Sleep” – Sleep Foundation³.

Sound Sleep is a Bliss: How to Sleep Better and Why It Matters

Sleep is one of the most essential and underrated aspects of our health and well-being. It affects our physical, mental, and emotional state, as well as our productivity, creativity, and happiness. Yet, many of us struggle to get enough quality sleep every night, due to various factors such as stress, lifestyle, habits, or environment. In this blog post, we will explore why sound sleep is a bliss, how to sleep better, and what benefits you can reap from sleeping well.

Sound Sleep : Thanks Pexels for the image

Why Sound is a bliss?

Sound sleep is a bliss because it can improve your health, mood, and performance in various ways, such as:

• Boosting your immune system: Sleep helps your body fight off infections and diseases, by producing more antibodies and cytokines, which are proteins that regulate inflammation and immunity. A lack of sleep can make you more susceptible to illnesses, such as colds, flu, or COVID-19.
• Enhancing your brain function: Sleep helps your brain consolidate and process information, memories, and emotions, by strengthening the neural connections and pruning the unnecessary ones. A lack of sleep can impair your cognitive abilities, such as attention, learning, memory, decision making, and problem solving.
• Regulating your hormones: Sleep helps your body balance the hormones that control your appetite, metabolism, growth, and stress response, such as leptin, ghrelin, insulin, cortisol, and melatonin. A lack of sleep can disrupt your hormonal levels, leading to weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, and mood disorders.
• Rejuvenating your skin: Sleep helps your skin repair and regenerate itself, by increasing blood flow and collagen production, and reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. A lack of sleep can accelerate skin aging, causing wrinkles, sagging, dark circles, and dullness.

How to Sleep Better

If you want to sleep better, you need to optimize your sleep hygiene, which is the set of habits and practices that promote good sleep quality and quantity. Here are some tips you can try:

• Keep a regular sleep schedule: Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps your body’s circadian rhythm, which regulates your sleep-wake cycle.
• Reduce blue light exposure in the evening: Blue light from electronic devices can trick your brain into thinking it’s still daytime and suppress melatonin, the hormone that helps you sleep. You can wear glasses that block blue light, use apps that filter blue light, or avoid using screens before bed.
• Establish relaxing bedtime rituals: Do something that calms you down before going to sleep, such as taking a warm bath, reading a book, listening to soothing music, or meditating. Avoid stressful or stimulating activities, such as watching TV, working, or checking your finances.
• Make your bedroom comfortable: Keep your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet. Use curtains, blinds, or an eye mask to block out light. Set a comfortable temperature and use fans or air conditioners if needed. Avoid loud noises and use ear plugs or white noise machines if necessary.
• Watch what you eat and drink: Avoid caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and heavy meals close to bedtime, as they can interfere with your sleep quality. Caffeine can keep you awake for up to six hours, alcohol can disrupt your sleep stages, nicotine can make you restless, and heavy meals can cause indigestion. Instead, opt for a light snack, herbal tea, or warm milk before bed.
• Exercise regularly: Physical activity can help you sleep better, as it can reduce stress, improve your mood, and tire you out. However, avoid exercising too close to bedtime, as it can make you too alert and raise your body temperature. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, preferably in the morning or afternoon.
• Manage your stress: Stress can keep you awake at night, as it can make you anxious, worried, or angry. To cope with stress, you can try relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or yoga. You can also write down your thoughts, talk to someone, or seek professional help if needed.

What Benefits You Can Reap from Sleeping Well

If you sleep well, you can enjoy various benefits, such as:

• Feeling more energetic, alert, and focused: You will be able to perform better at work, school, or any other tasks that require your mental and physical abilities. You will also be able to learn new things faster and remember them longer.
• Being happier, healthier, and more resilient: You will be able to cope better with stress, emotions, and challenges, and have a more positive outlook on life. You will also be less likely to get sick, gain weight, or develop chronic diseases.
• Looking younger, fresher, and more attractive: You will be able to improve your appearance, as your skin will be smoother, firmer, and brighter. You will also be more confident and charismatic, as your mood and attitude will be more pleasant.

