Innovation with gourd- Health Book: Day 121

When it comes to eating healthy, there are several items that you would never enjoy or find exciting. Bottle gourd is one of the biggest examples in the family of the "most hated vegetables". Lets make healthy eating a part of or daily lives while keeping it interesting at the same time.  Sharing a very easy, healthy recipe which is yummy and unlike the usual boring regular gourd.

I call it Panlo (abbreviation of paneer and loki)- Adding new dimensions of creativity to dishes and the names :-)

Serves-4-5 people

Ingredients-

1/2 kg bottle gourd, 
4-5 medium sized potatoes
200 gms paneer 
2 big size onions
3-4 medium size ripe tomatoes

Turmeric powder, coriander powder- 1 & a half tea spoon
Sesame seeds (jeera), 
Sunflower/refined oil- 2 table spoons

Method- 

1. Peel and chop bottle gourd and potatoes. Dice in any shape you want to. Pressure cook for 7-8 minutes with turmeric and salt. Avoid pressure cooking for a longer duration, as bottle gourd gets pulpy and sloppy only to spoil the dish.

2. While the content boils in pressure cooker, fine chop tomatoes and onions. Mash paneer/cheese and keep aside.

3. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed deep pan and bring sesame seeds to crackle.                                                                 
 4. Add chopped onions and sauté till light brown. Add tomatoes and coriander powder. 

5. Keep stirring till tomatoes turn pulpy and start releasing water. Add mashed cheese and salt. Add pressure-cooked gourd and potatoes to the mixture in the pan. Stir the content well. Add water if you like it with gravy. 


The entire process barely takes 15-20 minutes to cook. A yummy healthy dish is ready to be served hot with roti.

Gourd is extremely beneficial for stomach, especially during summers. Cleanses digestive system and keeps it cool at the same time. Cheese adds protein, making this dish perfectly balanced. Relish the dish and stay healthy, stay blessed.

Healing with hills- Health Book : Day 118

Hill stations bring a  pleasant change in our lives. We breathe free in the relaxing & calm surrounding,  break free from the monotony of our life and get rejuvenated. Hill stations are a must visit for all, especially those who have practically lost themselves in stress and crazy city rush. The pure air magically heals your body. The mystique view rejuvenates you mentally, emotionally, physically.

My three days visit to Dalhousie and McLeodGanj did the same to me. The magical bliss was not only of the beautiful nature but of the lovely resort as well which made our stay so memorable. I will write about the trip in some other post. Let me share some positive things about hill stations and the wonders that can happen there.

-Have you often heard doctors advising patients to take a break and recover in hill stations? As I said, hill stations offer you serenity, much required for you mentally and physically. Hill stations have clean air. Not that the air is pollution free, but the pollution level is much less as compared to cities. Clean air means clean oxygen and clean respiration.

-No or scanty use of plastic in hill stations is another blessing. Everything is so pure & neat! The pollution free roads are

-Physical activity- Roads at hill stations are curvy and inclined. Imagine walking on a treadmill inclined with few degrees. It takes more efforts to walk on inclined base than on a flat base. Hence you get a healthy heart, more muscles and stronger body. Get fit with the hills!

-Mental peace- Wake up to the noise of chirping birds, beautiful sunrise view, rustling of trees in the morning breeze and you are automatically refreshed. A quiet ambiance gives you a chance to spend some time with yourself. That explains why writers choose hill stations as a destination while they write their books. Ruskin Bond, Kiran Desai are legendary examples from the literary world who went to the hills looking for a peaceful environment and apt location for their stories. Hills are magical you see!

-Spiritual connect- While you can find solace and mental peace, at the same time you connect spiritually. Mediation and spiritual healing is a calmer experience in hill stations than cities.

-Exotic beauty- Newly wed couples should visit a hill stations for their honey moon. The exotic beauty of the place naturally brings two people closer. Create a strong bond of your relationship amid the mesmerizing beauty of hills. You will remember the sunrise, sunset, vibrant flowers and lush greenery forever. Remember, flora and fauna always have a positive effect on your minds!

-Medicated water- Did you know that water from mountains have medical properties that heals diseases! Not all, may be few do. Subhash Chandra Bose stayed in Dalhousie for 8 months. He was suffering with TB during that period. During his daily morning walks, Netaji is said to have regularly consumed water from a spring which cured his TB! A similar place called Shastradhara in Dehradun has source of Sulphur water, called Gandhak Kund which is said to be good for curing skin infections. Many such healing features make hill stations popular.

So what are yo waiting for? Plan a vacation and pack off to hill station for few soothing days of your life. Heal in the hills, stay healthy, stay blessed.

