Tips to remain Happy and stress free

Stress has become the cause of many illness in modern times. Both physical health and mental health are interconnected .So to remain healthy, one has to be both physically and mentally fit. Happiness is an outstanding characteristics of mental well being. Here are a few tips to remain happy and stress free.

1. Take a nutritious diet which is very important for both physical and mental health. Include lot of fresh fruits, vegetables, pulses, sprouts in your diet. Go for organic ones.
2. Take up a hobby (anything you like) besides your profession. It is a great way to relax and be happy. It relieves you of stress. Gardening is a wonderful hobby to be close with nature.
3. Go for an early morning walk and enjoy the fresh air, the birds chirping, the greenery, the beautiful sunrise ... It is a sure way to de-stress yourself .You will forget yourself in nature's wonders.
   
4. Listen to any music of your choice. It is a great way of relaxing.
5. Practice deep abdominal breathing as it reduces stress .When you inhale your stomach should bulge out, when you exhale it should go in. You can practice for a few minutes daily .
   
6. Yoga: Savasana or the corpse pose relaxes the body thoroughly. You can practice for 15 minutes daily.
   
7. Meditation: Practice meditation .You can learn from a person who is experienced in it. It is a surest way to reduce stress.
   
8. Go for a vacation: Take an occasional break from the routine and enjoy a lovely holiday.
   
9. Massage is a great way to de-stress yourself. Have a massage with essential oil or a warm scented bath.
   
10. Sleep is very essential for the body as it is rejuvenating and helps us to relax .
    
11. Laughter is the best medicine. Watch a humorous movie which is a wonderful way to relax.
    
12. Don't bottle up your emotions, share it with a trusted friend or write it in a piece of paper and tear it .
    
13. Plan your day well and practice time management techniques.
14. Always remember it is easy to change ourselves rather than trying to change someone else.
    
15. Be optimistic as it helps to lower stress.
    
16. Learn to accept realities.
    
17. Love yourself the way you are and be happy.

Make your own herbal shampoo:

Ingredients needed

1. Sikkakai -1 kg
2. Dried Lemon peels
3. Curry leaves (dried)
4. Hibiscus flowers (ordinary red flower alone)
5. Fenugreek -250 grams
6. Green gram - 250 grams
7. Soap nuts (deseed it ,dry it )-100 grams (optional)

Dry everything in the sun and give it for grinding to the flour mill or you can buy all these powder (pure) and mix it and use it.

Herbal shampoo of Bengal gram or green gram flour :

Mix green gram flour or Bengal gram flour with water and use it to wash your hair. The hair becomes soft, clean and shining.

Natural Teeth care

LAUGH YOUR WAY TO HEALTH

Our teeth has to last us a lifetime, so it is sensible to take care of them. Oral hygiene is very important and cannot be taken lightly. Here are some tips to take care of your teeth.

1. Brush twice a day both in the morning and before going to bed. Train children from childhood to do so. A soft angled brush with rounded bristles can be used.
   
   
2. Eat plenty of calcium rich food and protein as they are essential for healthy teeth.
   
   
3. Learn the proper way of brushing from your dentist. Special attention should be paid to the back teeth and gaps between the teeth. Floss regularly.
   
   
4. Change your toothbrush once in 2 months.
   
   
5. Massage your gums with your finger tip to improve blood circulation.
   
   
6. Avoid sugary foods and drinks to reduce your risk of tooth decay.

Home remedy for Bad Breath

Chew fennel seeds, cardamom seeds or mint to get rid of bad breath. Take 2 cloves after meals to freshen your breath.Chewing tender guava leaves helps to get rid of bad breath. Boil guava leaves in water for 10 minutes. After it cools, filter it and use that water as a mouthwash.Chew Parsley leaves to get rid of bad breath. You can boil few sprigs of parsley and 2-3 cloves in 2 cups of water. After it cools, strain it and use it to gargle several times a day

1. Gargle with salt (rock salt) water every night after meals.
   
   
2. Cleaning of tongue is also important for oral hygiene.
   
   
3. Use toothpaste containing fluoride.
   
   
4. Do not take very hot or very cold food.
   
   
5. Avoid smoking ,drinking alcohol and chewing tobacco.
   
   
6. Have a regular check up with your dentist.

Beauty recipes from the kitchen

1.Apricot:

Apricot anti aging pack:
Massaging face with apricot kernel oil moisturizes the skin and slows down the aging process.

Apricot fruit is a laxative and is used to cure constipation.

