Get on the list
Be a stronger, healthier you
Celebrity series
Candid talk with the infamous
Body
Corona Virus Outbreak | Do you really need a mask? | DIY Face Mask
Celebrity series
Candid talk with the infamous
Nutrition
Upasana In Conversation with PV Sindhu | B Positive | Upasana Kamineni Konidela
Celebrity series
Candid talk with the infamous
Body
Age redefined! A conversation with Chiranjeevi
Wellness advice from qualified experts
Get personalized and curated wellness content on URLife.co.in
By clicking you agree to T&c and privacy policy
Trending
You may have been plannin
Trending
Celebrate the Stree Shakti in you
Upasana Kamineni Konidela is the Vice Chairman of CSR Apollo Hospitals Group and Managing Director of Apollo Life. She is a next-gen entrepreneur, philanthropist, and influencer who passionately believes in giving back to society through her myriad social initiatives and by carrying out acts of goodness every day! Determined, focused, courageous and empathetic, Upasana truly symbolizes and channels Stree Shakti. She also embodies various traits of the nine Devi's. Read on to know more. Throughout the nine days of Navratri, the nine avatars of the Goddess Durga are worshipped. Dussehra is celebrated on the 10th day as Goddess Durga Devi defeated and killed the demon Mahishasur on this day. Thus, it signifies a victory of good over evil. Dussehra is also marked as a day when Lord Ram kills Ravana (the demon) who abducts his wife Sita (one of the avatars of the Goddess). This year, Dussehra holds special significance for us all, due to the chaos and mayhem Covid-19 has unleashed all over the world. It’s been devastating especially for those who have lost their loved ones and for those who face unemployment. In the face of this crisis, people are much more vulnerable and there seems to be some kind of collective helplessness all around. The spirit of Dussehra provides us with the much-needed inspiration we all need! It’s time to tide over our problems and get rid of all obstacles in our path that leads to our success! In spite of the negative impact of the pandemic, Nature has provided us with an opportunity to stop, rethink, reset, reframe and question a lot of things in our lives. We have witnessed kindness triumph over hatred and a revival of compassion and goodwill in society. What’s interesting is that women have largely been successful in the fight against this pandemic and they have been leading from the front since the onset of the disease. Hopefully, there will now be less reluctance to promote women, especially in leadership positions. How important is gender equality and respect to you? What do you think the society can do to change this? I strongly believe that there should be gender equality and that man and woman should be looked at with an equal lens. Women make up 51 percent of the population in India. If we want our country to prosper – women have to be given equal rights and their voice has to be heard. There is a dire need for gender equity and respect for not just women’s issues but men’s too. Patriarchy needs to take a back seat and societal norms need to be amended for a more progressive society. What we need is better appreciation towards one another to do away with gender bias that has been entrenched in society for ages. A woman’s journey during all the stages of her life can be delightful or disastrous – a lot depends on the kind of men she is surrounded by. This does not mean that women are weak. They are not only strong; they are courageous too! For centuries, men have dominated society due to which they have greater power over women. Unfortunately for most men, responsibility doesn’t accompany this power vested in them. They don’t respect women. The important question here is – If men cannot be like Ram why do they expect women to be like Sita? Right from experiencing hormonal changes to childbirth, a woman goes through many struggles in life, but yet she doesn’t get the respect she so rightly deserves. I think men have no right to worship Devi, if they cannot respect the women in their lives. A society is not worth been called the same, if women are not respected and made to feel secure. Women have to constantly battle numerous crimes against them. Most of the time men turn a blind eye to the atrocities committed against women. Responsibility is not taken for these acts and power and dominance is misused. What is the reason for this? It’s most definitely got to do with skewed perception. A lot depends on what’s in the mind. The right perception creates the right person. Your perception of things makes you the kind of person you are. If you look at things negatively, you will act accordingly and if you look at things in a positive light, the outcome will be pleasant. What do you think society should do to breakthrough stereotypes? There needs to be a paradigm shift in the prevailing perception to bring about a significant positive change. Men need to be taught to respect women from a young age, only then the right perception can be built. It is the responsibility of the men to ensure women are leading fulfilling lives. When the woman of the house is happy, there is an abundance of joy, wealth and health. Life can be full of happiness if the woman of the house is treated with love and respect. Everyone loves to be appreciated and that’s all she is asking for. If you can support and encourage her, you will experience unbounded love and backing. A man can also go a step further and make the woman feel emotionally safe and secure. However, trust is a two way street in any relationship and the key is consistency and also how willing you are to help your partner feel emotionally secure. Coming back to the auspicious occasion of Dussehra, Ravana the demon symbolizes ego and Ram symbolizes goodness in humans. Whenever there is a clash between the two – the good always defeats the evil! This Dussehra let’s decide to defeat any vices (evil) that we may be harboring inside us to make goodness win! The choice is ours. Important points to remember: Men & women are equal If a man doesn’t respect a woman & see her as an equal, then he should stop worshiping Devi. Remove the Devi form the Pooja room. Celebrate women, look at life with a different lens and u will get more meaning & abundance. Respect each other’s problems. Life is not easy. We are on earth to serve our karma and learn. When a man Can’t be like Rama in every way, why should he expect his wife to be like Sita. A lion only mates with a lioness, that’s because he’s not insecure to have a powerful partner. If a man wants to be as powerful as a lion, he should be ready to handle a powerful lioness. Have a happy, safe and healthy Dussehra!
Celebrate the Stree Shakti in you
Upasana Kamineni Konidela is the Vice Chairman of CSR Apollo Hospitals Group and Managing Director of Apollo Life. She is a next-gen entrepreneur, philanthropist, and influencer who passionately believes in giving back to society through her myriad social initiatives and by carrying out acts of goodness every day! Determined, focused, courageous and empathetic, Upasana truly symbolizes and channels Stree Shakti. She also embodies various traits of the nine Devi's. Read on to know more. Throughout the nine days of Navratri, the nine avatars of the Goddess Durga are worshipped. Dussehra is celebrated on the 10th day as Goddess Durga Devi defeated and killed the demon Mahishasur on this day. Thus, it signifies a victory of good over evil. Dussehra is also marked as a day when Lord Ram kills Ravana (the demon) who abducts his wife Sita (one of the avatars of the Goddess). This year, Dussehra holds special significance for us all, due to the chaos and mayhem Covid-19 has unleashed all over the world. It’s been devastating especially for those who have lost their loved ones and for those who face unemployment. In the face of this crisis, people are much more vulnerable and there seems to be some kind of collective helplessness all around. The spirit of Dussehra provides us with the much-needed inspiration we all need! It’s time to tide over our problems and get rid of all obstacles in our path that leads to our success! In spite of the negative impact of the pandemic, Nature has provided us with an opportunity to stop, rethink, reset, reframe and question a lot of things in our lives. We have witnessed kindness triumph over hatred and a revival of compassion and goodwill in society. What’s interesting is that women have largely been successful in the fight against this pandemic and they have been leading from the front since the onset of the disease. Hopefully, there will now be less reluctance to promote women, especially in leadership positions. How important is gender equality and respect to you? What do you think the society can do to change this? I strongly believe that there should be gender equality and that man and woman should be looked at with an equal lens. Women make up 51 percent of the population in India. If we want our country to prosper – women have to be given equal rights and their voice has to be heard. There is a dire need for gender equity and respect for not just women’s issues but men’s too. Patriarchy needs to take a back seat and societal norms need to be amended for a more progressive society. What we need is better appreciation towards one another to do away with gender bias that has been entrenched in society for ages. A woman’s journey during all the stages of her life can be delightful or disastrous – a lot depends on the kind of men she is surrounded by. This does not mean that women are weak. They are not only strong; they are courageous too! For centuries, men have dominated society due to which they have greater power over women. Unfortunately for most men, responsibility doesn’t accompany this power vested in them. They don’t respect women. The important question here is – If men cannot be like Ram why do they expect women to be like Sita? Right from experiencing hormonal changes to childbirth, a woman goes through many struggles in life, but yet she doesn’t get the respect she so rightly deserves. I think men have no right to worship Devi, if they cannot respect the women in their lives. A society is not worth been called the same, if women are not respected and made to feel secure. Women have to constantly battle numerous crimes against them. Most of the time men turn a blind eye to the atrocities committed against women. Responsibility is not taken for these acts and power and dominance is misused. What is the reason for this? It’s most definitely got to do with skewed perception. A lot depends on what’s in the mind. The right perception creates the right person. Your perception of things makes you the kind of person you are. If you look at things negatively, you will act accordingly and if you look at things in a positive light, the outcome will be pleasant. What do you think society should do to breakthrough stereotypes? There needs to be a paradigm shift in the prevailing perception to bring about a significant positive change. Men need to be taught to respect women from a young age, only then the right perception can be built. It is the responsibility of the men to ensure women are leading fulfilling lives. When the woman of the house is happy, there is an abundance of joy, wealth and health. Life can be full of happiness if the woman of the house is treated with love and respect. Everyone loves to be appreciated and that’s all she is asking for. If you can support and encourage her, you will experience unbounded love and backing. A man can also go a step further and make the woman feel emotionally safe and secure. However, trust is a two way street in any relationship and the key is consistency and also how willing you are to help your partner feel emotionally secure. Coming back to the auspicious occasion of Dussehra, Ravana the demon symbolizes ego and Ram symbolizes goodness in humans. Whenever there is a clash between the two – the good always defeats the evil! This Dussehra let’s decide to defeat any vices (evil) that we may be harboring inside us to make goodness win! The choice is ours. Important points to remember: Men & women are equal If a man doesn’t respect a woman & see her as an equal, then he should stop worshiping Devi. Remove the Devi form the Pooja room. Celebrate women, look at life with a different lens and u will get more meaning & abundance. Respect each other’s problems. Life is not easy. We are on earth to serve our karma and learn. When a man Can’t be like Rama in every way, why should he expect his wife to be like Sita. A lion only mates with a lioness, that’s because he’s not insecure to have a powerful partner. If a man wants to be as powerful as a lion, he should be ready to handle a powerful lioness. Have a happy, safe and healthy Dussehra!
Top 5s
5 Smart Ways To Choose A Mask
5 Smart ways to Choose A Mask The most significant change in our new norm is wearing a face mask at all times while being outdoors. There's growing evidence that masks help curb the spread of the coronavirus. Although your mask is protecting you from COVID carriers in contaminated areas, a lot could be brewing under that shield that affects UR skin. Committing to wearing a mask all the time can raise questions on, how to choose what best suits you. Face masks create moisture that can affect the production of sebum in your skin, leading to clogged pores, white heads and breakouts. The worst part is that if any part of the mask touches any of the acne on your face, it can aggravate acne even further. At the same time, severe inflammation and eczema may also worsen. A few masks with rough mask edges can cause irritation, sores, or even cuts. Here is a checklist to keep in mind while choosing a mask. 1. Type of facemask Face masks can be split into two basic categories: disposable and reusable. Choosing a face mask that's reusable is, therefore, the financially, logistically, and environmentally friendlier option. Opt for a pure cotton mask to allow your skin to breathe even when the mask is on Ideally, masks should be made of tightly woven cotton instead of synthetic fabric, as they are more breathable and softer on the skin. 2. Fabric Fabrics with tighter weaves and thicker threads have been shown to block respiratory droplets more effectively than those with looser weaves and thinner threads. Masks with two or more layers of fabric are considered more effective than one layer masks. When choosing a face mask, opt for one that fits snugly over your mouth and nose. You don't want one that you'll have to touch repeatedly to adjust. It shouldn't feel uncomfortably tight, either. The mask should be breathable and easily washable. 3. Masks That Fit Due to our anatomy and cheekbone structure, few masks like surgical masks leave some gaps that don't provide protection. If you are using an N95 mask, it may not be suitable for children as it is too big for their face. So the key is to make sure you are covering the nose and mouth without suffocating yourself. 4. Mask Etiquette Don't contaminate your mask by touching it and avoid rubbing your chin against UR shoulder. The germs will end up landing on UR mask, which can make you more vulnerable to the virus. If you happen to sneeze, change your mask immediately. As a precaution, always carry an extra mask with you, even if UR using a reusable mask. 5. Disposing Masks Dispose one-time use masks after every use and avoid reusing them. Reusing invites skin rashes, breakouts, redness and unnecessary skin concerns. Its best to use cotton masks that can be washed or bio degradable masks that don’t pollute our environment.
5 Smart Ways To Choose A Mask
5 Smart ways to Choose A Mask The most significant change in our new norm is wearing a face mask at all times while being outdoors. There's growing evidence that masks help curb the spread of the coronavirus. Although your mask is protecting you from COVID carriers in contaminated areas, a lot could be brewing under that shield that affects UR skin. Committing to wearing a mask all the time can raise questions on, how to choose what best suits you. Face masks create moisture that can affect the production of sebum in your skin, leading to clogged pores, white heads and breakouts. The worst part is that if any part of the mask touches any of the acne on your face, it can aggravate acne even further. At the same time, severe inflammation and eczema may also worsen. A few masks with rough mask edges can cause irritation, sores, or even cuts. Here is a checklist to keep in mind while choosing a mask. 1. Type of facemask Face masks can be split into two basic categories: disposable and reusable. Choosing a face mask that's reusable is, therefore, the financially, logistically, and environmentally friendlier option. Opt for a pure cotton mask to allow your skin to breathe even when the mask is on Ideally, masks should be made of tightly woven cotton instead of synthetic fabric, as they are more breathable and softer on the skin. 2. Fabric Fabrics with tighter weaves and thicker threads have been shown to block respiratory droplets more effectively than those with looser weaves and thinner threads. Masks with two or more layers of fabric are considered more effective than one layer masks. When choosing a face mask, opt for one that fits snugly over your mouth and nose. You don't want one that you'll have to touch repeatedly to adjust. It shouldn't feel uncomfortably tight, either. The mask should be breathable and easily washable. 3. Masks That Fit Due to our anatomy and cheekbone structure, few masks like surgical masks leave some gaps that don't provide protection. If you are using an N95 mask, it may not be suitable for children as it is too big for their face. So the key is to make sure you are covering the nose and mouth without suffocating yourself. 4. Mask Etiquette Don't contaminate your mask by touching it and avoid rubbing your chin against UR shoulder. The germs will end up landing on UR mask, which can make you more vulnerable to the virus. If you happen to sneeze, change your mask immediately. As a precaution, always carry an extra mask with you, even if UR using a reusable mask. 5. Disposing Masks Dispose one-time use masks after every use and avoid reusing them. Reusing invites skin rashes, breakouts, redness and unnecessary skin concerns. Its best to use cotton masks that can be washed or bio degradable masks that don’t pollute our environment.
5 Natural Remedies To Treat Acne Blemishes
Irrespective of gender, acne blemishes are one of the most common problems experienced on a day to day basis. We all try home remedies without seeking professional help, especially during puberty. For some, the ancient Ayurveda treatments work, but it is safe to gather some information before trying them. Here are five home remedies that yield result by reducing oiliness, acne and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). You can give these try to get rid of them naturally. Aloe Vera Gel provides your skin with the nourishments of vitamin A, C and E. It helps in healing your skin and fade acne scars. It is a natural moisturizer, so it will not cause any further damage or irritation to your skin. Apply the gel generously on your face every day before you go to bed. Leave it overnight for the best results. Baking Soda can be used as your staple cleansing scrub. Make a thick paste made with two parts of baking soda and one part water. Apply it evenly on your skin. Use a moisturizer after washing it off after 20 minutes. It removes the dead skin on the skin and prevents further clogging of the pores. Also, it works wonders on your skin if used once a week. Lemon, the natural acidic nature of the lemon not only heals scars but also revitalize the skin. Use undiluted freshly squeezed lemon juice and apply on the scarred area with cotton. People with sensitive skin should dilute the juice with water and then apply. Once dried, wash it off and moisturize your skin. Practice this twice a week yields better results. Potato Juice's vitamins and minerals quickly act on the scar tissue. Extract potato juice of a medium-sized potato through blending it and squeezing it. Immediately use a cotton ball to apply it on your skin. Let it soak up the dirt in your skin for about 30 minutes and then wash it off. Turmeric, the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties have shown to speed the process of healing scarred tissues. Apart from that, it also improves the health of your skin. Make a mixture out of lemon juice, honey and turmeric and apply it on your face like a mask. Wash it off after 30 minutes. Follow this as a routine once every week. Natural remedies can make you look beautiful and bring out the best in you. They do not show immediate results but are suitable for your skin health. However, they can cause irritation and dryness of the skin, so use cautiously. Preferably use them at night and wash them after 30 minutes. Use water-based sunscreen if you are going outdoors. However, if a significant change is not noticeable, you can always seek professional help.
