Garlic has almost 5000 years of stable history as a culinary element as well as a medicinal herb. The Sulfur elements (such as `Allicin`) present in garlic are the major reason for its burning taste and pungent smell. The Indic religions such as Hindu, Buddhist and Jain has cautioned of its excess usage in food. They felt that it would imbalance the temperature in our body and would heighten our desires. But `Allium sativum`- which is the scientific name of garlic proves to be a miracle drug if taken in small quantities.  It is indeed a major drug used in homoeopathic practice. A few of the benefits associated with a regular intake of garlic are…   Blood Pressure: Garlic is known to control hypertension. It is often considered to be as effective as the basic drug administered for B.P in allopathy.  The extract of garlic found to stabilize the blood pressure of the patients just over a period of 6 months.   Cholesterol: Garlic is found to decrease the LDL and increase the HDL cholesterol levels. HDL cholesterol in other words is called as the `good` cholesterol which would decrease the risk of a heart attack. It would not allow any plaque to be accumulated along the arteries, thus lowering the risk of a stroke.   Cancer: A study in 2014 on Korean population showed enough evidence to prove that, people who intake garlic frequently has less risk of a gastric cancer. It’s also believed to work effectively on colon, breast, prostate and lung cancers as well.   Day to day: A study showed that 60– 70% of the symptoms associated with cold have receded within a couple of days after having garlic. The extract of garlic is also found to cure the fungal infections on the skin. It’s also found to be effective in the cases of fever and cough.   Natural pesticide: The extract of garlic if sprayed on the plants can prove to be a perfect pesticide. It’s a common belief for thousands of years, that garlic is a good repellent of insects. In fact, the pungent smell that garlic produces is to protect itself from being consumed by insects and animals.   A regular intake of 2-3 cloves of garlic is found to be useful in obtaining the medicinal benefits from garlic. However garlic is found to increase the body odor, which might affect our social relations. Having garlic cloves roasted or consuming them along with milk might decrease such odor.   -Nirjara

  One of the most important roles of the skin is as a protective barrier against exposure to the elements and environmental pollutants. It is important that you nourish and support your skin in this protective role, whether you are a man or a woman. -Catch some sleep in the name of rest if not beauty Get sufficient beauty sleep. Remember, it’s called “beauty sleep” for a reason and if you are well rested, it is reflected in your skin. On the other hand, if you are tired, your skin looks tired. Unfortunately, tired skin looks old, dull and sallow. A lack of sleep leads to stress which can directly effect how the skin functions. And not in a positive way. In fact, a restless night of sleep can make any current skin conditions you have appear even worse. So, get into a nighttime routine, turn off your devices, TV, phone , computer and your mind and try to get some much needed sleep! -Kick the bad habits Healthy habits = healthy looking skin. Bad habits = not so healthy looking skin. Remember to always follow the obvious rules of skincare. Too much alcohol is dehydrating to the skin. Smoking depletes the oxygen from our skin, which can age it. Lying in the sun without broad-spectrum sunscreen will not only burn the skin, it will age it faster than you can imagine. And eating a diet of junk food and grease will only lead to skin that looks, well, like junk food and grease. So try to kick the bad habits all together if you can. If something isn’t healthy for our bodies as a whole, it certainly isn’t healthy for the skin. The only difference is we can see the effect on our skin and can’t see what’s happening on the inside. Take a daily multivitamin. Cut back on sugary and fatty foods, and choose nutritious ones, instead. And, of course, stay hydrated by drinking sufficient water. This helps hydrate the interior, living layers of skin. It’s all about going back to the basics in the pursuit of healthy looking skin. -Avoid germs at all costs The skin is our first line of defense against all things physical, chemical and environmental. And it also helps to keep germs from entering our body. Germs and bacteria on our skin can cause irritation, blemishes and breakouts. We need to be very conscious of where those pesky little invaders are and destroy them. Carry hand sanitizer with you at all times and, use it. Every time you touch your face you run the risk of transferring germs from your hands to your skin. So hands off. Only dry your skin with a fresh, clean towel and be sure to clean your makeup brushes on a regular basis. Wipe down your cell phone with a bit of hand sanitizer to keep your cheeks free from skin ravishing germs. Keep it clean always This is the most obvious tip of all, but skipping it can be disastrous for your skin. Everyone, man, woman and teen, must wash their face every morning and evening before bedtime. Cleansing helps remove dirt, oil, makeup and germs from the skin. By keeping skin clean and free from impurities you are more likely to fend off breakouts and dull looking skin. Choose a cleanser that is suitable for your skin type and wash away the grime from the day for beautiful soft, smooth, clean skin. Sometimes the obvious things are the ones we tend to forget. Remember, the healthiest skin is always the most beautiful!   courtesy Glow With Health Wellness Solutions

