Complete Wellbeing Blog

The August 2007 issue of CW is out. So, what — it happens every month — you’d think.

Wait a moment. Because, there is no issue like ringing in the new, and not ringing out the old!

As our previous endeavours get into the Archives Section, or your shelf, and become as precious as gem stones, the new canters to provide you a wholesome fare that you will go back to again and again… like our previous issues.

CW [August] provides a diverse fare, in tune with our motto. Take the Cover Story, for instance. It’s on breathing — something we all do to live without giving enough thought to why we do it and why we can do it better for good health. Breathing is fundamental to life itself and also existence. The problem is most of us are in a hurry — we indulge in shallow breathing. This leads to a “hollow” effect — stress and more stress, or continued distress. The story brings the joy of mindful breathing back into our hurried life. Stop by, and breathe deeply to live the life you want — not somebody else wants.

We also bring to you the life and times of Madhukar Talwalkar, who at 75, puts even a 25-year-old to shame with his passion for a fit life. In a tête-à-tête, Talwalkar walks down memory lane, and brings home a veritable truth: that exercise is a stress buster, a physical meditation, and prayer.

If you are a jeans fan, which most of us are, we provide you with what is magical about them, and what gives them their everlasting panache. We offer what makes facials more than face appeal too, as we bring some home truths on great looking lips, and seven fitness habits that help you stay in shape.

In the world we now live in, toxins are part of our existence. We bring the importance of colon cleansing and its benefits for good health.

We also cover tennis elbow — a painful condition that Sachin Tendulkar made famous — and, how you’d ease the pain through simple measures.

We look at Hepatitis, the A, B, and C of it; and, offer a nourishing diet plan — in “Longevity Secrets” — you can follow to lead a long, vibrant life.

For many, retirement blues are the bane of life. It need not be so, as our article on the subject focuses on post-retirement as a time to do all the things you had dreamt of and never did.

Our relationships contribute to wellbeing, no less. What happens when you keep a secret in your marriage, for instance — it’s nothing short of a mishap! Our feature on the premise presents things you can do, and not do, to handle them.

A friend, in deed, is a friend indeed — that’s our feature for Friendship Day. On why friends are the most important part of our life!

Do you know that chocolate is a big turn-on, and more than a mouthful when it comes to stir our “Basic Instinct?” Sorry, we can’t get into details. Read the full article to know!

When you chant daily, you connect with the Divine. But, when you feel bored, you get restless — what to do? Read the Osho piece to break your boredom.

We also delve into nuggets from Bhagvad Gita — because, it makes sense, in difficult times, to leave everything in God’s Hands.

We also dwell on “Simple Rules:” that you need not invest a great deal of time and energy to bring fresh tidings in your life. Just do it, right and bright.

You have heard of Life Coaching — we take you into the world of life coaching. Your best bet to utilise your growth potential to the full.

Last, but not the least, we follow the rain song and take you to some refreshing and exciting destinations — to enjoy this monsoon.

Happing reading!

We live in a funny, or is it a mad, mad world?

I am not referring to the great, old Hollywood movie — “It’s a Mad, Mad World.” Or, “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines,” another equally brilliant film, which was set at a time when crossing the English Channel, in our flying machines, seemed quite like climbing Mount Everest astride a camel.

What I am referring to is… the wonder world of medicine — where the wonder drugs, or ideas, of today, are replaced by the more wonderful drugs, or ideas, of tomorrow.

Or, in some cases, great ideas… gone askew.

Just think of it. It’s Sunday morning, and I chance to see an amusing news-item. That alcohol — nay, three glasses of wine a week — may keep arthritis at bay!

Gosh!

It sounds quite akin to the good effects of smoking, as some believe, could stall the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease on memory loss — the difference being of degree.

Ain’t it a small price to pay to tide over a big problem, you’d ask. May be, may be not. Or, whether such “incursions” could lead to cancer, heart disease, or cirrhosis. Go figure!

It does worry me — albeit, I don’t smoke or drink — that some enterprising prankster may soon recommend Alzheimer’s and arthritic individuals to smoke, and drink wine in small doses, as a way to good health and wellbeing.

May be, it’s too far-fetched an “initiative” to suggest itself — unless, it becomes a paradox of contrasts. Again. Of some jughead aiming to conquer disease/illnesses in their own Utopia!