Tanned? Health Book- Day 101

Pull up your shirt sleeves and see the difference in the skin tone. Body parts exposed to the sun are dark as they are tanned, while the covered ones appear normal. This is one of the worse effects of summers. Okay, don't panic, keep calm and read the home remedies to de-tan yourself. Tried and tested grandma's methods and approved by health/derma experts.

Lighter complexion with lemon

-When life throws lemons at you, use them to de-tan!Lemon juice is a natural bleaching agent that helps skin to get rid of tanning.

Rub fresh lemon juice on your face, elbows or hands. If lemon juice sounds messy or those who think why to waste lemons, they might as well utilize the used/squeezed lemons. Despite the juice already gone, the remains of the lemon cover/shell still retains the rich content of vitamins. Rub the lemon peel on your tanned parts, elbows or knees. Leave it on for 15 minutes and wash with cold water.

-Pass on the papaya! Did you know that papaya is a skin lightening agent? No? How could you not know that? Papaya is full of antioxidants and Vitamin A&C that gives your skin a glowing fair texture. Rub the flesh of papaya on skin or mash a portion of papaya and use as mask. Leave it on for 15 minutes and wash with cold water. Discover a de-tanned and soft skin!

-Potential potato- If you have a mild tan, rub peeled potato skin on the affected area. See how well the peels work on your skin before being trashed! You can apply raw potato juice as well. Rich in vitamin C, potato works really well on dark circles around the eyes which look darker on tanned facial skin.

Exfoliate with almonds

-Expresso exfoliate - When you are tanned, exfoliate to remove the dead skin cells. Soak a few almonds in water

overnight and the next morning, grind them till you get a fine paste and add equal quantities of milk. Apply this mixture to your hands, face and feet for 20 minutes. Sounds expensive? Well yes, almonds are expensive. See an economical method then- Apply a paste of oatmeal powder, yogurt, lime juice and tomato juice and wash it with cold water after keeping it for half an hour. A 100% guaranteed de-tan is assured!

-Cuddly curd- Curd is not only refreshing and good for stomach but works wonders on skin during summers.  Mix curd and chickpea (besan) and apply on tanned areas. Wash with cold water when dried.  Tanned skin will disappear.

-Toss the tomato- Enriched with Vitamin A, C& astringent properties, tomatoes help ypu get a clear skin

Tomatino Facial

complexion and rid of acne as well. Rub tomato pulp or a slice of raw tomato on your tanned parts. Alternatively mix a tablespoon of honey in tomato juice to make a thick paste. Wash after 15 minutes of application. Your tanned skin will be history!

With the advent of cosmetics and skin care products, we land up doing more harm than good to our skin. There is no better remedy than the natural ones, keeping the harsh chemicals at bay.

Stay healthy stay blessed! 

Summer Mocktail- Year Health Book- Day 99

Soaring temperature eh?

As summers silently creep into our lives, we can't help but live with it. We leave no stone un-turned to beat the heat and land up doing harm than good. Ice creams, carbonated drinks may give you temporary relief from the heat, but certainly causes no good in the long run. You literally gain nothing from them, apart from calories or flu-cold.

Sharing an easy and refreshing summer drink here- Watermelon cocktail. I did not call it mocktail, since there was no other fruit mixed in the drink. It is neat fruit juice !

Preparation time- 10 mins

What you need- Ripe sweet watermelon, 1 lemon, black salt, mint leaves

Method-
1. Cut the water melon into halves, scraping the pulp from the cover. Chop them into pieces and sort out the seeds. Place the pieces in a juicer or mixer.
2. Juice the pulp in the juicer. Keep it thick or thin as per your choice.

3.  Squeeze one whole lemon into the juice.

4. Stir with a teaspoon of black salt or chaat masala.

Pour in a glass. Do not add water or sugar.

Garnish with mint leaves. Add ice cubes if you like it chilled.

This is the easiest fruit mocktail you can make at home. For those who find eating the big melon boring, will definitely find this an interesting & refreshing drink. To top it all, I don't need to remind you the benefits of watermelon, do
I? Alright, for the sake of Year Health Book, let me do a small one -

• Watermelon is rich in antioxidants
• Reduces body fat
• Boosts immune, reduces cell damage
• Improves eye health
• Boosts energy level with time.
• Gives you younger looking skin and protects from sun damage.
• Arginine content in Watermelon boosts nitric acid that helps treat cardiovasular problems and high blood pressure.

So don't shy away from the watermelon treat. Stay healthy, stay blessed.