  Fasting in the month of Shravan is considered very auspicious. Knowing this a lot of Hindus indulge in this activity, in this month. But are they all doing it right? There is a no answer to this as everyone is following their own method. Before taking up a fast, one must know the actual meaning of fasting.It is a method of cleansing your body and also a way of understanding your self control. It does not have to be a traumatic experience. Fasting in this month has a scientific reason along with the religious one. During this month people refrain from eating non vegetarian food. This is because of the simple fact that Shravan falls in the rainy season in which there is a greater possibility of animals carrying diseases in their body. It is also said that, this is the breeding time of many of the marine animals. The female wish could be carrying their eggs and killing an animal when pregnant is considered a greater sin than otherwise. While fulfilling your religious duties, you must not neglect your health. To create a balance in both these aspects, there are a few things you must keep in mind while fasting in this Shravana Masam. It is observed most often that people who fast a lot tend to be on the heavier side. This is because of the habit of eating deep fried snacks, during and after fasting. Most people like to eat things like potatoes, sabudana, fried foods and sweets during this time. Also since you have not eaten for long, you tend to eat more after you break your fast. Since cereals and pulses are not had for the entire month of Shravan, people must include 500-750 ml of milk in their diet along with 30-50 gms of paneer or channa. They must also have a lot of dry fruits during this time. Fasting for the whole month with limited nutrition may cause constipation. To avoid that drink about 8-10 glasses of water per day. Kruti Beesam

This monsoon, plan and eat foods that enable fast digestion. Ginger: Ginger contains an active constituent gingerol, which is responsible for its hot, pungent taste, as well as its stimulating and healing properties. Ginger is often used as a therapeutic spice, working on the digestive system by encouraging secretion of digestive enzymes. Fennel: (SAUNF) Fennel contains anethole, which stimulates secretion of digestive and gastric juices. Fennel also contains aspartic acid, which acts as an anti-flatulent. * It is no wonder, many of us are in the habit of chewing fennel seeds after meals. Fennel is a digestive herb with many medicinal and culinary uses. It acts as a popular "after mint". Yoghurt: Yoghurt contains probiotics which are responsible for several activities in the gut; such as producing lactase; killing harmful bacteria and improving digestive tract function. Fenugreek: (METHI) I Fenugreek leaves and seeds assist digestion, help relieve constipation and help overcome flatulence. Tip: You can soak fenugreek seeds overnight and eat them next morning to help relieve you from digestive disorders. Mint: Mint is used as a treatment for indigestion, colic, heartburn and flatulence. It also can stimulate the appetite and cure nausea and headaches. Peppermint tea can help soothe a dry throat. Bay leaf: Bay leaves are used to treat migraines, stress and anxiety. They also improve digestion and help detoxify the system. courtesy Glow With Health Wellness Solutions

Hi friends welcome to this new article "Me, I, I am exploring within". The articles that would be followed will be a journey together for all of us. In the forthcoming articles we will be discussing different life situations that we face on day today basis. Situations that most of us could very easily relate to........from the moment we get up in the morning to the time we go to bed. In this fast moving life with a very easy access to information we read lot on life style management, better living, quality living so on. Many self help books. And we are really glad to see there is more awareness and people are willing to work in this direction inspite of very busy schedules. In this series we look into little things In our lives that can change our lives in a very big way. How perception about ourselves can change our life and life around us. Most of the time we look around for solutions, but the truth is 'we are the solution'. It's like searching for the keys in the garden when they are inside the house. We will be working on dealing with fear, sadness, anger, guilt and similar emotions that most of us hold within our selves. When we see such emotions popup, let us look into the root cause for all these emotions. It's always important to work, understand and resolve the cause for the rooted emotions which give us more pain than contentment. In the process of understanding the root cause we will know that it's not good to bypass such emotions.   We will see how life can take a 'U' turn once we learn to slowly heal and replace these painful emotions with more good emotions like boldness, calmness, deserving. We learn how life is only about simple things. Tiny things of happiness and gratitude shift our lives to the next level. Respect and allow the life the way it moves instead of forcing it with our emotions and thoughts. To start with let's start with a journal. Let's start writing a journal, first one week lets just write down with what kind of thoughts we get up in the morning. Just before sleeping tell to yourself "I am going to write down the thoughts that cross my mind in the first few minuets after  I wake up". Have the journal and the pen along the bed side. If  you are really not able to define and write down your thoughts, see how your body feel, light heavy, lazy, painful. Look into the body part that pains. A this point if there is any thought do not hesitate to write. In a day or two it will be easy to remember the thoughts   Let us all promise ourselves and do it. And just be a witness and see how the day goes. If time permits it's a good idea to write down few word about how the day was before going to bed. Happy week Nagavalli Cherukuri Rebirther

