Simple Ways to Protect Your Eyes

Tonics for the Eyes

1. Wolfberries, also known as goji berries are commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to support the kidneys and liver, as well as to improve vision. Recent studies found that these small red berries are also a rich source of zeaxanthin, a carotenoid that can help to decrease your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of vision loss in Americans 60 years of age and older. Usually available in dried form, wolfberries can be added to food or drank as tea.
2. Chrysanthemum tea has been used by the Chinese for centuries to relieve red or sore eyes caused by insufficient sleep or prolonged eyestrain. In TCM, dried chrysanthemum is prescribed to support the liver and lungs, and to strengthen the eyes.
   
   Bilberry is a commonly used herb in the West to strengthen eye capillaries and prevent eye-related disease and infection. Bilberry is sometimes combined with other anti-aging herbs such Rooibos and Sutherlandia Frutescens and sold as tonics for the eyes.
3. Preliminary studies found that omega-3 fatty acids can help to reduce the occurrences of dry eyes syndrome in women. Rich sources of healthy fats include salmons, sardines, mackerels, flax seeds and walnuts. (Note: Solely relying on dietary nuts and other plant foods may not give you an adequate supply of omega-3 fats.)
4. Vitamin A is essential to healthy eyes and normal eyesight, andantioxidants together with zinc may help to reduce the risk of developing advanced AMD. You can get your daily required amount of vitamin A through fruits and vegetables such as carrots, squash, apricots and sweet potatoes. These plant food contain high amounts of beta-carotene which is converted to vitamin A in the body. Getting your As through whole food also ensure that you will never get vitamin A overdose, which has been found to cause cancer in some studies, since the body will only convert as much as it needs.
   To get a hearty dose of zinc, opt for zinc-rich food such as oysters, red meat, beans, nuts, whole grains and sunflower seeds. For great sources of antioxidants (namely vitamin C and E), you just need to include plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables, like spinach, tomatoes, green peas, apples, oranges, kiwis and grapefruit, into your daily diet.
   
   

Simple Ways to Protect Your Eyes

6. While it is important to get adequate dose of ‘sunshine vitamin’ for healthy bones, studies have linked ultraviolet-A and ultraviolet-B (UV-A and UV-B) radiation in sunlight to a number of eye disorders, such as cataracts. So when you are out enjoying the sun, remember to protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet rays with a wide-brimmed hat and UV-A and UV-B blocking sunglasses.
7. If you are a handyman at home, it makes sense to invest in a safety goggle whenever you are operating any heavy-duty machinery or equipment. You won’t want to learn the power of a blade of grass or a chip of wood that is flying 100mph at you the hard way.
   
   
8. Don’t let an exciting, endorphin-charged session of tennis turn into a painful, black eye experience. Wear protective eye wear during sportssuch as basketball, baseball, tennis, squash and hockey to keep your eyeballs intact. But if you have glaucoma, which is caused by increased pressure within the eyeball, avoid wearing goggles during an exercise as the eye wear will elevate your eye pressure even further.
9. Do your eyes often feel dry and itchy in an air-conditioned room? Then the low humidity of the environment may be drying out your eyes. Standby some artificial tears, also known as eye lubricants, to relieve your eye condition, or a better option would be to consider using a humidifier to keep the relative humidity of your workplace or home between 30 and 50 percent.
10. If your working or living environment constantly exposes you to dust, smoke or other air irritants, short of switching job or changing home, you can install an air purifying device that meets your needs to keep those air contaminants at bay.
    
    

    Keep Your Eyesight with Regular Screening

    11. Get an eye checkup every two years when you hit forty and above. Many eye diseases progress slowly with no symptoms at all, catching many people by surprise. When vision symptoms become obvious, some irreversible damage would have already been made. Regular tests will help to detect any eye problem early and slow down, or even stop, the progression of some diseases before any permanent harm occur.
    12. If you are suffering from diabetes or high blood pressure, you should go for regular, frequent eye screening as advised by your physician, even when there are no symptoms of an eye condition. Because diabetic and high blood pressure patients are at a higher risk of contracting retinopathy, which can damage the retina and even lead to visual impairment.
        