Know how's of cardio- Health Book: Day 97

This post for those who don't know what is cardio exercise and why should it be done. While talking to a friend yesterday, who had no clue about cardio exercises, I realized the need to enlighten others about the same.

What?

Cardio or cardiovascular exercises are those physical movements of your body where your heartbeat accelerates.

Why?

If you have desk job, how does your body feel at the end of the day? You may have tight muscles, an aching back, and you feel exhausted even though you haven't done anything physical. Perhaps your shoulders are heavy with tension and head giddy after staring at your computer screen for the whole day. You do not feel the same post a good workout. Your muscles become warm and flexible, the blood circulation becomes good, providing oxygen and energy. You feel energized, refreshed, confident and  proud of yourself and ready, don't you? The reason is that our bodies are made to move, and not sit around all day. This is exactly what we do and ruin our bodies.

Benefits?

• Cardio exercise is a great way to burn calories and help you lose weight
• Did you know that cardio makes your heart strong so that it doesn't have to work as hard to pump blood?
• More the cardio, better is your lung capacity
• It helps reduce risk of heart attack, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes
• It makes you feel good, energetic and confident.
• It helps you sleep better and reduce stress
• It increases your bone density

How?

Joining a gym or aerobics may not be possible for everybody. So try these without joining a gym-

brisk walk, running/jogging. cycling, skipping, using staircase or something as easy as jumping. Cardio workout is also important before lifting weights. Do not rush to weights without warming up or cardio. You can only stay fit if the right direction is followed.

Stay healthy, stay blessed.

Smelly encounter

While chatting with a friend yesterday, I told him about the blog contest for Racold. While for me, this was a big contest, for him it was more than a contest as he proudly told me that Racold is the market leader in water heaters. As a sales champ in consumer durable industry from the past few years, he definitely knows the market well and his statement made me feel more enthusiastic about this blog contest :-) This is a part of Indibloggers contest https://www.facebook.com/racoldthermoltd

Many a times I have felt the same as what the video shows. Check out the hilarious video here- What\'s that smell, Boss?

All of us, at some point in our life must have come across such messy people, who stink. At times it is the shoes of a person, while at other times it’s the smell of underarms sweat. During such smelly encounters, we either turn away our heads in the opposite direction, or ignore the stench. During one such smelly encounters, a dear colleague of mine caused a lot of stir at workplace. It was the offset of winters and she happened to wear a long black pullover on a particular day. Many colleagues, including me felt a strange odor of dirt or mud. We realized, the itching smell of dirt apparently came from somewhere around her seat. The moment people would pass by her, they complained of a dusty odor. It did not take me long to figure out the source of the smell. It was the black sweater he had worn that day. Being a close friend of mine, I did not ignore the problem and politely told her about the unusual odor from her sweater. She did not take offence and immediately took off her pullover. I assumed that perhaps it was not washed properly. My suggestion to her was to wash the pullover in mild detergent in warm water.  Its not the human body that needs a bath always. At times its your clothes too :)

In few instances I have suggested people to use a strong deodorant or perfume. The suggestion used to be quite assertive, hence dropping hints to people about the strong body odor!

In a hilarious incident few years ago, my newly promoted boss felt embarrassed due to the smelly encounter. My team was invited for lunch to our new boss’s house. The spacious house was beautifully decorated, with every detail intricately chosen and accounted for. Right from the marbled floor, teak wood furniture, satin curtains to imported show pieces, everything about the house was classy. It smelled of high taste. It also smelled of something unpleasant. We were pleased with a warm welcome and all the affection that was showered by the hosts but only if the pungent smell wasn't present! Our new boss and his wife had left no stone unturned to make us feel comfortable. The smell continued to strangle me every minute. For obvious reasons I could not complain about the stench amid the hosts but surely dropped them hints that I was uneasy. The whole team insisted to see the balcony and terrace. The moment we were out of the room, I heaved a sigh of relief loudly saying "Thank god, its not smelling here". The boss's wife overheard me and my colleague nudged her elbow at me! Believe it or not, I did that purposefully.The rest is history :p

It is said that God gives a special skill or ability to everybody. Strange but true, I have that special ability to smell things from a distance. Not that I am a sniffer dog, but being a sinus patient, my extra sensitive nose can smell anything from a distance, faster than anybody else. This particularly happens in my yoga classes. The bad body odor gives me a bad mood. I requested my yoga instructor to suggest people taking a warm bath daily in the morning, as this helps to reduce body odor. Directly, or indirectly, I was happy to have my message conveyed without having me asked "Whats that smell boss?"

It is most advisable to take a warm water bath in the morning, to feel rejuvenated and eliminate body odor. With a product as superior as Racold in the market, I am sure warm water bath is so convenient and refreshing. A quick heating technology, not on;y saves time but also electricity!