Morning walk for 20 to 30 minutes keeps a person fit and healthy; however many people complain about not finding time for walks and feel helpless too. But recent research taken place in the area of “health and nutrition” says, if one can consume sufficient amount of Vitamin “C” ,then it gives the same benefit and can save your health. This gives so much of relief to people over there. There are many benefits of vitamin “C”. It protects our bones, helps to build tissues and plays a key role in iron absorption. It is also a very potent antioxidant. “You must make sure that you get your daily dose of vitamin C as it is a water soluble vitamin and not much of it is stored in the body,” say experts. Vitamin C is commonly used to treat cold and related problems. It also helps to cure major issues like,  scurvy and brain related problems. Being a wonderful antioxidant, vitamin C can help us to maintain a healthy body. Vitamin C also helps in absorbing iron in to body quickly, so when ever iron supplements are given with combination of C vitamin this will speed up the absorption process. C vitamin is also called as best anti depression element. It helps for our physical and mental well being as well. Sources of Vitamin C:   * Citrus fruits are the best source for vitamin C. A lime per day gives required amount of Vitamin C. * Bell pepper is also rich in vitamin C * Broccoli is another wonderful vegetable with full of vitamin C. * Papaya is a fruit gives you sufficient vitamin C.  if you can consume a cup of sliced papaya per day it takes care of your C vitamin need. * Strawberries are juicy, containing full of vitamin C. * Tomatoes are also great source of vitamin C and very easy to get. Bhavana

