Health

Meet The Hunza People Who Never Get Sick And Live Up To 160 Years!

Published

3 months ago

September 14, 2020

The Hunza river valley (the border of India and Pakistan) is called the “Oasis of youth”. The inhabitants of this valley – the Hunza people – have an average life span of 120 years and in some cases, they live up to 160 years. They look young and beautiful even in the later years of their life. Hunza women can give birth until the age of 65. Surprised? Read on!

Who Are the Hunza People?

The Hunza people live in the Hunza Valley in Northern Pakistan. They speak the Burushaski language that has been classified as a language isolate.

Although their origins are unknown, it is likely that the Hunza people were indigenous to northwestern India (current-day Pakistan) and were pushed into their present homeland by the movements of the Indo-Aryans who migrated to the subcontinent in 1800 B.C.

The Hunza people believe they are descendants of Greek soldiers, who have settled in the Hunza area after they fled for Alexander the Great.

They are beautiful, slender, extremely peaceful, and hospitable.

The water they drink is known for its healing properties, and they eat almost no white flour, sugar, or salt.

Their religion, as many claim – is a special kind of Islam, of a secret nature. The Hunza don’t even have minarets, which is why they are criticized by other Muslims.

In 1963, a French medical expedition visited the Hunza Valley. Its census found that the average life expectancy of the Hunza people is 120 years, which is twice as long as that of Europeans.

In August 1977, the World Cancer Congress in Paris made the statement that according to the data of geocancerology (the science of studying cancer in different regions of the world), the complete absence of cancer occurs only among the Hunza people.

The Hunza people became world-famous for their longevity in 1984. In that year, a member of the Hunza community, Said Abdul Mobudu, confused the immigration officers in London because his passport stated that his birth year was 1832. Everyone was stunned since Said Abdul didn’t look that old. Back in his village, they met with other Hunza people, who all claimed to have an old age.

Researchers have now found the secrets behind the long life, good health, and youthful look of these people.

Longevity Secrets

A comparative analysis of lifestyles of longevous mountain peoples around the world has shown that in addition to the fresh high-altitude air, the qualities they all share are a modest diet containing lots of seasonal fruit and vegetables and not much red meat, following the circadian rhythm, high physical activity, a stress-free life with pronounced social awareness, an unpolluted environment, and potable water rich with minerals and antioxidants.

Here are some longevity secrets based on the Hunza lifestyle.

#1: Physical activity

The Hunza people have boundless energy. Every day they work hard on physically demanding tasks for long hours. Their daily routine involves climbs up steep mountain paths. A 20-30 miles walk is considered quite normal for them.

#2: Cheerfulness

Hunzas always laugh. They are always in a good mood, even if they are hungry and suffer from the cold. Despite all life challenges, they stay positive and cheerful.

#3: Mental strength

The Hunza people are emotionally balanced. They never get angry or complain, they don’t get anxious or impatient, they don’t quarrel, and they take physical pain, trouble, problems, and life challenges with complete peace of mind.

#4: Philosophy

Hunzas are inspired by achievements. They think that it’s a good thing to be old!

This is very different from our modern standards: we tend to say that people are “too old” to get a certain job, while they are just the right people with all the knowledge, experience, and wisdom.

The Hunza developed the practice of identifying age with wisdom, experience, and achievement. They believe that how competent a Hunza is and how much he or she has already done can be judged by age: the older person is, the more achievements he/she has. Therefore, Hunzas are never stressed about their age but, on a contrary, are proud of their experience and achievements.

#5: Diet

The Hunza diet mostly consists of raw food including nuts, fruits, and seeds added with yogurt. For dinner they usually have the cooked meal, daal included with chappati.

The Hunza Diet

The diet is one of the main reasons for the longevity and good health of the Hunza people. Therefore, let’s take a closer look at their eating habits.

#1: Fasting

Hunzas have a period when the fruit is not yet ripe — it is called “hunger spring”. This period lasts from two to four months. During these months, they eat almost nothing and only drink an apricot drink once a day.