Top 5 Interventions For Managing Asthma
Asthma is known to be a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In which, there is an obstruction to the constant airflow into the lungs. This obstruction causes symptoms like coughing, dyspnea and wheezing is observed prominently. These symptoms worsen if patients with asthma are exposed to a substance they are sensitive to or put in situations that challenge their regular breathing pattern. Here are five ways you could manage the trouble. Self-Assessment For patients suffering from asthma, both oral and written advice is helpful. It guides them to recognize the symptoms and signs of asthma and helps in managing it if it is worsening. Through education, anyone can help the patient to gain their confidence and contain asthma. Stepwise Progressive Management In a study conducted by GOAL, it is observed that there is a possibility of attaining total control of asthma. The key to it is utilizing various therapy combinations. The study shows progress by extending the combination therapy for at least three months. It suppresses uncontrolled asthma symptoms. The advantage of combination therapy extends in the ability to control asthma with low corticosteroid doses while minimizing the number of inhalers. SMART (Single Maintenance And Reliever Therapy) The potential benefit of SMART strategy in the fact that the patient will parallelly receive added doses of inhaled corticosteroids along with a bronchodilator. These doses, when used with a combined inhaler for relief from a symptom. The medication will target anti-inflammatory cells to treat periods of defectively controlled asthma. Airway Inflammation Assessment To control airway inflammation, the method of non-invasive biomarkers has administered an alternative way to patient-driven symptom management for the evaluation of asthma. With this non-invasive airway sampling technique, patients with refractory asthma and chronic cough can be managed. Airway inflammation can be assessed too. Other Novel Therapeutic Options The options include thermal bronchoplasty, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, antifungal agents or IL-5 and monoclonal antibodies targeting IgE. Yet, due to their invasive nature, there are adverse side effects and is not cost-effective. The treatments play a limited role in the management of patients with asthma and usually followed in patients with difficulty related to asthma.
5 Ultimate Workouts That Need No Equipment!
If you’re dreaming of a slim and trim body, you don’t always need an expensive gym membership or some fancy equipment. It can also be achieved by utilizing your own body weight! There are tons of home workouts that can give you positive results without any equipment. Listed here are some of the most effective workouts you can do just about anywhere! 5 Ultimate Workouts That Need No Equipment! K.Vijay Simha Bachelor in Physiotherapy, Exercise Scientist, Exercise Rehabilitation Specialist If you’re dreaming of a slim and trim body, you don’t always need an expensive gym membership or some fancy equipment. It can also be achieved by utilizing your own body weight! There are tons of home workouts that can give you positive results without any equipment. Listed here are some of the most effective workouts you can do just about anywhere! Running/Walking Focussing on cardio makes your body transform and it is not expensive too. You just need a good pair of running shoes and the willpower to run! While you are doing cardio, the maximum benefit you can gain is by pulling your navel into the core. For the newbies, you can try walking at a brisk pace or running for 15 to 30 minutes. Keep adding 5 to 10 more minutes at the end of every week. Squats Apart from working on your leg muscles, squatting is helpful for developing your core strength and stability along with upper and lower body strength. Once you perfect your form, you can move to more difficult versions over time. Push-ups A push-up is considered to be an ideal muscle-building exercise that works on UR chest, shoulders, and triceps. As you gain strength, you can progress from classic to different push-ups like elevated or decline push-ups that put more emphasis on UR shoulders, upper chest, lower chest and triceps. Crunches Crunches are helpful to tone UR mid-section. Along with other exercises, you can include crunches to develop core strength which is crucial for overall body strength and balance. Lunges Lunges work on some hard-to-reach muscles of the thighs. It’s also an ideal exercise to build lower body strength. Variation in UR exercise routine is important. Daily exercise is recommended for healthy living but when you repeat the same exercises day in and day out for a certain period, workouts become monotonous. If there is no variation in UR workouts, your body will reach the plateau stage sooner. Adding variety to your workout regimen brings changes in your strength and endurance levels which helps you to get closer to your fitness goals. Moreover, mixing different workout programmes helps you to understand the strength and weaknesses of UR body. Trying different workouts also adds fun to your workout sessions and helps you to stay motivated towards your fitness goals.
Healthy recipes with local ingredients
Get personalized and curated wellness content on URLife.co.in
By clicking you agree to T&c and privacy policy
Recipes
Tahini
Grind the dry roasted sesame to a powder. Ease: 2 Approximate cost: INR Serving size: 5-6 Cooking time: 8minutes Nutritive value Energy: 190Kcal Carbs: 18g Protein: 6g Fat: 11g Fibre: 5g Ingredients Dry roasted sesame seeds: 1 cup Canola oil: 2 to 4 tbsp Pinch of salt (optional) Preparation Step 1: Grind the dry roasted sesame to a powder. Step2: Add the oil and blend it again for 2 minutes till it forms a paste. Tahini sauce is ready to serve.
Tahini
Grind the dry roasted sesame to a powder. Ease: 2 Approximate cost: INR Serving size: 5-6 Cooking time: 8minutes Nutritive value Energy: 190Kcal Carbs: 18g Protein: 6g Fat: 11g Fibre: 5g Ingredients Dry roasted sesame seeds: 1 cup Canola oil: 2 to 4 tbsp Pinch of salt (optional) Preparation Step 1: Grind the dry roasted sesame to a powder. Step2: Add the oil and blend it again for 2 minutes till it forms a paste. Tahini sauce is ready to serve.
All About Body
Lean Arm Workout For Women
Everyone has something they are self-conscious about! For some, it's their legs, for others their stomach and for some of us, it's our arms! Even though we try to foster body positivity, sometimes we stray from our fitness goals or dream body with our hectic schedules. It takes a lot of time and dedication for you to be able to smash UR fitness goals. It's going to take much more effort if you're continually distracted, but that doesn't mean you can't give working out a try! So, what are the best arm workouts for women you ask? Read on to know how you can make UR arms lean! If you've noticed women tend to pack a lot of fat around the tricep area, and it is one of the most common problems faced by women, as we don't consciously concentrate on push movement in our everyday life. Triceps are made of three parts: the long head, lateral head and the medial head. While exercising, we tend to push ourselves because we want to become a better version of ourselves. But at the same time, it's also essential to stay away from injuries, by being mindful of UR form, exercise and breathing technique! Working on the long head/length of UR arm provides maximum strength for UR triceps. Thumb Rules To Follow Before & After UR Workout Sessions ● To avoid injuries ● Stretch before you work out ● Stick to UR form ● Get the right technique ● Don't use momentum to work out ● Remember to cool down post workouts As I work out with compound exercises, I engage my triceps and biceps in two parts: ● Push day: Chest, shoulders and triceps (chest press or shoulder press) ● Pull day: Back and biceps (pull-ups or rowing workouts) It is more beneficial to work out UR arms with these exercises as the muscle is already warmed- up. I generally recommend women to focus more on the long head of the triceps, as opposed to lateral movements like the cable curl and cable push down. A single hand unilateral dumbbell extension • Place UR left hand on the right-side of UR rib cage • Now hold the dumbbell high with UR right hand and curl it over UR head by bringing the dumbbell behind UR neck •Make sure to maintain UR form, range of motion and UR breath This exercise helps you focus on the form of both UR arms individually, which also allows you to work on every part of UR tricep. A single dumbbell extension • Holding a single dumbbell with both UR hands • Slowly bring both ur arms up at the same time • Continue this exercise for 10 - 15 reps A single dumbbell extension is a compound exercise where the back and posterior part of UR body is stable, and all the concentration is on the long head of your triceps. Any workout that requires a shoulder flex and extends your arms beyond your head and pushes forward targets your long head triceps. The cable exercise gives you tension even when your triceps are engaged. Dumbbell kickback • Lie down on a bench • Keep UR lower back straight while you keep UR body horizontal to the ground • First raise UR shoulder and fix your elbows • The only movement from this point is UR elbow to the back and curl • Squeeze when you come up and move the dumbbell away from UR body; then come back down in a controlled manner • Whenever you contract your muscles, breathe out • Kickback majorly works on the lateral head of UR triceps UR arm placement is shorter with the close grip bench press or a diamond push-up on the ground, or a V bar pushdown exercise. The shorter the distance between UR hands, the better UR triceps are recruited. Tricep close grip dips ● Be seated on a ball and keep UR hands on both sides ● Stretch UR knees out while you keep UR legs flat on the ground ● Lift yourself completely off the ball and support your body with your feet and palms ● Keep UR shoulders turned back and core engaged ● Slowly lower UR body towards the ground and just as soon as you nearly touch the ground, push upwards and get back to UR starting position ● Be sure UR elbows are aiming backwards Diamond/triangle push-ups ● Get down on all fours and elevate yourself using UR arms, palms down like how you do in a push-up, but while you keep UR palms closer to each other making a diamond shape ● Keep UR back flat and control UR elbows from sliding to the side while UR lowering UR chest towards UR hands ● Right before UR chest touches the floor rise back up to the starting position and repeat Diamond push-up or triangular push-ups and close grip dips are the best finisher exercises for triceps. I like to do failure repetitions, and it is usually bodyweight exercises. Beginners can go for a bent knee triangular push-up. Those at advanced and intermittent levels can do a standard push-up with their toes landing on the ground. I personally try to push for training to failure as it is exhausting and leaves me without an ounce of energy! Instead of focusing on the number of reps or variations, it is even more beneficial to focus on UR form, breathing technique and posture as they are collectively significant, especially in arm training. It's also essential to get the right posture, maintain form and use the complete range of motion while performing the exercise. If you have a wrist injury, use a wrist band for support and avoid putting too much pressure or stress on UR injured wrist. Better yet, consult a physiotherapist before you exercise to avoid injuring yourself even further. I've often noticed that when people do overhead triceps extension, they don't do the full range straining their joint, not muscle. If you don't use the complete stretch and squeeze the muscle, it will cause an injury. Lastly, try to get the most out of every workout session by following the basic rules and foundation of exercise!
Mystical Mountains
Mystical Mountains At Rupin Pass It is always a good time to begin thinking about outdoor activities; the ocean and mountains immediately come to mind and for me the call of the mountains is always more appealing, at any time of the year. Trekking is one of the most fun and soul satisfying activities and here in India we have some amazing trekking destinations, whether in the majestic Himalayas or the mountains of South India. Whatever your ability, this is something that can be done with family or friends. If you are a mountain person, then the incredible heights of the mountains can be a challenge and some level of basic fitness maybe needed. It’s a good idea to start planning a trekking adventure. There are so many choices from mild walks to serious heavy-duty climbs—there is something that can appeal to everyone. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/reaching-rupin-passhimalayasuttarakhandindia-after-6-days-734053519 Himachal Trekking in Himachal is good in and around Chamba, Manali, Kullu and Lahaul with Manali being the base. Manali is a good base for easy trekking and can be the best option for beginners. A lot of people club a trek with their summer holidays in Himachal. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/breathtaking-scenery-view-kalpa-region-kinnaur-462141832 Pin Parvati Pass - 5300m / 17388ft Probably the most beautiful trek in India it is a challenging crossover trek from the lush fertile Parvati valley to the moonscapes of the Pin valley in Spiti. Grade - challenging Bhabha Pass - 5000m / 16404ft Another stunningly beautiful trek that starts in the Apple orchards of the Kinnaur valley and crosses over to the Spiti valley via the Bhabha Pass. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/this-photo-taken-on-expedition-cross-1161121675 Grade - Moderate Friendship peak Climb A 5300 m / 17388ft peak just outside Manali, The Friendship Peak is an ideal adventure for people who are low on time, but who want to experience the adrenaline rush of climbing a high Himalayan peak. Grade - Challenging Ladakh Ladakh is breathtakingly beautiful, flanked by two of the highest mountain ranges in the world—the Himalayas and the Karakoram range. Ladakh has so much to offer, as there are treks of different types—Monastery treks, High altitude treks and Alpine meadow treks. The best time to visit is between July and September. Stok Kangri Trek- This trek takes you from Zingchen, from where the trek begins, through the Stok La Pass at 4890m/16043ft, to the Base Camp of Stok Kangri at an altitude of 4975m/16322ft, through Mounkarmo. From here the Glacier at5395m / 17700ft is a good trek up into the mountains , the Summit climb to 6153m/21000ft takes several hours and is a tough challenge. Grade - Challenging Pangong Lake Ladakh Markha Valley Trek - This is the most popular trek in Ladakh, that follows the Markha River, a tributary of the Zanskar river, that passes some quaint Ladakhi villages as well as some ancient monasteries and high mountain passes. The trek can be extended to climb the Kang Yatze Peak at 6400m. Grade - Challenging Sham Valley Trek - A short and easy trek ideal for beginners; this trek gives you a glimpse of Ladakhi lifestyles and landscapes with relative ease. Located close to a road head it's ideal for family and beginners. Grade - Easy Chadar Trek – Trekking through snow on the Chadar Trek in Ladakh The Mother of all treks; you can follow the frozen Zanskar river from Chilling to Lingshed and even beyond. This trek has a short window of about 2 months in the winter, when the river freezes. It's the most unique trek in India with relatively easy walking on the flat river but the challenge is of handling the cold when temperatures can drop to -25 to - 30 degree in the nights. A must-do for any trekking enthusiast. Grade - Challenging On the frozen River Uttarakhand Rupin Pass Rupin Pass A stunning and spectacular trek through the mountainous region of Uttarakhand. Starting at Dhaula, the first days trek takes us to about 1950m/6600ft and from there on it is a steady climb up into the mountains. On the way up to the Pass The River Rupin flows in this region, the route takes you past the most beautiful villages and forests, finally crossing a glacier before reaching the Lower Waterfall Camp. From here to he Upper Waterfall Camp and then over the Rupin Pass at 4625m/15173ft, Spectacular visuals of the surrounding mountains. Finally the trail leads the beautiful town of Sangla to the Banjara Resort on the banks of the Baspa River Grade - Challenging Kumaon - Adi Kailash Trek At - 4000m / 13123ft - This is located in Pitharogarh district and is a wonderful trek for those who can't make the journey to Mount Kailash in Tibet. Revered by Hindus, the Adi Kailash and Om Parbat Trek provides a great alternate. Grade - Moderate plus Pindari Glacier One of the most popular trekking destinations in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand is the Pindari glacier, which is incredibly beautiful! The trek starts from a road head called Song, near Bageshwar. Song to Loharket (4 km), Loharket to Khati (19 km), Khati to Phurkia (16 km) and Phurkia to Pindari Zero Point (6 km) is the trek course which takes about eight days. The trail also offers us some really beautiful landscapes and is a photographer’s delight! https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/shot-sunrise-zero-point-pindari-glacier-1704693196 Grade – Moderate Garhwal The Garhwal Hills have some of the highest peaks in the world and the treks are not considered easy, but the incredible beauty of the region and the variety that it offers is amazing. However, there are some easy to moderate routes for beginners and somewhat experienced trekkers. Popular treks include the Har Ki Dun trek (easy), Dodi Tal trek (easy), Valley of Flowers trek (easy), Nanda Devi trek (moderately tough), Kalindkhal trek (tough) and Kedarnath trek (tough). Gaumukh Tapovan Trek This is one of the most popular treks in India that starts from the holy Gangotri shrine following the Ganges River all the way to its source at Gaumukh and further beyond to Tapovan. A high altitude meadow with closeup views of the Shivling, Thalaysagar and other mighty peaks. Can be continued to beautiful high altitude lakes like Kedar Tal and Vasuki Tal with a glacial walk. Grade - Moderate plus Har ki Dun At 3500m/ 11482ft and located in the Govind Vihar National Park, this is a beautiful family trek of enchanting beauty with incredible views. It is also a popular trek among solo trekkers as it flows along the bank of the river and is easy to find the trail. Valley of Flowers Valley Of Flowers trail in the monsoons Perhaps the most popular trek in India, the Valley of Fowers, in the Gharwal mountains is best visited in the monsoon months of July- August when the valley floor is covered with thousands of flowers of different colours. There is a stone pathway throughout the entire trek making it easy to navigate in the monsoon. A very popular trek among people of all abilities. Grade – Easy Locals thought this was where the fairy’s lived! Then botanist Frank Smith found his way up to the valley and named it the Valley of Flowers. Smith did not have to rack his brains to come up with that name, as rare flowers bloom in such profusion, you might wonder why they are called ‘rare’ in the first place. There include the Himalayan poppy and Bhramakamal, among the 300 species found there. The best time to visit would be July and unlike Smith you don’t have to slog one bit. The valley is easily accessible—jeep to Rishikesh, on to Joshimath and beyond to Ghangria, from where it is only 14 km away. The valley retains its charm, but it pays to know that the ecosystem there is extremely fragile, so don’t litter. Tamilnadu Nilgiris The gorgeous Nilgiris Hill range of Tamil Nadu has wonderfully pleasant weather throughout the year. With their no plastic policy of the state, the hills are spotlessly clean too! Owing to plentiful rainfall, the trekking routes in these hills are lush and green all the time. Apart from treks, there are opportunities for soothing nature walks too. The best time for trekking in the Nilgiris is from October to May. The rains come down in June through August and it would be wise to avoid this region, during those months. