India adds 30 million people to hungry list in the last decade

** Food Day praise for Brazil, China **

Brazil and China are praised, and India criticised, in a new report on efforts to tackle hunger, published on UN World Food Day.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/in_depth/8309979.stm

In a latest published report, India has been criticized for not doing enough to tackle hunger. When other developing nations like China and Brazil has done lots and have reduced its number of hungry people, in the last decade, India has added 30 Million more people in the hungry list.

Here are some pictures from "International food policy research institute" on global hunger index.

India is ranked as alarmingly hungry, which is in the league of the African nations (shame on our economic development).

Countries like Brazil has done a lot to reduce its hungry population as shown in the figure below.

Ten Healthiest Sports

This are the set of 10 Healthiest Sports as taken from Forbes Website:

http://www.forbes.com/2003/09/30/cx_ns_1001featslide_11.html?thisSpeed=6000

The site rates each one of them (in a scale of 5 points) on the following catagories:

- Cardiorespiratory endurance

- Muscular strength

- Muscular endurance

- Flexibility

- Calories/30 mins

- Injury risk

So if you are fucussing on something specific (among the above listed ones) , you can choose to play one accordingly.

No 1: SQUASH

The preferred game of Wall Street has convenience on its side, as 30 minutes on the squash court provides an impressive cardiorespiratory workout. Extended rallies and almost constant running builds muscular strength and endurance in the lower body, while lunges, twists and turns increase flexibility in the back and abdomen. "For people just getting into the game, it's almost too much to sustain, but once you get there, squash is tremendous," says Paul Assaiante, head coach of the five-time defending national intercollegiate champion men's squash team at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn. Assaiante recommends a regimen of yoga, sprinting and distance running for preparation. Be wary of groin pulls, torn Achilles tendons and your opponent's racquet.

No 2: ROWING

One of the few non-weight-bearing sports, rowing works wonders for cardiorespiratory health, muscular strength and endurance. Sliding seats in rowing shells and on rowing machines provide a total-body workout, building lean muscle throughout. "Most good oarsmen are strong but thin," says Steve Wagner, head coach of the men's crew at Rutgers University, who notes that proper technique in the legs, backs and arms, not strapping shoulder muscles, is the most important part of rowing. While Wagner notes that most rowing injuries occur "outside of the boat," those suffered inside are typically minor, such as tendonitis or overextended back muscles. Plus, it's a great argument for investing in waterfront property.

No 3: ROCK CLIMBING

Provided you don't tumble to your death, climbing is excellent for everything but cardiorespiratory health. It's anaerobic, relying upon bursts of energy to get from one rock hold to the next. While that won't do much for your heart, it's great for strength, endurance and flexibility everywhere else. "Climbers develop long, lean muscles from stretching, then contracting," says Ivan Greene, who runs the climbing program at the Chelsea Sports Center in New York. Though weight training and pull-ups are good preparation, the only way to develop grip strength is to grab a rock. Don't let the slow pace fool you. Notes Greene, "At the end of a long day of climbing, I feel like I've been wrestling Mack trucks."

No 4: SWIMMING

The importance of technique can't be overstressed in this total-body winner, which scores in particular for cardiorespiratory health and overall muscular endurance. "It's difficult for people to maintain proper technique for 30 minutes straight," notes Michael Collins, a coach with Irvine Novaquatics, a Masters Swimming group (usms.org) in Irvine, Calif. "Without good form, many swimmers just coast through their workouts without getting any of the benefits of strength training or weight loss." Collins recommends interval training--swim two lengths, break to catch your breath, repeat--to maximize those benefits, as well as supplementing with core exercises, weight training and yoga to help maintain body alignment and awareness.

No 5: CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING

Though there's not much new or sexy about cross-country skiing, for a total-body workout it's tough to beat. Shushing through snow taxes every large muscle group, while varying terrain and conditions provide great interval training. "Just the process of the body warming itself in cold weather fires up metabolism and increases calorie burn," notes Gregory Florez, a personal trainer and CEO of the online coaching outfit Fitadvisor.com who teaches cross-country skiing near Salt Lake City. Though the legs remain in a steady range of motion, there's good flexibility for the thighs, back and shoulders. Of course, you can't always count on the weather, but that's what stationary NordicTracks are for.

No 6: BASKETBALL

Like an impenetrable zone defense, basketball has just about everything covered. Continuous movement works the cardiorespiratory system and melts calories, while quick anaerobic bursts of jumping, directional changes and fast-breaks build strength and endurance. Even flexibility can improve through hands-up defense and lunges for loose balls. The downside, alas, is the high rate of injury from stops, starts, twists and turns. And yet, "basketball doesn't have to be high risk," says E.J. "Doc" Kreis, the speed-strength and conditioning coach for the UCLA Bruins. "Most of what you see is knee and back problems from older athletes who've been away for a while and try to jump back in." Kreis recommends a holistic approach of preparatory conditioning work with an emphasis on weight training and "a healthy mind."

