"Satyamev Jayate" - Dil Pe Lagi Ya Nahi

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I just watched the much advertised and anticipated show in the history of Indian TV, "Satyamev Jayate" hosted by Aamir Khan on StarPlus. After seeing the promos and knowing that it was Aamir Khan who was going to host the show, I must say that I was confident we would finally have a show that would indeed be hard hitting with the truth - "Dil Pe Lagegi, Tabhi Baat Banegi"!

The show made its debut today at 11:00 am and I was ready in time to watch the first episode that was on the topic of "Female Foeticide". This topic has always been close to my heart and in spite of being from the medical field, I must admit that this show proved to be a complete eye-opener for me. I was truly shocked and appalled by the stories narrated by the women on the show, and also by the facts and figures that showed the spread and severity of the problem that our country faces today. What shocked me the most was that apparently it was the government that paved the way, in the 70's, to kill the female fetus as measures to curb the population of India.

"In this episode, Aamir talks about the killing of unborn girls or female foeticide. An alarming reality, it involves the collusion of families, some unscrupulous doctors and a social structure that encourages the desire for a boy child – at any cost. The result has been the death of over 3 crore unborn girls since independence and a generation of young men, many amongst whom will find it very tough to get a life partner."

The show was put together in a very heartwarming and an appealing manner that touched every chord and Aamir Khan managed to show just the right kind of emotions with his personal touch that I can say this for sure, Aamirji "Dil Pe Jaroor Lagi" aur Zor se Lagi. (It did hit hard)!

There are many positive tweets flooding twitter after the show was aired. It is quite obvious that Aamir Khan is very passionate about all the issues that concern our nation, and I consider him to be a true patriot. This is a show that promises to bring out the truth in a manner that will not only open our eyes to the problems or issues that demand our attention but also give you hope, and encourage you to find a solution to bring about a change so that we can have a better future. So that the country can have a better future and also garner the respect that is so essential from the global world. A hard hitting program is definitely the need of the hour and I am sure that if any person can bring about a change in perceptions or attitudes, a revolutionary way of thinking, then that man is none other than Aamir Khan. The movie "Rang de Basanti" had managed to strike a patriotic chord in the hearts of all the youth to prod them awake from their slumber and realize that they could make a difference. It forced the youth to think in a revolutionary manner, that they could indeed be the next "Bhagat Singh" or "Chandrashekhar Azad".

 

By airing the show "Satyamev Jayate" on a Sunday at 11:00 am, Aamir Khan has made sure that many more people will be sure to tune in to the program, including the late risers. And after watching this first episode, I am sure that the subsequent episodes will be watched in great anticipation and expectations. Because, deep in our hearts we all want a change; we want to make a difference; we want a safer and securer environment to live in; and we want a shining India that we can be truly proud of.

The show brought out the bitter and shocking truth about female foeticide in India and what I liked best was the fact that the show also gave one hope and encouragement and an opportunity to one and all to make a difference to save the girl child and protect the male-female sex ratio. How can we help? This is what you can do -

At the end of the show, Aamir Khan has asked a question:

"Snehalaya is a charitable organization that works to eradicate female foeticide, and provides shelter for abandoned children. Their ‘Cradle In Every Village’ campaign aims to wipe out the practice, by encouraging the adoption of girls. You can help the organization further by writing them a cheque, and depositing it at your nearest Axis Bank branch. You can also transfer your money to Snehalaya online at their website (www.snehalaya.org). For every rupee you donate, the Reliance Foundation, the philanthropy partner of Satyamev Jayate will donate the same amount."  

So this is your golden opportunity to make a change, to make a difference and bring about the change that we desire. SAVE THE GIRL CHILD. Say NO to sex determination tests and accept a child as a God's gift - Girl or Boy. Raise your voice against female foeticide today.

Satyamev Jayate - The Truth Shall Prevail.

Health, Fitness and Weight loss in Women

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Health, fitness and weight loss is the new mantra for women of all age groups in this new era of a world obsessed with a good body and good looks that they are willing to go to any lengths to feel "good" about themselves. Of course, in a way, it is also a very healthy trend to shift towards a healthy way of living life, provided one is realistic about their own fitness levels. Well, to come to the point, I am one of those women who have been constantly battling with my weight, health issues and fitness levels since the time I got married and converted to a sedentary way of life as a housewife. 

If you have been following my blogs judiciously, you will be able to appreciate the struggles and the obstacles that I have had to face in this battle of the bulge. In the previous blog, I wrote about how I had successfully managed to lose 10 Kgs without any help from external weight loss programs or tablets/pills etc. Well, I would like to update the readers that since then I have managed to lose another 5 Kgs entirely on my own and am also maintaining my weight steadily so that I do not start gaining weight again.

I managed to do all this by just a few adjustments to my diet and fitness regimes. That is, I started exercising at home with the help of the latest interactive Fitness Training Programs available for the gaming consoles like PS3, namely EA Sports Active 2, which became my personal fitness trainer. I started drinking herbal tea every day in the morning and evenings and went for a walk in the evenings. In addition, I started having lots of fruits, specially for dinner, instead of a regular meal. My meal would consist of a bowl of mixed fruits, mostly apples/papaya/watermelons or other melons. I also tried to incorporate fruit juices like a glass of orange juice or sweetlime juice in the mornings. Other than that, my afternoon meal consisted of pretty much anything that I liked to eat. Of course, it goes without saying that one has to keep away from sweets and desserts completely.

Well, I have to admit that the battle of the bulge is a constant one and one cannot get complacent at any point of time. It is a struggle that one has to undergo to avoid temptations and stay on the course of health at all times consciously. I do give in to my temptations a little, now and then, but the only difference now is that I am maintaining a constant watch on my weight. Yes, I judiciously step on the scale every morning to check my weight, so that I am then mentally prepared to either forgo all temptations or pledge to exercise harder during the day or eat lesser. It is a great motivator, I can assure you.

I have to also admit, rather guiltily, that for the past 6-7 months I haven't been able to continue with my exercise regime and had instead resorted to just walks in the mornings and evenings. As a result, I haven't been able to lose more weight, but have managed to maintain my weight where it was. Women, like me,  always have a lot of external pressures like family and holidays that come in the way of trying to maintain a routine for self. Women mostly tend to sacrifice their personal time and routine to place others needs ahead of hers, thinking that they could always get back to theirs anytime later. Hmm..I know that sounds like a pathetic excuse, maybe, but it's a fact that we need to acknowledge and address, if we can help it.

I got a wake up call recently from my rather long slumber, in the form of an interview by a freelance journalist. She had apparently gone through my weight loss articles and decided that I was a good candidate to write about. Her call gave me the much needed stimulus to start afresh with my weight loss goals and I decided to get back to my fitness training exercises again, with a goal to lose at least 5 Kgs more to come down to 65 Kgs. I am now at 70.5, having lost a total of 15 Kgs so far.

I will provide the link to the article as and when it gets published, which is the May-June issue. So do keep a lookout.

That's all I have for now. Will keep you updated with more blogs on this issue. In the meantime, you may want to read my earlier related articles:

Related articles:

1.     Weight Loss Programs - A Personal Review
2.     Weight Loss - How to Prepare Yourself - Part 1   & 2
3.     Weight Loss Programs - Are they really successful?
4.     Hormonal Imbalance and Weight Gain
5.     How I Lost Weight - Weight Loss Secrets Revealed