DAILY TIPS FOR HEALTHY HAIR

DAILY TIPS FOR HEALTHY HAIR

·         Some common reasons for falling hair are improper diet, lack of proper vitamins, poor blood circulation, excessive stress, anxiety and worries, unclean scalps, genetic factors, and prolonged illnesses like typhoid, anemia, dysentery, jaundice etc.

·         Drink a glass of water with flaxseed on an empty stomach, for hair-growing Omega-3 acid.

·         Begin every day by eating one emblic myrobalan.

·         Soak 5 almonds every night in water and eat them with their skin on.

·         Get plenty of fluids like buttermilk, lime juice and coconut water throughout the day.

·         Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water every day.

·         Eat a bowl of sprouted pulses daily for proteins.

·         Reduce you daily intake of tea and coffee.

·         When you are washing hair, use a teaspoon of lime juice for the last rinse, to make your hair lustrous while protecting it from dandruff.

·         Drink two glasses of skimmed milk for maximum benefits.

·         Apply a paste of fenugreek seeds on your scalp for half an hour once every week, and drink fenugreek water on an empty stomach.

·         Eat at least 2 or 3 fruits every day like strawberries, bananas, apples, mangoes, sapodilla plums and grapes.

·         Eat a lot of vegetables, including iron-rich spinach.

·         Eggs and white meat like fish and chicken are good for your hair, but stay away from red meat.

AEROBIC & ANAEROBIC EXERCISES

AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC EXERCISES

·         People are generally more familiar with aerobic exercises than anaerobic exercises.

·         Both these forms have their advantages and it is necessary to include both in a workout.

·         For a beginner, it is important to have a good low intensity aerobic base before going on to high intensity anaerobic training.

·         Increase the intensity of your workout gradually, as warming up and cooling down are important in any form of exercise.

1. What is an aerobic exercise?

·         Aerobic means ‘with oxygen’.

·         In any aerobic activity, oxygen is required to keep muscles in motion.

·         Aerobic exercise is a low to moderate intensity activity sustained for a long duration.

·         Aerobic exercises include activities like walking, jogging, cycling and swimming.

2. What is an anaerobic exercise?

·         In an anaerobic exercise, muscles make use of glycogen from carbohydrates.

·         When glycogen is burnt in the absence of oxygen, it gives off an end-product called ‘lactic acid’, which causes muscle fatigue.

·         That is why anaerobic activity is a high intensity exercise limited to short durations.

·         Anaerobic exercises include activities like sprinting and weight lifting.

3. What are the benefits of aerobic exercises?

·         Aerobic exercises are also called cardio exercises.

·         A beginner should start with low intensity aerobic exercises for a few weeks for building on the fitness level.

·         They help in reducing risk of lifestyle diseases and help in weight management.

·         Being low intensity, they are suitable for all age groups, including pregnant women, the elderly and people with heart ailments, asthma, hypertension, diabetes and obesity.

4. What are the benefits of anaerobic exercises?

·         They make your muscles stronger and help decrease body fat.

·         A strength training routine helps build muscle mass and increases bone density.

·         They also boost metabolism, leading to more calorie burn.

·         They also help improve your aerobic capacity.

·         An anaerobic training should be started after consulting your doctor, and always under trained instructors, as its excess can lead to burnout.

BEING A BUDGET BEAUTY

BEING A BUDGET BEAUTY

·         You can save money and still hoard goodies to remain beautiful.

1. Set priorities

·         Don't compromise with things like hair and eyebrows which take a while to grow back.

·         Avoid going to an inexperienced hair stylist, just because he or she charges lesser than the rest.

·         Stick to a skin care regime that suits you well, even if it is a little expensive.

·         The better your skin, the lesser you’ll need to spend on makeup to make it perfect.

2. Stick to essentials

·         When you are on a budget, don't experiment with new costly products, brands or colours.

·         Know what you use regularly and what’s in your stock, and then spend your money accordingly.

·         Stick to basics, which include one foundation, powder, blush, concealer, eyeliner, and mascara.

·         Choose two or three shades of eye shadow, lipstick, and lip gloss to mix-and-match colours for a good variety of make up looks.

·         For special occassions, just visit the makeup counter at your local cosmetic store, to get a free makeover and flawless look for the night, without having to buy products you will never use again.

3. Make them at home

·         It’s quite simple to make natural beauty products in your kitchen, as per the quantity you require.

·         Browse through the web for simple recipes with basic ingredients like honey, curd, and eggs.

4. Opt for a traveling beauty professional

·         Instead of visiting a high-end parlour, opt for a beauty professional who travels and doesn’t own a salon, as he or she does not have to pay for a shop rental.

·         Besides being cheaper, they even come to your home and you save on travel time and money.

5. Buy cosmetics on sale

·         Find out online stores and vendors that sell cheaper branded cosmetics of your choice.

