A HEALTHY MIND IN A HEALTHY BODY
Collaborators/ Pupils: Joana Pontes, Cátia Teixeira, Cristina Landim, Davide Teixeira, Eduardo Reis, Eleutério Dias, Fabiana Gonçalves, Filipa Câmara, Hilário Fernandes, Hugo Correia, Jessica Ferreira, Jessica Farinha, Joana Gonçalves, João Victor Pereira, Flávio Soares, Lígia das Almas, Luís Paulo Gonçalves, Fátima Fernandes, Miguel Freitas, Nelson Carvalho, Roberto Fabião Abreu e Vânia Jesus
Revision: Helena de Sousa e Fernanda Loureiro Cover Design and Ilustration: Arnaldo Nóbrega Teachers responsible for translation: Helena Sousa and Alberto Sousa
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“Nothing will benefit human health and the increasement of the opportunities of survival of life on earth like the evolution to a vegetarian diet” Albert Einstein
Illustration by Luís Paulo
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Foreword The ancient Classical expression “Healthy mind in a healthy body� was the root to this book which pretends only to be a small contribution to open some horizons and to teach some alternatives to a healthier way of life. This work is based on information available in several websites, which was selected and organized by the students of class 9A of our school. Themes like nutrition, physical and mental exercises were highlighted during the research. Throughout the different chapters of this book, we will come near topics unknown to the majority of people, despite their major importance to the wellbeing and the balance of our inner self, physically, mentally and psychologically. We hope the advice given may help improve your physical and mental health. As we know, evolution is the key to the existence of Mankind as specie; we ought to grow and develop in a healthy way using handy, everyday life guidelines such as the ones presented in this book. Helena de Sousa Illustration by Hugo Correia
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Chapter 1 – Nutrition
Illustration by Hugo Correia
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Nourishment is the act of eating food that will give you nutrients for your cells. These will help in growth, in movement, in reproduction, in forming new tissue, regulating processes and giving us energy. Three alternative diets are presented below to the one considered as conventional, which is part of the eating habits of most of the Portuguese families. These alternative diets, which follow, can contribute for a balanced and healthier life. The following diets are taken into account: - Vegetarian diet; - Macrobiotic Diet; - Alternative Diet.
Food wheel
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Vegetarian Diet
What is a vegetarian? A Vegetarian is somebody whose diet includes grains, seeds, vegetables, cereals and fruit, with or without the addition of dairy products and eggs. Vegetarians exclude meat, fish and poultry. There are several variants of the diet such as Semi-vegetarianism or pescetarianism. There are some variations of the type of product included in a vegetarian’s diet such as: Lacto-ovo vegetarianism; Lacto-vegetarianism; Ovo-vegetarianism; Vegetarianism; Veganism; Fruitarianism; Raw veganism. 7
Variations of a vegetarian diet Lacto-ovo vegetarianism These eat diary products and eggs, besides the plant based products.
Lacto-vegetarianism This group of vegetarians exclude eggs from their diet, sometimes due to health problems because egg contains a high level of cholesterol. The consumption of dairy products sometimes is associated to the difficulty that this group has on excluding products which contain milk or derivatives when in a fase of transition to veganism or simply because they like them.
Ovo-vegetarianism The diet includes eggs, but excludes milk and derivatives. Many who exclude milk from their diets, do it because of environmental issues, they feel sorry for animals or because of health problems (intolerance to lactose).
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Vegetarianism Known as the “pure” vegetarianism. This group avoid all products from animal origin (eggs, milk, honey, gelatin,…) These people intend to become vegans, but they still haven’t got the appropriated conditions to exclude animal products such as clothes, hygiene products, detergents and other things that are part of our daily life. There are others who follow this diet because of health problems.
Veganism Also known as the radical vegetarians who don’t consume products from animal origin. This group excludes from their diet meat (red meat, fish and birds) and others such as eggs and milk derivatives, as well as honey and gelatine. Products from animal origin (leather, satin, wool, lanoline), products which are tested on animals and shows where animals are exploited as a way of entertainment (circus, bull fight, etc) are also banned. Veganism goes beyond nourishment, but only the people that exclude products from animal origin are usually called the pure vegetarians.
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The denial of cruel ways of producing dairy products and breeding of mammals and birds is probably the most common reason for adopting veganism.
Fruitarianism Fruitarians (or fructarians) eat fruit, grain and seeds, such as tomatoes, bananas, mangos, avocados, nuts, cucumbers, pumpkins, peanuts, among others. Their diet is very similar to the vegans. The only difference is based on their refusal to eat aliments, which imply the death of the plant, like carrots, potatoes and onions. The sprouts are also avoided, such as soya and alfalfa. Those who adopt this kind of life do it for spiritual reasons, with compassion to all living beings. Raw veganism The followers of this type of diet eat only food, which isn’t cooked. It is eaten in its natural state, raw, and usually there aren’t any preservatives,
seasoning,
fermentations,
or
preparation.
This
philosophy defends that man is the only animal who cooks its own food, destroying the best nutritive attributes. It is also said that we have the ability of adapt to circumstances and to assimilate raw /natural food. This specie is only fruitarian, vegan and mammal, in which only the maternal milk is accepted.
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Macrobiotic Diet Yin Foods Yang Foods
This type of diet is based on foods that are rich in wholegrain cereals, vegetables and fruit and balanced by the elements Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang are two words of ancient Chinese origin, which determine two opposite forces of universal energy, positive and negative. Yin is negative, comes from the earth and expands easily. Yang is positive, concentrates and comes from space. The feminine energy is Yin and the masculine one is Yang. This does not mean that the woman is negative because in both sexes there is polar energy. This means that the man is Yang but has Yin and as well as with the woman. Yin and Yang are complementary opposites within a greater whole. Everything has both yin and yang aspects, which constantly interact, never existing in absolute status.
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On our bodies we can easily represent these energies giving Yang the red colour (solar energy) and blue to Ying (lunar energy). In the Chinese symbology there is black for Yin and white for Yang.
