Yoga and it's importance in my life..

It was in IIT Bombay during 2003, while getting ready to present my pre-synopsis for the PhD that I first had the issue of low back ache. Sitting for hours at a stretch in front of the PC, my back muscles had got wasted. Except for a brief stretch of yoga, which I discontinued later,  my low back ache pain has been recurring frequently necessitating hospital admission every two years on an average.

The last time I got admitted to St. Johns, Bangalore, doctors suggested it was the final thing, the disc prolapse was too big and hence had to be operated and removed. It was my fate I thought and got ready with Anila at St. Johns hospital for surgery. Met Dr, Issac, HOD who asked me to get clearance from other areas and we went to the blood dept. It was here that my sister at GIC Corp Mumbai called up and asked me come what may, to go home and take rest.

It's almost 3 years now. Practicing a combination of physiotherapy and yoga, I can say with all my heart that there is not better exercise for the back than Yoga.

It gives you strength, flexibility, and mind-body awareness. Yoga can help you stay flexible and strong without putting added stress on your joints. You get the added benefit of a mind-body approach that can help you relax and energize. If you're pregnant, yoga can help keep you relaxed, strong, and in shape : webmd.com

I never thought I would be able to carry even one kg, but now I do all the shopping and some times I carry even 15-20 kgs bag in my hand and walk home.

John's Hopkins medical school has this to say about yoga ..

Harvard Medical school has this to say about yoga ..

Yoga has given the needed tenacity and strength to my back muscles.

George ..

International Blood donation Day, June 14..

At the small function in St Johns Hospital.

St. John's Hospital Bangalore is the favourite place where I go for voluntary blood donation. Maybe that could have been the reason why they invited me on June 13 for the function to celebrate the International Blood Donation day at St. Johns Hospital, Bangalore.

One of the elderly wellwishers was worried why blood donation at this time of global Covid infection, I calmed his sincere concerns after a brief talk.

I reached the St. John's blood bank on their invite 15 mins esrly on 13 June '20. After an introduction with the Dy. Director  the program started with many doctors and nurses.

Dr. Seetalakshmi was my host, though Dr. Jyoti Idiculla, HOD, Gen. Medicine and wife of my CET friend John Mathew was also present. Most of the speakers spoke of the virtues of blood donation.

One does not know who of them will benefit..

I spoke of my experience of blood donation from 1984 at Trivandrum Medical college SUT hospital, Regional Cancer centre (RCC) TVM, Goa Medical College, IIT Bombay hospital, Nanavati hospital Mumbai etc.

From 2007, its been in Bangalore, back to St John's, Bangalore, Narayana Hrudayalaya Bangalore, Swami Vivekananda Trust, Bangalore, St. Gregorios Orthodox church Bangalore etc .... 

In the process of donation ..

After the programme and tea, I went for the second blood donation of the year. Usually 450 ml of blood is taken at a time, given that I  have not had any infection over the past 3 months. It can be seperated and upto 3 patients can make use of the blood plasma and platelets.

At little above 90 kgs, it is my selfish interest too to trim down.. Blood donation has helped me keep perfect health over the past 35 years, except for a low back ache which is now perfectly under control, thanks to daily yoga.

The many benefits of blood donation

Once you start giving blood, most of the time the donor will never have a health condition which warrants blood, this is my experience. I have done more than 30 times so far and going strong.

I recommend every human being to donate blood at least once every year. I was told that being a regular blood donor, I will be able to donate upto the age of 65 years, another 9 years. I look forward to giving life to at least 25 people more by then.

I was fortunate enough to be of help to some of my Professors at IIT Bombay and even to this day, I am in touch with them.

George..

Should churches in Kerala be opened now amdist the Covid scare ?

On the 8th of June 2020, after a long gap of almost two and a half months, the religious institutions in Kerala are opening up. Is it a safe and healthy practice ?

The complete inability of religions to address the issue of anguish and grief by interfering to reduce the pain did not materialise during the Covid time, basically because of the fact that religion is man-made and is another ploy and business of some leaders to fool the public on their ignorance.

