Suryayog

Vitamin D ‘influences over 200 genes’

Szavanna — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:59:17 +0000

LONDON: Scientists, including an Indian-origin researcher, claim to have achieved a major breakthrough by mapping the points at which vitamin D interacts with human DNA and identified over 200 genes that it directly influences.

It is estimated that one billion people worldwide do not have sufficient sunshine vitamin. This deficiency is due to insufficient exposure to sun and in some cases due to poor diet.

Now, in a research, Dr Sreeram Ramagopalan from the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics and colleagues at University of Oxford have shown the extent to which vitamin D interacts with our DNA.

They used new DNA sequencing technology to create a map of vitamin D receptor binding across the genome. The vitamin D receptor is a protein activated by vitamin D, which attaches itself to DNA and thus influences what proteins are made from our genetic code.

The scientists found 2,776 binding sites for the vitamin D receptor along the length of the genome. These were unusually concentrated near a number of genes associated with susceptibility to autoimmune conditions like Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and even cancers.

They also showed that vitamin D had a significant effect on the activity of 229 genes including IRF8, previously associated with MS, and PTPN2, associated with Crohn’s disease and type 1 diabetes.

Take Off Those Anti-U.V. Sunglasses

Szavanna — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:50:36 +0000

“Since summer is trying to get a look in (at least here on the Cote d’Azur) I thought this might be a good time to mention one of my pet concerns.

A while ago, when we were talking about Vitamin D and glaucoma, I urged people to throw away their anti-u.v. sunglasses, saying I had read that light had to pass through the eyes to effect better absorption. I was challenged by another who said they’d never heard of that – only that it was important for just the skin to be exposed to sunlight.
Well, I’ve found the information I was trying to recall – in the Colour Healing Manual by Pauline Willis. She quotes Jacob Liberman (I have his book: Light: Medicine of The Future and he has also published another: Take Off Your Glasses). He says we are ‘beings of light and therefore need the natural light that radiates from the sun if we are to maintain our health’. John Ott also discovered the importance of u.v. light for the healthy growth of plants. I think we all know that without sunlight we, and most living things on this planet, would die quickly.

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Soorya Swami conducts training session

Szavanna — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:02:14 +0000

PATNA: Sooryayogs researcher and inventor Soorya Swami conducted Sooryayog training on the lawn of the Institute of Healing and Alternative Therapy during sunrise here on Wednesday.

About 100 people participated in the training session by directly looking towards the rising sun with a specially designed silver coin stuck between the two eyebrows.

Soorya Swami displayed the way to get the sun’s energy through the silver coin into the pineal gland located in the hypothalamus of the brain for secretion of pituitary harmones. The sun’s energy moves through the entire human body to activate all endocrine glands for release of harmones which develop immunity against any disease, he said.

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Breast cancer patients have low vitamin D levels

Szavanna — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:53:42 +0000

In a study of 166 women undergoing treatment for breast cancer, nearly 70 percent had low levels of vitamin D in their blood, according to the study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Breast Cancer Symposium in San Francisco.

The analysis showed women with late-stage disease and non-Caucasian women had even lower levels.

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Low vitamin D level not good for heart

Szavanna — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:32:45 +0000

Recent studies have identified low vitamin D levels as a common problem with many adverse health effects, including higher rates of cardiovascular disease.

People with vitamin D deficiency are at increased risk of high blood pressure (BP), heart failure and heart disease, according to Suzanne Judd, University of Alabama, Birmingham (UA-B) and Vin Tangpricha of Emory University.

In heart disease patients, low vitamin D may increase the risk of high blood pressure or sudden death. Vitamin D deficiency may also help explain the apparent links between osteoporosis-related fractures and heart failure.

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Vitamin D is ‘nature’s antibiotic’

Szavanna — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:30:27 +0000

Right from the health of your immune system to prevention of heart disease and even vulnerability to influenza, vitamin D is now seen as one of the most critical nutrients for overall health.

But it is also one of those most likely to be deficient – especially during winter when production of the “sunshine vitamin” almost grinds to a halt for people.

Analogs of the vitamin are even being considered for use as new therapies against tuberculosis, AIDS, and other concerns.

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Vitamin D ‘key to healthy brain’

Szavanna — Sun, 24 May 2009 08:47:20 +0000

Scientists have produced more evidence that vitamin D has an important role in keeping the brain in good Scientists have produced more evidence that vitamin D has an important role in keeping the brain in good working order in later life.working order in later life.

