See The Difference Between Muslim State and Non Muslim State, [10th Muharram]

Tenth of Muharram was observed in the secular state of India and the Islamic republic of Pakistan. The first five pictures are from India, the rest are from Pakistan, now everyone decide by themselve where we Pakistanis are heading towards!

When The State Falls

Almost all senior police officers posted in Rawalpindi have been removed today for they failed to prevent the unpleasant incidents, which took place on the tenth of Muharram. However, the policemen were not fools. They knew very well what to do--the punishment for slipping away from the scene or looking the other way is transfer/suspension but taking an action on the scene, which may result in hurting some of the miscreants, entails nothing but an FIR under section 307 or 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

And the orders will directly come from Mian Shahbaz Sharif who would be more than happy to scapegoat the state functionaries. Hence, the police force always goes for the first option.

This happens when the state falls.

Syed Shabbir Hussain Shah, a professor at the University of Gujrat has been gunned down today alongwith his driver while on his way to the university. Nobody would act as an eye witness for that would tantamount to confronting the terrorists head-on. 

This happens when the state falls.

Today, the hearing of the case of Wali Baber, the slain reporter of ‘Geo’ has been postponed till the 23rd of November as the judge went on leave. More importantly the criminal justice system shifted the case from Karachi to Kandhkot in view of threats to the lives of the investigators, witnesses and prosecution lawyers. All five eyewitnesses to the investigation of Babar's case had been murdered in cold blood one by one. Perhaps nobody would volunteer to be a witness when the system fails to give protection! 

This happens when the state falls.

Is there a state where the functionaries of the state and the citizens look toward for protection and support? Or it has fragmented while part of it is at the back of the terrorists. Or the society is polarized while half of it is supportive of terrorist outfits. 

Will there ever be unanimity of opinion, will and determination to fight terrorists who have almost hijacked the state?

Apple Caramel Dessert

November is a great time to taste one of the many varieties of late-ripening apples. While there are more than 7,000 kinds of apples, the best keepers are the fall and winter varieties. Cozy up to seven kidney-friendly apple recipes today.

Apples are low in potassium, and a great fruit choice for a low-potassium diet. Keep apples refrigerated or in a cool place where temperatures are just above 32° F and they will stay fresh throughout  the winter, ready to use.

Diet types:

CKD non-dialysis
Dialysis
Diabetes

Recipe submitted by dietitian Mary Anne.

Portions: 12     Serving size: 1/4 cup

Ingredients

3 Granny Smith Apples, unpeeled

8 ounces Cool Whip frozen dessert topping
2 Caramel N Gold Bars

Preparation

 Defrost Cool Whip. 

Core and cut apples into small pieces. Cut caramel bars into small pieces.

Combine apple pieces and caramel bar pieces in a bowl.

Fold in Cool Whip. Chill for 1 hour before serving.

 

Renal and renal diabetic food choices

1 fruit, low potassium
1/2 meat
1/2 fat 

Carbohydrate choices

1

Helpful hints

Each Balance  Bar weighs 1.76-ounces.

Helping Another in Need

My parents always raised me to have strong values and hold firm to my convictions in life, and this was never more exemplified than when a situation arose when it would be easy for most people to ignore it.

A gentleman at my father's work began to come into work smelling continually of body odor and personal neglect, and as the months went by, showed signs of confusion. After being told to pick up papers at another building, he would be found sitting at his desk staring at his shoes; after being reminded (to which he would completely believe he hadn't been told the first time), he would be found once again sitting at his desk in the same position. This happened to worsening degrees over a few months and his coworkers either ignored it or were ignorant to this due to a lack of social interaction with the man.

My father began to mentally record all of this and finally sat down with him one day when he was found two hours after work was out, sitting in his car, looking like he didn't know where to go.

Apparently the gentleman was in the beginning/middle stages of Alzheimer's and was being financially taken advantage of by his children, who used his forgetfulness as a reason to ask him for money every few days. My father took this man to a hospital (for the first time in years) to be properly assessed, then worked with the county to get a caretaker to watch over his condition. He then went to the man's house and helped him sort out all of his financial matters and get his retirement set up; they went to the bank and had a government worker ensure that his bills would be paid for and his children would no longer get to treat him like a personal ATM.

That my father took this much personal time to help another man that so many had forgotten or would choose to neglect, or even make fun of, truly shows his character. Thanks to him, this man can now live securely and be taken care of in a frightening time.

by Anonymous 

New Kid On the Ward

I was a scared 10-year-old girl in the hospital having reconstructive surgery. This was back when you checked into the hospital the day before your procedure.

I was shy but met some of the kids in the ward. I was pleased and surprised when they walked me to the elevator as I was being wheeled down for surgery.

