Massage: Get in touch with its many health benefitsA soothing massage can help you unwind, but that's not all. Explore the possible health benefits and risks of massage therapy, plus what to expect.By Mayo Clinic staffMassage is no longer available only through luxury spas and upscale health clubs. Today, massage therapy is offered in businesses, clinics, hospitals and even airports. If you've never tried massage, learn about the possible health benefits of massage and what to expect during a massage therapy session.What is massage?Massage is a general term for pressing, rubbing and manipulating your skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Massage therapists typically use their hands and fingers for massage but may also use their forearms, elbows and even feet. Massage may range from light stroking to deep pressure techniques.There are many different types of massage, including these common types:Swedish massage. This is a gentle form of massage that uses long strokes, kneading, deep circular movements, vibration and tapping to help relax and energize you.Deep-tissue massage. This massage technique uses slower, more forceful strokes to target the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue, commonly to help with muscle damage from injuries.Sports massage. This is similar to Swedish massage but is geared toward people involved in sport activities to help prevent or treat injuries.Trigger point massage. This massage focuses on trigger points, or sensitive areas of tight muscle fibers that can form in your muscles after injuries or overuse.Benefits of massageMassage is generally considered part of complementary and alternative medicine. It's increasingly being offered along with standard treatment for a wide range of medical conditions and situations.While more research is needed to confirm the benefits of massage, some studies have found massage helpful for:Stress reliefManaging anxiety and depressionPainStiffnessBlood pressure controlInfant growthSports-related injuriesBoosting immunityCancer treatmentBeyond the benefits for specific conditions or diseases, some people enjoy massage because it often involves caring, comfort, a sense of empowerment and creating deep connections with their massage therapist.Despite its benefits, massage isn't meant as a replacement for regular medical care. Let your doctor know you're trying massage and be sure to follow any standard treatment plans you have.Risks of massageMassage is generally safe as long as it's done by a trained massage therapist. But massage isn't appropriate for everyone. Discuss massage with your doctor first in cases of:Unexplained pain or other symptomsBurns or open woundsCancerBlood clotsFracturesRheumatoid arthritisSevere osteoporosisPregnancySome forms of massage can leave you feeling a bit sore the next day. But massage shouldn't be painful or uncomfortable. If any part of your massage doesn't feel right or is painful, speak up right away. Most serious problems come from too much pressure during massage.In rare circumstances, massage can cause:Internal bleedingNerve damageTemporary paralysisAllergic reactions to massage oils or lotionsNext page(1 of 2)See AlsoRelaxation techniques: Try these steps to reduce stressMeditation: A simple, fast way to reduce stressExercise and stress: Get moving to combat stressYoga: Tap into the many health benefitsTai chi: Discover the many possible health benefitsVideo: Need to relax? Take a break for meditationVideo: Yoga for stress managementPrenatal yoga: What you need to knowYoga for kids: A good idea?Relaxation has important role in stress managementRetreats offer chance to recharge and refocusRelaxation can help relieve stress of having cancerCan I use yoga for weight loss?Biofeedback

No letter in life

It was just before 1130pm that we arrived at the Central post office to check the post box before leaving for Khumas a city about 100KM from Tripoli along the Mediterranean where I was posted at the Army training center. To our dismay there was nothing in the mail, my wife got very upset since there have been no news from home for almost six weeks. We decided to send a telegram. We were told that the official form to write the telegram was with the clerk at the counter. The gentleman sitting behind the counter was sipping his coffee, on my asking him for the form he informed me that "telegrams are sent in emergency situations only", I told him that I am fully aware of that, he gave me the form telling me that he knew English and will read it and send the telegram only if he thought it was urgent.

I wrote the telegram," No letters received, wire welfare"and took it to the clerk ,who read it and said , what is so urgent about it , i told him that my wife and myself are very upset as we have not received any letters from our homes for almost two months. He laughed and said so what is the urgency I have not received any letter in my life and I am not upset, however i take pity on you and will send this telegram, we thanked him and paid the telegram charges.

Every evening one has to go to the post office to check his mail box for any letter, cause there is no home delivery of letters in Libya, in fact there are no postmen. To get hold of a post box is another big thing, all the post boxes are already allotted and there are non available, so you share it with someone who is prepared to do so. I was fortunate to share it with my landlord , who offered the facility himself. The only problem was that I had to take the key from his shop which was close to the post office and return it after checking the mail,no mails on Friday as the shop was closed. I got the key made without his knowledge but always checked the mail with his key,except on holidays.

