Humanity may have originated in the woods

HUMANITY MAY HAVE ORIGINATD IN THE

 WOODS

The immediate ancestor of humans may have lived exclusively on leaves, fruits, wood and bark instead of a menu based on open savanna as other extinct relatives of humanity did, scientists say. The findings, published in the journal Nature, are based on two million years fossils of the extinct hominine Australopithecus sediba.

Au-sediba’s mix of human and primitive traits has made a strong case for it being the immediate ancestor of human lineage. Chimpanzees, humans’ closest living relatives, prefer fruits and leave even when grasses are abundant. By contrast, extinct humans’ species preferred diets richer in grasses or grass eating animals. The findings suggest there wasn’t a single, straight line from an early, primitive hominine to humans, said study author Amanda Henry, a paleoanthropologist at Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany.”Many of our ancestors and relatives branched out, tried new things and generally worked at doing what was best in their environment at that particular time,” Henry was quoted as saying by Live Science. 

From

                                       DC 29.06.2012.

BELLY FAT MAY BOOST IMMUNITY!

BELLY FAT MAY BOOST IMMUNITY!

A particular kind of stomach fat previously thought to serve little purpose, may in fact play an important role in regulating the immune system, researchers say.

Scientists believe that the new finding could lead to new drugs being developed for organ transplant patients with auto-immune diseases such as lupus and Crohn’s disease.

The stomach fat identified by the researchers  at Loyola University Chicago is the omentum, a sheet of fatty tissue attached to the stomach that hangs down in front of the intestines providing a protective cushion.

The omentom is one of the main fat –storage depots in the body and thickens as fat accumulates there, expanding the skin depending on how much fat is being carried.

“It is shaped like an apron and can stretch like pizza dough,” Makio Iwashima, one of the scientists behind the discovery, said.

“Although its physiological function is not understood, doctors have known for many years that attaching omentum to damaged organs heped the tissue to heal – a procedure Known as ‘Omentun transposition,” he said.

DC 27 June 2012.

BACK PAIN? TRY IT !

MAKARASANAM (CROCODILE POSE)

To begin, lie down on your abdomen with your legs straight and keep them apart with your toes pointing out to the sides.

Hold onto your biceps in front of  you and drop your forehead onto your arm with your eyes closed.

Allow yourself to be comfortable and relaxed and bring your awareness to your breathing in the navel centre.

As you inhale, feel your breath reaching the lower abdomen and as you exhale, relax in to the floor.

Stay in the position for about five to ten minutes.

BHUJANGASANAM (SNAKE POSE)

To begin, lie down on your abdomen with your legs straight and keep them closely with your toes pointing back.

Place your paw in front of your shoulders and touch your chin to the floor.

As you inhale raise your head and chest from your navel. Breath normally and stay sometime in this position. Then come back to the Makarasana position with exhale.

This pose improve blood circulation to the uterus, normalises menstrual cycle, relieves cramps and pain in women.

For men, it helps improves blood circulation to the testes, stimulates the prostrate gland and keeps  the reproductive organs healthy. It is an excellent pose for  high stress and lower back pain. It helps strengthen the diaphragm and increases lung capacity

This poses improve blood circulation to the uterus, normalises menstrual cycle, relieves cramps and pain in women.

For men, it helps improves blood circulation to the testes, stimulates the prostrate gland and keeps  the reproductive organs healthy. It is an excellent pose for  high stress and lower back pain. It helps strengthen the diaphragm and increases lung capacity

BURNING FAT

SQAT ON TOES

Stand with your feet together and place your hands on your hips. Lean forward slightly (safe on knees ) and bend your knees in the half squat pose (look at picture for position) Now bring your arms straight in front of you with your palms facing down. Now slowly raise your heels off the floor. Hold this pose for at least twenty seconds. Repeat the same process two three times. If you cannot raise your  heels , keep your feet flat on the floor.

BENEFITS:

Squatting  in toes is very effective in burning fat in thighs.

 This yoga pose helps in making your thighs firm.

 It also helps tone buttocks and strengthen hips, knee and ankle joints    

Gastric trouble?

ARDHA PAVANAMUKTASANA & POORNA PAVANA MUKTASANA (WIND ELIMINATING POSE)

To begin, lie down on your back with your legs straight and both arms stretched above your head. First take a deep inhalation, hold your breath and bring your right leg close to your chest and hug with both arms. Touch your knee with your forehead. As you exhale, release in to the starting position. Repeat with the other side. This is one round. Practice 10 rounds.

If doing with only one leg is easy for you, then practice and hug both legs together at the same time. Do 10 sets.

Benefits:

Like its name, Pavanamuktasana (The wind eliminating pose)is meant to relieve excess gas from the stomach. At the same time, it also helps to relive stiffness in the back, neck, ankles, knees and hip pain and also helps to open tight hips

For those who have gastric trouble, Try the Pavanamuthasana