But nothing could match my surprise as I was wheeled back into the ward 3 hours later and found nearly the whole ward waiting for me at the elevator door! They accompanied me back to my room until the nurse shooed them out. I have never forgotten that kindness.

 by Anonymous

Caring for a Loved One

I was recently asked to assist a friend on a medical mission to another country to take my friends son to a Doctor's office for medicinal treatments, in the hope that the treatments will help the son recover from brain damage due to a near drowning accident. What I witnessed from my friend was total dedication and commitment to his son, as there wasn't an hour that went by during the 3 days we were together that he wasn't caring for his son, even when he slept (in the same bed) while being hooked up to heart monitoring equipment. This son went from a healthy, vibrant, life of the party 12 year old boy to a severely injured boy in 15 life-changing minutes. His Dad and Mom have dedicated their lives to his recovery. Yes, it's easy to say that all Moms and Dads' would do that for their children, but to do what they do on an every hour, every day basis, is truly a remarkable thing to watch. They have such a great support community around them, due to the fact that they are a wonderful family, but when the last helper leaves each day, they are the ones up during the nights, and early, early mornings....and they feel blessed to care for him - never, ever a complaint or a woe-is-me moment.....always a smile and a hug for their friends.
So, I was the one who felt blessed to witness such unconditional love from a Dad for his son, whom I and hundreds of other Dads in our area are honored to call a true friend. Say a prayer for Logan in PA. He will recover.

by  Doug

Live the Life You Want

Most of my life I have lived in fear. As a young child, the death of a sibling hurt my family beyond repair, and years later my father committed suicide unable to handle the toll it had taken on us. Needless to say, I grew up constantly fearing the “what ifs” in life. I tried to distance myself from the persona of a broken family and worked hard to excel in school, earning my first job at fourteen so I could save money for college, constantly holding myself to an impossible standard. All I ever wanted was to be “normal”. Of course somewhere in there I began to crack. I bounced back and forth between being completely dedicated to becoming a successful person to being utterly reckless. Caught in between what I thought people wanted me to be and what I really wanted to be, I was never happy and always searching for something to put me at peace.
In college, I quickly got caught up in the constant partying finding relief in the careless abandon of it all. Between the parties and having to work forty to sixty hours a week to pay for tuition, I was lucky to graduate on time and with a decent GPA. However, it wasn’t decent enough to go on to medical school or something impressive like I had planned, and I felt like a failure. I obsessed over what I should do and began considering graduate school, but all I had ever really wanted to do was write. It took me months to realize that I couldn’t make up my mind because I didn’t really want to go back to school. I wanted to focus on my writing, but I was terrified to fail. During this time, my fiancé (now husband) became ill, and I directed my focus on him and our upcoming wedding. His illness, which he suffered with for three years, kept me from having to think about what I really wanted in life. All I had to do was survive. When he recovered, I panicked knowing I would have to start making decisions about my life again. I couldn’t just skate by. But only four months after my husband recovered, he was hit by a car while jogging and it felt like our world was pushed back to the starting line. As I followed the ambulance to the ER not knowing if he was going to make it, all I could think was What happened to our time together? I was in disbelief that our lives together could be over before they ever began.
Once I knew that he would eventually recover, I realized we couldn’t waste any more time. I had spent years worrying about everything from bad grades, student loan debt, jobs, success, and what people would think of my decisions, and I realized none of that stuff mattered. When I was faced with the thought that I might lose my husband, I didn’t think about if I had paid the bills on time, if I had answered all my work emails, or if my friends thought I was doing the “right” thing by not going to back school. I wanted to know if we had spent our time together wisely. Had we taken enough trips, had we laughed together enough, had I been supportive enough, did he know that I loved him more than anything in the world? Shortly, after the accident we decided we needed a change. We committed to doing the things we always wanted to do and to hell with what others expected of us even if that meant quitting our jobs, selling our house and giving up a “normal” life. So we are doing just that.
We are currently traveling the United States, and I am writing a travel blog as well as two novels. Life is not about how much you have but what you have learned. And I am learning a lot as I pursue my dreams. 

  by Kaitlin

Mein Bhi Kafir, Tu Bhi Kafir (I Am Infidel, You too Infidel)

Mein bhi kafir ,tu bhi kafir,
Phoolo’n ki khushboo bhi kafir,
Lafzo’n ka jadoo bhi kafir,
Ye bhi kafir woh bhi kafir,
Faiz bhi aur Manto bhi kafir,
Noor Jehan ka gana kafir,
Mcdonald ka khana kafir,
Burger, coffee, coke bhi kafir,
Hansna biddat joke bhi kafir,
Tablay kafir dhol bhi kafir,
Pyar bharay do bol bhi kafir,
Sur bhi kafir taal bhi kafir,
Bhangra ,attan, dhamaal bhi kafir,
Daadra,thumri ,bhairween kafir,
Kafi aur khayal bhi kafir,
Waris Shah ki heer bhi kafir,
Chahat ki zanjeer bhi kafir,
Zinda murda peer bhi kafir,
Nazar nayaz ki kheer bhi kafir,
Betay ka basta bhi kafir,
Beti ki gudiya bhi kafir,
Hansna rona kufr ka sauda,
Gham kafir khushiyan bhi kafir,
Jeans bhi aur guitar bhi kafir,
Takhno'n sey neechay bandho to,
Apni ye shalwar bhi kafir,
Fun bhi aur fankar bhi kafir,
Jo meri dhamki na chhapai’n
Who saray akhbar bhi kafir,
University kay andar kafir,
Darwin bhai ka Bandar kafir,
Freud padhanay walay kafir,
Marx kay sab matwalay kafir,
Melay thailay kufr ka dhanda,
Ganay bajay saray phanda,
Mandir mein to but hota hai,
Masjid ka bhi haal bura hai,
Kuchh masjid kay bahar kafir,
Kuchh masjid kay andar kafir,
Muslim mulk kay aksar kafir,
Kafir kafir mein bhi kafir,
kafir kafir tu bhi kafir 

