You are what you eat

Food is an inseparable , essential and unavoidable part of our lives. We are nothing but a stack of whatever we have eaten. After all that has what transformed into muscles , fat and energy and made us who we are. And after writing this now I imagine myself as a big stack of donuts and ice creams . You might imagine yourself as a stack of butter chicken , burgers , pizzas, cheese balls...........Gosh I am hungry now. But before you sink in the same feeling and add a little burger to yourself , lets ponder on what food does to our body and is all kind of food healthy?

 The function of food : The primary function of food is facilitating growth and repair in the body. I know many of you thought the primary function is to satisfy your hunger pangs initiated as a result of visual attraction created from cheese melting from a pizza or chocolate dripping from a donut. Apart from growth and repair of the body that is the physiological aspect , it has a lot of psychological impacts too.

A very famous saying “ You are what you eat” comes in spotlight when we talk about this. Of course that doesn't mean that if you eat chocolates and ice cream you will turn into a sweet person and eating kale will make you bitter at heart. Your eating habits determine the kind of thoughts you get and consequently the actions you take.

Impact of processed foods and sugar : Food that looks alluring and is a treat for the taste buds might be aggravating ill health and fatigue in your body. You would have often found yourself drowsy and low on energy after a big fat burger , french fries and coke. What seems to be a party on your lips for a while creates energy-draining effects on your body. This might not seem upright or might not have immediate visible effects for eg don't eat a burger and fries the next time you aren't getting a good sleep and expect to have a sound sleep. The effect is gradual and works as a slow poison taking a toll over your heath.

Fresh Foods Fresher Life : On the other hand try fresh fruits and vegetables for lunch once in a while and witness how agile and refreshed you feel. Food with high content of protein , complex carbohydrates and good cholesterol not only supply ample amount of energy to the body but also lift up the mood , support positive thoughts and result in better concentration and productivity.

Know your food : The key is to know what you are eating . Not every tasty food is bad for your health and not every bitter food is good. Switch to more healthier options and eat in moderation and you will find your thoughts, actions and work productivity turning positive. With internet so handy these days , it has become easier to be aware of the effects of food on us. So the next time , that melted cheese melts your heart away and instructs your hand to move for it , halt and direct your hand towards your mobile , search the internet with what the food would do to you and whether it is good for you and make the decision of walking away or sinking in the valley of fatigue and illness.

Eat wisely : There is more than what you think your eating habits do to you. Your food determines who you are , what you do and where will you be in life ; Either be a pile of crap and laziness or be a stack of freshness and agility – The choice is yours.

Time to shine

While surfing random 24 by 7 news (read entertainment) channels on TV , I caught on a contemplating mood. Memories of the dreamt but undone things flashed across my eyes.

I had a crush on this handsome boy in school but never gathered the courage to speak to him . His looks spell bounded and dumb-folded me literally. The thought of a “no” restricted me from expressing my feelings. He was too stunning to settle for an average looking person like me I always thought.

Now when I look at his Facebook pictures with his wife or the salt and pepper combination as I would like to call them, I understand that looks don't matter to him at all. If only I would've said something to him then.........

Fast forward to college life , I wanted to study literature . When I told this to my parents they looked at me as if I was planning to join ISIS. My mother sobbed saying how I wouldn't be able to become rich or get married to a suitable boy and my dad reflected on what more he could have done for me to bend my mind towards the Sciences or make me more like Sharmaji's son. Unable to handle this pressure , I decided to end my life by joining an engineering college. While slogging for four years for something I neither had the interest or aptitude for , made me think if only I would've said something then..........

If you are wondering what I saw on the TV channel that made me so reflective about life then read on.

Be it India or anywhere in the world , there is no dearth of incompetent politicians and the so called leaders ready to decide the course of action of the country. Be it a certain IIT graduate who talks non-sense and whose job profile is more of a critic than a chief minister or be it a certain “young” leader who carries a legacy of four generations on the shoulders and talks of progress when the only progress he has made in these years is to read a speech without factual errors or a certain rich businessman with his bizarre policies ready to take over the most powerful country of the world, all have one thing in common ; Confidence.

