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Relieve your lower back pain with these simple exercises Almost all of us have experienced lower back pain at some point. While some us suffer from it rarely, others get it frequently. Lower back pain occurs due to severe muscle strain or a back injury. Those who suffer from lower back pain often resort to shortcuts like popping pain killers or applying pain-relieving ointments. This, however, as said earlier, is a shortcut, which merely provides temporary relief and eventually turns into a habit. Take a break from those pain killers and ointments and practice these simple exercises to help relieve lower back pain. Knee chest exercise On a mat, lie flat on your back with your legs straight. Place your hands over your right knee and gradually pull it towards your chest. Maintain this posture for about 10 seconds. Then take off your hands from your knee and lower your leg back on the mat. Do the same with your right knee and repeat five times. You can gradually increase the number of ...

Suddenly, a cockroach flew from somewhere and sat on a lady. I wondered if this was the cockroachs response to all the glory that was spoken about it! She started screaming out of fear. With panic stricken face and trembling voice, she started jumping, with both her hands desperately trying to get rid of the cockroach. Her reaction was contagious, as everyone in her group got cranky to what was happening. The lady finally managed to push the cockroach to another lady in the group. Now, it was the turn of the other lady in the group to continue the drama. The waiter rushed forward to their rescue. In the relay of throwing, the cockroach next fell upon the waiter. The waiter stood firm, composed himself and observed the behaviour of the cockroach on his shirt. When he was confident enough, he grabbed and threw it out with his fingers. Sipping my coffee and watching the amusement, the antenna of my mind picked up a few thoughts and started wondering! Was the cockroach responsible for...

The great Zen teacher, Benzei had many pupils. One day, one of them was caught stealing by his fellow-students and they reported him to Benzei. But he took no action against the boy. A few days later the same boy was again caught stealing. And again Benzei did nothing. This angered the other students who drew up a petition asking for the dismissal of the thief. They threatened to leave en masse if the boy was allowed to stay. The teacher called a meeting of the students. When they had assembled he said to them: “You are good boys who know what is right and what is wrong. If you leave you will have no trouble in joining some other school. But what about your brother who does not even know the difference between right and wrong? Who will teach him if I don’t? No, I cannot ask him to go even if it means losing all of you.” Tears coursed down the cheeks of the boy who had stolen. He never stole again and in later life became renowned for his integrity.

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole, which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do. After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.” The old woman smiled, “Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known ab...

The Japanese have always loved fresh fish. But the waters close to Japan have not held many fish for decades. So to feed the Japanese population, fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever. The farther the fishermen went, the longer it took to bring in the fish. If the return trip took more than a day, then the fishes were not fresh. The Japanese did not like the taste. To solve this problem, fishing companies installed freezers on their boats. They would catch the fish and freeze them at sea. Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer. However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen and they did not like frozen fish. The frozen fish brought a lower price. So fishing companies installed fish tanks. They would catch the fish and stuff them in the tanks, fin to fin. After a little thrashing around, the fish stopped moving. They were tired and dull, but alive. Unfortunately, the Japanese could still taste the difference. Because the fi...

One fine day, a bus driver went to the bus garage, started his bus, and drove off along the route. No problems for the first few stops – a few people got on, a few got off, and things went generally well. At the next stop, however, a big hulk of a guy got on. Six feet eight, built like a wrestler, arms hanging down to the ground. He glared at the driver and said, “Big John doesn’t pay!” and sat down at the back. Did I mention that the driver was five feet three, thin, and basically meek? Well, he was. Naturally, he didn’t argue with Big John, but he wasn’t happy about it. The next day the same thing happened – Big John got on again, made a show of refusing to pay, and sat down. And the next day, and the next. This grated on the bus driver, who started losing sleep over the way Big John was taking advantage of him. Finally he could stand it no longer. He signed up for body building courses, karate, judo, and all that good stuff. By the end of the summer, he had become quite strong; ...

A man feared his wife wasn't hearing properly. He thought she might need a hearing aid. Not quiet sure how to approach her, he called the family doctor to discuss the problem. The doctor told him there is a simple informal test the husband could perform to give the doctor a better idea about her hearing loss. “Here's what you do,” said the doctor, “stand about 40 feet away from her and in a normal conversational speaking tone see if she hears you. If you feel that she is not hearing properly, go to 30 feet, then 20 feet and so on until you get a response from her.” That evening when the wife was in the kitchen, cooking dinner, he said to himself, “I am about 40 feet away, let me see what happens.” Then in a normal tone he asked, “Honey, what's for dinner?” There was no response. So the husband moved closer to the kitchen, about 30 feet from his wife and repeated, “Honey, what's for dinner?” Still, there was no response. Next he moved into the dining room where he was...

