Yoga

Surya Namaskara  also known in English as Sun Salutation  is a common sequence of asanas. Its origins lie in India where its large Hindu population worships Surya, the Hindu solar deity.

This sequence of movements and asanas can be practised on varying levels of awareness, ranging from that of physical exercise in various styles, to a complete sadhana which incorporates asana, pranayama, mantra and chakra meditation.

Surya Namaskara, like most asanas, is recommended to be performed on an empty stomach. Therefore some recommend a gap of at least two hours after eating and before performing the namaskara. It is generally practiced in the morning before breakfast or in evening.

For people in certain careers, a desk is something you literally can't escape. While working at a call center, trading on a computer, or managing a welcome desk, you can't do your job unless you are planted at you desk.Below are instruction in three of the simplest stress busting poses. You can do these moves and still do your job!

DIY Facial

A facial is a four step procedure; cleansing, exfoliating, massaging and hydrate.
You will need cleansing milk, a face scrub, cream and a masque to finish off.

Here are some homemade solutions for the same:

Step 1: Cleansing

You can either use cleansing milk available in the market or make your own.

Take two tablespoons of full fat milk and add half a teaspoon of olive oil. Warm the mixture, and dip a cotton ball in it to wipe your face thoroughly. Wash off with lukewarm water.

Step 2: Exfoliating

Scrubbing is needed to slough off dead skin cells from your face. You can make a scrub using two teaspoons of curd, one teaspoon of gram flour and a pinch of turmeric.

Alternately, you can finely crush two to three almonds and mix with milk cream.

For oily skin, you can make a scrub using oatmeal and honey. Follow the massage instructions listed above.

Step 3: Massaging

There are several face massage creams available, but nothing beats a homemade alternative. For a face massage, you can use the pulp of papaya added to some milk cream. Thicken the mixture to form a paste that you can spread easily.

For oily skin, you can use a paste of hung curd and the pulp of apricot with a few drop of olive oil.

Step 4: Hydrating

A masque is the most effective way to hydrate your skin after a facial massage. Once you’ve finished massaging your face, put a hot towel on your face to open clogged pores. Finish off with a homemade face pack.

You can try a clay masque made of Fuller’s Earth and rose water.

For a more nourishing pack, try mixing the yolk of one egg with one tablespoon honey and a few drops of olive oil.

If you’re feeling particularly indulgent, try a chocolate pack. Melt a few pieces of dark chocolate over a double boiler. Add to this a mix of one cup of milk and two tablespoons of salt. Stir together and let it cool. Apply and keep for 10 minutes, then rinse off with lukewarm water.

Besan or gram’s flour is an age old super hit granny’s recipe to fight out a number of skin problems like dull lifeless skin, acne, pimples, dark skin, blemish buster and for removal of unwanted hair. Besan has been documented since traditional times as an ingredient to many beauty and spa treatments. It is inexpensive and is easily available in everyone’s kitchen!! 

Take 5-6 tbsp of besan, 2 tbsp of lemon juice, 1 tbsp turmeric and mix it with 1 cup of raw milk. You can use this ubtan for your face or on entire body. You can store the mixture for one week and use this daily to get desired results.

Or try  a pumpkin face mask :)

Vitamin-Deficiency Signals

I had muscle and joint paint red acne in my face  for three months now, and I felt tired all the time. The doctor diagnosed me with mild Vitamin D deficiency with just my facial appearance and proved it with blood test.

Yes that was the whole motivation of drafting this article.. Hope it helps you too.. If you are sick body tells you signal and you need to understand it.

A diet rich in processed food is one of the main culprits, it is all the chips and biscuits that you so love strips you off all the essential nutrients you have in your body.

Junk  is mostly `dead food' and seldom has any nutrients to contribute to your health and wellbeing.

If your body is  trying to tell you something listen to it. While fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, pale skin, irregular heartbeats and weight lass are apparent, there are unusual vitamin-deficiency warning signs.

Vitamin symptoms may be subtle at first, but they increase as the deficiency worsens.

1. SIGNAL: Red or white acne like bumps, on the cheeks, arms, thighs and butt .  

DEFICIENT IN: Essential fatty acids and vitamins A and D.