Whatever it is, I shudder to think of improbabilities — lest they happen!

I am conscious of the power of self-help, or New Age, books.

Books, or no books, the point is — each of us has a self-help resource within us that, when properly used, might save us a trip to the bookstore!

What is it, you may well ask. It is all a question of using your imagination for the higher purposes of your own welfare. This includes academics, or work, or home life.

To use your imagination, you need not resort to buying expensive books, or gadgets, including self-help books. For example, whenever I am dispirited, I close my eyes and imagine that I am in an isolated place in Nature — in a flower-filled meadow, or a lovely sun-baked beach in the Caribbean. I imagine it now – and, I am there!

So, can you!

It’s simple. By imagining yourself in a nurturing situation you begin to have the very same physical and emotional effects as actually being there. I believe that all of us constantly generate a flow of mental images and mentally-induced situations. At any given moment, for instance, we are all formulating ideas, worrying about something, picturing a past event, or day-dreaming about the future. When we use such images to our advantage, we can not only help ourselves but also others. If this ain’t “self-help,” what is?

To pick another example. All great men and women, down through the ages, have actively encouraged their imagination. In so doing, they have recognised, or recognise, that imagination provides them access to unconscious processes related to health, illness, and spirituality.

Here’s one method I follow:

I use repeated “counter” mental images and/or creative imagery for a few moments of quietude every day. Through this process, I am able to draw in positive life energies. These energies, I feel, help me produce changes for the better. They also not only help me reduce tension, and promote self-healing, they are also endowed with the power to help you achieve goals: like giving up smoking, improving your academic scores, or increasing your athletic ability.

So, what are you waiting for? Your “self-help book” is within your own imagination. Just use it, and enjoy the benefits. Or, just walk across to your favourite bookstore, and pick up a title that you think will help you.

Today is World Environment Day [WED].

Picture this. About 50,000 hectares of rain forest are destroyed each day — to obtain wood as raw material, or fuel and smelt ore, and to construct roads and dams. This translates to a phenomenal loss of 200,000 square kilometres annually — enough to “choke” Mother Earth.

This is not all. Think of habitat destruction, massive logging operations, expanded agriculture, widespread industrialisation, automobile pollution, acid rain, pesticides, chemical abuse, and a plethora of diseases, and you have yet another fearsome spectacle.

The big question. Are we any wiser with scientific knowledge and advance?

To go back in history. 20 years ago, I gather from stats, the total recorded food production worldwide was around 4,000 million metric tones. Of them, half by weight was grain — an incredible amount of food. This grain “reserve” would have been sufficient to fill a one-foot-diameter tube that encircled the living planet 800 times.

And, yet, what we had then, we have now — starvation.

Is there a way out of this muddle? May be, yes — though there is easy no solution that can be termed right.

I think the best way, if at all there is any, is: we should aim, all of us, including environmentalists, experts, and alarmists, at restoring balance in life and environment — of how inequitable power structures become more equitable. Of a transfer of power, from the rich to the poor, and from the powerful to the powerless. Of changing social, economic, health and wellbeing structures that can contribute to solving some of our major, major problems.

We are not asking for the impossible.

You know it, don’t you? CW deals with changing details of your everyday life; it also deals with the mess and contingency of not leading a life of wellbeing.

Here goes — when our reader is universal, it is our resolve to provide appropriate perspectives on a variety of health and wellbeing issues… a revealing slant far from the traditional Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How of screaming newspaper/magazine headlines.

We are here to bring you dependable health/wellbeing information, not Page 3 glitz.

Agreed that we have no magic wand to lure readers who are not interested in their own life, or wellbeing — this is why we avoid the tendency to be taken in by parallels. We also have no celebrity endorsing our magazine. We don’t need celebrities just for the commercial joyfulness of it — because, we have a product that itself is a celebrity in any which way you think, unless, of course, someone espouses the spirit of being in the wake of adversity, in a manner born.

All the same, we firmly believe that balance is necessary for CW’s stability and flexibility. We believe that our thoughtful articles with their simple headlines, bulleted main points, and information-filled leads, and box-items, are much better than rippling biceps, or abs — which is what most health magazines are all about… from cover to cover.

