Hills Paradise - Dalhousie

To visit Dalhousie was my dream that I nurtured since many years. A busy work life and other priorities deterred me from this heavenly place. A three day holiday came as a blessing in disguise and my desire to visit Dalhousie found wings. Around 84 kilometers from Pathankot, this lovely hill station is located at an altitude of 8000 ft above sea level in the lap of Himachal. We were welcomed by a light shower of rains at Pathankot, from where we hired a taxi driven by Kishori Lal.

Road Side Traffic

Kishori Lal ji ferried us to Dalhousie and through the entire place for sightseeing. Reliable, polite and experienced, he did not give us a single chance to complain. A straight two hours’ drive from Pathankot would have brought us to our guest house Silverton estate. However, we detoured and visited Chamera Dam first, which is a boating site and a nice picnic spot. (Our primary reason to detour- Silverton Estate check in time was 12 Noon and we had ample time to kill). Awestruck by the beauty of nature, our three hours’ drive of 120 kilometers from Pathankot to Chamera dam was full of stopovers for photography & fun. Chamera Dam is in the heart of Chamba valley (The very serene place where Bollywood film Taal was shot).

Passed through this tunnel right before the dam approach roads

Chamera Dam

The kissable roses

Beating around the bushes-Literally!

Boating was restricted day due to rains. So we had to settle with posing along everything and anything around for pictures. The dam site blossomed with pink roses and fluffy red flowers that filled the air with sweet fragrance. I could not stop myself from kissing the charming roses!

The 3^rd week of April was surprising chilly against our expectations with locals still wearing woolens and I carried none.  I clung to a thin shawl which I had brought along anticipating cold at night. The drive at the hilly roads towards Chamera Dam offered breathtaking view of the lush greenery, dreamy fog, crystal blue water and blossoming flowers. Such beauty is so rare in the cities.

The peaceful ambiance of the place was only interrupted by the cold breeze and rain drops. The feeling was beyond words. I wanted to stay in the paradise for longer. We stuffed ourselves with maggi, momos, flavored tea and marked an end to our short stay at the divine Chamera Dam.

Silverton Estate

Window overlooking the lawn

Living room of Silverton

We covered a distance of 35 kilometers driving for another hour from Chamera Dam that brought us to our guest house Silverton Estate. Located at a hill top amidst snowy fog and plush greenery, the heritage property was undreamed-of. I jumped with joy the moment I entered the property. Built during the British era, the three room apartment with bedroom, living room and dining room boasted of elements from the past. Be it the furniture, the windows, the lights, the flower vase or the switches, you feel no less than a queen with the fringes of the opulent history bustling in the room so perfectly. Old yet strong, the beautiful artifacts were very well maintained. The windows overlooked green lawn surrounded by cedar & chir trees.

Dining room@Silverton

Vikram, the owner welcomes us with rejuvenating lemon tea.  The dining room had a book shelf which immediately caught my attention. The books were of stories from the British rule to history of Dalhousie. My friends of course did not let me read books, as we were on a fun vacation, and not a boring tour. Thanks Shivani and Pooja! Silverton has an in-house kitchen which serves simple and healthy food. This is a must during trips as often people neglect their health and gorge on anything while travelling. We were lucky to get home made food in Silverton with an attendant to serve us, as done in Army style. We were more than impressed! I could not get enough of Dalhousie and the lovely Silverton Estate. The all girls trip became a memorable one. Most of the photo credits goes to our polite driver Kishori ji.

Places to see in Dalhousie-

Ghandhi Chowk Market- The central point of Dalhousie is a small local market with speciality wooden works, sweets made of fruits, fresh cakes, and pickles. Nothing spectacular to shop for, unless you want to enjoy hot momos/maggi and hot beverages.