Waheed Murad: The Chocolate Hero

Waheed Murad (1938 –1983) was a famous Pakistani film actor, producer and scriptwriter. Born in Sialkot, all his schooling took place at Karachi. He is well known for his charming expressions, attractive personality, tender voice and unusual talent for acting in films. His hair cut, dressing and even his conversation style were very popular among the youth, particularly girls. He once said that a ‘kiss’ was something which was lacking in Pakistani film and one onscreen kiss can replace three songs. This comment brought the wrath of many including Mohammad Ali and Zeba who retorted by saying: ‘Why should we open our bedrooms to the public.’

The successful combination of Waheed Murad, Pervaiz Malik,the director, Masroor Anwar,the lyricist,and Sohail Rana, the music director created a number of successful films like Heera aur pathar, Armaan, Ehsaan, Doraha and Jahan tum wahan hum. However, the team broke, as reportedly Waheed Murad would take all the credit for the success of the films while never recognizing the contribution by others in media. Critics are also unanimous that singer Ahmed Rushdi had a significant role in the success of Waheed Murad, and that Rushdi's voice was tailor made for him.

Waheed Murad had a sort of liking towards Salma, daughter of Karachi based Memon industrialist Ibrahim Maker, when both were in grade nine in Karachi Grammar School. Their marriage took place on 17 September 1964. The wedding ceremony was arranged at Nisar Murad's house at Tariq Road, Karachi. 

Those who know him personally told me that he would start flirting with his heroines and make highly intimate gestures, especially during song picturization. By early 70’s all the husbands of prominent film actors like Zeba, Shabnam and even Nisho debarred them from acting opposite Waheed Murad.

He was the son of Nisar Murad, a top film distributor from Karachi with an MA in English, well-dressed and self conscious, a kind of a spoiled brat; he was arrogant and remained a victim of superiority complex in an industry where most would come from a humble background.

By late 70s, Waheed was being cast in supporting roles either with Nadeem or with Mohammad Ali, or being offered by 'B class' film directors.

His close friends revealed that he was becoming addicted to alcohol, oral tobacco and sleeping pills. Even his domestic life suffered and his wife Salma left for the United States. A combination of bad habits and stress caused ulceration in Waheed's stomach in 1981. He suffered from bleeding and had to undergo stomach removal to save his life. 

After relations with wife deteriorated, he left his house to live at the house of Mumtaz Ayub, the mother of actor Anita Ayub.

On November 22, 1983, he returned late to spend the night at Mumtaz Ayub's home. When Waheed did not wake up until late, the door had to be forced open and Waheed was found lying on the floor, dead for several hours. A paan leaf with 'something' in it was found in his mouth. Nobody knows for sure if it was a heart attack or suicide. Waheed was buried near his father's grave in Gulberg Graveyard, Ali Zeb Road, Lahore. 

In November 2010, 27 years after his death, Pakistani president Asif Zardari awarded him the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, the "star of excellence,"

Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce

 

Diet types:

• CKD non-dialysis
• Dialysis
• Diabetes

Portions: 4     Serving size: 1/4 cup

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 cup low-sodium tomato sauce
•  2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasonings
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper chili flakes

Preparation

1. Drain red peppers and measure 1/2 cup, (approximately 2 whole peppers).
2. Place peppers and garlic in food processor or blender and process until smooth.
3. Add tomato sauce, olive oil and Italian seasonings.  Process until well blended.  Ready to use on pizza, pasta or as a replacement for tomato sauce in recipes.
4. May be refrigerated 2 to 3 days or frozen until ready to use.

Renal and renal diabetic food choices

• 1 vegetable, medium potassium

Carbohydrate choices

0

Helpful hints

• Red peppers are available bottled, canned or fresh. Compare roasted red peppers and select the brand lowest in sodium or make from fresh peppers.
• Adjust red pepper chili flakes according to desire for hot and spicy flavor.
• This lower potassium, low sodium sauce can be used as a substitute for tomato sauce in a variety of dishes. Try it on pizza, pasta, rice or as a topping for chicken.

Potassium and Sodium Comparisons

Sauce	Serving size	Potassium mg	Sodium mg
Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce	¼ cup	148	82
Tomato Sauce	¼ cup	226	369
Spaghetti Sauce	¼ cup	262	347
Marinara Sauce	¼ cup	265	393
Pizza Sauce	¼ cup	240	340

She was not that beautiful

She was not beautiful. Nothing about her was extraordinary. Nothing about her made her stand out in a crowd. She grew up in a family of six and being the eldest, she learned responsibility at an early age.

As she grew stronger and brighter, she instilled a sort of light and cheer to whomever she met. She was not beautiful, but she made others feel better about themselves. She meets a rebel boy who thinks he is all man, befriending him, she teaches him. She teaches him how to read and a little boost, the 'man' needed to go to college, they become fast friends and she fell fast in love with her rugged handsome student.