The Central Post Office where i had my post box was centrally located in the downtown of Tripoli. Every evening majority of foreigners will come over to check their mails and have a get together making the post office like a social club and a gossip center, Libyans used to wonder as to why the foreigners go there so regularly. one also got the news of availability of accommodations ,furniture, jobs and other important news over there. One used to look forward to going to the post office in the evenings.

The other funny thing was no one knew the postal charges to his country,every time you wanted to post a letter you had to stand in a long queue and when your turn came the postal clerk will weigh the letter and say a figure u pay and get the stamps and then drop it in the letter box. the charges will never be the same,though you may have written one page letter each time, besides the difference will be more than double at times. I decided to find out the exact amount of postal charges to Pakistan, I wrote two letters on two pages of the same letter pad and the text was also the same and written by the same pen and ink, the two envelops were taken from the same lot and the address was also the same. At the post office the clerk threw the mail on the weighing machine and said 11 Garsh (cents) for one and 42 for the other, i told him it is not possible ,either charge 11 or 42 for both of them, the clerk got very angry on being challenged and said he is in charge and it his words which will be final, a chaos started and the supervisor came and after listing to both sides he came up with the solution and said ok it is neither 11 nor 42 it will be 20 for each one of them, i said i agree if i get a whole sheet of 20 garsh stamps, he gave me two sheets of 10 garsh.i pasted 10 garsh stamp on each of those letters and posted it and it reached its destination in due course of time. From then on I always posted my letters to Pakistan with 10 garsh stamps on it.

DIABETIC EXCHANGE DIET

What is it? A diabetic exchange diet is a list of serving sizes of foods that you can choose to eat every day. These foods are divided into 6 groups. You need to eat the right number of servings from each food group every day to control your diabetes.
· Carbohydrates from food become blood sugar (glucose) in the body. In diabetes, the body does not make enough insulin, or the insulin it makes does not work properly. This causes the blood sugar to be too high.
· You can help control your blood sugar by limiting the carbohydrate and total calories in your diet. You may prevent kidney, eye, nerve, or heart problems by keeping your blood sugar within normal range.
· You will need to measure your food while on this diet. Most people on a diabetic exchange diet need to eat 3 meals and 1 to 3 snacks every day. You can exchange or trade one food for another from the same food group. For example, 1 slice of bread can be exchanged for 3/4 cup dry cereal. Or you can exchange 1/2 cup fruit juice for 1/2 of a 9 inch banana.

Carbohydrate Intake
· Read the labels of packaged foods to find out how many grams of carbohydrate a serving has in it. Check with your dietitian or caregiver before eating foods with the following:
o Added sugar, corn syrup, honey, molasses, maple syrup, jams and jellies.

· Talk with your dietitian/doctor before eating any foods on the "Carefully Use the Following Foods" section. These foods contain sweeteners that can make your blood sugar too high. You should eat healthy foods with your meals if you eat foods or drink liquids that contain sugar.
· The lists below tell you how much carbohydrate is in each food group. Eat only the amount that is on the food list. You also need to eat foods from the meat/meat substitute list and the fat's list to have a balanced diet.