Their confidence is taking them to places and have placed them on the map of the world and our TV sets.

Success they say is a combination of hard work and perseverance but what drives you in moments of doubt and disparity is confidence. The trust on yourself and the decisions you make is essential for succeeding in life.

Having said this , proposing to every girl you find beautiful , changing your career path to become a politician , making non-sense YouTube Videos or relying on your legacy is a bad idea or in other words over-confidence . Don't be under or over just add the right amount of confidence to your life.

So the next time you feel low and wonder if you are capable of doing a certain thing or not , then switch on the TV and watch the news. You will see ample faces addressing a rally , taking oath as a minister , formulating policies of the nation and taking foreign trip. These are those who had no money , no education , no expertise and no knowledge when they started . Well some of them still have none of these except the money of course , but they built their dreams on the confidence they had on themselves and others and have achieved success and fame regardless of the critics and haters.

Its now your Time to shine .  

Start Somewhere............

It was a usual Monday morning and the more usual traffic I was stuck in. There seemed no displacement in my position from 8:34 to 8:52. I was stranded and caught among a hoard of honking and smoking vehicles. I felt the same during visits to my family. Never ending questions about my marriage , love life , job and so on. Ah, the traffic still seemed better than that.

While I was lost in what seemed like the battle of John Snow and Ramsey Boltan , just in time my Sansa Stark appeared to save me from losing (my mind). As the glass window slid down , a pretty face came to light amidst the unbearable traffic. It was after a long time that I had gotten the time to see something this pretty. I took off my helmet to let her gaze into my eyes without any interruptions. But my ray of hope disappeared in the cloud of disappointment when the signal turned green and the traffic started moving ahead just enough for me to catch a glimpse of myself as she rolled up the glasses. It was an ugly , tired and frustrated face at 9 am on a Monday Morning. I moved on and started wondering how would I look like at 9 PM after the day's work.

I reached office at 9:10 and sat in front of my computer. It had not been 8 hours since I was here last. What was I doing ? Why was I working so much? Why was I here even on weekends? I went to the men's room and stared at the mirror. I looked older than I was. My hairline was receding and my belly line was increasing . I was always working . I start from home at 8 AM , battle traffic for an hour and reach office by 9. The day then halts at lunch time when after a quick 15 min lunch , I am back on my computer until 11PM or sometimes 12 midnight. I hardly talk at home , know my colleagues or have friends.

A familiar face appeared in the mirror “ Why are you so stressed?”
For a moment I thought it was like those mythological serials where the angel appears when you have unanswered questions. But it was my cubicle mate John or perhaps Jay. Oh God I don't know the people around me. I looked back at him and smiled at him not for his concern but for his help in telling me what I wanted to hear.

Yes , I was stressed .I decided to change things. All great works begin with a simple word : Google. I googled the ways to de-stress myself. Blogs , articles , Top 10 things for a stress free living......... the internet was full of stressful content. What resonated was however diet , exercise and yoga. I could do yoga. Its not as tough as sweating in the gym or eating boiled food. All you got to do is sit , close your eyes and breathe.

I enrolled in a yoga class near my home. Woke up at 5 and reached the class. Everyone was so fit around me. While everyone was in body hugging yoga wear , I was in my loose shorts and an XXXXL Tshirt ( it atleast looked that big). It started as a sit , close your eyes and breathe , but there were advanced levels too. Asanas and poses were difficult to master. Everyone around seemed like clay turning and twisting and here I stood like iron ; unbending and inflexible.

“ Uncle you need to stretch “ came a voice from behind. Everyone is an instructor these days and why is she calling me uncle anyways. Girls who moon over Tom Cruise and call men a year or two older than them as uncles should have a special torture zone in hell. I ignored the uncle part and stretched to my limits.

