Whether it’s the competitive world of business or matters of personal relationships, our thoughts and emotions dictate our behaviours. The trouble is, most of us are unaware of how our brain [or mind] works. It is therefore no surprise that we do not realise the extent of damage our thoughts and language cause—to ourselves and to others. For example, the brain cannot compute negatives, so a statement like ‘don’t do that’ is interpreted as, ‘I must do this now so that I will not do it next time.’  Think about it—How often do we tell children ‘Do not’ only to find the same prohibited action carried out?

When it comes to illnesses of the body, our language can also be instrumental in preventing us from healing quickly. Here is a simple example: If you constantly say, “I have a cold,” your mind reads this as something to hold on to—that you ‘have’. Your sub-conscious mind then programmes the body and the immune system to hold on to the cold so that you ‘have’ it for longer.

How does NLP help?

Positive thinking methods like those discussed in The Secret [the book and the film] teach us to always talk in positive terms. Neuro Linguistic Programming [NLP] adds to this thought process by including the concept of Clearly Defined Outcomes. In the previous instance, for example, when we display the symptoms of a cold [or any other illness], we need to speak positively and elaborate on a clear outcome in our mind. This instructs our brains to act accordingly. So, instead of saying, ‘I have a cold’ you can change it to, ‘I am allowing a virus to pass through my body and will assist it on its way out as much as I can. The act of coughing, sneezing and other methods are all used to help my body easily expel the virus.’ NLP believes that by consciously staying aware of the language that we use in a day-to-day basis, we can identify problems that we are creating in our health and in our lives.

The school of excellence

NLP is also often known as the study of excellence. The core principle of NLP is based on modelling excellence, not only of other people but also in reference to our own personal experiences of excellence. By studying our own experiences with excellence, we are able to recreate the same thoughts and actions later, at will.

Take the example of Ritesh, who is terrified of public speaking. In order to make his presentation in a confident and informative manner, Ritesh must get into a relaxed frame of mind.

An NLP practitioner will first use the popular 10 minute phobia-cure to rid the Ritesh of his fears. After that the practitioner will teach him how to get into the state he want to be in, for the future presentations. This is done using a technique known as ‘The Circle of Excellence”.

NLP promotes the theory that it is better to dwell on our experiences during times of excellence i.e. when everything was going well, rather than on times when things were not so good.

The main aim of NLP is change. Remember the famous saying, ‘If you always do what you did; you will always get what you got.’ In much the same way, NLP believes that if you want something different, you must do something different. NLP also recognises that people not only learn things in different ways but that they understand things in different ways. Keeping this in mind, one of the first assumptions is that everybody is different and that everybody has their own ideas and interpretations of all aspects of their lives.

[contd.]

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It may come as a surprise to many, but common products that are found in the kitchen could be safely used as a first aid for many minor ailments and accidents. Plus, some foods and spices on most kitchen shelves could help you alleviate the symptoms of many minor disorders that afflict us.

But first a disclaimer: this is about first aid and minor ailments only. If in any doubt at all, please consult your healthcare advisor. Assess every ailment and injury and seek medical help according to its severity.

Fresh garlic

Recent studies indicate that the efficacy of fresh garlic could be similar to antibiotics. Consuming fresh garlic is beneficial because it has the power to regulate blood pressure as well as strengthen the body’s defences against allergies, and viral infections like common cold and influenza. Garlic helps loosen plaque from the artery walls and helps regulate your blood sugar levels. Garlic is also very good at killing and expelling parasites such as pin worms from the body. Minor ear infections can be treated by wrapping a small piece of garlic in tissue paper, and carefully inserting it into the ear. Pain will almost immediately reduce and the infection will start to clear up, it is preferable to leave it overnight for best results.

Garlic can heal the pain caused by insect bites, like those of centipedes. The juice of fresh garlic mixed with salt can be applied to bruises, sprains and ringworms. While most people swear by breath mints to eliminate the bad breath often associated with garlic, a natural solution is to consume a little lemon juice or sucking on pieces of lemon.

Cinnamon

There is plenty of research that supports cinnamon’s blood sugar lowering properties. You can make some powder from cinnamon sticks and put it in some blank pill capsules and take 1 – 2 twice a day.