  శ్రావ‌ణ మాసం వ‌చ్చిందంటే చాలు ప్రతి హిందూ స్త్రీ కాళ్లకు ప‌సుపుతో, నుదుట కుంకుమ‌తో క‌ళ‌క‌ళ‌లాడుతుంది. అమ్మవారికి పూజ చేయాలన్నా, ముత్తయిదువుల‌కు వాయినాలు ఇవ్వాల‌న్నా, పేరంటాళ్లకు తాంబూలం అందించాల‌న్నా ప‌సుపుకుంకుమ‌లు త‌ప్పనిస‌రి. కానీ మ‌నం వాడుతున్న ఈ ప‌సుపుకుంకుమ‌లు ఎంత‌వ‌ర‌కూ సుర‌క్షితం అంటే కాస్త ఆలోచించ‌క త‌ప్పదు! ఏదో లాంఛ‌నం కోస‌మో, ద‌గ్గర‌లో ఉన్న కొట్లో దొరుకుతోంద‌నో చాలామంది ఏ కుంకుమ‌ని ప‌డితే ఆ కుంకుమ‌ని వాడేస్తుంటారు. ఒంటికి రాసుకునేందుకు కూడా దాన్నే ఉప‌యోగిస్తుంటారు. కానీ ఇప్పటి కుంకుమ మ‌రీ ముదురు ఎరుపు రంగులో ఉండ‌టం, రోజుల త‌ర‌బ‌డి ఆ ఎరుపు ఒంటి మీదే ఉండిపోవ‌టం మ‌నం గ‌మ‌నిస్తూనే ఉంటాం. కుంకుమ‌లో క‌లుపుతున్న కృత్రిమ ప‌దార్థాలే దీనికి కార‌ణం.     మ‌న పెద్దలు కుంకుమ‌ని ఇళ్లలోనే చేసుకునేవారు. ప‌సుపుకి సున్నాన్ని, ప‌టిక‌నీ క‌ల‌ప‌డం ద్వారా కుంకుమ‌ని త‌యారుచేసేవారు. ఉత్తరాంధ్ర వంటి కొన్ని ప్రాంతాల్లో ఎర్రటి రాళ్లను పొడి చేసి కుంకుమ‌గా వాడుకునే సంప్రదాయం కూడా ఉంది. కానీ ఇప్పుడు బ‌జార్లో దొరికే కుంకుమ‌ల్లో అధికభాగం లెడ్‌, మెర్క్యురీ వంటి హానికార‌క ప‌దార్థాల‌ను క‌లుపుతున్నారు. వీటిని ఒంటికి రాసుకున్నప్పుడు ఇందులోని 60 శాతం కెమిక‌ల్స్‌ మ‌న చ‌ర్మం మీద ఉండే సూక్ష్మర‌క్తానాళాల ద్వారా మ‌న శ‌రీరంలోకి వెళ్తాయ‌ని తేలింది. వాటివ‌ల్ల చిన్నపాటి దుర‌ద‌లు మొద‌ల్కొని న‌రాల బ‌ల‌హీన‌త వ‌ర‌కూ చాలా శారీరక ఇబ్బందులు ఏర్పడే ప్రమాదం ఉంది. మ‌రీ మాట్లాడితే కేన్సర్‌కు దారితీయ‌గ‌ల `కార్సినోజ‌న్‌` అనే విభాగం కింద‌కి ఈ ప‌దార్థాల‌ను చేర్చవ‌చ్చు. ఇక చిన్నపిల్లలు ఇలా త‌యారైన కుంకుమ‌ని తెలియ‌క నోట్లో వేసుకుంటే అది విషంగా ప‌రిణ‌మించే ప్రమాదం ఉంది. ఈ ప్రమాదాల‌న్నీ తెలిసితెలిసీ చాలా సంస్థలు ఇష్టమొచ్చిన‌ట్లు కృత్రిమ ర‌సాయ‌నాల‌తో కుంకుమ‌ను త‌యారుచేస్తుంటాయి. త‌యారీ తేలిక‌గా ఉంటుంద‌నో, వినియోగ‌దారుల‌ను ఆక‌ర్షించేలా ఎర్రటి ఎరుపులో ఉంటుంద‌నో, ఎక్కువ‌కాలం నిలువ ఉంటుంద‌నో... కార‌ణం ఏదైనా క‌స్టమ‌ర్ల జీవితంతో ఆడుకుంటూ ఉంటాయి. వీటిని నియంత్రించాల్సిన ప్రభుత్వం కూడా చూసీచూడ‌న‌ట్లు వ్యవ‌హ‌రిస్తూ ఉంటుంది. కుంకుమ ప్యాకెట్ మీద దాని త‌యారీలోకి వాడిన ప‌దార్థాల గురించి ముద్రించాల‌న్న విష‌యాన్ని కూడా ఈ సంస్థలు ప‌ట్టించుకోవు.         దుర‌దృష్టం ఏమిటంటే కుంకుమ‌నే కాదు మ‌న‌వాళ్లు ప‌సుపుని కూడా క‌ల్తీ చేస్తుంటారు. ప‌సుపు ఆ రంగులో ఉండ‌టానికి కార‌ణం `curcumin` అనే స‌హ‌జ‌మైన ప‌దార్థం. కానీ ప‌సుపుని చ‌వ‌గ్గా, ఆక‌ర్షణీయంగా త‌యారుచేసేందుకు `మెటానిల్ ఎల్లో` అనే ర‌సాయ‌నాన్ని క‌లుపుతారు. మెటానిల్ ఎల్లో క‌లిసిన ప‌సుపుని వంట‌లో వాడిన‌ప్పుడు అది మ‌న లివ‌ర్‌ను దెబ్బతీసే ప్రమాదం ఉంది. ఇక శ‌రీరం మీద దీన్ని రాసుకున్నప్పుడు లేనిపోని చ‌ర్మవ్యాధులన్నీ వ‌స్తాయి.   ఇప్పుడు మార్కెట్‌లో దొరికే ప‌సుపుకుంకుమ‌లు ఎంత‌వ‌ర‌కూ సుర‌క్షిత‌మో చెప్పడం అంత తేలిక కాదు. ప‌సుపుని కాస్త వేడినీటిలో వేసి, దానికి కొన్ని చుక్కల హైడ్రోక్లొరిక్ యాసిడ్ వేసిన‌ప్పుడు ఆ నీరు ముదురు రంగులోకి మారితే.... అందులో క‌ల్తీ జ‌రిగింద‌ని చెప్పవ‌చ్చు. కొన్ని సంద‌ర్భాల‌లో వాటి రంగును చూసి వాటిలో కృత్రిమ రంగుల‌ను క‌లిపి ఉంటార‌ని పోల్చుకోవ‌చ్చు. ఏదేమైనా శ‌రీరానికీ, వంట‌ల్లోకీ వాడుకోవాల‌నుకున్నప్పుడు కాస్త ఖ‌రీదు ఎక్కువైనా న‌మ్మక‌మైన సంస్థలు రూపొందించేవాటినే కొనుక్కుంటే మంచిది. ఒక‌వేళ వాటిని శ‌రీరానికి రాసుకున్నప్పుడు అక్కడ చ‌ర్మం ఏమాత్రం తేడా వ‌చ్చినా వెంట‌నే ఆ ప్రాంతాన్ని శుభ్రప‌ర‌చుకోవాలి. ప‌సుపుకుంకుమ‌లు రాసుకున్న కొన్నిరోజుల పాటు ఆ ప్రదేశంలో మంట కానీ దుర‌ద కానీ ఉండి త‌గ్గక‌పోతే వైద్యుడిని సంప్రదించ‌డం మంచిది. ఇక ప‌సుపుకుంకుమ‌లు కంట్లో ప‌డ‌కుండా జాగ్రత్త తీసుకోవాలి. అలాగే చిన్నపిల్లల‌కు వాటిని దూరంగా ఉంచాలి.  - నిర్జర‌.