Other Concerns
· Increase your activity level to help control your blood sugar. Talk to your dietitian/doctor about your exercise plan so your diet can be changed, if needed. You may need extra carbohydrate before exercise to keep your blood sugar from getting too low.
· Choose high fiber foods to help control your blood sugar. Examples of high fiber foods are fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads, cooked dried beans, and bran cereals.
· Talk with your caregiver if your blood sugar levels are too low or too high. Make sure your cholesterol and other blood lipids (fats) are checked at least once a year. A balanced diabetic diet will also help control the amount of cholesterol and other fat substances in your blood.
Serving Sizes:
Use the list below to measure foods and serving sizes. A serving size means the size of food after it is cooked or prepared.
· 1 pint or 2 cups (16 fluid ounces) of liquid is the size of 1-1/3 soda-pop cans.
· 1-1/2 cup (12 fluid ounces) of liquid is the size of a soda-pop can.
· 1 cup of food is the size of a large handful, or 8 fluid ounces of liquid.
· 1/2 cup of food is about half of a large handful, or 4 fluid ounces of liquid.
· 2 tablespoons (Tbsp) is about the size of a large walnut.
· 1 tablespoon (Tbsp) is about the size of the tip of your thumb (from the last crease).
· 1 teaspoon (tsp) is about the size of the tip of your little finger (from the last crease).
· 3 ounces of cooked meat, fish, or poultry is about the size of a deck of cards.
· 1 ounce of cooked meat, fish, or poultry is about 1/4 cup (c).
· One ounce of hard cheese is about a 1 inch cube.
· A serving of vegetables is 1/2 cup (1/2 handful) cooked, or 1 cup (1 handful) raw.
Breads and Starches: Each serving below has about 15 grams carbohydrate. Eat ____ servings a day from this list. Most people need 6-11 servings a day.
· 1 slice bread (4-inch square) or small (2-inch square) dinner roll
· 1/2 cup cooked cereal
· 1/2 cup corn or 1 medium corn on the cob
· 6 saltine crackers or three 2-1/2 inch squares graham crackers
· 8 animal crackers
· 1/2 cup cooked dried beans (like kidney, pinto, lentils, chick peas, white, or navy)
· 1/2 of an English muffin, or hot dog bun, hamburger bun, or frozen 3-inch bagel
· 1/2 cup cooked green peas or lima beans
· 4 slices melba toast or 24 oyster crackers
· 1/2 cup cooked pasta, mashed potatoes, winter squash, or corn
· 1/2 of 6-inch piece pita bread or 1 6-inch tortilla
· 3 cups popped popcorn without added oil or butter
· 1 3-inch baked potato
· 3/4 ounce pretzels or 1 ounce low fat potato chips
· 1/3 cup cooked rice
· 2 rice cakes (4-inches across)
Fruit: Each serving below has about 15 grams carbohydrate. Eat ____servings a day from this list. Most people need 3-5 servings per day.
· 1 medium (3 inch) apple, peach, or orange
· 1 small (5-inch) banana or 1/2 of a large (9-inch) banana
· 17 small or 12 large grapes (any kind)
· 1 kiwi fruit
· 1 cup cubed melon (cantaloupe, honeydew, or others)
· 1/2 of a large (4-1/2 inch) pear
· 1/2 cup pineapple or other fruit canned in water
· 2 small plums or 3 dried prunes
· 2 Tbsp raisins (any kind) or 1/4 cup dried fruit
· 1-1/4 cup whole strawberries
· 1-1/2 cup cubed watermelon
Vegetables: Each serving below has about 5 grams carbohydrate. Only count a vegetable as carbohydrate if you have more than 2 servings per meal. Eat ____ servings per day from this list. Most people need 3-5 servings per day. One serving is 1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked of most vegetables.
· Asparagus
· Beets or turnips
· Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower
· Carrots
· Celery, radishes, or cucumbers
· Eggplant
· Green beans or wax beans
· Kale, mustard, turnip, or collard greens
· Mixed vegetables (without corn or peas)
· Mushrooms
· Onions (all kinds)
· Pea pods
· Peppers (all kinds)
· Salad greens (lettuce, romaine, spinach)
· Summer or zucchini squash
· Tomatoes (fresh or canned)
Dairy: Each serving below has about 12 grams carbohydrate. Eat ____ servings per day from this list. Most people need 2-4 servings per day.
· 1/3 cup nonfat dry milk
· 1/2 cup evaporated milk
· 1 cup skim, 1%, or 2% milk
· 1 cup plain or sugar-free yogurt
· 1 cup skim or low fat buttermilk
Meat / Meat Substitutes: These foods do not count as carbohydrates. The amounts listed below mean cooked serving sizes. Eat ____ portions per day from this list. Most people need 4-8 ounces or portions from this list per day.
· 1 ounce chicken or turkey without skin
· 1/4 cup low fat cottage or ricotta cheese
· 1 inch cube or 1 ounce low fat solid cheese
· 1 large egg or 1/4 cup egg substitute (no more than 3 eggs each week)
· 1 ounce fish (not breaded or fried)
· 1 ounce lean beef, pork, or lamb
· 1/4 cup canned tuna or salmon
· 1/2 cup tofu
Fats: These foods do not count as carbohydrates. Eat ____ servings per day from this list. Most people need 2-4 servings per day.
· 6 almonds or cashews, 10 peanuts, or 4 pecan halves
· 1/8 of a medium avocado
· 1 Tbsp regular cream cheese or 2 Tbsp low fat cream cheese
· 1 tsp oil, like safflower, canola, corn, or olive
· 1 tsp regular margarine or 2 tsp low fat margarine
· 1 tsp regular mayonnaise or 1 Tbsp low fat mayonnaise
· 8 ripe olives or 10 green stuffed olives
· 2 tsp peanut butter
· 1 Tbsp regular salad dressing or 2 Tbsp low fat salad dressing
· 2 tsp sesame butter or tahini
Combination Foods: Each serving contains about 15 grams carbohydrate. Eat ____ servings per day from this list. Most people need 1-3 servings per day.
· 1/2 cup of any casserole, like tuna or chicken noodle, macaroni and cheese, chili with meat, or spaghetti and meat sauce
· 1 cup cream, bean, tomato, or vegetable soup
· 1/8 of a 10-inch pizza
· 1/2 of a store-bought pot pie, like chicken, turkey, or beef
· One 3 ounce taco
Free Food Lists: The foods on this list have very few calories and should not change your blood sugar if you do not eat too much of them. You may have 3 servings a day from this list. Eat only the amount listed and count it as 1 serving.
· 1 Tbsp catsup
· 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
· 1 Tbsp fat-free cream cheese
· 1-1/2 large dill pickles
· 2 tsp low sugar or light jam or jelly
· 4 Tbsp fat-free margarine or fat-free mayonnaise
· 1 Tbsp fat-free salad dressing or fat-free sour cream
· 1/4 cup salsa
· 2 Tbsp sugar-free syrup
· 1 Tbsp taco sauce
You may have these foods as often as you want.
· Artificial sweeteners that contain aspartame (ah-spar-tame) or saccharin (sah-kuh-run)
· Bouillon or fat-free broth
· Bubbly or mineral water
· Horseradish
· Lemon or lime juice
· Mustard
· Seasonings, like herbs, spices, garlic, and flavor extracts (vanilla, almond, and others)
· Sugar-free drink mixes or gum
· Sugar-free gelatin without added fruit
· Sugar-free soda pop
· Vinegar
Carefully Use the Following Foods: Do not use these foods until you have talked to your dietitian/doctor. Eat only the amounts that your dietitian has said are OK. These foods contain simple sugars and will increase your blood sugar if you eat too much of them.
· Cake, cookies, and candy, Frosting
· Corn sugar or corn syrup
· Dextrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, and sucrose
· Granola bars
· Honey, molasses, and syrups
· Ice cream, Regular soda pop
· Jelly and jam
· Pie, pastries, sweet rolls, and donuts
· Powdered, brown, or granulated sugar
· Sugar-covered cereals--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Libyan Experiences