        Vision of a person with AMD
    13. If you are dark-skinned, suffering from severe myopia or has a family history of eye disorder such as AMD, consider getting regular eye examination with an optometrist even though you may not be forty yet. These factors put you at a higher risk of developing visual problems than the average population.
    14. Here’s another good reason to quit smoking. Research has revealed thatsmoking harms the delicate tissues of the eyes and increases your chances of developing cataracts and AMD. Stub out today for your eyes’ sake.
    15. Obesity has been linked to a number of eye conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. It also increases your risk of developing diabetes, another potential eyesight destroying disease. So bykeeping your weight under control you don’t just fit better into your old clothes, you also prevent the onset of ocular disease.

        Eye Care for Computer Users

        16. As computers become ubiquitous, eyestrain related to computer usage is also on the rise. The US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has found that 75% of computer users surveyed “reported occasional aching or burning eyes at work“, while another “39% reported blurred vision“.
            Cultivate the habit of taking an eye break for every forty minutes of working at the computer. Simply closing your eyes and doing some creative visualization for a couple of minutes will help you feeling more relaxed and refreshed. You can also do a brief breathing meditation by following your breaths. Alternatively, get up and walk over to the next cubicle for a friendly chat with your co-worker and chill out together, that is if he or she is also in the same mood as you.
        17. Check your computer monitor for glare. If too much light is bouncing off your screen, re-position the monitor or install an anti-glare filter to cut down the misdirected light.
        18. Position your monitor about one arm’s length away from you and at or just below eye level, so that you don’t strain your neck to make out what’s on the screen.
        19. The proliferation of laptops with high screen resolutions makes words appear like ants on 15″ and smaller screens. Learn how to pump up the system font size on your Windows system and end your eye-popping days. For Mac users, you can’t change the system font size globally. You can either change the font size for individual application or use the Zoom function.
        20. Many web sites are created with font size 8 or 9 point as the default. If you don’t want to mess with your system font size, you can adjust the browser font size via the web browser’s font size setting. On IE, look out for ‘Text Size’ under the View menu. If you are using Firefox, a ‘Zoom’ is also available under the same menu. But note that this may not work on all websites, as some have their font size setting locked.
            
            
            
            

            Massages & Exercises for Sparkling Eyes

            21. Your eyes need exercises just like your body. Build up your ocular strength by doing this simple eyeball exercise everyday. Rotate both of your eyeballs clockwise for 25 times, followed by the same number of repetitions anti-clockwise, without moving your head.
            22. When your eyes feel tired and heavy, it’s time for you to take a break. Heed your body signals and treat your overworked eyes to an eye relaxation exercise. Rub your palms together for about 30 seconds. When they feel warm, cup them over your closed eyes and let your vision relax in the total darkness for a few minutes.
            23. Here’s another training exercise for bionic vision. Choose a point that is about one arm’s length away from you. It can be anything as long as it doesn’t move and it’s at eye level. Now focus on something that is much further away for about ten seconds through this point. Then return your focus back to the chosen point for another ten seconds. Alternate thisnear and far-vision training for ten times.
            24. Blinking may be your way of getting the attention of the lady or guy sitting at the next table, but it can also save your own eyes. When you are in front of the computer, your rate of blinking usually drops to a dismal level. To keep your eyes in good condition, besides taking frequent breaks, practice your seductive blinks often.
            25. To improve blood circulation around your eyes, try this: Close your eyes and use your middle three fingers to lightly tap around each eye. You should look as if you are playing piano delicately around your eyes. Do this for about one minute each day during commercial break.
                
                
                

                
                

                Good Vision Habits

                26. You’ve heard this since childhood: don’t read or work in dimly-lit areas. Insufficient light will strain your eyes and make them tired easily, causing your eyes to age faster. Get an adjustable desk lamp that allows you to focus light on where you need it most. Bear in mind that the finer the task, the more light you will need.
                27. When a foreign object gets into your eye, the usual reaction is to rub it out. Don’t! You risk causing serious damage to your eyes by rubbing in the offending object. Instead, try flushing it out with lukewarm running water. If that doesn’t help, get professional medical help as soon as you can.
                28. You share your food and even your clothes with your best roommate, butnever ever share eye products, like eye drops, eyeliners and mascaras. You might just end up sharing germs that can cause nasty eye infections. And these products should also be discarded as soon as they past their shelf lives.
                29. If you use contact lenses, follow the optician’s or manufacture’s instructions on how to clean the lenses, how long you should wear them each time (usually never more than twelve hours) , and when they should be replaced. Painful eye infections that required surgery and medication are not unheard of for those who did not treat their contact lenses with care.
                30. Does your shampoo or body wash irritate your eyes? You may pass it off as a non-issue, but if you already suffering from some form of eye disease, one less irritation is another healing chance for your eyes. Switch to shampoo and body wash that do not contain harsh chemicals such as sodium laureth sulfate, a common foaming agent, that may cause skin and eyes irritation.
            