Though the western world seems to have developed interest in the medicinal benifits of Turmeric.. Indians have the cue about the miracles of turmeric, thousands of years ago! We have been using Turmeric as a siddha medicine and as a dye as well. Who can ever ignore the role of turmeric in our kitchen as a spice and a colouring agent! Curcumin was the main chemical that is found in turmeric, it is the reason for which turmeric appears to be in yellow colour. Curcumin is found to block `NF-kB`, a molecule that triggers the genes related to inflammation. So it can safely be assessed that turmeric is anti-imflammatory. Even the patients with severe arthritis might feel some relief with the intake of turmeric. Turmeric powder when applied can do wonders to the skin. Being an antibacterial, it could heal the wounds and rashes with ease. It is even found to be antiseptic, the reason which our elders suggest for turmeric to be applied immediately on the wound. We are aware of our elders applying turmeric paste on face and legs. Turmeric is found by experience to soften the skin and make it glow. Further the antifungal mechanism by turmeric would protect the skin from the fungus that grows out of sweat. Curcumin was found to heal gastrointestinal problems. Though there is no concrete evidence, researches were aimed to find a way to fight the colon cancer with the help of curcumin.   As we age, the neurons of our brian would no more increase along with the age. Further decreased levels of growth hormones in brain might result in diseases like Alzheimer. Surprisingly curcumin is found to stabilise the growth harmones in the brain, which might be relieving in many diseases associated with the it. 4 grams of curcumin per day found to lower the risk of a heart stroke. Because curcumin is found to increase the function of `endothelium `, the inner lining of our blood vessels. The dysfunction of endothelium is found to be the major cause for most of the heart attacks! The list of medicinal properties in Turmeric is indeed elaborate and effective. No wonder that we treat Turmeric as auspicious! Women in some parts of India even wear turmeric tuber as mangalsutra! - NIRJARA.

Our daily routine has brought so many health problems that were not known to us before. Hypertension is one of them. The increase in blood pressure is caused by many experiences we have in a day filled with stress and anxiety. Apart from the medicines prescribed by your doctor, there are some natural and simple ways to deal with hypertension. Some simple changes in the way you do things in a day, can make a big difference in your life. So, let us take a look at ways to reduce blood pressure. Drinking coconut water can benefit your health to a great extent. Many of us are unaware of the fact that, a 20 ounce serving of coconut water has 1,500 mg of potassium in it. Potassium is known to sooth the nervous system when in tension. Cooking your food in sesame oil will help relax the walls of your blood vessels, through the polyunsaturated fatty acids in them. So, make it a habit to use it in all your dishes and as a dressing for your salad. A switch to sesame oil can change your life forever. Just half a teaspoon of powdered cardamom can bring down your blood pressure and to do this, it needs no more than 12 weeks. Include this ingredient in your diet and see the magic for yourself. The citrusy flavor in this spice is what relaxes your heart muscle, taking care of the levels of your blood pressure. You probably never thought that you sitting posture can alter your blood pressure, but it does! Slouching while you sit can put pressure on the vertebrae and the discs of your neck, causing the pinching of your nerves, resulting in increased blood pressure. To avoid this, all you have to do is sit straight.  These are some on the healthy ways to keep a check on hypertension. Kruti Beesam

