Bhindi Masala Recipe

Ingridents :

2 pounds bhindi
2 onions (chopped)
1 tblsp ginger garlic paste
1 tblsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp red chilly powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp amchur powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
oil 

How to make bhindi masala:

• Wash and cut bhindi in halves.
• Heat oil in a wok or kadai.Add cumin seeds and let it splutter.
• Add chopped onions and ginger garlic paste.Fry till golden brown.
• Now add cut bhindi with rest off the spices and stir well.
• Cook it on medium flame and keep stirring it ocassionaly so it does not stick at bottom.
• Keep feying till bhindis are cooked.
• Serve bhindi masala hot with chapatis.

CHINGRI MACHER KOFTA RECIPE

Ingredients:

for kofta
2 big size onions (finely chopped)
salt to taste
500 gms prawns (small)
2 tblsp breadcrumbs
2 tsp mustard oil
4 green chillies (finely chopped)
2 tblsp ghee
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup coconut
1 tblsp coriander leaves chopped
1 egg
 

Grind To A Paste
1 large Onion
2 " Turmeric
1 " Ginger

How to make chingri macher kofta :

• Shell, de-vein and wash the prawns.
• Then boil them.
• When cooked, grind to make a smooth paste.
• Mix in the salt, onions, green chillies and cut coriander leaves.
• When the mixture is well blended, form into 12 balls, dip in beaten egg and roll in bredcrumbs.
• Fry in hot mustard oil.
• Keep aside.
• Extract milk from the coconut.
• Grind the big size onion, garam masala, turmeric, ginger to a fine paste for the gravy.
• Heat up oil in a saucepan.
• When it smokes, fry the bay leaves and ground masala for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring all the time and adding a little water to keep the spices from scorching.
• Gradually stir in the coconut milk extract and a little salt.
• Mix in the koftas and allow the curry to simmer (boil slowly at low temperature) for about 10 minutes, till the gravy becomes rich and thick.
• Pour out pure ghee on top just before serving.

Must Read: Foods That Cause Headaches

Headaches disrupt daily life without warranting any special care. We tend to take them for granted simply because they are seldom attached to any serious or debilitating health conditions. Whether the real cause of your excruciating headache is a mild cold or extreme stress, you don't think twice before popping a pill to quell its crippling effects. Most experts are of the opinion that routine headaches can be solved with attention to detail regarding diet and fitness. Today i bring you the top seven headache triggering food items, which you're best off avoiding. 

Aged Cheese: Milk is pretty high in protein content, which is an essential component of cheese. Protein, when broken down in the body, leads to production of tyramine. So be sure of the type or kind of cheese you are consuming and stick to moderate quantities when eating.

Alcohol: Alcohol of any sort tends to cause heaviness and headaches because alcohol thins the blood. So keep a tab on the amount of alcohol you drink and stay away from mixing drinks - a common cause behind hangovers that ultimately result in dull headaches for days.

Artificial food colours: Colouring agents present in dessert items, process food items and tinned foods can often lead to allergic reactions or headaches. So, the best bet is to stick to fresh produce and stay away from processed food items as much as you can.

Chocolates: This may sound a bit unusual, but if you are allergic to cocoa then you may have sinus headaches, even if you consume a bit of chocolate. Phenylethylamine and theobromine are the two key components present in chocolate which can lead to dilation of blood vessels.

Coffee: Coffee can work in both ways - for some it can be the chief reason for treating their headaches and for some just the opposite, one of the main triggers of headaches. Caffeine when mixed with magnesium in the body can lead to headaches. And let us not forget how withdrawal symptoms of coffee can also lead to the headaches.

Junk Foods: The chief component in junk foods is mono-sodium glutamate which is one of the worst headache triggers. Also, junk food takes extra time for the body to digest, often leading to a sudden rush of blood to the brain, again leading to headaches.

Nicotine: Nicotine leads to an onset of vascular activity in the brain which could lead to a sharp tingling feeling in the head. Several studies have shown that people who reduce their nicotine content, tend to reduce their recurrence of headache by 50%.

Celeb Fitness Mantras: Esha Gupta

I neither put on nor lose weight easily. Three days ago, I tried on a gown and now it’s almost an inch loose for me. You can even see the weight loss on my face,” says Esha Gupta while her friend and make-up artist is taking his time getting the Jannat 2 actor’s eyeliner just right.

As far as her body goes, the ex-Miss India does not have much to worry about. Her high metabolic rate and healthy eating habits have kept her hot bod sizzling without too much work in the gym. With a combination of yoga and gym exercises, Esha can turn her body bikini-perfect for a shoot in less than a week. She lets us in on how it works.

Gym beginnings
As a child I was chubby. I was into sports and was too tomboyish to care about how I looked. It was only in college, after I started losing all the baby fat, that I realised I may be a good looking person.I remember when I did my first calendar shoot, my sister’s friends wondered if I could ever carry off a bikini. They are still surprised that I got into modelling. The baby fat stayed for a long time, almost until I was 18. I won the Miss India title a year later.It was during Miss India that I first realised that I should workout. I saw all these girls taking so much care of their bodies. I was into yoga, my father who is a retired air force man, started me on it when I was 11. If I have been fit, it is thanks to sports and flexible because of yoga. But looking at Deanne Pandey train everyone, I got into gymming too.

Perfect day
I never get bored of a workout, because I feel great after a session. I currently have a lot going on, so I don’t get to exercise that much. But on a usual day, I go to my building gym in Andheri. I cannot exercise at home. I need to have that mirror in front of me, and that whole vibe of other people working out around me. I do an hour of weights, which include sides and abs, followed by 30 minutes of cardio with crossfit. I alternate the two. So if I do 20 minutes of cardio, I follow that up with 10 minutes of crossfit and vice versa. I like working out in the mornings, but it depends on the day.Injury tornI alternate cardio and crossfit because of a knee injury I suffered when I fell down as a kid. There is a gap between the bones that hold the knee together. This is why I practise yoga without fail. Even if I can’t workout I start my day with Surya Namaskar. While I don’t do complex stuff, I feel like my body opens up with yoga. I always do it before a cardio session.