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One in seven US teens deficient in Vitamin D

Szavanna — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 08:08:08 +0000

“In children, vitamin D deficiency can interfere with bone mineralisation, leading to rickets. In adults, it is linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, immune dysfunction and hypertension. “

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Sun – the Almighty

Szavanna — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:22:21 +0000

Burning and Smouldering
The endless light of our life
Handsome still with a sweet
Smile on his face
Appears at six when
Alarm of his rings
Keeps watching all the while
gets angry and all of
a sudden make us hot
At times opens his umbrella
Neither fair nor black
But like a ‘SUNLOWER’
bright yellow
Life a useless
Without he, without
his mischief
Life an endless story
Descending down at eve
At the end of his
Day long trip
Waving goodbye
To the beloved

- Gopika Jayan

Advent of the solar era

Szavanna — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:21:22 +0000

It is heartening to note that the Solar Era has arrived. Electricity can now be produced through solar photovoltaic cells at a cost lower than from fossil fuels because of a much awaited technology breakthrough recently achieved by the American company Nanosolar. The shift from fossil fuels can save our environment from further deterioration. Drawing energy and inspiration from the sun humanity can achieve better physical and mental health also. If man adopts also a heliocentric life on earth in harmony with nature, the advent of a Solar Era would be complete.

The breakthrough in technology

A ray of good news for 2008 is the following: “Nanosolar, a U. S. based company has started shipping solar panels @$1.00 per peak watt, the long awaited break-even point. Now solar can compete with conventional sources, even coal.” The breakthrough in technology is to be able to produce photovoltaic (PV) cells nearly as easily and quickly as on a printing press, according to the Guardian of 2007 December 29. Rather than being confined to the roofs of smart homes, PV cells could eventually be put on a variety of small surfaces. Suddenly the possibility of solar electricity becoming as cheap as coal power has emerged with less time required to set up a power plant, less than one tenth of the time to set up a nuclear station. It is worth noting that Silicon Valley companies and the U.S. Government are financial supporters of Nanosolar that made the breakthrough.

The technology breakthrough achieved by Nanosolar, enables sale of solar panels at Rs. 40,000 per kW ($1/W). It makes production of electric power from solar energy economical enough now to compete with fossil fuels, which are rapidly depleting and highly polluting. This alternative to conventional sources is already recognized as a necessity for our sustainability in the future. To compete in cost with fossil fuel sources, the hope was that the solar energy cost would come down to a competitive level of Rs.40,000/kW in 10 years time, from what it had been at the very beginning of photovoltaic cell use at Rs. 4 crore/kW. We have reached that threshold now, ahead of the expectation. With $ at less than Rs.40, and oil at $100/barrel there is nothing to stop us from launching the new era and thriving in it with the advantage of early start. Let us welcome Nanosolar for bringing in the long-awaited breakthrough and apply our ingenuity to promote and improve on it.

Breakthrough in Health

The advent of the Solar Era is needed not only in our energy supply but also in the area of our physical health and mental well-being. A comprehensive transformation in our living style and attitude is needed to remove the underlying cause of most of our problems, but the key to it was missing. I have been in search of it in all my social activities, travels and thinking. At this stage of my search I feel a heliocentric culture would provide the key. Living a rich life in accordance with nature will be automatic and effortless if we draw not only energy but also inspiration from the sun. The example of the sun for giving light and life support to all equally, should inspire us in our treatment of fellow beings, irrespective of caste, creed and state of evolution. Living with brilliance and intensity with punctuality and dependability, we can emulate the example of the sun. The sun is burning itself to death and it provides the model for living a rich life of sacrifice, a prime value of our sustaining civilization and of all great cultures. Natural food, enjoyment of sunlight and heliotherapy when needed, can ensure good physical health to carry out our journey of life with joy effortlessly. The mental health that accrues through sun is experienced by all of us and it can be enhanced by efficient and scientific use of sunlight. Spiritual gains have been attained from time immemorial by seeking oneness with the sun through various practices. The Ramayana tells that Sri Rama gained the power from the Sun only, through the Adityahrdaya Mantra,.to conquer the invincible Ravana at last.