Mashed apricot applied on the face brightens the skin.Warm apricot kernel oil and massage into your scalp. It is a good hair conditioner.

2.Banana:

Banana anti-wrinkle mask:
Mash banana well and apply to the face. Rinse off after 15 minutes. It is an anti-wrinkle pack.

Banana pack for glowing skin:Mash banana until creamy, mix 3-4 drops of fresh lemon juice and 1/2 tsp of honey and apply to the face.

3.Potato:

Potato for dark circles:
Dark circles around the eyes can be reduced by applying raw potato juice.

Potato as skin toner:
It is also an excellent toner. Apply potato juice on the skin, leave it and wash it off after it driesPotato cleansing mask:
Mix potato juice, lemon juice, oatmeal and fuller's earth and apply it on the face. It is an excellent cleansing mask. It also tightens the skin and reduces pores.

4.Oatmeal:

Oatmeal cleansing mask:
It is an excellent cleanser. It removes the dirt and softens the skin. Mix it with raw milk and a few drops of honey and use it as a packOatmeal anti-wrinkle pack:
Mix oatmeal with a little curd, honey, egg white and almond paste to prevent wrinkles.

Oatmeal exfoliating mask:
Mix oatmeal with a little warm water and make it into a paste. Apply it on the face and wash it after it dries with warm water.

5.Honey:

Honey is a wonderful moisturizer and is especially great for dry skin.
Mix honey with raw milk and apply it to the face and wash it off after it dries.

Mix honey with lemon juice and apply it to the face to lighten the skin color.

Honey Mask for oily skin:
For oily skin, mix a tsp of honey with an egg white and apply on the face and neck, wash it off after 10 minutes.

6.Lemon:

Lemon Hair Mask:
Beat an egg and mix juice of 1 lemon and apply to the scalp. Wash it off after 20 minutes to stop hair fall.

Lemon anti-tan pack:
Lemon is a natural bleach. Mix 1 tsp of curd with a few drops of lemon juice and apply it to the face to lighten and bleach skin.

7.Sugar:

Sugar scrub:
Sugar can be used as a scrub. While washing face add sugar and a little lemon juice to the soap lather and scrub your face.

8.Salt:

Wash your face in warm water to which a little salt is added. It makes you feel fresh.Add 2 tbsp of salt to a tub of water and bathe in that water to remain fresh. It soothes tired muscles.Salt is also used as a scrub. Massage with a handful of salt on to wet skin after a shower. It will make skin smooth.Soak feet in warm water to which a little rock salt is added. It removes dead cells.

9.Fuller's Earth or Multani mutti: (it is a form of clay)
Fuller's earth acne pack:
It remove dirt and cleans the skin. Mixed with red sandalwood paste, rose water and a few drops of lemon juice, it makes an excellent pack for acne prone skin . If you have difficulty in getting red sandalwood paste, use the ordinary pure sandalwood paste

Fuller's earth pack for oily skin:
Fuller's earth with rose water can be used for oily skin to remove excess oil.

Fuller's earth skin firming pack:
Fuller's earth, egg white and sandalwood paste makes a wonderful skin firming pack. Use this once in a week.
10.Egg:

Egg conditioner pack:
Egg nourishes your hair because of the protein in it .Beat an egg well and apply it to the scalp and wash it off with herbal shampoo for silky hair.

Mix gooseberry powder, henna powder, egg white and apply to the scalp, wash it after half an hour with herbal shampoo. Do this every week for good hair growth.

Egg for fine lines below the eyes:
Apply a little egg white and wash it off after it dries with cold water to get rid of fine lines below the eyes. Apply every alternate day and you will see good results within a month.

Egg skin toning recipe:
Mix egg white with green gram flour and milk and apply to the face and scrub it off. This recipe tones and tightens the skin and also reduces blemishes.

11.Cucumber:

Cucumber is a natural toner that lightens the skin. Cucumber juice is used as an astringent to cleanse the skin. Graded cucumber applied over the face and neck prevents pimples, blackheads and dryness. It has cooling properties.

Cucumber anti-tan pack:
Mix cucumber paste with fuller's earth and lemon juice and apply to the skin. It is a wonderful soother, lightens freckles and an excellent anti-tan pack.

12.Almonds:

Almond scrub:
Almonds are rich source of vitamin E.
Almond powder mixed with oatmeal and milk can be used to exfoliate dry dull skin.

For dark hands, mix almond powder, sugar, milk cream and lemon juice together and use as a scrub.