We are also aware of the short attention span of today’s readers. So, we offer them a gist of what each article conveys in the simplest manner possible.

We have our own benchmark, standards, figures, operational definitions, and aesthetics. We are not unduly swayed by the dramatic, the graphic, and the sensational. We believe in being positive, upbeat, and constructive.

Why? Because, reading CW, as you’d now know, among other activities, is an efficient means of doing to your minds what stretching, or squeezing, does to tomato ketch-up.

Put simply, I, read Team CW, firmly believe that this is just the ideal motivational wellbeing thought to start with, right now — a “roadmap” that shows how wellbeing and living a loving, harmonious, fulfilling life, are key elements in everyone’s life for today, and tomorrow.

Our June issue is out today; and, as usual, it brings you a wealth of good information.

This is something you’d expect from us, just as much as we expect them from ourselves.

But, expectations apart, we are serious, not pompous: we’ll not let you down.

CW [June] has a good mix of articles and features: our cover story offers fresh insights on why “It’s all in the mind” — anything you and me could think of — right from flying aeroplanes in the mind to going dud over a disappointment.

Come rains, you have a plethora of water-borne disorders to contend with: blame it on cesspools, contamination, or what you may. The article on managing water-infections is timely; it will help you make your monsoon safe and healthy [Hope this time it ain’t “monlate,“ or else we’ll blame the Weather Bureau again!].

You will also find a host of other riveting articles: what your hair likes and dislikes [this, of course, is not for me, or Master Del Pe!]; guide to healthy and beautiful skin; dress well and dress smart; dealing with osteoporosis; natural detox with things you’d use from your kitchen…

As for women who wish to weight train — and, not throw their “weights” around — we have a useful article on weight training.

This is not all. Before you embark on a visit to lovely Switzerland in “CW Vistas,” we invite you to savour the power of spirulina, the supernutrient food, just as much green tea — the cuppa with a huge wellbeing quotient. I love green tea, so would you!

For the diet-conscious, we bring you a handy article — there’s no food that is “good,” or “bad,” but thinking makes it so [You have heard this flick before — ah, am no bard!].

Love aroma oils? Go for aromatherapy. Good smells work — sweet smell works better!

We survey alternative therapies in their broadest perspective too, and you will know why it makes sense to trust them.

We offer workplace wisdom, just as well — make success out of success, not avoid it.

While we focus on what makes yoga good for the expectant mom, we make sure to drive home the point — practice yoga safely during confinement.

We say “yes” to day-dreaming, just as much as you ought to think differently, and expand love, not your obsession — and, get spiritual by playing golf.

There’s more: we tell what it means to age joyfully, or also make your marriage a spiritual pursuit, not “open.”

We bring you tuneful melodies, and the sound of music: of music that reverberates in the soul.

Well, the song begins here — but, reading CW [June] from cover to cover — in its print avatar — is what we would like you to do the most…

The reason is simple — the taste of what makes good reading great reading is packed inside the magazine!

With the demand among health/wellbeing readers for superior information far outstripping the supply available, we conceived of CW to embark upon one Big Idea. To disseminate quality information for which we will be paid back manifold through our readers’ — and, our advertisers’ — goodwill, support, and encouragement.

It’s early days yet. But, we have done quite well, albeit we have still a long, long, long way to go.

Inference? The more readers we have, the better it is — so, please spread the good CW word around. Start earnestly with your family, loved ones, relatives [though the term is “relative”], neighbours, friends, and sundry. Also, your foes — if you have any — because, when you indirectly “coach” their “flawed” minds [and, give your forgive-and-forget philosophy a chance], rifts or conflicts will disappear into thin air. The world will, in the process, become a much better place to live in!

Back to CW. CW is eight issues old — in other words, eight months old.

It is proof of our creative progress.

CW is not film, or TV. It is a Search for Excellence. It is also approaching readers in a friendly manner — to be their own decision-makers.

CW is a movement of healthy ideas, and new concepts in wellbeing — a sifting of varied views and implications, which helps us to give our readers more than a peek into “integrated living and harmony.”

The best part about CW is it allows individuals to sort themselves into communities of like-minded people who validate their own wellbeing choices and identities. It also channelises their overall view of the world around them.

