Tuesday 25 October 2011

Look gorgeous this Festive season



Its Festive time of the year once again. Like everyone around, this festive frenzy has caught hold of me too. We all know those days of rigorous cleaning around the house, resetting of the wardrobes, bringing out the winter clothing out of the closet, redecorating the house, umpteen shopping sprees and hence overexposure to the harsh sunlight, unhealthy and binge eating(not for me though I always choose light and healthy eating options even in the market place). Obviously with such a tight schedule who gets time for exercise or skincare! To top it all, this changing weather is also favorable for viral and bacterial infections.
 So, I got a real shocker when I saw my tanned, dry looking, tired face in the mirror last weekend while checking out the beautiful new outfit I had bought for myself. My eyes looked stressed with dark circles around them, my rigorous work hours and fasting had taken its toll on my face. I can visualize so many of you nodding in approval, especially the working mothers like me.
NO, I don’t wish to dampen your festive spirit! On the contrary I just want to remind you that having a glowing, smooth skin is mandatory to looking Gorgeous in those wonderful outfits you are planning to flaunt on the big day.
But thankfully I have been able to restore much of the glow on my face, thanks to the skin regime I’ve been following since last 7 days, my under eye circles are almost gone, my skin is smooth once again and my complexion is improving each day. Excited by my results I want to share these beauty quick fixes with you all!! Of course you would get better and long lasting results if you follow the following steps religiously and continue even after festivals.
So, here are the Top 10 easy Tips to Look Gorgeous this Festive Season…
1.       Drink Plenty Of Water- Changing weather causes skin dryness. The best way to rehydrate your skin is to have ample water, at least 10-14 glasses of water daily; especially if you have been observing fasts, like me. Take a glass of water first thing in the morning, have a glass of it half an hour before and after each major meals, take vegetable/fruit juices between meals at least twice a day, have a glass of water half an hour before retiring to bed. This way you’ll have at least 10 glasses of water a day. Remember fluid intake less than this won’t do the trick.
2.       Take Fresh Fruits- Take a bowl full of fruit salad instead of snacks between meals. Carry an apple with you to workplace or market so you can have a quick snack whenever you feel hungry or low in energy. Besides being good for cardiovascular health, apples are rich in pectin, which cause a feeling of fullness and hence cut down your chances of opting for some unhealthy snack.
3.       Massage with Olive Oil- Try this simple step, massage your arms and legs with olive oil, massage it sparingly on your face, Olive Oil is very light and rich in monounsaturated fat, so it gets easily absorbed by skin without leaving any residue. Also, despite being a little expensive than other oils, it is still a much cheaper option when compared to the skin products and beauty oils, so why not go for it.
4.       Apply a mix of Sandalwood powder and milk- Make a paste of the two, and apply it as face pack, let it dry then wash off with water. Dab on a little rosewater with a cotton ball on your face afterwards. This simple pack will take care of the suntan and will also fight sunburns.
5.        Always remove Make-up before going to bed- Use a facial wash that contains salicylic acid, to remove make-up and dislodge debris.

6.       Use a Face Serum- It reduces wrinkles, smoothens up the skin instantly, and increases exfoliation. Use it twice a day, at bedtime and as a makeup base during daytime. Use just a small amount, not more than the size of a rice grain. Besides it just takes only a minute so why wouldn’t you use it.
7.       Apply Moisturizer- Apply moisturizer on freshly washed skin. Use moisturizer atop the face-serum to enhance its effect, if you have a dry skin. For oily/ normal skin type only the face-serum would suffice. Preferably use a moisturizer with SPF 15, and which contain AHAs, vitamins.
8.       Use an under-eye roll-on- Personally I’ve been using a roll-on that is rich in caffeine. It is excellent in relieving the day-long stress in the eyes. Use it twice a day for optimum results.
9.       Deep Breathe- Deep breathe for 5 minutes, at least twice a day you can easily do it at workplace, at home while doing chores, even while shopping. Expand your lungs fully by inhaling deeply, and then exhale slowly. This will have a calming effect on you, and the increased oxygen level in your body will invigorate you. Make this all the more effective by visualizing a clear, milky white energy entering your face with each inspiration; now visualize all the disease energy, colored dark brown, being thrown out of your face with each expiration. This technique is used by Pranic Healers, do it to see the magic of it.
10.   Learn some Make-up tricks- Last but not the least, I know there’s very little time to the Festival, and if you don’t get enough time to get the whole benefit of this regime , then try out these little tricks to look a million bucks on the big day.
·         Use a foundation a shade lighter than your skin tone to combat the darkening effect of sun.
·         Go for a yellow tinted foundation which looks natural on all skin tones.
·         Use Vaseline/petroleum gel on your lips sparingly after applying lipstick to make them look fuller.
·         For brighter eyes, use a little glitter liner on upper lid, curl lashes and apply several coats of Mascara.
·         Use a concealer to lighten under eye dark circles.