Soak 4 - 5 almonds overnight, in the morning peel the skin, and eat it for a glowing skin. You can have 5-6 almonds everyday.

13.Papaya:

Mash papaya and apply it to the skin regularly. It clears blemishes, scars, freckles and wrinkles.

For oily skin, mix few drops of lemon juice to papaya pulp and apply it. Rinse it off after 20 minutes.

Papaya toning mask:
Grind papaya pulp until creamy, mix egg white and a few drops of lemon juice. Apply to face and remain for 20 minutes and wash it off with cold water.

14.Fenugreek:

Soak 2 tbsp of fenugreek seeds in water overnight and grind it in the morning and apply to the scalp .Wash after half an hour. This hair pack prevents dandruff and stops hair fall. It also makes the hair soft and silky.

Soak half a tsp of fenugreek seeds overnight in a glass of water and drink that water and chew the seeds in the morning on an empty stomach. It promotes hair growth. It has cooling properties. However people with sinus problems should avoid this.

15.Curd

Curd hair conditioning mask:
Curd is a good hair conditioner. Apply curd to your scalp and wash it off after 20 minutes with besan or green gram flour. If that is not possible, use herbal shampoo.

Curd refreshing face mask:
Take curd and apply it on the face and massage in upward direction. Dip a towel in hot water, squeeze it , and wipe your face. Then clean your face with cotton soaked in chilled rose water.

Health Recipes

Salads, Raitas & Ginger jam

Include fresh fruits, raw vegetables and sprouts in your diet as they can do wonders to your skin and hair and also made you a healthy person. Sprouts have lot of fiber and water and it is also a storehouse of vitamin, minerals and amino acids.
Here are a few health recipes which are very easy to prepare and saves you a lot of time. I have given a few recipes here, you can experiment with different combination using your imagination. You can even use sprouted peanuts, sprouted fenugreek, sprouted sesame seeds or even other cooked seeds

1.SPROUTED GREEN GRAM SALAD:

Mix graded carrots, finely chopped tomatoes and sprouts together. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to it. Season with mustard, green chillies and finely chopped ginger. Garnish with coriander or parsley leaves. You can mix puffed rice before serving which is optional.

2.MIXED VEGETABLE SALAD:

Mix finely chopped or graded beetroot, cabbage, carrots, capsicum together. Add finely chopped tomatoes, cucumber, ginger, cauliflower (After boiling it in hot water containing salt to remove worms if any) and sprouted green gram. Mix lemon juice, salt and pepper (optional). Season with finely chopped green chillies and mustard. Garnish with coriander leaves.

3.PLAIN GREEN GRAM SALAD:

Take sprouted green gram and add juice of lemon according to taste. Add salt to taste. Season with mustard, graded ginger and finely chopped green chilies. Garnish with coriander leaves.

4.CUCUMBER RAITA:

Mix finely chopped cucumber and tomato and add curd (fat free) to it. Add salt to taste. Season with green chillies and mustard. Garnish with coriander leaves.

5.WHITE PUMPKIN RAITA:

Grade white pumpkin and add salt to it. Then drain the excess water after 10 minutes. Mix curd and season with mustard and finely chopped green chillies. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves. You can do this with radish also. Instead of pumpkin use graded radish.

6.PLANTAIN STEM SALAD:

Take tender stem and cut it into thin round slices. Add lemon juice, salt and season with mustard and finely chopped chillies. Garnish with coriander leaves.

7. PLANTAIN STEM RAITA:

Chop tender plantain stem, add curd and salt to it. Season with mustard and green chillies and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

8.GOOSEBERRY RAITA:

Steam 6-7 gooseberries, deseed it. Grind it along with a tsp of coconut and green chillies to paste .Mix curd to it and add salt to taste. Season it with mustard and garnish it with coriander leaves. If you prefer you can use raw gooseberry also.

9.VALLARAI (A TYPE OF GREEN FOUND IN INDIA) RAITA:

Wash the leaves well, chop it finely and mix it with curd. Add salt to taste. This is excellent for improving memory. Season it with mustard if needed.

10.DATES AND GINGER JAM:

Wash ginger and dry it well. Scrap the skin and cut it. Soak ginger, dry grapes and dates in honey overnight. Grind everything together. Now cook this paste over a vessel of boiling water for some time. Cool it and use it. Take half or 1 teaspoon of this jam daily.