Food intake
I am vegetarian and I love my food. The moment I wake up I have to eat. If I don’t eat, I feel like my blood pressure is dropping. I get crabby if I have gone more than half an hour without eating.

I space out my meals through the day. I start my day with two toasts of multigrain bread and a cup of tea. Three hours later I have the Apple, Beet, Carrot (ABC) juice, which Abhay Deol introduced me to. It sounds awful but it tastes pretty good. This I have with three egg whites which are either boiled, scrambled or made into an omelet. For lunch I have something light, like dimsums, or a soup or a salad. Another three hours later, in the evening I have Bournvita. My dinner comprises dal, sabzi and a chapatti. I know people say you shouldn’t eat curd at night, but I’m a north Indian, I can’t go without curd. I also have fruits throughout the day. Right now, I’m going through an orange phase. I eat it so much that people tell me I’ll turn into an orange.

Cheater eater
You can’t really call it cheating because I don’t have a diet per se. But I balance my meals. If I have carbs in the evening, I won’t do that at night. I have never had a dietician and I never will, unless I get a disease. I enjoy cooking for people I am close to. So I make these cheesy Italian dishes, have a couple of bites, and make my sister eat the rest, while I gorge on the salad. If I had one wish, I’d ask god to make all the fatty foods healthy.

How to Beat These Common Foot Problems

The average pair of feet has a lot to contend with. Not only are they tasked with carrying your entire body weight for up to 10,000 steps a day, they are squashed into an unhealthy array of sweaty trainers, smelly socks, high heels and flip-flops.
   
Majority of men and women who suffer from foot problems are wearing the wrong kind of shoes for too long and not taking proper care of their feet.
   
Here’s the low-down on the most common foot problems and how to beat them.

Corns and calluses 
What are they?
Thick, hardened layers of skin that develop on bony areas of the feet, particularly over joints. They are caused by badly fitting shoes that rub and can be painful or unsightly.

Treat it: If the corn is very painful it is best to see a chiropodist. They can remove the corns or, in more serious cases, may fit you for orthotic insoles that sit in your shoes and will correct any imbalance in the way you walk.

Prevent it: Avoid shoes that are too tight or have very high heels, which compress areas of your foot, or those that are too loose, as your foot will slide and rub. Remove early signs of hardened skin with a pumice stone.

Bunions
What are they?
Painful bony swellings at the base of the big toe, which can be a result of shoes that cramp the feet. Bunions can run in families.

Treat it: You can buy pads from an orthotic clinic that will ease the pressure on the big toe joint, along with specially-made orthotic insoles that will help the feet work properly. In more severe cases, surgery can remove the swollen tissue and part of the bone.

Prevent it: Make sure your shoes don’t squash your toes together — there should be space between the tip of your toes and the end of the shoe. Avoid heels higher than two and a quarter inches for long periods as they tilt the foot forward forcing the toes together.

Verrucas
What are they?
Verrucas are warts caused by a viral infection normally found on the soles of the feet or between the toes. Some can start as a small pink area with a few black dots which develop into a larger brown area with hardened skin. But other types can present differently. The key is to watch out for skin changes.

Treat it: If the verruca doesn’t hurt, it’s best to leave it alone and let your body’s immune system tackle it — or you can try over-thecounter treatments available with your chemist. If it is large or painful, a chiropodist can freeze thearea to kill the virus.

Prevent it: Verrucas are caught through contact with the virus, which thrives in damp areas such as swimming pools and communal showers, so it pays to always wear flip-flops until you’re in the water.

Athlete’s foot
What is it?
A fungal infection that causes sore, itchy patches of skin between the toes, which then crack and flake. It may have an unpleasant smell and toenails can become infected, thickening and turning brown.

Treat it: Try over-the-counter remedies available with your chemist. If the toenail is infected, you will need to see a chiropodist so they can file down the nail and prescribe a topical solution to fight the infection.

Prevent it: Change your socks or tights daily, and don’t wear the same shoes two days in a row. Sandals also help as they allow air to circulate between the toes. Dry the region between your toes after baths and showers as the fungus thrives on moisture.

Fallen arches
What are they?
This common complaint happens as the arch of the foot collapses and becomes flat. It can cause painful, achy feet and calves.

Treat it: Treatment involves pain relief and special insoles. In severe cases, surgery may be required.

Prevent it: Avoid high heels for long periods. Because heels cause your tendons to tighten, your ankle can’t bend properly, and so the tendons in your foot arch to try to compensate and can break or collapse.

In grown toenails
What are they?
When growing nails become painfully imbedded in the skin at the sides.

Treat it: Soaking feet in saltwater can prevent infection and reduce swelling. Don’t cut the toenail yourself — see a chiropodist as soon as possible. If the toes become infected, they may have to remove the nail splinter under local anaesthetic.

Prevent it: Don’t cut your toenails too short — follow the outline of your toe and file away any sharp edges. Avoid badly-fitting shoes that are either too loose or cramp the toes together.

Why do we get stressed?

In 2009, Australian research suggested that one in two of us will have problems with stress during our lifetimes.

Studies on stress in the workplace

Studies have shown that the most stressful occupations in Britain are: the prison service, the police, social work and teaching – closely followed by a whole range of NHS jobs, including nursing and doctoring.
In addition, there's the massive problem of ‘post-traumatic stress’, which is common in certain occupations. For instance, in 2009, many cases of post-traumatic stress disorder are being seen in Britain’s armed forces.
In general terms, many experts believe that most stress in the UK occurs because of our long hours culture.
In February 2007, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) reported that the average employee does almost an extra day’s work (seven hours) per week in overtime.
And in many offices, individuals are working far longer hours – notably in accounting, advertising, law, IT, public relations and broadcasting.
So does this long hours culture matter when we think about stress?