DALCOSO: Health Book :Day 77

Ok, before you get any ideas, lemme tell you DALCOSO is a dish. This is my experiment in the kitchen and the dish name has of course been christened by me. At last, after a long break from blogging, I am back to usual business. This is the 77th day of the year, so the 77th post of my YEAR HEALTH BOOK.

Daliya (oatmeal) can be really boring, yeah? Why not add fun to it and make it interesting? I returned home from work after a busy day. While looking at the jars in the kitchen, I felt like skipping dinner for today. So much is the ordeal to cook for a single person! However, daliya came to my rescue and a new dish was born. Dalcoso is a mix of Daliya, Corns and Soya bean :-)

Ingredients- Daliya (oats), A cup of sweet corns, a handful or cup of soya beans, 2 tomatoes& onions, a spoonful of oil and sesame seeds

Optional- Coriander leaves, green/red chillies, pepper

Prep time- 15 minutes

Method-

1. Pressure cook daliya, corns and soya beans for 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile chop onions and tomatoes.

2. Heat oil in pan. Add sesame seeds to crackle. Fry onions and tomatoes.

3. Add daliya, corns and soya beans to the pan. Add a little water if you want to have it like soup. Add salt, pepper, green chillies to taste. Stir for few minutes.

4. Add coriander leaves to garnish. Serve hot.

A simple and healthy meal ready within no time. Needless to mention the nutrient value of this priceless dish, yet let me revise for the sake of all readers. Daliya is high in dietary fiber, proteins  and very low on fat or calories.
Corn is rich in fiber, antioxidants and minerals.
Soya bean acts a source of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fat.
Lets make food interesting and life healthy.

Stay healthy stay blessed!

#Whats that smell boss?

This contest is a part of the Indiblogger contest at https://www.facebook.com/racoldthermoltd

Smelly people? Well, this sounds rude! We call it body odor in a polite way. Yet the foul smell still remains a nightmare for those who smell it. I remember the foul stench from underarms of co-passengers in metro or bus while travelling to work or returning home, and I had no option but to turn away my head in the other direction to get some air. I almost choked myself on occasions when a person enters an air conditioned room with that rotten stench! The worse smell are those when the fancy deodorants blend with sweat and leave you in a bad mood!

I could not be rude to those who smell bad, though my mind is ready to yell at the person, asking "What's that smell boss?"

While I can still ask my sister to leave her shoes outside the house, I don't have that liberty to do so with others! Feet smell bad. God! Why don't they wash socks? Why don't they keep their shoes out in the sun. It was in 2010 when I was travelling from Delhi to Jaipur with my friends in Volvo for vacation. The air conditioned bus had closed windows, without any scope to open. One of the passengers had taken his shoes off. The entire bus was stinking with a rotten smell of those dirty socks. I kept shuffling on my seat and covering my nose every minute. I got restless and eventually threw out. The conductor had to stop the moving bus to get the bus clean.

"Are you feeling unwell?" the conductor asked me.

"I am ok. Its the bad smell of somebody's socks that made me sick!" I replied coughing and grasping for my breath.

Other co-passengers nodded their heads in agreement and it was only then that they complained of the foul smell of somebody's socks! Eeh! Post a lot of hub bub and a short break in the middle of the journey, when we boarded the bus again, to our surprise the smell was gone! The person was smart enough to remove his socks after hearing our conversation. So much for a foul smell!! Haha! (Here I am assuming the socks belonged to some gentleman and not a lady, as its the socks of a man that smells most of the times. No offence meant :p )

I recently wrote a blog post on how to get rid of smelly feet and posted on social networking sites. Since I could not say it directly, I said it those people who actually need a hot water bath in morning, through my blog and tagged them on social sites. The intelligent ones understood what I meant, and the ignorant ones are laughed at.

This is the best that I could have dealt with smelly people. I really wish to educate them about body odor. When we take a bath with warm water, our skin feels refreshed and the sweat glands emit less of foul smell. Haven't we heard that washing clothes or utensils with luke warm water takes off the oiliness and dirt debris from them completely. The same trick goes for our body. So why not feel reborn every morning with a hot water bath from Racold?