It is time to signoff. Hope these tips help you the way they helped me. So without delay start implementing these Top 10 Tips and look Gorgeous this festive season. Have a great living.


Shoutout: Giveaway at Shopo n Colours Decor!!

AH-H and this beautifully hand-painted cushion cover from Mish-Mash @ Shopo, perfectly drool-worthy... can jazz up any piece of furniture, am dreaming of using this one on the new Accent Chair I have recently bought, goes perfectly well with my existing Decor too, What more can one ask for??  "Toh ye Cushion Cover Mujhe De De Shopo Thakur, ye cushion cover DE DE-EEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" LOL...so that was my Shoutout. What about you?
 Linking to the Weekly Story at Patricia's Colours Decor.

Wednesday 19 October 2011

My DIY Project-Madhubani Cushion Cover

Hello, all my wonderful friends! I know this Blog is about Holistic Wellness and I've been faithfully sticking to the theme in my previous posts, but this post is dedicated to all the Lovely, Creative people whose blogs I've been following, cos they are the real inspiration behind this overflow of creative juices, which had been lying dormant inside me since a long long time!

I had this off-white plain cushion cover which I decided to give a makeover by hand painting it with Acrylic colors. I took inspiration from a Madhubani painting by Vidushini, which I found on web. Since I could not trace it so I drew it free-hand on the cushion cover, and proceeded to fill colors. I selected colors that I wanted to incorporate in my existing Decor.
Sorry, I didn't take any pics of the making since I wasn't sure of the outcome, since this is the first time I've tried my hand at fabric painting.
Here's the pic of the half-finished project..


Hmm didn't look that bad to me, but the area on left side looked blank, so I decided to draw something on the left corner to balance it, also I painted the base color to copper. Here's the pic which my son took for me..


And here comes the finished product, TA DA-AA...

And now its time to experiment with the placing, I've tried it out in several ways,please do tell me your opinion on the same.
Please be honest but try not to be too harsh please!! Do consider this is my first project of this kind, and there's always scope for betterment in the next project.

So please have a dekko n KEEP INSPIRING ME AS ALWAYS!!!!!!!!




Finishing this project gave me immense pleasure, and a much needed break from my daily routine even if the break was only for an hour everyday! Creative hobbies like these also serve as memory boosters besides being the stress buster.
OOPS ...Sorry got a little carried away !!
If you like this post do feel free to register your reaction by clicking on the quick button at the end of this post, need that morale boosting :)
If you don't, no prob-ss... I'm not going to stop anyway, already started the next DIY!!!!!!

By the way linking to Patricia's blog Colours Decor for the weekly blog party 

Giveaway & The Weekly Story ~ wk 54. Wish me luck! Too nervous though, already biting my nails!!

Thanks for visiting. And I really value and appreciate your comments on my blog!!!!

Have a smart living!!!!!!



Monday 17 October 2011

Yogic Postures That Improve Memory!!




In this post I have decided to share with you some ancient techniques advocated in Yoga to enhance memory. The following Yogic postures are very easy to do and very effective in enhancing Memory, anyone can safely do these at home. An additional benefit is that besides improving cognitive power, Yoga ensures holistic well being of an individual by harmonizing Body, Mind, and Soul, and is also a great stress buster.

Yogic Suksma Vyayama (Enhancer of Memory)

Method:

o Stand absolutely straight with your feet close together.

o Fix your gaze at a spot on floor about a meter away from you.

o Your spine, neck, and knees should be straight.

o Concentrate your mind on “”Shahastrar Chakra”.

o Inhale deeply, with force.

o Now exhale with equal force.

o Do this for 25 times.

Benefits:

· This exercise is extremely beneficial for mental health.

· It treats forgetfulness.

· It improves Memory.

· It also relieves Mental Stress.

· Yogic Suksma Vyayam’s are relatively unknown but are highly effective and relatively easy to do. Anyone can do these without any expert help.

Shashankasana (Hare Pose)



Method:

o Sit with legs folded backwards, heels apart, knees and toes together.

o Adjust your hips between the heels (Vajrasana). Slowly raise your arms over the head.

o While exhaling, slowly bend forward and stretch your palms on the floor with abdomen pressing against the thighs.

o Then bring your face downwards and touch the floor with the forehead without raising the buttocks. Inhaling slowly, return to an upright position.