Long hours and stress

Long hours on the job may be viewed by some employers as a way of getting more work done. But in the longer term the consequences of this work pattern appears to be that it:

• increases sickness absences
• increases workplace stress
• has serious health and safety implications
• contributes to low morale in the organisation.

All this means is, we need to look carefully at our lifestyles to try to limit the amount of stress we're suffering.

What happens to us physically when we're stressed?

We are all born with an instinctive stress response.

• Whenever a potentially dangerous situation arises, stress hormones are released into our bloodstream.
• They cause instant mental and physical change in us, giving added strength and endurance, and make us feel pumped-up and ready to fight.
• Stress hormones also enable us to run away much faster than we could normally manage.

This response is generally called the 'fight or flight syndrome'.
The fight or flight syndrome was vital when we used to live in the wild and were liable to attack from other tribes or wild animals. We still use it today.
Suppose someone tried to snatch your child while you were shopping.
Your mouth would go dry, your hands sweaty, your heart would pound and you'd feel terror-stricken. But you'd probably also find yourself filled with strength and determination, and think nothing of screaming and thumping the assailant until he let go.
Your automatic response would be to fight, and, with luck, it would save the day.
If you saw a bull coming towards you, your instinct would be to run away. Your stress hormones would help you to run faster than normal until you were out of danger.
So, if this stress response is so terrific, what's the problem?

Over-active stress hormones

Instead of using these stress hormones in emergencies, we are now living at such a pace that we activate them all the time – like when we are going to miss a train or can't get onto the Internet, or we worry about finishing a report at work.
Our stress hormones get most of us as fired-up as sprinters crouched and waiting for the starting-gun.
Unlike athletes, most tense people don't get the release of the race itself. Nor do they give their bodies and minds sufficient time and space to rest after each stress-filled moment.
With no release, your stress hormones keep on working, which is why there are so many people around who lose their tempers at the slightest provocation, or who show signs of road rage, supermarket-trolley rage and so on.

Women and stress

A US study by Professor Shelley Taylor has found that women cope with stress better than men because of their female hormones.
Professor Taylor believes that in history women often didn't have the option to fight or flee because they were frequently pregnant or encumbered by small children.
Instead, women developed a more suitable strategy, which was to 'tend and befriend'. So a woman would look after children and do what she could to keep them safe, but she would also enlist help from a female friend.
The key to this behaviour was, and is, a female hormone called oxytocin. Professor Taylor's team believe it is this difference that accounts for women seeking out other women to talk to when the going gets tough.
Whether or not you go along with all of this, far more women than men discuss their stresses with a friend.
However, there are an awful lot of women who are incapacitated by severe stress and who are suffering exactly the same sort of stress-related symptoms that we see in men.

So how can we deal with stress?

• We can make changes, so that our lives are not so stressful and learn how to deal with stress.
• We can learn stress management techniques, so that we can deal with the parts of our stressful lives that simply cannot be changed at that time.
• If in doubt, don't suffer stress in silence. Seek help!

9 ways to reduce stress

Learn Bo-Tau (Breath Optimised Transformational Unblocking)

 

This technique helps you use your lungs to lower your stress load. 'When we're anxious we breathe faster, which lowers levels of calming carbon dioxide in our blood, increasing stress further,' says neuropsychologist and Bo-Tau creator Dr David Lewis.

At its simplest level, Bo-Tau drops the number of breaths you take from an average of 12 to 14 a minute, to just three — inhaling for 5 seconds, holding for 5 seconds, exhaling for 10 seconds. This slows the heartbeat and increases production of calming alpha brainwaves. 

Have a cup of green tea

Experts in China have found that polyphenols in green tea reduce the damaging impact of stress on the brain while increasing levels of calming chemicals in the body. For maximum chill power, Bruce Ginsberg from tea company Dragonfly suggests using loose tea in a clear teapot, 'to allow you to see the beautiful patterns and movement as the leaves unfurl'.

As the perfect green tea takes one to three minutes to brew, watching the swirling leaves works brilliantly as a mini meditation.

Get physical

According to research at the University of Zurich, spending 10 minutes connecting physically in some way with someone before a bad day will lower your levels of stress hormones.

The effect is believed to be linked to raised levels of the calming hormone oxytocin, which is released during physical contact. In the trial researchers used head and neck massage but hugging, kissing or holding hands have similar effects.

Watch your weight

The more fat your body carries, the more mentally affected by stress you become. 'Cortisol, the hormone released during stress, affects the parts of the brain used in reasoning, which triggers a decline in cognitive performance,' says Dr Lilianne Mujica-Parodi from New York’s Stony Brook University.

'We found that the more fat people carry, the more cortisol they produce, and the worse their mind is affected.'

Chew gum

Professor Andrew Scholey from Melbourne's Swinburne University has found that chewing gum lowers cortisol levels and reduces feelings of anxiety. He believes that chewing stimulates us mentally, making us better able to cope with stress, or 'it might be that chewing reminds us of relaxing times such as mealtimes'. And the faster you chew, the calmer you'll get. In Japanese trials rapid chomping cut cortisol levels by 25.8 per cent within 20 minutes; slow chewing resulted in only a 14.4 per cent drop.

Walk more slowly

The faster we walk, the more stressed out we are likely to be, say doctors at California State University. If you don’t find it easy to slow your steps, try a walking meditation.