Yin and Yang Symbol
Yin Foods The Yin foods are: rye, oats, corn, barley, aubergine, tomato, peppers, cucumber, spinach, artichoke, pumpkin, mushroom, pea, beetroot, garlic, cauliflower, lentil seed, fish, pork, beef, yoghurt, cream, butter, margarine, fruit, honey, sugar, coffee, wine, beer, green tea and fizzy drinks.
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Yang Foods The Yang foods are: rice, wheat, lettuce, cabbage, french garlic, chickpeas, radish, turnip, onions, parsley, carrots, watercress, flounder, tuna fish, salmon, shrimp, sardine, duck, turkey, eggs, milk, cheese, almond, olives, refined vegetal oil, rosemary, vinegar, mustard, vanilla, saffron e salt (not refined). According to this macrobiotic style all products from animal origin have to be excluded. This can be done gradually until your organism doesn’t ask for that necessity any longer. All products, which are processed, frozen and canned, should be eliminated. The followers of this life style eat Yin e Yang foods and this can influence their personal characteristics. People whose diet is extremely Yang can become more aggressive, impatient and possessive. On the other hand those you practise a Yin can become depressive, dependent or have a very relaxed behaviour. If you use Yin and Yang daily, you have the ability to choose how to value the characteristics of your personality and become a more calm, serious and joyful person. According to this Philosophy, the quantity of food Yin and Yang to be eaten depends on each person’s characteristics.
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A great advantage of this diet is the high consume of fibber, which can contribute to prevent several diseases, besides the well function of the intestine. The macrobiotic diet can help cure physical diseases, but people shouldn’t interrupt the medication recommended by the doctor just because they believe in this kind of philosophy. It could be harmful.
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Alternative Food /eating habits
Alternative Food was created to fight malnutrition and help families with a low income. It includes foods with high nutritious values and which are not expensive. These foods are adaptations from different regions and very easy to prepare. The main objective is to mix several things together. It is the way to use a variety of foods which are usually thrown away because they are not used when preparing a meal, such as: brans (rice and wheat), dark green leaves (from sweat potato, mandioca, leafy Araceae, etc.), egg shell and the pips (of pumpkins, watermelons, pumpkins, sesame, cashew, melons, etc.). This method can be used in any home and at any age, because it is low cost and it doesn’t change family habits, it enriches meals that are cooked at home. Nothing is thrown away, everything is used: peels, eggshells, stalks, leaves, pips and seeds. Normally, these “leftovers” are thrown away and people don’t really know that they are actually throwing tons of vitamins of high quality to their garbage. Carrot leaves
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and cauliflower, cabbage stalks, spinach, broccoli, even banana peels can be stewed and are important “weapons� against malnutrition. In this type of diet, mandioca flour is very important, instead of maize, because one kilo of maize is the equivalent to 4 kg of mandioca flour and this last one has a higher nutritious value. Besides that, corn has a quicker cycle than mandioca to be harvested. This product has additional benefits to fight against arterioscleroses, appendicitis, diabetes, constipation, haemorrhoids, varicose veins and intestine cancer. The eating of bran can helps malnutritious children restore the colour of their hair and it also stops falling out. The skin injuries (on their legs and trunk) disappear as well as the ones one their head. These children can usually gain their correct height. There is a reduction in the anaemia values, the swellings of the nostrils mucous membrane disappear as well as skin infections. Diarrhea also ends. With bran, an unhealthy mother can procreate and feed a child with the normal weight. You can make children healthier using those alternatives, even with the child’s milk bottle. Instead of Maisena or any other brand, porridge can be made with toasted maize or mandioca flour and adding a spoon of bran. Another important issue is that a child who is older than one year, the milk
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can be substituted with several cereals that exist in the region with the addition of bran.
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Soya – an important source of protein
Soya is an oilseed from a plant belonging to the leguminous family.
Its importance Soya derivatives Its importance The number of nutrients that it presents can measure the importance of soya for the human nourishment. It includes all the necessary substances for the development and maintenance of the human body every day. Soya contributes with: proteins, fat (energy), nine vitamins and four minerals. Nevertheless, the importance of soya for nutrition goes beyond all this. It is the biological quality of its protein. It has been used in oriental countries for over than three thousand years. The first discoveries in the western world were around two hundred years ago. In the XIX century, soya was already clinical
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nutrition formulas because of its high biological value. People who had eating problems and needed a special diet, the protein added was soya.
You can find soya and its derivatives in almost all supermarkets or in specialised shops for biologic and vegetarian products. Soya Oil: one of the most consumed oils in the world. Soya Bran (remainder from the oil extraction): can be used as food for animals. It contains 40% to 55 % protein. Soya Flour: can be used in the food industry to enrich bread, biscuits, pasta, children products, and mixtures for soups. Soya milk: it is very similar to cow milk. It can be found as a liquid or as powder. It is usually flavoured. It has the following derivatives: soya yoghurt, soya cream, and soya butter. Soya Cheese: Made from the soya milk and presents 135 calories in each 100 g and about 12,5 g protein. Soya paste and soya sauce: are basically used for seasoning in oriental cuisine. Soya toast: It is like toasted peanut and can be eaten like it. Soya Beans: soya beans and their derivatives are an excellent source of protein, so they are vital for those people who don’t eat meat. The beans also contain significant amounts of alpha19
linolenic acid, omega-6 fatty acid, and the isoflavones genistein and daidzein, which are of extreme importance in the prevention of certain types of cancer. Soya meat: also known as soya protein is an industrial food product extracted through the process denominated as "extrusion cooking". It contains more than 50% of protein. Soya Sprouts: can be used raw in salads or cooked.
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Vegetarian Recipes Here are some easy vegetarian recipes to introduce you to this type of diet.
Starters Tofu and mushroom salad: Ingredients: 300g tofu 350g fresh sliced mushrooms 2 garlic cloves 50g nuts 4 small onions (sliced) Lemon juice 2 tb spoons olive oil salt and pepper Preparation: - Cut the tofu in small squares and season with lemon juice. - Cut the mushrooms in slices and brown them in a pan with olive oil and smashed garlic.