Baking soda

Besides being a key ingredient of cakes and cookies, baking soda comes in handy for many skin conditions. One teaspoonful of baking soda dissolved in a glass of water can help neutralise excessive stomach acidity and flatulence. The juice of half a lemon, mixed with one teaspoon of baking soda and warm water, can help ease minor headaches. Drinking this mixture every 15 minutes can reduce the pain drastically. Did you know that baking soda can also be used to brush your teeth? It is a natural tooth whitener and reduces agents that cause bad breath.

Turmeric

Turmeric is often referred to as the ‘aspirin’ of Asia. This bright yellow-orange powder used in curries, has more healing power than many other spices. It has been used for centuries in ayurvedic medicine to heal wounds and treat inflammatory illnesses like arthritis as well as many other health problems. Made from the powdered root of a plant closely related to ginger, turmeric contains curcumin, a compound that is both, a powerful anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant. It’s also non-toxic.

Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is another well-known health aid and weight loss catalyst. In fact all vinegars are useful for first aid purposes. Vinegar can fight dandruff and soothe bee stings, sunburns, sore throats and itching from mosquito bites. When consumed daily with warm water, it can relieve pain from arthritis. It can hasten recovery from colds if taken with warm water and honey. It can remove warts and corns if applied directly on a regular basis. You could use it to clean your dentures as well.

Honey

Busy kitchens are the most likely places where accidents of minor burns and scalds occur considering one is surrounded by sharp knives and stoves. However, it also is the best room to be in, in case of an injury. The very first thing to do when one happens to get a minor burn is to pour cool water directly over the burn until the pain subsides. Then, as long as it is not too serious, the best substance to use is honey. Cover the burned area with a thin coating of pure honey. If it blisters, resist the temptation of bursting them.
Caution: An old wife’s tale is to put butter on burns. But it is unwise to do so because it can cause more damage. Applying any other kitchen substance on the burn other than honey and cool water can worsen it.

Whilst at the sink, a tip to remember is that even for minor cuts the best solution is to wash it under running water and then apply direct pressure for about 5 – 10 minutes to stop any bleeding. Kitchen paper roll can be used to halt profuse bleeding but remember to discard the first couple of sheets. In fact, any clean towel or other sterile cloth can be used for this purpose. If the cut is deep, do not wash under water. Instead bind it tightly with a towel and keep pressure on it. Seek medical help immediately.

Honey is the one product that is full of anti-viral and anti-bacterial qualities. It has been used for many years to treat all sorts of ailments, both external and internal. The honey found in the tombs of Egyptian Pharaohs after thousands of years was still in pure form proving that it is almost impossible for bacteria to form on the surface.

One could use a teaspoon of honey in a glass of warm water with the juice of a small lemon to help relieve sore throats. Dissolving a teaspoon of kitchen salt in a tumble of warm water, and gargling with the solution helps relieve throat infections.

For other bruises or sprains that require a cold compress, an easier and less messy way than using ice is to use a small packet of frozen peas wrapped in a towel and applied directly on the affected area. This helps reduce swelling and pain. The pack can then be refrozen for future use.

This was first published in the March 2013 issue of Complete Wellbeing.

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Well let’s start at the beginning. Essentially, there is no difference between black tea and green tea, they are the same. They both come from the same tea bush, it is only what happens after the leaves are picked that makes the difference. In fact, all tea leaves are till date picked by hand as the leaves are too delicate for any machine method of harvesting.

The tea leaves, once picked, go through a process, before the tea is available for use in our tea pots. The process for green tea is very different from other black teas. In simple terms, all tea leaves after plucking are laid out to dry, a process known as withering. After this process, the green and black tea go off in different directions. The black tea is allowed to wither longer and then rolled before heating. By contrast, the tea designated as green, will be implicitly heated much quicker essentially arresting the fermentation process. It is the fermentation process that turns the green tea leaves black. So basically, black tea is fermented and green tea is not. Green tea often has a grassy taste and not to everybody’s liking, unless it is flavoured.

Of course, there is a lot more to the tea making process than how previously described, this little information, however, is enough for our primary understanding. Essentially green tea ends up with far less caffeine than black tea, about half in fact. So if caffeine is a problem for you, green tea should be your tea of choice.