FIX IT: Tank up on the sunshine. Long hours in air-conditioned spaces and pollution make it hard. Even sunscreen lotion prevents absorption. But when it is winter in UK and temperature is -3 degree , you won’t be getting enough sun to boost your deficiency. So look for other options like  consuming fish, sardine, tuna, egg, and green leafy vegetables, more dairy products in your meal.Add salmon and walnuts and almonds, and seeds like ground flax, and chia in your diet. For vitamin A, eat plenty of leafy greens, papaya and colorful veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, and capsicum. This provides beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, which your body will use to make the vital nutrient.

2. SIGNAL: Tingling, prickling, and numbness in hands, feet or elsewhere.

DEFICIENT IN:B vitamins like folate (B9), B6, and B12. It's a problem directly related to the peripheral nerves and where they end in the skin. These symptoms can be combined with anxiety, depression, anaemia, fatigue, and hormone imbalances.

FIX IT: You can fix the vitamin B group largely with your diet. Opt for brown rice, millet, wheat germ, nuts, wheat bran sprouted grains. Egg, chicken, mutton, salmon, banana, broccoli, red kidney beans, asparagus, cauliflower, cabbage and all green leafy vegetables.

3. SIGNAL:  Cracks at the corners of your mouth

DEFICIENT IN: Iron, zinc, and B vitamins like niacin (B3), riboflavin (B2), and B12. It's common if you're a vegetarian to not get enough iron, zinc, and B12. Likewise, if you're skimping on essential immunity-building protein because of excess dieting.

FIX IT: Eat more poultry, salmon, tuna, eggs, chicken, tomatoes, peanuts, and lentils. Iron absorption is enhanced by vitamin C, which helps fight infection. Combine these foods with broccoli, and cauliflower. Ensure that you also eat dairy products like yoghurt, paneer and ghee.

4. SIGNAL: Muscle cramps in the form of throbbing pain in toes, calves, arches of feet, and backs of legs

DEFICIENT IN: Magnesium, calcium, and potassium. If it's happening frequently, it's a sign that you're lacking in these. And if you're training hard, you can lose more minerals (and water-soluble B vitamins) through heavy sweating.

FIX IT: To fix potassium, have oranges, bananas, peanuts, beans, coconut water. For magnesium, go for dark green leafy vegetable, nuts and soybean. Almonds, figs, carrots, raisins, brown rice, cashew are rich sources of calcium.

5. SIGNAL: Red, scaly rash on your face and excessive loss of hair

DEFICIENT IN: Biotin (B7), known as the hair vitamin. While your body stores fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), it doesn't store most B vitamins, which are water soluble. Also, eating raw eggs makes you vulnerable, because a protein in raw eggs called avidin inhibits the body's ability to absorb biotin.

FIX IT: Cooked eggs (cooking deactivates avidin), salmon, avocados, mushrooms, cauliflower, soybeans, nuts, and bananas.

 

Choosing vitamin instead of good food is not advisable but as a supplement in I think we can have it before deficiency worsens.

1. Vitabiotics Well woman is my choice 
2. Seven Seas Codliver Oil is also my choice in my daily life 
3. I think if you are someone around my mum’s age then Well woman 50+ will be good  

Bu if you are not sure of your symptoms or having any other medical condition please consult your doctor/physician /GP before having supplements.

And here is the quick summary :-

Dark Circles/Puffy Eyes

Dark circles can affect both men and women. Now there are many reasons for dark circles to appear under your eyes; from stress, lack of sleep, hormonal changes, a disturbed lifestyle, hereditary and many more. Though chemical based products helps in getting rid of them, but then there are many who have an extremely sensitive skin and only pure home remedies can help them.

 Here are some natural home remedies to help to get rid of those ghastly-looking dark circles:

- Grated potatoes:Grate some raw potato and soak a cotton ball in the potato juice. Close your eyes and place these cotton balls on your eyes. Make sure they cover the dark circles under your eyes as well as the eyelids. Leave it on for 10 minutes and wash off with cold water.

- Tomatoes: Tomatoes are an excellent solution for getting rid of dark circle, as it naturally helps to decrease the dark circles and also makes the skin soft and supple.Applying a mixture of a teaspoon of tomato and lime juice, twice a day will help in reducing the dark circles.

