Planets and their directions

Planet	Direction
Sun	East
Moon	North-West
Mars	South
Mercury	North
Jupiter	North-East
Venus	South-East
Saturn	West
Rahu (North Node/Dragon's head)	South-West

Planet combustion degrees

A planet is considered combust & it looses its strength if it is very close to Sun. These planets aren’t able to bestow all their results

Mercury is considered combust while within 14 degrees, & within 12 degrees when retrograde.

Venus is considered combust while within 9 degrees, & within 8 degrees when retrograde.

Mars is considered combust while within 17 degrees.

Jupiter is considered combust while within 11 degrees.

Saturn is considered combust while within 15 degrees.

N.B.

As Mars, Jupiter & Saturn are outer planets i.e. their orbit is outside Earth’s orbit hence they can never be retrograde & combust at the same time. They only become retrograde when they’re opposite Sun.

As Mercury & Venus are inner planets they can become combust & retrograde simultaneously.

Techniques to avoid eye strain while using a computer or laptop

Now a days most of us have to do most of our office or study related work using a computer or a laptop or a tablet. Looking at a computer or a laptop or a tablet for many hours can strain one’s eyes.

Many organisations prefer to use LED monitors instead of CRT & LCD monitors as LED monitors consume less electricity.

LED monitors naturally emit more blue light. Working on a LED monitor for a long time can decrease the quantity of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that helps to sleep.

The other monitors aren’t good either. CRT monitors not only consume more electricity but also strains eyes more than LCD & LED monitors if hooked to it for a long time.

If looked to a monitor for a long time it can make one’s eyes dry & thus it may strain someone’s eyes. To prevent it one can wear anti-glare glasses. Keep monitor’s or screen’s brightness medium. Blinking eyes frequently is also good. Sprinkling water or rose water on keep eyes keeps it moist.

If one spends most of his/her time in making documents, sending or replying to e-mails then one may type it first in Word software.

Word has a good facility of making background black. One can do it easily by clicking Page Layout then clicking Page Colour then selecting black colour.

This makes background black & alphabets or letters white. It won’t strain one’s eyes. One may use the same technique to reply to e-mails also by typing it first on Word & then copy pasting it to e-mail account.

After typing is done & one doesn’t want his/her document’s background to be black then click Page Layout again then click Page Colour then select No Colour. The background will become white & alphabets or letters will become black.

Black background not only strains one’s eyes less but also consumes less electricity so if one is using a computer or a laptop or a tablet then it’ll consume less electricity & if it’s running on a battery then it’ll consume less battery.

If one uses Open office word & wants to change word’s background to black then click Formatting then click Page & then click Background. One can then select black colour. One can undo the background to white by following the same steps.

Difference between biryani and pulao

It was festive time in University, date was 20 12 2012. Two women had brought Biryani packets & were selling it. A female friend found of eating Biryani thought of having Biryani instead of having lunch in dining hall.

Although I wasn’t interested in having lunch she some how managed to persuade me to have Biryani with her.

We bought 3 Biryani packets. 2 were non-vegetarian 1 for my female & 1 for my male friend & 1 vegetarian Biryani that I was supposed to have with them.

When I opened the packet I found that it wasn’t Biryani but Pulao. Not only the two women who sold it told that it’s Biryani but also the students who ate it told the same.

Thus I’m sharing the difference between Biryani & Pulao as many don’t know the difference between them.

For making Biryani rice & other ingredients i.e. vegetables (if it’s a vegetable Biryani) are cooked separately. Then rice & other ingredients are cooked together on a low flame again by keeping them in layers. A layer of rice is covered with a layer of vegetables then rice is put on it then layer of vegetables & so on.

Unlike Biryani Pulao doesn’t have layers. For Pulao rice is mixed with vegetables (if it’s a vegetable Pulao).

Biryani is a complete meal by itself whereas Pulao is eaten with something liquid like curd, salan, etc.

Biryani is cooked by draining method whereas Pulao is cooked by absorption method.

It is a bit difficult to prepare Biryani & it takes more time to prepare whereas Pulao takes less time to prepare.

Difference between energy drinks and sports drinks

In shopping mall’s eatery section or in big grocery shop or store one gets to see many canned drinks.

These canned drinks may contain juice, sherbet, colas, some aerated drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, etc.

Many times buyers get confused & don’t come to know what they should buy.

