Beauty in the Mind

'Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder' - This is absolutely true if you are question what beauty is because the definition of beauty differs from person to person. Beauty in the mind is the most important thing because beauty is skin deep. In order to be beautiful you have to be beautiful from inside and then outside. You cannot achieve a beautiful you in just two sessions in the parlor. This type of beauty will only come from kind words and a pure heart and soul. 

Beauty in the mind is a very beautiful concept and is nothing out of the ordinary. Some has been gifted with good looks but the question is do they have a good heart which makes them beautiful from inside as well. So what is more important is it the beauty in the mind or the external beauty? If you are not in the beauty industry then you can afford to look a little less gorgeous. Nobody would really mind if you don't have the perfect eyes or lips.

More important is whether you can stay beautiful from inside. You will have to change yourself a lot if you want to achieve this. First ask yourself when was the last act of random kindness you did? Was it yesterday? Then may you are on the right track. You can start of by being kind to people and help the disappointed and sad souls. Your words can bring about a great difference in someone's world. 

Nowadays children are bombarded by the images of ideal beauty as size zero figures and hence they try to go for crash diets. But is it really beautiful. Being skinny is not very beautiful. Women with well developed features look much better. Beauty is defined in different senses in each and every place. Some consider pale skin to be beautiful and some consider dark skin to be better. So basically it depends on what an individual thinks. 

The thinking also depends upon many factors. The similarity of thoughts often depends upon certain criteria like geographic location, mindset, peer group, neighbor, family and folks tend to influence your decisions and concept about ideal beauty. But shouldn't there be one unanimous opinion about what is ideal beauty. The debate will continue forever whether external beauty is more important or the beauty in the mind. 
Some people are obsessed about ideal beauty and often it becomes into an unhealthy obsession. Everybody craves to be beautiful but do they actually what is beauty? In this world having both is important. But more importantly it is the beauty in the mind which receives greater importance because that makes you an ideal person too. 

Just because you are beautiful from inside does not mean that you will not try look presentable. Your physical appearance cannot be changed but at least if you dress nicely and apply light make up and tie up your hair nicely your physical appearance will also be a perfect 10 along with your internal beauty. But do you know how you can bring out your inner beauty. Beauty in the mind can include a lot of things be it your self confidence, personality and your soul. 

As the saying goes 'It's all in the mind'. Think beautiful and you will have the ability to find beauty in every individual, for beauty is not just apparent but it is a phenomenon that goes beyond all things that you view. Seek beauty and you will find it in all creations round you. A beautiful mind is the essence of a great personality. In fact it is an integral part of one's personae. The aesthetic aspect of an individual develops in a manner directly proportional to beauty in the mind. So the key to a glowing skin is not just creams, lotions, and facials, packs and scrubs, but a mind is immaculate. 

Bring Out Your Inner Beauty

Beauty is all about confidence, personality and how nice you are to others. It is not a big deal you can easily be nice to people but the essence you really have to mean it and not pretend. But the common question asked by everyone for that matter is how do you achieve it? But this issue is relative. Do some soul searching and you will know how you can aptly bring out your inner beauty. The best to start off your change is your home. If it is an honest effort you can change into a little miracle. Just think about it isn't it going to be wonderful? So start your efforts from today to change yourself into a better you. Bring out the best in you and see how the world reacts. You will be amazed how wonderful you are. 

Stay Beautiful from Within

Never judge a person by its external appearance. Physical beauty is superficial. Are you wondering how you can achieve beauty in the mind? Yes it is definitely not easy but you can always try. Go for yoga classes for instance or even try meditation. You will have a calm and relaxed soul. Then start working on yourself. First analyze what are the changes you can make so that you can change into a better you'. Then begin with the process slowly as remember no change can be brought about in one day, a change is a slow a gradual process. 

To obtain beauty in the mind, purification of the soul is essential. Discover yourself, go deep down into your subconscious, ask yourself pertinent questions related to self realization and you will emerge an elevated soul. Let not material things trouble you, try not to covet earthly pleasures, go into the spiritual mode, by meditating and you will explore the real person in you, for happiness is really a state of mind. You may stay contented with the most trivial of things and accept life in a positive way which you only can when your mind undergoes a transformation. For only a beautiful mind thinks positively. 

Developing Dress Sense

Most of us love to flick through a fashion magazine and appreciate the new fashions and styles but very few would go out and invest in them.

We buy clothes that appeal to our innate sense. And we hardly give a passing thought as to why we choose the clothes that we do. Dressing right is more complicated than just putting to pieces of clothing together.

Our dressing habit is influenced by not just our function or job role in the society; it is developed by what we see, feel and experience around us in the course of our life.

To begin with it is the family that we are born into. Dressing in this case is influenced by our family's outlook whether it is orthodox or liberal. 

According to Dr Samir Parikh, Psychiatrist, our upbringing does influence the choice of dress till a certain age. But we start moving out and getting exposure, we tend to drop our inhibitions and wear what feels appropriate to our present lifestyle. As we grow and learn to make our own decisions, our sense of dressing evolves and we wear things that make us feel good and help us blend in with our peers.

Dressing and looking pretty is also about a woman's blossoming and growing up. As a young girl or even a young woman dressing comes under parental direction. Only when she marries or goes out to follow her career does she get space to develop her sense of dressing.

Blending In

While individualistic styles are what everybody talks about, but none of us really like to be so drastic so as to invite unwanted criticism. The common desire is to be able to create a statement without standing out as a different being. This is a very tough task that most of us are trying hard to achieve. Adds Dr Parikh, "Wearing an attire is a reflection of our social life. Most women prefer to wear socially appropriate clothes. They are always looking for reaction to their clothing. It impacts the mind set of the woman if others react in a certain way to what a she is wearing." 

Influences On Dressing

While growing up, women develop their sense of dressing from about four or five key factors around them. We learn from observation. According to sociologists reasons like high media exposure, life course, peer-group help develop our dressing habits in a major way. "I would say the key parameter that effects the way women dress is what is portrayed in the media. Somehow they make you feel that what is being shown is the only right thing to wear. Today more than ever the exposure to high fashion that women get through media persuade them to buy clothes that mimic what is shown," informs Dr Parikh.

While our dressing sway towards orthodoxy or liberal depends on how we were brought up but the decision to follow trends or stick to conventional clothes is more from the outside than innate. It is a well-known fact that women, in order to follow certain fashion trends, willingly give up their comfort (or common sense). 

The other key parameter that defines dressing is a woman's course in life. That is her age and her family and status. What is amazing to see in India is that really expensive women, women who wear the maximum jewelry and finery at any occasion are the older women. You will see younger women dressed more modestly than their older counterparts. It is a sort of social statement. 

With increasing self-awareness, women today have also taken up dressing as a weapon of attraction. Our dressing sense is developed by a fair amount of peer pressure and our need to attract others. There is also a certain sexual element in dressing. Though not to the extent like in the West, Indian women have also started dressing up to attract sexual partners. While our statistics may be lower than that in the West, but more and more Indian women know the importance of looking good when meeting their prospective partners.

So in conclusion we can say that dressing up and grooming is about developing one's sense of self worth and feeling a sense of power. Taking an example from everyday life, the days when we dress up in clothes and colours that we perceive as suitable to us, we not only feel but also exude confidence. But if we were to wear attire that we perceive as not complementary to our sense of style, we automatically seem to feel diffident. 

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.