            
            
            
        
        
        
        
    
    
    
    

India sends its biggest team

The first authentic Indian team took part at the 1920 Antwerp Olympic Games in athletics and wrestling.

A National Olympic Committee was finally formed in 1927.

India's greatest successes at the Olympics have come in men's hockey. They won every men's title from 1928 to 1956. In 1960 they reached the final but lost to Pakistan to end the sequence.

India's first gold medal winning squad at the Amsterdam Olympic Games in 1928 included legendary hockey player Dhyan CHAND, known as the “wizard of hockey” who won three consecutive gold medals.

After independence India continued their hockey success with a gold at the London Olympic Games. The final was played on grass at Wembley Stadium. India were an ever present on the men's hockey medal podium until 1976 and their last gold medal success in this sport came at the Moscow 1980 Olympic Games.

Indian shooters have challenged for medals in the new millennium. Rajyavardhan Singh RATHORE won silver in the men's double trap in Athens 2004. Shooter Abinav BHINDRA became India's first individual gold medallist when won the 10m air rifle at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

At the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris, Norman PRITCHARD won silver medals in the men's 200m and the now discontinued 200m hurdles. He was the first medal winner born in India but confusion surrounds his nationality as India was then under British rule.

India have hosted IOC sessions.
19th Commonwealth Games 2010 was held in DELHI.

Anthem: Title

Jana Gana Mana (Thou Art the Ruler of the Minds of all People)

Anthem: Year of Induction

1950

Anthem: Composer

Words and music Rabindranath TAGORE

Official NOC/NPC name

India

IOC recognition date

1927

NOC/NPC President's name

Professor Vijay KUMAR MALHOTRA

NOC/NPC General Secretary's name

Raja Randhir SINGH

IOC Member's Name

Raja Randhir SINGH, Mr Ashwini KUMAR (Honorary)

Year of first appearance in an Olympic and Paralympic Games

1900

Number of appearances in Olympic and Paralympic Games

23, including Paris 1900 and London 2012

Summary of Olympic and Paralympic Games Appearances

Medal	Name	Olympics	Sport	Event
Silver	Norman Pritchard	1900 Paris	Athletics	Men's 200 metres
Silver	Norman Pritchard	1900 Paris	Athletics	Men's 200 metres hurdles
Gold	National team	1928 Amsterdam	Field hockey	Men's competition
Gold	National team	1932 Los Angeles	Field hockey	Men's competition
Gold	National team	1936 Berlin	Field hockey	Men's competition
Gold	National team	1948 London[Images]	Field hockey	Men's competition
Gold	National team	1952 Helsinki	Field hockey	Men's competition
Bronze	Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav	1952 Helsinki	Wrestling	Men's freestyle bantamweight
Gold	National team	1956 Melbourne	Field hockey	Men's competition
Silver	National team	1960 Rome	Field hockey	Men's competition
Gold	National team	1964 Tokyo	Field hockey	Men's competition
Bronze	National team	1968 Mexico	Field hockey	Men's competition
Bronze	National team	1972 Munich	Field hockey	Men's competition
Gold	National team	1980 Moscow[Images]	Field hockey	Men's competition
Bronze	Leander Paes [Images]	1996 Atlanta	Tennis	Men's singles
Bronze	Karnam Malleswari	2000 Sydney	Weightlifting	Women's 69 kg
Silver	Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore[Images]	2004 Athens	Shooting	Men's double trap
Gold	Abhinav Bindra	2008 Beijing	Shooting	Men's 10m Air Rifle

My Best wishes to all the team players, give your my best and make your nation feel proud.

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Excited to see you on the grounds.!!!!

JAIN PHILOSOPHY

1. Introduction

The subcontinent of India has been the birthplace of three great religious traditions of the world, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Jainism is one of the oldest living religions of India, predating recorded history as referenced in Hindu scriptures. It is an original system, quite distinct and independent from other systems of all other Indian philosophies.  The Jain philosophy was not developed to oppose the elaborate hierarchical Vedic practices as well as it is not an offshoot of Hinduism as some claim. Jainism has become one of the essential spiritual traditions in the South Asian religious fabric.