I have always wanted to share my experiences in life with my friends but thought not worthy of it, till my neighbour, friend and coffee mate encouraged me to Blog down the stories I had been telling him off and on. This is the first one .
In 1974 I went to Libya on deputation to serve in the Libyan Army, this was going to be my first trip abroad. I had got married only a few months ago. Maj.Abdullah Aswad who came to select the doctors from Pakistan told us not bring any thing except for a suitcase of clothes as we were to get a fully furnished accommodation. He also gave us the address to let him know of our arrival date so that arrangements to pick us up may be made. On 6th of Sept 1974 Shahla and myself left for Libya via Jeddah where we wanted to perform Umrah. Not knowing that i needed a special Umrah Visa to do that , we only got the transit Visa for 48 hours. How we performed the Umrah is another story which I will post later.
We arrived Tripoli two days later, to our utmost surprise there was no one to receiver us at the airport, the customs and immigration staff treated us as if we were not supposed to be there and were trying to sneak in their country,to top it all I did not know a word of Arabic and they only knew Arabic, all the signs at the airport were also in Arabic, with great difficulty we manage to come out and started looking for someone to escort us to our hotel, but found none. We were relieved to see Mazhar Hussain (one of Shala's cousin s working in Libya). With his help and his broken Arabic we managed to get a Taxi, and started on a hotel hunt. After about couple of hours and almost all the decent hotels in the city of Tripoli the Taxi driver dumped us at Mediterranean Hotel and refused to take us any where else. Here too we faced the same problem No room since we did not have any reference or any previous reservation neither did we have any local identification, I told the reception clerk that I will sit in the lounge the whole night and will get the letter from army in the morning,my newly wedded wife was very disturbed and confused at the whole episode. the clerk took pity on us and gave us a room with the promise that I will get the letter next day. We stayed in the hotel for almost a month and nobody ever asked for any letter or identification or any other document.
The next day I managed to contact Maj. Abdullah Aswad with great difficulty, a car was sent to fetch me from the hotel. I was told two things, i will get the hotel rent only for two days , No accommodation will be provided by the army, on my reminding him of his instructions at Karachi ,he sarcastically said ,"we gave the best house on the base to your General and he shifted to a private flat after a week most of the senior officer who came before me have shifted out so we decided to give you the money and not the accommodation". That was the end of the subject. I came back to the hotel with a long face with the letter to the manager to accommodate me for two days in the hotel on Army's expense,no body asked me for it and I continued to stay there.
Next day I resumed duty at the Army training center, I was guided to the commanding officer office, on my knocking his door he said "Naam" and I said Shamimuddin, nome thing happened and i knocked again and this time he again said "Naam a little loudly and i repeated my name a little more loudly,he kept writing something and did not even look up , so I knocked again this time more loudly and he shouted very loudly and rather angrily "Naam"and I replied in the same volume , he looked up and started laughing and called me in and told me that Naam means "yes". I was offered Coffee or Miranda (Orange cola ). I prefered to have Coffee, and was offered a small cup of black coffee and a glass of cold water, the first sip of coffee reminded me of most bitter medicine (Quinine) I ever had, thanks for the glass of water which helped me in swallowing the small amount of that bitter coffee that was the end of my coffee. I was instructed to sign the attendance register every morning at the CO's office. The routine began after signing the register I would be offered a drink of coffee or Miranda and then to work . After sometime one day my CO Capt Mustafa asked me that first day I had asked for coffee and never after that I had it again, I told him the reason ,to which he said that from now on i will only get coffee in his office to develop the taste , which i did and now I do not like coffee with milk or sugar.
Now the first day at work , after the bitter coffee I was guided to my room which was in a long trailer on wheels, there were a number of soldiers in uniform standing around , I was introduced to the guy sitting inside wearing a white coat over his uniform, since everyone was speaking only Arabic I did not understand a word , however the they all seem to be very friendly and polite. I was shown to my table and a chair placed in a small portioned room of the trailer, the first patient walks in and sits on the stool next to my table and starts telling me about his ailment in fluent Arabic, I did not understand a word......my nursing assistant comes to my help and tells me in broken English that the patients needs tablets for fever which was given to him.
the day passed and I saw a number of patients in the similar fashion , not knowing what the patients complain or ailment was what was the diagnosis leave alone treatment. After finishing the sick parade I totally felt like a quack. In the evening I visited a col luge of mine who had been here for a longer time, i told him about the morning, he laughed and said it happens to all of us, he then took out a note book and gave it to me,the note book contained the English translation of all the com man medical complaints like fever ,head ache etc, it also had the com man question written in Arabic but Urdu style, he told me that when a patient comes to me i should begin 'what is your problem " written in the book ,the patient will start talking and I can think of any thing i want,once he finishes ,then start asking if he has any of the symptoms mentioned in the note book , and give treatment for that. Thank God most of them were healthy and fit soldiers and did not need treatment, this went on till I learnt to speak reasonably good Arabic.

