The six tastes in food

Taken from this website:

http://www.ayurvedaamritvani.com/ayurvedic-diet.html

An ideal diet, according to Ayurveda incorporates the six tastes prescribed in the literature and 
comprises a wide variety of fresh fruits, grains and milk.

“Taste” means “Rasa”. It is the sensation perceived by the tongue. Each taste is due to predominance
 of 2 great elements. Each taste has an effect on the body as well as mind. The basic principle of diet
 in Ayurveda is that physical changes as well as mental effects can be observed after consumption 
of different food types. In this way, food can directly and indirectly affect the three doshas of 
an individual. We can achieve a balance in these three doshas by regulating diet.

Madhura (Sweet)

Honey - Image: Courtesy Wikipedia

Madhura means very appealing, pleasant or very sweet. Sweet taste is due to the Water and
 Earth elements. The sweet taste shows qualities or gunas such as cooling, heavy and unctuous.

Physical effects: The sweet taste is related to strength and stability of the body. It pacifies the 
Vata and Pitta doshas. However, an excess of sweet can aggravate Kapha dosha. Sweet 
taste is homologous to body since birth; small babies enjoy the sweet taste of breast milk. 
Food with sweet taste is wholesome; it promotes longevity when consumed in moderation.
 It enhances the growth of all seven tissue-elements. It is beneficial to the health of skin, senses
 and general growth of the body.

Psychological effects: Sweet taste is very pleasant and exhibits pronounced satisfying and 
gratifying effects. It increases cheerfulness, love and compassion. It gives the feeling of love 
but if consumed in excess, it increases greed and attachment.

Adverse effects: If a person consumes excess sweet food, then his Kapha dosha aggravates. 
It can lead to many diseases like obesity, diabetes, lethargy, increased cholesterol etc.

Source: Foods with sweet taste include sugar, honey, sugarcane juice, maple syrup and 
dates to name a few. Foods like rice, wheat, milk and fruits like mango and grapes are also 
good source of sweetness.

Amla (Sour)

Lemons - Image: Courtesy Wikipedia

Amla  means sour taste and is made up of Earth and Fire elements. This taste has qualities
 like lightness, hot and unctuous.

Physical effects: Sour taste increases the digestive power. It exhibits a sharp taste, which 
stimulates salivation and increases the appetite. It pacifies Vata but increases Pitta and Kapha. 
 It promotes strength and stability of tissue-elements. It regulates peristalsis; it regulates 
downward movement of vata and helps in the digestion of food.

Psychological effects: Sour taste is very sharp. It brings alertness to the mind and increases 
attention. It is responsible for bringing appreciation but if consumed in excess it brings out 
hate, jealousy.

Adverse effects: If a person consumes excess food with sour taste, then he will 
experience symptoms like excess thirst, hyperacidity and heartburn. A number of other
 diseases like loss of skin tone, hyperacidity, skin rashes, gastritis and ulcerative colitis.

Source: Citrus fruits like limes, lemons and oranges are good examples of amla food.
 Other food products include sour cream, yogurt, vinegar & fermented food.

Lavana (Salty)

Salt - Image: Courtesy USA Today

Lavana means salty taste and it primarily gives relish to the food. Salty taste is due 
to the predominance of Water and Fire element. Salty taste exhibits qualities like oily, 
heavy and hydrophilic in nature. Salty taste pacifies Vata but increases Pitta and Kapha.

Physical effects: Salty taste has a laxative effect and it removes obstruction from the 
channels (srotas). It liquefies mucus and clears the channels. Apart from this, it improves 
digestion and increases salivation. It balances the blood pressure by maintaining electrolytes
 in the body. It gives muscles strength.

Psychological effects: Salty taste enhances the taste of food so one can enjoy it. This taste
 brings interest and enthusiasm. Hence, generally people show a kind of addiction to the 
salty things.

Adverse effects: Excess consumption of Salty foods causes ill effects like premature 
graying of hair, wrinkles, baldness and inflammatory diseases. It causes water retention 
leading to edema and increase in blood pressure. It also increases Pitta dosha leading to
 hyperacidity.

Source: Sea salt, rock salt and table salt and predominant sources for salty taste. 
Apart from this, consumption of salty food like salted chips, salted nuts also act as sources of this taste.