#2: Food with low protein

Their protein intake, which mostly comes from plant sources, is quite low, between 20-50 grams per day.

#3: Low calorie food

They eat a diet high in complex carbohydrates but low in calories-about 1600-1800 calories a day, unlike most Americans who eat between 2500-3000 calories a day, mostly from refined carbohydrates and sugar.

#4: Probiotics

They eat some kind of probiotic food every day – either in the form of kefir or fermented vegetables.

#5: Zero percent consumption of sugar or refined carbohydrates

Today, we know that the main causes of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes can be found in the standard American diet, which consists of a large number of refined carbohydrates, sugar, animal fats, hydrogenated vegetable oils – all ingredients that are missing from the longevity diet. In other words, the standard American diet is the exact opposite of the Hunza diet.

#6: Lots of fresh, often raw, fruits and vegetables

All the fruits and vegetables that the Hunza people eat are local and grown in a good ecological environment.

#7: Very moderate salt intake

The Hunza people don’t eat too much salt. As you know, eating too much salt can contribute to high blood pressure, which is linked to conditions like heart failure and heart attack, kidney problems, fluid retention, stroke, and osteoporosis. The Hunza people don’t have such health problems!

#8: Only natural organic foods

They eat foods rich in trace elements and taste, thanks to their methods of fertilizing the soil with carefully grown organic compost. They don’t use pesticides. Hunzas eat only natural whole foods, unprocessed and untouched by additives.

#9: Apricots

They grow apricot trees everywhere, so apricots, apricot kernels, and apricot seed oil are an important part of their diet. They eat fresh, dried, mashed, juiced apricots. They mix them with glacier water, and even mix them with snow to make “ice cream”.

Dried apricots are an excellent source of beta-carotene, which protects the fat part of our cells from free radical damage and can thus help prevent cancer.

#10: Living Water

The water flowing from the Ultar glacier rising above the Hunza Valley has particular qualities. It more closely resembles water found in living organisms than ordinary potable variants. For this reason, it may be called ‘living water.’

This water is closer to distilled than plain tap water. It does not consist of mainly ions of various dissolved minerals as ordinary water does, yet it is exceptionally rich in minerals and elements in traces, which are not decomposed; they exist in the form of stable, very small minerals – colloids – suspended in the liquid.

The water is cloudy and for this reason called ‘glacial milk.’ It differs from ordinary potable water in many physical and chemical properties.

Decades of research have led to the discovery of two intertwined, key characteristics of the Hunza living water:

it contains quartz (silica) minerals in particularly small, colloidal form;
it has antioxidant properties.

To learn more about Hunza water, read Dr. Iztok Ostan Summary of Research Studies “HUNZA WATER and its re-creation by means of the FHES mineral powder”.

What We Can Learn From the Hunza People?

If you can take anything from their knowledge, let it be these things:

Eat more raw fruits and vegetables
Choose natural whole foods, unprocessed, and untouched by additives
Eat just enough, but not too much, as this is ideal for optimum health
Get a daily dose of beneficial essential fats from nuts and seeds and their cold-pressed oils
Eat more apricots and their kernels – choose organic and preservative-free
Snack on fresh fruit rather than chips or candies
Choose organic whole wheat flour and sprouted bread
Drink plenty of water, preferably mineral water or filtered water, or invest in a water purifier which alkalizes and ionizes the water for added health benefits
Exercise daily
Stay positive

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Yoga

Satya Yama: The Power Of Truthfulness

Published

1 week ago

November 20, 2020

Katya Ki

Satya, or truthfulness, is the second of the five yamas and one of the highest callings of yoga. In this article, I will share with you a deeper look at what Satya is, why it’s so important to practice it, and how you can do it.

What Is Satya?

The word ‘sat’ literally translates as ‘true essence’ or ‘true nature’ but also holds the meanings; ‘unchangeable’, ‘that which has no distortion’, ‘that which is beyond distinctions of time, space and person’, and ‘reality’. As you can see, ‘sat’ means more than just ‘truth’, it’s something that is unchanged and pure. By realizing the unchangeable nature of the truth, we become more aware of how much of our time and energy is invested to that which changes, rather than the unchanging truth.