A 10-year-old boy decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident. The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn't understand why, after three months of training the master had taught him only one move. "Sensei,"(Teacher in Japanese) the boy finally said, "Shouldn't I be learning more moves?" "This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you'll ever need to know," the sensei replied. Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training. Several months later, the sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals. This time, his opponen...

He had been on a long flight. The first warning of the approaching problems came when the sign on the airplane flashed on: "Fasten your seat belts." Then, after a while, a calm voice said, "We shall not be serving the beverages at this time as we are expecting a little turbulence. Please be sure your seat belt is fastened." As he looked around the aircraft, it became obvious that many of the passengers were becoming apprehensive. Later, the voice of the announcer said, "We are so sorry that we are unable to serve the meal at this time. The turbulence is still ahead of us." And then the storm broke. The ominous cracks of thunder could be heard even above the roar of the engines. Lightening lit up the darkening skies and within moments that great plane was like a cork tossed around on a celestial ocean. One moment the airplane was lifted on terrific currents of air; the next, it dropped as if it were about to crash. The man confessed that he shared the d...

In addition to providing easy access to billions of web pages, Google has many special features to help you to find exactly what you're looking for. Some of our most popular features are listed below. Everyday Essentials Weather: To see the weather for many U.S. and worldwide cities, type "weather" followed by the city and state, U.S. zip code, or city and country. E.g weather Chennai, India Time: To see the time in many cities around the world, type in "time" and the name of the city. E.g time India Music: To listen to music, search for artists, albums, songs or lyrics. E.g ARRahman Sunrise & Sunset: To see the precise times of sunrises and sunsets for many U.S. and worldwide cities, type "sunrise" or "sunset" followed by the city name. E.g sunrise Chennai, India Calculator: To use Google's built-in calculator function, simply enter the calculation you'd like done into the search box. E.g 5*9+(sqrt 10)^3= Book Se...

Keeping those dreaded lines away can be quite simple. Wrinkles are one of the most unwelcome signs of ageing. Delicate creases and sagging is caused over time as the skin loses its elasticity, suppleness and smoothness. But though unavoidable completely, they can be prevented from making an early appearance, say health experts. “A lot of people in their 40s come to us seeking treatment for wrinkles. But the fact is that by then it’s already too late and the treatment can only reduce this sign of ageing by 20 to 30 per cent, but not completely cure them. The key lies is taking care of your skin right from your early 20s,” says dermatologist Dr Nina Madnani. CAUSES OF AGEING Ageing of skin is dependant on two things — genes and the external environmental factors. Explains Dr Madnani. “While genes are not under our control, we can keep the external factors under check,” she says. EXTERNAL FACTORS Ultraviolet light: Over-exposure to the sun causes premature ageing in skin. UV rad...

Technology is eroding the need for a personal touch in relationships and the change is here to stay... Once upon a time, people wrote letters. With a pen in hand and a writing pad on the lap, they styled each and every word in an individualistic manner, choosing expressions that conveyed their emotions with utmost care. In today’s times, there is hardly any time for such luxury. Forget sitting back and drafting a letter for our loved ones, we choose to send SMSes during occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries and marriages. A birthday SMS reads “Hv a gr8 day. Tk cr.” A sms for a friend’s marriage reads, “Hr’s wishn u a fantastic life ahd.” Emotions are being expressed with such surgical precision that relationships are losing their personal touch. E-cards, somehow, don’t convey the emotions in a way that cards made out of paper — and with a few words scribbled inside — do. Yet, during every momentous occasion of our lives, we receive a large number of E-cards, among which sever...

What you say and how you say it can greatly influence your relationships; this includes friends, life partner, and co-workers. A few simple words, depending on how they’re spoken, can lift someone up or crush them. There is power in words! How can you learn to get your point across, to be the best communicator possible, and be seen as a positive influence? Here are some things to keep in mind each time you’re having a conversation. Learn the Art of Listening Although you may want to talk and have the other person hear you, get into the habit of listening to the other person as well. Many times people block out what someone is saying because they’re so busy thinking about what they want to communicate. This not only leads to misunderstandings, but you’ll be seen as a person who isn’t sensitive to the needs of others and not very good at conversing. When the other person is done talking, paraphrase what they said to you so they know you heard them then offer your advice or input. Av...

When experts talk to people about goal setting, They are often surprised by their reactions. A lot of people say that they haven’t gotten around to setting life-time goals and identifying their values and coming up with specific, measurable bench marks, etc…   They also say that goal setting takes too much time and energy, and that it will require days and weeks of work and that once they have the goals they’ll start to feel bad if they don’t reach them.   Some of the time people tell that they do have goals, but when questioned about what they are, they come up with vague wants and “Gee, I hope I get some day” items that change with each paycheck. Sound familiar?   While life-time goal setting does require an initial investment of time and energy, the payoff is immediate and life changing. The good news, however, is that identifying and writing down even short term goals will give you the same benefits, and setting short term goals is a quick and effective way to devel...