The 'man' then finds himself in love with a girl. A girl who was so beautiful. Her hair was a hallow of light around her. Her eyes the bluest blue of the ocean. 'Like an angel' he tells his tutor 'like a beautiful angel.' The girl swallows a lump at her throat. She was not beautiful, she did not posses the heart of the one he loved, but she did not care. As long as he was happy, she would be happy, or so she tried to. She helped write the most beautiful letters to his angel. All the time visioning it was she herself receiving those very letters. And so the girl helped him choose the right clothes, say the right words, and buy the right gifts for his angel.

His angel brought him much joy and much pain to the girl who cried behind her smiles. But that never stopped her from giving more than she will ever receive. Then one day, the angel he loved left him for another man. A richer more successful man. The boy was stunned. He was so hurt, he did not speak for days. The girl went to him. He cried on her shoulder and she cried with him.

He was hurt and she was too. Time went by and so wounds heal. The boy realizes something about his friend/tutor. Something he never realized before. How her laughter sounded heavenly and how her smiles brightened up the darkest days, or how simply beautiful she looked to him!

Beautiful. This plain, simple girl was beautiful to him. And he began to fall. Fall so in love with this beautiful girl. On one day, he picked up all his courage to see her. He walked to her house, nervous, and fidgeting, Running his thoughts over and over his head.

He was going to tell her how beautiful she was to him. He was going to tell her how wonderfully in love he was with her. He knocked. No one was home.

The next day, he found out that the beautiful girl he fell in love with had a brain tumor that put her into a coma. The doctors were grim and the family decided to let her go.

One final time he got to see her. He held her hand. He stroked her hair and he cried for this beautiful girl. He cried, but it was too late. The beautiful girl was buried and the heavens broke. Out a beautiful spring shower, a cry for their loss. She was the most beautiful girl in the world and she had taught the rebel boy-man to love and what it is to be loved.

She was the most beautiful girl in the world.

Look around. Aren't there a lot of plain faces? Take a good look. A real good look or you might just miss out that beautiful person.

by MOONA

Stretch it Out !

Sit all day? Work these exercises into your routine to help you feel—and run—your best.

Before you Run

Activation X-Lunge Stand with feet together and arms raised straight in front of you at shoulder height, palms facing down. Imagine you are standing on a clock, facing 12. Step out with your right foot to the 2 o'clock position and lower down into a lunge, keeping your right knee aligned over the toes of the right foot. As you lunge, rotate your torso toward the right. Push off with the right foot; return to start, and repeat to the left, stepping out to the 10 o'clock position. That's one rep; do 10.

This exercise wakes up muscles in your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back to prep them for a workout

 

In Your Office
These stretches reduce stress on your spine and open tight hips—do them a few times a day

Reach and Extend

 Stand up from your chair, kick off unsupportive shoes, and extend your arms overhead. Reach your palms toward the ceiling while bending backward and breathing deeply for several breaths.

Giant Step Stretch

 Take a giant step back with your right foot and lower into a lunge position. Bend your left knee and tuck your pelvis. Raise your right arm out to the side and then extend it overhead. Lean slightly to the left from the waist. Hold 10 seconds. Repeat two or three times on each side.


On Your Feet!
Simple ways to spend more time upright

Set Reminders
Use gadgets for good: Put alarms on your computer or phone to prompt you to stand up every 20 minutes while at work. Give yourself a daily goal, like getting in 5,000 (non running) steps and download an app like Garmin Fit to track your activity level throughout the day.

Walk and Talk
Skip the stodgy conference room and walk the halls with a coworker when you need to brainstorm ideas or discuss a project.

Drink More
Refilling your bottle will require you to make more trips to the kitchen and the bathroom.

Chat Them Up
Take phone calls while standing up. If you have the space, pace around and stretch.

Exercise Limits
Cut back on TV and Web-surfing time. Watch the tube from your treadmill. Or do planks or foam roll during commercials.

Uphill Battle

A veteran marathoner finds unexpected meaning in a 26.2-mile history lesson.

 The sun wasn't up—just the seep of pink and orange setting New Mexico's Organ Mountains aglow—but I'd been awake since 4 a.m. When the lights had popped on in the gym at the White Sands Missile Range, I'd rolled out of my cot along with hundreds of soldiers to prepare for the 26.2-mile Bataan Memorial Death March.

To say the least, I was out of my element: I've never been known for my gooey patriotism, and always had the luxury of being a cynic. I loved my country as an afterthought. Now I was at an army base 45 miles north of El Paso, where the first nuclear bomb was exploded in 1945, yelling the Army's Warrior Ethos: I will never accept defeat. I will never quit.

We gathered for the start near a podium where a dozen World War II veterans sat with their medals and canes. A huge American flag snapped in the wind. Almost everyone in the pack of 4,000 wore fatigues and combat boots—and some shouldered enormous backpacks. It didn't feel anything like a typical marathon.