When scientists at the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) started a pilot project on existence of microbes over currency notes... they were not aware of the `deadly` numbers present on the notes. They found the traces of almost 80 micro organisms on the paper money from south Delhi. A research done by `master card` in European countries corroborates the Indian research. It was found that an average European note is an abode for 26000  bacteria. And there are more germs found on £1 coin than on a toilet seat. The microbes found on the notes could not only result in diseases like dysentery and tuberculosis... DNA of certain germs revealed that they could make you resistant to antibiotics!!! Some researchers even fear that currency notes can be changed into the weapons for spreading bio-terrorism. Some even fear that the bacteria present on the currency notes can lead to epidemics. The virus present on the notes can travel from person to person as effectively as a sneeze. The contamination levels on the notes depend on many factors such as the moisture levels, time over which it has been circulated, people with whom it has contacted with, the texture of the note etc.,   * Though washing our hands regularly after dealing with money is the final solution, a few more precautions were suggested such as: * Notes should be preserved at places with less moisture/ sweat. Because bacterial would flourish by leaps and bounds in such conditions. * It would be a good procedure to wear gloves if you are in a job of handling them in bundles. And never ever lick your tongue while counting the notes. * Plastic money (like debit card) and alternative payments (like cheques) can be preferred over the currency notes. * Many countries like Australia were adopting polymer notes that would gather less bacteria and are washable and durable. -Nirjara

  `Laughter is the best medicine` is the saying of our ancestors. Who else can apply this best medicine other than humans! Because, humans are the only beings who can enjoy a laugh. Though there were studies stating that animals too can grin, that's a rare situation under rarest of the circumstances. It's no hidden fact that a hearty laugh would let you feel relieved from stress and change the situation from worse to better. But it's surprising to find the effect of a hearty laugh on our health... watch out!   Lowers blood pressure:   Remember `Munnabhai MBBS`!, where a doctor laughs whenever he feels tense. The cackle of the doctor might have looked as awkward and unwanted. But it's now proven that a good laugh would certainly lower your blood pressure. Researchers at the University of Maryland has studied a group of people who watched a comedy show and then a drama. It's found that the blood vessels were relaxed while watching the comedy, while they have contrasted during a drama.   Immunity:   It was found out that laughter would boost up your immunity levels. It's found out to reduce the stress hormones and release neuropeptides that help fight stress and serious illnesses. Some studies have shown  that humour may raise the level of antibodies that would help us in the fight against the infections.   Best pain killers:   Laughter is found to produce endorphins which act as natural pain killers of our body. There were cases where, people diagnosed with painful disorders like spondylitis... have felt to be relieved from pain after a laugh. It's not just pain that such patients were able to overcome, they even had a good sleep after watching a comedy show.         Laugh for a six pack:   When we laugh heartily, the muscles in our stomach has to contrast and expand rapidly. Our lungs would be busy inhaling much air. Even the tiny muscles around our eyes and mouth would move along with a laugh. So laughing would a be good solution to have great abs.   Blood sugar and heart:   Few people with diabetes were exposed to a tedious lecture after the meals. The very next day they were entertained with a show of comedy. As you can deduce without any help of a scientist, the levels of their blood sugar has come down. As laughter is the best stress buster, it's found to be useful for those with ailments in heart too!   Appearance:   No study is needed that people with a smile on their face would attain much goodwill, than those with a frown. A smile on your face would certainly make you attractive. But it's not just a temporary phenomenon. Researchers has found that the facial muscles of people with a gloom would shape accordingly in future. Smile like yawning is often found to be contagious. So keep smiling and spread it rapidly:-) -nirjara

The easiest way to stay healthy is to eat right! This is a simple rule, most of us seem to have forgotten. This article will remind you of those good habits, you may have left behind. The first rule for a healthy wait loss is to eat whatever you want.... But in small quantities. Experts have observed that by trying to lose wait by depriving yourself of food, will only get you back to over eating after a while. Being too strict never gives you the right results. The next trick would be, to not eat high calorie food, throughout the day. You must know that your body can’t take so much in a day. So, take some time to plan your food for a day. It is very simple. If you are planning a dinner in a restaurant tonight, allow yourself a lighter breakfast and lunch. Going heavy on all the three meals can play havoc with your body.   Look for nutritious food instead of low calorie food. Get something that is healthy and fills your tummy for a longer time. This will keep hunger at bay and prevent you from eating between meals.  Healthy food does not have to be boring. Find tricks to make a healthy meal, interesting. Saute your dish, add a dash of pepper or chilly flakes or simply add some olive oil to it. Make it a pleasure for your taste buds, not a punishment! Try out these simple tricks and enjoy a healthy life.     -Kruti Beesam