No 7: CYCLING

With major benefits for cardiorespiratory health, body composition and muscular endurance, this non-weight bearer is the aerobic activity of choice for many who want to avoid the injury risks of running. Funny, then, that cycling has one of the highest injury rates of any sport--accounting for more than 500,000 emergency room visits each year, according to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. While most of those are suffered by the 15-and-under set, the potential severity of tumbling off a bike shouldn't be underestimated. Nor should the hazards of unpadded bike seats. As with running, cycling won't do much for leg flexibility or upper-body strength, so plan on supplementing with some cross-training.

No 8: RUNNING

The ur-sport offers splendid benefits for cardiorespiratory endurance, the lower body and the circumference of waistline--provided you do some distance. "Long-distance runners burn plenty of calories, but if you do a few miles a day a few times a week, you won't lose much weight," notes Suzelle Snowden, a program director for former Olympian Jeff Galloway (www.jeffgalloway.com), who now operates training programs across the country. Running provides little flexibility for the legs and nothing for the upper body, so supplementing with cross-training such as swimming or weight training is key. So too is moderation, as injuries like stress fractures, shin splints and dreaded "IT Band Syndrome"--overworking the iliotibial band that stabilizes the knee--have stopped plenty in their tracks.

No 9: MODERN PENTATHLON

From the precision of pistol shooting to the balletic endurance of fencing to the lower-body demands of equestrian jumping, this holdover from the 1910s challenges as few sports do. Modeled on what a liaison officer might face behind enemy lines, modern pentathlon isn't as trendy as triathlon, but it has merits. Swimming (200 meters) and running (3,000 meters) offer cardiorespiratory benefits, while round-robin swordplay tests flexibility and endurance. Shooting from 10 meters demands focus--and you can't get much healthier than on the right end of a gun. Horse jumping, meanwhile, "is always the critical event," says Elaine Cheris, owner of the Cheyenne Fencing Society in Denver. "Horses are chosen by lot, and riders have 20 minutes to get intimate with an unpredictable beast." Sounds like good training for cold calling, at least.

No 10: BOXING

If you don't mind the occasional fat lip, the "sweet science" is a knockout for cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular endurance. Indeed, dancing around the ring for a few rounds "is like nothing you've ever felt in your life," says Devon Cormack, a three-time World Kick Boxing champ and boxing coach at Gleason's Gym in Brooklyn, N.Y., who admits he tries to "take the wind out of students in the ring." Actual time inside the ropes is just part of the boxing regimen, which includes running, rope jumping and punching mitts with a trainer and against the bag. Though punches have more to do with alignment and efficiency than strength, your upper body will get a good workout. Watch out for ruptured biceps, strained rotator cuffs--and that roundhouse right!  

Sports Injury

Sports are something most of us must have been played during some part of our life. In India, sport is an active part in our life mostly during the school days. With age, most of us take our self out of it and actively involve in building ones career (sports as a career is still not very lucrative in India).

I have also been into active sports during my school days. And with sports comes injury. According to some statistics, more then half of injury in children can be related to sports. As I grew up, I took myself almost out of regular sports, and in some case, completely out of it.

So why am I writing this now? Well I am back into some sports very recently. Having an active team in office makes life quite easier. We involve our self in some kind of sports in office. Cricket being the most popular sports in India; it’s a clear winner with us too. We do play soccer sometimes. I injured myself during a friendly soccer match in office. The injury kept me limping for almost couple of weeks. I wisely realized how some sports are more prone to injury then others.

Chances of injury are of course higher in sports that have direct or full contact of the players. High-speed sports also rate high on injury. I then started wondering, if there are any sports that will probably have near-zero chances of injury. Well, hmm… what comes to my mind now is Chess. The only way you can injure yourself in chess is: if you blow up your brain, fall asleep and drop from the chair, hold the pawn for 1 hour in the air before you decide where to place it. Jokes apart, most of the sports do come with some risk associated with injuring our self.

It is always advisable to go for a warm up for avoiding injuries like spraining muscles. Playing physically demanding sports without proper training and physical fitness will result in muscle damage. Most of the other sports require wearing of protective gears (martial ones, American football etc.). Knowing your limits does help.

Professional sports person do go for sports injury insurance. Healthcare coverage and loss of revenue without participation is a big overhead and insurance can bring lot more peace to mind.