Herculean Task

Humanity is situated today like the great legendary Greek hero Heracles, who is more commonly known as Hercules from the Latin name. All the tasks (the 12 Labours) he was challenged with and he accomplished, were acts worth his heroism except the fifth, the cleaning out of the stables of Augeas, king of the Epeians in Elis, a son of the sun god Helios. He was challenged to finish the task unaided in a single day. The stables of the immense herd of cattle had not been cleaned in 30 years and there was a mountain of dirt and dung. Hercules, with all his strength would not be able to manage in a hundred years to finish this scavenger’s labour. A flash of creativity entered Hercules as he glimpsed at the swift river Alpheius glinting in the sun. He got the idea. Hercules dug a very narrow channel from the river source to the entrance of the stable. Water gushed with tremendous force and washed down all the accumulated dirt in no time leaving the stables clean as a slate, and depositing it in far-off Sicily to make it fertile. Like Hercules, humanity also has to meet the existential challenge. Just as he employed the accumulation of solar energy appearing as the immense flow energy of the river, humanity can have a way out of its impasse through solar energy. After years of neglect, the Augean stables of the world environment can be cleaned in a Herculean fashion by tapping solar energy. In the legend Hercules killed Augeas, the son of sun god and his sons for breach of trust of refusing to pay the promised reward, not for the neglect! Humanity, the offspring of the Sun, should not repeat the neglect of Augeas and continue to pollute the earth inviting his fate. The advent of the Solar Era offers us the alternative.

Surya Yog for Surya Yug

The advent of the Solar Era (Surya Yug) assures a sun-centred life on earth with complete harmony with nature. That includes not only the use of solar energy for all our needs but also a total transformation of man through the cleaning up of the Augean stables within him/her. Suryayog offers a daily procedure to wash away from within us the accumulated evil emotions and influences and acquire total health physically, mentally and spiritually. This is done by individual effort in a complementary group setting in communion with the Sun. A natural procedure of receiving and directing the intense flow of light and love from the Sun is followed and the intense flow is directed within and without for the wellbeing of all. Auxiliary exercises enhance the experience. The intensity, consistency and power of the procedure make it uniquely effective to bring about the required transformation in humanity gradually. Suryayog is offered in local communities of self-managed groups without fees, registration and organizational hierarchy. It tries to avoid the pitfalls of past movements and to bring in the ethos of a new era. The intent in Suryayog is to live in harmony with nature. Thus it ensures the right way of living to be practiced as a natural consequence. Total health is assured in all respects to individuals, the community and the world.

A New World

What we need now is definite action on a daily basis by each and every person to enable us to live fully in the Solar Era. We should spread the realization we have attained to give an early start to all our fellow beings. We can start the day by being with the sun at dawn (‘Suryayog’). Let us do it as a daily practice along with a few other people and share the joy and love drawn from the experience. In a complementary group-setting the transformation in us will be faster and we will evolve faster in our natural growth and journey of life. Meeting and sharing with neighbours and significant people in our life on a daily basis is helpful to enjoy the bliss of complementary living. Let the Sun be the focus for it. Such a practice all over the world at sunrise (or at sunset) encompassing a critical mass of people is possible. That can lead to the necessary chain reaction to involve all. At that stage disharmony within and without, the basic cause of all problems would cease to exist. Conditions for a natural state of holistic life would prevail. Let us start the process with the practice of Suryayog. I am doing it and finding it very beneficial. Let us all do it and experience the results without any risk. .

The advent of the Solar Era offers an opportunity for mankind to realize its dream of an ideal world of justice to all without discrimination. The daily practice of drawing the inspiration from the Sun ensures inculcation of goodwill to all without any discrimination based on caste, creed, gender, language, age or nationality. The role model of the Sun is remembered daily for punctuality, dependability and self-sacrifice. The economy of the Solar Era would be naturally non-centralized. Therefore, the elusive ideal of enlightened self-rule (Swaraj) would be attainable by all. The extent of self-empowerment possible in the Solar Era would create a society free of exploitation and injustice where health and evolutionary growth would be self–managed

Dr. N. N. Panicker, tatsat@vsnl.com

Tatsat, TC 29/1444

Rosscote Lane

Thiruvananthapuram 695010

tatsat@vsnl.com

0471-232 1299

09447389369

www.tatsat.org

Dr. N. N. Panicker is an independent thinker, writer, speaker and experimenter of development alternatives, based in Thiruvananthapuram.