Indian maternity portraits - Tips

I guess u mught have understood the title well. Many of you Indian Pregnant women, (like me) must be wondering how to take and preserve good maternity pictures. I kind of never liked exposing my belly or bare body of pregnant women in the photographs and preserving them.... Well its my personal taste. May be becoz the way i was brought up.This is so common here in UnitedStates or any other western countries. Believe me its becoming very popular in India too... But im sure, there are lots of people who still stick to my kind of taste.

Been thinking about this topic - 'Photography for Indian Pregnant Women' long since. Ok, so this post will be more useful for those of you Indian preggo ladies,  who resides outside India, and just have digital camera, ans still wanna preserve ur consolidated maternity memories, but do not have enough ideas to capture your thoughts.I Came up with some consolidation of ideas by browsing and viewing lots of albums, I hope you will be a starter inspiration for you all just like me.

There are several ways you can consolidate your maternity memories

1. Traditional
2. Contemporary
3. Mixture of both

Things you will need:

1. A good digital camera (Though a DSLR will be ideal)
2. An account with the digital photo developing sites like Snapfish/ Kodakgallery/Shutterfly/Clark etc etc
3. And a perfect mood! Have a natural smile in all ur pictures.Or atleast donot be a frowny.

Tips/Ideas

• You take pictures showing each month or by trimester.
• When you take pictures month by month , it is better to stand in the same place , prefferable against a plain wall , posing sideways, with some plain ( no patterns), and dark colored dress, throughout the pregnancy.That way u can see ur belly's growth.
• When you have no time for all these, then u might wanna take random pictures but remember to note the trimester. May be u can show up ur fingers as to what month you were , in that picture at that time.
• When taking random pictures:

Place: Outdoor photographs, in the daylight, are always my first choice. Prefferable greenery background. Like you can go to a nursery, or a playground, sidewalks with the green bushes, or even ur own garden for that matter.
Costume: You can either choose our traditional indian outfits like Saree or Salwar or even a mix like brightblue jean with white kurta or the wester outfits.
Costume Color: Denim blue Jeans and Whites for all skin type.
                            Dark red/Bright yellow/Dark Green for fair skin.
                            Mustard color/white/ neutral shades for dark skin.
 Make-up : Minimal. Just enhance your eyes with clear mascara, and lip gloss. Ofcourse with neatly tweazed eyebrows. Let your hair loose.

Place: Indoor Photographs with bright good light - will be my second choice.
Costume : Same. Denimblue and whites will be perfect for any occasion.
Color : Same
Make-up: Same as above.

Poses:

• Outdoor : Just a casual pose while walking in the breeze.
• Outdoor: Or by sitting or lying down over a green lawn , you seeing the blue sky....
• Outdoor : Just holding hands with your husband (either front or back pose), using self timer.
• Indoor: Lying in a couch with legs crossed and with some pros like reading books -picture to be take from behind your head, so that your face is not visible , only your tummy is visible.
• Indoor: Sitting in a yoga mat with some yoga postures.
• Indoor: If you already have a kid(s), then you can hold their hands or legs, and pose sideways.
• Indoor/Outdoor: If you already have a kid(s), then you can take the usual pose, by making them hug around ur belly and pose sideways.
• Indoor/Outdoor: Holding flowers close to belly and posing sideways. This should be a closeup shot of ur belly with ur hands holding flowers
• Indoor/Outdoor:A very common pose - again a close up shot  of ur belly with your hands making a heart symbol.
• Indoor/Outdoor: To have an indian touch you can pu mehandi in ur hands and wear beautiful gorgeous bangles.
• Indoor/Outdoor: Or you can take pictures when u hang out with ur friends or relatives.

Add up ur professional baby shower pictures to this collection and make a photobook! I personally love photobooks rather than storing the induvidual prints. Im sure many of you will think , it would have been better if i demonstrated with some pictorial examples. I will definitely comeup with my  own compilation examples asap. Till then have fun taking & preserving photographs.