  Ever wondered why animals won't go near a shrub which is poisonous. Have you observed a dog licking her wounds to heal them. Well we now have a word for the animals finding their own ways to cure themselves and that's`Zoopharmacognosy' Though `Zoopharmacognosy' was coined recently, our ancestors were aware of such abilities with animals. They even learnt the medicinal values of some herbs by observing their pets. Some of the notable processes of self healing in animals are... ANTING: over 250 species of birds have found to rub ants around their feathers. If they are not contended with few ants, they often roll around the anthills. The ants would secrete `formic acid` during the course. Formic acid is found to be a great insecticide, bactericide and fungicide. Such acid would certainly kill any bacteria or lice within the feathers of a bird!   DR.Chimp: Chimpanzees were known for their logical abilities while compared to rest. They were found to be chewing the leaves from Aspilia plant, to clear the parasites in their intestines. Aspilia leaves contain thiarubrine-A, a chemical active against intestinal parasites. Further chimps were also found to distinguish which part of the plant to be medicinal and which is not!   NESTING: Every kid in India is aware of the medicinal values of neem. The house sparrows too seem to have a cue of the fact. They were found to prefer to build their nests with neem branches to protect their babies from infections. They were even found to move their nests to a quinine rich tree during the outbreak of malaria.   LICKING: Most of the animals lick their wounds. Saliva is found to be antibacterial which diffuses the bacteria along the wound. It's also found to infuse the blood clotting mechanism, which would speed up the healing process.   PURRING: Cats were found to be purring after they've broken their bones. Some scientists have listened the pur and heard something else! A cat's purr has an average frequency of around 20 to 150 Hertz. Sound frequencies of range have shown to heal the broken limbs, and act as a pain relief. Examples for Zoopharmacognosy were numerous, some proved to be scientific and some were controversial. But combining natural remedies with science is the bottom line without any debate. -nirjara

We often see the companies boasting about the content in their products, trying to impress us that they are, the best and safest. Are they!   NO AMMONIA - I always wonder. why most of the hair dye ads come with a tagline... `NO AMMONIA`! It's good to have a hair dye without ammonia. But what about the rest of the ingredients? Most of the hair dyes contain PPD (Phenylenediamine) which is not yet approved to be safe. Though a few studies related the usage of PPD to the occurrence of cancer and asthma, PPD certainly has been considered as an allergen. It was in fact voted as the `Allergen of the Year` (2006) by the American Contact Dermatitis Society. Though many hair dye sachets advice for a patch test, PPD might certainly turn allergen in long run.   NO ADDED MSG - This was the tagline that remained on the top headlines for many days. From News channels to kitchens `MSG` was the keyword for the debates and discussions. MSG is a compound that's found naturally in tomatoes, potatoes etc., But the Chinese were the first to popularise artificial MSG for added flavour in their cuisine. MSG was linked to a varied list of diseases as lengthy as the Chinese cuisne.  And it was forbidden to `add artificial MSG` in the instant food. While MAGGIE claims that it has not added MSG, and NGO's defend it. It's a difficult task to deduce whether MSG is added or was it just a natural occurrence.   NO ADDED SUGAR - You might blame it on genes or on lifestyle, the buzzword is that `diabetics`. so more and more products are aiming to pacify the panic of sugar levels. When you see a can of juice/ jam/ syrup with no added sugar... wait before you grab it and just answer the simple question. Where does the sugar come from? It might be from the sugar cane. But some fruits do contain high levels of sugar. Though the diabetician gives a nod to eat most of the fruits in small quantities, you need not be a mathematician to find out that - it takes lot of fruits to make a bottle of juice. That's too much of sugar without any fibre.So the tagline should really be `NO ADDED FIBRE`. So! It's good to follow a tagline, but not good enough to ignore the rest of the ingredients. Taglines like `NO TRAS FATS` should not lead us to the decision that the product is safe and healthy. -nirjara