'Simply become more aware of the physical act of walking,' says yoga teacher Heather Mason. Walk slowly, mentally labelling each move as 'lifting the foot' or 'placing the foot'. Focus only on what you’re doing, not on what's around you. This, says Mason, can be even more calming than sitting meditation.

'Often when an agitated mind tries to sit still it will find further obsessive thinking occurring,' she says. 'But in walking meditation we can draw attention to specific movements and find a sense of calm with less effort and struggle.'

Eat a healthy breakfast

The higher the fat content of your breakfast, the worse your reaction to stress will be during the day. Dr Tavis Campbell at the University of Calgary found that people who ate a fast-food, high-fat breakfast had higher blood pressure and a faster heart rate during stress than those who ate cereal and yogurt.

'Just one high-fat meal reduces the elasticity of the arteries, which would then lead to an increased reaction during pressure,' he says.

Fight it virtually

While computers can be a major source of angst (54 per cent of us shout at them daily, says University of Bolton research), stress busting via your PC is a hot new trend. From US doctors offering meditation spaces in the virtual world Second Life to biofeedback chill-out games such as Healing Rhythms, in which your movements on screen are modified by how calm you become, getting serene at your screen is big news.

Get a mantra

Researchers in the US have found that people who spend five weeks practising mantram repetition lower their stress levels by 23.8 per cent — and suffer less insomnia and less rumination over unwanted thoughts.

Any phrase will work (in the trial they used 'take it easy'), but yoga expert Carolyn Cowan says the spiritual phrase 'ek ong kar, sat gur prasad, sat gur prasad, ek ong kar' is renowned for its calming properties. 'Repeating it even just five times will dramatically improve your mood,' she says.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natural Hibiscus (Jaba phool) Shampoo – Homemade Hibiscus Shampoo

God has gifted us with abundance. One of the best gifts to mankind is Hibiscus. Hibiscus Plant is a must in all houses. I am gonna share this wonderful Natural Hibiscus Shampoo – Homemade Hibiscus Shampoo. This Homemade Hibiscus Shampoo is easy to make. If you apply this Natural Hibiscus Shampoo – Homemade Hibiscus Shampoo on a regular basis .It would create wonders for your hair.

We all spend thousands of money on shampoos without knowing what it consists of. Here I am sharing with you this Natural Hibiscus Shampoo – Homemade Hibiscus Shampoo. This shampoo is 100% natural and will give you amazing results. One needs to be patient to see the outcome.

Hibiscus has great properties to repair, heal hair. Its amazing for Hair care. If used Hibiscus regularly will promote hair growth, stop premature graying, darken your hair and acts as a great conditioner. Most of the Asian Ladies have made Hibiscus as a part of their daily life.

So what are you waiting for ! lets move ahead to note down the Ingredients Required for this Natural Hibiscus Shampoo – Homemade Hibiscus Shampoo

Ingredients:

• 6 to 8 Hibiscus (jaba phool) Leaves
• 3 to 4 Tulsi leaves
• 2 Hibiscus flowers (jaba phool)
• 3 tbsp Green Gram Flour ( Green whole Mung Daal Flour)
• 1 tbsp Coconut Or Olive Oil
• 1 cup Water

Method:

• Pluck Hibiscus leaves, Tulsi Leaves along with the Hibiscus Flowers. If it’s not grown in your house. You can buy these from market.
• Now add the Green Gram Flour in it. Grind them into a paste with water.
• Once the liquid is loose and a bit frothy your shampoo is ready. Just add 1 tbsp Hair Oil and mix well.

 

• Ensure you use this shampoo fresh. Please don’t refrigerate this Natural Hibiscus Shampoo – Homemade Hibiscus Shampoo. Use it immediately after making this Shampoo.
• Rinse hair and apply this natural shampoo. Just the way you use your other shampoos. Be gentle don’t scrub your hair with a lot of force.Leave it for 5 mins. Now wash this with water.
• Pat your head gently with towel. Once your hair is dried. Comb it gently.
• On Regular use you will notice shiny black hair naturally. Thanks to Mother nature for giving us such wonderful plant.
• See your hair silky shiny with a great fall. You can try this homemade shampoo once in a week minimum to get good result.
• Use this Natural Hibiscus Shampoo – Homemade Hibiscus Shampoo once in a week for optimum results. 

Tip:

1. The consistency of shampoo should be fluid and loose
2. Don’t refrigerate this Hair Shampoo

18 Minutes to a Beautiful You All Day Long

Morning look in 3 minutes
Less is more, especially in the morning when you are all busy getting ready to take off to office.

“Keep it simple,” suggests the expert. For him, early morning make-up includes, first of all, a good foundation, carefully applied with either a sponge or simply with your fingertips. Important: Stick to your skin tone! “Even though fair skin is thought beautiful in India, there’s no use in trying to change the colour of yours by using some lighter foundation,” Nahush points out.

On top of the foundation add:
A pinkish blush on the cheeks.
A bit of lip gloss or even some blush on the lips
One coat of mascara

Done! “No lash curling or face sculpting required,” says Nahush Pise. “The day has just started, so keep it natural.”

Before you leave the house, don’t forget to pack your little make up kit to take along wherever you go.

Afternoon look in 5 minutes
After lunch it’s time to refresh your make-up and add a bit more colour to it.

“Now you can put on some lipstick, and enhance your eyes with some extra mascara and kajal.” That, again, gets you ready for the second half of the day in just a few minutes.

Asked about brands or no brands, the make-up artist doesn’t say yes or no but explains, “If the product blends well, stays well and feels good, its name doesn’t matter to me.”

Evening Look in 10 minutes

 

In terms of powder or cream blush the expert favours the former for obvious reasons. “Cream powder 

Right before you venture out into the night, spend another ten minutes to add a bit more drama to your evening face.