Laugh out loudly

Lately i started writing in my mother tongue - Tamil. I am having more fun these days by commiting lots of mistakes and correcting them . well thats how we learn! I'd laught at my self :))
when we talk about laughter, everybody knows it is the best medicine.
When laughter is shared, it binds people together and increases happiness and intimacy. In addition to the domino effect of joy and amusement, laughter also triggers healthy physical changes in the body. Humor and laughter strengthen your immune system, boost your energy, diminish pain, and protect you from the damaging effects of stress. Best of all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use.
Laughter, along with an active sense of humor, may help protect you against a heart attack, according to a recent study by cardiologists at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. The study, which is the first to indicate that laughter may help prevent heart disease, found that people with heart disease were 40 percent less likely to laugh in a variety of situations compared to people of the same age without heart disease.
Doctors offer a simple prescription that won't bankrupt you and could save your life. "Thirty minutes of exercise three times a week, and 15 minutes of laughter on a daily basis is probably good for the vascular system"
So folks laugh out loudly everyday atleast a few mins!

Image courtesy : Internet

Home-made yogurt

Many of us would have probably thought of making our own yogurt at home but wouldn't have been really successful . There are lots of version available in the Internet, on making a home-made yogurt. The one that I'm gonna say is my personal version which i found it working for me. So wanted to share it with all of you. Before we begin we need to understand the process and make sure we have all the things available for preparing our own yogurt. The things needed are very simple and readily available in any grocery store.

Things needed to make yogurt:

Starter yogurt - with active or live culture in it. The label will probably be named as "All Natural"

Milk (whole /2%/1%) but not the fat free milk.

Preparation:

Heat up the Milk up to 2 to 5 minutes depending on the quantity. And make sure the milk is just luke warm. You may heat up the milk and bring to boil and let it cool to reach the luke warm temperature. The trick is to put your last finger in the milk and wiggle around to see if the milk is just slightly warm as a baby's milk and thats the correct temperature.

Now have 1 tsp of starter yogurt (very imp note: already set out in room temperature) for 2 to 21/2 cups pf milk. You may add the starter yogurt to the luke warm milk and whisk it to make sure its properly mixed.

You may transfer the content to the canning jar. Close the lid

Now heat up the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit, for about 2 to 4 m ins and switch it off completely.

Have a fleece or woollen blanket & wrap the canned jar which has the milk mixed with the starter yogurt. And put it inside the oven and close the oven.

Allow the jars to incubate and thus begin the process of culturing. Do not disturb the jar at all which may hinder the process of the yogurt culture, for about 6 to 8 hours depending on the place you are. Like if its a cold region then you have to wait for at least 8 to 10 hrs. If its a normal region you can just wait for 6 to 8 hrs.

After the yogurt is formed you may refrigerate and keep it for a week.