Scanning the distance

My friends and relatives who stay across the country and in various other parts of the world, stay in touch with me through the virtual world, i.e internet. Be it my uncle who is a well settled doctor in London, or my colleague from my previous office in Chennai (who recently had a baby) have asked me many times to pay them a visit. While internet keeps us connected undoubtedly, we cannot ignore the importance of meeting people face to face, especially when they are close to you. One may be willing to go and visit them, yet there is something which we don't share with them. It's you who bears the cost of travelling, damn it! So once when I had planned to go to London to meet my uncle's family, I did a dry run on the internet for tickets/flights. The ticket prices were sky high and I immediately dropped the idea of a vacation. How can you even plan a vacation when the travelling cost is that high! I called them to India instead :-) That was a smart move, though the disappointment remained in my heart for not being able to execute the most awaited trip to abroad.

To add to the woes is the time one takes to travel to the preferred destinations. You cant save money if you save time and vice versa.

So while I was growing up in a small town, it gave me wings to dream. Having stayed all my life in a small town of Uttaranchal, I many a times wondered how would life be outside my country. The thought of going out of country always fascinated me and my excitement grew with leaps and bounds with age. I traversed to Delhi for job and kept dreaming for a vacation abroad.

Now talking about the destination, I really wanna go to Bangkok. Do you really need to know the reasons? Well, there are many! One- The place is not expensive! That leaves a lot of room for shopping. Yay! A girl's instinct you see (wink wink) You save a lot of money on low cost flight for good shopping and great food on vacation. That's actually quite smart. Yeah?

Secondly- The travel time isn't long. Who wants to spend a long travel time in flight? A short trip gives you enough time for other exciting stuff like sight seeing. Needless to mention about the grand Budhhist temple, Siam Ocean World aquarium, exotic wine bars and floating markets of Bangkok.

To add to the advantage is- no jet lags!!! And the working professionals would also agree that with the scanty leave balance they have, time factor becomes rather important. Mathematically, lesser the time in travelling, more is the leisure and pleasure. Obviously we can't time travel!

All those who watched the movie SWADES (Starring Shahrukh Khan) must have seen the modes of travelling he used to reach that small village. Flight, train, bus, boat, rickshaw and what not. Yes that was economical for him, but put yourself in his shoes. Would this be feasible for you? Would you want to keep travelling in order to reach your favorite destination? It may be exciting for those who have all the time in the world and are travelers, but not the common people like us. (There again, don't underestimate the power of common man, says SRK) I might consider those travel options once I reach the destination And not TO the destination. Then only would that be travelling smart. Though I wish I had a magic wand to reach Bangkok invisible. hehe!

My gym trainer visited Bangkok last year and that increased my desire to visit Bangkok by many folds. Then I came across a wonderful website Skyscanner. Check out the website http://www.skyscanner.co.in My excitement knew no bounds when the website showed a whole list of flights available on the site. It eliminated the need to do a random search on net for flights. The site gives you the entire list of flights and hotels available and the time taken to travel. My heart pumped faster and I zeroed in Bangkok for my vacation!!

Scan the sky with skyscanner and travel smart to your dream destination. Save time, save money, enjoy to the fullest and return with a load of cherish-able memories!

This contest is a part of indiblogger contest http://www.indiblogger.in/topic.php?topic=100

Love the #DovePlay

What is the biggest strength for a girl? I know few would say, her smile, or confidence..so on and so forth. What if I'd say her beautiful tresses which she can flaunt? That's where my strength lies. Surprisingly it is my weakness as well. I want to flaunt my hair, play with them, but I am afraid. Caring about my precious locks and the thought of damaging them, makes me go weak in my legs.

I inherited wavy and thick hair from my Bengali parents. I had been possessive about my hair since childhood and was encouraged by my mom to lengthen them. Looking at other girl of my school, I wanted to style my hair. Since my mom did not let me shorten my hair, I would often end up experimenting with my wavy locks at some friend's place. At times I would cut fringes which was popularly known as "Sadhna Cut" or would play with razor cut. However, I could not leave my hair open because my hair texture wasn't smooth and straight. It was my biggest disappointment. For any girl who wants to leave her hair open, needs good shiny and strong hair. Isn't it? And that did not happen for two reasons- The hereditary waves in my hair and environmental stressors like pollution, weather etc.

I would love to play with my hair like I did in childhood. Straight at times, a french pony at times, some day fringes and one day color them! However, I could not grow my locks more than shoulder length because of the weak structure. On my hairdresser's advise I wanted to get my hair cut in layers. Haircut boosts you mentally, but when you can't flaunt them,  you find it totally pointless!

Often I would braid my hair or tie them in a bun, especially during an overnight stay at friend's place, because its embarrassing to see your strands of hair on bed, bathroom, floor, and everywhere. Come on, at girls night out, you are supposed to let your hair down and not tied in a bun! But who really understands the pain of having rough, dry hair?