Katu (Pungent)

Red Cayenne Pepper - Image: Courtesy Wikipedia

Katu means pungent or very hot taste. It shows predominance of Fire and Air elements. 
Pungent food shows qualities like hot, dry and light nature.  Pungent taste pacifies Kapha 
but it aggravates Pitta and Vata.

Physical effects: Pungent taste improves digestion. It stimulates the digestive fire (Agni)
 in the body. It improves circulations and clears the channels. It has an anti-spasmodic 
action. It causes instant watering of eyes and nose if consumed directly.  It produces heat
 in the body and breaks clots in the circulation.

Psychological effects: Pungent taste also has sharp and penetrating effects on the mind. 
It aids the clarity of mind, increases attention and brings clarity of perception.

Adverse effects: Pungent food, if consumed in excess causes irritation and inflammation 
and leads to aggravation of Pitta. It destroys virility. It can cause diarrhea, peptic ulcers, 
giddiness, insomnia and some skin conditions.

Source: Chili pepper, cayenne pepper, habanera pepper and black pepper are sources
 of this taste. Apart from this, spices such as mustard, ginger, garlic and onion are also pungent in taste.

Tikta (Bitter)

Bitter Groud - Image: Courtesy Wikipedia

Tikta meaning bitter taste produces a very unpleasant taste in mouth. In spite of its 
unpleasant taste, it is important to incorporate this taste in our meal. Bitter taste 
shows predominance of Air and Ether elements.  It is cool, dry and light in character.

Physical effects: It demonstrates a strong wormicidal action. It has appetizing effects
 and reduces burning sensation. It gives firmness to the skin and muscles and
 reduces skin diseases by its anti-inflammatory effects. It also demonstrates a cleansing effect.

Psychological effects: Bitter taste helps to withhold the mind and senses from objects of desire.

Adverse effects: Bitter food consumed in excess will produce adverse effects on the body. 
Further, this taste exhibits spermicidal effects. Excess consumption of bitter taste leads to 
loss of strength and energy and increased Vata dosha.

Source: Sources of this taste are bitter gourd and bitter melon. Herbs like neem
 (Azadirecta Indica) are also bitter in taste.

Kashaya (Astringent)

Bananas - Image: Courtesy Wikipedia

Kashaya means astringent taste that occurs due to the predominance of Air and
 Ether elements. It is heavy, dry and cooling in nature. It gives an immediate drying
 sensation in mouth on consumption.

Physical effects: By its drying property, kashaya absorbs water and helps in binding
 stools. It constricts the different channels of the body. It purifies blood by its anti-inflammatory
 effects. It reduces Pitta and Kapha but it increases Vata dosha in the body.

Psychological effects: Astringent substances help the mind to become collected
 or organized. But excess consumption of this taste causes insomnia, anxiety and depression.

Adverse effects: Excess use of astringent food causes choking sensation and difficulty
 in speaking. It causes constipation along with distension of abdomen. It affects the 
sperm count and can even reduce the sex drive. Prolonged consumption may lead to 
emaciation of the body.

Source: Unripe banana, chickpeas, alum and okra are good sources of astringent taste.

Nature's art is the best!

Here is a snap of a delightful wonder of a plant in the nearby public park. Watch Nature's art - how the leaves are tucked in better than the best origami. How we can't make out whether it is a flower or a leaf!

What life has taught me

I read a short piece by a great saint about what life had taught him. He referred to a few small episodes which left a deep imprint of learning on him. I started to think, what has life taught me?

I list a few:

       ( taken at butterfly garden, Singapore)

1. Be bold, be enthusiastic, be quick. 
2. You can get a lot more done than you think.
3. We think of ourselves as YouTube videos, constantly changing and evolving with time. We think of others instead as Picasa photos, static and unchanging. The reality is that like us, others also constantly change.
4. NOBODY= no saint, no astrologer, no self-proclaimed master knows the total reality. 
5. Reality is supreme, sacrosanct, and cares for none. I mean, it is not obliged to anyone.
6. We are all constantly searching for something outside. Actually the ultimate truth and happiness are both within us. I mean within me.
7. Looking for a mantra? Forget it. Every mantra is a process of self-hypnosis, living in your own web. Connecting with Reality is the only mantra.
8. Everyone gets a chance, everyone can be happy. It is NOT a Zero-Sum game.
9. Writing what life has taught me is somewhat silly. Because learning cannot ever end or be complete.
10. Be open. Be truthful. Be loving and be giving. 
11. The biggest recipe for unhappiness is to expect the other to be perfect in loving and giving as I expect them to be or do.