“Now you can play with colours. Normally all kinds of golds, browns, maroons and oranges match Indian skin tones," says Nahush. But don’t overdo it. “These 25 colours in one kits never work. Use a max of four colours at a time only,” advises the expert. Also add some lip liner and satin matt lip gloss and refresh the mascara too.

After reading all this you feel like stocking up on colours, crèmes and such? Fine, but do it as the expert does and purchase new items one by one. “Never go and say ‘Now I’ll buy make up’ but focus on one product at the time.”

If you are not used to wearing make up at all, Nahush encourages you to simply try something new every day. "One day put on some mascara, next add some eye shadow to it and so on. This way you won’t feel embarrassed and can get used to your new look.”

Now that your face is all pretty and ready to be shown to the world, only one question remains: Do guys actually notice that we’ve put in so much effort to look our very best? Again, this smile creeps on Nahush's face. “Well, of course guys like it but only when it’s done the right way. Even though it’s a lot of work, make it look natural and fresh. With make-up you should never look made up!”

So there you have it - your guide to staying gorgeous all day long!attracts dust.”

7 Ideal Pre-Workout Foods

We live in an age where people take working out at the gym very seriously but in numerous cases, they head to their gym on an empty stomach either because they have succumbed to the notion that one shouldn’t eat before a workout or simply because they don’t know what to eat. But this doesn’t mean that you chow down heartily before your workout either. The key is to follow a middle path i.e. eating right at the right time. 

Fitness expert Namrata Purohit explains, “Exercising with a full stomach is not ideal therefore eating at the right time is important. Even an empty stomach can distract a person during workout. The major source of fuel for the body is carbohydrate therefore it is ideal to have something rich in carbohydrates. Therefore, one must have easily digestible carbohydrates that can help prevent the hunger during exercise and give you energy.” Here’s a list of foods that are considered ideal to eat before a workout.

YOGHURT 
Curds or dahi contain calcium and proteins and a bit of natural sugar present in small quantities. Because it is easy on the stomach and the digestive system, it’s a great option to consume it before an intense workout. Adding some whole grain cereal, fruits or honey to yoghurt will give you a quick energy boost.

PROTEIN SHAKES 
These are very popular among those who hit the gym. Namrata says, “Protein is extremely important for overall development of the muscles, bones and even skin. A protein shake is good if you do not receive adequate amount from natural sources. For athletes and people doing regular workouts, it is fine to have a protein shake after a workout, but not every couple of hours.” She warns that protein shakes can have side effects such as kidney damage. Therefore, one must consult the doctor to know the recommended daily dose of protein intake.

OATMEAL 
Having oatmeal is great before your morning workouts, when you're running on an empty stomach and so you can’t have a meal a couple of hours before your workout. Oatmeal is known to settle well and also a great source of energy. If you add a dash of fruits to your oatmeal, even better.

BROWN RICE WITH CHICKEN 
While a majority of people work out in the mornings before heading to college or work, there are those who hit the gym in the evenings or at night due to time constraints. For them, having brown rice with chicken is a good option. Nutritionist Dr Zainab Sayed explains, “Brown rice is absorbed slowly and a good source of fibre and carbs while chicken is an ideal form of lean meat and protein. Thus, making this combination ideal before a workout. You would require about 200 to 300 calories hence, you can eat about one medium size bowl of brown rice (30 gm uncooked brown rice) with two pieces of chicken.”

BANANAS 
They contain sugar and starch that give energy to the body. They are very rich in carbohydrates. Celebrity trainer Sameer Purohit says, “One medium-sized banana eaten about 45 minutes to an hour before your workout is generally enough to keep you going throughout your workout routine. It’s like adding fuel to the body. But each person should understand his body and cater to his/her own body needs.”

PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH / BAGEL WITH HONEY 
Yes, you heard it right. But the trick here is to opt for whole wheat or multigrain bread for the sandwich and a whole wheat bagel instead. Honey is an excellent source of natural sugar i.e. energy. In case you’re wondering about the calorie count here, Dr Zainab addresses your concern explaining, “If you’re working out in the morning then have a brown bread peanut butter sandwich, since you have been fasting for the last eight to nine hours.”

PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH / BAGEL WITH HONEY 
Yes, you heard it right. But the trick here is to opt for whole wheat or multigrain bread for the sandwich and a whole wheat bagel instead. Honey is an excellent source of natural sugar i.e. energy. In case you’re wondering about the calorie count here, Dr Zainab addresses your concern explaining, “If you’re working out in the morning then have a brown bread peanut butter sandwich, since you have been fasting for the last eight to nine hours.”

How to Make a Home Made Moisturizer

How to made a home-made,all-natural face and neck moisturizer to smooth and leave skin looking healthy. One that you can trust and know exactly what's in it! 

Ingredients

• A tomato
• A banana

Steps

1.   Cut a tomato in half and cut slits in the tomato halves.

 2.   Using a spoon, scoop out contents of the tomato halves into a bowl and squeeze the tomato to get out any excess juices.

3.   Cut a banana in half, place one half in the bowl with the contents of the tomato.

4.   Mash the banana together with the tomato. Eat the other half of the banana.

5.    Place the mashed and mixed fruit into a sieve and stir until all of the mixture has passed through.

6.   Place in a container/bottle and enjoy!

 

How to Make a Sugar Scrub

Why spend a lot on a brand name sugar scrub when you can make it for next-to-nothing at home? Follow these simple steps and make your own sugar scrub in no time. This scrub is great for feet, knees, and elbows.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• juice from 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp vegetable

Steps

1.    Mix sugar, lemon juice, and oil in a bowl. Combine well.

2.   Add coloring if desired. Add just a few drops of coloring.

3.   Use straight away. If you have a sterilized baby food jar or just a little jar, put the leftover scrub in that and refrigerate for up to a month.

Tips

If you give this as a gift, make sure that the item has instructions to keep refrigerated.