St Francis Church

St Francis Church- Next to the Subhash Chowk vicinity. A quiet place housing an old church, few caged birds and of course the beautiful garden. Built in 1894

Subhash Chowk- The commercial point of the town with a memorial of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The road connects to the beautiful Panchpula waterfall. Trek up on the waterfall hills for adventure or startling pictures. We visited the place with a borrowed umbrella while it rained throughout the day.

Around Dalhousie-

1. Kalatop- A wildlife sanctuary with forest guest houses, this place has been a popular shooting location for many movies, including bollywood flick Lootera (2013). Spread in a wide area, the forest has a heavy flora & fauna along with guest houses for accommodation. You can also trek up to the peak of Dainkund. (We skipped Kalatop, only to realize later "Lootera"was shot here and the place is a heaven! 

2. Khajiaar- Popularly known as the  mini Switzerland of India, the place is a huge expanse of a green pastureland surrounded by the hilly trees, 21 kilometers away from Dalhousie. Soak the sun on the green pastures while sheep grazing by your side. The place makes a nice picnic spots with lot of eating joints around.

Khajjiar

3. Dainkund- Named after the witches that disturbed the villagers, Dainkund is a hill top to trek on amid the marvelous vegetation and foggy trails, just 12 kilometers from Dalhousie. The mountain of Dainkund rises to an altitude of 2,745 meters above sea level and provides a breathtaking view of the surrounding regions. Dainkund is the highest mountain in Dalhousie that provides a picture book scenery of the whole valley. Daikund is popularly known as the singing hill. Protected and maintained by the Indian Airforce , the area gets a fair share of snowfall throughout winters. My friends and I enjoyed snowfall in April!!!!!!!!! Climatic changes may be?

4. Dharamshala/McLeodganj-  About 124 km from Dalhousie is McLeodganj, bustling with tourists from all over the world, good night life and not so quiet like Dalhousie.
(Read: https://expressunleashed.blogspot.in/2014/05/memoirs-from-mcleodganj.html) 

Do's and Don'ts-

• Do try the ginger chutney which is a local pickle preparation that adds wonderful taste and aroma to food.
• For those with sweet tooth can gorge on to fruit burfi and fresh cakes.
• Be prepared for abrupt rains or freezing wind and carry anything warm.
• Dalhousie is quiet place with no night life or pubs/discs. Only photography enthusiasts, nature lovers and those looking for peace of mind should visit the place.

Go further get closer

This post is a part of the British Airways Indiblogger contest http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixbLMsVlpes  This video left me in tears just like Chetna turned emotional when she was pleasantly surprised by her husband Sumit. What a memorable way to get closer and say thanks to the one whom you love the most! British airways gives that opportunity to go as far as you can to get closer.

Time is the most precious thing one can give to another person. So if you get time from a friend, near or dear one, feel lucky. In the present world, when so many things are on priority and love,relationships,quality time takes a backseat, you end up in guilt for not being able to give your 100% to a relationship. No wonders, that is the reason why newly wed couples are sent to an exotic location for honeymoon so that they spend time with each other and enjoy the blissful company without interference of the rest of the world. While this is a very well practiced concept throughout the world, the sparks of the relationship starts to disappear within few years of marriage. Not that the love subdues, but it is the lack of time which creates that wedge in relationship. Be it a working couple or one staying at home, the inability to spend quality time with each other  results in fading out the strong bond. Especially the one serving the defence sector, face this every now and then.

Keeping such lifestyle and love deprived situation in mind, what can one think of? Quitting job is not a solution, et al. How can you think of making things happen again? Well, go further and get closer. Take a vacation with your partner and visit a location to get closer to your love again! You ought to cherish those memories life long then. Had I been Sumit (from the video) I would take my partner to a place like London, where serenity meets exotica! A beautiful place where you can enjoy cuisine, culture, great night outs, sight seeing while giving the most precious thing to tour partner- TIME!

Like Chetna, it would be my first journey in air. I long for the moment when we sit arm in arm on flight and look out  of the window. His shoulder is the best place for me to rest my head and forget the world. The comfortable flight journey would be the beginning of the marvellous time we'd have in London together.