The other day a young person asked me how I felt about being older. I was taken aback, for I do not think of myself as old. Upon seeing my reaction, he was immediately embarrassed, but I explained that it was an
interesting question, and I would ponder it, and let him know.


Growing Older, I decided, is a gift. I am now, probably for the first time
in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometime despair
over my body. the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the cellulite. And often I am
Taken aback by that older person that lives in my mirror, but I don't agonize over those things for long.

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, and my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself.

I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or
for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avant garde on my patio.
I am entitled to be messy, to be extravagant, and to smell the flowers. I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging. Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4a.m and then sleep until -- ? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60's & 70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a
lost love I will. I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over A bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the bikini set.

They, too, will get old. (If they're lucky) I know I am sometimes forgetful.
But then again, some of life is just as well forgotten and I eventually remember the important things.
Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a
loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when a beloved pet gets hit by a car?
But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion.

A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy
Of being imperfect. I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my
hair turn gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into grooves
on my face.

So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could
turn silver. I can say "no,! and mean it. I can say "yes." and mean it.
As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other
People think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be
wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being older. It has set me free. I
Like the person I have become.

I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not
Waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every
single day... (If I want).

Today, I wish you a day of ordinary miracles.

Love simply
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.

Leave the rest to God!!!!!!!!!!