What lovely place is this?

Monterosso el Mare, Italy 

I won't reveal my secret way to search Google fast, but let me tell you it took me less than one minute.

I am a Googlu!!!!

Instant Expert Noodles or Googlus

I am not saying anything new here. From NaMo to Obama,  everyone swears by the power of Google. And if you are smart enough to get a smart phone and save 22 days of time waste every year,  you would also know the power of Google.

The last time,  or an important time I used google to win something, was in Sept. 2008. I was part of a team activity set up by GE along the Seine river in Paris. We were teams in different boats who were sailing up and down and getting clues to a treasure hunt.  The last and toughest was a question about when Peugeot Citroen closed their factory that we could see along the Seine, some time in 80's.

Nobody could find out that answer from their boats even though that derelict factory was staring at us from the bank. Well, I had an iPhone with 3G courtesy Telstra.  I found the answer in about 10 sec. And our team won.

That is the trouble with google. You think you're an expert just because you could just google something and find out some factoid which you can throw at everyone.

I call you, if you are one such insufferable human, an Instant Expert Noodle. Named after the Top Ramen inventor who gave the tired factory-worker Japanese noodles that were  hot,  tasty and ready in a few minutes. Instant Nirvana.

But as you know,  all haikus are not born equal,  especially the google kind.

There is also a mystique about IEN's.  They are going to replace gurus.  So i call them googlus.  In fact some of our new gurus are IEN's anyway.

Let me find out what place this is....

What tennis teaches us

Today I read this article first published by NYT on how Djokovic was discovered and trained by a great woman, Jelena Gencic. That was the period when a war was raging and lives were getting wiped out in their midst:

“I went to practice with Novak and three other boys,” Gencic said in Belgrade in 2010. “There were many other boys and girls, and when they were on the tennis court, they don’t think about bombs. That’s the point of, the reason of, practicing. You don’t think about that.”

Gencic remembered picking practice sites based on where the bombs had fallen the night before, reasoning that NATO would not bomb the same place again.

“I could feel it in my house; it was terrible,” she said. “My sister was very hurt by the bombs and 16 months later she died.”

But the tone of that interview was surprisingly not bitter. Though Gencic expressed regret that she had lost touch with Djokovic at that stage and expressed resentment toward Srdjan for not keeping her better informed, she remembered the eight years they did spend in each other’s frequent company with great tenderness.

“Oh, special boy, that boy was unbelievable,” she said. “Very intelligent. He knew very well what to do, how much to do. He listens, and every word it was, ‘Please tell me again.’ And I’d say, ‘Did you understand me?’ And he would say, ‘Yes, but please, tell me again.’ He wanted to be so sure.” UNQUOTE

This woman died a few days ago, with an unfulfilled wish to touch and hold the French Open trophy along with her pupil after he would win it one day. I believe Djokovic was given the news of her passing after an important match and broke down...

Of course Novak is an unbelievable competitor and the top talent in tennis today. It is so Significant for me how tennis becomes a paradigm for life itself, with all its challenges, and how with the help of a life coach we can achieve our goals relentlessly.

There is also a synonym for relentless.  That is Nadal.  And today again, I read Nirmal Shekar write about him in the Hindu:

Ah, paying attention! What a simple thing, you might think. But it is, in fact, a difficult practice, a seriously endangered process of cultural learning in an age when your senses are bombarded all the time by all kinds of distractions.

In the event, it was with an anguished sense of nostalgia that I remembered my teacher’s words from another age, on Friday.

Watching Rafael Nadal pay attention to the moment, especially when it happens to be a passage of play charged with meaning, is like watching a great scientist — perhaps on the verge of a Nobel-deserving discovery — pace his laboratory, solitary and single-minded.

Living in the now, being present all the time — these are not just quasi-philosophical clichés that have turned many life coaches, especially of Asian origin, into celebrity multi-millionaires in Silicon Valley and Hollywood. UNQUOTE

I wish the likes of Federer, Djokovic, and my favourite, Nadal well. They are the exemplars of what is excellence in every breath.

High time they did this co-marketing!!!