But I wasn't here just to knock off another race. I already had four marathons under my belt; I'd been around that block. I wanted to do something different, with larger meaning behind it. You can run the Bataan Memorial Death March like any other marathon—though with the hills, dust, and wind, it's a lot tougher. You can also enter the "heavy" category: carrying at least 35 pounds in a backpack. That's what I signed up for. After all, I was a 3:30 marathoner. How hard would it be to walk 26.2 miles?

Maybe not too bad, at least compared with the original Bataan Death March, which took place in the Philippines during World War II. The Japanese had forced American troops to surrender, and made some 10,000 U.S. soldiers and 50,000 of their Filipino allies march 65 miles through oppressive heat to prison camps. Along the way, the men—many of whom had tropical diseases—were denied food; some were shot for lagging behind.

I shook hands with some of the survivors as I crossed the start. They thanked me for competing in their honor, as if what I was about to do would somehow compare with what they'd endured. As the runners took off, it felt strange to let their light strides leave me behind. All I could manage was a frustratingly slow pace. Then I saw a team of soldiers—with boots and guns and heavy packs—sprint past me in rhythm, causing an unexpected swell of patriotism.

That feeling faded as I marched past the White Sands Missile Range Museum, and onto a road surrounded by dust, dunes, and juniper plants. I tried to keep a steady 19-minute-per-mile pace, and let the fellowship of the marchers carry me along.

At mile six I started trudging up a two-mile hill—steeper than Heartbreak Hill in the Boston Marathon—and saw other runners coming back down who were already seven demoralizing miles ahead of me. I was walking, but a mere three hours in, this felt harder than any marathon I'd ever run. The wind and heat were relentless. I'd already changed my socks and retaped my blisters once, and when I got blisters next to those, I taped them, too. My pack—which I'd filled with 38 pounds of ExquisiCat kitty litter—was cramping my shoulders. I was over it.

Yet as I circled dusty Mineral Hill at mile 14, I spotted Ben Steele, a 91-year-old veteran. He said he didn't get blisters during the real Death March because he "stole a sock off a dead guy." Seeing him put my discomfort in a new light. Having to get my blisters taped again suddenly didn't seem so dire. And when I reached the Sand Pit, a mile-long path at mile 22, I dug in my trekking poles and plowed through. Steele had trudged three times as far, with no shoes, no finish line, and no hope. I could do this.

On the final flat stretch, I marched alone, the dust in my eyes. The real runners were long done. When I finally arrived at the finish in 9:35—some six hours slower than my marathon PR—I looked around for a hand to shake, but all the veterans were gone. I realized that it didn't matter: I'd completed a marathon as a tribute to them. When a soldier said, "Thank you, ma'am," and hung a medal shaped like a dog tag around my neck, the weight of it surprised me.

By Evelyn Spence

Ways to Avoid Sitting All Day

Improve your health and your running with these alternatives to the traditional office chair.

 

Prolonged sitting reduces circulation to the brain, hurting creativity and mood. Also, sedentary behavior has been linked to various forms of cancer, including breast, colon, lung, and prostate.  Stop spending your whole work day sitting in a chair with these alternatives that allow for some movement throughout the day.

Prolonged sitting reduces circulation to the brain, hurting creativity and mood. Also, sedentary behavior has been linked to various forms of cancer, including breast, colon, lung, and prostate.  Stop spending your whole work day sitting in a chair with these alternatives that allow for some movement throughout the day.

STABILITY BALL
While sitting on a stability ball isn't enough of a core workout to score you six-pack abs, it promotes movement—and any extra movement you can squeeze into your day is good, says Douglas Lentz, M.S., C.S.C.S., a certified strength and conditioning specialist and the director of fitness and wellness for Summit Health in Chambers-burg, Pennsylvania. "You'll engage more muscles than you would in a traditional office chair because you'll move around more on a ball," he says. "You'll also likely stand up more often because you're not too comfortable and melting into a chair."

ADJUSTABLE DESK
The ideal scenario is an adjustable workstation that allows you to work on your feet as well as your seat. Why not just stand? Because being on your feet all day isn't necessarily good for you either, says Alan Hedge, Ph.D., C.P.E., director of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Laboratory at Cornell University. "Prolonged standing places an additional load on your heart and circulatory system, puts a strain on your legs and feet," he says. "It's best to alternate between the two."

With a little ingenuity, you can create a sitting/standing workstation. The simplest way to transform a traditional desk is to place boxes or books under your monitor and keyboard. A high-seat stool allows you to sit. For the best ergonomics, your keyboard should be at or slightly below elbow height, with your monitor at eye level. If you plan on standing for long periods of time, ergonomics expert Alan Hedge, Ph.D., recommends placing a footrest under your desk—propping one foot up will help you change positions and allow you to give each foot a break throughout the day. A padded mat can also reduce stress on your legs and feet. Forget about standing all day in high heels or unsupportive shoes. "You need anti-fatigue footwear," Hedge says. (Running shoes, anyone?) If you're committed to a bigger investment, here are a few high-tech solutions

.

Move Your Computer Find a work fit  sits atop your desk and holds your keyboard and monitor so you can manually slide them up and down.

Move Your Desk  Get an adjustable desks, which allow your entire work surface (computer, phone, coffee mug) to move up and down with you with the touch of a button.

