Fitness expert Bharat Savur answers readers� queries in Business Line





Small minds get mad, great minds get going. Do something kind for another to impose positive will over negative emotion.



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I study in the US and I have a problem � I get very angry easily and can�t control it. My friends and family tell me I get mad really fast. I like to eat hot food and pep it up with lemon. Is this responsible for my anger?



Nehal Patel



Spicy and sour food may irritate your insides and aggravate your temper, but are not responsible for your anger. An unconscious part of you is. Every negative thought creates a simmering condition inside which makes you lash out. Nobody cares for me!spurts self-pity. Its all your fault! forms the blame habit. I deserve better than this crap! chalks arrogance. What does she think of herself? shapes vengefulness. These sink into the unconscious and create an inflamed perception. Its like looking through a distorted lens where everybody/thing looks mean, rude, ineffective, anger-worthy.



But, theres also a larger positive conscience in you, which has become aware of the anger and has asked for advice.



Its this conscience which will let you re-organise this fiery emotion, give you new accepting thoughts and influence your responses. Some beautiful practices:



Feel your heart hammer, stomach churn in anger. Decide to calm yourself and consciously relax by breathing deeply.



Re-educate your angry thought-pattern by repeating: Small minds get mad, great minds get going. Then, do something kind for another to impose positive will over negative emotion.



Re-frame. Put yourself in the others shoes. When you forget yourself and see from different perspective, you gain a broader understanding.



Imagine how a teacher/mentor whom you deeply respect would react in this situation and experience an enlightening Eureka!



Write and vent your anger. Shred the paper and imagine you are throwing your anger into the dustbin.



Forgive yourself and everybody. Send them mental butterflies of peace, love, understanding.



Run daily to disperse the smoke blowing out of your ears! Experience the runner's high. Vow that you'll always choose to feel this sense of elevation over anger.



Express your feelings, your potential through dance, drama, music, sports.



Laugh away any sense of self-importance.



Rejoice wholeheartedly in others victories.



Spare kind, empathetic thoughts for those unfortunate children who do not have enough to eat. Its sobering, humbling.



Meditate. In deep meditative gratitude, decide to spread joy, compassion, sweetness in all your interactions.



Finally, cut down on sugar, it causes mood swings. Eat regular, healthy, warm meals. Get sufficient sleep. Focus on your studies. Value your family and friends. Sprinkle water on your face every few hours. Nothing is anger-worthy. Chill!





I have low threshold for pain which stops me from weight-training regularly. Please advice.



N. Satish



Warm up: Before weight-training, jog on the spot for 20 minutes until you break into a slight sweat. Warm muscles are pliable and less prone to injury aches.



Go light: Use light weights (2.5 pounds) for one month, then gradually increase to five pounds and so on.



Drink water and juice: Drink water and juice of dark, red fruits cherries, grapes, strawberries, pomegranates. These fruits contain inflammation-fighting antioxidants and phytochemicals.



Cool joints: Ice your joints for 15 minutes soon after exercise whether they ache or not. This takes care of potential painful swellings.



Workout at 3 p.m.: The body is most flexible between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Schedule your workout at this time.



Exercise on alternate days: Weight-train on Monday, Wednesday, Friday. On the other days, do only cardio (cycling/walking/jogging.)



Eat proteins: Make sure you have a whole pulse curry (rajma, etc.) for both meals. Crunch on roast channa as a snack. You could also take a B-complex vitamin capsule before your exercise session.



Most important: keep practising with weights. One day, when your body demands heavier weights, you'll know you've transcended the pain-threshold.





When I suddenly put on 10 kg, my family doctor sent me for a test. I was diagnosed with hypothyroid. I've been unfailingly taking my medicines for the last two years but have lost only two kg. Will exercising help? Please advise.



Shiju Peter



It is true that hypothyroid makes you gain weight and slows down weight-loss. But you must exercise. The two kg you lost was water, you must have had some water-retention which the medication took care of. The remaining eight kg is fat.



This will melt with exercise and diet. You will have to be patient and persistent, but it is worth it. One of my students with hypothyroid lost 22 kg over four years because she never stopped exercising. She also halved her dose.



I suggest you join an exercise class that offers cardio/aerobic workouts and weight-training.



Decide to enjoy your active routine. See thyroid as a wake-up call rather than an affliction and keep yourself completely absorbed in healing activities exercise, meditation, chanting, as also creative hobbies like painting, sculpting, singing, etc.



When you gainfully, joyfully, peacefully express yourself creatively, the body heals faster.