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-Toast the nuts for 2 or 3 minutes on a hot grill and then cut into small pieces. - In a big and not very deep dish mix the mushrooms with the tofu and join the toasted nuts. - Cut the onions in thin strips and add to the previous ingredients.
Chickpea salad: Ingredients: 2 cups chickpeas 250 g cooked bean strings / pods 1 small cucumber 1 red pepper 4 tb spoons olive oil 2 tb spoons vinegar 2 tea spoons sugar 1 & Âź tea spoon salt Âź tea spoon oregan
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Preparation: -Leave chickpeas to soak the day before cooking. - Cook the chickpeas in a pressure cooker, using the water from the soaking, for approximately 20 minutes. They should be soft. Drain and let them cool. - Cook the pods and drain them. - Cut the cucumber in half lengthways and cut each half into small slices. - In a big bowl mix the pods, the cucumber and the rest of the ingredients. - Cover and put in the fridge for two hours, so that the taste can become more intense. Mix from time to time.
Main courses Vegetarian Bean Stew Ingredients: 2 tea cups of black beans 2 smashed garlic cloves Chopped onion 23
2 tea cups chopped carrot 1 tea cups chopped chayote 2 tea cups dehydrated aubergine (chopped in big pieces) 1 tea cup fresh peas 1 red pepper (chopped in big pieces) 2 tea cups of soya meat cut in big pieces 1 tea cup of small onions (chopped) 3 tb spoons parsley 4 bay leaves 3 tb spoons olive oil salt Preparation: - Wash the beans under running water and then let them soak over night or for two hours. Throw away the water because it contains substances which are bad for the digestive system. - Cook the beans in 1,5 litre water in a pressure cooker for approximately 15 minutes or until they are smooth. Let them cool down. In a pan brown the garlic in the olive oil and then add the onion until this last one is soft. Add the carrots and chayotes and
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continue to stew until soft. Join the aubergine, the peas and the pepper, season with a little salt and leave to cook for four minutes. Finally, mix in the beans, the meat, the small onion, the parsley, bay leaves and more salt if needed. Let it cook for 20 minutes or until the beans are soft and the sauce is thick. It is ready to be served with stewed cabbage.
Soya Pie Ingredients: 2 garlic cloves 1 glass of olive oil 1 onion 2 Tb spoons tomato paste Mashed potatoes. Salt Parsley 1/4 packet granulated soya 2 tomatoes 0,5dl red wine
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Preparation: Soak the soya for ten minutes. In a pan, brown the onion and the chopped garlic with the olive oil. Then add the mashed tomatoes, the wine and some salt. The next step is joining the soya, the tomato paste and the parsley to the previous ingredients. Leave to cook for 10 minutes. You can pour some water on the mixture if it is necessary (at the end all the water has to absorbed). In a cooking tray make several layers by pouring the mashed potatoes and the stew alternately. Put in oven to brown.
Potato Steak Ingredients: 2 cups of raw potato, grated with the peel 1 cup grated carrot 1 cup wheat flour 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup small chopped onion Egg or grated bread to give it consistency Parsley, salt
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Preparation: Mix all the ingredients and make fat round balls with the dough. Fry in a pan with some oil.
Desserts Vanilla and Soya Flan Ingredients: 600ml water 10 tb spoons soya extract 2 cups of demerara sugar 1 tb spoons agar agar Vanilla essence Preparation: Join all the ingredients in a pan, except the vanilla essence, and let it boil. When it starts to boil lower the temperature and let cook for another 3 minutes always mixing.
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Switch off stove and add the vanilla essence to the mixture. Pour into bowl and when it has cooled down put in fridge for two hours.
Banana Cheese cake Ingredients: 125g biscuits 50 g butter 2 tb spoons Oporto wine 6 unflavoured gelatin 150 g morello cherry jam 125 g red cherries 2 bananas 2 strawberries Caramelised sugar 250 g cottage cheese to bar 60 g sugar Preparation: Put the morello cherry jam in a pan to melt.
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Grate the biscuits and then add the butter, the wine and mix. Pat the mixture onto the bottom of a springform pan. Sprinkle gelatin over cold water and when the jam is hot, stir in the gelatin until they dissolve completely. Leave aside to cool and then pour over crust. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes. Remove cherries from sauce and cut them in little cubes. Beat the cheese and the sugar and heat it until it is hot, then stir in the remaining gelatin until it dissolves. Let it cook and then add the cherries and mix well. Fold into the jam mixture and refrigerate for two hours. Loosen edge of cheesecake and remove from pan and transfer to serving plate. Decorate it with sliced bananas, strawberries and caramelised sugar.
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Guidlines for a healthy diet
1. Avoid “ miracle diets”; 2. Have a balanced diet rich in fibre; 3. Five meals a day are ideal with snacks in between: fresh fruit or yoghurts, instead of pastry. 4. Eat two pieces of fruit daily; 5. Start your meals with a salad or a soup; 6. Use olive oil to season your salads. Choose lemon juice instead of vinegar. 7. Be careful with sauces. Don’t exaggerate. 8. Avoid fizzy drinks. Drink a lot of water, at least 1 litre and a half every day. 9. Choose natural juices. 10. Eat white meats (poultry, rabbit, veal) instead of red (beef, pork). 11. Eat meat and fish alternately. 12. Remove visible fat from products. 13. Grilled and cooked meat and fish should be chosen. 14. Avoid sausages, bacon and salami.
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15. Avoid butter and cream because they have a high caloric value as well as cholesterol. Choose white cheese instead of yellow one. 16. Avoid whole milk. 17. Don’t drink alcoholic drinks. 18. Avoid tapas and fast-food; 19. Compare the labels on products and check if the light and diet ones are really low in calories. 20. Physical exercise is essential. Go for a walk at least three times a week, 40 minutes.