Benefits of Sleep : Thanks Pexels for the image

Conclusion

Sound sleep is a bliss that we all deserve and need. By following the tips above, you can improve your sleep quality and quantity, and enjoy the benefits of sleeping well. Remember, sleep is not a luxury, but a necessity. So, make it a priority, and treat yourself to a good night’s rest. You will thank yourself in the morning. Sweet dreams

1. “10 Health Benefits of Sound Sleep” – Sehat¹.
2. “Good Sleep for Good Health” – NIH News in Health².
3. “The Incredible Benefits Of Sound Sleep- Infographic” – Netmeds.com³.
4. “Music and Sleep: Can Music Help You Sleep Better?” – Sleep Foundation⁴.

A Healthy Recipe

We are an elderly couple of 70 years and 65 years old. My wife has been suffering from the type II diabetes since many years. She has inherited it from her father. Despite this she is quite active and looks after the household chores. She is a frugal eater. I have developed diabetes and high blood pressure some years back when I was about 58 years old. Now with passing of every year, newer health complications are arising. I rise early, go out in the fields nearby our home for walking and wildlife photography. I also do some cycling although not in the intense manner.

We rarely eat outside food. Mostly our diet is not very rich in energy. We also consume very less non-vegetarian food. We also eat the fruits and salad regularly.

Despite all this, of late I have become diabetic and developed high blood pressure. So the other contributing factor may be related to the stress. Due to some financial worries and other issues, I have become very sad and stressful. This is my nature. Although I try to recite the religious writings daily but age and the habit of analysing the things has made me immune to the effects of the calmness and peace.

Now we have even altogether stopped eating sugar and sweets and intake of carbohydrates in the form of chapati and rice. We try to cook the food in the mustard or olive oil. I have stepped up the walking speed and cycling to compensate the slow pace during the spotting of the birds and general wildlife. Although I get cramps and pain in the legs and groin area after the workouts.

We try to make innovations in the food to make it more healthier. The aim is to take more proteins, fibrous, vitamin and minerals and antioxidants rich food which help in keeping Blood pressure and blood sugar levels in check. Only factor i can’t control is the stress and overthinking.

Few days ago we tried a recipe. My wife made it. Ingredients are broccoli, french beans, pepper bells of green, yellow and red varieties, cottage cheese or Paneer. Just made frolrets of broccoli, cut beans in a inch size, cut the cheese in small cubes. Just stirred them in olive oil for 7-8 minutes. Sprinkled with a dash of pink rock salt and black pepper powder.

It is rich in vitamins C, B12, A, K, Fibre, protein, antioxidants, minerals like Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium. It is very low in fat and carbohydrates. It is hopefully good for immunity and keeping the blood pressure and blood sugar levels in check.

Also Check Please

• Honey: A Super Food

Some Popular Dieting Regimes

There are many different dieting regimes available, each with its own set of benefits and drawbacks. Some of the most popular dieting regimes include:

The Mediterranean Diet: This diet is based on the traditional eating habits of people in countries around the Mediterranean Sea. It is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and olive oil, and it limits red meat, processed foods, and sugary drinks. The Mediterranean diet has been shown to improve heart health, reduce the risk of cancer, and help with weight loss.

What is Mediterranean diet 

The DASH Diet:This diet is designed to lower blood pressure. It is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products, and it limits sodium, saturated fat, and cholesterol. The DASH diet has been shown to be effective in lowering blood pressure in people with hypertension.

Dash Eating Plan

The Weight Watchers Diet: This diet is a commercial weight loss program that helps people lose weight by tracking their food intake and activity level. Weight Watchers offers a variety of tools and resources to help people succeed, including online support, weekly meetings, and a variety of food products.

WW (formerly called Weight Watchers)

The Paleo Diet: This diet is based on the idea that humans should eat the same foods that our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate. It is rich in meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, and nuts, and it excludes grains, legumes, dairy products, and processed foods. The Paleo diet has been shown to improve gut health, reduce inflammation, and help with weight loss.

What is Paleo Diet? BBC Good Food 

The Keto Diet: This diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that has been shown to be effective for weight loss. The Keto diet forces the body to burn fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. This can lead to rapid weight loss, but it can also be difficult to follow and can lead to side effects such as fatigue, nausea, and constipation.

It is important to choose a dieting regime that is right for you and that you can stick to. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to weight loss, and what works for one person may not work for another. If you are struggling to lose weight on your own, it is important to talk to a doctor or registered dietitian. They can help you create a personalized plan that is safe and effective.

Here are some additional tips for following a dieting regime:

Set realistic goals. Don’t try to lose too much weight too quickly. Aim to lose 1-2 pounds per week.