Move your Feet Under-the-desk stair-steppers, cycles, or elliptical machines allow you to move as you type. Since these devices are portable, you can easily push them aside when you want a break . Treadmill workstations are more of a commitment. The desk is affixed to a treadmill .

Paid in FULL

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted. As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car.

Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, and somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angry, he shouted at his father and said "with all your money, you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house.


Many years passed and the young man had become very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father now was getting old, and thought perhaps he should go see him. He had not seen him since that graduation day.


Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.


When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still gift-wrapped Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages.


His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matt.7:11, "And if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father which is in Heaven, give to those who ask Him?" As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had wanted. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL.

Missed Everyday!

This is the story of me and my best friend we met in first grade we were so young and did everything together as the years went bye so did our lives I got pregnant with my first child at 19 and we started seeing less of each other but always found the time to talk know matter what we talked everyday just about and it always was exciting to hear what new jokes she has for me to hear or to just tell me she missed me. Well her mom passed away not too long after that and she became very stressed and sick herself she starting loosening wight and just looked unhealthy she never really told me what was wrong with her health she said she was just exercising but I didn't believe her I wanted to . But I new something was wrong with her .as time went by she had her first child .and then I had my second we grew more apart meaning only seen each other once or twice a year but always still talked for hours just about every day we still always have had that bound with each other she was not only my best friend but my sister my everything I loved her with all my heart well my second sons birthday came up and she came over to celebrate her first birthday with me we had so much fun I dropped her off home after the party and a few days had past by. Than that November it was a day like no other she calls me but I don't pick up the phone for some reason that I just didn't feel like talking but we had those days we all do what I regret everyday is that I should of picked up but instead she text-ed me and I text-ed her back she asks how am doing and tells me how shes been sick lately and keeps coughing a lot and so I tell her to go to the doctors and take care of her self and to call me tomorrow so she started to tell me that she loves me so much and that i am such a good friend I tell her the same we hung up well the next day I woke up went to work came home and fell asleep the day after I get a phone call and its her boyfriend he started to cry and I new something was wrong he says to me i am sorry but Michelle is gone she died in the bath tub I didn't want to believe it that was my best friend my everything . Her family says she had a heart attack and drowned in the water . I will always live with this regret of not picking up the phone but I thank god everyday that I got to hear for the last time how much of a friend I was to her and how much she loved me please if you have someone like this in your life tell them everyday you just never know what could happened to them she has been gone for 2 years now and my life has never been the same I love her and miss her dearly .. 

by  Christina W.

Tropical Ice Cream Sandwiches ( Dialysis & diabetic friendly )

 

Portions: 15     Serving size: One 2-1/2” x 2-1/2” square

Ingredients

• 30 graham cracker squares
• 15 ounces canned crushed pineapple in juice
• 8 packets No Calorie Sweetener 
• 1-1/2 cups protein powder
• 8 ounces whipped topping
• 1 packet  unflavored gelatin

Preparation

1. Line a 13” x 9-1/2” baking pan with plastic wrap allowing at least 10” to hang on both sides of pan.
2. Arrange 15 graham cracker squares in the pan and set aside.
3. Drain pineapple and reserve 1/2 cup of pineapple juice.
4.  In a large mixing bowl, mix crushed pineapple, until there are no lumps.
5. Fold in whipped topping then set aside. (The folding motion keeps whipped topping airy and light.)
6. In a small saucepan, boil 1/2-cup pineapple juice. Add 1 packet of unflavored  gelatin. Mix until dissolved then remove from heat.
7. Lightly fold in gelatin mixture with the whipped topping mixture.
8. Pour mixture evenly over the graham crackers.
9. Top mixture with remaining 15 graham cracker squares.
10. Put plastic wrap from the sides of the pan over the graham crackers. Cover with aluminum foil and seal well. Freeze overnight or at least 6 hours.
11. After freezing, cut into fifteen 2-1/2” x 2-1/2” pieces and serve.

Renal and renal diabetic food choices

• 1 meat
• 1 starch  
• 1/2 fruit, low potassium

Carbohydrate choices

1

Helpful hints

•  Put leftover individual sandwiches into zip-locking style freezer bags for easy storage and serving.

Foot Notes

Are you steps away from injury? Ask your feet.

 

The outside of Laurence Socha's foot had been hurting for months. But the veteran marathoner kept running. "The pain would come and go, so I just ignored it," says Socha, 27, a teacher who lives in Washington, D.C. On a run one night, his sore foot rolled, and he had to limp home. Turns out, Socha had been disregarding a hairline fracture, and he had broken his fifth metatarsal. He needed surgery and was on crutches for six weeks.

Bad idea to ignore what your feet are trying to tell you. Obvious pains like Socha's, or merely visible imperfections like black toenails or calluses, often indicate imbalances that can lead to injury. "I like to compare foot care to the foundation of a house," says Roy DeFrancis, D.P.M., president of the New York State Podiatric Medical Association. "A house without a strong foundation is likely to crumble."


The Warning: Black Toenail

Black toenails, or "runners' toes," frequently plague distance runners. A common culprit? Not keeping your toenails closely clipped, says Dr. DeFrancis. If the end of the toenail jams into the shoe, the base of the nail wiggles enough to cause bleeding just below the surface. Shoes that are too tight can also cause the problem; try a half size larger or a higher toebox. The discoloration can also be a warning that you're running too many downhills, so keep your runs confined to flats.