It is said that nature brings people closer. Then diving into the clear waters with my partner for a view of the breathtaking underwater life would be a great idea. The moment you feel scared or shaky, your partner would be there to extend his hand and make you feel safe. There is no other feeling like your your partner assuring you that he is with you forever! The feeling which you experience while holding hands and whispering sweet nothings into each others ears, somewhere gets lost in the daily city lives where you barely have time for your own self. I want to celebrate love and togetherness with my loved one in London for sure! May be I relive the history in Buckingham Palace and see London from London Eye!

If he surprises me with such an outing, it would be a dream come true. If he does not, then I will surprise him some day. Either ways, I lose nothing :-) I hope he does not read this post, because I want him to choose a destination on his own. You can do that by clicking onthe link- http://bit.ly/1epU8Uj

Nostalgic summer vacation....

May 15^th to July 15^th was the time I used to wait for when I was in school. That was the summer vacation of my school.2 months freedom and holidays! My young siblings too used to be equally excited about the most awaited freedom of two months! Though the summer temperature in my hometown Dehradun never crossed 35 degrees, we often used to chill out at nearby places around Dehradun.

Sahastradhara, Lachhiwala, Rishikesh, Haridwar are few beautiful popular picnic spots at a few hours distance from Doon. We kids used to plan for the outings excitedly and pack our fancy sunshades, caps, camera, ball, Frisbee and what not. Mom used to make our favourite Rajma or Choley for Lunch, and Dad, on our popular demand used to bring cold drinks crates. The summer heat, the rising temperature, the fatigue, all used to vanish in seconds when we had the rivers in sight! And my happy family used to take a dip in the cool rivers together. Splashing water at each other, trying to learn swimming from my parents, teasing, shouting, trekking in the green valleys, refusing to come out of the waterfalls, capturing the scenic beauty of the valleys in our cameras, longing to stay there for some more time, Parents and Kids behaving alike  …Ah! I wish I could bring back the past. These are the special moments which summer vacations have given me .I can never forget the charm of those places which we used to visit each year and return home with the promise of visiting next year again during summers.

My dad is a businessman. People often think that only businessmen can spare time for their families while servicemen can’t. However I don’t think so. We used to freak out only during weekends and so is the similarity for servicemen..Times have changed, workloads have increased (so has the temperature). I am a working professional myself and I am constrained by time. My brother who is a college going boy now, cribs on his short summer vacations. Dad is also bogged by the increasing workload of his business. Yet, summers are special for us. We still eagerly look forward for an outing in Mussorie or Dhanaulti.

Once in 2007, we missed our train on the day of departure and had to wait on Nizamuddin platform for 6 more hours for the next train. The train journey of 22 long hours from Delhi to Nagpur was extremely tiring, I swear. But my happy family tried to cheer up the environment with songs and jokes while my gadget freak brother made us play  games. I enjoyed the view from the train window. The train leaving behind the farms, rivers, forests, pastures, villages were just mesmerizing. Maasi’s sweet home, my wonderful cousins, the spicy dishes of Nagpur, the lovely picnic places made it a rocking summer vacation.  It was the best summer vacation we had- a lovely reunion with my Maasi’s family after 10 years. My newly wed Bhabhi and I gelled like house on fire. Who can forget the sevpoori and sengdaana chutney. I fell in love with the  Maharashtran dishes. The temples and forts of Nagpur are a never forgetting experience for me. My cousins, maasi, mausaji, mom dad, bro and I celebrated our togetherness with an in-house dance party. Surprisingly I saw my bro dancing for the first time! Pastries, ice-creams, soft drinks(that too neat) chilled the warm night. My cousins used to chit chat with me till late night and showed me the wonderful city of oranges NAGPUR during the day time.