As a regular guy like me, all you need to care is do play something even when you are busy with your office or business. You need not be regular, but do play sometimes. And of course keep yourself aware of the risk of injury associated with any sports you play. So PLAY and HAVE FUN… STAY SAFE.

“Runners High”…. Can we feel it?

I have always heard people talk about this term “Runners High”. Reading though the Internet I figured out this is something that is not generally accepted to exist by general community. I do not exactly know what it feels like to be on a High when running. But I guess I will write down something that I felt during my longer distance running. I cannot exactly call myself a long distance runner, as I have just done some 10k runs.

When I initially started running in the beginning I wasn’t at the best of my shape for that. I usually get tired real fast and had to stop after just running a small distance. After few weeks I figured out that if I can overcome the initial resistance offered by the body (which begs you to stop after some distance), I actually continued to run a much longer distance then I thought I could. If feels like the mind has overcome the body – “Not sure if this is what we call a runners high”.

There was one day when I was feeling tremendously depressed with something. And I just felt like running (I remembered the elated feeling I have during running). I actually went out running at 8:00 pm in the night to a nearby park. And to my relief I actually started feeling much better mentally. May be I was feeling the “Runners High”.

I was watching the news in the morning today. It was showing peoples running for Mumbai Marathon. A nice feeling ran through my body, with some occasional goose bumps. May be I felt good just looking and peoples running, and relating myself to the good feeling.

Whenever I go home to Assam to visit my family, I make it a point to go out in the morning and go for a small run (however small it may be). It makes me feel good for the whole day.

I don’t quite know if the “Runners High” exist, but I do know that running makes me feel good (though tired) and it definitely is a mood enhancer.

Some of this further reading will be of help to you. Go through the links below.
http://www.lehigh.edu/~dmd1/sarah.html
http://runtrails.blogspot.com/2005/01/understanding-runners-high.html

Planning for a trekking? What should you be carrying?

Ever wondered before your first trekking expedition what to carry in your rucksack. With every grams of additional weight in your back adding to your pain while walking uphill, knowing what to carry what not will make your life a lot easier.

I am not a very avid trekker, but I do have done some trekking. I will try to pen down some of my experiences here of things to carry and what is a waste which might be a starting point for an armature trekker. I would still advice you to talk to few experienced people to get more insights. This will not be sufficient for trekking to the Himalayas though J

The kind of things that you carry depends on what kind of trekking you are planning to have. Does it include overnight camping and campfire, what time of the year, how is the landscape of your trekking spot.

Lets start with few must haves:

-          Water: Basic thumb-rule, carry as much you can. Every liter of water adds an additional kg of weight to your luggage. So it is always good to check if there are any sources of water available in the trekking route (and what are their locations). Is the water potable? In one of our trek (to Kumar Parvata), we had prior knowledge of water spots and we saved lot of pain by carrying limited water. Walking without water is not advisable (you keep sweating) and with overnight camps, you have additional needs (cooking, washing, bio-needs). An average human needs 2 liters of water per day, so carry accordingly and share the load. You will soon figure out that water makes almost 1/4^th of your weight at rucksack.

-          Rucksack: Its good to have a good backpack. A rucksack (can be rented out from some adventure shops) is a good thing to carry. A balanced load at your back can make your life really comfortable.

-          Medical kit: Carry your medication. Basic must haves: Pain balm or spray, Band-aid, Cotton, Antiseptic. A cramp bandage comes in handy. A sunscreen.

-          Eatables: Carry some energy bar (low volume and weight), fruits, and biscuits. Anything you are comfortable eating is fine. For night stay things like ready-to-eat (MTR) and Maggi is comfortable to cook.

-          Shoes: Wear shoes for the trek. This is basic I know, but a bad pair of shoe will make your life horrible. If a shoe does not fit well or cuts, don’t ever think of wearing it. Have some good grip.

-          Dress: Comfortable clothes. Warm ones for night stay (hill tops are colder then the valleys). It is not really important to carry additional pair of clothes and the space can be used effectively otherwise. An additional pair is advised for wet trek (water bodies on the way, rainy days).

-          Camera: I don’t think you want to miss your moments. Carry spare batteries.

-          Light source: A torch is a must if you expect an overnight stay. LED ones are small and bright.

 Luxury takes, or things to carry depending on the type of trekking: 

-          Tent and sleeping bag: If you are planning for an overnight stay, it’s a must. Camping location should be at a place where there is not much wind (there are instances of tent being carried away by wind, with peoples inside).

-          Small tool: A Swiss knife would be a good enough tool. A dense jungle might require a bigger knife.