The first day was tiring and I left office at 8 . Ate and slept till 10. After a week things changed however . I felt more energetic , happier and more content. Days began at 5 am , followed by yoga , a breakfast while sitting on table ( I had forgotten that luxury in my hurry to office everyday) , a skype call with my mom and dad while I ate breakfast , office at 9, lunch break followed by a walk in the office premises , back to home at 8:30 and time for dinner ,TV and reading and then a sound sleep.

I started noticing things and people around me. There was life beyond my computer monitor now.

I felt energetic to talk to people , discuss ideas and implement them. I appreciated things around me , valued relationships more and enjoyed doing tasks.

Modern life is full of hassles, deadlines, frustrations, and demands. For many people, stress is so commonplace that it has become a way of life. When you’re constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body pay the price. Stress can take a toll over your mind body and even your social equation.

The question now is how to distress yourself and cope up with the ever demanding life.
The key to this is to prioritize the various events things and people in your life.
Few changes in the way you live your everyday life can do miracles. All it takes is a single step . Start somewhere and Start today.

Kuch geet yu hi puraane se............

Kuch geet yu hi puraane se

kuch kisse jaane pehchaane se

khoye the jo yaado ki parto me

aaye saamne kal parso me

yaado ki band khidki khul gayi

ye rooh tujhe dekh sihar si gayi

jo gum the yu hi kaaydo me

yaad aa gaye purane waaydo me

kalpana ki chaadar od liye

humne kitne ki safar kiye

khud ko kabhi tumhaare paas paaya

kabhi chu ke gaye tumhara saaya

yaadein ubhari syali si

barsaat me chai ki pyali si

par ye yaadein bhi to asthayi hain

bedard nisthur harjaayi hain

fir humne hamesha kyu itne jatan kiye

ab tumhe bhoolne ke firse prayatn kiye

yaado ki khidkiyan fir band hui

teri parchaayiya kuch mand hui

vastavikata ka nakaab humne pehna

brahm ki ghata ka utaara gehna

yu firse satakar mat jaana

kal se kal me aa jao aise aana

The NBA Superstar : Steph Curry

Wardell Stephen Curry or Steph Curry ,as he is popularly known among his fans, is an American basketball player who plays for the Golden state warriors team of National Basketball Association (NBA).Born to a former NBA player Dell Curry and Sonya Curry in Ohio in 1988 , Steph has many accolades under his belt . His younger brother Seth Curry is a NBA player too playing for the Sacramento Kings.

Steph has been playing for the Golden State warriors since 2009. This team established in 1946 is based in California . The team has competed in seven NBA finals and have won four NBA championships the most recent being of 2015.

After joining the Warriors in 2009 , Steph played till 2011 when he briefly was not in his best form till 2012 because of a surgery on his right angle to treat torn ligaments. After that there was no looking back and Steph still continues to show his best form. He has been voted as the Most Valuable Player by NBA in a first of its kind unanimous vote in history. He also happens to one of the few players who have won this title two times in a row.

Steph holds various NBA three-pointer records made in consecutive regular season games , consecutive play off games and in overtime period. He has also won the ESPY Award for Best Male Athlete and Best NBA Player, BET Award for Sportsman of the Year and AP Male Athlete of the Year awards for his exceptional performance and contribution to the sport.

Apart from being an outstanding sportsperson , Steph is a philanthropist too.

He has been associated with the United Nations Foundation's Nothing But Nets campaign. The campaign aims at eradicating malaria in parts of Africa. He also drives the Stephen Curry Foundation which aims at providing resources for schools .

He lives in California with his wife , Ayesha and two daughters.

Kitesurfing

Kitesurfing is a form of kiteboarding wind powered surface water sport. It harnesses the power of wind through a large kite and a regular surfboard . There are various surfboards available and depending on the type of surfing there is difference between kite surfing boards which we will cover in this article. The kites are parachute like with inflatable tubes. The size of the kites depend on the strength of the wind and size of the rider. Although a surfing sport , the factor propelling the surfing is wind and not waves.