Nagpur remains warm throughout the year, but such a vacation dosen’t happen every day. Anything for such a wonderful reunion and a memorable summer vacation. My first visit to Nagpur will always be close to my heart. Yes, summers still have the charm and I plan to go to Manali very soon. Workload has nothing to do with the much awaited summer vacation and let go all the worries for some time.

Feeling nostalgic now!!

Why Day Creams? Health Book- Day 130

The secret to a luminous and rejuvenated skin lies in your skin care regimen. The world knows about cleansing, toning and moisturizing. However, many don’t know about the right cream for skin for day and night. Skin care giants encourage women to use creams at different times of the day. The reasons? Let’s analyse why to use day cream -

During the day your skin is exposed to many environmental stressors like dust- pollution, humidity, temperature shifts besides the harmful UVA/UVB rays of the sun. Even when you are indoors, your skin is exposed to UVB

rays.  The UVA rays damage your skin superficially(the dermis) that cause skin burns, tanning or inflammation, while UVB rays are present in the normal light indoors and harm your skin from inside(the epidermis), causing aging or dark spots. Stress, hormonal imbalance, anxiety and other natural snags of human body directly effect your skin. With so much pressure on your body, your skin is the first thing to give away and show signs of aging or wear & tear. Hence a day cream is recommended to shield your skin and protect the skin cells.

Day cream has SPF to protect your skin. Besides this, a day cream has lot of other ingredients that nourish, moisturize, hydrate skin which is absolutely necessary for the skin cells to remain intact and firm. Choose your day cream as per your need, age and skin type.

For those in early 20’s, should opt for a day dream infused with moisturizer, nourishment of Vitamin A, or natural ingredients that keeps collagen intact.

30-40 years of age- Since fines lines of aging start to appear in early 30’s, this is the time when you should choose day creams laden with SPF 15  and more, antioxidants, retinol and alpha hydroxyl acids.

40’s and above- Select a day cream with broad spectrum moisturizer, peptides, retinol to strengthen collagen and control age spots.

Watch out for the content in your day creams, besides selecting the ones according to your skin type. You may have oily, dry, combination or normal skin type. All will fit into the age category while selecting any brand. The market is flooded with numerous brands of day creams. Make a wise choice for your skin.

A day cream is usually light textured so as to allow the skin pores to breathe. The non greasy formula absorbs into your skin easily. Once you apply day cream, you can apply makeup over it. SPF lotion alone is not enough for your skin during the day. 

YEAR HEALTH BOOK, DAY 130. Stay healthy, stay blessed.

Avon Naturals Acai & Pear body lotion

Avon Naturals Acai & Pear HBL

I bought Avon's Naturals Sparkling Pear and Acai Juicy Moisture Hand & Body Lotion- 200 ml

I love the natural flavors of Avon Sparkling Pear and Acai Naturals Hand & Body Lotions. Today when the market is flooded with variety of products that claim big on technology and ingredients, Naturals, as a sub brand of Avon is different. I gave it a try because I love natural ingredients and products with less or mild chemicals. Avon Naturals just fits into my requirement.

The Sparkling Pear and Acai flavoured body lotion smells too good. The fragrance is neither strong nor light. The former means less harsh chemicals, which is exactly what I wanted. Too strong a fragrance also causes headache to me at times.

The light texture of the lotion off white in color. The lotion feels light weight and gets easily absorbed onto your skin. Skin does not feel oily or heavy at all. The fragrance does not remain on skin for long, which is okay for me, as long as it moisturizes skin for long. The lotion is soothing and can be used daily on arms and legs. It keeps your skin smooth and nourished. The back panel of the lotion does not show acai as one of the extracts, yet presence of glycerin, mineral oil and pear extract solves the purpose for me. Pear extract is known to lighten skin tone and controls oil on skin.

The packaging is nice. The green label showing acai and pear as ingredients are apt and absolutely give this a natural look. The 200 ml pack is priced at Rs 189 which is economical. Compared with other brands, Avon products are priced less and there are high chances that you buy them at lesser offer prices! Its a fairly priced product.