Make gradual changes to your diet. Don’t try to overhaul your entire diet all at once. Start by making small changes, such as eating more fruits and vegetables or cutting back on processed foods.

Find a support system. Having people to support you on your weight loss journey can make a big difference. Find a friend, family member, or weight loss group to help you stay motivated.

Be patient. Losing weight takes time and effort. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results immediately. Just keep at it and you will eventually reach your goals.

Some Good internal Links about Healthy Foods

Benefits of Eating Coarse Grains 

Herbs for Good Health

Salads

Battles and Wars!!

You can win the battles against your opponents by forwarding arguments, emotional blackmail, breast beating and crying but these battles do no good in the long run.

This means that despite knowing that you are at fault you are not inclined to admit them. The greatest impediment in resolving the problem is lack of introspection.

If we examine for a few minutes before going to bed what we have done or talked or what was our behavior towards others, was it justified really or was it the sheer refusal not to admit our faults, we can attain peace and serenity not only for ourselves but for those who we are fighting with.

Second most important fact is to possess the feeling of remorse and admit to the opponent that you were at fault but at the time anger and other negative feelings overpowered us.

By admitting the fault we can fill the opponent with a feeling of confidence and love. Otherwise the beast of mistrust will rear its head again after few days. In the end either of us will be decimated surviver will be left as a repentant fool.

Aloe vera

Aloe has a very long history of use. The sap was used medicinally by the Greeks and Romans, who obtained it from the island of Socotra. The Greek physician Dioscorides recorded the use of the leaves to treat wounds in the first century AD.

Aloe had reached England by the 10th century, where it appears to have been one of the drugs recommended to Alfred the Great by the Patriarch of Jerusalem. In the early part of the 17th century, the records of the East India Company show payments for aloe being made to the King of Socotra, who held a monopoly on the production of drugs from the Socotrine aloe.

Spotted forms of Aloe vera are sometimes known as Aloe vera var. chinensis. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It is not known whether the Socotrine aloe obtained in Greek and Roman times was from wild or cultivated populations. Today, however, African aloe (both Socotrine and Cape) is collected from wild plants, while in the West Indies, the plants are laid out in plantations like cabbages.

To prepare Aloe vera for market, the leaves are cut near the base of 24-36 year old plants. The resulting latex is collected and concentrated to the consistency of thick honey. A true concentrate produces a clear, translucent gel, which can be applied fresh, or it can be commercially converted into a more expensive ointment.

The gel can also be fermented to produce a tonic wine, to which honey and spices are added. In India, this is used to make a drink called kurmara or asava to treat anaemia and digestive and liver disorders.

The gel can also be inhaled in steam, and the powdered leaves can be used as a laxative. There is a danger that the huge tonnages of gel now sold in the developed world will mean that aloe is regarded as a cure-all for any ailment.

Then and Now

These days, I am taking a look at the posts which I had posted since the beginning of this blog. After going through the older posts in my blog, I am surprised how original I was since 3 to 4 years back. But I did not got much responses.

My statistics were very dismal. In fact they were sustained by the posts which were copied from the internet. These were like sprinkling of the salt on the salad. Even a nutritious food cannot be savored if it does not contain the spices.

I find that the newer ones are not as original as the older ones. They are mixture of my own thoughts, pictures and literature referred from newspapers, scientific books and internet. In fact, I have realized that I cannot write better stuff because my experience of the world around us is very limited. Most of us are content with their work and after the working hours come straight to home.

We watch television which takes away any effort we could have put in for imagining the scenarios. Our eyes and ears are fully occupied by the trivial stuff being screened on the television.

The real life experience only comes when we come in contact with people of all sorts. For example, a barber shop can be good place to listen to gossips and watch the customers.

In India, in these shops in addition to the real customers, a continuous stream of young dandies come and go into the barber shop. Most of them, take the combs without any formality of asking and comb their hair in front the big mirrors. During this exercise, they hum the songs or whistle.

Anyway, what I mean is that literature is born out of first hand experiences and for these either penury will push you into the throngs of the people of all hues or you are of the type who cannot sit in the comfort of the home and prefer to loiter outside.

I am realizing that how original I was writing when I was living at a remote place thousands of miles apart from my family. It is mostly copy and paste nowadays.

Eyelashes: Protector of Eyes

Every organ or part of our bodies is designed to perform some biological function for the survival and fitness of our bodies.

Some of the organs keep working without our ever noticing it until that organ stops working due to some injury or illness. Only then we realize the importance of that organ. One such part of body is eyelashes.