No more soda

Soda, pop, cola, soft drink — whatever you call it, it is one of the worst beverages that you could be drinking for your health. As the debate for whether to put a tax on the sale of soft drinks continues, you should know how they affect your body so that you can make an informed choice on your own.Soft drinks are hard on your healthSoft drinks contain little to no vitamins or other essential nutrients. However, it is what they do contain that is the problem: caffeine, carbonation, simple sugars — or worse, sugar substitutes — and often food additives such as artificial coloring, flavoring, and preservatives.A lot of research has found that consumption of soft drinks in high quantity, especially by children, is responsible for many health problems that include tooth decay, nutritional depletion, obesity, type-2 diabetes, and heart disease.Why the sugar in soft drinks isn’t so sweetMost soft drinks contain a high amount of simple sugars. The USDA recommendation of sugar consumption for a 2,000-calorie diet is a daily allotment of 10 teaspoons of added sugars. Many soft drinks contain more than this amount! Just why is too much sugar so unhealthy? Well, to start, let's talk about what happens to you as sugar enters your body. When you drink sodas that are packed with simple sugars, the pancreas is called upon to produce and release insulin, a hormone that empties the sugar in your blood stream into all the tissues and cells for usage. The result of overindulging in simple sugar is raised insulin levels. Raised blood insulin levels beyond the norm can lead to depression of the immune system, which in turn weakens your ability to fight disease. Something else to consider is that most of the excess sugar ends up being stored as fat in your body, which results in weight gain and elevates risk for heart disease and cancer. One study found that when subjects were given refined sugar, their white blood cell count decreased significantly for several hours afterwards. Another study discovered that rats fed a high-sugar diet had a substantially elevated rate of breast cancer when compared to rats on a regular diet.The health effects of diet sodaYou may come to the conclusion that diet or sugar-free soda is a better choice. However, one study discovered that drinking one or more soft drinks a day — and it didn’t matter whether it was diet or regular — led to a 30% greater chance of weight gain around the belly. Diet soda is filled with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin. These artificial sweeteners pose a threat to your health. Saccharin, for instance, has been found to be carcinogenic, and studies have found that it produced bladder cancer in rats. Aspartame, commonly known as nutrasweet, is a chemical that stimulates the brain to think the food is sweet. It breaks down into acpartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol at a temperature of 86 degrees. (Remember, your stomach is somewhere around 98 degrees.) An article put out by the University of Texas found that aspartame has been linked to obesity. The process of stimulating the brain causes more cravings for sweets and leads to carbohydrate loading.Carbonation depletes calciumBeverages with bubbles contain phosphoric acid, which can severely deplete the blood calcium levels; calcium is a key component of the bone matrix. With less concentration of calcium over a long time, it can lower deposition rates so that bone mass and density suffer. This means that drinking sodas and carbonated water increases your risk of osteoporosis. Add in the caffeine usually present in soft drinks, and you are in for even more trouble. Caffeine can deplete the body’s calcium, in addition to stimulating your central nervous system and contributing to stress, a racing mind, and insomnia. Skip the soda and go for:• Fresh waterWater is a vital beverage for good health. Each and every cell needs water to perform its essential functions. Since studies show that tap water is filled with contaminants, antibiotics, and a number of other unhealthy substances, consider investing in a quality carbon-based filter for your tap water. To find out more about a high-performance filtration system, click here. On the go? Try using a stainless steel thermos or glass bottle, filled with filtered water. Enhance the flavor of your water with a refreshing infusion of basil, mint leaves, and a drop of honey.• Fruit JuiceIf you are a juice drinker, try watering down your juice to cut back on the sugar content. Buy a jar of organic 100% juice, especially cranberry, acai, pomegranate, and then dilute three parts filtered water to one part juice. You will get a subtle sweet taste and the benefit of antioxidants. After a couple of weeks, you will no longer miss the sweetness of sugary concentrated juices.• TeaTea gently lifts your energy and has numerous health benefits. Black, green, white, and oolong teas all contain antioxidant polyphenols. In fact, tea ranks as high or higher than many fruits and vegetables on the ORAC scale, the score that measures antioxidant potential of plant-based foods. Herbal tea does not have the same antioxidant properties, though it is still a great beverage choice with other health benefits, such as inducing calming and relaxing effects. If tea doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, try adding cinnamon or a little honey, which has important health benefits that refined sugar lacks. For a selection of healthy teas that promote total body wellness, click here. Drink up!I hope you find the ways and means to avoid soft drinks. I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me. May you live long, live strong, and live happy!--Dr. Mao- - - - - - - - - -Transform your health and bring quality to your years with Dr. Mao's natural health products from the Tao of Wellness.Discover a high-quality water filtration system that will provide you with pure, healthy water. Order Dr. Mao's new book Second Spring: Hundreds of Natural Secrets for Women to Revitalize and Regenerate at Any Age.Learn hundreds of ways for living a long and happy life with Dr. Mao's book Secrets of Longevity.

Halloween Safety Tips:

Here are some Halloween candy safety tips that ensure Halloween candy is safe for your kids, and keeping the candy gorging to a minimum.

Know where the candy is coming from. Don’t let your kids trick or treat or collect candy from strangers. Stay in your home neighborhood, and go with them. Or accompany them wherever they are going. Some parents actually drive their kids to other neighborhoods and wait in the car while the kids ring a number of doorbells and trick or treat. It’s best for parents to go with the kids to the door. Although clearly parents do this because the trick or treating in their own neighborhood is not safe or not happening, it is still an important thing for parents to see and meet the people handing out candy to their kids. Don’t let your kids munch on candy or treats during trick or treating. That way you can regulate how much candy your children are eating in one night.