Youngsters & young adults prefer energy or sports drinks over juice, sherbet or colas as it gives them a high. These drinks are often associated with endurance, power & stamina. Many who are found of having hard drinks have it as they can’t consume alcohol all the time.

Some people who work at night & some students who want to remain awake to study also consume energy or sports drinks sometimes.

The main ingredients of energy drinks are caffeine, sugar (some are sugar free also), some energy enhancing ingredients like ephedrine, vitamins, some flavours, preservatives etc. They are generally non-alcoholic.

As energy drinks contain high quantity of caffeine it shouldn’t be consumed anytime or just for fun. Some people can’t tolerate caffeine. Caffeine also increases pulse rate, heartbeats. It causes sleep disturbances. Thus one must not consume it at night. Caffeine is diuretic i.e. it assists to remove fluids from one’s body. Caffeine dehydrates body thus it shouldn’t be consumed when one is thirsty or if the weather is hot or one is out in summer weather. It shouldn’t be consumed while or after exercise or workout also. Energy drinks may even cause stomach discomfort.

Although hard drinks & energy drinks both dehydrate one’s body & interfere with calcium absorption but some people mix hard drinks with energy drink & consume it. It shouldn’t be done as hard drinks are depressant whereas energy drinks are stimulants.

 Although energy drinks makes feel energetic but if one isn’t well & taking medicines then energy drinks shouldn’t be consumed.

Sports drinks also provide energy but are different from energy drinks. They are formulated to provide energy by replacing electrolytes & fluids lost through sweat. They hardly contain caffeine & stimulants. They contain vitamins, carbohydrates i.e. fructose, glucose, sucrose, minerals i.e. sodium, some preservatives; some may even contain calcium or potassium or both & some other important ingredients. Sports drinks are useful during & post exercise or workout.

One should test a sports drink before a real or important sports event as every person’s body is different & what works best for one may not work at all for other.

Also energy drinks or sports drink aren’t any alternative to food, fruits, milk & water. A healthy diet with proper litres of water should be consumed everyday.

How to eat food

Although eating food is an easy task & it doesn’t require any teaching but eating properly is important as one eats to get energy & energy is important for survival hence I thought of sharing how to eat food.

Most of the people eat to live but many live to eat, especially delicious food.

Most of the people, who enjoy eating food, overeat.

Just like we can read a particular number of pages at a time & after reading that much we get bored or tired & don’t read it similarly organs in stomach especially liver has a capacity to digest a particular quantity of food depending from person to person. If one eats more than his/her capacity then liver has to overwork to digest it.

I won’t go deep into the body functioning but share now how to eat food.

One should have a food eating timetable & follow the same daily unless one is fasting on certain days. As body has a clock thus if food is eaten as per a timetable then body accepts it & it’s easy for body to digest it.

Also lots of water shouldn’t be taken at least half an hour before eating.

It’s important to be at peace before beginning to eat anything.

One must not eat food when tensed as tension make eat more & also hurriedly. It’s important to be calm, relaxed & serene before eating so that one can have proper focus on food while consuming it.

Before eating one should wash his hands properly then switch off  T.V, Computer, Laptop, Radio, Music system, etc first. If one has a habit of listening to music while eating then this practice should be stopped. As other activities decreases one’s concentration on food that he/she eats.

Then one should sit comfortably in a relaxed position.

If one takes food with family members or friends then chitchats should be avoided.

If possible with food one can have a cup of green tea or herbal tea. Food & Tea should be warm preferably.

Small portions of food should be taken in hand or spoon & then put in mouth.

Food should be chewed around 27 times before gulping it.

With most of the food the outer layer tastes better than the inner layer.

When one puts a big portion of food in mouth & if food’s outer layer’s taste gets absorbed then the remaining gets gulped soon as one desires to put the next portion in his/her mouth soon to get the good taste again.

This activity increases the liver’s task as liver has to overwork to digest it as food wasn’t properly chewed hence one should stuff small portions of food in mouth & chew it properly using both sides of jaw.

Most of the people pick food in spoon or in hands & keep it ready to be stuffed in mouth while chewing or when food is still in mouth. This practice makes one overeat sometimes & especially if he/she is having his/her favourite food or when food is delicious. Hence food should be picked once ingestion of a portion of food is done.

While eating one must concentrate on food & its taste only. One must think that this food is nourishing me & I’m going to get a lot of energy from it.