-          Cooking tools: For overnight stay, you need to have food. Take one utensil for cooking. Paper/plastic plates/glass/spoons is a good carry. You typically get firewood at trekking spots, but carry some kerosene/petrol, matchbox/lighter and newspapers for assisting in starting the fire. Block the fire from wind.

-          Guide: There are some treks that are not advisable without a guide. Check for guides in local peoples. Some blog posts by previous visitors might be of help.

 Some dos/don’ts before, during and after the trek: 

-          Tune yourself for the trek. Go for some brisk walks/jogging in the morning at least a week before the trek. If you are an active person it will be okay, else you will end up in severe cramps. You will not only spoil yours but also others trek.

-          Make a to do list a day before the trek (things you need to do or carry for the trek, like tents, food etc). You won’t end up forgetting things at the last moment.

-          Always try to start your trek early in the morning. Its comparatively colder and your body can be active.

-          During trek keep yourself constantly hydrated. You also reduce the weights you carry by drinking your water.

-          Start your camping at least 2 hrs before sunset if possible. You can also collect firewood’s at this time. Things become doubly difficult after dark (though with sufficient torch lights supporting you, its okay).

-          Give yourself time to enjoy the sunset and sunrise. Waking up early one day does not do any harm J

-          Check for animals in camping locations.

-          NEVER put up your camp in very windy place, or very close to end of cliffs. Being safe is more important than being adventurous.

-          Keep viewing distance between team members. Important specially in dense jungle treks.

-          Walking up is safer then coming down. Watch for loose rocks. Have good shoes.

-          Know your limits before trying extreme stunts.

-          BE SAFE.

 There must be some things that I might have missed. I will try to add them up at a later date in a different post. The one thing to remember is its always fun to trek with zero weight at your back. So carry the limited necessities.

 Happy trekking and HAVE FUN…

We're toast if we don't get on different path: NASA scientist

An real eye opener for the skeptics not agreeing to global warming.

"Exactly 20 years after warning America about global warming, a top NASA scientist said the situation has gotten so bad that the world's only hope is drastic action.

James Hansen told Congress on Monday that the world has long passed the ''dangerous level'' for greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and needs to get back to 1988 levels. He said Earth's atmosphere can stay this loaded with man-made carbon dioxide for a couple more decades without changes such as mass extinction, ecosystem collapse and dramatic sea level rises."

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Click on the link below to read the story
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080054197

For the latest news from India, visit http://www.ndtv.com/

Advantages of SMOKING:

1) You will not live long.. This world anyway SUCKS..

2) Peoples around you do not like passive smoking, so it’s a good way to scare away peoples you hate

3) Smokers are always under controversy (eg. Shahrukh Khan vs. Ramadoss). So it is also a good way to get free publicity.

4) Restaurants provide you ash trays as additional benefit (and they charge you for that in taxes), so why not make full use of all the benefits

5) There are data suggesting it helps to perform the morning ritual (at toilet, some peoples can’t do without it)

6) You end up carrying a source of fire. If you get lost in a isolated island, you don’t have to eat anything raw

7) Specially for kids, smoking makes you look mature J

8) Tobacco industry employs hell lot of people. So you are indirectly supporting them

9) It can make your career. It helps you keep awake during your last minute overnight exams preparations. After all you have to work hard for building a career

10) It gives something for you to pass your time if you are alone

11) It can scare away mosquitoes if you do not have repellants

12) Add your own comments……

Bangalore Marathon, 16th December 2007:

I started running some 5 months back. I use the treadmill in my office gym. Though I am not so regular, I have tried to keep my gaps small enough to claim I have continued. It started with small tired runs at the beginning of my running expedition and improving myself with time. I haven’t seen my physique change for any better, though my stamina improved.

I run for short distances in the treadmill, usually getting exhausted in the beginning, but comfortable after the body gets used to it. Never get a chance stretch myself, as there is a 15 mins time limit at the gym treadmill, so that all peoples get equal chances. I have always seen lesser crowd on Fridays, and started stretching myself to run longet time in some of these days to see if I can go further. Running at a slower pace then usual, I was able to stretch myself to longer time.

Couple of weeks back I decided to take my run to the tar roads of Bangalore. So measured a route besides the airport (I live near the airport) of about ~10 kms long. One fine morning I woke up early at 5:30 am (I hate to wake up early), and started my run in the pre-decided route. I started taking deep breaths just after I started, but soon the body got used to it. To my surprise, I completed the 10 kms of run without stop, and I was genuinely satisfied.

Yesterday I went for the second time, despite hating to wake up early. It was again a 10 kms run. After doing it second time, I felt confident enough of repeating the same distance again if required. The same evening I was talking with my roommate and during the course of discussion the Bangalore marathon topic popped up, and the though of participation came to my mind. It’s a chance to test the limit of my distance running.