Look through the candy before the kids eat it. When the kids get home, have them dump the candy all over the table, and look it over. Anything with ripped or missing wrappers gets thrown out immediately. Anything homemade, unless you know exactly who made it, gets thrown away. Anything that looks old gets thrown away. Take what’s left and look at ingredients of anything that is unfamiliar, if your kid has allergies or food issues. Once you’ve approved everything that’s left, you can deal with the next step.

Designate limitsOn Halloween night, tell your child how many pieces of candy (usually three is a good number) will be allowed that night. Let him choose his favorites and put the rest away. What you decide to do with the leftover candy is your choice. Here are a few quick suggestions:

The treat box: Have a place for candy that is out of reach. This candy is for rewarding extra effort, such as doing an extra chore or accomplishing a goal for grades or behavior. It’s also great for bribes. (If you clean the basement, you can have a pick from the treat box.) You’d be surprised how much work kids will be willing to do for a piece of candy.

Donating it: Some shelters need supplies for throwing birthday parties for kids who have to stay there and appreciate donations of candy and other birthday party supplies for things like this.

Taking it to work: Let the people you work with get rid of it for you.

Appropriate portions: Decide how many pieces a kid can have per day or better yet, per week. Kids don’t need candy every day – it’s not healthy.

Regift: Some families do this on Halloween night. It involves taking a large part of the candy that is left and putting it into the bowl of candy that is being handed out on Halloween, and handing it out to trick or treaters who come over after your kids are home. It’s easy to do this if you’re running out of candy before trick or treating time is over, and cuts down on the leftovers easily.

One of my favourite Eco-Tip

Instead of throwing old or unused things out, I pass them on to others who want to take them by using freecycle.org. I have found this site to be very helpful in giving an unwanted item a new home. This is really interesting . You could find lots of unused stuffs (as well as used) for free.

For Coffee lovers - Dunkin Donut Coffee - Free sample

Summer Precautions - car interioir becomes an oven!

I came to know about this information while i was browsing and thought of sharing it with all. You may be surprised to find out how high temperatures can soar within the interior of a car during a hot, sunny day.

I have posted few pictures that i got from the internet to illustrate how outside temperature remains constant at 90 degrees but we increase the length of time prolongation within a vehicle here This clearly tells us , it is important to note that the outside temperature does not have to be hot in order for a car to become an oven . Even temperatures considered mild can be fatal during an extended period of time.

Kids and hot cars safety tips :

• Simply, just don't leave kids in the car
• Always lock your car and secure the keys so that your kids can't get to them
• Warn your kids about playing in the car by themselves without adult supervision
• Install a trunk release mechanism, so that they can't get trapped in the trunk
• Get your kids out of the car first, and then worry about getting the groceries, etc., out of the car when you get home
• Make sure that child car providers and day care workers have a plan to make sure that kids aren't left in the day care providers car or van
• Extreme heat has many risks such as that of Heat Cramps, Exhaustion, and Heat Stroke.
• Please be prepared especially those with kids and pets.

Herbs of India - Part 4

Neem : (Botanical name - Azadirachta indica)

Neem is a medium sized to large tree characterized by its short, straight bole, furrowed, dark brown to gray bark, and dense rounded crown of pinnate leaves. The Neem seeds, Barks, Leafs, are the sources of various Neem extracts. Neem has been in use for centuries in the Indian Agriculture as Best Natural Bio Pesticide and organic fertilizer with pest repellent property. The Indian Medicinal field has also been using Neem for various types of diseases to be cured. Neem is also used in manufacturing Natural Herbal Cosmetics. Neem comprises of 40 different active compounds called Tetranortriperpernoids, or more specifically liminoids. These liminoids create hormonal disruptions and prevents the insect from Feeding, Breeding or Metamorphosing.

Herbal Neem Usage: A wide multitude of diseases or conditions can be successfully treated with various elements of Neem.

Herbal Neem Cures Cancer: Throughout Southeast Asia Neem has been used successfully by herbalists for hundreds of years to reduce tumors. Researchers are now supporting these uses. Neem has been tested on many types of cancers, such as skin cancers, using Neem-based creams and lymphocytic cancer, using the herb internally. In India, Europe and Japan scientists have found that polysaccharides and liminoids in Neem bark, leaves and seed oil reduced tumors and cancers and were effective against lymphocytic leukemia.

