The Star Online: Lifestyle: Health
The Star Online: Lifestyle: Health |
| Posted: 21 Aug 2011 03:04 AM PDT Harnessing the power of silence enables one to achieve inner silence, connect with the inner voice, and achieve inner peace. RECENTLY, I attended a five-day interfaith spiritual retreat held at the Global Retreat Centre (GRC), Oxford, England, as a guest of the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (BKWSU). Thirty five religious leaders, scholars, spiritual teachers and peace advocates of many religions from all over the world gathered to share and learn about the power of silence. We exchanged views and learned from one another; and also received guidance from our hostess and main facilitator, Dadi Janki, head of BKWSU. The GRC is situated in the countryside just at the edge of Oxford town. It was the palatial home of British aristocrats, and had hosted the monarchs on several occasions. Its grandeur has been painstakingly preserved although it is now fitted with all the modern amenities. It sits on 55 acres of beautifully-landscaped undulating land, through which the river Thames meanders. It was the midst of summer and the weather was perfect. The roses, lavender and other colourful flowers were in full bloom. The gardens and fields were lovingly tended by the gardeners, and the huge old trees added mystery to the whole place. There is even an old church on a hillock that is preserved as a heritage. A perfect setting for movies, and indeed some scenes of the Harry Potter series were shot here. The "House" itself has many august meeting and dining rooms, and many more bedrooms. Since its conversion to a retreat centre, the rooms are like comfortable hotel rooms, with plush beddings, minus the TV. The fresh air and the extremely comfortable bed made waking up quite a challenge! Our main meeting room was like a royal chamber, with grand chandeliers and huge paintings adorning the walls. Under this "royal" surrounding, we deliberated on how to achieve inner silence, to connect with the inner voice, and to achieve inner peace; and how to incorporate this into our lives and our work. The theme was "The Inner Voice – Exploring the impact of inner stillness in our lives and in the world". Inner silence At the GRC, we observed a minute's silence at the start of every hour. Soothing music would be played, and we would stop everything, and just retreat silently into ourselves, clear our minds and be ready to continue whatever we were doing with a fresh clear start. This hourly minute's silence is regarded as "traffic control" – that is, it serves to unclutter the traffic jam that often exists in our minds the moment we wake up and start thinking about the things we have to do, and the problems that surround our lives, and our world. Every session and every new discussion began and ended with a minute's silence. Thus we never rushed into the sessions nor ended in a huff. The silence made sure we were settled and grounded before we deliberated. Even when there was so much to discuss, we never missed the silence breaks. The main purpose of the retreat was to practise inner silence so that we can start to listen to our inner voice, and to discover the power that this inner silence can bring. But we cannot hear the inner voice if we are also talking at the same time. We can also listen to others better if we can silence ourselves. The silent mind All of us have experienced being silent, but it is not just the silence of the voice that is required, but also the silence of the mind – from all the clutter, worries: personal, family, work and a million other matters. If the mind is preoccupied with worldly issues, even the silent person is "noisy" inside. The challenge therefore is to have a calm, silent, and peaceful mind. Vocal silence is only the first, but essential step. Dadi Janki had been officially declared as having the world's most stable mind many years ago, after a series of tests were done in the US. So we had the most qualified person to guide us on how to achieve this. But her method was not to wire us up to sophisticated mind machines or put us through tenuous meditations. Instead she guided us on how to achieve a stable, calm and peaceful mind the way she achieved hers – by always connecting with the Divine; having purity of heart and purpose; being at peace with oneself and the world; being loving and doing things with sincerity and love; and being happy and making others happy. These four attributes gave her the power to be in charge of her mind – her thoughts, her feelings, her actions and her reactions; and ultimately, having the power to be in charge of her life. Meditation is important, but only as a practice to remove all distractions so that we can reflect upon these virtues, imprint them in our hearts and minds, and then live according to them. Meditation, prayers and rituals are useless if they do not transform your personality to become more virtuous, and for believers, more God-conscious too. The inner voice What is the inner voice? It is the voice of your conscience. It is the voice that will only speak the truth and what is good. It is the