Our emotions and moods always change. If ‘sat’ means ‘unchangeable’, then any information that comes from our emotions can’t be considered as the pure truth. Emotions, thoughts, and moods shape our opinions on certain topics, however, the opinions are very subjective, thus, may change and has nothing to do with Satya.

The word “Satya” means truth in all its manifestations: thoughts, words, and actions. The more precise meaning of Satya is “abstinence from untruth”. You see, truthfulness becomes natural only when we overcome the very desire to distort the truth.

It’s also important to understand that Satya is not always synonymous with truth. If truthful information can cause harm, then it cannot be considered the truth in the highest sense. The truth, in the highest sense, cannot cause harm (Ahimsa), it is always beneficial, whereas a statement of fact or shared opinion can bring both good and harm. Therefore, when you feel that uttering the truth can cause harm, you should practice Mauna – silence.

Inner Satya

Inner Satya is the projection of thoughts into actions. The mind contemplates, makes decisions, and remembers information. It makes choices and generates decisions, assessments, and opinions. When the mind speaks, the person speaks. Since mental Satya supports the truth of speech, it is important to switch the mind from false activities to true ones. Therefore, the very task of searching for truth should become the main goal of life.

Violating Satya hinders the achievement of harmony. Lying in any form can destroy all types of energy — physical, mental, spiritual.

By practicing Satya in your daily life (not just in your words and actions but also mentally), you become able to acquire siddhi-supernatural powers of clairvoyance, receive the gift of foreseeing the future, knowledge of the past and present.

We always attract what we radiate. If you are being truthful, your visions and dreams become prophetic, you are able to tap into your intuitive abilities easily, and your intuition always guides you in the right direction. But if you are being untruthful in your words, actions, or thoughts, eventually you start receiving false information, you don’t know what to believe anymore, and your dreams and visions are nothing more than meaningless hallucinations.

Therefore, if you have doubts about your intuitive abilities or wonder if you should trust your visions, ask yourself if you’re being truthful in your daily life.

Being Truthful To Ourselves

Satya towards ourselves is essential! When we are truthful to ourselves we can see the internal problems that exist, and, therefore, make efforts to solve them. When we see a problem, it is easier for us to understand and choose the tool that will help solve it. Only when we are truthful to ourselves can we be truthful to others.

Complete honesty with ourselves requires us to slow down the mind. When we react instantly to situations on a purely emotional level, we are often not able to see the truth and are acting from a place of fear and conditioning. But when we can actually slow down the response to stimuli within our minds, we create a fraction of more time to process situations. This will allow the more evolved part of our brains – the cerebral cortex – to actually consider things before the emotional brain takes over. As a result, we will start to see situations more clearly (truthfully) than reacting blindly to the stimulus.

By observing each thought as it arises, watching it as it passes without getting caught up in it, you will become more mindful and start seeing the truth more clearly. Learning and accepting that all emotions and situations come and go and are in fact not unchangeable or true, helps us come to terms with the fact that life isn’t as complicated as it might seem sometimes.

How To Practice Satya?

In order for us to start practicing Satya, we need to learn to recognize the cascade of negative emotions that prompt us to twist reality. Once we have understood and processed those emotions, our thoughts, speech, and actions can be realigned with the truth, even as we look more deeply into our needs and desires. Outwardly, refrain from telling lies and speak with kindness, compassion, and clarity.

There is a beautiful Sufi saying:

“Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates.
At the first gate, ask yourself ‘Is it true?
At the second gate ask, ‘Is it necessary?
At the third gate ask, ‘Is it kind?”

Alan Redpath, a well-known British evangelist, pastor, and author gives a powerful explanation to the word “THINK”:

T – Is it true?
H – Is it helpful?
I – Is it inspiring?
N – Is it necessary?
K – Is it kind?

“If what I am about to say does not pass those tests, I will keep my mouth shut!”