My skin feels soothed after applying the refreshing HBL. This was a perfect treat for my skin during summers. However, I may not buy this during winters, as skin needs more moisturization and heavy textured HBL.

What I liked-

• The natural light fragrance
• Light weight texture
• Presence of pear extract
• Gives smooth and moisturized skin
• Fairly priced

What I missed

• No SPF
• Fragrance does not stay long, unlike other brands.

A repeat purchase?

Yes!

Take care of your skin. Stay healthy stay blessed

From my year health book, this is day 135 on May 6th' 14.

Avon Solutions Refined White- Health Book -Day 125

The Skin care manufacturing giants recognized India as a huge potential market for fairness products. Little do people realize that fairness creams DO NOT change complexion. If changing our skin complexion was that easy, the world would have been a “fair” place! The creams only form a layer on the epidermis (the outer surface of skin) with a white tint. (Many a times we see people with whitish tint or a patchy layer on their faces. That’s what fairness creams do).

We can only improve our skin tone or add a glow/brightness. Fairness products should work on the inside of skin cells. Avon claims Solutions refined white works from within the skin cells to impart brightness and clear complexion within 1 week. I took the challenge.

Avon Solutions Refined Day &Night

I was happy about the fact that Solutions does claim to make you fair. I liked the technology that works on the skin and how does a blend of science and nature come together as a miracle. I used Solutions Day cream for more than 1 month and Night Cream for 2 months and saw a remarkable improvement in my skin.

The technology- Dark skin complexion is attributed to presence of melanin inside skin. More the melanin, darker the complexion. (Though more melanin eliminates chances of skin cancer or harm from UV rays).  Solutions Refined White range is infused with Silk Peptide Fiber which is a natural protein fiber made of amino acid. Our skin is rich in amino acids too, so adding the right amount & type of silk to right products can strengthen our skin structure. When silk peptide molecules enter the dermis (inside the skin layers), it makes skin look plumper, younger and rebuilds skin cells. Silk is also a good absorber of moisturizer and delivers moisture, prevents skin dehydration and makes skin silky, smooth.

Solutions Refined White has the right amount of Silk peptide fiber and helps increase skin cell proliferation, ultimately helping to bring fresh, clearer skin cells to the surface and removing excess melanin. This leaves skin looking brighter and lighter with fewer discolorations.

Day Cream- I was apprehensive about using Solutions Refined White day cream, as most of the day creams make skin oily. However, Solutions Refined White proved my inhibitions wrong. Neither did it leave my skin patchy with white tints nor oily. Day cream claims to have a broad-spectrum SPF 20/PA++ that shields skin from harmful UVA/UVB rays. (UVA damages skin superficially causing tanning, while UVB damages skin cells from inside causing skin aging). Day cream if formulated with Vitamin C as a powerful anti-oxidant that counteracts skin-damaging radicals throughout the day. My skin felt smooth and even immediately. I use it daily as a base before applying makeup. I recommend the day cream for everyday use.

Night Cream- Always use night creams that is light on skin and allow your skin to breathe while you sleep. Solutions Refined White Night Cream has a super light texture that feels lightweight on skin. Does not leave skin greasy. Formulated with Silk Peptide Fiber, it inhibits skin darkening. After initial application, my skin felt soft, smooth, radiant and non greasy. Within 2 weeks you find your skin visibly smooth, with less discolorations and improved clarity. What explains better than a compliment (which I got from a colleague on my improved skin tone post using Solutions Night Cream).

Packaging- is good and looks premier. The 50g cylindrical jar with silver lid and pink label is easy to carry into your bag.  The labelling was bit of a turnoff. The day cream jar has text “Day cream SPF20/PA++” which is not visible. The night cream mentions “whitening cream” instead of night cream, which is confusing. You would not be able to differentiate between the two jars unless you catch the text on the label.