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/nilagiri-hills-india-sun-set-clouds-1821056765 Kodaikanal Dolphin's Nose Gnarled tree roots on the Path down to Dolphin's Nose It is always good to be in Kodaikanal, probably one of the most untouched of all the hill stations in India. At about 7000ft, there are lovely treks, some mild and some of them tougher. The ones that I love to go back to, on every trip, is the trek down to Dolphin's Nose. The scenic beauty and the spectacular visuals of the mountains around you and the plains below are visible.It is a couple of hours to climb down from Vattakanal and out on to the rock that makes Dolphins Nose and a pretty steep climb back up to the to again. Breakfast at Altaf's Cafe is a must, after you make it back up !! On Dolphin's Nose Cloud land Trek and Perumal Malai are the other two treks that are day treks and you are rewarded with spectacular scenery all around. On the way up to Cloud Land Mukurthi For those of you drawn to trekking but apprehensive of the Himalayas, a wonder awaits in the Nilgiris Hills. Whoever said ‘No pain,No gain’ certainly had not been to Mukurthi, or taken the family along. An ideal outing, this day-long trek could be done as a picnic with a leisurely stroll thrown in and so is ideal for family groups with different abilities! But this no ordinary stroll; the hills are decked in crimson rhododendron and languid lakes and the air alive with the hoots of Nilgiri langurs. Don’t forget to pack a hamper and carry a bedsheet to spread out to picnic on. Kerala Silent Valley Walking through a rain forest that has been evolving for five million years, this incredible ecosystem can leave you simply awestruck. Silent Valley in the Palakkad district of Kerala is as primal as primal could ever get. The views and sightings of unbelievable wildlife are totally amazing—tigers, elephants, gaur and a host of other animals make this part of the mountains their home and make this trek really worthwhile. The camps at Sairandhiri, Poochipara, Walakkad, Sispara and Anginda are located on hilltops to show the forest to its best advantage. There is a fundamental question that comes up in everyone’s mind, including ours! What is it that draws us to these mountains, why do we want to take ourselves out of our comfort zones, go out to these remote areas and push ourselves beyond our physical limits? The mountains are an incredible place to be, you begin to realise how insignificant we are as human beings when you are walking in the midst of them. Their magnificence awes us and we feel the presence of greater power as we look around. The incredible beauty of these mystical mountains can silence you. There is an enormous respect for the hardy people who live in these regions, their lives are so hard on an everyday basis, just to survive. The challenges that we face every day, while walking and climbing are so satisfying, as the terrain is rough, the altitudes are high and the paths are sometimes fraught with danger. There is a feeling of immense satisfaction at the end of every trek. We realise that we are the fortunate few that can experience and live out our dreams. Others may think of it , some may want to do it; but we are the lucky ones that have the ability to go out there and achieve this experience
All About Nutrition
Tahini
Grind the dry roasted sesame to a powder. Ease: 2 Approximate cost: INR Serving size: 5-6 Cooking time: 8minutes Nutritive value Energy: 190Kcal Carbs: 18g Protein: 6g Fat: 11g Fibre: 5g Ingredients Dry roasted sesame seeds: 1 cup Canola oil: 2 to 4 tbsp Pinch of salt (optional) Preparation Step 1: Grind the dry roasted sesame to a powder. Step2: Add the oil and blend it again for 2 minutes till it forms a paste. Tahini sauce is ready to serve.
Mystical Mountains
Mystical Mountains At Rupin Pass It is always a good time to begin thinking about outdoor activities; the ocean and mountains immediately come to mind and for me the call of the mountains is always more appealing, at any time of the year. Trekking is one of the most fun and soul satisfying activities and here in India we have some amazing trekking destinations, whether in the majestic Himalayas or the mountains of South India. Whatever your ability, this is something that can be done with family or friends. If you are a mountain person, then the incredible heights of the mountains can be a challenge and some level of basic fitness maybe needed. It’s a good idea to start planning a trekking adventure. There are so many choices from mild walks to serious heavy-duty climbs—there is something that can appeal to everyone. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/reaching-rupin-passhimalayasuttarakhandindia-after-6-days-734053519 Himachal Trekking in Himachal is good in and around Chamba, Manali, Kullu and Lahaul with Manali being the base. Manali is a good base for easy trekking and can be the best option for beginners. A lot of people club a trek with their summer holidays in Himachal. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/breathtaking-scenery-view-kalpa-region-kinnaur-462141832 Pin Parvati Pass - 5300m / 17388ft Probably the most beautiful trek in India it is a challenging crossover trek from the lush fertile Parvati valley to the moonscapes of the Pin valley in Spiti. Grade - challenging Bhabha Pass - 5000m / 16404ft Another stunningly beautiful trek that starts in the Apple orchards of the Kinnaur valley and crosses over to the Spiti valley via the Bhabha Pass. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/this-photo-taken-on-expedition-cross-1161121675 Grade - Moderate Friendship peak Climb A 5300 m / 17388ft peak just outside Manali, The Friendship Peak is an ideal adventure for people who are low on time, but who want to experience the adrenaline rush of climbing a high Himalayan peak. Grade - Challenging Ladakh Ladakh is breathtakingly beautiful, flanked by two of the highest mountain ranges in the world—the Himalayas and the Karakoram range. Ladakh has so much to offer, as there are treks of different types—Monastery treks, High altitude treks and Alpine meadow treks. The best time to visit is between July and September. Stok Kangri Trek- This trek takes you from Zingchen, from where the trek begins, through the Stok La Pass at 4890m/16043ft, to the Base Camp of Stok Kangri at an altitude of 4975m/16322ft, through Mounkarmo. From here the Glacier at5395m / 17700ft is a good trek up into the mountains , the Summit climb to 6153m/21000ft takes several hours and is a tough challenge. Grade - Challenging Pangong Lake Ladakh Markha Valley Trek - This is the most popular trek in Ladakh, that follows the Markha River, a tributary of the Zanskar river, that passes some quaint Ladakhi villages as well as some ancient monasteries and high mountain passes. The trek can be extended to climb the Kang Yatze Peak at 6400m. Grade - Challenging Sham Valley Trek - A short and easy trek ideal for beginners; this trek gives you a glimpse of Ladakhi lifestyles and landscapes with relative ease. Located close to a road head it's ideal for family and beginners. Grade - Easy Chadar Trek – Trekking through snow on the Chadar Trek in Ladakh The Mother of all treks; you can follow the frozen Zanskar river from Chilling to Lingshed and even beyond. This trek has a short window of about 2 months in the winter, when the river freezes. It's the most unique trek in India with relatively easy walking on the flat river but the challenge is of handling the cold when temperatures can drop to -25 to - 30 degree in the nights. A must-do for any trekking enthusiast. Grade - Challenging On the frozen River Uttarakhand Rupin Pass Rupin Pass A stunning and spectacular trek through the mountainous region of Uttarakhand. Starting at Dhaula, the first days trek takes us to about 1950m/6600ft and from there on it is a steady climb up into the mountains. On the way up to the Pass The River Rupin flows in this region, the route takes you past the most beautiful villages and forests, finally crossing a glacier before reaching the Lower Waterfall Camp. From here to he Upper Waterfall Camp and then over the Rupin Pass at 4625m/15173ft, Spectacular visuals of the surrounding mountains. Finally the trail leads the beautiful town of Sangla to the Banjara Resort on the banks of the Baspa River Grade - Challenging Kumaon - Adi Kailash Trek At - 4000m / 13123ft - This is located in Pitharogarh district and is a wonderful trek for those who can't make the journey to Mount Kailash in Tibet. Revered by Hindus, the Adi Kailash and Om Parbat Trek provides a great alternate. Grade - Moderate plus Pindari Glacier One of the most popular trekking destinations in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand is the Pindari glacier, which is incredibly beautiful! The trek starts from a road head called Song, near Bageshwar. Song to Loharket (4 km), Loharket to Khati (19 km), Khati to Phurkia (16 km) and Phurkia to Pindari Zero Point (6 km) is the trek course which takes about eight days. The trail also offers us some really beautiful landscapes and is a photographer’s delight! https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/shot-sunrise-zero-point-pindari-glacier-1704693196 Grade – Moderate Garhwal The Garhwal Hills have some of the highest peaks in the world and the treks are not considered easy, but the incredible beauty of the region and the variety that it offers is amazing. However, there are some easy to moderate routes for beginners and somewhat experienced trekkers. Popular treks include the Har Ki Dun trek (easy), Dodi Tal trek (easy), Valley of Flowers trek (easy), Nanda Devi trek (moderately tough), Kalindkhal trek (tough) and Kedarnath trek (tough). Gaumukh Tapovan Trek This is one of the most popular treks in India that starts from the holy Gangotri shrine following the Ganges River all the way to its source at Gaumukh and further beyond to Tapovan. A high altitude meadow with closeup views of the Shivling, Thalaysagar and other mighty peaks. Can be continued to beautiful high altitude lakes like Kedar Tal and Vasuki Tal with a glacial walk. Grade - Moderate plus Har ki Dun At 3500m/ 11482ft and located in the Govind Vihar National Park, this is a beautiful family trek of enchanting beauty with incredible views. It is also a popular trek among solo trekkers as it flows along the bank of the river and is easy to find the trail. Valley of Flowers Valley Of Flowers trail in the monsoons Perhaps the most popular trek in India, the Valley of Fowers, in the Gharwal mountains is best visited in the monsoon months of July- August when the valley floor is covered with thousands of flowers of different colours. There is a stone pathway throughout the entire trek making it easy to navigate in the monsoon. A very popular trek among people of all abilities. Grade – Easy Locals thought this was where the fairy’s lived! Then botanist Frank Smith found his way up to the valley and named it the Valley of Flowers. Smith did not have to rack his brains to come up with that name, as rare flowers bloom in such profusion, you might wonder why they are called ‘rare’ in the first place. There include the Himalayan poppy and Bhramakamal, among the 300 species found there. The best time to visit would be July and unlike Smith you don’t have to slog one bit. The valley is easily accessible—jeep to Rishikesh, on to Joshimath and beyond to Ghangria, from where it is only 14 km away. The valley retains its charm, but it pays to know that the ecosystem there is extremely fragile, so don’t litter. Tamilnadu Nilgiris The gorgeous Nilgiris Hill range of Tamil Nadu has wonderfully pleasant weather throughout the year. With their no plastic policy of the state, the hills are spotlessly clean too! Owing to plentiful rainfall, the trekking routes in these hills are lush and green all the time. Apart from treks, there are opportunities for soothing nature walks too. The best time for trekking in the Nilgiris is from October to May. The rains come down in June through August and it would be wise to avoid this region, during those months. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/nilagiri-hills-india-sun-set-clouds-1821056765 Kodaikanal Dolphin's Nose Gnarled tree roots on the Path down to Dolphin's Nose It is always good to be in Kodaikanal, probably one of the most untouched of all the hill stations in India. At about 7000ft, there are lovely treks, some mild and some of them tougher. The ones that I love to go back to, on every trip, is the trek down to Dolphin's Nose. The scenic beauty and the spectacular visuals of the mountains around you and the plains below are visible.It is a couple of hours to climb down from Vattakanal and out on to the rock that makes Dolphins Nose and a pretty steep climb back up to the to again. Breakfast at Altaf's Cafe is a must, after you make it back up !! On Dolphin's Nose Cloud land Trek and Perumal Malai are the other two treks that are day treks and you are rewarded with spectacular scenery all around. On the way up to Cloud Land Mukurthi For those of you drawn to trekking but apprehensive of the Himalayas, a wonder awaits in the Nilgiris Hills. Whoever said ‘No pain,No gain’ certainly had not been to Mukurthi, or taken the family along. An ideal outing, this day-long trek could be done as a picnic with a leisurely stroll thrown in and so is ideal for family groups with different abilities! But this no ordinary stroll; the hills are decked in crimson rhododendron and languid lakes and the air alive with the hoots of Nilgiri langurs. Don’t forget to pack a hamper and carry a bedsheet to spread out to picnic on. Kerala Silent Valley Walking through a rain forest that has been evolving for five million years, this incredible ecosystem can leave you simply awestruck. Silent Valley in the Palakkad district of Kerala is as primal as primal could ever get. The views and sightings of unbelievable wildlife are totally amazing—tigers, elephants, gaur and a host of other animals make this part of the mountains their home and make this trek really worthwhile. The camps at Sairandhiri, Poochipara, Walakkad, Sispara and Anginda are located on hilltops to show the forest to its best advantage. There is a fundamental question that comes up in everyone’s mind, including ours! What is it that draws us to these mountains, why do we want to take ourselves out of our comfort zones, go out to these remote areas and push ourselves beyond our physical limits? The mountains are an incredible place to be, you begin to realise how insignificant we are as human beings when you are walking in the midst of them. Their magnificence awes us and we feel the presence of greater power as we look around. The incredible beauty of these mystical mountains can silence you. There is an enormous respect for the hardy people who live in these regions, their lives are so hard on an everyday basis, just to survive. The challenges that we face every day, while walking and climbing are so satisfying, as the terrain is rough, the altitudes are high and the paths are sometimes fraught with danger. There is a feeling of immense satisfaction at the end of every trek. We realise that we are the fortunate few that can experience and live out our dreams. Others may think of it , some may want to do it; but we are the lucky ones that have the ability to go out there and achieve this experience
Join the wellness movement!