It is very important to always observe the motives behind our actions. Before you do or say something, ask yourself: ‘will it truly serve the other person, or am I doing this because of a need to prove something or gain something?’. By doing this you’ll be able to apply both Satya and Ahimsa to any situation.

We should always keep in mind that each situation we face in life offers us the opportunity to see the truth if we are open to it. A daily practice of slowing down, taking a couple of deep breaths, and observing things as they really are can help us move closer towards a state of peace and stillness in the mind.

Asato Maa Mantra Practice

The Asato Maa mantra is a powerful tool used by many practitioners as a daily acknowledgment of moving towards truth:

Om Asato Maa Sad-Gamaya
Tamaso Maa Jyotir-Gamaya
Mrtyor-Maa Amrtam Gamaya

“Lead me from the unreal to the real
From darkness (ignorance) to light (knowledge)
From death to immortality”

The Bottom Line

Honest communication and living a life of integrity are the foundation for all of our relationships: with ourselves, with others, and with society as a whole. By making Satya our life principle, we are making an essential step towards living a happier and more fulfilled life at all levels.

Yoga

Prana Mudra: Powerful Tool For Rejuvenating Your Life Force

Published

2 weeks ago

November 19, 2020

Katya Ki

Prana mudra is often called the mudra of life. This powerful mudra has many benefits, such as rejuvenation, vitality increase, vision improvement, etc. Generally, Prana Mudra helps to tap into prana, stimulating the root chakra, and energizing the entire body.

Prana mudra is great if you need a quick pick-me-up, as it boosts the vitality that resides within our life force.

In this article, I will share with you what Prana mudra is, what its benefits are, and how to perform it correctly.

What Is Prana Mudra?

Prana mudra got its name from prana which means “life force”, and mudra which means “seal”.

Connecting the fingers in certain combinations, you can activate the energy meridians and direct energy throughout the body, restore the flow of energy and eliminate “breakdowns” in diseased organs thus improve your health.

Different positions of the fingers have the ability to close or clear the energy channels. In addition, performing mudras, we affect the biologically active points of the palms and fingers.

When practicing Prana mudra, we connect thumb, ring finger, and pinkie finger, while leaving index and middle finger pointed straight.

Each of the fingers has symbolic significance:

The thumb symbolizes the Fire element and is linked to the Manipura chakra.
The ring finger represents the Earth element and is linked to the Muladhara chakra.
The pinkie is associated with the Water element and is linked to the Svadisthana chakra.

By connecting these fingers you are encouraging the flow of energy to the corresponding elements within you.

Fingers Corresponding to the 5 Elements image

The Benefits Prana Mudra

This beautiful mudra has lots of benefits. Here are some of them.

Prana Mudra helps:

control the subtle energies of the body by purifying and bringing the energy field into balance;
equalize energy flows in the body and thus stimulate its vital functions;
counteract self-destruction programs embedded in the subconscious;
improve performance, overall health, and, ultimately, the viability of the body;
heal eye diseases and improve vision;
improve body strength;
reduce muscular pain;
boost self-confidence;
remove fatigue;
sustain and maintain energy level;
boost the immune system;
reduce anxiety;
boosts focus and clarity;
reduces tiredness and nervousness;
control emotions;
improve circulation;
restore energy potential;
boost inspiration;
increase endurance;
reduce hunger pangs during fasting;
improve night sleep.

Prana mudra can also be performed anytime you need a quick boost of energy.

How to perform?

Before performing the mudra, it is important to formulate your intention and then visualize how it is manifested. Make sure that your intention is not harmful to others and doesn’t contradict your highest principles and purpose.

You can practice this mudra by sitting down in a meditative position or while standing in Tadasana.

Instructions:

To start, keep your eyes closed and focus on your breath.
Bring your hands to your sides and touch the tips of your ring finger and pinky finger to your thumb. Leave your index and middle finger pointed straight.
Feel the surge of prana moving through your body.
Take a regular breath, breathe in, and exhale for a few seconds.