CW has no “hard” and “fast” rules, or “quick-fixes” — it has a strong commitment to quality information and knowledge. It upholds a new testimony to the power of information to change opinions. It is, in short, a constant reappraisal of wellbeing strategies.

You don’t have to be a wellbeing expert to recognise one fact: that the convergence of issues we, at CW, cover don’t have to be done by thumbing our nose at others and dismissing the consensus views of the scientific community.

We are also in no mood to scare off your awareness and sending it to our competitors, though we don’t have any at the moment!

One more thing. CW welcomes constructive feedback — not personal or collective rants… just for the heck of being critical.

Our purpose is noble. If, we, at CW, can change the life of just one reader, who, by “policy,” or “intent,” is frittering his/her life at the cost of one’s own health and wellbeing, we would feel more than happy. Also, fulfilled.

So, join our — which, I am convinced, is also YOUR — movement, today!

Richard Firshein is one of CW’s much-read and appreciated columnists. A leading physician in integrative/complementary medicine, Firshein is also a gifted wordsmith. He writes on health and medical subjects, for the lay and/or the specialist reader, with simplicity, precision, and clarity.

I first got to know Firshein when I read his much-acclaimed book, “Reversing Asthma,” in 1998. I was immediately drawn to his ideas.

I was so impressed that I sent him an E-mail, suggesting that I’d be delighted to do a story on his “hands-on” asthma treatment plan — as outlined in the book.

I got a swift, positive response from his office. I sent him a handful of questions. Firshein responded promptly. My story appeared in the Sunday supplement of one of India’s leading dailies.

It did not take long for me, thereafter, to establish a regular channel of communication with him. As luck would have it, I happened to be one of the first writers that received a review copy of his equally valuable work, “The Nutraceutical Revolution” [2000]. I reviewed the book — and, also wrote an in-depth article on his work on reversing asthma, in a medical journal I edited, at that point in time.

When Manoj [Khatri] and I began working on the editorial composition of “Complete Wellbeing” magazine, in May 2006, it just occurred to us that we could not think of anyone better than Firshein for CW’s “In Practice” column.

I admire Firshein’s impressive range of work, and also his writing — he knows this quite well.

Ah, he makes my day when he reverts on his articles’ final edits, with one or two suggestions, but only when appropriate, and just as promptly — “It’s fine, please go ahead.”

The word “stress” is missing in the dictionary of Team CW. That is because, while working with Team CW, you never get stressed-out. Because every minute we spend is full of energy, fun and entertainment. Right from Manoj to Raj, PG and Shankar, including me, all of us are crazy. We can discuss any topic; make fun of anybody [in the right spirit] — everyone has to contribute. This keeps our enthusiasm on the rise and encourages us to do better. I think the only reason why this is possible is because we are all passionate about Complete Wellbeing and want to see it reach new heights.

Behind the scenes, we’re all crazy. Every single one in Team CW. Some of us decided to share with our readers this madness. So we decided to start this blog. Besides reading about the drama behind making of CW, you will be able to peek into the idiosyncrasies of the individuals who sweat and toil. Let me introduce to you some of the madmen in Team CW, along with their claim to insanity.

Raj (Executive Editor-cum-entertainer): The knight in shining armour—bullet proof shield is more like it—Raj has a way with words…a weird one, though. His PJ’s are a constant source of laughter. Occasionally, when a PJ falls to abysmal levels, it arouses murderous instincts.

Ashwini (Assistant Editor/Troublemaker): Nicknamed “Naarad” after the famous Hindu sage, she doesn’t leave any opportunity to strike the “shining shield” with her sharp sword of words.

PG [Art Director/Senior Mischief Coordinator]: Claims to be one of the three distinguished men in the world with a unique beard — the other two being Amitabh Bachchan and Sean Connery.

Mukesh [Graphic Designer/ Principal Catalyst in Mischief-making]: PG’s loyal disciple, a quiet observer most of the time, he knows when to add fuel to fire…

M Shankar [Ad sales/Managing Jokester]: His first name is “Money”. Sometimes we think he gets us ads purely because of the way he greets people…

And then there is…

Yours truly (Editor-Publisher and Chief Mishief-maker cum entertainer): I was born with a lunatic streak. Why else would I hire all these insane people??