Get personalized and curated wellness content on URLife.co.in
By clicking you agree to T&c and privacy policy
All About Mind
Is UR Smart Phone Destroying UR Relationship?
Is your smartphone a weapon of mass distraction? Is it the third person in your relationship? Do you have a better relationship with your smartphone than your partner? I hope that you didn’t answer yes to any of these questions but if you did, read on… People ask me all the time what is the foundation of a successful relationship and I say that I can sum it up in 3 words. They probably expect me to say “I love you” but I actually say communication, communication, communication. I’ve worked with thousands of people in my career and every single relationship that has gone wrong, whether romantic or platonic, failed because of poor communication. Fact! People don’t know how to communicate well and smartphones are killing communication even more. Technology can actually bring us closer to a person on the other side of the world and further away from the person sitting in front of us. We are actually so distracted by notifications on our phone that we are struggling even more to be present with the person in front of us, whether they are our partner, children or friends. It is actually a lack of respect for the person we’re with and can quickly erode our relationships, especially romantic ones as it begins to feel like we are competing with a third person in our relationship and vying for our partner’s attention. In the late ‘70s, Professor Albert Mehrabian spent years researching what rich communication looked like and came up with the following pie chart to demonstrate his results. So before you send that text message or Whatsapp, consider his research and how your communication is being received. Are you as surprised as I was when I first saw this chart? You probably thought that words were much more important in communication than 7%. I did. I had no idea that body language or physiology was the most important part of communication and without it, we leave so much communication behind. So why does this matter? We now spend so much time communicating with people via text message, WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook Instagram and other social media with only words. There is no tonality and certainly no physiology so 93% of the communication is missing, which can lead to a lot of misunderstanding and pain. I’ve worked with many people who were ‘dumped’ by text or on Facebook and were devastated by the pain of the breakup coupled with the humiliation of how it happened and this had lead them to suicidal thoughts, so it is a very serious situation. If we forget a comma or put in the wrong emoji, we can change the whole meaning of the communication. Read this sentence aloud in both forms and listen to the different meaning of each one although the words remain the same. “I’m sorry I love you.” or “I’m sorry; I love you”. I think you can see how the punctuation can totally change the meaning of the communication and actually cause the listener a lot of pain in the first instance and a lot of joy in the second one. So the next time you want to communicate something important with your partner, pick up the phone, which will increase the quality of the communication to 45% or talk to them in person, which will increase the quality of the communication to 100%. Good communication is the cornerstone of any successful relationship and my final tip about communication is, the longer you’ve been with your partner, the more you need to communicate with them, not less. Lack of communication with a longterm partner can lead to what I call ‘mind-reading’, which is when you think you know what they’re thinking based on past behaviour but you don’t. People change in small ways every day so don’t imagine you know what they are thinking or needing… ask them.
Mystical Mountains
Mystical Mountains At Rupin Pass It is always a good time to begin thinking about outdoor activities; the ocean and mountains immediately come to mind and for me the call of the mountains is always more appealing, at any time of the year. Trekking is one of the most fun and soul satisfying activities and here in India we have some amazing trekking destinations, whether in the majestic Himalayas or the mountains of South India. Whatever your ability, this is something that can be done with family or friends. If you are a mountain person, then the incredible heights of the mountains can be a challenge and some level of basic fitness maybe needed. It’s a good idea to start planning a trekking adventure. There are so many choices from mild walks to serious heavy-duty climbs—there is something that can appeal to everyone. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/reaching-rupin-passhimalayasuttarakhandindia-after-6-days-734053519 Himachal Trekking in Himachal is good in and around Chamba, Manali, Kullu and Lahaul with Manali being the base. Manali is a good base for easy trekking and can be the best option for beginners. A lot of people club a trek with their summer holidays in Himachal. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/breathtaking-scenery-view-kalpa-region-kinnaur-462141832 Pin Parvati Pass - 5300m / 17388ft Probably the most beautiful trek in India it is a challenging crossover trek from the lush fertile Parvati valley to the moonscapes of the Pin valley in Spiti. Grade - challenging Bhabha Pass - 5000m / 16404ft Another stunningly beautiful trek that starts in the Apple orchards of the Kinnaur valley and crosses over to the Spiti valley via the Bhabha Pass. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/this-photo-taken-on-expedition-cross-1161121675 Grade - Moderate Friendship peak Climb A 5300 m / 17388ft peak just outside Manali, The Friendship Peak is an ideal adventure for people who are low on time, but who want to experience the adrenaline rush of climbing a high Himalayan peak. Grade - Challenging Ladakh Ladakh is breathtakingly beautiful, flanked by two of the highest mountain ranges in the world—the Himalayas and the Karakoram range. Ladakh has so much to offer, as there are treks of different types—Monastery treks, High altitude treks and Alpine meadow treks. The best time to visit is between July and September. Stok Kangri Trek- This trek takes you from Zingchen, from where the trek begins, through the Stok La Pass at 4890m/16043ft, to the Base Camp of Stok Kangri at an altitude of 4975m/16322ft, through Mounkarmo. From here the Glacier at5395m / 17700ft is a good trek up into the mountains , the Summit climb to 6153m/21000ft takes several hours and is a tough challenge. Grade - Challenging Pangong Lake Ladakh Markha Valley Trek - This is the most popular trek in Ladakh, that follows the Markha River, a tributary of the Zanskar river, that passes some quaint Ladakhi villages as well as some ancient monasteries and high mountain passes. The trek can be extended to climb the Kang Yatze Peak at 6400m. Grade - Challenging Sham Valley Trek - A short and easy trek ideal for beginners; this trek gives you a glimpse of Ladakhi lifestyles and landscapes with relative ease. Located close to a road head it's ideal for family and beginners. Grade - Easy Chadar Trek – Trekking through snow on the Chadar Trek in Ladakh The Mother of all treks; you can follow the frozen Zanskar river from Chilling to Lingshed and even beyond. This trek has a short window of about 2 months in the winter, when the river freezes. It's the most unique trek in India with relatively easy walking on the flat river but the challenge is of handling the cold when temperatures can drop to -25 to - 30 degree in the nights. A must-do for any trekking enthusiast. Grade - Challenging On the frozen River Uttarakhand Rupin Pass Rupin Pass A stunning and spectacular trek through the mountainous region of Uttarakhand. Starting at Dhaula, the first days trek takes us to about 1950m/6600ft and from there on it is a steady climb up into the mountains. On the way up to the Pass The River Rupin flows in this region, the route takes you past the most beautiful villages and forests, finally crossing a glacier before reaching the Lower Waterfall Camp. From here to he Upper Waterfall Camp and then over the Rupin Pass at 4625m/15173ft, Spectacular visuals of the surrounding mountains. Finally the trail leads the beautiful town of Sangla to the Banjara Resort on the banks of the Baspa River Grade - Challenging Kumaon - Adi Kailash Trek At - 4000m / 13123ft - This is located in Pitharogarh district and is a wonderful trek for those who can't make the journey to Mount Kailash in Tibet. Revered by Hindus, the Adi Kailash and Om Parbat Trek provides a great alternate. Grade - Moderate plus Pindari Glacier One of the most popular trekking destinations in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand is the Pindari glacier, which is incredibly beautiful! The trek starts from a road head called Song, near Bageshwar. Song to Loharket (4 km), Loharket to Khati (19 km), Khati to Phurkia (16 km) and Phurkia to Pindari Zero Point (6 km) is the trek course which takes about eight days. The trail also offers us some really beautiful landscapes and is a photographer’s delight! https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/shot-sunrise-zero-point-pindari-glacier-1704693196 Grade – Moderate Garhwal The Garhwal Hills have some of the highest peaks in the world and the treks are not considered easy, but the incredible beauty of the region and the variety that it offers is amazing. However, there are some easy to moderate routes for beginners and somewhat experienced trekkers. Popular treks include the Har Ki Dun trek (easy), Dodi Tal trek (easy), Valley of Flowers trek (easy), Nanda Devi trek (moderately tough), Kalindkhal trek (tough) and Kedarnath trek (tough). Gaumukh Tapovan Trek This is one of the most popular treks in India that starts from the holy Gangotri shrine following the Ganges River all the way to its source at Gaumukh and further beyond to Tapovan. A high altitude meadow with closeup views of the Shivling, Thalaysagar and other mighty peaks. Can be continued to beautiful high altitude lakes like Kedar Tal and Vasuki Tal with a glacial walk. Grade - Moderate plus Har ki Dun At 3500m/ 11482ft and located in the Govind Vihar National Park, this is a beautiful family trek of enchanting beauty with incredible views. It is also a popular trek among solo trekkers as it flows along the bank of the river and is easy to find the trail. Valley of Flowers Valley Of Flowers trail in the monsoons Perhaps the most popular trek in India, the Valley of Fowers, in the Gharwal mountains is best visited in the monsoon months of July- August when the valley floor is covered with thousands of flowers of different colours. There is a stone pathway throughout the entire trek making it easy to navigate in the monsoon. A very popular trek among people of all abilities. Grade – Easy Locals thought this was where the fairy’s lived! Then botanist Frank Smith found his way up to the valley and named it the Valley of Flowers. Smith did not have to rack his brains to come up with that name, as rare flowers bloom in such profusion, you might wonder why they are called ‘rare’ in the first place. There include the Himalayan poppy and Bhramakamal, among the 300 species found there. The best time to visit would be July and unlike Smith you don’t have to slog one bit. The valley is easily accessible—jeep to Rishikesh, on to Joshimath and beyond to Ghangria, from where it is only 14 km away. The valley retains its charm, but it pays to know that the ecosystem there is extremely fragile, so don’t litter. Tamilnadu Nilgiris The gorgeous Nilgiris Hill range of Tamil Nadu has wonderfully pleasant weather throughout the year. With their no plastic policy of the state, the hills are spotlessly clean too! Owing to plentiful rainfall, the trekking routes in these hills are lush and green all the time. Apart from treks, there are opportunities for soothing nature walks too. The best time for trekking in the Nilgiris is from October to May. The rains come down in June through August and it would be wise to avoid this region, during those months. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/nilagiri-hills-india-sun-set-clouds-1821056765 Kodaikanal Dolphin's Nose Gnarled tree roots on the Path down to Dolphin's Nose It is always good to be in Kodaikanal, probably one of the most untouched of all the hill stations in India. At about 7000ft, there are lovely treks, some mild and some of them tougher. The ones that I love to go back to, on every trip, is the trek down to Dolphin's Nose. The scenic beauty and the spectacular visuals of the mountains around you and the plains below are visible.It is a couple of hours to climb down from Vattakanal and out on to the rock that makes Dolphins Nose and a pretty steep climb back up to the to again. Breakfast at Altaf's Cafe is a must, after you make it back up !! On Dolphin's Nose Cloud land Trek and Perumal Malai are the other two treks that are day treks and you are rewarded with spectacular scenery all around. On the way up to Cloud Land Mukurthi For those of you drawn to trekking but apprehensive of the Himalayas, a wonder awaits in the Nilgiris Hills. Whoever said ‘No pain,No gain’ certainly had not been to Mukurthi, or taken the family along. An ideal outing, this day-long trek could be done as a picnic with a leisurely stroll thrown in and so is ideal for family groups with different abilities! But this no ordinary stroll; the hills are decked in crimson rhododendron and languid lakes and the air alive with the hoots of Nilgiri langurs. Don’t forget to pack a hamper and carry a bedsheet to spread out to picnic on. Kerala Silent Valley Walking through a rain forest that has been evolving for five million years, this incredible ecosystem can leave you simply awestruck. Silent Valley in the Palakkad district of Kerala is as primal as primal could ever get. The views and sightings of unbelievable wildlife are totally amazing—tigers, elephants, gaur and a host of other animals make this part of the mountains their home and make this trek really worthwhile. The camps at Sairandhiri, Poochipara, Walakkad, Sispara and Anginda are located on hilltops to show the forest to its best advantage. There is a fundamental question that comes up in everyone’s mind, including ours! What is it that draws us to these mountains, why do we want to take ourselves out of our comfort zones, go out to these remote areas and push ourselves beyond our physical limits? The mountains are an incredible place to be, you begin to realise how insignificant we are as human beings when you are walking in the midst of them. Their magnificence awes us and we feel the presence of greater power as we look around. The incredible beauty of these mystical mountains can silence you. There is an enormous respect for the hardy people who live in these regions, their lives are so hard on an everyday basis, just to survive. The challenges that we face every day, while walking and climbing are so satisfying, as the terrain is rough, the altitudes are high and the paths are sometimes fraught with danger. There is a feeling of immense satisfaction at the end of every trek. We realise that we are the fortunate few that can experience and live out our dreams. Others may think of it , some may want to do it; but we are the lucky ones that have the ability to go out there and achieve this experience
Recipes
Tahini
Grind the dry roasted sesame to a powder. Ease: 2 Approximate cost: INR Serving size: 5-6 Cooking time: 8minutes Nutritive value Energy: 190Kcal Carbs: 18g Protein: 6g Fat: 11g Fibre: 5g Ingredients Dry roasted sesame seeds: 1 cup Canola oil: 2 to 4 tbsp Pinch of salt (optional) Preparation Step 1: Grind the dry roasted sesame to a powder. Step2: Add the oil and blend it again for 2 minutes till it forms a paste. Tahini sauce is ready to serve.
Tzatziki
Grate the cucumber and drain the water completely. Ease: 3 Approximate cost: INR 100 Serving size: 5-6 Cooking time: 10minutes Nutritive value Energy: 75Kcal Carbs: 3g Protein: 4g Fat: 6g Fibre: 0g Ingredients Unpeeled cucumber: 1 Hung curd: 1 cup Finely minced large garlic cloves: 2 Extra virgin olive oil: 2 tbsp White vinegar or lime juice: 1 tbsp Salt: 1/2 tsp Minced dill or thyme: 1/2 tbsp Preparation Step 1: Grate the cucumber and drain the water completely. Step 2: Combine the hung curd, garlic, oil, vinegar, and salt. Refrigerate overnight. Step 3: Transfer the grated cucumber and fresh dill to the curd mixture and stir to combine. Serve chilled with pita bread for dipping. Note: Straining the yoghurt reduces its lactose content and makes it higher in protein.
Sprout Salad
Add all the ingredients to a salad bowl. Mix them well and season the salad with olive oil, salt and pepper Ingredients ● Green gram sprouts/ alfalfa sprouts: 1 cup ● Bell pepper of different colours: 1/2 cup ● Mixed fruits: 1/2 cup ● Basil: for garnish ● Coriander: for garnish ● Mint: for garnish ● micro herbs: for garnish ● Olive oil: 2 tbsp ● A pinch of salt ● A pinch of pepper Method Step 1: Step 2: . Step 3: Serve in a bowl and enjoy!
Dhokla
In a bowl mix gram flour, lemon juice, sugar, salt and turmeric. Add water gradually to make it into a smooth batter. Make sure the consistency of the batter is neither thick nor thin. Add the dissolved baking powder to the batter. Ingredients ● Gram flour (besan): 1 Cup ● Lemon juice:1 tbsp ● Sugar:1 tbsp ● A pinch of salt ● A pinch of turmeric ● Water (to make batter) ● Baking powder: 1 tbsp (dissolved in water) For the Tadka: ● Oil:1 tbsp ● Mustard seeds:1/2 tbsp ● Dried red chilli: 1 ● Curry leaves: 7-8 Step 1: In a bowl mix gram flour, lemon juice, sugar, salt and turmeric. Add water gradually to make it into a smooth batter. Make sure the consistency of the batter is neither thick nor thin. Add the dissolved baking powder to the batter. Step 2: Grease the steaming tin with 2 drops of oil and pour the mixture into it. Steam for about 15-20 minutes. Step 3: In a pan, add oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves and red chillies. Let it splutter. Pour the tadka over the prepared dhokla. Cut into pieces and serve hot with tamarind and date chutney or green chutney with chillies, mint and coriander!