voice that is free from prejudice, emotions and bias. It is the voice of your pure, uncorrupted soul. For believers, it is the voice of the Divine spirit in them. If you listen to this voice, you will have wise guidance on how to lead your life harmoniously and successfully. However, most of us are too busy with so many things, and our minds are full of criss-crossing thoughts (even when we are alone in silence) that drown our inner voice. So most of the time we don't even hear the inner voice; and the times that we do hear, we are most likely to ignore it as there are too many other voices speaking in our mind and we cannot discern which ones are inner guidance and which ones are rubbish. Two major prerequisites are needed to hear and be able to listen to the inner voice – a clear mind and a pure heart. The clear mind can be trained to focus, and the immense potential of the mind can be unleashed. The clear mind does not necessarily co-exist with a pure heart. Thus it is possible for the trained, focused mind to use its powers for evil. The pure heart is bathed by the spiritual virtues of purity, peace, love, compassion, forgiveness, happiness, etc. The pure heart, however, always co-exists with a clear mind, as the pure heart always clears and stabilises the mind, but the reverse is not always true. Those who practise meditation or mind training and are able to control their minds, but do not have pure hearts, will acquire some powers of the mind but will not be fully guided by the inner spirit. Since some readers may not believe in the existence of the Divine or in the unseen, and this is not a column on spirituality, I will not delve too much into what can be achieved by the spirit empowered by a pure heart. However, while we are aware of some incredible things some individuals can do with the power of their minds, these pale in comparison to what the spiritual masters can do with the power of their spirit. The power of the mind It is said that what the mind conceives and believes, can be achieved. In other words, you are what you think; you create your life – you are what you are today because of the consequences of your thoughts; you have the power to determine the future; change your thinking, and change your life. The above are some familiar motivational quotes, which may sound too simplistic. However, all the statements are true. All actions begin within the mind as thoughts. An action that is repeated becomes a habit. Many such habits create your character. Thus a person who is habitually truthful, kind, conscientious, punctual, disciplined, compassionate and generous develops a praiseworthy character that is certain to bring success. Likewise, all bad actions also start in the mind. Even wars begin in the minds of the leaders who have the power to move their armies. Bad thoughts, if not suppressed, will translate to bad actions, bad habits and bad character. All bad thoughts can be suppressed and replaced by good thoughts. Bad habits can be stopped and bad character improved through retraining the mind. But can the impact go beyond the person? Certainly so. Spiritual masters have shown us that their good teachings, as exemplified by their own sublime characters, can change their followers, their communities, and even the world. The Brahma Kumaris success story So it was with the story of Brahma Kumaris (BK). Its founder was a devout Hindu, Dada Lekhraj Kripalani (1876-1969, now affectionately known as Brahma Baba). He started his satsangs (gatherings for spiritual discourses) in the 1930's, and founded the movement (originally as Om Mandali) in 1937 in Karachi, which was then in India. It moved to Mt. Abu (its present headquarters) in 1950, after the partition of India. Now the movement has about 2,000 centres across the world, being active in over 100 countries, including Malaysia. Like all spiritual movements, it had its share of controversies, but its success speaks for itself. Every centre offers talks, workshops and retreats on RajaYoga meditation and self-development to members and the public. Incredibly, all their programmes are offered free of charge! This success is achieved through the dedication and sacrifice of unselfish men and women who devote their lives to serving God, and serving humanity. Even more remarkable is that the global organisation is headed mainly by women, and women make up most of the members and volunteers. There are superhumans who can bend spoons, create fire and do mind-boggling feats using the power of their minds, but these have little impact for humanity, compared to the goodness that spiritual masters bring to the world by combining the power of their minds with their pure hearts. And the good work of these spiritual masters continue to benefit humanity through their followers, just as the Brahma Kumaris continue to bring positive change to the lives of people throughout the world. Dr Amir Farid Isahak is a medical specialist who practises holistic, aesthetic and anti-ageing medicine. He is a qigong master and founder of SuperQigong. For further information, e-mail starhealth@thestar.com.my. The views expressed are those of the writer and readers are advised to always consult expert advice before undertaking any changes to their lifestyles. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information. |
