A chat with Dr.Devi Shetty, Narayana Hrudayalaya (Heart Specialist) Bangalore was arranged by WIPRO for its employees. 
The transcript of the chat is given below. Useful for everyone. 

Qn: What are the thumb rules for a layman to take care of his heart? 

Ans:
1. Diet - Less of carbohydrate, more of protein, less oil.
2. Exercise - Half an hour's walk, at least five days a week; avoid lifts and avoid sitting for a longtime.
3. Quit smoking.
4. Control weight.
5. Control blood pressure and sugar 

Qn: It's still a grave shock to hear that some apparently healthy person gets a cardiac arrest. How do we understand it in perspective?   

Ans: This is called silent attack; that is why we recommend everyone past the age of 30 to undergo routine health checkups. 

Qn: Are heart diseases hereditary?  

Ans: Yes   

Qn: What are the ways in which the heart is stressed? What practices do you suggest to de-stress? 

Ans: Change your attitude towards life. Do not look for perfection in everything in life. 

Qn: Is walking better than jogging or is more intensive exercise required to keep a healthy heart? 

Ans: Walking is better than jogging since jogging leads to early fatigue and injury to joints   

Qn: You have done so much for the poor and needy. What has inspired you to do so? 

Ans: Mother Theresa , who was my patient 

Qn: Can people with low blood pressure suffer heart diseases? 

Ans: Extremely rare 

Qn: Does cholesterol accumulates right from an early age (I'm currently only 22) or do you have to worry about it only after you are above 30 years of age? 

Ans: Cholesterol accumulates from childhood. 

Qn: How do irregular eating habits affect the heart ? 

Ans: You tend to eat junk food when the habits are irregular and your body's enzyme release for digestion gets confused. 

Qn: How can I control cholesterol content without using medicines? 

Ans: Control diet, walk and eat walnut. 

Qn: Can yoga prevent heart ailments? 

Ans: Yoga helps. 

Qn: Which is the best and worst food for the heart?   

Ans: Fruits and vegetables are the best and the worst is oil. 

Qn: Which oil is better - groundnut, sunflower, olive? 

Ans: All oils are bad. 

Qn: What is the routine checkup one should go through? Is there any specific test?   

Ans: Routine blood test to ensure sugar, cholesterol is ok. Check BP, Treadmill test after an echo. 

Qn: What are the first aid steps to be taken on a heart attack? 

Ans: Help the person into a sleeping position, place an aspirin tablet under the tongue with a sorbitrate tablet if available, and rush him to a coronary care unit since the maximum casualty takes place within the first hour. 

Qn: How do you differentiate between pain caused by a heart attack and that caused due to gastric trouble? 

Ans: Extremely difficult without ECG. 

Qn: What is the main cause of a steep increase in heart problems amongst youngsters? I see people of about 30-40 yrs of age having heart attacks and serious heart problems. 

Ans: Increased awareness has increased incidents. Also, edentary lifestyles, smoking, junk food, lack of exercise in a country where people are genetically three times more vulnerable for heart attacks than Europeans and Americans. 

Qn: Is it possible for a person to have BP outside the normal range of 120/80 and yet be perfectly healthy? 

Ans: Yes. 

Qn: Marriages within close relatives can lead to heart problems for the child. Is it true? 

Ans : Yes, co-sanguinity leads to congenital abnormalities and you may not have a software engineer as a child 

Qn: Many of us have an irregular daily routine and many a times we have to stay late nights in office. Does this affect our heart ? What precautions would you recommend? 

Ans : When you are young, nature protects you against all these irregularities. However, as you grow older, respect the biological clock. 

Qn: Will taking anti-hypertensive drugs cause some other complications (short / long term)? 

Ans : Yes, most drugs have some side effects. However, modern anti-hypertensive drugs are extremely safe. 

Qn: Will consuming more coffee/tea lead to heart attacks? 

Ans : No. 

Qn: Are asthma patients more prone to heart disease? 

Ans : No. 

Qn: How would you define junk food? 

Ans : Fried food like Kentucky , McDonalds , samosas, and even masala dosas. 

Qn: You mentioned that Indians are three times more vulnerable. What is the reason for this, as Europeans and Americans also eat a lot of junk food? 

Ans: Every race is vulnerable to some disease and unfortunately, Indians are vulnerable for the most expensive disease. 

Qn: Does consuming bananas help reduce hypertension? 

Ans : No. 

Qn: Can a person help himself during a heart attack (Because we see a lot of forwarded emails on this)? 