Chia Seed Pudding
Soak the chia seeds in water for 15 minutes. In a serving glass, add coconut milk and soaked chia seeds. Ingredients ● Chia seeds: 2 tablespoons ● Coconut milk: 1/4 cup ● Water: 1cup ● Strawberries: 1/2 cup ● pumpkin seeds: 2 tablespoons ● Coconut scrapings: for garnish Method Step 1: Step2: Step3: Slice the strawberries and add them to the glass as the top layer to the coconut milk. Step 4: Garnish it with pumpkin seeds and coconut scrapings. Serve chill and enjoy!
Dry Fruit Ladoo Or Granola Bar
In a pan, roast the seeds and nuts and keep them aside to cool down. Grind Jaggery to a fine powder and add dates. Grind it until it becomes a paste. Ingredients ● Oats: 1/2 cup ● Pumpkin seeds: 3 tablespoons ● flax seeds: 3 tablespoons ● Almonds: 3 tablespoons ● Dates: 1/4 cup ● Jaggery: 1/4 cup Method Step 1: Step 2: Step 3: Add oats, seeds and nuts to the paste and mix well. Shape them into a ladoo or flatten the mixture in a plate and cut them into bars.
All About Body
Lose Fat Fast & Get Lean With The Rowing Workout!
The rowing machine, also known as rower or ergometer is chosen by several fitness freaks due to its quick fat burning benefits! Also, if you’re not a regular gym goer and prefer to exercise in the comfort of your home, the rowing workout is ideal for you! Unlike other cardio machines like the elliptical machines and treadmills, the rowing machine is compact. It can be pulled out for a workout and kept in a corner of a room after your exercise. Lose Fat Fast & Get Lean With The Rowing Workout! UR The rowing machine, also known as rower or ergometer is chosen by several fitness freaks due to its quick fat burning benefits! Also, if you’re not a regular gym goer and prefer to exercise in the comfort of your home, the rowing workout is ideal for you! Unlike other cardio machines like the elliptical machines and treadmills, the rowing machine is compact. It can be pulled out for a workout and kept in a corner of a room after your exercise. Besides, you can work out while watching your favourite TV show or while having a chat with your workout buddy. Perfect for toning muscles, weight loss and boosting stamina, the rowing workout is indeed a fitness game changer! So if getting rid of extra fat and boosting your overall health is what you want, the rowing workout can definitely help you! Here’s why. Good aerobic exercise: Cardio or aerobic exercise is suitable for any age group as it leads to faster weight loss, a stronger immune system and an increase in stamina. Also, as rowing involves flexing of several muscles, oxygen intake is increased and endorphins are released which help you to have a sound sleep at night. Upper body workout: The workout involves constant stretching of the deltoid muscle in the shoulders, triceps in the arms, the erector spinae muscles in the lower back, rhomboids in the middle back and the trapezii in the upper back. So undoubtedly, the rowing machine helps to give you a chiselled upper body! The benefits of a strong back and shoulders will eventually improve UR posture and reduce back pain too. Also, since you need to maintain a stronger grip on the oars, you also develop sturdy hands and wrists. Lower body workout: Another significant benefit of the rowing machine is that it provides an excellent workout for UR lower body. The main leg muscles that get strengthened are the buttocks, calves, hamstrings on the upper back of the thighs and the quads in the upper front of UR thighs. Besides, resistance training on the rowing machine is an easy way to maintain balance and flexibility. Low impact cardio: For those who are overweight or suffer from joint problems and find it difficult to try weight bearing exercises that include running, walking or hiking, the rowing workout is a good alternative. This is because the rowing workout is done while sitting and it is non-weight bearing. Therefore, it applies less stress on the joints as it is a low impact cardio exercise.
How To Get A Superb Workout Without Leaving Your Bed!
It’s time to swiftly bid adieu to your laziness! Here’s some good news for those of you who love the comfort of your bed. You can now indulge in some more snuggle time, without giving up on your exercise. Yes, you read that right! If you are feeling lethargic to hit the gym or find it tough to even do aerobic exercises at home these easy workouts will not only help you lose weight but will tone UR body as well! How To Get A Superb Workout Without Leaving Your Bed! UR It’s time to swiftly bid adieu to your laziness! Here’s some good news for those of you who love the comfort of your bed. You can now indulge in some more snuggle time, without giving up on your exercise. Yes, you read that right! If you are feeling lethargic to hit the gym or find it tough to even do aerobic exercises at home these easy workouts will not only help you lose weight but will tone UR body as well! Russian twists: This exercise is undoubtedly a blessing if you are looking to reduce your bloated abdomen. What’s more, you can do this exercise by sitting on UR bed. Apparently, this exercise took its form during the Cold War period in Russia. It is helpful in reducing the risks associated with cardiovascular diseases and also helps reduce the extra fat in the abdomen within a few days. All you have to do is sit in such a way that your knees point toward the ceiling; stretch both your arms and while concentrating on UR breathing twist your body towards the right, come back to the original position and then twist UR body towards the left. Do this for about two minutes on a regular basis. Push-ups: You don’t have to get out of bed to do push-ups. Although you might hate it, certain type of push-ups help to prevent lower back pain, bolster your cardiovascular system and also enhance your arms, shoulders, core and legs which in turn corrects overall body posture. Ensure you do at least 20 reps with your tummy tucked in with your knees stretched. Butterfly crunches: One of the best exercises that don’t require any equipment, butterfly crunches can help you build a strong abdomen. Some fitness experts even state that you can get six packs with this exercise! The catch is to do this exercise regularly for a month. Sit and drop your knees wide open; make sure the soles of your feet come in contact with each other. Now, lie down without any change in the first step. Crunch up and lean back - continue this exercise for 25 reps. Scissor kicks: This exercise helps you maintain the right posture, balance, and stability because it works on UR deep seated muscles. However, scissor kicks can be quite challenging. Lift both UR legs up with your knees slightly bent - raise your left leg up to 45 degrees while keeping the right leg in the air. While you bring down your left leg to its position, lift your right leg up. Ensure you take deep breaths when you do this exercise. To see some positive results continue to do at least 20 reps for about a month.
Fab Exercises To Get Rid Of Flabby Thighs!
For most of us who try to lose weight, there is always a struggle with certain parts of the body. The stubborn fat from these sites just don’t seem to respond well despite our repeated efforts! The lower body is the least responsive site! The arms, upper back and forearms seem to respond very quickly to weight training, but the abdomen and thighs are generally unresponsive. To bring in some significant changes to the aesthetic profile of the lower body, we need to be smart about our choice of exercises and selection of loads. So here are some exercises that not only tighten but tone the thighs too! Add the below sequence into your training routine to replace fat with muscle! . Barbell back squat complex: No, this is not your regular back squat exercise. In this particular variation, you have to pair back squats with an aerobic exercise like rowing or skipping. This keeps UR heart rate elevated and as you progress forward in the set, it gets harder and harder. Keep in mind to choose an exercise to pair with the squat that doesn’t interfere with the quality of the upcoming sets. Choose a weight that you can maintain for all sets. The load should be moderate enough to be able to perform 8-12 reps without compromising on the quality. Perform 4 sets of back squats for 8-12 repetitions each, paired with 30-45 seconds of an aerobic activity, followed by a minute of rest before the next set. This variation will attack the fat tissues of UR lower body and help you lose the fat. Stair climbing intervals: Looking for a killer variation for your leg muscles? Try stair climbing for intervals at the end of UR workout. After finishing your weight training routine, adopt this variation to accelerate the rate of fat loss of UR lower body muscles. Unlike running, this variation is much harder on the cardiovascular system and the inclined terrain helps strengthen the muscles and joints of your lower body. Perform one-minute intervals with 45 seconds break between sets for six rounds and that should be it. However, those with knee pain should be careful while performing this exercise. Sled push: The sled push is a modifiable exercise which is regularly used by fitness enthusiasts’ pre or post-workout. It is great for conditioning the body for different sports or long-distance running, and some runners even use it to recover after an injury. It involves engaging UR glutes, hips, back, hamstrings, calves, core, triceps, and shoulders all at once that is why it is referred to as an all-out high intensity exercise, whether you load the sled with heavy weights or not. This is what makes it a great full-body exercise for those willing to challenge their fitness. Reach out for a weighted sled and push it as far as you can for as many rounds as possible, when conventional weight training tools fail to deliver its promises. Perform 4-5 sets of sled push with a minute break in between for maximum results. Increased time under tension creates an optimal environment inside the muscle cells to break down the tissues to provide the lean look that you desire. Moreover, sled push is an excellent exercise to engage all the muscles of UR lower body for prolonged durations. Just add the above variations to your routine when you hit a plateau and get confused about the best exercises to choose.
Superb Exercises To Help Improve UR Flexibility!
Stretching exercises help you improve your flexibility. These exercises also help to increase joint mobility and are essential to execute other exercises properly as well. So flexibility exercises are important for maintaining good joint health. Also, the more flexible the body is, the lesser the chances of getting injured. However, a proper warm-up session is needed before starting any stretching exercise. Superb Exercises To Help Improve UR Flexibility! UR Stretching exercises help you improve your flexibility. These exercises also help to increase joint mobility and are essential to execute other exercises properly as well. So flexibility exercises are important for maintaining good joint health. Also, the more flexible the body is, the lesser the chances of getting injured. However, a proper warm-up session is needed before starting any stretching exercise. Strectches To Help You Become More Flexible Chest & shoulders: You can start this exercise by kneeling down or by standing. Grasp your hands behind UR back. Keep your arms straight and lift your hands as high as you can. While doing so, simultaneously bend down towards your knees from your waist and hold as long as you can. Triceps: Place your left hand behind your back on the spine, over your shoulder making a ‘V’ shape. Place your right hand on UR left elbow and push it gently downwards as you slide your left hand down along the spine to the extent you could and hold it there for as long as you can. Repeat with the other arm. Glutes: Stretch your lower body, first by sitting on the floor. Now, lift UR left leg and place it over UR right leg (on the knee). Ensure your back is straight and lean a bit forward to intensify the stretch. Maintain this position for 20 seconds and continue with the next side. Adductor: Stand up and spread your legs double the width of UR shoulder width. Shift your weight to UR right leg, bend your right knee, and push your hips back as if you’re going to sit down.Go down as low as possible while keeping your left leg straight.You will fell the stretch in your left inner thigh. Keep your chest up and your weight on your right leg. Breathe deeply and hold for 10 to 20 seconds before returning to the starting position. Switch to the other side. There are certain guidelines you should adhere to when following a flexibility programme: Before embarking on an exercise don’t forget to go through a proper warm-up. While stretching ensure you don’t experience any discomfort. The tightness you feel should lessen as you hold the stretch. Breathe out while doing a stretch and do not hold your breath! Maintain the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds. If stiffness or pain occurs while stretching, stop. Shake out UR limbs in between stretches and try to complete two-three stretches before starting the next exercise.
Prevent Injury: Easy Wrist Exercises For Computer Users
Those who regularly use the computer tend to be afflicted with pain, weakness, numbness and other issues in the joints. Fortunately, these symptoms can be treated and can even be prevented by taking proper breaks at regular intervals. Some hand exercises also help in preventing and reducing the risk of joint issues. Let’s look at some helpful wrist exercises and stretches. Prevent Injury: Easy Wrist Exercises For Computer Users K.Vijay Simha Bachelor in Physiotherapy, Exercise Scientist, Exercise Rehabilitation Specialist Those who regularly use the computer tend to be afflicted with pain, weakness, numbness and other issues in the joints. Fortunately, these symptoms can be treated and can even be prevented by taking proper breaks at regular intervals. Some hand exercises also help in preventing and reducing the risk of joint issues. Let’s look at some helpful wrist exercises and stretches. • Make a fist in a gentle manner and try bending your wrist as down as possible and hold for 10-15 seconds. • Use your opposite hand now and try bending your wrist as far down as possible to feel a stretch and (not pain); try holding the position for 10-15 seconds. • Use your opposite hand now and try bending your wrist upwards as much as possible to feel a stretch and (not pain); try holding the position for 10-15 seconds. • Hold the fingers of the hand to be stretched. Extend your wrist by gently pulling back on your hand until you feel a stretch on the inside of your forearm; keep your elbow straight and repeat for 10-15 seconds. • Prayer stretch: Place both your hands in a prayer position together to a point of a stretch. Your forearms can be placed on the table top and your palms can be pushed downward keeping them together to maintain a stretch. Hold for 10-15 seconds. • Squeeze stretch: Support your forearms with the help of a table, holding a foam ball. Squeeze your fingers around the soft object as hard as you can then straighten them out. • Holding your elbow, rotate your palm up and down using your other hand to the point of a stretch and hold of 10-15 seconds in each position, at the end range you can tolerate. • Finger spring: Use a large rubber band outside your thumb and your remaining fingers. Open your fingers as the rubber band gets stretched. Repeat this activity 20 times. • Wrist bending isometric exercise: Place your arm by keeping your fingers resting on top of a table. Press your palm towards the base of the long finger so that you can feel your forearm tighten. Keep in mind that the fingers should be kept loose. Retain the position for some time and relax. • Palm up/palm down pattern: Bend your elbow and turn your palm downwards towards the floor. Push the palm over the knuckles till you feel a stretch on your forearm and hold the same position for around 10 seconds. Next push your palm in the opposite direction and hold the position for 10 seconds. • Toward thumb or little finger: Keep your hand flat on the table without moving the forearm, slide your hand towards your thumb till it stretches and holds for some time. Now slide your hand towards your little finger till it stretches. Hold the same position for some time. There are two stretches for your thumb joints. Firstly, hold your hand in such a way that your palm faces you. Bend the tip of your thumb down towards your index finger. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds. Release and repeat four times. Next, hold your hand so that your palm faces you. Gently stretch UR thumb across UR palm using just the lower thumb joint. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds. Release and repeat four times. Playing with clay is a great way to exercise your fingers and make your hands strong as well. Spending the whole day typing on the keyboard without a change in your position can affect your wrists in a negative way. To avoid this, rest your wrist in between the work so that your wrists can recover. Take five-minute breaks from using the keyboard and mouse periodically as short breaks will make your wrist feel comfortable and will also prevent repetitive stress injury or RSI. Maintaining a good posture also plays a key role as it can reduce the strain on UR body. Therefore, arrange UR workspace in such a way that you are comfortable sitting for a long time, without straining your body. The desk should also be of proper height so as to keep your legs comfortably beneath the space under the desk.
Best BOSU Ball Exercises For The Ultimate Full-Body Workout!