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Chapter 2 – Physical Exercise
Illustration by Cátia Teixeira, Luís Paulo and Fabião
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“Alternative” sports can be useful in our daily lives because they allow everyone to receive the strong treatment energy, in other words, treatment energies of high frequency, which will act for the receiver’s benefit. This type of physical exercise helps you to have a better quality of life on a social, employment, family levels and mainly with yourself.
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Meditation Meditation isn’t what we think it is! Meditation isn’t only sitting down, on a cushion on the floor, with your legs crossed, keeping your back up straight, your hands on your knees, your eyes closed, your mouth a bit open and in a silent environment… In fact, that is the classic way for meditating, but it isn’t the only one. There are several techniques to accomplish a state of introspection. You can actually meditate with your eyes wide open, listening to music, walking or doing your daily chores like ironing, cooking or taking a bath. All of this is possible because meditation isn’t an action, but a state of mind. “Meditation is a quality of being conscious and alert. What ever you do with conscious is meditation. What matters is being focused on what we’re doing. To take advantage of meditating you needn’t isolate from the rest of the world, by the contrary, you need to practise it in your daily life,” according to the doctor Jou Eel Jia, president of the Brazilian Society of Medical Meditation. The secret is paying attention to every moment of the present, it seems easy and it is. We usually spend part of the day or the whole day thinking of past things ( a row with a colleague from work, a gym
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lesson we missed…) or thinking about something we foresee for the future ( a project we need to hand in the next day, the next holiday trip…). When we are taking a bath, for example, we should pay attention to what we are doing instead of doing it automatically while we think about the shopping list we have to do. We should smell the soap fragrance and feel and listen to the temperature and sound of the water. In other words, the masters of meditation recommend some good advice, just like those advises which are usually given by a caring grandmother: “Stop thinking and worrying and live each moment at a time.” We should have time for each activity. It is impossible to meditate on something when you’re busy thinking on something else. The many minutes we waste in traffic, for example, can be gained by meditating, according to the doctor - Jou Eel Jia.. Check your breathing or simply chant a Mantra (any sound that helps you to meditate). This will help you face the traffic jam and will bring physical and emotional well-being. Why not meditate while going for a walk? The holistic therapeutic Veena Mukti says it is possible to do it on your way to the market or to gym. “While you are running or
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walking on your treadmill, for example, disconnect from the television which is in front of you. Focus your vision on a certain point which is in front of you and feel your breathing. At the same time, observe each movement of your body. Concentrate on the movements of your arms, your legs and your feet. Try to keep your mind away from thoughts and when they appear, simply pay attention to what you are doing at the moment. While you are moving keep a smile on your face and track your breathing consciously, counting your steps. Check each breathing and the number of steps you take while you inhale and breathe out. If walk three steps while you inhale, repeat slowly “one, two, three”. If you walk three steps while exhaling say “out, out, out” in each step. When you are having a meal you can also meditate. While having lunch or dinner there is always something to keep. Gradually you will notice that each product has its own taste, flavour, texture and temperature. Pay attention to your chewing, to the distribution of the food on your plate, to your posture at the table and to your breathing. And when you finish your meal? We can also meditate at the sink by observing the shape, colours, texture and weight of the plate. Pay attention to the way you hold it and feel the temperature of the water, the sponge and foam texture. Listen to the sound of the water coming out of the tap and the noise of the dishes in the sink. Smell the fragrance of the detergent and always observe your breathing.
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Finished? Is everything cleaned? Keep to the tune while cleaning and keeping the dishes, while packing your wardrobe, brushing your hair, getting dressed and during the whole day. This is meditating. The more you practise, the easier it will become to connect to the present. Our mind is a whirl of thoughts. The big difficulty of meditating is that it isn’t easy not to wander off. “Our thoughts are always taking us to places where we sometimes didn’t want to go”, says Veena Mukti, coordinator of the Avathar Institute of Holistic Studies, in São Paulo. You must believe that your concentration will get better if you spend some time during the day exercising your attention. The most used technique is meditating while breathing. The person has to sit down with his/her legs crossed paying attention to the airflow that enters and comes out from the lungs and each time there is any distraction return to the initial state. And if your leg hurts? You should change into a more comfortable position according to Dalai Lama in Genuine Happiness: Meditation as the Path to Fulfilment. Walking or sitting, relax and simply feel yourself!
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Classic massage Massage is the puriest way of healing, without the interference of machinery, drugs, only the hands are used.. The different manipulations and movements applied by the hands on the strained part of the body carries out different
pressures,
with
different
intensities, to soothe the pain as quickly and immediately as possible. The soft tissues moles are those which join, support or protect structures and organs of the human body, like muscles, tendons, fat, blood vessels and nerves. This therapy is aimed to solve problems which include these types of tissues, which in same cases, are the most difficult to cure because you can not see what goes on in the skin, round the muscles and the joints. A therapist, who uses this type of manipulation, can evaluate and diagnose the treatment of several disabling and painful conditions in which you can get in your daily routine A classic massage includes four basic strokes:
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* sliding or gliding (slow and rhythmic movements) * cross fiber ( small and circular movements) * rhythmic tapping (short, fast and rhythmic movements) * kneading
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Yoga Practising yoga has lots of advantages, but not for everybody. Yoga has its limitations. It teaches us to breathe better, relax, but we also need to work our muscles, articulations and nerves.
Origins of Yoga The origin of yoga has been lost in time. It probably appeared between 000 and 3000 B.C. The Vedas, are a large body of texts originating in Ancient India. They form the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism already had references to Yoga. Patanjali is widely regarded as the founder of the formal Yoga philosophy round 300 B.C. Nothing was invented. Patanjali simply codified what already existed in his famous worksYoga Sutras of
Patanjali. Yoga teaches you, for example, hoe to breathe better, relax, concentrate, work out your muscles, articulations, nerves, the endocrine glands, internal organs, etc‌, through strong physical exercises, with respect towards the biological rhythm of the person practising yoga.
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Some benefits of practising yoga Yoga promotes the awakening of the inner self.