| Posted: 21 Aug 2011 03:02 AM PDT Fifteen participants begin their journey to a smoke-free life in a quit smoking challenge. GLAXOSMITHKLINE Consumer Healthcare Sdn Bhd's (GSK) Quit Smoking Challenge has selected 15 participants to begin their quest to a smoke-free life via the 12-week Quit Smoking Challenge. These 15 participants will battle their addiction to cigarettes, with the help of nicotine replacement therapy and the counsel of pharmacists who are Certified Smoking Cessation Service Providers (CSCSP). The selected participants were amongst hundreds of smokers who submitted their applications via the official Quit Smoking Challenge website (www.quit.com.my) and at roadshows around the Klang Valley. The Quit Smoking Challenge is a campaign that highlights the comprehensive methods proven to help smokers kick their cigarette addiction, including aids such as Nicotine Replacement Therapy and Behavioural Counselling provided by pharmacists who are CSCSP. Organised with the support of the Health Ministry, the programme aims to let the public share the real-life experiences of the 15 participants in their journey to quit smoking. "This one-of-a-kind Quit Smoking Challenge is one of the only smoking cessation campaigns in the world to showcase the experiences of average smokers when trying to quit their cigarette addition. I consider the main purpose of the Quit Smoking Challenge to be educating the public on how having the proper tools can improve your chances of success, and how expert advice and counselling, as well as strong support from family and friends, can make a lot of difference to a smoker's effort to quit smoking," said Victor Cheong, head of marketing for Oral Care and Nicotine Replacement Therapy for Malaysia and Singapore, and area brand leader for Sensodyne South Asia at GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Sdn Bhd. Cheong added: "The big and small challenges and rewards these people experience will help paint a clearer picture of the quit smoking process so that all other smokers out there can have the confidence that quitting smoking is not beyond their ability. There are proven ways to aid smoking cessation and we want to give all smokers in Malaysia the knowledge to start on their own journey towards a smoke-free life." "I'm really excited to have the opportunity to be part of a reality challenge that offers the ultimate prize of good health and better quality of life. Besides, I feel honoured and inspired that other Malaysians will be looking at me as a kind of role model and I hope there will be many people who will be reading my blog page," said primary school teacher Mohd Ridhwan Ibrahim. Ridhwan, 32, also hoped that young people such as his students will also encourage their relatives and friends to quit. Another participant, Ooi Kheng Keat, credited his family for motivating him to quit. "My wife has wanted me to quit ever since we first met. Now my four-year-old daughter is joining her mother in encouraging me to quit. I have waited so long to gather courage, and the opportunity provided by the Quit Smoking Challenge is the perfect push that made me decide to quit," added Ooi, a 38-year-old father of two. The 15 participants will be sharing their trials and tribulations in their journey towards a smoke-free life via their weekly blog posts on the Quit Smoking Challenge website. The public are invited to follow the participants' journey towards quitting smoking and post messages of encouragement on their blog pages. The best message every week will win an attractive mystery prize. Members of the public are also encouraged to "like" their favourite participant via their official blog page, as the participant with the most "likes" every week will also receive an additional boost of a mystery gift. |
| Posted: 21 Aug 2011 03:00 AM PDT A combination of LDL cholesterol- and blood pressure-lowering medicines in a single pill has been shown to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. FOR Asian-Pacific patients in the Cluster Randomised Usual Care vs Caduet Investigation Assessing Long-term Risk (CRUCIAL) trial, treatment with amlodipine besylate/atorvastatin calcium plus usual care was associated with a significantly reduced calculated 10-year risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) compared with usual care alone. Usual care included physicians' choice of any locally approved medications for lowering blood pressure or cholesterol, including but not limited to amlodipine and atorvastatin, prescribed according to local clinical practice. Physicians in the combination therapy arm treated eligible patients with amlodipine besylate/atorvastatin calcium in addition to usual care, including, if needed, other blood pressure-lowering drugs. The data, based on two sub-analyses of CRUCIAL, were presented at the 43rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japan Atherosclerosis Society (JAS) in Sapporo, Japan. Study design The