Ans : Yes. Lie down comfortably and put an aspirin tablet of any description under the tongue and ask someone to take you to the nearest coronary care unit without any delay and do not wait for the ambulance since most of the time, the ambulance does not turn up. 

Qn: Do, in any way, low white blood cells and low hemoglobin count lead to heart problems? 

Ans : No. But it is ideal to have normal hemoglobin level to increase your exercise capacity. 

Qn: Sometimes, due to the hectic schedule we are not able to exercise. So, does walking while doing daily chores at home or climbing the stairs in the house, work as a substitute for exercise?  

Ans : Certainly. Avoid sitting continuously for more than half an hour and even the act of getting out of the chair and going to another chair and sitting helps a lot. 

Qn: Is there a relation between heart problems and blood sugar? 

Ans: Yes. Strong relationships since diabetics are more vulnerable to heart attacks than non-diabetics. 

Qn: What are the things one needs to take care of after a heart operation? 

Ans : Diet, exercise, drugs on time , Control cholesterol, BP, weight. 

Qn: Are people working on night shifts more vulnerable to heart disease when compared to day shift workers?   

Ans : No. 

Qn: What are the modern anti-hypertensive drugs? 

Ans : There are hundreds of drugs and your doctor will chose the right combination for your problem, but my suggestion is to avoid the drugs and go for natural ways of controlling blood pressure by walk, diet to reduce weight and changing attitudes towards lifestyles. 

Qn: Does dispirin or similar headache pills increase the risk of heart attacks? 

Ans : No. 

Qn: Why is the rate of heart attacks more in men than in women? 

Ans : Nature protects women till the age of 45. 

Qn: How can one keep the heart in a good condition? 

Ans : Eat a healthy diet, avoid junk food, exercise everyday, do not smoke and, go for health checkup s if you are past the age of 30 ( once in six months recommended) .. 

"A person can receive great rewards from Allah on account of his good intentions alone, even if he is prevented from carrying out the intended deed. On the other hand, the deeds that he performs can become bereft of blessings if they are not accompanied by a good intention. Such deeds can actually be sinful."
[Excerpt from the book]

 

Click following link to download book:

20.pdf (95.77 kb)

Empathy is the ability to identify or sense what another person is feeling.  It is like seeing through someone else’s eyes.  Empathy should not be confused with compassion, which is the desire to alleviate the suffering of another, and sometimes contains empathy, but really goes beyond it.  You can act compassionately even when you do not empathize with a person’s emotional state or situation.

Some people are naturally empathic, but it’s a skill that can be developed with practice.  Here are 5 steps you can take that will lead to greater empathy:

1.  Listen intently to others
Do you ever find yourself in an interesting or heated conversation and all you’re doing is thinking about what you’re going to say next without really hearing what the other person is saying?  If you’re not listening, how can you understand their points?  And if you’re not listening to them, there’s a real good chance they’re not listening to you!  The next time you find yourself in a conversation with someone, listen intently.  Quiet the chatter in your own mind and really listen to what the other person is saying.  You might hear something you would normally have missed.  Don’t decide in advance what you’re going to say.  Just listen.  When you do this, you’ll begin picking up feelings and emotions from the person talking which will help you understand them better.  Then when you respond, you’re coming from a place of understanding.

2.  Imitate body language
Many years ago Steve and I went to a Tony Robbins Firewalk seminar.  During one portion we had to break into groups of three.  I found myself paired up with two men I’d never met.  Person A was supposed to think of a time in their lives when they were having a strong emotional reaction.  They were then supposed to get into that state again.  Person B was supposed to exactly model Person A’s physiology.  And Person C was there to make sure that Person A and Person B were a total match down to eyelids twitching or blinking.  So in our case, Person A got into a state and I had to model his physiology.  One of my legs was jumping up and down, my breathing was fast, and my hands were clawing at my legs.  Once Person C said we were a match I was supposed to say what emotion I was feeling.  I said, “I feel really nervous right now.  In fact, I feel like I’m about to jump out of an airplane.”  Person A exclaimed, “Oh my God!  That’s the exact memory I was thinking of.  The first time I jumped out of an airplane.”  Not only did I pick up on his emotion correctly, I knew the exact memory he was having.  Total stranger.  Picked it right out of his brain, or I should say, his physiology.

So what do you think would happen if you modeled or imitated the physiology of the person you’re talking to?  Right!  You will understand them better, you may even discover you have telepathy. :) Modeling the physiology of other people will increase your empathy.