Herbal Neem Cures Dental Care: People in both India and Africa have used Neem twigs as tooth brushes for centuries. Neem twigs contain antiseptic ingredients necessary for dental hygiene. Neem powder is also used to brush teeth and massage gums. In Germany many researchers have shown that Neem extracts prevent tooth decay and periodontal disease.

Herbal Neem Cures Diabetes: Because Neem is a tonic and a revitalizer, it works effectively in the treatment of diabetes, as well. More than a disease that requires change of diet, diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in people ages twenty-five and seventy-four; it also damages nerves, kidneys, hear and blood vessels; it may even result in the loss of limbs. Incurable, it can be treated in a variety of ways. One recommendation is to take one tablespoon (5ml) of Neem leaf juice daily on an empty stomach each morning for three months. An alternative is to chew or take in powder form ten (10) Neem leaves daily in the morning. Some studies have shown that oral application of Neem leaf extracts reduced a patient’s insulin requirements by between 30 and 50 percent for nonkeytonic, insulin fast and insulin-sensitive diabetes.

Herbal Neem Cures Heart Disease: Major causes of a heart attack include blood clots, high cholesterol, arrhythmic heart action and high blood pressure. Neem has been helpful in these conditions too. Its leaf extracts have reduced clotting, lowered blood pressure and bad cholesterol, slowed rapid or abnormally high heartbeat and inhibited irregular heart rhythms. Some compounds may produce effects similar to mild sedatives, which reduce anxiety and other emotional or physical states that may prompt a heart attack. The antihistamine effects of the nimbidin in its leaves cause blood vessels to dilate. This may be why the leaves help reduce blood pressure.

Herbal Neem Helps For Birth Control: Neem has been shown to be a powerful, relatively inexpensive birth control agent for both men and women. In the first century B.C., Charaka, the Indian physician, gave a detailed method for using Neem for contraception. Cotton soaked in Neem oil was kept in the vagina for fifteen minutes before intercourse. This killed the sperm.

Neem’s contraceptive uses for women are even more varied. Even the leaves are said to be effective. Many women in Madagascar chew a handful of Neem leaves every day, which according to their statements prevents pregnancies. In the case of unwanted pregnancies, Neem is said to be capable of inducing a miscarriage. Neem oil based vaginal creams and suppositories are extremely popular in India. Nonirritating and easy to use, they are almost 100 percent effective. When tested against human sperm, Neem extract (sodium nimbidinate) at 1,000mg was able to kill all sperm in five minutes and required only 30 minutes at a lower, 250 mg level. It is suggested that these creams and suppositories also prevent vaginal and sexually transmitted diseases. Oddly, Neem oil has also been taken internally by ascetics who wish to diminish their sexual desire.

Herbal Neem For Prevention Of Malaria: Malaria is quite common in India and throughout the tropics. Neem has been shown to be effective in a number of ways against this deadly disease. Both water and alcohol based Neem leaf extracts have been confirmed as effective. It has been shown to block the development of the gamete in an infected person. Neem leaf extract greatly increases the state of oxidationin red blood cells, which prevents normal development of the malaria virus. Irodin A, an active ingredient in the leaves, is toxic to resistant strains of malaris; 100 percent of the malaria gamete are dead within seventy-two hours with a 1 to 20,000 ratio of active ingredients. Other experiments have used alcoholic extracts of Neem leaf, which performed almost as well. Gedunin and quercetin, compounds found in the leaves, are also effective against malaria. Several studies show that Neem extracts are effective even against the more virulent strains of the malaria parasite. Some scientists believe that stimulation of the immune system is a major factor in Neem’s effectiveness against malaria. Even though Neem may be effective against the parasites that carry malaria, it has not been shown to prevent the malaria infection once it’s in the body.

Herbal Neem Cures Rheumatism: Neem leaves have anti-inflammatory activity, similar to that in drugs such as phenyl butazone and cortisone. They can relieve pain and reduce acute pain edema. For rheumatism, tropical applications of a warmed Neem cream that contains Neem oil and perhaps a mild Neem tea will help lessen pain.

Herbal Neem Cures Stress : Relatively new scientific findings indicate that Neem may even be useful for reducing anxiety and stress. An experiment was done on test animals and has been proved the fact that it reduces stress.