If trying out a new effective workout and improving your overall balance and stability is on your mind, it may be time for you to start exercising with a BOSU balance trainer. BOSU (stands for Both Sides Utilised) and looks something like a stability ball cut in half. It has a rubber hemisphere on one side and a flat surface on the other side and is excellent for building stability and strength! Best BOSU Ball Exercises For The Ultimate Full-Body Workout! K.Vijay Simha Bachelor in Physiotherapy, Exercise Scientist, Exercise Rehabilitation Specialist If trying out a new effective workout and improving your overall balance and stability is on your mind, it may be time for you to start exercising with a BOSU balance trainer. BOSU (stands for Both Sides Utilised) and looks something like a stability ball cut in half. It has a rubber hemisphere on one side and a flat surface on the other side and is excellent for building stability and strength! The flat surface provides steadiness to perform your workouts with extreme accuracy while the hemisphere on the other hand is partially filled with air and offers sufficient instability that stimulates the functioning of all your core muscles. You can use both the hemisphere and the flat surface to improve your balance and strengthen your core. Use it to do full-body workouts or target problematic areas. It’s easy for everybody to use, even beginners. So here are some superb fun exercises to do with the BOSU ball. 1. Squats - Keep the flat surface up, i.e., place the BOSU ball on the rubber hemisphere. Position your right leg on one side of the ball, the ball will slant to the right - try to balance yourself by placing your left leg on the other side of the even surface. Be sure that you are steady and stable. Now, thrust your hips behind and at the same time lower your body; let your knees bend and then take your arms up close to your chest. Make sure your knees don’t extend beyond your toes. 2. Hip Raise - Lie flat on the ground. Stretch your knees and put your feet on both sides of the ball. Keep your hands by your side, palms flat on the surface and face towards the ceiling. Thrust your hips toward the ceiling. Stop when your thighs are in line with your hips. Lower your hips without placing them on the floor. 3. Lunge - Stand one foot away from the BOSU ball. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, core engaged and chest outwards. The semi-circular surface of the BOSU ball should be upwards. Place your right leg on top of the ball. Arch both your knees and lower your upper body so that your thighs are vertical to your shins. Hold this posture for a second and then go back to the starting position. Step on the ball with your right leg - arch both your knees, lower your lunge and torso. Hold this position for a second and get back again to the beginning position. 4. Full Plank - Flip over the ball and grip it at the ends. Spread your right foot behind your body, stretch your toes and place them on the floor. Now spread your left foot behind you and support your body on your arched toes of both your feet. Keep your core engaged and also ensure your spine is in alignment with your neckline and you are looking down. Hold this pose for 30-60 seconds. 5. Jump Squats - Stand a foot away from the ball. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, chest out, core engaged and knees marginally bent. The hemispherical surface of the ball should be facing upwards. Curve your knees a little as a prep to hop on the ball. Jump and land down on the semi-circular surface of the ball. Be sure that you are in a squatting position, with your back upright. Also, ensure your knees don’t extend your toes. Stay in this position for some time then get up and jump back on the ground - immediately as you land on the ground, squat downwards. 6. Crunches - Be seated on the ball, place your palms on it and place the small of your back against the round side of the ball. Your hips should be closer to the edge of the even surface, at the same time your back should be fully alongside the curve of the ball. Keep your feet flat and your knees arched on the ground. Keep your thumb behind your ears and keep your head up with your remaining fingers. Ensure your core is engaged. Breathe in and crunch up by lifting your upper body. Breathe out as you go up. Breathe in and get back to the starting point. 7. Sit-Ups - Get on the cupola of the ball and slightly slide down. Keep your thumbs behind your ears and keep your head up with the help of the other fingers. Engage your core lifting your upper body and come down to a sitting posture. Breathe out while doing this. Breathe in and go back to the initial pose. 8. Push-Ups - Flip the ball so that the flat surface is facing upwards. Keep your palms on both the sides of the ball. Spread your feet behind you and keep your spinal column in line with your neckline. Engage your core, breathe in, stretch your elbows and lower your body until your upper body is about to touch the surface of the ball. Breathe out and push your body back to the starting point.
All About Mind
Is UR Smart Phone Destroying UR Relationship?
Is your smartphone a weapon of mass distraction? Is it the third person in your relationship? Do you have a better relationship with your smartphone than your partner? I hope that you didn’t answer yes to any of these questions but if you did, read on… People ask me all the time what is the foundation of a successful relationship and I say that I can sum it up in 3 words. They probably expect me to say “I love you” but I actually say communication, communication, communication. I’ve worked with thousands of people in my career and every single relationship that has gone wrong, whether romantic or platonic, failed because of poor communication. Fact! People don’t know how to communicate well and smartphones are killing communication even more. Technology can actually bring us closer to a person on the other side of the world and further away from the person sitting in front of us. We are actually so distracted by notifications on our phone that we are struggling even more to be present with the person in front of us, whether they are our partner, children or friends. It is actually a lack of respect for the person we’re with and can quickly erode our relationships, especially romantic ones as it begins to feel like we are competing with a third person in our relationship and vying for our partner’s attention. In the late ‘70s, Professor Albert Mehrabian spent years researching what rich communication looked like and came up with the following pie chart to demonstrate his results. So before you send that text message or Whatsapp, consider his research and how your communication is being received. Are you as surprised as I was when I first saw this chart? You probably thought that words were much more important in communication than 7%. I did. I had no idea that body language or physiology was the most important part of communication and without it, we leave so much communication behind. So why does this matter? We now spend so much time communicating with people via text message, WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook Instagram and other social media with only words. There is no tonality and certainly no physiology so 93% of the communication is missing, which can lead to a lot of misunderstanding and pain. I’ve worked with many people who were ‘dumped’ by text or on Facebook and were devastated by the pain of the breakup coupled with the humiliation of how it happened and this had lead them to suicidal thoughts, so it is a very serious situation. If we forget a comma or put in the wrong emoji, we can change the whole meaning of the communication. Read this sentence aloud in both forms and listen to the different meaning of each one although the words remain the same. “I’m sorry I love you.” or “I’m sorry; I love you”. I think you can see how the punctuation can totally change the meaning of the communication and actually cause the listener a lot of pain in the first instance and a lot of joy in the second one. So the next time you want to communicate something important with your partner, pick up the phone, which will increase the quality of the communication to 45% or talk to them in person, which will increase the quality of the communication to 100%. Good communication is the cornerstone of any successful relationship and my final tip about communication is, the longer you’ve been with your partner, the more you need to communicate with them, not less. Lack of communication with a longterm partner can lead to what I call ‘mind-reading’, which is when you think you know what they’re thinking based on past behaviour but you don’t. People change in small ways every day so don’t imagine you know what they are thinking or needing… ask them.
Recipe For A Successful Marriage
After we’ve been with our partner for a while, we will have no problem making a list of things that really annoy us about them. Things like… He spends too much time with his family She doesn’t want to go camping with me He doesn’t like Italian food She doesn’t like taking long walks He doesn’t read books and watches too much TV She’s very messy when getting ready He never picks up his clothes and always expects me to do it She doesn’t like the same TV shows that I do I could go on but I’m sure you get the idea! We still love our partner and want to be happily in relationship with them but it can become frustrating and lead us to believe that we are in relationship with the wrong person. Before our relationship, we believed that we were meant to do everything together… eat, sleep, like the same food, movies and books, go to bed at the same time every night and want to have sex at that same time, and know exactly what the other person is thinking. Wrong! These beliefs and expectations put an awful lot of pressure on the other person to be our everything and make us happy every minute of the day, which is an ideal way of being but virtually impossible and we feel let down and betrayed by them. What we really need in relationship is a simple recipe made up of 3 ingredients and they are frequently overlooked. Instead, we focus on how they look, how successful they are, how much money they have, who their family is, and on and on, which leads us to very unhappy couplings. The first of the 3 important and non-negotiable ingredients for a loving relationship is kindness. A partner who is accepting of our imperfections and quirks and still tolerates us with good humour and kindness is a keeper. The second ingredient in this wonderful coupling is shared vulnerability. It is so important that we can take off our mask around our partner and show them who we really are. We can show them our weaknesses, fears, worries, anxieties and be honest with them and they can do the same with us. If we don’t have this with our partner, it will be exhausting to walk around with our mask on for years and live in fear that one day it might slip off and they see who we really are and reject and abandon us. The final ingredient to this increasingly beautiful coupling is understanding. What does this look like? A person who is interested in us and wants to make sense of our mind, even when it goes into that crazy place that it sometimes does. A person that wants to understand our perspective of the world, even if they don’t agree with it and we want to do all of these things for them too. Being and doing everything together is not a true sign of love. Love is the trust and knowledge that when you are together, you both show up with kindness, vulnerability and understanding, which creates a deep bond between the two of you that cannot be shaken. Looks, money and success will fade but if your partner has these 3 ingredients and you do too, you will feel loved and supported and able to face any issues together.
How To Strengthen UR Relationship In 6 Easy Steps
So you’ve been in a relationship for a couple years or more and it was so easy to fall in love with your partner. It was as if your brain exploded and you were bathed in the most wonderful love serum, which is actually called Oxytocin, or the Love Drug. Everything was going so well until about 18 months or 2 years later you woke up one morning and asked yourself “Who is this person?” The falling in love part was fairly easy because of your childhood conditioning. The way a person looks, feels, sounds and smells can be very familiar to us because of what we experienced in childhood. Smell is particularly potent because of tiny little particles called pheromones, which can be filled with all kinds of information that inform us about the person, in particular sex, fear, aggression, love and safety. When the pheromones positively lock into the receptors of our brain they release Oxytocin and Dopamine and reinforce the bond and reward us for finding a suitable mate. As I said earlier, this is the easy part, the harder part is maintaining those feelings because in the beginning we keep reminding ourselves of all the good qualities of our partner, which keeps us fully associated with. But as time goes on, you start to notice the things that you didn’t notice in the beginning like how messy they are, how they eat and talk at the same time, their annoying voice and how they complain about everything. You are now associating with the negative aspects of the person and dissociating from the positive qualities that attracted you to them in the first place. As some of you know, I am a Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Master Practitioner and Trainer and was trained by and assisted the man who co-created NLP, Dr Richard Bandler. The following is one of his quick and very successful techniques to change your mindset in your relationship to go back to the beginning of your loving relationship and focus on why and how you fell in love with that person. Where focus goes, energy flows! Here are 6 easy steps to achieve that. Have fun! 1. Imagine a large TV screen in front of you. Now sit comfortably and close your eyes and see your current relationship very clearly in technicolor, with sound and beautiful lighting. See it, feel it, hear it. 2. Now choose 3 negative memories or behaviours that have happened in your relationship that threatens its success. Now begin to run each one in your mind like a film and make sure you’re in the film with your partner and relive it as if it is happening now. I’m sure it will be very vivid as you have been focussing on the negatives for a long time. 3. Now choose 3 positive qualities or behaviours that you had in the beginning of your relationship but haven’t focused on for a while because you were too busy focusing on the negative ones. These memories will be smaller and less distinct because you dissociated from them, pushed them to the background and allowed the negative ones to take your focus. 4. Now close your eyes again and picture each negative experience. Take your time and focus on each experience individually giving it time and make sure that you reduce the size of the image and push it away into the background. Drain the color out of it and watch it reduce to a very small black dot and evaporate. Repeat this 5 times for each experience and, each time, do it faster and faster. 5. Now think about the three positive memories that you would like to see and feel more clearly again. The qualities that enabled you to fall in love in the first place. Close your eyes and bring the image of each one into focus making it vivid, large and with sound. Now do this 5 times with each memory and might it bigger, brighter and bolder each time as you do it faster and faster. 6. Finally, sit back with closed eyes and imagine a beautiful golden road in front of you (your future) and see yourself on that road with your partner. Run the film and be fully associated and involved with the experiences like having a meal together, making love or any other pleasant experience you have had before and want to have again. See 5 situations with your partner and make them big and bright and bold and make them bigger and more exciting every time you think of one. Run each one as a film, take your time, create as much detail as possible and make sure you are fully in the film. I promise you that next time you see your partner, you will have a much more pleasurable time with them as you focus on the positives and how you fell in love with them in the first place. You have now fallen in love with your partner again. Repeat this exercise whenever you feel that you are going into a negative space with them. It will quickly pull you back into love.
Are You Managing UR Anxiety?
Nothing is permanent in this wicked world. Not even our troubles. — Charlie Chaplin Anxiety is a normal emotion. Everyone feels it from time to time. It’s your Body mind complex telling you that you may be facing something new and you are not sure you can handle it.That you are not feeling equipped enough, or a little shaky and nervous to face the problem at work or in your personal life. It could be a test you are preparing for, or an important work decision that you need to make, or a relationship decision with long term consequences. An Anxiety Disorder is different. Then, worry and fear are constant. Panic and Breathlessness are overwhelming, Tension and Sleeplessness can be disabling. The experience of Anxiety is out of proportion to the actual event. Worry and restlessness become constant and the person is unable to set them aside. Day to day life gets quite impacted and the individual realizes that Help is much needed. With treatment, most people can manage their anxiety and get back to a fulfilling life. Anxiety disorder is mental health disorder characterised by feelings of worry or fear and includes different conditions such as panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Different types of Anxiety disorders: Panic disorder - You feel fear, you may sweat, have chest pain and palpitations. Sometimes you may feel like you can’t breathe or having a heart attack. Social Anxiety disorder - You feel self-conscious and overwhelmed with worry about everyday social situations. You worry about everyone judging you or about being embarrassed or ridiculed by people. Phobias - You feel intense and debilitating fear in different situations or with objects. Phobias could be related to heights or flying or an animal and so on. The fear much exceeds what’s usual and may result in people avoiding those situations. Generalised anxiety disorder - Your worry and tension is excessive and not proportionate to reality. Symptoms common to most anxiety disorders: Panic, fear, and uneasiness Sleeplessness Unable to stay calm Cold, sweaty, hands. Sometimes numb or tingling Breathlessness Palpitations Dryness in mouth and throat Dizziness, Nausea Tense muscles, restlessness You may feel terrified and overwhelmed, and not in a position to take care of yourself. Treatment will include psychotherapy and/or medication. Your Psychiatrist may put you on Anxiolytics or Anxiety medication or even antidepressants, depending on your symptoms. They usually work for most Anxiety disorders.People fear that once they start medication, it will be lifelong. That is not so. Over a period of time, especially if therapy has been regular, medication can be slowly reduced and moved to an SOS basis. Psychotherapy is talk therapy that addresses the emotional response to Anxiety, its causes. A Psychologist helps you understand and deal with your anxiety disorder. Cognitive behavior therapy teaches you how to recognize and change negative thought patterns and behaviors that trigger deep anxiety or panic. Over time you become aware of these patterns and can cope better. Systematic Desensitisation teaches you how to de-condition yourself from Phobias. Step by small step, you are able to look at these phobias, recognize their build up and face up to them rather than avoid them. Relaxation therapies teach you how to bring yourself to a state of calmness such that you can breathe and think calm and be able to see your unrealistic fear responses. You can see your calm mind helping with Clarity of thought and not leading you towards uncontrolled fear. Sleep hygiene helps you address all issues related to sleep and improve the quality of night time sleep. It helps you with a Sleep Wake schedule resulting in you getting sufficient and restful sleep. Coping Strategies to help you manage your symptoms: Practice yoga. It will help with Body Mind calmness. It also works on the internal body and systems. Take a break. Pick up painting, listen to music, get a massage. Step away from the problem for a while. Maintain a routine. Eat regular and timely meals. Maintain a sleep wake schedule. Regulate Work timings. While this will be difficult initially, it will greatly add to Limit alcohol and caffeine since it may aggravate anxiety. Exercise daily. It will help you feel tired but calm. Practice breathing exercises. Inhale and exhale slowly and deep will help to feel calm. Time for humor. Schedule a daily dose of laughter on TV, shows, with friends. Talk to someone. Set up a support group of a few friends and family. Reach out to them when you feel fearful. Talk to them when you feel overwhelmed. Be patient with yourself. You have started a program. Give it some time for results to show.
All About Nutrition
Tahini
Grind the dry roasted sesame to a powder. Ease: 2 Approximate cost: INR Serving size: 5-6 Cooking time: 8minutes Nutritive value Energy: 190Kcal Carbs: 18g Protein: 6g Fat: 11g Fibre: 5g Ingredients Dry roasted sesame seeds: 1 cup Canola oil: 2 to 4 tbsp Pinch of salt (optional) Preparation Step 1: Grind the dry roasted sesame to a powder. Step2: Add the oil and blend it again for 2 minutes till it forms a paste. Tahini sauce is ready to serve.