- Drink a glass of tomato juice with some mint leaves, lemon juice and salt. Drinking this twice a day is another remedy.

- Prepare a paste of four to five almonds with some milk. Apply this paste over the affected area and leave for 10 to 15 minutes. This will lighten the skin around the eyes.

- A mixture of a few teaspoons of fresh pineapple juice along with a pinch of turmeric powder, when applied on the dark circles regularly will help clear them.

- Every night before sleeping, apply creams containing vitamin E and C around the eyes. I use OZ naturals it is a plant based get have a look here 

- Crush some mint leaves and apply them around the eyes. Doing this will also provide a cooling effect on tired eyes.

-Cold tea bags: Another simple technique to get rid of the dark circles is using cold tea bags. Soak a tea bag preferably a chamomile or green tea bags in water. Chill it by placing it in the refrigerator for a while. Now, place them over your eyes. Use this remedy on a regular basis to see considerable difference.

-Cold milk: Regular use of cold milk will also decrease the dark circles and also soothes your eyes and skin. Take a cotton ball and place it in a bowl of cold milk or iced water for a while. Now apply the cotton ball making sure that it covers the entire eye with the affected area. Keep it for a while. Wash it regular water.

-Orange juice: Another effective home remedy to remove dark circles is orange juice. Mix some orange juice with a few drops of glycerin and apply this mixture over the dark circles. Not only will it diminish the dark circles it will also give a natural glow to your eyes.

-Yoga/meditation: One of the main reasons that's seen for the recurrence of dark circles under eyes is because of stress, depression and a hectic lifestyle. No amount of home remedies will work if your mind isn't cool and calm. Yoga and meditation if practiced regularly will not only decrease your dark circles will also balance the body clock whilst calming your mind, body and soul.

Keep sharing as everybody has eyes and it needs to be protected.

Sugar and Aging

Sugar, not only affects your waistline and heart health, it also impacts your skin.

“Sugar definitely is the biggest culprit in speeding up the process of premature aging,” says Dr. Whitney Bowe, a dermatologist at Advanced Dermatology in New York City. “It makes us look more haggard and wrinkled.” 

When people eat too much sugar, or carbs that quickly break down to sugar, the excess floods the body. Some of it hangs out in the blood, spiking a person’s glucose levels, but it also binds to proteins in a process known as glycation. Sugar loves linking to collagen and elastin, two proteins that give skin its firm, supple look. 

Collagen and elastin become stiff and rigid and you cannot repair them says Farris, co-author of “The Sugar Detox: Lose the Sugar, Lose the Weight

Burn Off Sugar

You can burn off the glucose in your bloodstream by  physical movement by riding a bicycle or jog or do jumping jacks. It also helps if you would swing your arms in circular motions, both backward and forward. You will see great results if you do either one or all of these suggestions for at least 10 minutes or more.

Flush Out Sugar

To rid your body of sugar, flush it out. . Flush out sugar from your body by drinking two 8-ounce glasses of water quickly. Wait five minutes and then drink a third 8-ounce glass of water. Needless to say, drinking all that water will cause you to urinate and flush out the sugar.

Nuts

Nuts are great for lowering and controlling blood sugar levels; particularly the oil bearing nuts, squash, and sun flower seeds.

Wheat Germ

Wheat germ lowers blood sugar because it consists of vitamins B and E. Four or five spoonful of wheat germ can lower the sugar level in your blood as well as the need for insulin.

Vinegar

Several studies have shown that a realistic amount of vinegar or lemon juice, in the form of salad dressing, consumed with a mixed meal, lowers blood sugar levels significantly.

Vegetables

Vegetables are a very good food for people with elevated blood sugar. The best vegetables for lowering blood sugar are cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbages.

Foods such as snack cakes, muffins, breakfast cereal and even spaghetti sauce can contain loads of sugar. Check the labels.

Seasons Greetings 2014

Happy Thanks Giving ~ 2014

This year has been a roller-coaster ride, as is life for each and every single one of us.  I have seen, done and experienced more than many and I am eternally grateful for.

But the one thing it has been important  is I am independent.

Slowly but surely I managed to wean myself away from the idea and notion that I needed someone else…

I tried to understand myself better, understand my limits and expectations, handle my emotions so that now nearly nothing can phase me, and challenge myself so I’m never left wandering what I could have been capable of in life again.