Preparation for meditation
On a physical level: provides a healthy and harmonious body, wellbeing and joy for living! On a mental level: provides concentration, discernment e serenity, reducing and eliminating everyday stress and increasing mind efficiency.
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On an emotional level: reduces emotional problems to their true dimension and develop maturity to solve issues in a calm way and with less expenditure of energy. On a moral level: Develops ethical and moral principles vital for self fulfilment.
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Reiki Reiki is the energy available for everyone, without limits. It is the basis of being. Reiki makes that energy accessible: it puts universal energy in tune. Reiki is the “Energy of Life�. When applied, it revitalizes the organic system and makes us feel totally relaxed. This energy irradiates sensations of well being, to make us reach a harmonious state. Reiki helps the organism restore its function, activating the glands, revitalizing the nervous system and reactivating the immunologic system. Reiki is a scientific technique based on quantum physics, of energetic balance, using the hands. It is a technique of Tibet origins that use simplicity and love. Reiki joins the individual to his/her body, his/her mind and conscious. It can only be shown through love. Those who practise Reiki, gradually notice deep changes inside the body. All the internal organs and glands start functioning with better energy and rhythm. The accumulated toxins are eliminated.
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Spiritual Principles of Reiki
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Just for today do not worry.
•
Just for today do not anger.
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Honour your parents, teachers and elders.
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Earn your living honestly.
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Show gratitude to everything.
Symbolical Image of Reiki
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The Origins of Reiki
Dr. Mikao Ussui
Dr. Mikao
Dr. Chujiro Hayashi
Mrs. Takat
Usui, brought this technique to our days.. He studied ancient
sutras trying to understand the stories they told him about miracle cures. In the beginning of the XIX century in search of how to use Reiki, he decided to climb After twenty one days of fasting and meditating on Mount Kurama, in Japan On the last day, Dr. Ussui, claimed to receive the ability of "healing without energy depletion". While climbing down Mount Kurama, he tripped on a stone and hurt his foot. H his toe between his hands and after some instants he felt the pain sooth, the bleeding ended and the cut vanished. On his way he helped other ill people. Later on the tradition was passed through several grandmasters of reiki such as Dr. Chujiro Hyashi, was a naval officer. Dr. Hayashi went on to develop the Usui system of healing. He opened a Reiki clinic in Tokyo and kept detailed records of the treatments given.
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Dr. Hayashi simplified the attunement process (divided into several stages) making the transmission and learning process easier. Mrs. Hawayio Takata got to know Dr. Dr. Chujiro Hyashi clinic when looking for a cure for her cancer. In four months, she was completely healed. Impressed with the results, she wanted to learn Reiki. However, it was explained that Reiki was Japanese and that it was intended to stay in Japan. It could not be taught to an outsider. Mrs. Takata talked to the surgeon at the hospital and convinced him to ask Dr. Hayashi to allow her to learn Reiki. Since Dr. Hayashi wanted to teach Reiki to another woman besides his wife, and since Mrs. Takata was so persistent, he decided that she should be the one. In the Spring of 1936, Mrs. Takata received First Degree Reiki. She worked with Dr. Hayashi for one year and then received Second Degree Reiki. Mrs. Takata returned to Hawaii in 1937. She was soon followed by Dr. Hayashi and his daughter who came to help establish Reiki in Hawaii. In the Winter of 1938, Dr. Hayashi initiated Hawayo Takata as a Reiki Master. She was the thirteenth and last Reiki Master Dr. Hayashi initiated. Reiki is changing and developing every day, since the time of Mikao Ussui, Chujiro Hayashi e Hawayo Takata. People have more Access to this cure technique by using the hands.
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The origin of Reiki needs to be honoured, respecting the changes of the world, the people and of planet earth.
Positions for curing Hand Positions The person must feel totally comfortable when he/she starts a Reiki session. Weightless clothes and of light colours have to be used. Breathing exercises, yoga or mediation can be allied before starting. The session can vary between an hour and an hour and a half, depending on the situation. The position of the hands is done from top to bottom, from the crown chakra until the feet. The hands are positioned on the body in the shape of two shells. A Reiki treatment consists of the practitioner placing his or her hands on the body having only the intent for the energy to flow (only the simple exchange of energy between people with the simple intent to share healing). That energy is passed onto the chakras, opening, cleaning and purifying all body obstructions. This will bring balance in its natural way.
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Reiki – different ways of application Front positions
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Back Positions
Positions when applied on other people - Front
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Positions when applied on other people - Back
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Chakras There is a colour associated to each chakra The word “chakra” derived from the Sanskrit meaning “wheels of light”. The Chakras are said to be "force centres" or whorls of energy permeating, from a point on the physical body, the layers of the subtle bodies in an ever-increasing fan-shaped formation. They symbolize the law of nature and occur along the midline of the body. Rotating vortices of subtle matter, they are considered the focal points for the reception and transmission of energies, bringing balance. On the physical body there are seven primary chakras. - The Brow Chakra is located between the eyebrows, just above the bridge of the nose. It is the chakra of perception and understanding the universe. It is the woman’s power centre and it represents creation. It is represented by the colour is violet. - The Throat Chakra is located at the throat. It function is communication with the physical and the psychological. The human creativity is situated there. Its colour is bright blue - The Heart Chakra is located in the centre of the chest. Emotions, universal love and love thy other are related to this chakra. Two colours can be used with it: green and pink.