Guys, I was just thinking. Days are tough and marketing budgets are getting cut day after day!!

And there are so many products that are bought by the same sets of  people, depending on demographics. So why don't we think of co-marketing and co-placement of products?

To explain my idea, here are some examples that come readily to mind:

THE TOWN's BIGGEST AND BEST BURGER ----------XXXL CLOTHING for the large hearted, large waisted!!!

The town's  best Texan steak, large, succulent, and rich red meat --------Free Creatinine test in this walk-in Lab for master health check-ups!!!!!!

Only CEO's PLEASE for our latest and best Bond suits. ----- try this Isabgol for constipation!!!!!!!!!!

Tips on Creativity

I copy below this set of tips on jump-starting your creativity by Nellie Akalp of Corp.net, that I just read in pulse.com:      .

BY NELLIE AKALP1 day ago

Whether you want to design a new product, devise a tagline for a client or solve a scheduling problem, creative thinking gives you an undeniable edge. However, we can't just summon creativity on a whim; when we need it most, it's nowhere to be seen.

If you’re in need of more outside-the-box, inventive thinking at work, here are five ways to boost your creativity.

1. Ditch the quiet office.

Unlike detail-oriented, analytical thinking, creativity thrives amidst moderate distraction. That’s why it’s so hard to get the creative juices flowing when you shut the door and block out all distractions.

Researchers at the University of Illinois found that a moderate level of ambient noise induces “process disfluency.” In short, distractions disrupt the flow of thought, leading to more abstract, broader and creative thinking. Researchers also found that noise had to be at a moderate level (around 70 decibels, the equivalent of a radio/TV in the background or someone running a vacuum cleaner) to enhance creativity. Lower or higher levels did not have positive impacts on creativity.

If you’re attempting to think of a creative solution, try distracting yourself by working at a café or park bench.

2. Silence the inner critic.

Whenever we churn out something out-of-the-ordinary, we open ourselves to scrutiny and criticism. In many cases, our own inner critic is the most effective at shooting things down. It’s hard to be creative when you’re constantly worried that x, y or z won’t be good enough.

When children draw, they don’t worry about making mistakes; they take risks, do their own thing and have fun. Yet if most adults picked up a sketchpad, they would start thinking, "That doesn’t look right," "that’s not good enough" from the very beginning.

The inner critic tightens your mind and blocks creative flow, so find any way to silence this negative voice. For example, give yourself permission to brainstorm by automatically writing down ideas as you think of them — then worry later whether they're any good.

3. Experiment with your work environment.

While the distractions of cafés and park benches can help inspire creativity, try to make changes in your workspace itself. For example, studies have shown that the complexity and interchanging notes of Mozart’s sonatas and other classical music can have a positive (albeit short-term) impact on spatial reasoning skills and creative thinking.

In addition to music, you can experiment with color. A 2009 study at the University of British of Columbia found the color blue led to more relaxed and creative thinking, while red boosted performance on more detail-oriented tasks like proofreading.

"Thanks to stop signs, emergency vehicles and teachers' red pens, we associate red with danger, mistakes and caution," said Juliet Zhu, author of the study. "The avoidance motivation, or heightened state, that red activates makes us vigilant and thus helps us perform tasks where careful attention is required to produce a right or wrong answer.

“Through associations with the sky, the ocean and water, most people associate blue with openness, peace and tranquility. The benign cues make people feel safe about being creative and exploratory,” Zhu added.

4. Sift out the busy work.

If your days, weeks and months are packed with “getting things done,” you’re not leaving any time to experiment. Google famously lets its employees use 20% of their workweeks to pursue special projects.

Considering that strategy has worked out pretty well for Google, you might want to try something similar for yourself. Try to carve out some free time every day (even if it’s just 10-20 minutes) to step away from the computer or other obligations and let yourself think.

5. Branch out beyond your comfort zone.

Steve Jobs once said, “A lot of people in our industry haven't had very diverse experiences. So they don't have enough dots to connect, and they end up with very linear solutions.” Sometimes the best path to creative and inventive thinking is to be intentional about experiencing new things in life.

If you’re experiencing a creative block, try picking up a magazine you wouldn’t normally read, have lunch with a friend in a different field or attend an event way outside your industry. Since you don’t know where an idea will come from, feel free to look anywhere and everywhere for your next source of inspiration.