Tzatziki
Grate the cucumber and drain the water completely. Ease: 3 Approximate cost: INR 100 Serving size: 5-6 Cooking time: 10minutes Nutritive value Energy: 75Kcal Carbs: 3g Protein: 4g Fat: 6g Fibre: 0g Ingredients Unpeeled cucumber: 1 Hung curd: 1 cup Finely minced large garlic cloves: 2 Extra virgin olive oil: 2 tbsp White vinegar or lime juice: 1 tbsp Salt: 1/2 tsp Minced dill or thyme: 1/2 tbsp Preparation Step 1: Grate the cucumber and drain the water completely. Step 2: Combine the hung curd, garlic, oil, vinegar, and salt. Refrigerate overnight. Step 3: Transfer the grated cucumber and fresh dill to the curd mixture and stir to combine. Serve chilled with pita bread for dipping. Note: Straining the yoghurt reduces its lactose content and makes it higher in protein.
Relationship Between A VEGAN Diet & UR GUT
Veganism is not just A DIET; it is not about giving up or losing anything either, but living a healthier, cleaner lifestyle! However, it is not something you take lightly either- when we eliminate major food groups (non- vegetarian & dairy), they are replaced with foods that are primarily plant-based and increase the amount of carbohydrates that can sometimes feed your gut with unwelcomed sugar. The trillions of gut bacteria affect our mental health, our mood and its ability to cope with stress. The right kind of gut bacteria also plays a vital role in metabolism and weight management. The modernized western diets today focus on GMO farms that have grown animal products, hormone infused dairy and highly processed foods. All these are responsible for the increasing levels of severe digestive and gut issues. A healthy, plant-based whole food diet helps soothe the gut and prevent gut inflammation, irritable bowel syndrome and fatty liver. Having said that there are some critical things to watch out for when going vegan. 1. Go as natural and whole foods only: With vegan diets gaining popularity the food industry is catering to it from making vegan chocolates to ice creams to even vegan pepperoni pizzas. All these may be great in taste & flavor but are highly processed and not gut-friendly. Too much of these can leave you feeling bloated and gassy. Protein shakes or supplements available in the vegan market are often packed with artificial flavours, sweeteners, emulsifiers and preservatives. All of which kills UR healthy bacteria in the digestive system. Opt for whole, unrefined foods in their natural form, source from local organic markets v/s big grocery stores or online shopping. 2. Support your Vegan diet and build diversity: When UR going Vegan, it's essential to support it with healthy fermented food that helps build UR gut bacteria. Giving your diet diversity by adding a variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes, greens, nuts & seeds is the key to keeping our gut microbiome happy. These microbes living in our digestive tract play a critical role in digesting food, maintaining a healthy gut lining, keeping inflammation in check and regulating appetite. Add prebiotics (onions, garlic, leeks, green leafy vegetables, soaked flax & chia seeds) & probiotics (kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha) to your daily meals. 3. Slow & steady: Transition into your vegan diet gradually. Our gut is a creature of habit. Making sudden dietary changes by moving to whole fibre-rich foods overnight, can throw your digestive system into a tailspin leading to bloating and digestive discomfort. Give time for your microbiome to readjust to the new diet by eliminating and introducing new foods slowly, one meal at a time instead of all at once. Do not rush it. 4. Top up with the right fats and supplements: Adding healthy fats to UR vegan diet is very important. Omega 3 fatty acids reduce intestinal inflammation and maintain gut health. It's crucial that you add nuts, seeds, avocados to your daily intake to get the essential fatty acids (EPA & DHA) your body needs. Use cold-pressed olive oil or sesame oil to your salads and stir-fry. Add nuts and seeds to the smoothies and breakfast bowls to get your daily requirement in. Vegan diets are rich in protein, fibre, phytonutrients, calcium and potassium. But it lacks a couple of essential vitamins like vitamin B12 & D3. Make sure you add a good quality supplement to get your daily requirement in. 5. Beware of FODMAPs: (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols) Short-chain carbohydrates are found in abundance in plant-based foods such as avocados, cauliflower, beans, garlic etc. They are rich in prebiotics & beneficial, but increased intake of FODMAPs can lead to excess fermentation, digestive gasses & bloating. DO NOT eliminate them but be mindful of quantities. Also, reduce the amount of grains you consume. Vegan diets can sometimes be heavy on grains and too much fibre. All these lead to excess sugar in the gut, which kills good gut bacteria and breed yeast infections. "Eat beans, not beings" go Vegan, but keep in mind – eat mindfully, chew well, hydrate lots, stay away from gluten & processed foods and get adequate sleep. Simple changes make habits; habits make a lifestyle!
Top 5 Protein-Rich Vegan Dishes
Switching to a vegan diet is not an easy choice to make, especially when you think about your dairy and meat dishes. There are also concerns like do I get enough protein from a plant-centric diet? Will any of these vegan recipes be tasty? How much nutrition will I really get? To answer one of your questions, here are five top flavorful and protein-rich vegan dishes you can include in UR diet. Lentildosa Green gram lentil is the main ingredient in this dish. It is a crepe that is made with a batter made with soaked green grams and spices like ginger. Apart from being protein-rich, this breakfast dish is high in fibre and vitamin content making it a complete dish in itself. In various parts of India, it has a different version. Some prefer to eat it with onion topping and some with upma as a stuffing. As it might be quite heavy and cause issues like gas due to indigestion, it is consumed with ginger chutney which aids digestion. Chia or basil seed pudding If you are in a hurry or exhausted after a long day at work, assemble this quick snack. All it takes is two spoonfuls of chia or basil seeds soaked in water. To the seeds, add your preferred nut milk, garnish it with seasonal fruits available and a spoonful of pumpkin seeds or flax seeds. Finally, top it with coconut scrapings and a fulfilling evening snack is ready! Dry fruitladooor granola bar Pre and post workouts meals are as important as the workout itself. If you have trouble finding the perfect snack to satisfy your protein needs, try a homemade dry fruit ladoo or granola bar. Dry fruit ladoo is made with a mixture of seeds, nuts and dates. All you need to do is mix all of these ingredients to form a ladoo or make them into granola bar made with oats! Dhokla This is a famous snack or lunch dish many are familiar with. Dhokla is made from gram flour that is steamed and seasoned with punchy spices. It is mostly eaten with iron-rich tamarind and date chutney. Or green chutney with chilies, mint and coriander. Sprout salad The main ingredient in this dish is green gram sprouts or alfalfa sprouts. Though sprouts are beneficial as they are, to make them into a salad add seasonal fruits, colourful veggies and herbs, one spoon of seed mix and micro herbs. A single bowl of this salad is a complete meal by itself. It can make your skin glow and help to resolve constipation issues too. Why Eating During The Sunrise & Sunset Window Matters! With all the social pressure, body shame, and other emotional challenges that we face or encounter in our lives, we can often succumb to inappropriate eating behaviors and habits. This is when eating during the sunrise and sunset window comes in. Our body doesn't have an external clock, but it has an internal rhythm, according to which major body functions are programmed.- the 'circadian rhythm’. This internal clock helps UR body respond to environmental changes, sleep and body functions like digestion and feeding. Eating during the sunrise and sunset window will automatically affect UR body's weight management, metabolic function, heart health and sleep cycle. Ways You Can Switch To A Plant Based Diet Change the way you think about meat! Have meat in smaller amounts. Substitute meat with protein-rich foods like; vegan paneer, Seitan, tempeh, soy nuggets and more. Plant-based meats are made from plant-derived ingredients, but are made to look and taste like real meat! Start UR day with a healthy breakfast Include oats with fruits, topped with seeds and yogurt, millets or any other whole grain. Build a meal around a salad. Have a salad as a meal, mostly for dinner. It’s light, fresh and easily digested. Eat loads of vegetables. Fill half of UR plate with locally sourced vegetables during lunch and dinner. Choose good fats. Fats in olive oil, olives, flaxseeds, walnuts, chia seeds, peanuts, almonds, and seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, watermelon) are particularly healthy choices. Go for greens! Try a variety of green leafy vegetables like spinach, methi and moringa greens every day. Add it to dals to retain their nutrition content. What Not To Eat Processed foods Refined sugars Alcohol Avoid ordering food Caffeinated beverages Sodium-rich food Fried food items If UR already in UR office, college or outside during sunset, make sure to eat something light that's easily digestible. You should ideally eat a sandwich, a dosa, fruit, nuts or grilled vegetables. After going home, stop consuming a heavy meal. You should ideally drink warm milk or eat fruit two hours before bedtime. You should try these top 51 balanced breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks recipes. Avoid late night parties, binging and pulling late nighters as much as possible. Even though, it's not entirely avoidable, make sure you don't miss a meal at sunset to eat at a wedding. In reality, if you eat early, UR not going to feel hungry late at night. Do not miss breakfast or lunch. It's going to absolutely ruin UR meal timings for the day! If more people continue to adapt plant-based vegan diets, alternative protein sources can expand faster and more consistently. In the future, plant-based proteins may dominate meat and seafood. Of course, that doesn't mean that the entire planet has to turn to vegan in order to enjoy the advantages of a plant-based diet! Moderation of meat intake, in addition to portion control, can be of great benefit to our health and to stabilize our natural ecosystems. Making fresh fruit and vegetables more available and affordable can also have a positive impact on the planet, UR health and URLife. Ideally, we want to encourage a human diet that provides consumers with the taste and nutritional value of animal-derived foods, without adverse health and environmental impacts.
Sprout Salad
Add all the ingredients to a salad bowl. Mix them well and season the salad with olive oil, salt and pepper Ingredients ● Green gram sprouts/ alfalfa sprouts: 1 cup ● Bell pepper of different colours: 1/2 cup ● Mixed fruits: 1/2 cup ● Basil: for garnish ● Coriander: for garnish ● Mint: for garnish ● micro herbs: for garnish ● Olive oil: 2 tbsp ● A pinch of salt ● A pinch of pepper Method Step 1: Step 2: . Step 3: Serve in a bowl and enjoy!
All About Heal
Mystical Mountains
Mystical Mountains At Rupin Pass It is always a good time to begin thinking about outdoor activities; the ocean and mountains immediately come to mind and for me the call of the mountains is always more appealing, at any time of the year. Trekking is one of the most fun and soul satisfying activities and here in India we have some amazing trekking destinations, whether in the majestic Himalayas or the mountains of South India. Whatever your ability, this is something that can be done with family or friends. If you are a mountain person, then the incredible heights of the mountains can be a challenge and some level of basic fitness maybe needed. It’s a good idea to start planning a trekking adventure. There are so many choices from mild walks to serious heavy-duty climbs—there is something that can appeal to everyone. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/reaching-rupin-passhimalayasuttarakhandindia-after-6-days-734053519 Himachal Trekking in Himachal is good in and around Chamba, Manali, Kullu and Lahaul with Manali being the base. Manali is a good base for easy trekking and can be the best option for beginners. A lot of people club a trek with their summer holidays in Himachal. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/breathtaking-scenery-view-kalpa-region-kinnaur-462141832 Pin Parvati Pass - 5300m / 17388ft Probably the most beautiful trek in India it is a challenging crossover trek from the lush fertile Parvati valley to the moonscapes of the Pin valley in Spiti. Grade - challenging Bhabha Pass - 5000m / 16404ft Another stunningly beautiful trek that starts in the Apple orchards of the Kinnaur valley and crosses over to the Spiti valley via the Bhabha Pass. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/this-photo-taken-on-expedition-cross-1161121675 Grade - Moderate Friendship peak Climb A 5300 m / 17388ft peak just outside Manali, The Friendship Peak is an ideal adventure for people who are low on time, but who want to experience the adrenaline rush of climbing a high Himalayan peak. Grade - Challenging Ladakh Ladakh is breathtakingly beautiful, flanked by two of the highest mountain ranges in the world—the Himalayas and the Karakoram range. Ladakh has so much to offer, as there are treks of different types—Monastery treks, High altitude treks and Alpine meadow treks. The best time to visit is between July and September. Stok Kangri Trek- This trek takes you from Zingchen, from where the trek begins, through the Stok La Pass at 4890m/16043ft, to the Base Camp of Stok Kangri at an altitude of 4975m/16322ft, through Mounkarmo. From here the Glacier at5395m / 17700ft is a good trek up into the mountains , the Summit climb to 6153m/21000ft takes several hours and is a tough challenge. Grade - Challenging Pangong Lake Ladakh Markha Valley Trek - This is the most popular trek in Ladakh, that follows the Markha River, a tributary of the Zanskar river, that passes some quaint Ladakhi villages as well as some ancient monasteries and high mountain passes. The trek can be extended to climb the Kang Yatze Peak at 6400m. Grade - Challenging Sham Valley Trek - A short and easy trek ideal for beginners; this trek gives you a glimpse of Ladakhi lifestyles and landscapes with relative ease. Located close to a road head it's ideal for family and beginners. Grade - Easy Chadar Trek – Trekking through snow on the Chadar Trek in Ladakh The Mother of all treks; you can follow the frozen Zanskar river from Chilling to Lingshed and even beyond. This trek has a short window of about 2 months in the winter, when the river freezes. It's the most unique trek in India with relatively easy walking on the flat river but the challenge is of handling the cold when temperatures can drop to -25 to - 30 degree in the nights. A must-do for any trekking enthusiast. Grade - Challenging On the frozen River Uttarakhand Rupin Pass Rupin Pass A stunning and spectacular trek through the mountainous region of Uttarakhand. Starting at Dhaula, the first days trek takes us to about 1950m/6600ft and from there on it is a steady climb up into the mountains. On the way up to the Pass The River Rupin flows in this region, the route takes you past the most beautiful villages and forests, finally crossing a glacier before reaching the Lower Waterfall Camp. From here to he Upper Waterfall Camp and then over the Rupin Pass at 4625m/15173ft, Spectacular visuals of the surrounding mountains. Finally the trail leads the beautiful town of Sangla to the Banjara Resort on the banks of the Baspa River Grade - Challenging Kumaon - Adi Kailash Trek At - 4000m / 13123ft - This is located in Pitharogarh district and is a wonderful trek for those who can't make the journey to Mount Kailash in Tibet. Revered by Hindus, the Adi Kailash and Om Parbat Trek provides a great alternate. Grade - Moderate plus Pindari Glacier One of the most popular trekking destinations in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand is the Pindari glacier, which is incredibly beautiful! The trek starts from a road head called Song, near Bageshwar. Song to Loharket (4 km), Loharket to Khati (19 km), Khati to Phurkia (16 km) and Phurkia to Pindari Zero Point (6 km) is the trek course which takes about eight days. The trail also offers us some really beautiful landscapes and is a photographer’s delight! https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/shot-sunrise-zero-point-pindari-glacier-1704693196 Grade – Moderate Garhwal The Garhwal Hills have some of the highest peaks in the world and the treks are not considered easy, but the incredible beauty of the region and the variety that it offers is amazing. However, there are some easy to moderate routes for beginners and somewhat experienced trekkers. Popular treks include the Har Ki Dun trek (easy), Dodi Tal trek (easy), Valley of Flowers trek (easy), Nanda Devi trek (moderately tough), Kalindkhal trek (tough) and Kedarnath trek (tough). Gaumukh Tapovan Trek This is one of the most popular treks in India that starts from the holy Gangotri shrine following the Ganges River all the way to its source at Gaumukh and further beyond to Tapovan. A high altitude meadow with closeup views of the Shivling, Thalaysagar and other mighty peaks. Can be continued to beautiful high altitude lakes like Kedar Tal and Vasuki Tal with a glacial walk. Grade - Moderate plus Har ki Dun At 3500m/ 11482ft and located in the Govind Vihar National Park, this is a beautiful family trek of enchanting beauty with incredible views. It is also a popular trek among solo trekkers as it flows along the bank of the river and is easy to find the trail. Valley of Flowers Valley Of Flowers trail in the monsoons Perhaps the most popular trek in India, the Valley of Fowers, in the Gharwal mountains is best visited in the monsoon months of July- August when the valley floor is covered with thousands of flowers of different colours. There is a stone pathway throughout the entire trek making it easy to navigate in the monsoon. A very popular trek among people of all abilities. Grade – Easy Locals thought this was where the fairy’s lived! Then botanist Frank Smith found his way up to the valley and named it the Valley of Flowers. Smith did not have to rack his brains to come up with that name, as rare flowers bloom in such profusion, you might wonder why they are called ‘rare’ in the first place. There include the Himalayan poppy and Bhramakamal, among the 300 species found there. The best time to visit would be July and unlike Smith you don’t have to slog one bit. The valley is easily accessible—jeep to Rishikesh, on to Joshimath and beyond to Ghangria, from where it is only 14 km away. The valley retains its charm, but it pays to know that the ecosystem there is extremely fragile, so don’t litter. Tamilnadu Nilgiris The gorgeous Nilgiris Hill range of Tamil Nadu has wonderfully pleasant weather throughout the year. With their no plastic policy of the state, the hills are spotlessly clean too! Owing to plentiful rainfall, the trekking routes in these hills are lush and green all the time. Apart from treks, there are opportunities for soothing nature walks too. The best time for trekking in the Nilgiris is from October to May. The rains come down in June through August and it would be wise to avoid this region, during those months. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/nilagiri-hills-india-sun-set-clouds-1821056765 Kodaikanal Dolphin's Nose Gnarled tree roots on the Path down to Dolphin's Nose It is always good to be in Kodaikanal, probably one of the most untouched of all the hill stations in India. At about 7000ft, there are lovely treks, some mild and some of them tougher. The ones that I love to go back to, on every trip, is the trek down to Dolphin's Nose. The scenic beauty and the spectacular visuals of the mountains around you and the plains below are visible.It is a couple of hours to climb down from Vattakanal and out on to the rock that makes Dolphins Nose and a pretty steep climb back up to the to again. Breakfast at Altaf's Cafe is a must, after you make it back up !! On Dolphin's Nose Cloud land Trek and Perumal Malai are the other two treks that are day treks and you are rewarded with spectacular scenery all around. On the way up to Cloud Land Mukurthi For those of you drawn to trekking but apprehensive of the Himalayas, a wonder awaits in the Nilgiris Hills. Whoever said ‘No pain,No gain’ certainly had not been to Mukurthi, or taken the family along. An ideal outing, this day-long trek could be done as a picnic with a leisurely stroll thrown in and so is ideal for family groups with different abilities! But this no ordinary stroll; the hills are decked in crimson rhododendron and languid lakes and the air alive with the hoots of Nilgiri langurs. Don’t forget to pack a hamper and carry a bedsheet to spread out to picnic on. Kerala Silent Valley Walking through a rain forest that has been evolving for five million years, this incredible ecosystem can leave you simply awestruck. Silent Valley in the Palakkad district of Kerala is as primal as primal could ever get. The views and sightings of unbelievable wildlife are totally amazing—tigers, elephants, gaur and a host of other animals make this part of the mountains their home and make this trek really worthwhile. The camps at Sairandhiri, Poochipara, Walakkad, Sispara and Anginda are located on hilltops to show the forest to its best advantage. There is a fundamental question that comes up in everyone’s mind, including ours! What is it that draws us to these mountains, why do we want to take ourselves out of our comfort zones, go out to these remote areas and push ourselves beyond our physical limits? The mountains are an incredible place to be, you begin to realise how insignificant we are as human beings when you are walking in the midst of them. Their magnificence awes us and we feel the presence of greater power as we look around. The incredible beauty of these mystical mountains can silence you. There is an enormous respect for the hardy people who live in these regions, their lives are so hard on an everyday basis, just to survive. The challenges that we face every day, while walking and climbing are so satisfying, as the terrain is rough, the altitudes are high and the paths are sometimes fraught with danger. There is a feeling of immense satisfaction at the end of every trek. We realise that we are the fortunate few that can experience and live out our dreams. Others may think of it , some may want to do it; but we are the lucky ones that have the ability to go out there and achieve this experience
Things to Do If U Live in A Flood-Prone Zone!