 

How to Be Yourself

Just be yourself. That sentence is quite possibly the most commonly used phrase in the history of advice: Be yourself. It's such a vague adage. What do they really mean when they tell you to be yourself? And is it really as easy as it sounds?

Steps:

1.          Find yourself and define yourself on your terms. Oscar Wilde once said with his usual wit: Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. As humorous as this might seem, it's a basic summation of the truth. Yet, you can't be yourself if you don't know, understand, and accept yourself first. It should be your primary goal to find this out. Find the time to dwell upon what you value and take time to consider what makes up the essence of who you are. As part of this, contemplate your life and choices. Try to think about what kinds of things you would or wouldn't like to do, and act accordingly; finding out through trial and error helps more than you might think it does. You can even take personality tests, but be careful to only take what you want from them so that you do not let such tests define you. Instead, ensure that the defining you do is based on your own terms and is something you feel absolutely comfortable with. You may feel self-conscious, but over time if you are around the right type of people for you, they will accept you for who you are.And love and start to look at the real you.

  In finding your values, don't be surprised if some of them seem to conflict. This is a natural result of taking on broad values from a variety of sources, including culture, religion, mentors, inspiring people, educational sources, etc. What does matter is that you continue working through these conflicts to resolve what values feel most true to yourself.

2.     Avoid fixating on the past and not letting yourself grow. One of the most unhealthy approaches to being oneself is to make a decision that who you are is defined by a moment or period of time, after which you spend the rest of your life trying to still be that person from the past rather than someone who is still you but grows with the passing of each season and decade. Allow yourself this space to grow, to improve, to become wiser. And allow yourself to forgive past errors and past behaviors you're not so proud of. Work on accepting mistakes and choices you've made; they're done and in the past. You had your reasons for them and the decision made sense at the time, so instead of harnessing yourself to past mistakes, allow yourself to learn their lessons and continue to grow.

 Look for people around you who proudly proclaim they are no different than they were the day they turned 16 or 26 or 36, or whatever. Do these people seem flexible, easygoing, happy people? Often they are not because they are so busy insisting that nothing has changed for them ever, that they're incapable of taking on new ideas, learning from others, or growing. They might believe adamantly that they are "being themselves" but in reality they are often enslaved by the past and a particular image of themselves that they would have done better to have released long ago. Growth into every new age and stage of our lives is an essential part of being true to ourselves and to being emotionally healthy and whole.

3.         Stop caring about how people perceive you. Some of them will like you and some of them won't. Either attitude is as likely to be right or wrong. It's next-to-impossible to be yourself when you're caught up in constantly wondering "Do they think I'm funny? Does she think I'm fat? Do they think I'm stupid? Am I good/clever/popular enough to be a part of their group of friends?" To be yourself, you've got to let go of these concerns and just let your behavior flow, with only your consideration of others as a filter — not theirconsideration of you. Besides, if you change yourself for one person or group, another person or group may not like you, and you could go on forever in a vicious cycle trying to please people instead of focusing on building up your talents and strengths; being a people-pleaser or always wanting everyone's love and respect is a totally pointless exercise in the end that can harm your personal development and confidence. Who cares what other people say? As Eleanor Roosevelt said once, "no one can make you feel inferior without your consent" and what matters most is that you listen to your own inner confidence and if it's missing, that you start developing it!

 

• Does this mean no one's opinion in life matters? No. It hurts if you're socially rejected. If you're forced into a situation where you must spend most or all of your time among people who can't stand you for reasons of their own, it's dangerous to internalize their negative ideas of who you are. What you can do is exercise some choice in whose opinions you value more than others. It's much healthier to pay attention to people who genuinely mean you well and who agree with you about what you want to do with your life. Someone can mean you well in their own terms and steer you down the wrong path with all the passion of real conscience if they think you'd be better off in a different occupation, different lifestyle or religion. Think of an enthusiastic evangelist from a different religion. If you are an evangelistic Christian, think of how it feels to be pestered by the Krishna people about their faith and vice versa.
• Don't trivialize it if you face negative social pressure or bullying. It's easier to withstand it if you are aware of it as pressure and build healthy defenses. Building up a circle of trusted friends and people who share your views and beliefs in life is a good way to help reduce the impact of hostile people. You can tell yourself their opinions don't matter, but that's a lot easier when there are others who agree with you and stand by you.
• Learn the difference between intimidating, throwaway, conniving, or thoughtless comments from others and constructive criticism which is well intended and focuses on real faults that you know could do with remedying. In the latter case, people such as parents, mentors, teachers, coaches, etc., might well be telling you things that you need to digest and mull over at your own pace, to make self-improvements for the better. The difference is that their critique of you is intended to be caring, interested in how you grow as a person, and respectful. Learn how to spot the difference and you will live well, dismissing the undermining critique, and learning from the constructive critique.

4.     Be honest and open. What have you got to hide? We're all imperfect, growing, learning human beings. If you feel ashamed or insecure about any aspect of yourself — and you feel that you have to hide those parts of you, whether physically or emotionally — then you have to come to terms with that and learn to convert your so-called flaws into individualistic quirks or simply as basic, down-to-earth acknowledgments of your own imperfections. Be honest with yourself, but don't beat yourself up; apply this philosophy to others, as well. There is a difference between being critical and being honest; learn to watch the way you say things to yourself and others when being honest.

 

Try the tactic of owning up to your imperfections mid-argument with someone. You will often discover that suddenly you've removed the very reason for stubbornly holding the line of argument, which is often about preserving face and not giving in. The moment you say, "Yeah, look I get really irritable when the room's in a mess too. And I acknowledge that I shouldn't leave my clothes in a pile on the floor and yet, I do it because that's a lazy part of myself I'm still trying to train out of the habit. I'm sorry. I know I could do better, and I will try.", you suddenly infuse an argument with genuine self-honesty that disarms the entire point of the argument, which in this case is messy habits but could apply to anything about your own behavior.