Life offers you a priceless opportunity in every single moment to see and experience Who You Really Are.  Seize it! 

Sometimes we get completely lost in trying to live life for others, trying to meet their expectations, doing things just to impress them. 

Take a moment now and stop yourself. Are you doing things because you truly believe in them?

Or is that because of someone else in your life is telling you to do ? Remember your own needs and goals. Remember who YOU are.

Live, do and love so that you are happy too, because when it comes down to it, you can’t be true to others unless you are true to yourself first.

Promise to stop the drama before it begins, to breathe deeply and peacefully, and to love others and yourself without conditions. Promise to laugh at your own mistakes, and to realize that no one is perfect; we are all human.

If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart, forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being  you.

Don’t let the wrong people from your past keep you from the right people in your present.  Forgive and move forward. 

Regardless of whether you are in love, hate love, long for love or really just don’t even think about it at this point in your life, the most important relationship you will ever have is with yourself.

And to learn to love yourself first will inevitably lead to the ‘right’ kind of love in the long run.

You will in turn become the truest and most happy version of yourself.

You will know what you like as well as what you don’t like and you will be confident enough on your likes/dislikes/thoughts/beliefs to be able to stand by them.

You will have your own opinion. You will fight for that opinion in a healthy discussion, rather than side with another’s view simply because you aim to please them.

By loving yourself you allow yourself to be loved for who you are… not who you intend to be.

Just like our fashion sense, physical appearance and musical preference changes over the years, so do our feelings toward people we love and have loved. 

Change is healthy. Its natural and evolutionary; it makes life interesting.

Every one of us is fighting our own private battles.

The strongest among us aren’t those who show strength but those who have won incredible inner battles we know nothing about.

Always remember that the words and actions you choose can only be forgiven, not forgotten. 

If you sit around for too long blaming others for the things they did or didn’t do, or know or didn’t know, you’ll remain sitting in one spot until you pass. 

Placing blame is easy, because it means you don’t have to do anything.

Living  every instant is important life injects many opportunities into your story, into your relationships, and ultimately makes you moves  forward.

Persistence pays off, from rejection letters  through to controversies, backlashes and ‘haters’, there will be  more challenges around every corner as you continue to conquer new targets.

But for every one bad egg in the world, there are 20 (or more) good ones.

Remember, your failure does not define you, your determination does. 

Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, smarter than before.

Tomorrow is a new day. 

You shall begin it peacefully and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with old nonsense.

& that’s what I learned this year.

Happy Thanks Giving 2014...

I am taking a break for holidays and some other entertainments in life so wishing you all a Very Happy Christmas in Advance and see you next year 

..take care

Love and Regards

Ann

Bee Live FM

Came across a beautiful #Malayalam #FMRadio ..

Here is the direct link --->  http://beelive.fm/ 

— at Beelive Radio - Malayalam

Enjoy 

Special Thanks to #Pearle Manney 

It is an Online Radio Station targeting the Malayali diaspora in the UK and India.

Beelive is a cloud based web & mobile online radio application. 

The programs are created and fed from Beelive’s Kochi studio via Airtime/Shoutcast hosted on Google’s cloud servers (Compute Engine) with an additional boost from Cloud Flare to speed up load time and improve security.

The programs are fed simultaneously to the Beelive web site, as well as the IPhone and Android apps. 

Together, the Beelive applications have the capacity to reach out to thousands of online radio listeners simultaneously.

Do you shout at some one ?

A saint was walking along the river Ganges when he noticed some family members shouting at each other. 

He smiled and asked his disciples, "Why do people shout when angry?"

The disciples thought for some time. Some said "because they lose their temper and calm", others said "that they want to stress upon their views" and so on. 

The saint was obviously not satisfied. 

Finally, he explained them the reason,

 "When two people are in love, they talk softly with each other. What happens when the love increases much more? They start whispering. And then comes a point, when they only have to look into each other's eyes to convey their thoughts. Now can you guess the answer?"


The disciples were still confused. So he continued, "when two people become angry, the distance between their hearts increases. To cover this distance, they need to shout so that they can hear each other. The more the anger, the greater the distance and hence more the shouting."