You must be aware of the many risks that floods bring to livelihoods and property. But you also must be alert about the precautions you need to take if you live in a flood-prone zone. What is a flood zone? Flood-prone zones are areas which can become inundated by floods when there is constant heavy rain or any other natural calamities. While there are different levels of floods, it is best to stay prepared at all times! Precautions to take when UR living in a flood-prone zone 1. Have an evacuation plan handy; this can help keep U and UR family from harm's way. Figure out how U and UR family can get out of UR apartment or house and do a test of the escape plan! 2. Pack an emergency kit to make sure you have the first-aid to tend to any small wounds, injuries etc. It is also good to pack medicines to ensure you are safe and don't need to move around during the rains or floods, frantically looking for a pharmacy. 3. If UR due date is nearing, then consider moving to a location which is near to UR hospital. This will help you avoid a long commute in the rain. Also, ensure UR hospital bag is packed with all the essentials required for UR delivery to be as comfortable and safe as possible. 4. Get UR property, valuables and car insured. This is one of the most imperative things to do when UR living in a flood-prone zone, considering you may lose UR property and valuables. You cannot control the weather, but you can definitely control the damage that may be levied on your property and life. 5. Charge UR power bank to ensure UR phone doesn’t run out of battery and is always charged. This will help you stay in touch with emergency health workers, evacuation teams and UR loved ones. 6. Keep some cash with you. During emergencies people usually expect to be paid in cash. This can help you in any situation that you might be facing. It's sad, but the world indeed runs on money, and many may take advantage of the problem at hand. So, keeping money with you is always a good idea. 7. Pack an emergency bag with clothes, waterproof clothing, food, toiletries, medicines, masks, sanitizers, sanitary pads and other bare necessities which you may need and won't find during natural disasters. 8. If you live by URself make sure UR in constant touch with someone who lives near you, to ensure they can get you back to safety in case of an emergency. 9. Laminate a list of emergency phone numbers; you should either have these numbers in UR phone or at all times with you. 10. Safeguard UR home by building a barrier around the house with sandbags. This can stop the water from entering into UR home temporarily. 11. If UR staying on a lower level or a basement make it waterproof to protect it from minor floods and compromising the other floors of UR home. Otherwise, UR basement may start flooding before UR house and you may not even know until it's too late. 12. Find out about emergency services nearest to you which can help you during emergencies, when it is flooding or continuously raining. This is extremely helpful for senior citizens who are living by themselves. Having these services on speed dial on your phone can be helpful in case you get stuck in a flooded location or have trees or electricity obstructing UR way. 13. Keep all UR medical reports and prescriptions handy in an emergency bag, especially any important and recent test results like ultrasounds and any other essential test reports. 14. If U wear contact lenses, it is best to avoid wearing them. Carry a pair of glasses instead to avoid eye infections, contamination, irritation and other unnecessary issues. 15. IF U are anticipating a water shortage, get a few water containers, buckets with secure lids to store clean, uncontaminated water. If the water is contaminated, add chlorine tablets to UR water to make sure the water is safe to use. Polluted water is the breeding ground for mosquitoes, which are carriers of many health issues. 16. Always carry a flashlight, emergency solar-powered lights, which can help you get through the darkness outside or indoors. Opt for emergency lamps which can be charged in cloudy weather or even diffused daylight. 17. Have a plan for UR pet, if UR unsure of UR whereabouts. Also find out if the people you may be living with are comfortable with pets or not. Daycare or pet stays welcome pets during this time but make sure you book in advance to avoid any setbacks. Don't desert UR animals; they can't fend for themselves, and they depend on you for everything.
UR Quick Guide to Travelling During the Rains & Floods
We are hit with heavy rains again, and the shower spells keep on getting heavier by the hour and day. Along with the rains come the floods which have unfortunately impacted many places across the country. Did you know that wet pavement leads to almost 1.2 million injuries every year? Even though it may be raining or flooding, we still have to carry on with our daily life, chores, work schedule and more. This is why we've come up with a guide for you to follow when UR venturing out in the rains! UR Quick Guide to Travelling During the Rains & Floods Be mindful of UR clothing. Wear a bright raincoat so U can be seen when UR travelling in the rain. Getting drenched in the rain can lower UR immunity and can also invite many other health conditions to occur like cold and flu. Wearing protective gear can combat illnesses and stop the spread of waterborne diseases. Ensure UR windshield wipers are in good condition. Prepare UR car in advance by making sure the windshield wipers are in good working condition in case of a rainstorm. This will help you see the road, vehicles, animals and any other potential threats which can bring harm to you or others during the rain. Keep UR headlights on. Rains impede visibility. By turning on UR headlights, other drivers are more likely to see UR car when it is raining. Make sure UR headlights are in working condition so it can help you make UR way through the rain! You can also put UR emergency lights on when it is required to signal others in the rain. Check if UR tires are working correctly. Doing so will help you manoeuvre through the water with ease and also help you have more control over UR car. Stay up-to-date with the weather forecast. Watch the news or any weather updates so that the weather doesn’t surprise U. This will also help you preplan when UR travelling to work. Keep an emergency kit in UR car or bike. Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere. It is best to keep a first aid-kit in UR vehicles at all times. This can give you temporary relief until you get medical help. Avoid rush hour commuting. Travelling during rush hour is highly dangerous due to flooding roadways. Local businesses and offices usually won't stop due to the rain and so won't the commuting crowds. Suppose UR visiting busy roads or areas that are generally waterlogged during the monsoons. In this case, it is better to avoid travelling in public transportation as you may get stuck while travelling in choked/saturated lanes/areas. Waterproof UR electronic devices. Almost all of us carry our phones and other electronic items every day. It is best to get a waterproof pouch or case which will protect UR phone, laptops, tablets and any other electronic devices. Don't accelerate too much. Follow a consistent speed while UR riding a bike or driving a vehicle. It is advised not to travel in a car, as the water may end-up going inside the silencer/exhaust pipe which can stop UR car/bike abruptly. Help others only if you can. Don't become a casualty while helping someone. Try UR best, but if you can't, call for help! It is better to be safe, cautious and prepared for the emergencies when natural disasters strike to keep yourself and UR loved ones safe!
Why You Choose The Wrong Partner?
We’re all looking for happiness when we choose a partner but what if what we’re actually looking for is familiarity? The root word of familiarity is family and this can explain why we choose the wrong partner because our decision comes from our experiences in childhood. The first romantic relationship that we model is the one between our parents. Even if they’re divorced, separated, or fighting all the time, they are still in a relationship with each other, although it may be dysfunctional. Here are some of the reasons we choose the wrong partner based on our childhood experiences… We are not able to filter out the emotionally damaged partners and leave. We may have learned in childhood by watching our parents’ relationship that you mustn’t leave. You must stay and suffer in silence so we stay. We get stuck in our own dysfunctional story. We are not a friend to ourselves. When partners hurt us emotionally or physically, we go inside and ask ourselves what we have done wrong. How we could be better, thinner, prettier, smarter. We do not have the ability to put our needs first because we were never taught how to do this by our caregivers. We can’t disappoint anyone. We don’t know how to say no, especially in love. We are people pleasers from our childhood because when we keep people happy, they won’t reject and abandon us so we always put their needs before ours, which gives them the unspoken right to treat us badly again and again. We have too much hope. We grew up in a family that wasn’t able to fulfil our needs of being seen, being heard and being loved and we lived in hope that one day they would. We now take this hope into our adult relationships and live in hope that our partner will fulfil our needs, even if they are unkind, and we do this with an incredible amount of patience in the hope that they will one day change and they don’t. We are scared of being alone but it comes with a big price tag. Feeling safe and free is a much better space to be in than to feel frightened and trapped in a relationship. Worse than being in no relationship at all is to be stuck in a relationship that you don’t feel you can get out of. Happy single people make better partners because they take their time, find out who they are, find out who their partner is without desperation. We find kindness boring. If we have had a childhood where there was a lot of chaos and we were vying for our parents’ attention, then we will choose a partner that may do the same and create chaos, fear and rejection, and we normalize. We tell our friends that the kind person is boring; we don’t have that chemistry with them when in actual fact, they don’t bring suffering to the relationship and that is what we are really missing. We don’t have the muscle memory for being treated well by a kind partner. The solution? Treat yourself well. Connect with your younger self with compassion, forgiveness and understanding and make a decision to stay awake and alert when going into a relationship with someone and be aware of the 6 points I made above. Be true to yourself. Find your voice and speak your truth with compassion. You are not your childhood story. Shape
Hacks to conserve electricity & UR phone battery!
As you are aware, with flooding, power outages are eminent. But saving electricity is a good habit to acquire, even in normal times. It not only aids in the conservation of natural resources but also helps to reserve it for our future generation. Here are some effective ways to save electricity in your home. 10 ways to conserve electricity: Switch off lights that are not necessary: Try to do without these lights for at least two hours a day and switch to LED bulbs instead of using incandescent bulbs. Use natural light as far as possible: An open window can illuminate your home during the daytime. So turn of any lights when not required. Make use of task lighting: Switch off the ceiling lights and opt for using table lamps or under-counter lights in work areas and in the kitchen as well. Don’t take long showers: It takes a lot of electricity to heat the water for your showers. So try to reduce the time you spend on bathing. This way, you will also save water. Disconnect electronics that are not used: Even when these appliances or devices are not used, the fact that they are plugged in matters. This is because standby power also accounts for electricity use. Use a laptop instead of a desktop: Laptops use less electricity compared to a desktop because they are designed to conserve energy. So get rid of your old computer and use a laptop instead. Turn off your air conditioner when you don’t need it: Window air conditioners utilize a lot of electricity. So try not to switch it on if it’s not absolutely necessary. You can also unplug it when not in use. Doing this will help conserve electricity and also bring your electricity bill down. Make your refrigerator efficient: Ensure your fridge is set to its ideal temperature for it to provide the greatest efficiency. Usually setting it to the midpoint on the temperature dial should suffice. Wash your laundry in cold water: A lot of energy is required to heat the water in a washing machine. When cold water is used to do the laundry, electricity is saved and you will also reduce your carbon footprint. Use a microwave instead of an oven: A microwave is much faster and much more energy efficient than a conventional oven. What takes one hour in an oven can be done in 15 minutes in a microwave! Nowadays, we depend a lot on our smartphones for our daily life. But with all the apps and services we load and run on our phones, it’s sometimes difficult for the phone battery to last long. This can be very inconvenient, especially when we need our phones urgently. But a little energy control can go a long way! So here are 5 effective ways to help conserve UR phone battery. 5 ways to conserve phone battery: Turn off apps that are in the background: Once you’ve used an app ensure you have turned it off. Some apps continue to run even after you think they are turned off. These continue to use power and can drain your battery. Turn off the built-in GPS function in your phone: Though this function is very helpful when you need directions, when not required, turn it off because the antennas within your phone continue to search for your location. Disable apps you don’t need: Some apps on your phone may be constantly sending you updates you can do without. Identify such apps and disable them as they could be draining the life from your phone’s battery. Turn on airplane mode on your phone: Doing this will save energy, especially if you are in an area that has no network coverage because your phone will waste power by trying to search for connections. Turing off the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection on your phone will also help to conserve the battery. Lowe the brightness on your screen: During the night time or while watching movies and listening to music, you don’t need the brightness to be at 10. This pulls power from your phone battery. All public places are closed and events are cancelled. It’s not safe to venture outside and you may be stuck at home with nothing to do except binge watch your favourite shows and movies! So here are some ideas to help keep your boredom and anxiousness at bay!