5.     Relax. Stop worrying about the worst that could happen, especially in social situations. So what if you fall flat on your face? Or get spinach stuck in your teeth? Or accidentally head butt your date when leaning in for a kiss? Learn to laugh at yourself both when it happens and afterward. Turn it into a funny story that you can share with others. It lets them know that you're not perfect and makes you feel more at ease, too. It's also an attractive quality for someone to be able to laugh at themselves and not take themselves too seriously!

6.    Treat yourself as you'd treat your own best friend. You value your friends and those close to you; well, who is closer to you than you are? Give yourself the same kind, thoughtful, and respectful treatment that you give to other people you care about. If you had to hang out with yourself for a day, what is the most fun/enjoyable/fulfilled/calm/contented type of person you could be, while still being yourself? What is the best version of you? Believe in this idea and use that as your starting point. Love and accept yourself as you are now, just as you do for your close ones.

Be responsible for yourself and for boosting your self-esteem. If others aren't telling you you're great, don't let it get to you. Instead, tell yourself you're special, wonderful, and worthwhile. When you believe these things about yourself, others will recognize that glow of self-confidence and begin confirming your self-affirmations in no time!

7.     Develop and express your individuality. Whether it's your sense of style, or even your manner of speaking, if your preferred way of doing something strays from the mainstream and produces positive outcomes, then be proud of it. Be a character, not a type. Learn to communicate well - the better you can express yourself, the easier it is for the people who like you as you are to find you and the ones who don't to just steer clear.

8.   Stop comparing yourself to others. If you're always striving to be someone you're not already, you'll never be a happy person. This comes about through comparing yourself to others and finding yourself wanting in certain ways. This is a slippery slope to tread, though. You can always see the appearances others wish to portray publicly but you won't ever see what's really going on behind their façades in their apparently perfect world. By comparing yourself to others, you give their image-portrayal way too much power and reduce your own worth based on a mirage. It's a useless activity that only brings harm. Instead, value the person you are, love your personality, and embrace your flaws; we all have them, and as explained earlier, being honest is better than running from them.

• Avoid being unfair to yourself. Sometimes comparison causes us to compare apples with pears. We'd like to be a top movie producer in Hollywood when we're a lowly, aspiring scriptwriter. To see that top producer's lifestyle and find yourself wanting as a result is an unfair comparison – that person has years of experience and hobnobbing behind them, while you're just starting out, testing the waters with writing skills that may one day prove to be exceptional. Be realistic in your comparisons and only look to other people as inspiration and as sources of motivation, not as a means to belittling yourself.
• Never stop looking for your own strengths. Over time, these may change and thus, so may your definition of yourself, but never let up in focusing and refocusing on them. They more than adequately balance out your flaws and are the principal reason for not comparing yourself to others.
• Comparison leads to resentment. A person filled with resentment cannot focus on the mantra of "be yourself" because they are too busy hankering after someone else's spoils!
• Comparison leads also to criticism of others. A life filled with criticizing others stems from low self-esteem and a need to pull other's off their perches that you've placed them on. That's both a way to lose friends and respect, and it's also a way of never being yourself because you're envy-struck and spending too much time on others, not on improving yourself.

9.     Follow your own style. The common thing a lot of people do is copy others' actions because it seems like the better route to fit in, but really, shouldn't you stand out? Standing out is very hard, yes, but you need to try avoid assuming other people's perspectives of you, even if it's not something you would normally do; that's what being yourself is all about. Maybe you like to sit outside on the deck under an umbrella in the middle of the rain, maybe you have different ideas of things, rather than other people, maybe you like strawberry cake instead of the common chocolate cake, whatever you are, accept it. Being different is absolutely beautiful and it attracts people to you. Don't let people change you!

10.    Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and that some days you are the statue. People might raise eyebrows and even make fun, but as long as you can shrug and say "Hey, that's just me" and leave it at that, people will ultimately respect you for it, and you'll respect yourself.

 Look on the positive side! Remember: a dead end is not a place to stop;

Some extra tips :