Give the right food to your skin, stay healthy, stay blesssed. This is my 125th post of the year on the 125th day of 2014.

Hair's next- Day Health Book- Day 124

Troublesome summers brings heat and humidity with it. The worst effected are your hair, which turn sweaty, dirty and dry in the harsh weather. Sharing some useful hair treatment therapies for you so that your tresses shine and breathe free.

-Wash your hair every 3-4 days with mild shampoo if you sweat a lot. Not washing hair will create a breeding ground for lice or dirt to accumulate, causing a foul smell and oily scalp.

-Massage your hair with nourishing oil every week to strengthen the roots and protect them from drying. A hot oil massage is the most recommended. To treat dandruff, mix few drops of lemon juice or camphor in the oil. Wash your scalp with anti dandruff shampoo.

-Before pressing or straightening your hair, apply heat protective gel on hair to prevent burning or drying of your hair. Local parlors don't do this which often causing hair fall and weakening of your tresses.

-Cover your head with scarf or cap before stepping out in the sun. Pollution and sun together cause lot of damage to hair.

-Give a hair spa at home each week. Try these easy and nourishing hair masks at home- 

A) Beat egg white, a cup of milk (if your hairs are dry), a cup of curd (if you have oily scalp), few drops of lemon juice, 2 spoons of oilve oil and mix well. 

Apply to your hair diving your hair into small sections. Leave it on for 15 minutes. Let steam penetrate your masked hair. (Steamers or vaporizers are easily available in the market). Rinse with cold water. Do NOT use warm water to rinse the mask.

Egg conditions your hair really well and adds shine to the dull locks. Milk conditions your dry hair. Curd treats dandruff and oily scalp. For those who do not use eggs can use Amla juice with shikakaai.

B) Banana mask is for those who have dry hair: Mix a table spoon of honey, 2 spoons of coconut oil, 1 spoon of oilve oil and 2 mashed ripe bananas. Make sure the banana is well mashed and smoothed well, leaving no pieces of banana left in the beaten mask.  Leave the mask on for 20 minutes and rinse with warm water.

Try the above methods to protect your hair from the harsh summers and let them shine with health! Stay healthy stay blessed!

This is the 124th day of the year and my 134th post from Year Health Book (YHB)

Heat stroke- Health Book- Day 123

With scorching heat and rising temperature each year, the possibility of falling sick doubles up gradually. Children, old people and those who are not used to warm temperature are very prone to heat sickness including heat strokes.

Try remedies at home to beat the heat and keeping heat stroke at bay:

Drink plenty of water

Heatstroke happens when water of our body dries due to excess heat. This leads to failure of body's cooling mechanism. Human body cools off by sweating. When water dies and a person stops sweating, it may cause the person to collapse.

- Keep yourself hydrated. Drink water even if you are not thirsty. Many people don't realize that by  the time they feel thirsty, their body has dehydrated already. Those working in air conditioned rooms, seldom drink water. Drink a minimum of 3 litres of water each day.

-Consume less of carbonated drinks and extremely cold water, as that may cause stomach cramps.

-Its advisable to consume fresh fruit juice instead of artificial flavoured drinks. People loose sodium, potassium and essential salts during summers. So lemonade or shikanji is most recommended to prevent heatstroke.

Prevent heat stroke with lemonade

-Remain indoors during afternoons and peak hours of the day. Chances of getting heat stroke are highest then.

-Protect your head from sunlight. Wrap a scarf, wear a cap or carry an umbrella.

-Summer heat causes fatigue and heat exhaustion. So rest well. Do not indulge in strenuous physical exercises.

-Avoid eating oily or deep fried stuff. Instead, consume fruits with high water content, like watermelons, coconut, musk melon etc.

-Eating raw onions prevents heat stroke too.

Be safe, be hydrated..stay healthy stay blessed!

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.