The idea of pressing my hair and then coloring them struck me once. I got my hair pressed but ended up with split ends and losing more hair than the remaining ones on my head. That hurts! Looking at the rough strands and breakage, I grew paranoid of coloring my hair hence. What if they break post applying those dyes and chemicals? The fear of losing more hair held me back from playing with colors on my hair. sob sob. So, be it an attractive burgundy or amber brown, they scare me more and attract me less.

The only accessory for my hair is a clutch-er, that holds my locks together.

While wet look was an "in" thing some time back, I gave it a try. Wet look makes you look sexy and fresh. I applied gel to acquire that look. My hair turned brittle and could not resist breakage. I crave for that wet look, even today. But I am paranoid of hair sprays and gels that might damage my hair of what's left now.

My hair breakage had become so prominent that I had to consult a doctor to confirm if my body lacks iron! With so many shampoos and conditioners available in the market, irrespective their claim of being gentle and chemical free, the thought of dry,damaged hair and losing them soon, stops me from using them.

This blog post is a part of the Indiblogger #DovePlay contest http://www.indiblogger.in/topic.php?topic=105

The video seems to answer that how girls want to play with their hair. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rebjJcnactk 

Smelly feet? Health Book Day 65

Felt the awful stench from somebody's feet while travelling in public transport? Entered a closed room and you instantly wanted to leave because of a pair of smelly shoes? Often people say "Do you mind taking your shoes off?"

This sounds funny but the above can happen to your or anybody. The best example in my house is my sister whose feet emit strong odor, irrespective the weather, kind of shoes or perfume she uses. I was sick of complaining of the bad choking stench!

Bad odor may have many reasons, ranging from what food you consume to the physical activity of your body. Primarily it happens due to bacteria or fungus that breed in your feet or toes. Sharing few tips to get rid of such odor from feet and shoes-

- If you are physically active,  then you ought to sweat. Make sure you wash your feet in cold water after taking off your shoes.

-Keep your feet dry, especially between the toes as it serves a breeding ground for fungi or bacteria that cause odor.

-Try rubbing your feet with turnip juice or radish juice as these are natural deodorants.

-Wear socks whenever possible. Cotton socks or sweat absorbing socks are ideal.

-Wash and dry your socks daily or alternate days. Do not slip on wet or damp socks.

-You can soak your feet every day (atleast for a week) in strong black tea for 30 minutes. Add two tea bags in half a pot of water. Boil it for 10 minutes. Then add two quarters of cool water and soak your feet in the cool solution.

-For smelly shoes, use odor absorbing talc or anti fungal. These are easily available at all chemist shops or pharmacy. Sprinkle some in your shoes before wearing them. -Dip your feet in warm water and put drops of lemon.

-Put your shoes out in the sun once a week to get rid of the smell from shoes.

-A good pedicure twice in a month is also beneficial.

The main trick is to keep your feet and footwear dry and bacteria free. The above have helped my sister a lot and I complain less now :-) Lead a good happy life, full of health and wellness. Stay healthy stay blessed!

Beneficial "Ber"- Health Book- Day 62

The end of February or beginning of March, somewhere close to Holi, is marked by the presence of Ber or Jujuba fruit in the market. I wonder if this fruit is available in the market for the whole year or it is spotted only during this season. I love gorging on this fruit when brought home. For mothers, this is the fruit that is offered on shiv ling on Mahashivraatri. Ofcourse eaten by us later :-)

BUM BUM BHOLEY!  :-)

Ok, while munching ber or jujuba, I would like to share with you, some benefits of this fruit as follows-

1. Laden with anti-cancerous properties

2. Aids in controlling body weight-  Their low calorie values put together with negligible fat content makes them ideal for snacks.

3. Strengthens human immune system- Rich in vitamin C &A, and potassium, jujube helps to build and strengthen the human immune system. Hence, it also protects from cold and cough.

4. Calms your nervous system- Ok, I did not know this! Jujuba has a soothing effect on mind. Jujuba can hence be used as a natural anti-depressant and sedative. This also eases anxiety and stress.

5. Contains antioxidants- The large amount of antioxidants helps you protect against liver injuries and cancer. Is there a better preventive fruit?

6. Healthy and younger skin- The presence of antioxidants in the Ber makes it a natural anti-ageing agent, hence keeping your skin younger. The extracts of ber are widely used as remedies for skin redness, sunburns, and dryness. In manufacturing, jujube extracts are used in skin care products to reduce redness and swelling, wrinkles and dryness; and for relief from sunburn.

7. Healthy digestive system- Need not worry about gulping warm water or banana always. People suffering with constipation and other digestive problems gain benefit of jujuba hence.  Along with promoting digestion, dry jujubes act as gentle laxatives. This amazing fruit also promotes appetite.