Woke up early next morning and took my bike headed towards Kanteerava stadium, from where the Marathon will start. Registered myself for the half marathon and received my chest no (#1008, wow already a 1000 participants). First, it was the full marathon that started. The full marathon had ~ 300 participants (my smart guess looking at the crowd size). Half marathon started after that @ 6:30 am with ~ 1500 runners. I started jogging at my treadmill speed, knowing I had to finish at least 10 kms which was just half the way. The marathon started at Kanteerava stadium and the route followed was ->Cubbon Park -> Dr. Ambedkar road -> Cubbon road -> Ulsoor Lake -> Old Madras Rd. -> Byapannahalli R.S. At the railway station we have to turn and take the same route back, the station being the halfway mark at 10.5 kms. I saw peoples overtaking me wondering if I was running too slow, but didn’t took the chance of going faster and tiring myself before I get to the halfway mark. It was after 1-hr and 5-mins I reached the halfway mark. The organizers threw a violet color fluid in my shirt, it was probably for marking me for completing the halfway mark. I took the turn to take my route back. I saw peoples on their way to reach the halfway mark; well this means I did better then few peoples I guess. Not that slow, mmmm..

After the halfway mark I felt my body getting drained of its energy. After a couple of more kms, I had to take a short break. After walking some distance, I started running again. But I felt the energy level dropping and my legs not that fast any more. I started taking short breaks, and the breaks started coming frequently. I saw most peoples near me taking short breaks too. I didn’t wanted to quit at this point, like many others whom I saw putting up a run after breaks to make sure that the job is not half done. It was 5 kms left and I started thinking, this is one thing I will never ever do again in my life, with legs starting to get frozen. But I still kept moving on running and taking small breaks in between. I saw the banners of kms left counting down with time, and my energy levels kept me just going close to the finish. As I approached close to the stadium, I went for the final push and just started running. Entered the stadium with peoples cheering at all of us who just came in. I thought, GOD it’s done. But after entering I was told I had to make another full circle at the track before entering the finish line. Well, some more push, and I was finally at the finish line. I saw one organizer noting down my chest number, yes # 1008. After 2 ½ hrs of grueling fight of body vs. mind, finally the mind triumphed.

I was given a water bottle and I directly headed towards the grass, lying down with tiredness and satisfaction. Within 5 mins all my tiredness was gone and I was filled with joy of completing the job half planned. I had done something I have never done before; I had beaten my expectations. Well it feels so happy.

I was among more then 500 odd peoples that finished the half marathon, many of them kid’s. Luckily I was not the last one to finish, as I saw some peoples finishing after me. Good to see good running culture among Bangaloreans.

Added afterwards:
Today I received my certificate of completion. I finished the 21 kms with timing of 2:32:08, ranked 326. The runner who finished first had timing of ~ 1:04 mins. So I took almost 2 ½ times of what he took. May be I should try to better my timings in the next marathon.

WEARING HELMET SAVED ME:

Driving bikes fast is one of my very BAD habits. But fortunately I try to make sure that I know what the safe limits are depending on the road and traffic condition. But according to my friends, I am in the dangerous driving regime according to their standards. I always make sure I wear my helmet when I drive my bike. The actual reason for wearing helmet is actually it helps me to drive fast, much better visibility than fast winds hitting my face, and it also saves me from the dust.

Once on a rainy night I had to come back home from J.P.Nagar (Bangalore). There was a dinner get-together at my friend's house. It was late, raining (actually drizzling) and I really wanted to hurry back before it starts pouring heavily. Once I hit the main road I put my bike under full throttle. Its late night and the road were empty. So speed was not a criterion for me. The road was not properly illuminated (my headlight also didn't seemed too bright). I was cruising at full speed and suddenly I saw a gigantic speed breaker. I was at a speed at which I could not really respond. I could hardly remember what happened next, all I remember was I was off the bike skidding through the tar road and my bike following me. People gathered on the place and took me to a nearby hospital.

When I finally reached home, I was in a state of shock. But after I saw my helmet I really knew how lucky I was. The scratch marks in the helmet was too scary. I imagined those scares in my head, man I was lucky. If I wasn't wearing my helmet that night, I wouldn't have been alive talking to you in my blog today.

All said and done, little advice I want to give you friends (it's your personal decision if you want to take it :-)
- ALWAYS WEAR HELMET
- Don't drive fast on the roads you are not familiar with
- Overconfidence kills, know your limits
- Empty roads are more dangerous then with traffic, you get more careless