·         If  your favourite cosmetics go on sale, or you receive discount coupons for them, take advantage and stock them.

6. Buy in bulk

·         Certain beauty stores have sales on their large packs like ‘buy 1 get 1 free’ scheme.

·         This is when you can stock up on your regular products at cheap prices, as beauty products don’t spoil unless you stop using them totally.

7. Squeeze it out

·         Don’t throw out products before they are used up just for buying new ones.

·         Cut the end off empty tubes and squeeze out the last drops, especially of expensive brands.

·         Use them completely but do pay attention to expiry dates, especially of makeup products.

·         If your favourite scent doesn’t spray any more, pour it into your body wash, or an unscented moisturizer, to get most use out of it.

8. Try experimenting

·         If you always stick to expensive brand products, you may not realize that other reasonable brands exist at half the price and offer similar quality.

·         Experiment with other known brands to see if the cheaper product is an acceptable substitute.

·         If not comfortable with the cheaper brand, you can always revert to your expensive brand.

9. Avail special offers at the beauty parlour

·         Ask your beauty parlour or spa to put you on their mailing or messaging list to learn about their discounts, special offers and combo deals, which they come out with from time to time.

10. Choose a hairstyle that is easy to maintain

·         The shorter your hair the more often you will have to get your hair cut, and you’ll have to spend a good amount of your beauty budget on your hair.

·         Go for a hairstyle that is medium to long in length, and preferably layered hair, as you can usually stretch your haircuts for 2-3 months with occasional trims in between visits.

11. Touch up your roots at home

·         Go to a stylist to colour your entire hair, as you may end up with uneven tones at home.

·         But you can always do a touch up at home, which will save you frequent visits.

·         A box of hair dye costs much less than what a hair salon usually charges for a touch up.

·         If you haven’t tried it before, ask a friend to help you to avoid missing sections.

12. Pamper your feet at home

·         Manicures and pedicures are very costly, and can be easily done at home.

·         What you’ll need is a small tub, a nail filer, a nail cutter, a foot scrub, and your favourite nail colour, to copy your beauty parlour.

·         But, do not push your cuticles or attempt to cut them at home as it may damage your skin.

CHEST PAIN AND HEART ATTACK

CHEST PAIN AND HEART ATTACK

·         Heart attack is one of the leading causes of death the world over.

·         It is therefore important to know how and what to do between the time a person is suspected to have a heart attack and the time the person reaches a hospital.

·         Pain in the chest region could be due to acidity, muscle pain, bone-cage pain, a tear in a major blood vessel, a sudden block in a vessel in the lungs or spondylitis.

·         If there is pain on pressing the chest, it is more likely to be a muscular or bone pain.

·         If there is pain behind the breast bone and burning in nature, it could be hyperacidity.

·         Cardiac pain is normally very severe, and is accompanied by sweating and vomiting, and can radiate to the left upper limb, upper abdomen or even lower part of the face.

1. Immediate Do’s and Don’ts

·         Do not fall prey to non-scientific modes of treatment.

·         If antacids and painkillers don’t work, call an ambulance and rush the patient to a hospital.

·         If the patient can be moved, shift him from the bed to the floor.

·         Keep him in lying down posture, loosen his clothing and rush him to the nearest hospital.

·         Don’t call the doctor home as there’s little he can do on his own.

·         If short of breath, then recline the patient partially and make him cough intermittently.

·         While waiting for the ambulance, make him chew an Aspirin (300 mg) tablet if he is conscious.

·         Give him one Sorbitrate tablet under the tongue, but if there is profuse sweating (i.e. drop in blood pressure), then don’t give it.

·         Give spoonfuls of glucose powder on or under the tongue frequently, but don’t give sweet drinks.

·         If you can’t feel the pulse in the neck, give a firm thump in the middle of the chest with closed fists, and start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) till help arrives.

·         Ensure that the airways are clear of dentures and foreign objects before starting CPR.

2. Cardiac Massage

·         Place palm on lower part of breast bone.

·         Place heel of the other hand on the first bone.

·         Keep both the hands straight, and press downwards about 3-5 cm and release abruptly.

·         Continue this about 60 times a minute.

3. Mouth-to-mouth breathing

·         Following every 5^th chest compression, the operator should place his mouth on that of the patient after taking a deep and full breath.

·         Keeping the patient’s nostrils pinched, he should breathe in fully into the latter’s mouth.

·         Cardiac massage and mouth-to-mouth breathing can be done by two separate persons for better results.

4. When Alone

·         Don’t panic when you have a heart attack when alone.

·         Take an Aspirin (300 mg).

·         Take a deep breath and follow it by a deep cough (as if you are clearing phlegm from the chest).

·         Repeat deep breathing followed by coughing every two seconds till help arrives, or until the heart starts beating normally again.

·         Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart for blood circulation to regain normal rhythm.