8. Source of energy- This fruit, despite being low in calories, is a good energy booster. I munched just 3 or 4 of these and felt so good. Just eat these fruits to get rid of your fatigue in a quicker way. It is quite refreshing.

9. Healthy teeth, muscles, and bones- The presence of calcium and phosphorous in this super magical fruit aid in strengthening your bones and teeth. With 3 milligrams magnesium per serving can help in toning up the muscles. Jujube is used for improving muscular strength and weight hence.

10. Efficient pumping of blood- The small yet effective amount of niacin obtained from each jujube fruit ensures effective and efficient pumping of blood, thus keeping your energy levels intact.

I have a thought of planting a jujube tree in my house, if possible. Fruits are magical and such a blessing for humanity. So stay healthy and stay blessed!

Why Green Chillies? Health Book- Day 64

Witnessing Aishwarya Rai eat green chilies in a scene from her super hit movie Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, made me cry. She actually ate 11 in a go! Many called it the dedication of an actress, while I felt she had the capacity to bear the heat in her mouth. I thought it was a normal act since I am sure she eats spicy. For me green chilly was a forbidden thing. Not that my family never ate green chilies, but may be because my taste buds did not develop the taste for them. I have a sweet tooth and can gorge on kilos of sweets in one go. On the other hand my sister and mother have a taste for spicy and hot food! Frankly I am scared of chillies and disregarded them from my meals. I know that excess of chilly consumption can cause gastric problems and burning sensation in stomach. They also interfere with reproductive processes and also have negative effects on sperms. Despite the negative effects of green chillies, you can gain from them in a numerous ways. 

Check out how-

-Green chilies are quite rich in Vitamin A and C.  A keeps the health and maintenance of bones, teeth, mucous membranes.Vitamin C plays a key role in the maintenance of bones, teeth and cartilage while helping to absorb other vitamins as well.

-How will you feel if I tell you that it increases your metabolism by burning your calories? Surprised? Well I was also surprised.

-It is rich in antioxidant beta-carotene that supports the cardiovascular system.

-Helps a lot in lowering the cholesterol content in body, hence considered good for your heart. Its no fat content and a good amount of Omega 6 fatty acid content makes it a good food for heart.

-These little wonders help a lot in the health of eyes and immune system.

-These make you ageless! How? Well, It helps you to keep away from wrinkles. The secret to a younger skin lies in chillies..hehehe

-The anti-bacterial property of green chilies help keep our body worm free.

-It is a good treatment for nerve-related disorders like persistent pain, psoriasis and neuropathy.

-According to some studies, green chilies are responsible of reduction in blood sugar levels and can be a boon to diabetics.

-Biting a green chilly will result in the pain you feel and help to dissolve blood clots and aids in digestion.

Do not shy away from eating these super beneficial chillies. However, do not consume excess amount. Eat them raw or saute in little bit of oilve oil. A moderate amount 4 times a week or low amount everyday is recommended. Stay healthy stay blessed!

Indoor green- Health Book Day 53

Terrace garden

My hometown (Dehradun) where I grew up is a beautiful green place surrounded by hills and clouds. In spite of living in a house on first floor,
we never had a dearth of plants as my mother nurtured lot of plants in terrace, balcony and entire staircase. I missed the natural beauty when I came to Delhi. With changing lifestyles and shrinking spaces, houses do not have gardens or lawns anymore. I so wanted greenery around me.

On my last birthday when two of my close friends asked me what I wanted as birthday present, I bluntly demanded for indoor plants. They counteracted it with their frowns and even tempted me with gifts other than plants. I did not budge. They thought I was crazy. At last I got 2 beautiful indoor plants as my birthday presents!

My birthday gift

Why indoor plants? Well they have several benefits that you might not have been aware of. The benefits cover a spectrum from physically cleaner air to direct beneficial effects on psychological health, task performance, illness reduction and productivity. Let me enlighten you with some, in my blog on day 52^nd of Year Health Book (YHB)

Makes breathing easier: While you breathe, your body takes in oxygen and releases carbon dioxide. During photosynthesis, plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. This pattern balances the act of nature hence making plants your partners. By adding plants to interior space will increase oxygen levels.

However, at night, plants absIndoor green- YBH Day 5orb oxygen to release carbon dioxide. Wondering how is that useful? You did not know about few plants like orchids, succulents and epiphytic bromeliads which do just the opposite (take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen.) Placing these plants in bedrooms will refresh air during night.