- The Solar Plexus Chakra is situated below the heart chakra. It is the man’s power centre. The food we eat is associated to that centre of energy. The colour related to this chakra is yellow. - The Sacral Chakra is related to purification. The first impressions and old feelings are associated to this chakra. Its issues are sexuality. It is represented by the colour orange. - The Base Chakra is associated to the sexual organs. This chakra is the door to Life and Death, Birth and Rebirth. There is a strong connection with Earth, connecting the person with life again. It is represented by the red colour
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Location of the chakras
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Visceral Manipulation
Visceral Manipulation relies on the palpation to feel and eliminate alterations in the organ functions. It helps to dissipate the effects of physical and emotional stress. At optimal health, the relationship between the organs (viscera) and structures of the body (muscles, membranes, fasciae and bones) remains stable despite the body’s endless varieties of motion. But when one organ can’t move in harmony with its surrounding viscera due to abnormal tone, adhesions or displacement, it works against all the body’s organs and structures. Many problems concerning the vertebral column cannot be directly related to the bones. All the vital organs (heart, liver, lungs, among others) are physically connected to the vertebral column. This means that any visceral complication can influence the normal function of the dorsal spine. In situations of physical or emotional stress, other organs may feel pain. The function of the vertebral column will be influenced or vice versa. If there is a problem with the dorsal column, it may affect other organs.
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Accidents, illness or other forms of trauma can compromise the necessary mechanisms, which make the several organs work in synchrony, for a healthy life. An abnormal function of the vital organs can lead to – difficulties in breathing or urinating and constipation. This visceral therapy is pointed out to solve these types of problems though the palpation of the organs. It will lead to the right synchronisation, which is essential among the several organs.
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Craniosacral Therapy This method was originated by physician William G. Sutherland, in the twenties, known as Cranial Osteopathy in the thirties and Craniosacral therapy in the seventies.
The
Craniosacral
therapy is not a
invasive therapy. A light
touch
by
a
skilled hand (similar to
the weight of a
coin) can even be used
on newly born
babies. This therapy is a light-touch manual approach that enhances the body’s natural healing capabilities.
Besides that, it cures with
energetic techniques. It doesn’t affect the body aggressively, so there are no contradictions. The CranioSacral Therapy practitioner works with the patient to assist the body’s self-correcting mechanisms. Generally using about five grams of pressure, or about the weight of a nickel, the practitioner evaluates the body’s craniosacral system. This system plays a vital role of maintaining the environment in which the central nervous system functions. It consists of the membranes and fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord as well as the
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attached bones – including the skull, face and mouth, which make up the cranium, and the tailbone area, or sacrum. Since the brain and spinal cord are contained within the central nervous system, it is easy to see that the craniosacral system has powerful influence over a wide variety of bodily functions. The CranioSacral Therapy practitioner essentially helps the body release restrictions – which it has been unable to overcome on its own – that inhibit the body’s normal, self-correcting tendencies. Rather than deciding how these changes should be made, the therapist follows cues from the body on how to proceed. When the therapist follows this gentle approach, the method is extremely safe and effective.
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Chapter 3 – Mind Games
Illustration by Eduardo Reis & Joana Pontes
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“Mind Games� beyond diversion and establishing inter personal relationships, also stimulate our memory and observation along with insight and strategic attitude.
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Backgammon Backgammon – a tradtional and modern game wher luck plays an important role along with a large scope for strategy.
Origins
people believe backgammon had it origins in ancient Mesopotamia, where Iraque, Iran and Siria are situauted nowadays. Initially it was played with dice made of bone, wood, stone
or
ceramic,
on
Backgammon board
wooden surfaces. Stone was the material used for the making of the checkers. Egyptians, Sumerians, Romans and Persians played this game for millions of years.
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Set up Backgammon is a game for two players, played on a board consisting of twenty-four narrow triangles called points. The triangles alternate in colour and are grouped into four quadrants of six triangles each. The quadrants are referred to as a player's home board (points 1 to 6) and outer board (points 7 to 12),
Backgammon: The initial arrangement of checkers
and the opponent's home board and outer board. The home and outer
boards are separated from each other by a ridge down the centre of the board called the bar. Each player starts the game with 15 checkers and have their own pair of two dice, a dice cup used for shaking. A doubling cube, with the numerals 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 on its faces, is used to keep track of the current stake of the game. The players move their checkers clockwise according to their results.
The points are numbered for either player starting in that player's home board. The outermost point is the twenty-four point, which is
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also the opponent's one point. Each player has fifteen checkers of his own colour. The initial arrangement of checkers is: two on each player's twenty-four point, five on each player's thirteen point, three on each player's eight point, and five on each player's six point. To start the game, each player throws a single die. This determines both the player to go first and the numbers to be played. If equal numbers come up, then both players roll again until they roll different numbers. The player throwing the higher number now moves his checkers according to the numbers showing on both dice. After the first roll, the players throw two dice and alternate turns. The object of the game is move all your checkers into your own home board and then bear them off. The first player to bear off all of their checkers wins the game.
Movement of the checkers The roll of the dice indicates how many points the player is to move his checkers. The numbers on the two dice constitute separate moves. For example, if a player rolls 2 and 4, he may move: - one checker 2 spaces and the other 4. - one checker 4 spaces and the other 2. 62
- the same checker 2 spaces and then 4. - the same checker 4 and then 2 spaces. If the player chooses to move only one checker he can not move six spaces all at once. He will have to do it twice. Either 2 spaces and then 4 or vice – versa. A player who rolls doubles plays the numbers shown on the dice twice. A roll of 3 and 3 means that the player has four threes to use. In this case the player can move any combination of checkers he feels appropriate to complete this requirement. He can move to: - na open point. - a point occupied by one or several checkers of the same colour. - a point occupied by a single checker of the opposing player. Occupied point You acn’t move if the the point you need is occupied. This happens when i tis occupied by 2 or more checkers of the opposing player.
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Hitting A point occupied by a single checker of either colour is called a blot. If an opposing checker lands on a blot, the blot is hit and placed on the bar. Entering Any time a player has one or more checkers on the bar, his first obligation is to enter those checker(s) into the opposing home board. A checker is entered by moving it to an open point corresponding to one of the numbers on the rolled dice. For example, if a player rolls 4 and 6, he may enter a checker onto either the opponent's four point or six points, so long as the prospective point is not occupied by two or more of the opponent's checkers. If neither of the points is open, the player loses his turn. If a player is able to enter some but not all of his checkers, he must enter as many as he can and then forfeit the remainder of his turn. After the last of a player's checkers has been entered, any unused numbers on the dice must be played, by moving either the checker that was entered or a different checker.