If there is one constant in this world that no one has an advantage over another, is that we all have 24 hours per day; nothing more, nothing less. So how come some people seem just overwhelmed yet others breeze through each day without concern or worry? It’s all about how you manage your time and how you perceive its use. Here are some tips that helps us to allocate time each day. Law of control   Probably the most crucial point is to overcome the mentality that time is uncontrollable and start thinking that you have the ability to control, assess, and use time in any way you wish. This is what some call the “law of control”, or locus of control, where you believe that you have a hand in how time unravels. You must start believing that you can do something about it, and that you can better manage your time. Once you start thinking along these lines, everything else starts changing. You are just realizing what has been there all along, in that you CAN control time and make it wor...

Indian Rupee Font The Indian rupee is likely to get its own unique symbol soon, with the Union Cabinet set to approve the final design. With this, the rupee will join the elite league of global currencies like US dollar ($), British pound sterling, euro and Japanese yen, which have their unique symbols. Many version of the letter ‘R’ and the hindi (Devnagari script) version of the letter were sent out. Designs have been shortlisted to represent Indian culture and ethos. At the same time they are easy to write and comprehend. The one closest to be finalised is with the Devnagari letter ‘R’ with two slashes. The government has already shortlisted five entries after a pan-India open contest which was advertised by the finance ministry in February 2009. According to the terms of this contest, the winning design will become the property of the government of India and the winner will have to surrender the design copyright to in lieu of Rs 2.5 lakh. According to design experts, formula...

Lemon juice has more benefits that you’d ever imagine. Lemons have five per cent of citric acid, which gives it its unique taste. Rich in vitamin C, it also has vitamin B, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, proteins and carbohydrates. Here are some benefits. Suffer from indigestion? Mix a few drops of lemon juice with warm water and sip on it. This is useful for treating nausea, heartburn, diarrhea, bloating and burping.   Since lemon is a natural antiseptic, it is great to cure skin problems. It clears your skin and also acts as an anti-ageing agent by eliminating wrinkles and blackheads.   Have a toothache? Apply fresh lemon juice where it hurts. If you have bleeding gums, applying lemon juice can curb the bleeding and stop bad breath.   A sore throat can be cured by gargling with lemon juice and water regularly.   Nimbu paani is high in potassium, which controls high blood pressure, dizziness, nausea and reduces stress. It also cures respirato...

75% of earth’s area is covered by water. Water is the major component of all living beings and it is the major constituent of human cells. Ayurveda considers water (aap or jala) as one of panchamahabhutas. ( Panchamahabhutas constitute human body). Water provides a good medium for most of the biological processes that happen in living beings. Dehydration or loss of water from body causes dry skin, lowered energy, muscle cramps, reduced alertness and affects vital organs. Potable water: Water which is not harmful to health and has all qualities to serve as drinking water is called as potable water. The potable water must be free from heavy metals, suspended particles and pathogens like bacteria. Benefits of cold and warm water. Cold water reduces intoxication of alcohol. It relieves fatigue, giddiness, vomiting sensation and quenches thirst. Hot water kindles hunger, helps in good digestion, sooths throat, cleanses bladder, and reduces hiccups. It eases symptoms of cold, cough, fev...

No matter how busy you are, it’s easy to take care of your eyes. Experts tell you how? Ever wondered about the several hours you spend with your eyes constantly riveted on your computer screens, laptops, cell-phones, television... all an inescapable part of our hectic daily lives, and the toll it takes on your eyes? What’s worse is that trapped in this fast pace, we have ready excuses of not finding the time to take care of them. But there are some easy everyday tips that you can follow for healthy eyes. Here’s what to do... REGULAR CHECK-UPS Visit your optician at least once in six months. Besides regular care, it will be easy to diagnose eye diseases at an early stage. WEAR UV PROTECTION Protect your eyes by investing in a pair of good sunglasses that shield them from the harmful rays of the sun. This will also prevent wrinkles and ageing of the delicate skin area around it. STOP SMOKING Smoking, even passively, plays a vital role in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) an...

Many people are unhappy with something about themselves Do you love your body? Most people would say that they like their bodies, but do not like their nose, tummy, cellulite or arms. Almost everyone has some hang-up about their body. Yes, even the ‘flawless’ models staring happily at you from magazine covers fret about their body parts. The increase in the number of cosmetic surgeries, breast enhancements and nose jobs all but confirm this. The way you think about your body has a great bearing on how you look, and the message you send across to the world. If you feel good and confident, then that is how people perceive you, and the reverse is also true. Here are some practical tips for a better body image: STOP BEING HYPERCRITICAL   Don’t pick at your flaws all the time. Instead, learn to love yourself as a whole. Be more connected to your body. Take a walk and feel your body in motion. Appreciate how strong and dynamic your body is. BE REALISTIC Know what you can change and...