The black part will grow out or fall off in a few months, but if you're in pain, a doctor can relieve the swelling by making a small hole in the nail plate.


The Warning: Calluses

Calluses, areas of thickened skin, form from repetitive pressure. "Calluses are a sign that the feet are getting a lot of force on one spot," says Leslie Campbell, D.P.M., a podiatrist in Dallas.

Overpronators frequently find calluses on the inside of their big toes or at the ends of their toes. Severe overpronators are susceptible to Achilles tendinitis, runner's knee, and shinsplints. Calluses that develop on the fifth toe or anywhere along the outside of the foot indicate outward rolling, or supination. Over time, supinators stress the outside of their feet and ankles, which can lead to sprains, tendinitis, and stress fractures.

A pair of stability shoes are the first treatment option for overpronation; cushioned shoes will support a supinator's high arch. More extreme cases may need an orthotic to correct the foot's motion.

Runners who have one foot that is more callused than the other may have an imbalance, such as leg–length discrepancy, which can often be fixed with a heel lift. Or it may indicate that you're simply stronger on one side. A physical therapist can help you develop a stretching and strengthening regimen to balance your gait—and help your feet evenly absorb the impact of each step.

The Warning: Bunions

When the joint at the base of the big toe faces extra pressure, it can swell and form a bunion: a bony protrusion on the side of the foot that may be painful as the big toe moves out of alignment. In extreme cases, the big toe overlaps the second and third toes. "Bunions tend to happen in runners with flat feet that roll in, because the muscles that stabilize the big toes don't work as well when the foot overpronates," says Stephen Pribut, D.P.M., a sports podiatrist in Washington, D.C.

Bunions don't have to hurt. Make sure your sneakers are wide and deep enough at the toebox, and avoid shoes with seams that rub against the problem joint. If you notice changes to your bunions or feel pain, consult a sports podiatrist. Orthotics can correct the pronation and slow the development of bunions—which require surgery to correct severe cases.


The Warning: Neuroma

A neuroma is an enlarged nerve, which most frequently occurs in the interspace between the third and fourth toes. Though neuromas aren't visible, you can definitely feel them: They can cause toe cramps or a more general pain in the ball of the foot. According to Dr. Campbell, hill running, which puts abnormal pressure on the ball of the foot, is a common cause of neuromas, so stick to the flats until the pain subsides. Your shoes might also be too tight in the toebox. Remove the insert, stand on it, and take a close look: If any portion of your foot is hanging over the insert, your shoes are too small.


The Warning: Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis, which causes pain in the heel or arch, occurs when the connective fibers that run along the bottom of the foot become inflamed at the spot where they attach to the heel bone. The pain most often occurs in one foot, not both, says Dr. Pribut, because of a leg–length discrepancy or strength imbalance.

Runners who suffer from plantar fasciitis often have weak muscles in their feet. So try this exercise to strengthen your toes and feet: Keeping your heel on the floor, curl your toes down against a towel and try to drag it closer to you. Plantar fasciitis can also signal tight calf muscles, so Pribut recommends gentle stretching of those muscles to ease the pain and to prevent a recurrence.

 

Little Answers to Big Questions

A friend asked me to answer three “Big Questions” about the spiritual life:

1. If God is bliss, why did He create suffering?

2. To what degree is God involved in everything?

3. If there is karma, how can there be free will?

I promised I would try to answer his questions. But I have to confess, I didn’t have much interest.

First, because I don’t know the answers. And further: even if I knew the answers, would he have a sufficiently expanded consciousness to understand them?

In my forty-plus years with Swami Kriyananda, I realized, time and time again, that “his ways were not my ways.”

Each time I thought he didn’t understand something, I discovered in the end that it was my understanding that was lacking.

It wasn’t that I was stupid. It was a question of my consciousness, which was far from the level on which he lived. When Swamiji was kind enough to explain himself, I realized that there were factors I hadn’t dreamed of.

How big is my cup of consciousness? If I want answers to the “big questions,” I must first make my consciousness big enough to receive them.

And this leads me to the second reason for my reluctance to answer my friend’s big questions: what difference would it make?

I used to think that if I could find the answer to every question that arose in my mind, the explanations would change my life. But I’ve learned that even if the explanations are interesting, and even useful, it’s far more important to have a change of heart.

In other words, the answer to “Why did God make creation?” is to love God, serve, live selflessly, and meditate.

I am not a fan of the “big questions.” My mind moves along more simple, practical lines. Knowing the big answers doesn’t change the problem facing me:  How do I feel? And how can I feel better?

Whether God gave us free will, I know that my choices in the morning will affect how I feel in the afternoon. And the decisions I make this week will influence my life’s flavor next week.

I prefer the little questions – because the little questions bring little answers, that bring little changes, that lead in time to a big change in my consciousness. This I know from my experience.

Let’s look at some little answers to my friend’s Big Questions.