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Bearing off Once a player has moved all of his fifteen checkers into his home board, he may commence bearing off. A player bears off a checker by rolling a number that corresponds to the point on which the checker resides, and then removing that checker from the board. A player must have all of his active checkers in his home board in order to bear off. If a checker is hit during the bear-off process, the player must bring that checker back to his home board before continuing to bear off. The first player to bear off all fifteen checkers wins the game. Doubling Backgammon is played for an agreed stake per point. Each game starts at one point. During the course of the game, a player who feels he has a sufficient advantage may propose doubling the stakes. He may do this only at the start of his own turn and before he has rolled the dice. A player who is offered a double may refuse, in which case he concedes the game and pays one point. Otherwise, he must accept the double and play on for the new higher stakes. A player who accepts a double becomes the owner of the cube and only he may make the next double.
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How can you win? There are three different ways: -Remove
your
checkers
before
your
- Your opponent abandons the game; - If you offer a double and the other player refuses.
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opponent.
Chess Chess a recreational and competitive board game for two players
Origins of Chess The origins of chess are not exactly clear, though most researchers believe it evolved from earlier chess-like games played in India. The words used for chess in the Portuguese, Arab, Persian, Turkish, Greek and Spanish derive from the Sanskrit word chaturanga
The Chess pieces From left to right, the chess pieces are:
white King, black Rook, black
Queen, White Pawn, black knight and white bishop. Each player has 16 pieces: 1 king, 1 queen, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, 2 knights, and 8 pawns.
Chess Pieces
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Chess Board
There is a short reference to the possible movement of each of the pieces.
The Rook The rook may move as far as it wants, but only forward, backward, and to the sides.
The Bishop The bishop may move as far as it wants, but only diagonally. Each bishop starts on one colour (light or dark) and must always stay on that colour. Bishops work well together because they cover up each other’s weaknesses.
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The Queen The queen is the most powerful piece. If moved she can move in any one straight direction - forward, backward, sideways, or diagonally - as far as possible as long as she does not move through any of her own pieces.
The King The king is the most important piece, but is one of the weakest. The king can only move one square in any direction - up, down, to the sides, and diagonally.
The Pawn Pawns are unusual because they move and capture in different ways: they move forward, but capture diagonally. Pawns can only move forward one square at a time, except for their very first move where they can move forward two squares. Pawns can only capture one square diagonally in front of them. They can never move or capture backwards. If there is another piece directly in front of a pawn he cannot move past or capture that piece.
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The Knight Knights move in a very different way from the other pieces – going two squares in one direction, and then one more move at a 90 degree angle, just like the shape of an “L”. Knights are also the only pieces that can move over other pieces.
How do you Play chess? During the game, when one of the player’s king is directly attacked by an enemy piece, the king is put into check. There are only three ways a king can get out of check: move out of the way, block the check with another piece, or capture the piece threatening the king. If a king cannot escape checkmate (in Persian shah mat, meaning the king is dead) then the game is over. Customarily the king is not captured or removed from the board, the game is simply declared over.
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Sudoku Sudoku is a game of numbers
Origins of Sudoku Sudoku already exists for some time. The great mathematician Leonhard Euler is the man chiefly credited with the creation of the puzzle that we now know as Sudoku. The puzzle was introduced in Japan by Nikoli in the paper Monthly Nikolist in April 1984 as Suuji wa dokushin ni kagiru, which can be translated as "the digits must be single" or "the digits are limited to one occurrence." At a later date, the name was abbreviated to Sudoku. Nowadys it has become an obsession in many countries.
How do you Play it?? Sudoku is a logic-based, combinatorial number-placement puzzle. It is very simple and an addiction for some people.
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The objective is to fill a 9Ă—9 grid so that each column, each row, and each of the nine 3Ă—3 boxes (also called blocks or regions) contains the digits from 1 to 9 only one time each
Sudoku Grid
A. Columns with numbers from 1 to 9 without being repeated. B. Rows with numbers from 1 to 9 without being repeated C. Square. Fill in with the nine numbers without repeating them.
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Hearts Among the 52 cards try to get the lowest score possible of the 4 players
Origin of the card deck The true origin of the card deck, as well as all games that involve cards known nowadays, is rather mysterious. Historians say that that the first cards appeared in X century b.c. in the Middle East. Other researchers refer to them as a true invention from China. It seemed to have been a request made by the emperor Sehum-Ho, who wished to give them to one of his girlfriends as a gift.
Card deck
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How do you play? A standard 52 card deck is used, with the cards in each suit ranking as usual from ace (high) down to two (low). There is no trump suit. Each heart is worth one penalty point and the queen of spades is worth 13 penalty points. The other cards have no value. 4 people most commonly play this game. The object is to avoid scoring points. As soon as the first card is laid on the table, the other players, in clockwise order, must play a card of the suit that was led if possible. If they do not have a card of that suit, they may play any card (It is illegal to lead a heart or the queen of spades in the first round). The person who played the highest card of the suit led wins the trick and leads to the next trick. Hearts can only be played if in the previous round they were used. Someone reaching or going over 100 points ends the game and the winner is the player with the lowest score at this point.
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Tower of Hanoi The Tower of Hanoi is a mathematical game or puzzle consisting of three rods
Origins There are several legends about the origins of this puzzle. According to the legend of the Tower of Hanoi (originally the "Tower of Brahma" in a temple in the Indian city of Benares), the temple priests are to transfer a tower consisting of 64 fragile disks of gold from one part of the temple to another, one disk at a time. The disks are arranged in order, no two of them the same size, with the largest on the bottom and the smallest on top. Because of their fragility, a larger disk may never be placed on a smaller one, and there is only one intermediate location where disks can be temporarily placed. It is said that before the priests complete their task the temple will crumble into dust and the world will vanish in a clap of thunder.