• Accept yourself, Change whatever you feel need to be changed. Develop the want for the change. As until you do not define the want you really don't change. Live in the present, learn from the past and be conscious all the time.
• Respect others as much as you respect yourself. While being yourself means expressing yourself and your opinions, dreams, and preferences, it certainly doesn't mean ramming these down other people's throats! Everyone has needs, dreams, and wants that are equally deserving and it's up to each one of us to acknowledge the other's value as much as our own. Therefore, avoid being rude, thoughtless, or egotistical in your journey to being yourself.
• Fads and trends are a personal decision. While some people avoid them like the plague in the name of "individualism", others recognize them for what they are - groupspeak for fun and sharing in a particular period of time. Whether or not you choose to follow trends and participate in fads is entirely up to you; it doesn't mean you're not being yourself when you've made the choice for yourself to do so.
• Be bold. As the famous song says: "Life's not worth a damn, until you can say 'I am what I am'!" and your sincerity at uttering such words is paramount in boldly proclaiming that you rock.
• It can be hard to show your true interests at times, when others don't care or mock them, but stand tall and simply expect others to at the very least, respect your choices. Having an air of authority and friendly expectation will do more than acting grievously wounded or angry when others disrespect your personal preferences. Remember, humor is far more likely to disarm and charm than irritability and a foaming mouth.
• Balance bad habits and rein them in. Addiction to drugs, alcohol, internet, gaming, whatever, is disrespectful to the self and ultimately hurts the self more than any others. Find self-calming techniques in more constructive ways, such as meditation, relaxation, writing, music, sport, being active, cooking up a storm, etc.
• While some may call you names and speak ill of your choices to be your weird, goofy self, most will respect your courage and certainty of self. And it is not a beauty parade where you're seeking votes of approval anyway. Others like friends in their lives who live tall, proud, and differently because it gives them the strength to show themselves in the same light.
• Work on the things that you dislike about yourself instead of seeing them as stumbling blocks to being a whole person. A too-large butt, a pimply face, a hatred of foreigners, alienating others with your anger, etc. – these are all things you can make a decision to fix or change, and the sooner, the better! Improve your self-esteem and your future by constantly working on the things you're less than pleased about yourself and finding solutions that stick.
• Change is a constant. So changing who you are over time is inevitable, and is always likely to be a good thing if you've been stayed informed, relevant, and clued in to the world around you and have allowed your personal development to be a top priority in your life.
• Set an example for others instead of criticizing them. You don't like what you see? Show them how to be better by being living proof of your own preferred way.
• It might help you to see that everyone is showing you a mirror of yourself. In this way, what reflects back at you is 90 percent what you're giving out. And you have 100 percent responsibility for yourself and your own actions!
• A Buddhist tale tells of the importance of facing things we'd rather not at times: Three monks went toward a gate. The first monk went up to it but a snarling dog was there. He shook with fear and ran but the dog ran after him and ate him. The second monk went to the gate and also ran away but the dog caught up with him and gobbled him up. The third monk approached the gate and sized up the dog quickly. He gave the dog no time to bark but charged at him yelling fiercely. The dog whimpered, placed its tail between its legs and ran like mad away from the monk. The moral of the tale is to face your fears before they eat you up. Being yourself includes facing your fears and not letting them get the better of you, for as soon as you let fear run your life, you start marching to other people's tunes, often tunes aimed at making you subservient, obedient, and in conformity with their preferences.
• Don't lie to others and yourself, to make your life easier, or to fit in,or make others around your more happy, and or comfortable, You are beautiful as you are, and or will be!
• Knock peoples socks off as the best 'you' that you can be!
• No one can be a better you than you can be.
• "Life's not worth a d***, until you can say 'I am what I am'!"
• ‎"no one can make you feel inferior without your consent"-Eleanor Roosevelt
• The best part about being you is......No one else can be you, Only YOU
• ‎"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken"- Oscar Wilde
• A dead end is not a place to stop; it's a place to turn around and start over again.
• Stop watching movies for a year and practice your own behaviour independently to get a boost.
• Not caring about how others perceive you doesn't mean letting go of the grooming and etiquette. Basic respect for yourself and others is founded in the rules of etiquette to ensure that we can all live together in harmony and with a basic level of expectation for how we will interact with one another politely. The less manners we use, the less we respect others, and ultimately, ourselves because we're trying to be domineering and arrogant rather than cooperative and considerate. Use your manners widely, and be thoughtful of others.
• • Do not confuse cultural and social expectations with your desire to be unique. Sometimes thumbing your nose at convention will lead you to be ostracized or worse, so use your common sense when flaunting your individuality!
  • Love your friends but don't fall into walking to their rhythm alone. Keep yourself individual and spread your time around various different people and activities with others so that you don't end up unwittingly behaving like a "clone" of your friends within one inner circle.
  • Striving to be something you're not can be healthy when it involves improving academic, sport, and social interactions skills. It can be highly harmful when you're striving to "be like" someone else just to have their popularity, appearance, and attitudes rub off on you. Keep unique by keeping your perspective focused on building your strengths through the inspiration of others, not through becoming like them.
  • Flaws deserve celebration because the mere act of acknowledging them takes such strength. However, flaws that can be remedied through study, focus, or other means should not be neglected through laziness or disinterest. Fix what you can about yourself where the cost of not doing so will dampen your enthusiasm and reduce your enjoyment of life.
  • It doesn't always pay to "be yourself". Sometimes to get ahead in life you need to fulfill what a company, a school, a powerful person wants from you. Sometimes you may need to be what they seek for a short time just to reach goals of your own choosing. You could stand on principle and thumb your nose at the situation and lose out as a result, or you could temporarily swallow your pride and fake it till you make it, nurturing your real self outside the particular context (at home, with friends, etc.) until your own authority is more powerful. It's not always a dastardly dead to submerge your real self until your time comes; you need to be the best judge of that in the path you've chosen in life.
  • Know when going with the flow is more beneficial than digging your heels in on something. Example: Sometimes it's better to agree to going to a rock concert for a band you don't enjoy to spend time and have fun with your friends, than it is to take a stand for your own personal views on the quality of the band's music and miss out on the fun and time spent with good friends. That's about compromising... and being respectful of others' preferences, rather than about soiling your own. Again, think manners and good socializing. In turn, they are more likely to be responsive to coming along to things you'd rather do.
  • If it turns out that being yourself means you end up living in a cave all your life because you truly don't fit in anywhere, maybe it's time for a rethink. You may be thinking selfishly, as opposed to independently. Or, as an example, perhaps it is a much more drastic external situation like being a gay person born to a homophobic family or into a homophobic community or culture: If a community of people raised the way you were, that shares the same values and even the same standards of appearance, would react in a hostile way to something so real, or so personal or private about you... that's just an overall bad situation! It doesn't make you a bad person or make the real thing untrue. It's almost impossible to be yourself in that kind of situation. At that point you face hard choices about where and how to live. The choice that works for you best is the one to make. In those situations, even though it seems that way, you're not the only one. Many people throughout history have relocated in order to live without fear of prejudice. It has been to many people's happy surprise, that not all of them lost their family ties when coming out. *While it's true that hiding it or lying about who you really are can work for a time, truth seems to always come out in the end. It is more advisable to put that effort used to hide or obscure one's true self, into finding or creating a space or relationships or community where one can be themselves!