3.  Put yourself in their shoes
One of the best ways to increase your empathy is to imagine what life is like in someone else’s shoes.  Most people won’t go to the trouble, but if you can imagine what someone else might be going through, it will increase your level of empathy by a huge factor.  The next time you’re with someone who is going through a rough time, or even a really exciting time, take a moment to get out of your own head and imagine what they’re feeling.  Then ask them if that’s how they’re feeling.  “Hey Johnny, I heard you lost your job.  I imagine you’re feeling a depressed and anxious, right?”  Or, “Sophia, congratulations on becoming a grandmother.  You must be feeling excited!”  See what she says.

You can do this with total strangers too.  Ever witness a car accident and think, “Glad that wasn’t me,” or “I can’t be late for work so I hope they clear this out of the way fast!”  That’s not empathy.  Next time take a moment to imagine what the people involved in the accident are feeling.  “Wow, I’ll bet that person is really shaken up.  I hope he’s alright.”  Spare a thought for your fellow man.  But for the grace of God, it could have been you.  If you offer help, that’s compassion, or what I like to think of as empathy in action.

4.  Show understanding
Think about the last time you felt totally and completely understood by someone.  Feels good doesn’t it?  Return the favor.  The next time a friend, child, or your partner is telling you about something that happened to them show that you are listening by repeating back what you heard.  “So what you’re telling me is that you feel lonely when I go out every weekend with the boys and you want me to spend more time with you.  Is that right?”  This is also called empathic listening.  It works great in an argument.  The next time you’re fighting with someone listen to what they’re saying, don’t interrupt, and then repeat back to them your understanding of what they just said.  I cannot tell you how powerful this is.  Refrain from making your own point until your partner indicates he or she feels completely understood.  They’ll be more willing to hear you speak when you’ve shown you’re willing to understand their point of view first.

5.  Expand your awareness
You don’t live in a bubble, even though sometimes it might feel like it.  The world doesn’t revolve around you either.  You’re sharing it with billions of people.  Expand your awareness of what other people are doing.  For fun sit down in a crowded place like a movie theater, mall, bookstore, etc. and do some people-watching.  You’ll see people who are in a hurry, people arguing with each other, people who are worried, teen boys checking out teen girls, and all manner of behavior.  See if you can discern what’s going on.

Ref: http://www.erinpavlina.com/blog/2008/05/5-steps-to-greater-empathy-and-oneness/

Understand that in days of yore, factories consisted of people and machines. The goal was to use more machines, fewer people, and to design processes so that the people were interchangeable, low cost and easily replaced. The more leverage the factory-owner had, the better. Hence Personnel or the even more cruel term: HR. It views people as a natural resource, like lumber.  

Like it or not, in most organizations HR has grown up with a forms/clerical/factory focus. Which was fine, I guess, unless your goal was to do something amazing, something that had nothing to do with a factory, something that required amazing programmers, remarkable marketers or insanely talented strategy people. 

So, here's my small suggestion, one that will make some uncomfortable.  

Change the department name to Talent. 

The reason this makes some people uncomfortable is that it seems like spin, like gratuitous double speak. And, if you don't change what you do, that would be true.  

 

BUT...  

 

What if you started acting like the VP of Talent? Understanding that talent is hard to find and not obvious to manage. The VP of Talent would have to reorganize the department and do things differently all day long (small example: talent shouldn't have to fill out reams of forms and argue with the insurance company... talent is too busy for that... talent has people to help with that.) 

Microsoft and Google both have a very healthy focus on finding and recruiting Talent. McDonald's recently announced that they want to hire people who smile more. The first strategy works, the second won't. Talent is too smart to stay long at a company that wants it to be a cog in a machine. Great companies want and need talent, but they have to work for it.

 

Ref: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/02/marketing-hr.html

A guide to project management book of knowledge 3rd edition - PMBOK 2004

 

Click Here for a FREE Download

The PMBOK is a collection of processes and knowledge areas generally accepted as best practice within the project management discipline.

The PMBOK is an internationally recognised standard (IEEE Std 1490-2003) that provides the fundamentals of project management that are applicable to a wide range of projects, including construction, software, engineering, automotive, etc.

PMBOK recognizes 5 basic process groups and 9 knowledge areas typical of almost all projects. The basic concepts are applicable to projects, programs and operations. The five basic process groups are:

Initiating,
Planning,
Executing,
Controlling and Monitoring, and
Closing.

Singing and speaking have everything in common--except for maybe really good tunes. The main goal is to engage your audience and make them listen to you, so everything a singer does, a speaker ought to do too. Here are the absolute necessities of an engaging performance or presentation that Doug compiled for me:

1.       Circulate with your audience. Before every concert, speech, and seminar, I try to mingle with the crowd, ask questions, and let them know I'm glad they came. This isn't always possible in the real world, but when it is, I have an opportunity to feel a bond with the people I'm about to perform for and undo some of the jitters that are a natural part of being "on."