Herbs of India - Part 3

Indian gooseberry: is a wonder herbs and one of the precious gifts of nature to man. It contributes towards health and longevity.

Indian gooseberry has been used as valuable ingredient of various medicines in India and abroad. Indian gooseberry also called Amla in Hindi, increases red blood cell count. It is one of the highest natural source of Vitamin C (3,000 mg per fruit) .Amla is known as amritphala in Sanskrit, which literally means "the fruit of heaven" or "nectar fruit." It is so called because it is rich in many desirable properties. It was described in a 7th century literature that several scholars and sage the sage is reputed to have restored their vitality with this fruit.

Beneficial points :
Respiratory disorders:
Indian gooseberry is beneficial in the treatment of respiratory disorders. It is especially valuable in tuberculosis of the lungs asthma and bronchitis.
Diabetes:
This herb, due to its high vitamin C content, is effective in controlling diabetes. A tablespoon of its juice mixed with a cup of bitter gourd juice, taken daily for two months. Will stimulates the pancreas and enable is to secrete insulin, thus reducing the blood sugar in the diabetes. Diet restrictions should be strictly observed while taking this medicine. It will also prevent eye complication in diabetes.
Heart Disorder: Indian gooseberry is considered an effective remedy for heart disease. It tones up the functions of all the organs of the body and builds up health by destroying the heterogeneous or harmful and disease causes elements. It also renews energy.
Eye disorder: The juice of Indian Gooseberry with honey is useful in preserving eyesight. It is beneficial in the treatment of conjunctivitis and glaucoma. It reduces intracular tension in a remarkable manner. a cup of juice mixed with honey can be taken twice daily for this condition.
Rheumatism: To treat rheumatism a teaspoon of the powder of the dry fruit mixed with 2 teaspoons of jaggery can be taken twice daily for a month.
Scurvy:As an extremely rich source of vitamin C, Indian gooseberry is one of the best remedy for scurvy. Powder of the dry herb, mixed with an equal quantity of sugar, can be taken in doses of 1 teaspoon, thrice daily with milk.
Ageing: Indian gooseberry has revitalizing effects, as it contains an element which is very valuable in preventing ageing and in maintaining strength in old age .It improves body resistance and protect the body against infection. It strengthens the heart, hair and different gland in the body.
Hair Tonic:
Indian gooseberry is an accepted hair tonic in traditional recipes for enriching hair growth and pigmentation. The fruit, cut into pieces is dried preferably in the shade. These pieces are boiled in coconut oil till the solid matter becomes charres. This darkish oil is excellent in preventing graying .The water is which dried amla pieces are soaked overnight is also nourishing to hair and can be used for the last rinse while washing the hair. Indian gooseberry is used in various ways. The best way to take it with the least loss vitamin C, is to eat it raw with a little salt. It is often used in the form of pickles and it is dried and powdered. The berry may also be used as a vegetable. It is boiled in a small amount of water till soft and taken with a little salt.
Other Uses:
The root bark is astringent and is useful in stomach ulcers.The bark is useful in gonorrhea, jaundice and diarrhea.
The leaves are useful in curing conjunctivtis , inflammation, indigestion, diarrhea and dysentery. The fruits are sour, astringent, bitter, sweet, cooling, digestive, laxative, anti pyretic, diuretic and tonic. Amala fruit aids digestion, cures flatulence, helps correct body functions and metabolism

Herbs of India - Part 2

Thulsi or Holy Basil

Holy Basil is commonly grown in Hindu homes and it is a sacred plant in the Hindu religion. Native to India , Tulsi has a long tradition of use in ayurvedic medicine.Holy Basil has been used for thousands of years as a prime herb in ayurvedic treatment, and is mentioned in the Charak Samhita (the central teaching of ayurvedic medicine) which was written at least two thousand years ago.

Beneficial points:

1.Used in ayurvedic medicine for common colds, headachesstomach disorders, inflammation, heart disease, various forms of poisoning, and malaria.

2.considered an adaptogen, which means that it assists the body adapt to stress (environmental, physical, or chemical), restore balance in the body, and normalize body functions

3. It is currently being studied for its beneficial properties and has been found to be effective for cancer, diabetes, high cholesterol levels, stress, wound healing, the immune system.