Benefits:

· This Asana increases blood flow to brain, improving brain health and thereby improving memory.

· This asana strengthens the muscles of the legs and thighs and makes them supple.

· It tones up the spinal nerves and helps in relieving arthritic pain.

· It is an excellent asana for digestion.

Bhujangasana(Cobra Pose)



Method:

o Lie down on your stomach; keep the palms on the ground on both sides of the chest. The elbows should be lifted upwards and the shoulders should be close to the chest.

o The legs should be straight and joined together.

o The palms should be stretched facing the spine and resting on the ground.

o Inhale and raise the chest and head upwards.

o The area below the navel should rest on the ground.

o Raise the head and move the neck backwards as much as you can.

o Remain in this position for 30 seconds.

o Repeat 3-5 times.

Benefits:

· This Asana is very good for Thyroid and Parathyroid glands. It is a well known fact that Hypothyroidism is a major cause of forgetfulness in people above 50 years of age.

· This Asana is good for stomach.

· This Asana strengthens the spine.

Caution:
Do not practice this asana in case of hernia.

That’s all for this post. Before signing off let me tell you that Sheersasana and Surya Namaskar are other well known Asanas that improve Memory but they are difficult and are not safe for Hypertensive so they must always be done under expert guidance, only after being approved by a qualified physician. This is why I did not discuss them here. The exercises that I have chosen are easy and safe, only people who are suffering from any kind of heart disease must consult their physicians before attempting any new form of exercise. So try these for enhancing your cognitive power and enjoy holistic wellness via smart living.

Wednesday 12 October 2011

An Unexpected Guest!!

We had an unexpected visitor this Sunday. Managed to click a few snaps , decided to share them with y'all.
It was gorging on this ring shaped wafer undettered by our squeals and attempts to click it from various angles.
There's one more reason of sharing this on this blog space, it turned out to be quite a stress-buster. It had been a particularly hectic day for my hubby and me, and we were exhausted both mentally and physically. But this unusual sight transported us to our childhood, when everything was done for sheer pleasure, when we didn't require big feats to be happy!
This served as a reminder that there is a higher force, the Creator, and He provides for all of us, including this humble creature! So why fret for minor things, instead seek pleasure in your day to day activity, this will give each of us enough positivity to cruise through life and its queer twists and turns with ease!!
Thank You God for all things beautiful n bright!
Thank You God for this wonderful insight!!

Tuesday 11 October 2011

Healthy Recipe,My Way!!

Papaya Halwa



Ingredients:

Raw Papaya (Peeled & grated)-2 cups,

Sugar-3/4 cup,(you may use 1 cup if you prefer it sweeter)

Olive Oil (extra virgin)-2 tsp,

Milk (skimmed)-2 cups,

Cardamom Pd-1/2 tsp,

Khoya, Almonds, Pistachio, Raisins-For garnishing

Method:

  • · Microwave grated papaya, on high, in a closed lid microwave safe bowl, for 10 minutes. Alternatively, you may cook it in a pressure cooker, on high flame, to full cooking pressure, and then remove from heat. The idea is to semi cook it, while retaining its nutrients.
  • · Now transfer this semi-cooked papaya to an open vessel/Kadhai, add milk and cook on high flame till the milk boils, then cook it on low flame till the milk dries, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking to the base of the vessel.
  • · The papaya must be fully-cooked and tender now. Now add sugar, mix it well and now cook on high flame, stirring continuously, till it assumes a golden hue, cook on low flame for 3-4 minutes more. Add cardamom pd, you may use any cardamom but the brown one tastes better in this recipe. Turn off heat.
  • · Now add E. v Olive Oil, remember you must not cook extra virgin olive oil, just add it to the dish when its still hot, it will increase the nutritional value of your dessert and give it an exotic flavor.
  • · Place the dessert in a bowl, add crumbled khoya as garnish.
  • · Garnish liberally with sliced almonds (4-5), pistachios (8-9), raisins.
  • · Relish this extremely healthy dessert while its still hot.

* This variant of Papaya Halwa is extremely healthy especially for Hypertensive, Diabetics may use Sugar-free instead of sugar.

* There are many recipes for making Papaya Halwa but this is the way I make it for my family, now you can see what a health freak I am, but what’s noteworthy is that its instantly swapped up by my hubby and kids, this is the best way I can make them eat papaya :)

* You may use homemade ghee instead of olive oil for your kids, then add it before adding sugar, rest of the procedure being the same.

So this was a healthy dessert recipe for ya al, do try it and feel free to give me feedback, your comments are extremely valuable.

Time out folks, watch this space for more health switches and health tips , remember you must choose well to stay well, so choose smartly.