How do you play it? The Tower of Towers of Hanoi
Hanoi
is a
or
mathematical
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game or puzzle. It consists of three rods, and a number of disks of different sizes which can slide onto any rod. The puzzle starts with the disks neatly stacked in order of size on one rod, the smallest at the top, thus making a conical shape. The objective of the puzzle is to move the entire stack to another rod, obeying the following rules. Only one disk may be moved at a time. Each move consists of taking the upper disk from one of the rods and sliding it onto another rod, on top of the other disks that may already be present on that rod. No disk may be placed on top of a smaller disk. The number of disks may vary. The simpliest one contains only three. The Tower Hanoi has been traditionally used as a procedure to evaluate the capacity of the working memory and mainly planning and problem solving.
Tower of Hanoi - Model
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Tangram Tangram is an ancient Chinese puzzle, where one square is divided in seven pieces (five triangles, one square and one parallelogram).
Origin There is no exact date for the origin of Tangram, as well as for its inventor. According to a legend, a Chinese monk (or emperor) broke a mirror and while trying to put the seven pieces back together realised that they could be put together in many ways, creating different images. The oldest reference is a Utamaro’s woodblock print from 1780, an image of two Chinese ladies trying to solve a Tangram Puzzle. In Chinese, Tangram is known as Ch i ch iao t u or "the seven boards of skill".
How do you play it? The objective of the puzzle is to form a specific shape (given only in outline or silhouette) using all seven pieces, which may not overlap.
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Geometric shapes
Possible images to be solved
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Illustration by Luís Paulo
A special thanks to our sponsors who helped us with this project: Câmara Municipal da Ribeira Brava, Câmara Municipal de Câmara de Lobos, Junta de Freguesia da Ribeira Brava, Junta de Freguesia do Campanário, and the companies: ACIN and Ovo Girão.
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Bibliography: Sites: http://www.mistico.com/p/reiki/ http://images.google.pt/images?q=yoga&revid=1216778715&resnum=0& oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi http://images.google.pt/imgres?imgurl=http://racabrasil.uol.com.br/Edic oes/86/imagens/comportamento_yoga3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://racabrasil.u ol.com.br/Edicoes/86/artigo7855-2.asp&h=424&w=400&sz=24&hl=ptPT&start=1&um=1&tbnid=aUNvh_C0Tz64TM:&tbnh=126&tbnw=119 &prev=/images%3Fq%3Dyoga%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3 Dpt-PT%26sa%3DN http://sacrocraniana.no.sapo.pt/ http://sacrocraniana.no.sapo.pt/tsc.html http://sacro-craniana.planetaclix.pt/ http://sacrocraniana.no.sapo.pt/mv.html http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reiki http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakra http://www.wgate.com.br/conteudo/medicinaesaude/fisioterapia/alternati va/cranio_sacro/cranio_sacro.htm http://www.facom.ufba.br/com024/ioga/origens.html http://www.worldyoganet.org/yoga.htm http://www.yogasite.com.br/yogasite/yoga.htm http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reiki http://www.portalmassagem.com/11330/12903.html http://www.wgate.com.br/conteudo/medicinaesaude/fisioterapia/alternati va/cranio_sacro/image1.jpg
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http://www.wgate.com.br/conteudo/medicinaesaude/fisioterapia/alternati va/cranio_sacro/image3.jpg http://www.woodlandsmassage.com/massage-smal2l.jpg http://www.arcanjo.com.pt/central/sao/images/200705111148310.jpg http://www.agataweb.com.br/imagensg/xadrez/tx_sodal_dolbr.jpg http://web.ist.utl.pt/ist150264/images/cardgames/i8.jpg http://blog.uncovering.org/archives/uploads/2006/061111_sudoku.jpg http://www2.uol.com.br/sciam/reportagens/img/Sudoku_abre.jpg http://www.losartesanos.com/artesanos/willy/nuevas/Torre%20de%20H anoi.jpg http://www.geider.net/graphics/stuff/hanoi_game.jpg http://www.terra.es/personal/ijic0000/tangram2.JPG http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1f/Make_a_t angram.svg/300px-Make_a_tangram.svg.png http://www.castelodossonhos.com.br/brinquedos/jogos/imagens/0b3e06 80.jpg http://galeria.blogs.sapo.pt/arquivo/Tabuleiro_XADREZ.jpg http://www.regrasdebaralho.com.br/ntc/fotos/copas.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Tower_o f_Hanoi.jpeg/300px-Tower_of_Hanoi.jpeg http://www.sewingupmath.com/easy%20tang.jpg http://www.arikah.net/commons/en/4/43/Chess_pieces.png http://www.regrasdosjogos.com.br/ntc/ntc_foto.asp?img=gamaoantigo.jp g http://xadrez.com.sapo.pt/tabuleiro.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/Gamao_i nicio.jpg/180px-Gamao_inicio.jpg
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http://www.geocities.com/tania1974pt/historia.html http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torre_de_Hanoi http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xadrez http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gam%C3%A3o http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudoku
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Contents Foreword --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 Chapter 1 – Nutrition ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 Vegetarian Diet --------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 Macrobiotic Diet------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 Alternative Diet ------------------------------------------------------------------- 15 Soya --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18 Vegetarian Recipes ---------------------------------------------------------------- 21 Guidlines for a healthy diet ------------------------------------------------------ 30 Chapter 2 – Physical Exercise ---------------------------------------------------------- 32 Meditation -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 34 Classical Massage ------------------------------------------------------------------ 38 Yoga --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 40 Reiki --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 43 Chakras-------------------------------------------------------------------------------51 Visceral Manipulation -------------------------------------------------------------54 Craniosacral Therapy ------------------------------------------------------------- 56 Chapter 3 – Mind Games ----------------------------------------------------------------- 58 Backgammon --------------------------------------------------------------------- 60 Chess -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 67 Sudoku ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 71 Hearts ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 73 The Tower of Hanoi ------------------------------------------------------------- 75 Tangram ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 77 Acknowledgements ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 79 Bibliography --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 80
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