Another fact is that there are group of parasites who live off the resources of the church which is a very shameful act. Even though this is not very visible upfront, these people take the contract to supply major food items, meat etc during festivals of the church The funds given by the believers in the hope that it would be dispensed to the poor and needy in society is grabbed by these parasites, who in the name of festivals and God misuse these funds meant for helping the poor for church expenses.

Opening of the churches on 8 June is not good for the believers. It only helps to spread the disease and not contain it. The spiritual workers of all religious institutions across the world, the priests and other people who live off the churches, should exercise restraint at this moment. 

Let the Covid spread be contained before we open the churches and temples.

George..

Poem - in memory of George Floyd

In Memory of #George Floyd# 

( from the Internet..)

I want to breathe 

But I cant breathe

I could not see his face 

His knee was on my neck

Life was going fast away from my soul

I want to breathe 

But I can't breathe

46yrs ago, I learnt my first word

Mama! mama! mama!

25th May 2020,I spoke my last word

Mama! mama! mama!

And I still pleaded because

I want to breathe 

But I cant breathe 

My color was black 

His color was white

My crime was black 

His right was white

I still want to breathe

But I cant breathe 

Minneapolis is burning 

Real Americans are angry

The world is shocked in disbelief 

Because I wanted to breathe

But i cant breathe 

They were four of them 

Four  messengers of death

I saw the face of my wife 

I felt the smiles of my kids 

I remembered my friends 

For their sake

I just needed to breathe

But I cant breathe

I asked for water

The pain was getting more 

My neck hurts

My stomach hurts

My eyes were closed in agony

My offence again?

My color was black 

His color was white

I have paid the price 

Price of being black 

Cry no more Minneapolis 

I was one of the added numbers

My blood on that pavement

Will always remember that

I wanted to breathe 

But I had no right to breathe 

My offence again?

My color was black

My name George Floyd 

My crime was black

His color was white

His name Derek Chauvin

His right was white

He has the right to breathe

I want to breathe 

I can't breathe!

But someday this battle shall 

Be over.

I go in peace but remember 

25th May 2020

Mama!mama!mama!

My last word!

-Collins Okafor 

#ICantBreathe

George Floyd death - a pivotal point in US history, his death should not go in vain ..

United States has been heavily reeling under the Corona virus attack for 

the past thee months heavily and then comes this shocking violation of a black man's human rights in US.

US over the past one week has been reeling under street violence at the killing of a black, George Floyd, on the pretext of carrying a fake $20 bill. The charge was not proved but in the process of handcuffing him and taking him into custody, the Police officers acted with stated racist intentions and one of them Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against the neck of Floyd while he was constrained on the ground or almost seven minutes, ensuring he was killed. The video file showing the gruesome gory killing must have been seen by almost everyone interested in human rights.

Click here for a NY Times video ..

If we look at how the different races constitute the US population, the over dominance of the whites is very evident.

• Whites 61 %
• Hispanics and Latinos 19%
• Blacks 12% and
• Asians 8%.

Here are some simple questions the world would like to know from the US Police dept and citizens from US in particular.

• Is a black man still free to walk on American streets with his head held high without fear of intimidation and arrest by the Police ? 
• Why always an attack on a Black man ends in use of so much force that it ends in loss of life, only of the black man ?
• Even after US getting formed almost 244 years back why is US still not able to provide sense of security to one of their minority groups ?
• Why anytime a crime is carried out, the finger of suspicion is first raised against a black man than a white man ?
• Why have the US government not been able to handle this racial prejudice against the black community members in US successfully and convincingly, even after Martin Luther King's exhortations fifty years back ?
• Why has the US President TRUMP not come up with a reassuring statement assuring the Blacks that their fundamental rights will be protected ?7. Is the US President's silence an indication of his moral complicity in this racial murder ?
  

US is passing through a leadership crisis now. US needs a LEADER now. A President who does not want to talk frank and straight of the racial divide in US society and try to assuage it is not the person who can lead US. He should be impeached by the Supreme Court and asked to hand over charge to the SC Chief Justice. 

The US citizens are forced to find a final solution. Hope they find a resolution to this issue of racial violence once for ever.

Let not the death of George Floyd go in vain. Let not there be another George Floyd .. Enough of racism, humanity has outgrown it long back. Let our hearts open and accept everyone else for their values, not on the colour of their skin. 🙏

George..