Tea bushes and the area in which they grow also add considerably to the flavour. As a parallel, tea connoisseurs treat the development and testing of teas almost the same way that wine connoisseurs treat their wines.

According to tea connoisseurs, only the finest and freshest tea is best to drink and enjoy. Point to note is, all high quality teas are loose leaved and should be stored in air tight containers. But it’s not possible to have loose leaved tea always and tea bags make for convenience. If you are alarmed at the price of tea, a clever tip is to ask for a sample first. Most reputable tea suppliers will be happy to provide with different samples. Remember, a little tea goes a long way.

Both green as well as black tea are salutary since they have many health benefits. Drinking 5 – 6 cups throughout the day is ideal. In fact you can drink much more than this. I could easily pass as a ‘tea-totaller’ since I relish my tea all the time.

Green tea surpasses other teas

Green tea contains far more health-giving ingredients such as antioxidants, polyphenols and a particular type of catechin called EGCG as compared to black tea. Catechin is a type of natural phenol and antioxidant. The fermentation process used in the making of black tea considerably reduces the effectiveness of its healthy ingredients. Green tea, in accordance, retains by far the healthiest ingredients transcending any other tea.

Green tea is a storehouse of antioxidants. These antioxidants prevent free radical damage that can lead to early ageing. This is one of the main health claims made for tea in general and green tea in particular. Many health experts also support that regular tea drinkers have less chance of developing diabetes. To add to its innumerable benefits, green tea leaves also contain fluoride which has been shown to prevent tooth cavities. Green tea is also one of the few sources of the amino acid L-theanine which boosts the immune system and helps maintain mental alertness.

The milky chai loaded with sugar or artificial sweetener is the most conventional and popular form of tea consumed in India. For those who find green tea unpalatable can make it scrumptious by consuming it with milk and some form of sweetener. Also, one could swap their regular chai with this healthy variant. Also, sugar could be switched with honey; this will combine the benefits of green tea along with wholesome honey.

The UK Tea Council advocates that 4 – 5 cups of green tea a day can add significant amounts of the following nutrients:

• Approximately 17 per cent of the recommended intake of calcium
• 5 per cent of zinc
• 22 per cent of vitamin B2
• 5 per cent of folic acid
• 5 per cent of vitamins B1 and B6

A well-made cup of tea also contains manganese, which is essential for general physical development and potassium which helps to maintain the body’s fluid balance.

Fact sheet

When you think of green tea, you would assume it originates from China. Green tea is actually produced in all the areas as well as in every country where black tea is produced. There are many different names that green tea is known as, such as:

Green teas from China

Gunpowder, Long Jing [Dragon well], Pi Lo Chun [Green Snail Spring], Snowy Mountain Jian, Hyson Lucky Dragon, Kai Hua Long Ding, Tian Mu Qing Ding, Xin Yang Mao Jian, Hou Kui.

Green teas from Japan

Gyokuro, Sencha, Bancha, Matcha, Houjicha, Kukicha, Genmaicha.

Green teas from India

Assam, Tulsi, Darjeeling, Mehrab, Himalayan Amrit.

There are of course many other names and variants of green tea.

Since the human body requires 2 – 4 litres of water per day and tea is 99.9 per cent water a few cups of tea a day can help to maintain proper hydration of your body.

A number of studies investigating the relationship between tea drinking and heart diseases, have concluded that drinking both green and black tea helps protect one against heart diseases.

Whilst it is obvious that teas of all types, particularly green teas, are paramount beneficial to health—teas are not the magical elixirs that will cure your ills and drop all your weight off instantly.

Green tea, like all other substances and food, need to be used in conjunction with other good health practices and not in isolation. Good health comes from a healthy lifestyle which includes all that you put in your mouth and all that you expose your body too.

So, keep fit by adding green tea to your diet and make each day an epic adventure!

This was first published in the February 2013 issue of Complete Wellbeing.

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We know that people need different amounts of sleep, both from person to person and from age to age. A child certainly requires more sleep than an older person. You also require different amounts of sleep depending on what is going on in your life. For example, your body requires more sleep to recuperate after an illness or trauma and less sleep if you are living a peaceful and tranquil life.