4. Research has proved that liver support and protection, hypoglycemic conditions, ulcers, digestion, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, radiation poisoning, cataracts, the memory, respiratory system, urinary problems, eczema, psoriasis and other skin conditions, been treated successfully.

5.It is an antioxidant.

Contraindications:

Not recommended for use if pregnant, nursing, or are considering becoming pregnant (may have an anti-fertility effect). Do not administer to infants or toddlers. May lower blood sugar, consult a doctor if hypoglycemic (in separate studies, it has also been shown to be beneficial for those with hypoglycemia). Holy Basil has mild blood thinning properties.

To be continued ................................

Courtesy : Pacific Botanicals.

Herbs of India - Part 1

Lately i had been posting articles which is someway or other connected to natural & healthy living. This time i've planned to post some articles on Indian herbs. Hope you all like it.

Indian herbs are renowned all over the world for their medicinal properties. India is the second highest producer of medicinal herbs in the world after China. Himalayas, Aravalis, and Nilgiri mountains are the greatest reserves of medicinal herbs in India.

Let me take one at a time so that we can stay focussed.

Turmeric:

is one of nature's most powerful healers. The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin. Tumeric has been used for over 2500 years in India, where it was most likely first used as a dye.
The medicinal properties of this spice have been slowly revealing themselves over the centuries. Long known for its anti-inflammatory properties, recent research has revealed that turmeric is a natural wonder, proving beneficial in the treatment of many different health conditions from cancer to Alzheimer's disease.

The list doesnt end here; 2o reasons to add turmeric to your diet :

1. It is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns.
2. When combined with cauliflower, it has shown to prevent prostate cancer and stop the growth of existing prostate cancer.
3. Prevented breast cancer from spreading to the lungs in mice.
4. May prevent melanoma and cause existing melanoma cells to commit suicide.
5. Reduces the risk of childhood leukemia.
6. Is a natural liver detoxifier.
7. May prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease by removing amyloyd plaque buildup in the brain.
8. May prevent metastases from occurring in many different forms of cancer.
9. It is a potent natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs but without the side effects.
10. Has shown promise in slowing the progression of multiple sclerosis in mice.
11. Is a natural painkiller and cox-2 inhibitor.
12. May aid in fat metabolism and help in weight management.
13. Has long been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for depression.
14. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
15. Boosts the effects of chemo drug paclitaxel and reduces its side effects.
16. Promising studies are underway on the effects of turmeric on pancreatic cancer.
17. Studies are ongoing in the positive effects of turmeric on multiple myeloma.
18. Has been shown to stop the growth of new blood vessels in tumors.
19. Speeds up wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin.
20. May help in the treatment of psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions.

No wonder we Indians use turmeric almost everday in our cooking.

Contraindications: Turmeric should not be used by people with gallstones or bile obstruction. Though turmeric is often used by pregnant women, it is important to consult with a doctor before doing so as turmeric can be a uterine stimulant.

To be continued.....................


Courtesy : http://www.indiabook.com/
Image Courtesy : Internet.

Body Butter

Impportance of moisturizer :

A moisturizer is an essential product for a healthy skin which many people fail to realise or give least importance. Moisturisers prevent and treat dry skin, but that's not all they do. They can improve skin tone and texture, and mask imperfections. Skin tells itself how old it is or, how young it is. Extreme winters and summers are biggest challenges for any skin type. To face all these challenges we need to protect our skin with a right choice of moisturizer that suits our skin type.
There different types of skin types but basically they can be categorised into 3 namely

1.Normal

2.Dry

3.Dry

and theres one more called combinational where that type of skin has oily skin type on the T zone and rest of the area dry.

Therefore choose the moisturiser that's best for you depending on many factors, including your skin type, your age and whether you have specific conditions, such as acne.

Wait a minute ..... why would i talk about moisturizer under the topic "BODY BUTTER" ? You may think i got a bit deviated but , for those who are new to the product i just wanted to give them a small intro about moiturizer and then go the topic "Body Butter"

Now what really is a body butter:

Body Butter is like moiturizing lotion minus the water (most lotions are 70 to 90% water) and the preservatives. So what you are purchasing are the straight oils and butters in the concentrated form. Unlike lotion, Body Butter will not wash right off.