If a jar is full of sticks without any space for air & one tries to ignite the sticks then the sticks won't burn. Similarly food doesn't get digested properly if there isn't any space for air hence stomach should have some space for air & any meal shouldn't make it full as this doesn't allow the digestion to happen properly.

After eating is done then one must not get up to wash his/her hands but sit for a while.

Water shouldn’t be taken quickly after food. It should be taken after around half an hour.

The above food eating style enhances the secretion of digestive juices like pepsin, saliva, etc that enhances food digestion.

Inedia

Inedia means an ability to survive without having food or fasting for many days. You may have heard or read that many sages used to pray without having food for years to get blessings from GOD or to get their wishes granted. They only consumed air for their survival.

                         

Many believe that it is possible to survive only by breathing without consuming anything. Many people have survived well in past & can still survive now.

Some of these great people are Ravana, he prayed for many years without consuming food to get Lord Shankar’s blessings.

Shri Prahlad Jani, his ability to survive without food for more than 7 decades made a team of doctors of Sterling Hospital in Ahmedabad, Gujarat do a research on him. The doctors kept Prahlad Jani in a room for 2 weeks that had multiple CCTV cameras to observe him. He only took little water to gargle & have bath. The water that he used to gargle & have bath was measured to know if he consumed it. During their 2 weeks observation doctors found that he didn’t consume anything. His body was checked, pulse, heart-rate was measured & other tests were conducted. The doctors didn’t find any problem in him.

Shri Hira Ratan Manek doesn’t any consume solid food. He only takes tea, buttermilk occasionally & water. Just like trees & plants get energy from Sun for their survival similarly Shri Hira Ratan Manek practices Sun gazing to get energy. Sun is the main source of energy. After practicing Sun gazing for many months some enhancement in the pineal & pituitary gland happens. The functioning of these glands improves & body starts storing Sun’s energy when Sun gazing is done or when Sun’s light falls on us. Thus a person survives on Sun’s energy & doesn’t require food for energy.

Ram Bahadur Bomjon from Nepal lives as an ascetic & doesn’t consume food. He follows Buddhism & prays & meditates like Gautam Buddha. He gets energy from meditation. He once went to a jungle to meditate. He kept meditating without consuming anything & moving. Discovery channel had shown him meditating & still for around 4 days.

Jasmuheen (Ellen Greve) a woman from Australia can live without solid or liquid food for months. She occasionally consumes tea. She believes in breathing properly & by breathing fresh air she gets energy to survive. She has trained her body to absorb energy from air.

Wiley Brooks an American man is also a Breatharian.

Study Timetable

I used to follow the below mentioned timetable on my school, college’s weekly holidays, also during the holidays before my exams & also when I was preparing for UPSC exams to study for maximum number of hours.

I thought of sharing it as board exams are nearing & some may find it beneficial

6:00 am - Wake Up

6:00 am to 6:30 am - Do morning chores

6:30 am to 8:30 am - Study

8:30 am to 9:00 am - Have Breakfast

9:00 am to 13:00 hrs - Study

13:00 hrs to 13:30 hrs - Read Newspaper or watch News

13:00 hrs to 14:00 hrs - Have Lunch

14:00 hrs to 16:00 hrs - Study

16:00 hrs to 16:30 hrs - Relax or take rest or do something that you like, e.g. meditation or check e-mails or listen to music or watch television, etc.

16:30 to 17:00 hrs - Have Evening Snacks

17:00 hrs to 21: hrs - Study

21:00 hrs to 21:30 hrs - Have dinner

21:30 to 22:00 hrs - Relax or go out for a walk or do something that you like, like check e-mails or watch television or listen to music, etc.

22:00 hrs to 00:00 hrs - Study

With the above timetable one can study for around 14 hours a day.

How to write an essay

As board exam of class Tenth & Twelfth is nearing I thought of sharing it especially for English exam.

First try to understand the topic given.

One should divide an essay in 5 to 6 paragraphs so that it becomes easy for the  reader to understand it.

The first paragraph should define the given topic.

The second paragraph should have information about the significance of the given topic or its positive aspects.

The third paragraph should have information about its negative aspects if any.

The fourth paragraph should have information about its significance in India or what it means to India or Indians.

The fifth paragraph should have information about the world’s views on it or how it is different in different countries.

The sixth paragraph should have information about your views. You may even write something like some experience of yours that is related to the given topic.

If you don’t have anything more to write then give a proper conclusion to end the essay nicely.