5. At the hospital

·         Do not depend on the first-aid to benefit as every moment is precious in case of a heart attack.

·         Reach the nearest ICU or advanced treatment facility for heart.

·         Do not go to outpatient clinic of a doctor or hospital, but reach the emergency section or casualty.

·         Do not prolong consent issues and act fast by giving blanket consent for fast treatment facilities.

·         Let experts act, as it’s do-or-die situation in crisis.

·         Give your consent to clot buster or blood thinner medication or direct angiography and primary angioplasty as it gives ideal results immediately after heart attack in the first 90 minutes.

BREAKFAST IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL

BREAKFAST IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL

·         Breakfast is simply breaking your fast in the morning, 10-12 hours after your last food.

·         During sleep, your body digests the stomach's food, empties it,  and metabolism slows down.

·         So, breakfast is an important meal to continue the body's digestive and metabolic processes.

A. HARMFUL EFFECTS OF A POOR BREAKFAST

·         People often miss, or skip, or have little breakfast for reasons like hurrying to work, sending off children to school, not feeling sufficiently hungry in the morning, or dieting to lose weight.

·         Deprivation of vital nutrients and energy for starting the day, results in low blood sugar, listlessness, sluggishness, fatigue, irritability, and low concentration during the day.

·         It also leads to buildup of gastric acid in the stomach, leading to acidity and stomach ulcers.

·         Your body then craves for food and you usually eat unhealthy high-fat and high-calorie convenience foods as a quick-fix, resulting in sudden short-lived energy or sugar boost, and cause your pancreas to release more insulin to bring sugar levels back to normal.

·         It also increases the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, irritability or mood swings, menstrual irregularity, low energy levels, low memory and hormonal stress.

B. ADVANTAGES OF A PROPER BREAKFAST

·         A good healthy breakfast provides us with an early boost of essential nutrients like glucose, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, giving us a sense of well-being.

·         It also boosts our metabolism and fat burning processes throughout the day and we are able to concentrate and be more productive during the day, which gives us a sense of wellbeing.

·         A good breakfast promotes healthy physical and mental growth of children and prevents them from bingeing on unhealthy snacks in school, helping in controlling their body weight.

C. AN IDEAL HEALTHY BREAKFAST

·         A healthy breakfast provides 25% of the total energy and nutrients required by the body.

·         Ideally, it should comprise a perfect combination of carbohydrates, proteins and fibre.

·         Also include high fibre fruits like apples, papayas, muskmelons, oranges or watermelons.

D. WHAT TO AVOID IN BREAKFAST

·         Strictly avoid processed, deep fried or oily food, preserved meat, left over or junk food, cakes, pastries, refined foods like white rice and white bread, and only juices.

·         Stay away from doughnuts, cookies, potato chips, candy bars and sodas.

·         Also avoid food items which are loaded with fat, salt and calories and have very little fibre.

E. IDEAL BREAKFAST FOR ATHLETES

·         Eat a high carbohydrate, low fat meal like cereal, skim milk, banana / fruit smoothie, one toast / egg white sandwich and fruit, before your training runs.

·         Never run on an empty stomach, and remain hydrated during and post run.

·         Reload carbohydrates within an hour post run to prevent reduction in the glycogen levels.

·         Adequate proteins are needed so that the body can recoup wear and tear well.

·         High fibre and vitamin intake through fruits, vegetables, soups, juices and smoothies must be included daily.

FOODS FOR A HAPPY MOOD

FOODS FOR A HAPPY MOOD

1. Sweet potatoes

·         They are rich in folate and help keep blood sugar steady.

2. Peanuts

·         One of the best sources of the mood-boosting mineral selenium, which wards off anxiety.

3. Fish

·         Fish, like sardine and mackerel, are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which help the brain to interpret moods and boost the levels of concentration.

4. Eggs

·         They contain zinc, which helps you to feel more awake and energetic by regulating your metabolism and blood sugar.

5. Yoghurt

·         Rich in calcium and protein, it is also a great food to ease mood swings, depression and anxiety.

6. Spinach

·         Rich in iron, it’s a great energy booster and wards off fatigue and aids concentration.

·         It is also a good source of vitamin B6 and folate, which are essential for the brain’s ability to produce mood-boosting neurotransmitters.

FOOD RULES FOR CURING MOOD SWINGS

·         Avoid sugary foods like biscuits, cakes, chocolate and fizzy drinks.

·         Be careful with fruit juices packed with concentrated sugar to avoid rapid rise in blood sugar.

·         Switch from white carbohydrates to wholegrain carbs, like whole wheat breads, whole meal pasta and brown rice, which will keep your energy levels steady.

·         Eat leaner protein, like nuts, chicken and fish, all of which provide long-lasting energy to overcome sluggishness, and also help suppress food cravings.

·         Switch from booze, a calorie-packed depressant, to a glass of grapes-based wine.