Lately I started to use body butter and found it a lot better than many other lotions which would eventually make my skin dry and scaly again. Body Butter is thick and creamy and also the skin seems to absorb it quickly.

You can choose any brand of body butter that works for you , i found The body shop's butter to work fine with me. I just love their range of products and fragrance and last but not their least the quality.

So guys please understand the importance of moisturizing ur skin and have fun using them.

Have a healthy skin!!!

What is black friday?

Black Friday is the friday after thankgivingday in the UnitedStates, where it is the beginning of the traditional Christmas shopping season.

The term Black Friday was first used to describe Sept. 24, 1869, when several financiers had tried to corner the gold market and the market crashed, and a depression ensued. Due to the depression it was observed as black friday.

You might think it contrarily describes the scene of hoards of shoppers trampling towards shopping malls. It's because it is when retailers' balance sheets supposedly move out of the red (red ink was used by accountants of old to indicated losses) and into the black (the retailers turning their profit).

Source courtesy - retailindustry.com

Winter Blues

Although I had enough activities around , to keep my self busy i always felt low during winter and had a kind of unexplained feeling which would make me dull. I couldnt figure out what i was going through until few episodes. And then i came to know thru one of my friend that there is something called winter depression which is very usual to occur in western countries . That sounded strange for me, because we never had 'depression' back in India! (Or ateast until we got married! :-)) lol ).

So this is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) - is a type of depression that is triggered by the seasons. The most common type of SAD is called winter-onset depression. Symptoms usually begin in late fall or early winter and go away by summer. Researches proved that SAD is related to changes in the amount of daylight in effect to our brain during different times of the year.

Common symptoms of winter-onset SAD include the following:

• A change in appetite, especially a craving for sweet or starchy foods


• Weight gain


• A drop in energy level


• Fatigue


• A tendency to oversleep


• Difficulty concentrating


• Irritability and anxiety


• Increased sensitivity to social rejection


• Avoidance of social situations and a loss of interest in the activities you used to enjoy

So there are several treatments for this depression which includes, light therapy, anti-depressive drugs, and counselling. Since its a new thing for someone from tropical countries like India, we find it little weird. Although most of us would not go for anti-depressive drugs/counselling it is real simple to get rid of such a feeling but invloving ourselves into as much activities as we could and make use of the day light time, from my personal experience. Well , after all, we people are super smart adaptive to any places, regions, situations!!!

Source Courtesy - webmd.com

Static

Almost all of us are familiar with static electricity especially during the winter. On dry winter days, static electricity can build up in our bodies and cause a spark to jump from our bodies to pieces of metal or other people's bodies. We can see, feel and hear the sound of the spark when it jumps. you come inside from the cold, pull off your Jacket and......there you go Static electricity makes your hair stand while removing your jacket on end. Or You walk across people, or atleast sit beside them, again you get a static shock. What is going on here? And why do static problems only seem to happen in the winter?

Everything around us is made of atom, which is the smallest part of any element that can no longer be divided. An atom is composed of charged particles called Protons, Electrons & Neutrons. Where ,

Protons - are positively charged

Electrons- are negetively charged and

Neutrons - have no charge they are neutral.

Now, positive and negative charges behave in interesting ways. You might've probably heard that the opposites attract? Two things with opposite, or different charges (a positive and a negative) will attract, or pull towards each other. Things with the same charge (two positives or two negatives) will repel, or push away from each other. A charged object will also attract something that is neutral.

So what does all this have to do with static shocks? When you take off your wool hat, it rubs against your hair. Electrons move from your hair to the hat. A static charge builds up and now each of the hairs has the same positive charge. things with the same charge repel each other. So the hairs try to get as far from each other as possible. The farthest they can get is by standing up and away from the others. And that is how static electricity causes a bad hair day! Now lets see hoe to reduce the occurance of static.

Stating eliminating tips :

1. Increase humidity using humidifiers

2.Change clothes - switch to natural fibers, since synthetics pick up more of a static charge.

3. If your skin is very dry - try an anti-static hand lotion or atleast any moisturising lotion.

Image courtesy - Internet

Source Courtesy - sciencemadesimple.com