(Friendship Day Special) We've heard about the importance of friends in our life. But a study from Australia proved that, friends would not only cherish our lives... but prolong it too! Conducted by the Centre for Ageing Studies at Flinders University, the study followed nearly 1,500 older people for 10 years. It found that those who had close friends outlived the rest by 22%. A medical journal from US named PLOS has also found a link between high mortality and lack of social network. The Huffington post has recently quoted a study from 2005, which concluded that `weak social ties could double heart disease risk`. It's not just the case of increasing our lifespan. It was found that the strength of friendship would let us face life threatening diseases like cancer. The `Journal of cancer` in US observed 61 women with advanced ovarian cancer. They found the disease to be aggressive in those, with the weakest social bonds. The conclusions made by such scientific studies might be new, but not surprising! Many believe that the following factors can be associated with friendship, that keeps you healthy. Sharing: There's a saying that your grief when shared would be reduced. That's what friends do for us! They share our grief and make it half. They share our joy and double it. Encouraging: From the field of football to the battle ground... It's our friends who stay along with us and cheer us to deliver the best. They invoke confidence in us and lead us to a higher self- esteem. Advising: From the configuration of desktop to the pill for a headache... friends would always give their best advice. They not only advice you when you ask one, but would warn you of any unhealthy habits. Relaxing: Friends are the best stress busters in the world. Their company would relieve us from the tensions of the world and rejuvenate forever. Caring: Friends would support in any Hercules task of yours. When you are in need of money or in case of a medical emergency... friends would be there to receive the call! So who fears life, when there is a friend beside us! -nirjara Click here for more Friendship Day Special articles   Trends in Friendship A True Friendship is good for your Health ! Rules in Friendship?? స్నేహం పేరుతో ఒక దేవుడు స్నేహం

Are you happy? Think again, because not being sad does not mean that you are happy. Today, let us discover some simple ways to invite happiness into our lives. Reading this, you will realize how you were pushing away happiness all the while. So, are you ready for happiness?   The first step is to ask yourself what you want from life and try to achieve it in all the legitimate ways. If your angry sleep it away. This will sooth your anger to a great extent. Studies say that expressing anger multiplies it a number of times while, sleeping it off can make you feel better. Another trick to remain happy is to train your mind to come out of its gloomy state. When your upset, make deliberate attempts to make yourself happy. Since emotions have a tendency to follow actions, you have a greater chance of success. Being able to accept failure is a very easy way to stay happy. Once you accept failure and learn from it, there be no cause for any negative emotions. Consuming food to over come a negative emotion is not a great idea. These can only give you momentary happiness, but they effect your health for a life time.   Instead you could buy something useful to make yourself happy. This again, should not be irrational purchase! Make sure you buy something that you need and wish to use for a long time. Spending hard earned money on something useful can lead to immense happiness. The next one is very important. Learn to be satisfied with things. In trying to get the best for yourself or the others, you are loosing an opportunity to see how you can be happy with what you have. There’s nothing wrong in looking for the best, but remember that being greedy can sometimes kill your happiness. Life is short friends, don’t waste it in being sad! Kruti Beesam

No one need to be informed about the working of a `STENT` in the heart surgery. Placing stents in the arteries is now a common practice during the angioplasty. In the early 90's these stents were imported and hence costly... pricing around Rs. 60,000/- Once Soma Raju of CARE foundation while chatting with Abdul Kalam , brought in the subject of costly stents. Normal people do leave the problem or just think over it. Very few get restless till they find the solution. Kalam was one such person! Both Kalam and Raju has decided to make a cheaper alternative for the imported stents. Kalam has already been the founder chairman of `The Society for Biomedical Technology` (SBMT) which was established under DRDO  in association with Department of Science and Technology (DST), and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. The aim of SBMT is to apply the latest technology to the medicine. Kalam along with his associates like Tiwari has tried a stent made of stainless steel which was otherwise used in naval ships. Such material was found to allow maximum flow of blood without any damage. It was indeed first coronary stent developed in India! The Kalam - Raju stent was an instant hit. Thousands of patients got implanted with it for a meagre 15,000/- SBMT has later developed a lot of procedures and instruments that has become the integral part of Indian Medical History. Prominent of them being the artificial limbs. The weight of artificial limbs that once were around 4 k.g was drastically cut down to 400 grams!  "I had seen these children struggling with the artificial limbs that weighed at least 4 kg. My team made one with composite heat materials used for rockets. This one is 10 times lighter," Kalam once said. That's not the end of his speech "When we launched the first indigenous rocket SPV 3, when we successfully sent Agni and tested nuclear weapons in Pokran, I was really very happy. But today when I see children run around and cycle with the artificial limbs we designed, it is sheer bliss" ...And let his soul be in bliss forever...   - NIRJARA.