“If God is Bliss, why did He create suffering?” If you see a good movie or discover a fine restaurant, the first thing you want to do is tell a friend. We instinctively know that our happiness increases when we share it. Swami Kriyananda said, “It is the nature of bliss to want to share itself.”

Perhaps your friend doesn’t enjoy the movie or the restaurant. It doesn’t matter; it doesn’t change your happiness in trying to help him.

God made the world from His nature, which is satchidanandam – ever-existing, ever-conscious, ever-new Bliss. Nothing exists in this world but Bliss. We suffer because of how we perceive the world. Then we blame God for our perception. We complain, “Why didn’t You make it easier for us to perceive Your Bliss?”

If you believe that a friend has betrayed you, and you feel hurt and angry, and later you learn that your friend behaved in an exemplary way, is it your friend’s fault that you suffered? Everything was fine. It was you who misunderstood.

The saints tell us that we make the same mistake with God. We blame God for our suffering, when it was our own misunderstanding that caused us to suffer. Once we realize how we have misunderstood Him, our lives become a feast of love in God.

 “To what degree is God involved in everything?”

Let’s ask the question a different way. “How much is the mighty ocean involved in the little wave?”

Without the ocean, there would be no wave. God made us of His Bliss. If you live at the top of the wave, you may lose sight of where you came from, and what you are.

Finally, “If there is karma, how can there be free will?”

Every decision you make is influenced by your decisions of the past. Certainly, your experiences today are influenced by your karma. Then, is the illusion of free will just a joke of God’s?

Now, that’s a hard question. Yet once again I prefer to look at the little answers.

Who put us here, and why? At first it seems a big, important question. The trouble is that no matter how loudly we beat the bars of our prison cell, no one can answer the question “Who put us here, and why?” in a way that will make the slightest difference to the fact of our imprisonment.

People say, “But it is God’s fault. He created this prison!”

Ah, well, now we have someone to blame! We can be angry at God. But in time we realize that our anger has no effect. It simply makes our prison of consciousness more unpleasant.

So we begin to ask a different question: “How can I get out?” The question of why God put us here isn’t as important as our need to escape the prison.

The masters tell us that when we finally escape, there is nothing to understand, nothing to forgive. There is only Love.

With blessings,

Asha

A Frozen Lemon -- Interesting! True??‏

Amazing frozen lemons All it is.....is a frozen lemon

 

Many professionals in restaurants and eateries are using or consuming the entire lemon and nothing is wasted. How can you use the whole lemon without waste?

 

Simple.. place the washed lemon in the freezer section of your refrigerator. Once the lemon is frozen, get your grater, and shred the whole lemon (no need to peel it) and sprinkle it on top of your foods.  Sprinkle it to your vegetable salad, ice cream, soup, cereals, noodles, spaghetti sauce, rice, sushi, fish dishes, whisky.... the list is endless.  All of the foods will unexpectedly have a wonderful taste, something that you may have never tasted before. Most likely, you only think of lemon juice and vitamin C. Not anymore.

 

Now that you've learned this lemon secret, you can use lemon even in instant cup noodles.

 

What's the major advantage of using the whole lemon other than preventing waste and adding new taste to your dishes?  Well, you see lemon peels contain as much as 5 to 10 times more vitamins than the lemon juice itself. And yes, that's what you've been wasting.

 

But from now on, by following this simple procedure of freezing the whole lemon, then grating it on top of your dishes, you can consume all of those nutrients and get even healthier.

 

It's also good that lemon peels are health rejuvenators in eradicating toxic elements in the body.

 

So place your washed lemon in your freezer, and then grate it on your meal every day. It is a key to make your foods tastier and you get to live healthier and longer! That's the lemon secret! Better late than never, right? The surprising benefits of lemon! Lemon (Citrus) is a miraculous product to kill cancer cells. It is 

10,000 times stronger than chemotherapy.

 

Why do we not know about that? Because there are laboratories interested in making a synthetic version that will bring them huge profits.

 

You can now help a friend in need by letting him/her know that lemon juice is beneficial in preventing the disease. Its taste is pleasant and it does not produce the horrific effects of chemotherapy.

 

As you know, the lemon tree is known for its varieties of lemons and limes.  You can eat the fruit in different ways: you can eat the pulp, juice press, prepare drinks, sorbets, pastries, etc... It is credited with many virtues, but the most interesting is the effect it produces on cysts and tumors

 

This plant is a proven remedy against cancers of all types. Some say it is very useful in all variants of cancer. It is considered also as an anti-microbial spectrum against bacterial infections and fungi, effective against internal parasites and worms, it regulates blood pressure which is too high and an antidepressant, combats stress and nervous disorders. The source of this information is fascinating: it comes from one of the largest drug manufacturers in the world, says that after more than 20 laboratory tests since 1970, the extracts revealed that It destroys the malignant cells in 12 cancers, including colon, breast, prostate, lung and pancreas... The compounds of this tree showed 10,000 times better than the product Adriamycin, a drug normally used chemotherapeutic in the world, slowing the growth of cancer cells.

 

And what is even more astonishing: this type of therapy with lemon extract only destroys malignant cancer cells and it does not affect healthy cells. So, give those lemons a good wash, freeze them and grate them. Your whole body will love you for it!!!!!