Apart from being an adventure sport , kitesurfing has a host of health benefits too .Your whole body is is used and exercised while surfing . It also increases improves the balancing act of the body and synchronization among various senses. The equipment required for this sport are portable , light and cost effective.

If we talk about the kite surfing boards then there are a variety of them available:

• Twin-tip
• Wake-style
• Wake-skates.
• Wave
• Directional or Race

Here we will talk about the difference between twin tips and directional boards .

A twin board is called so because the bottom half (tail) and top half (nose) are mirror images of each other and the flex is exactly the same on both ends. The nose and tail are symmetrical and are therefore of the same shape, flex and same camber profile. Directional boards on the other hand have the same tail and nose width but there is usually a very noticeable difference in shape and length. The side cut is also different and favors directional riding.

Twin tips are designed symmetrically from nose to tail being the same whichever direction you are traveling in. They are similar to wake boards. Directional boards on the other hand are not symmetric as the twin tips. The nose is longer on directional boards and the tail is stiffer so you can load up on hard turns.

Twin tips has symmetrical, side cuts, flex whereas Directional has asymmetrical side cuts and flex.

Additionally twin tip has centered stance whereas directional boards have setback stance because the tip and tail are not geometric but is tapering towards the tail.

Riding a switch is easier in a directional board than a twin tips board.

At higher speeds, directional boards are preferred over twin tips as they provide more stability and control. Since the nose is longer it provides better stability during high speed surfs.

Directional boards have more wind range as compared to twin tips.

Twin tips on the other hand are easy for jumping and turning without switching feet in comparison to directional boards.

Free ride boards are directional and freestyle boards are generally twin tipped.

If you ride park and land switch frequently then for you twin tip is recommended. If you’re just cruising and carving on trail then a directional board is preferable.

As most things the type of snowboard you choose is based on personal preference and the kind of surfing you would want to enjoy.

Money for everyone : Universal Basic Income

Universal Basic income or unconditional basic income is a form of social welfare system which aims at distribution of unconditional and equal income to all the citizens. All citizens benefit from it regardless of their skill , requirement of work or other sources of income.

The idea behind the concept was that Universal Basic income will help reducing inequalities and bridge the ever increasing gap between the rich and the poor.

It is a form of minimum guaranteed income which differs from other similar concepts in the following ways :

• It is paid to individuals and not households
• It is not dependent on an individual's alternate sources of income
• It is not dependent on any kind of work done or willingness to work .

The idea of universal basic income was first proposed in the 16^th century . Discussed and debated through the centuries which followed on grounds of social dividend and national dividend by the economists and socialists views , the 20^th century saw the emergence of a full fledged universal basic income scheme called the Alaska Permanent Fund. It is an annual dividend payed to all the citizens of Alaska.

The idea was then well received and considered for discussions in other parts of the world including Europe. Basic Income European Network (BIEN) was founded in 1986 with a purpose to serve as a bridge between individuals or groups interested and in support of Universal basic Income, i.e. an income unconditionally granted to all on an individual basis, without means test or work requirement. It also aims at promoting discussions on this topic in the countries of Europe.

In 2008 an official petition for basic income was started in Germany by Susanne Wiest which was later closed by the German Parliament. In 2015, a citizen's initiative in Spain aimed at a similar movement with a signature campaign but was not able to gather the required number of signatures. Switzerland managed the required signature numbers and will hold the world's first universal basic income referendum in June 2016.

The last two decades have witnessed an increase in the willingness of states to adopt this idea fully or partially. The discussions from various social , political and economical perspectives have been going around for its implementation. A growing number of scholars and social researchers see it as a way to tackle the increasing unemployment.

It is also seen as a measure to distribute the wealth produced by the society back to the people ensuring the benefits reach everyone.

Social policy and economic policy aiming reforms are dependent on each other and basic income is one viable way of reconciling two of their respective central objectives: poverty relief and full employment.