Visualization:

When practicing Prana mudra, visualize yourself as a tree. As you inhale, imagine how the energy is directed to your roots, and they become thicker and more elongated. On the exhalation, the energy flows into the trunk, and then through the foliage makes its way high into the sky. The more massive the roots, the more powerful and larger the crown will be.

Perform this mudra for 15-40 minutes daily.

Conclusion

The main goal of practicing Prana mudra is to stabilize the energy level in the body and increase its viability. Practice this powerful mudra when you feel weak and tired. Prana mudra also prevents nervousness, relieves drowsiness, improves performance and overall well-being, gives a boost of energy and resilience. Regular practice of this mudra will boost your self-confidence and give you energy for new achievements.

Health

Feng Shui For Health And Longevity: Protect Yourself Against Premature Death!

Published

1 month ago

October 23, 2020

Katya Ki

Feng Shui For Health And Longevity Image

The Chinese believe that there is no good luck without good health and long life. Though most people who are interested in Feng Shui, mostly focus on prosperity and success, experienced Feng Shui practitioners know that without creating good Feng Shui for health and longevity, all our Feng Shui efforts towards wealth and success will be a waste of time. To enjoy your life and all the benefits that it can offer you, you need to be healthy and live long.

Therefore, I decided to share with you important Feng Shui tips for health and longevity that will help you to improve the quality of your life.

Feng Shui For Health And Longevity: 8 Essential Tips

Tip #1: Overcome Poison Arrows Emanating From Your Surroundings

Sha Chi, also referred to as feng shui poison arrows, is attacking energy that comes from sharp angles pointed at your front door. Poison arrows can weaken the energy of your house, and destroy the health, peace, and well-being of the entire family. Therefore, it is very important to overcome all the poison arrows!

Make sure that your main door is not being hit by anything sharp or pointed, anything angular, or anything that seems to be threatening. To determine if there are any poison arrows hurting your front door, stand at the front door and face out. Make sure you don’t see the following features:

triangle roof line from the opposite neighbor house;
edge of a building;
lamp post;
high rise tower;
steps leading up and down;
cemetery.

How To Overcome The Poison Arrow?

In Feng Shui, we use the destructive or the exhaustive cycle of the 5 elements to overcome the poison arrow. For doing this, you need to check a compass to find what direction the poison arrow is coming from. Here are some helpful Feng Shui tips for your front door on how to overcome the poison arrows.

If the poison arrow is coming from the South, then you need to use the Water or Earth element to destroy its negative influence. For example, you can display a fountain or a crystal.

If the poison arrow is coming from the North, then use the Earth or Wood element to destroy its negative energy. For example, you can display a crystal or a plant.

If the poison arrow is coming from the East or Southeast, you need to use the Metal or Fire element to overcome it. It would be very beneficial to hang a windchime and use more light.

If the poison arrow is coming from the West or Northwest, use the power of the Fire or Water element. It’s beneficial to install bright lights or place a fountain here.

If the poison arrow is coming from the Southwest or Northeast direction, then use the Wood or Metal element. For example, you can place a plant here or hang a wind chime.

Tip #2: Beware of poison arrows inside the home

You should be aware of poison arrows inside the house and ensure that you or any members of your family are not sleeping directly beneath exposed beams, as these will cause frequent illness, headaches, and an inability to sleep peacefully.

Tip #3: Sleep With Your Head Pointed To Your Tien Yi Direction

Each of us should sleep with our heads pointed to our health direction – Tien Yi. The Tien Yi direction is the direction of the Heavenly Doctor.

To get your personalized Tien Yi direction, you need to use your date of birth to calculate the number and refer to the table below. The following is the formula to calculate your health direction.

Formula:

Take the last two digits from the year of your birth and add them up until they become a single-digit number. Then if you are male, use 10 minus the single-digit number. If you are female, add 5 to the single-digit number.

For example, you are male born in 1976.

7 + 6 = 13

1 + 3 = 4

10 – 4 = 6

So, the final number is 6. When you refer to the table below, search for number 6. And, your Tien Yi direction is Northeast.