2.       Command attention. The breastbone (sternum) has to be high if you want to project authority. You might want to pretend you're a rooster showing off. Relaxed sternum = loser, high sternum = winner!

3.       Snarl. If people can't hear you, they won't listen to you. Add some nasal resonance to your voice, but keep smiling. Snarl is that nasal sound you get when you speak partially from your nose instead of your mouth. It generates overtones above 2,800 cycles per second that make any room "sing." Pretend you're trying to yell/warn a child that's about to run out in front of a bus--like yelling, "STOP!" This works whether you're using a microphone or speaking without one

4.       Bite your tongue. If your mouth gets dry in the middle of your presentation, try gently biting your tongue. Opera singers use this all the time to release saliva which moistens your mouth.

5.       Always perform a sound check before you speak. A good sound person will adjust the EQ to your voice and its idiosyncrasies. If you're comfortable using a hand mike, do so--work close to the mike and you'll have a better chance of being heard. If you turn your head, make sure you turn the mike with your head. Lapel mikes usually work fine, but for softer speakers they're very frustrating. Wrap-around mikes (such as the AKG C520L--$159) that fit over your ear are the best for intelligibility. If you speak often and you know your venues will support this technology, buy a really good one and take it with you.

6.       Use your eyes all the time. Hand gestures, pacing around the platform can all be useful tools in presentation, but the eyes...ah, the eyes have it! If you can't engage people with your eyes you will eventually lose your audience's attention. Your eyes always tell people whether or not you believe in what you're saying! Scan the room, select a person to make a point to, and look right at them. It's a little intimidating for them, but it keeps you focused on the individuals who make up your audience. Keep moving to new people--right, left, middle--it works! If all else fails, look at each person as though you've loved him or her all your life--like mom, or your child.

7.       Move away from center to make your point. When you come to a place in your presentation where you really want people's attention, move to the left or right of your primary speaking position. This will always make people look up at you. If you are a constant mover or shaker, stand still for a few moments--it will have the same effect.

8.       Get quiet.If you really want to get people's attention, get quiet suddenly. It will scare the sound guy to death, but I guarantee the audience will pay attention. Singers use this trick all the time. That's the "you could hear a pin drop" effect. Believe me, that's what sells your talk!

9.       "Underline" certain words with a pause or repetition. If you really want to make a point, slow down, pause, and say the word or phrase that you most want people to hear with a calculated emphasis on each word. The sudden switch in style gets attention. Also try repeating a word or phrase before you make your big point. For example: "You know (pause) you know (pause) you know, the thing I want you to remember is..." Songs are full of repeated text, a device that locks down meaning!

10.   Take a risk and be vulnerable. Say or do something that's totally out of character for you. Use a "pretend" voice like Mickey Mouse or Barry White for effect while you're telling a joke or saying something shocking or humorous. Whether your persona is reserved or funny, it's endearing to have a little fun. This trick humanizes the most serious topics.

11.   Tee it higher. Raising the overall pitch of your voice for a few seconds will create urgency. It shows your passion for the subject matter and also relaxes your exhausted larynx. Low pitched voices relax the room--high pitched voices increase the adrenaline flow of the audience.

12.   Know when it's time to go. You don't have to be a genius to know you've overstayed your welcome. Check your "presentation barometer" often to see if everyone is still with you. Change something--anything--if you're starting to lose the crowd. If all else fails, stop talking, start thanking, and get off the platform. People will love you more for knowing when to stop than for all the wonderful content you brought to your topic!

13.   Use Q and A as an "encore." Singers usually prepare an encore because this practice makes the audience feel special and makes them think you like them more than other audiences you've encountered. Q and A functions something like an encore. You may think you told them stuff they needed to know, but questions often reveal the important things you left out of your content. Where this opportunity exists, use it as a tool for picking up the pieces you left dangling in your talk and warm the crowd to your candor and self-effacing graciousness.

14.   Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. That's how I got to Carnegie Hall! Where possible, memorize your material like singers memorize their songs. Remember, the more you rehearse, the freer you will be to make your talk fresh and engaging.

15.   Perform for a hero. Several years ago I was asked to sing a command performance for the Queen of Spain. I worked harder on that concert than any I have ever sung. It was very successful and I was proud of my preparation. From that time on I imagined I was about to sing for the queen, it made me twice the performer I had been previously. Pick a hero, and give them your best shot!

Ref: http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2007/06/speaking_as_a_p.html