Jains believe in the philosophy of karma, reincarnation of worldly soul, hell and heaven as a punishment or reward for one's deeds, and liberation (Nirvän or Moksha) of the self from life's misery of birth and death in a way similar to the Hindu and Buddhist beliefs.  Though there are multiple similarities in these South Asian religions, there are some major portions of the belief system that remain unique to each religion. For instance, the Jain philosophy believes that the universe and all its entities such as soul and matter are eternal (there is no beginning or end), no one has created them and no one can destroy them. 

Jains do not believe that there is a supernatural power who does favor to us if we please him. Jains rely a great deal on self-efforts and self-initiative, for both - their worldly requirements and their salvation. Jainism appeals to common sense. Jains accept only those things that can be explained and reasoned. Jains believe that each living being is a master of his/her own destiny.

Jains believe that from eternity, the soul is bounded by karma and is ignorant of its true nature.  It is due to karma soul migrates from one life cycle to another and continues to attract new karma, and the ignorant soul continues to bind with new karma.  This way it provides a logical explanation of our sufferings on Earth. 

To overcome the sufferings, Jainism addresses the path of liberation in a rational way.   It states that the proper Knowledge of reality, when combined with right Faith and right Conduct leads the worldly soul to liberation (Moksha or Nirvän).  This way one can break the continual binding process of karma to the soul and attain liberation from karma.

With regards to truth, the Jain philosophy firmly states that the whole truth cannot be observed from a single viewpoint.  To understand the true nature of reality, it is essential to acknowledge the multiple perspectives of each entity, situation or idea. We must strive to be open-minded and embrace the positive thoughts and vantage points of other human beings, religions, and philosophies.  This concept is called Anekäntväd.

The ultimate goal of Jainism is for the soul to achieve liberation through understanding and realization. This is accomplished through the supreme ideals in the Jain religion of nonviolence, equal kindness, reverence for all forms of life, nonpossessiveness, and through the philosophy of non-absolutism (Anekäntväd).  Above all, these ideals translate into a religion of love and compassion not only towards human beings but also towards all other forms of life.

2. Concept of God

Jainism is a religion of purely human origin. It is propagated by self realized individuals who have attained perfect knowledge, omniscience, and self‑control by personal effort and have been liberated from the bonds of worldly existence, and the cycles of all future life and death. 

In ancient times Jainism was known by many names such as the Saman tradition, the religion of Nirgantha, or the religion of Jin.  Jin is one, who has conquered the inner enemies of worldly passions such as desire, hatred, anger, ego, deceit and greed by personal effort.  By definition, a Jin is a human being, like one of us and not a supernatural immortal nor an incarnation of an almighty God.  Jins are popularly viewed as Gods in Jainism. There are an infinite number of Jins existed in the past. All human beings have the potential to become a Jin.

The Jins are not Gods in the sense of being the creators of the universe, but rather as those who have accomplished the ultimate goal of liberation of sufferings through the true understanding of self and other realities.  The concept of God as a creator, protector, and destroyer of the universe does not exist in Jainism.  The concept of God's descent into a human form to destroy evil is also not applicable in Jainism. 

The Jins that have established the religious order and revived the Jain philosophy at various times in the history of mankind are known as Tirthankars. The ascetic sage, Rishabhadev was the first Tirthankar and Mahavir was the last Tirthankar of the spiritual lineage of the twenty-four Tirthankars in the current era.

In summary, Jainism does not believe in a creator God, however this does not mean that Jainism is an atheistic religion.  Jains believe in an infinite number of Jins (Gods) who are self-realized omniscient individuals who have attained liberation from birth, death, and suffering.

 Description of the Image:

the painting illustrates two important phenomena - viz. renunciation and attainment of enlightenment or omniscience (kevala-jnana) - of the life of Mahavira.

Illustration on the top shows Mahavira giving away, renouncing his possessions. He is in a procession from his palace to the outskirts of the town.

Then he discarded his last clothing, pulled out his hair and became a monk. Then practised severe penances and attained omniscience (kevala-jnana).

Top left of the painting shows Mahavira with his disciples.

Courtesy : Jainbelief.com & Continue Reading @ derasar in london.blogspot.com