11.GREEN GRAM PANCAKE:
Soak 1 cup of full Green gram, (Moong dhal) quarter cup of broken green gram dhal and 1 1/2 tablespoon of raw rice for five hours. Drain the water and grind it along with green chillies, ginger, onion and salt. Season it with jeera, finely chopped onion and green chillies. Heat tava, spread the batter and make crispy dosas. Serve it hot with tomato ketchup.

12.POTATO RAITA:
Boil potatoes, peel the skin and smash it well. Cool it and add salt and curd to it. Season it with finely chopped chillies and mustard. Garnish with coriander (finely chopped) leaves. Serve chilled.

Natural Tips to Delay aging

Everyone wants to look young and trim. Though we cannot prevent ageing we can definitely delay ageing by making changes in our lifestyle. We must do everything we can, to prevent age related diseases and live a healthy and happy life. Here are some tips which will help you to stay young.

Diet :

Diet plays a very important role in helping us to remain young. We must have a balanced diet. We are what we eat. What we eat reflects on our skin and body. First develop a regular eating habit like eating at a proper time. Include lot of raw vegetables and fruits in your diet. Avoid junk food and fried food. Sugar makes you look older, so you can substitute sugar with honey and fruits. Include five servings of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Red, yellow, orange, fruits and vegetables and greens are rich in antioxidants which helps us to delay aging. Green tea is rich in antioxidant and also strengthens our resistance against diseases. Include almonds, olive oil (use it as a cooking medium) fenugreek, in your diet as they are rich in antioxidants and helps to slow down the aging process. As we grow older, we must stick to simple and easily digestible food. One can observe fasting to detoxify oneself after consulting the doctor. People who eat a nutritious diet remain younger, tend to age slower, look trim, healthier and are more active than others.

Yoga :

The age old tradition of yoga is said to have emerged in India some 5000 yrs ago. It is one of the surest ways to age gracefully, if practiced regularly. It gives flexibility to the body, prevents age related diseases, improves immunity and slows aging of the skin, thereby helping us to remain young. In yoga, it is said that the more flexible the spine is, the more youthful the person is. Yoga improves the flexibility of the spine and increases the elasticity of our body. It gives a good figure, improves blood circulation, energizes you and helps you to remain young and fit. Not only does yoga has physical benefits but also psychological benefits. It improves our self confidence. Learn yoga only from a good, qualified yoga teacher. Pranayama (breathing techniques) is very beneficial to the body and the mind and it oxygenates our cells and helps us to remain young.

Sleep :

Good sound sleep not only rejuvenates our body but also strengthens
our immunity to various diseases thereby helping us to remain young.

Massage :

It is skin which shows our age. So keep your skin hydrated andmoisturized. Massage your skin with sweet almond oil or coconut oil once ina fortnight to delay aging. Massage helps us to feel relaxed and energizesus. It improves blood circulation and keeps your skin wrinkle free.Do not massage when your stomach is full or when you are sick.

Mental Health :

Always keep yourself engaged. Read a book, do crosswordpuzzles, sudoku to keep your brain active. Enjoy friendships, foster good relationship with family members, learn a new hobby, maintain interest as these will help to reduce stress and make you feel happy.Be optimistic in life and learn to forgive others. Dress well, love yourself, try to have a new look as it makes you feel happy and helps you to remain young. By having Strong family ties, good friendships, healthy diet, good mental health and staying physically active, one can age gracefully.

Nail Care

Appearance of the nails tells us a lot about the health condition of a person, so caring for the nails and keeping them clean is very important. Below are few tips for healthy nails1.Massage nails with lemon rind or lemon juice and wash it off after sometime. This also removes strains from the nails.

2.Include food rich in calcium, protein, vitamin C, vitamin B and zinc in your diet. Milk, eggs, curd, sesame seeds, figs, peanuts, almonds, chick peas, greens, sprouts are all rich in calcium. Include fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet.

3.Take 1 tsp of gelatin and dissolve in a little boiling water, cool it and use it in your fruit juice. You can take this for a week.

4. Wear gloves to protect your hands and nails while doing house work and other messy work.

5.Soak your nails in warm olive oil once in 10 days to keep them healthy and well nourished.

6.Massage your cuticles with a good quality moisturizing cream. This will improve blood circulation around the nails and also prevent brittle nails.

7.Massage nails with olive oil or pure almond oil. This is a very effective natural home remedies for brittle nails.

8. Always use good quality nail polish. Do avoid wearing nail polish continuously so that your nails can breathe.

9. Trim your nails after a bath or shower as it makes them softer and will result in a more even cut.

10.Have manicures on a regular basis.

11.Finally drink lot of water and be free of stress.