If you are female born in 1976, the calculation will be as follows:

7 + 6 = 13

1 + 3 = 4

5 + 4 = 9

So, the final number is 9. When you refer to the table below, search for number 9. And, your Tien Yi direction is Southeast.

Feng Shui For Health Tien Yi Direction table Image

Once you know your Tien Yi direction, you can effectively tap into the cosmic energy of the universe to receive a flow of good healthy Chi into the body through your Crown chakra while you are sleeping. And if you accompany the sleep with a powerful visualization you will infuse your body with vital energy. To do this, just before you fall asleep, simply visualize a very bright white light entering your body through your Crown chakra.

Tip #4: Make Sure That Your Bedroom Is Not Cluttered

It is impossible to create good Feng Shui for health and longevity if your bedroom is cluttered! Good energy in your bedroom is essential for good health! When we sleep, we need to make sure that all the energy that enters our bodies complements and animates us, is favorable. Therefore, it is so important to make sure that your bedroom is not cluttered.

Ensure that there are no pockets of severely bad Yin energy caused by stale air. Make sure that there are no corners where you have perpetual piles of dirty laundry. It is vital to keep the bedroom free of clutter and to make sure your bed sheets and pillow cases get cleaned and sunned regularly!

Do you sun your bed sheets and pillow cases? This is like a Yang energy bath in sunshine. Take your pillows and (if possible) your mattresses into the open area where there is bright sunshine, and give them a sunshine bath once a month. This is one of the best ways to ensure that the the Chi within your body moves very nicely when you sleep.

Tip #5: Take Care Of Your Health Sector

The East corner of your house represents good health for the family. If the East sector of your house has a good Feng Shui, family members will enjoy excellent health and live long lives. If this sector has bad Feng Shui, illness can befall the family.

To find out where the East sector is, check out my article “The Feng Shui Bagua Map: How to Use It?”.

To enhance the East sector, use plants. The element of the East is Wood. Therefore, placing a healthy and flourishing plant in the East will activate excellent health luck for residents of the house. But make sure that the plant appears green, lush, and well cared for. Also, remember to immediately trim any dead, dying, or yellowing leaves or branches. Plants that are diseased will attract sickness and deadly energy. Just keep in mind that any plant placed in the East sector of your home will reflect the health condition of the family members. Therefore, to prevent sickness, make sure your plants are healthy!

Tip #6: Display Fuk Luk Sau In The Dining Area

To have good Feng Shui in your eating and dining area, display the Deities Fuk Luk Sau in the dining area facing your dining table. Make sure that they are placed on a high side table in the dining room from where they are said to create auspicious Chi for the entire household.

Fuk Luk Sau bring you good health, wealth, and happiness. This is interpreted as longevity, prosperity, and power.

Tip #7: Place Wu Luo By Your Bedside

Wu Luo is a powerful health enhancer. It is known as a health gourd and said to contain the nectar of good health. As a Feng Shui cure, it is best to use a brass Wu Luo as the energy of the Metal element effectively exhausts illness Chi (which is of the Earth element). Placing a metal Wu Lou by your bedside will ensure that illness is kept at bay.

Tip #8: Display Sau In The East Corner Of Your Living Room

Sau is the God of Longevity. He is often depicted as an old man with a long forehead and holding a staff with a Wu Luo gourd hanging from it. In his other hand, he holds a peach. The peach is a symbol of immortality.

Display Sau in the East corner of your living room to promote good health and to guard you from premature death, fatal diseases and tragic accidents.

The Bottom Line

Chinese tradition has always been a big advocate of the belief that “Health is Wealth”. For the Chinese, longevity is one of three significant aspirations. Every prayer and every salutation includes the wish for a long life. You cannot enjoy your wealth unless you have good health.

By creating good Feng Shui for health you enhance the longevity and life span of all members of your household. Longevity does not mean only a healthy life but also one that is protected from fatal and life-threatening accidents and mishaps. In Feng Shui, we believe that prevention is better than cure. Then why not to safeguard yourself and your family by applying the above Feng Shui tips?