For centuries the eyes have been recognized as an important part of physical beauty, especially for women. Eyes can communicate without the need of words. The human beings have developed great capabilities of eyes.

Attractive women’s eyes are often also associated with favorable social status. And in many cultures long full eye lashes are symbols of beauty.

Eyelashes

On the other hand, loss of eye lashes is seen as a sign of deficiency in women. And so for centuries women have tried a myriad of methods for making their lashes, longer and fuller.

Apart from the beauty part, from an anatomy and physiology point of view, however, eye lashes serve several functions. They are intended to keep foreign particles or small insects from entering the eyes and causing damage or irritation.

Lashes are attached to eyelids in a curved arc designed to channel water away from the eyes, forming another layer of protection from the environment. Lashes are actually sensitive structures, similar to cats’ whiskers. They trigger the blink reflex response when an object comes too close to the eyes

Lashes are simply hairs that grow from the edge of the eyelid. They are arranged in two or three rows. Each eye has between 100 and 150 individual hairs with upper lids having the greater number.

Eyelashes are the widest type of human hair and the most richly pigmented. Each hair is, on average, 8-9 mm long, 7 mm of which extend beyond the eyelid. Lashes grow at a rate of about 0.15 mm per day, which means that if lashes are pulled out they take about eight weeks to fully grow back. Like other human hair, eyelashes are produced from follicles under the skin.

Follicles have three stages of growth—an actual growing phase, a declination phase and a shedding phase. Each hair is very strong—capable of supporting 100 grams.

Hair growth in humans is different from hair growth in many mammals that shed their hair all at once. Human hair growth is asynchronous—that is, some follicles are experiencing growth while others are in decline or being shed.

The eyelash growth cycle is variable, lasting between five and twelve months. The first phase is called anagen. This is the growing phase and lasts about 45 days on average. The normal length of a person’s lashes is determined by this phase.

In the second stage of growth, called catagen, follicle cells undergo programmed cell death, a process that takes about fifteen days. About 3% of all lashes are in this phase at any given time.

The lashes then enter a period of rest, telogen, which can last as long as nine months. Up to 15% of hair is in this phase. At the end of this phase lashes are shed in a process labeled exogen. As this phase ends, anagen begins again.

Like all human hair, eyelashes are made of 85% proteins, primarily keratin and melanin. Water makes up 7% of human hair and 3% is composed of lipids. The keratin is made up of eighteen amino acids, 7% water, and small concentrations of trace minerals (e.g., iron, zinc, copper).

Tobacco and Slavery

When America was in the process of colonization by European powers who began settling their people there, they required large numbers of labors to work on their farms. Most of the people who were enslaved and sold in America were Africans.

The transatlantic slave trade involved many millions of people, and its history and legacy have had an impact all over the world. There were European slave traders, ships’captains and sailors as well as African traders and the African people captured and enslaved.

They cultivated the land which were highly fertile and produced crops in vast quantities. Colonizers saw that these crops were commercial in nature. The produce were shipped to Europe and earned huge profits. One of these was Tobacco.

Dunhill Early Morning Pipe Tobacco,

Tobacco is called Nicotiana tabacum in scientific language and English were to make huge profits by selling it just as they did by selling illegally opium produced in Bihar India to Chinese people.

The opium trade had two effects which favored English to defeat the Chinese and dictate the terms in future trade of Silk. These were making the Chinese people addicts and siphoning of the money from China. Anyway we are talking about tobacco.

Original people of the Americas were already growing it when the colonizers got foothold there. It originated in the Andes mountains in South America. It was not only smoked but also used in ceremonies and as a medicine. They smoked it through pipes.

It was Mr. John Rolfe who was one of the first English colonists in Jamestown, Virginia which was founded in 1607. He introduced the sweeter Caribbean tobacco to Virginia. Heavily forested island of Barbados were cleared for cultivating the tobacco. Tobacco was the most profitable export from mainland North America before cotton was established, and from the Caribbean before sugar took over.

Tobacco cultivation requires lots of hard work. Many diseases which were unknown to Americans came along with Europeans and reduced the local population. This made the English to capture the Africans and sell them as farmhands in America.

Tobacco became very popular throughout Europe. Francis Drake first introduced it to England in 1585, and Walter Raleigh made it fashionable. It was seen as a miracle medicine, curing anything from stomach ache to gunshot wounds, and snakebites to bad breath.