A certain amount of sleep is needed every night for your brain to sort out its activities. When the brain is in this sleep it can be easily identified by an onlooker, through the rapid eye movements that can be observed. This is known as REM sleep and is the most important type of sleep that the human body requires. The body requires rest, not always sleep but your brain most definitely requires a certain amount of sleep every night.

Do you know how much sleep you need each night?

From a naturopathic viewpoint, most body disorders are due to the various substances we put in our body by way of the food we eat, the drinks we take and the air we breathe. Sleep problems are no exception to this rule.

When we talk about food and sleep, one of the first things that must be considered is the time at which you eat, rather than what you eat, although the food that you eat is also as crucial.

We have conditioned ourselves to eat food by habit, with breakfast, lunch and dinner at prearranged times, regardless of whether we are hungry or not. Some of us are also finding our dinner time becoming later and later in the night.

Most medics, of all disciplines, will tell you that it is not advisable to eat after 6pm, the logic being that your digestive system works best whilst standing rather than lying down. Naturopathy too, strongly advocates avoiding meals after it turns dark, as this is the time your body starts to wind down for sleeping. Having large meals late at night means that during the time that you wish to sleep, your digestive tract is fully engaged in the digesting of your food and the breakdown of your food into usable parts. All your organs of waste elimination are at full power, gurgling and bubbling away. Vegetarians, as a rule, tend to have fewer problems with sleep disorders relating to food, than non-vegetarians.

Some of the basic rules for eating foods are particularly important for your last meal of the day such as:

• Don’t eat a big meal
• Watch the foods you combine with other foods
• Eat fruits first
• Do not eat too many carbohydrates
• Chew all your food well before swallowing
• Have a short walk or light exercise after eating.
• Do not drink water with food as this dilutes the stomach acids.

Turn to specific things you eat and drink to help you sleep better. By far the best is a cup of chamomile tea, about an hour before your bedtime. What you eat on a regular basis will affect not just your sleep but also your overall health. So by following a good healthy diet you can be assured of regular sleep.

The main chemical that your brain produces to help you sleep is melatonin and it is produced in absolute darkness or lack of light. So during the evening, switch off all unnecessary lights as this helps your body produce melatonin naturally. A little tip here to help you sleep better is to prepare your bed well before you have to go to it, so that you do not need to turn on any more lights than are absolutely necessary when you finally retire.

A very important rule for good sleep is to cut out caffeine. Caffeine can cause sleep problems up to 10 – 12 hours after drinking it. Therefore avoid drinking any drinks containing caffeine after lunch and cut back your overall intake, especially if you are experiencing sleeping problems.

If you must eat close to bedtime, it should just be a light snack which contains tryptophan. Since this is the basic material that the brain uses to build melatonin. The good news is, adding certain foods can increase your odds to a successful slumber.

To help you sleep better your grocery list should include

Cottage cheese, cheese, milk, soy milk, tofu, soybean nuts, honey, almonds, banana, seafood, whole grains, beans, rice, oatmeal, hummus, lentils, hazelnuts, peanuts, avocado, eggs, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, papaya, mushrooms and grapefruit.

The above foods could help you snooze better; however there are foods that can trigger sleep disturbances. Compounds like caffeine found in coffee would sabotage sleep since we consume coffee as a stimulant. Unfortunately, for people who have a sweet tooth it is essential to break the news that chocolate and most soft drinks [including diet soft drinks] have substantial amounts of caffeine. One of the worst is, paradoxically, alcohol. It might help you sleep for a short while and then keep you awake mainly due to the dehydration effect it has. Eliminating these foods from your evening meal routine is recommended for improved sleep.

Sleep bandits to avoid

Alcohol, nicotine, fatty or spicy foods, tomatoes, potatoes, salt and onions. For some of us, it won’t be possible to completely eliminate these, but have them in minimal amounts, especially at dinner time.

Do not spend time glaring at your night stand clock and contemplating all the things you did wrong in the day that are interrupting your sleep at night. Simply add and avoid from the above list of foods, and make good sleep a habit.

A version of this article was first published in the January 2013 issue of Complete Wellbeing.

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