This is what happens. So when you become angry, don't let your heart create distance from the other person, because some day it might happen that the distance increases so much that it would be impossible to bridge it.

Lesson On Life

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen. 

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.

The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise.

The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment. 

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

Moral lessons:
Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.

Don't judge life by one difficult season. 

Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time or later ...........

Story of 4 burning candles

In a room there were four candles burning. The ambiance was so soft you could hear them talking.

The first one said, “I am PEACE, however nobody can keep me lit. I believe I will go out.”

It’s flame rapidly diminishes and goes out completely.

The second one says, “I am FAITH. Most of all I am no longer indispensable, so it does not make any sense that I stay lit any longer.”

When it finished talking a breeze softly blew on it putting it out.

Sadly, the third candle spoke in its turn. “I am LOVE. I have not gotten the strength to stay lit. People put me aside and don’t understand my importance. They even forget to love those who are nearest to them.” And waiting no longer it goes out.

Suddenly a child entered the room and saw three candles not burning. “Why are you not burning you are supposed to stay lit till the end.”

Saying this the child began to cry. Then the fourth candle said, “Don’t be afraid, while I am still burning we can re-light the other candles, I am HOPE.”

With shining eyes, the child took the candle of Hope and lit the other candles.

The flame of Hope should never go out from our life and that each of us can maintain HOPE, FAITH, PEACE and LOVE.

Author Unknown

Samosa or Veggie pasties

Total Time

Prep Time:

Cook Time:

1 hr 30 mins

1 hr 

Ingredients 

• Bay Leaf – 1
• Cinnamon Stick – 1 inch piece
• Cardamom – 2
• Whole Cloves – 2
• Onion – 1 large, finely chopped
• Ginger – 2 tsp, minced
• Garlic – 2 tsp, minced
• Green Chilies – finely chopped
• Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
• Red Chili Powder – to taste
• Salt – to taste
• Coriander Powder – 2 tsp
• Cumin Powder – 1 tsp
• Ground (Minced) Meat – 250gm or +Vegetables of your interest (Carrot,Beans,cabbage,beetroot,peas)
• Frozen Green Peas – 1/2 cup
• Water – 1/2 cup or little more
• Cilantro – finely chopped for garnishing
• Potato-2
• Oil for frying
• Maida / White Flour

For Masala Mix,

1. Add Bay Leaf, Cinnamon Stick, Black Cardamom, Green Cardamom and Whole Cloves. Stir for 30 seconds in 2 tbs oil.
2. Add Onions and a little salt, mix well, cover and cook for about 15 minutes stirring frequently.
3. Add Ginger and Garlic, mix well and cook uncovered for another 5 minutes until Onions turn brown and oil starts to separate from the mixture.
4. Add Green Chilies and mix well, cover and cook for about 10 minutes. Be sure to stir a few times in between.
5. Remove cover and continue to cook until oil starts to separate from the mixture again.
6. Add Red Chili Powder, Turmeric Powder, Coriander Powder and Cumin Powder. Mix well and switch off stove.

So our masala mix is ready now :)

In Pressure cooker,

1. First chop the potatoes and cook for two whistle with minimum water, little salt and turmeric. After 2 whistles remove pressure cooker from heat and allow the pressure to go down before opening the lid.Drain the water and smash the potatoes.

2. Next add the chopped meat in the cooker and cook for two whistle. (Add little water to the cooker, as more water will be coming from the meat). After 2 whistles remove pressure cooker from heat and allow the pressure to go down before opening the lid.Drain the water mince the meat in mixi for 2 min.

Add the smashed potatoes and minced meat to masala mix to a pan and garnish with fresh Cilantro.   

Method:

To make Crust: 

Whisk together plain flour / maida and salt in bowl. Stir in oil until clumps form. Add 6 to 10 Tbs. cold water, 1 Tbs. at a time, until dough holds together. Shape into ball, cover with damp towel, and set aside for 20 mins. Roll out Crust dough to 11-inch circle on floured work surface. 

I used the dumpling mould dough to make the samosa (see pics in right- Fresh).

Heat Oil in a medium non-stick pan on medium heat

Deep fry the samosas on low to medium heat until light brown.

Serve with tomato sauce or any chutney you love.