Release water: As part of the photosynthetic processes, plants release moisture vapor that increases humidity of the air around them. Place several plants together, and you can increase the humidity of a room, which helps keeps respiratory distresses at bay. Research proves that using plants in interior spaces helps to decrease chances of dry skin, cold, sore throats and dry coughs. Surprised, isn’t it?

Decorating Indoor

Purify air: Plants remove toxins from air.  – up to 87 percent of volatile organic compounds which are present in present in rugs, vinyl, cigarette smoke and grocery bags. Plants convert these into their food. Now that’s a mutual co-existence!

Improving Health:Adding plants to hospital rooms speeds recovery rates of surgical patients. compared to patients in rooms without plants. Patients in rooms with plants request less pain medication, have lower heart rates and blood pressure, experience less fatigue and anxiety, and are released from the hospital sooner.

Not only hospitals, but adding plants to office settings decreases fatigue, colds, headaches, coughs, sore throats and flu-like symptoms. It creates a friendly and calm environment as well. Few Fengshui plants are known to bring good luck and prosperity. So add indoor greens as much as possible.

Don’t let shrinking spaces take away nature from your life. Add indoor greenery to stay healthy and blessed.

The Beet Treat- Health Book -Day 34

Often my mom prepared vegetable soup with a good amount of beetroot in it. The soup looked red..blood red! I used to be scared of consuming the veg soup thinking that she would mix chicken or some nasty non veg piece in it. Since I am the only vegetarian in my family, they regularly conspired by disguising non veg in veg dishes. However, my fears for the red-blooded soup vanished soon as I learnt about beetroot's properties and later the benefits.

1. My dad had a stroke few years ago. The doctor suggested beetroot soup. Why? because it helps in lowering blood pressure. Beetroot is a great source of nitrates, which is converted to nitrites and a gas called Nitric oxides. These components help to widen the arteries and lower blood pressure!
2. Beetroot contains large amount of soluble fibers, flavanoids and betacyanin. The latter gives beetroot its red color and is a powerful antioxidant thatreduces cholesterol and does not allow it to deposit on the walls of the artery. Hence making your heart stroke proof.
3. Beetroot contains a lot of iron. Iron helps in formation of haemagglutinin, which is a part of the blood that helps transport oxygen and nutrients to various parts of the body. It is the iron content  that helps to treat anaemia as against the popular belief that beetroot treats blood loss.
4. Because of its high soluble fiber content, beetroot is a beats constipation. It cleanses the stomach helping in regularizing your bowel movements.
5. It is packed with mineral silica which is an important component for the body to use calcium efficiently. Calcium makes up our bones and teeth. 300-500 ml of beetroot juice a day can keep brittleness of bones away.
6. Beet root releases sugar in the blood very slowly. Hence it helps to keep a check on diabetes. It fills you and fulfills your sweet craving.

Eat it raw, have it in soup or cook with other vegetables. Have a beetroot and say bye to many problems of your body. Eat healthy, lead a good life. 

The Papadum Show- Health Book: Day 52

The crispy, crunchy snack is a store house of benefits, which many are not aware of. As a child I loved the fried papad served with Khichri or during evening snacks. Now when I am on the healthy track, I was taken aback by what I researched on Papad. No, don’t mistake me for a PhD holder in papad, but I am only adding value to your healthy life style.

Papad is made of lentils or chickpea flour, hence it is a healthy thing to consume. However, the way you cook it, gives direction to the nutrition of the same. Many people deep fry it (Like my my Mom did when I was young). Refrain from deep frying that kills the nutrients of papad and adds cholesterol.

The healthiest way of preparing is to roast it on stove or microwave it.

• Papad is very low on fatty acid and cholesterol. Hence recommended for heart patients or those on dieting plan.
• It is high in carbohydrates hence a rich source of energy for daily activities or exercising.
• Papad has dietary fiber content that can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It normalizes bowel movements and helps maintain bowel integrity and health. Because of its fibers, papad is useful for controlling blood sugar levels and it lowers blood cholesterol levels.
• This is rich in folate which is beneficial especially for expecting ladies, for whom folic acid tablets are recommended. Papad is a good snack for the same.
• 1 ounce or 28 g of papad contains 48 mg calcium and more than 70mg Magnesium.
• Other essential dietary vitamins like Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc and copper are also present in parts.
• The fact that papad is made of lentils, makes it a healthy eating option for all. However, the only disadvantage in papad is a high presence of sodium (489 mg in 28 gm)

You can add chopped onions, tomato, chillies to the papad which is popularly called Masala Papad. Savor the great flavor while eating right!

Get a packet of papad from the grocery store next time and make it a part of your healthy snacks. However, DO NOT DEEP FRY it please!

Stay healthy stay blessed!