CRUCIAL trial was designed to compare the impact on coronary heart disease of a combination therapy-based treatment (amlodipine besylate/atorvastatin calcium) strategy of simultaneously lowering blood pressure and cholesterol with that of usual care alone. CRUCIAL was a 12-month, international, multicentre, prospective, cluster-randomised, parallel-design, open-label trial conducted in 19 countries in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America. In the trial, 136 physicians were randomised to either amlodipine besylate/atorvastatin calcium or usual care. The physicians then treated a total of 1,461 men and women aged 35 to 79 who had hypertension, three or more cardiovascular risk factors, no CHD, and total cholesterol ≤6.5 mmol/l (250 mg/dl) with their assigned therapy. In CRUCIAL, amlodipine besylate/atorvastatin calcium was generally well-tolerated. The adverse event profile in the combination therapy arm was consistent with previous safety experience for this medication. "While blood pressure is generally well-controlled in some Asian countries, it is still poorly controlled in most Asian countries. Furthermore, it is important to keep in mind that high LDL cholesterol is also a critical risk factor for heart disease," said Dr Jae-Hyung Kim, a CRUCIAL trial investigator and one of the lead authors of the two sub-analyses. "Our findings presented at JAS showed that controlling both hypertension and LDL cholesterol with amlodipine besylate/atorvastatin calcium plus usual care reduced calculated CHD risk for CRUCIAL patients, regardless of their ethnicity, compared with usual care alone." High blood pressure and high cholesterol are both risk factors for various forms of cardiovascular disease. The third National Health and Morbidity Survey (Malaysia) of 2006 showed that the prevalence of hypertension among Malaysian adults 30 years old and above was 43%. In 2008, it was estimated that there were 4.8 million individuals with hypertension in Malaysia. The 2006 survey also found that 1.7 million female Malaysian and 1.1 million male Malaysians had high cholesterol . "With the statistics surrounding high blood pressure and high cholesterol – some of the risk factors for CHD – there is an urgency to give patients in Malaysia an effective way to control their condition," said Dr Vicknesh Welluppillai, who is the medical director of Pfizer Malaysia. "Thus, this availability of data on Asian-Pacific patients, inclusive of Malaysians, provides clinicians an innovative, effective way of controlling high blood pressure and high cholesterol, subsequently lowering the risk of CHD occurrence," concluded Dr Vicknesh. An effective combination The combination therapy is a prescription therapy that combines two medications, amlodipine besylate and atorvastatin calcium. Amlodipine besylate is used to treat high blood pressure, chest pain, and blocked arteries of the heart. Atorvastatin calcium is used along with a low-fat diet to lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. It can also help raise HDL ("good") cholesterol. Atorvastatin calcium has been shown to lower the risk of heart attack, stroke, chest pain and certain types of heart surgery in patients who have heart disease or risk factors for heart disease such as advanced age, smoking, high blood pressure, low HDL cholesterol or a family history of early heart disease. It can also lower the risk of heart attack or stroke in patients with diabetes and risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure or diabetic eye or kidney problems. In addition to diet and exercise, the amlodipine besylate/atorvastatin calcium combination therapy is one of many options that patients and physicians may consider for treating high blood pressure and cholesterol. In the first sub-analysis, for the 448 CRUCIAL patients who resided in Asia (mainly Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand), treatment with amlodipine besylate/atorvastatin calcium plus usual care was associated with a significantly greater reduction in calculated 10-year risk for CHD after one year of follow-up compared with usual care alone. Heart disease risk was assessed using a Framingham model, which was derived from primarily Caucasian patients in the United States and calculates the risk based on a combination of health and lifestyle factors, including sex, age, blood pressure, total or LDL-cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, smoking and diabetes status. According to the second sub-analysis, for the same 448 Asian patients in CRUCIAL, amlodipine besylate/atorvastatin calcium plus usual care was also associated with a significantly reduced 10-year risk of CHD based on the NIPPON DATA80 risk-assessment model, compared with usual care alone. The NIPPON DATA80 model was derived from Japanese patients and calculates CHD risk based on age, smoking habits, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol and diabetes status. However, amlodipine besylate/atorvastatin calcium is not for everyone. Before taking this combination therapy, consult with your doctor. |
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