Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Apoptosis-In Pursuit of inner peace



Yes, I know we all feel sad and depressed at times, we all go through that grind at some point or the other in our life, and that's when it feels really good to have someone nice and comforting near us, to make us see the silver lining and the Green pastures, right? And if you are the other kind, you will probably go into the shell, bottle up things inside you, or you may be the one who likes to just sit sipping your favourite cuppa of coffee and read inspirational/motivational stuff to pep yourself up.

No matter how different you are or Whatever your reaction to stress or gloominess is, let me tell you one simple universal fact, the ultimate reality that resides in all of us no matter what, the wonderful thing that happen inside us, nature’s way to tell us to move ahead in life, overcome difficulties, not to be a glum chum and clean our own mess!

Here is what I am talking about:

There are close to 100  trillion  cells in our body doing their core job very diligently day and night, what do you think they are eternal? Wearing a shiny Armour all the time, drinking some magic potion to stay young forever? No, my friend nothing is eternal, this isn't any fairy tale here, they also burn out and die and are replaced by new healthy ones.
When  cells wear out and are  no  longer  needed  or  become  a  threat  to  the  organism, they  undergo  a  suicidal  programmed  cell  death  or  Apoptosis.  This  process  involves  the  cell  to  shrink  and  condense,  disassemble and  alter  its  cell  surface  so  that the neighbouring   cells,  named as macrophages can digest  them. This whole process is so beautifully designed that the  worn out cells are digested before they leak any of their contents into the neighbouring healthy cells.

Now picture this,  your old disappointing experiences, past failures, painful rejections are like those worn out cells in body, occupying the space, not letting new cells which in this case are positive influences, good memories to grow, they disturb your inner equilibrium  , and from time to time they keep releasing their toxic vibes into the surrounding healthy medium and by doing so they are altering and diluting your positivity, our feel good factor, our core being,  whereas you need to destroy them, eliminate them so that your internal homeostasis is always taken care of, so that your inner self is full of positivity, calmness, and goodness
You need to take care of your negative emotions in such a way that your mental equilibrium is not disturbed, to recognize your shortcomings and accept them gracefully, work on them and not holding anyone else responsible for your misery, isn't it? and all this has to happen inside you continuously, Even  in adult  humans,  billions  of  cells  die  each  hour  in  tissues such  as  the  intestine  and  bone  marrow  and  are  replaced by  new  cells. 

Researchers  suggest  that  abnormalities  of  apoptosis  may  play  a  key  role in  Alzheimer  disease, cancer and  autoimmune  disorders. 

Similarly when we don't not work on ourself, our negative emotions, our complaining behaviour,  our shortcomings,  they make us unhappy,  feel unloved and  depressed and dejected in life.

So stop blaming yourself, circumstances, or people, because if you will spend your time and energy doing so,  you will lose out on your happiness, your precious years in cribbing and crying, instead clean your own mess, and do it diligently and so well that others also look up to you, they follow your footsteps, and become a legend, like is said by Martin Luther King Jr. 

“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michaelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street-sweeper who did his job well.”



Photocredits:Pixabay

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Yoga & My thoughts around it!!



We all have heard a lot about it, apparently everyone is talking about it, every other article is regarding its benefits...well this is "YOGA"  Yes it has become the  latest fad with its name in the days marked internationally.

undoubtedly yoga is good for us, it is not just for body but for mind as well, its the holistic science that was put together many many years ago by a wise sage named Patanjali, he at that time recognized its true potential and took the task of arranging it, assimilating it at one place so that mankind will benefit out of it, and if you think you can't do it, think twice because you have already done it and you are not aware, you have practiced yoga in he womb, when you were in the fetal position...in deep meditation , the only difference is that at that time your lungs were not pumping oxygen and removing carbon dioxide, it was done by placenta :), so you have to learn that Pranayama (breathing exercises), how to breathe deeply, and exhale deeply as well, we all are accustomed to this involuntary shallow breathing, whereas to attain that stage of relaxation one needs to breathe deeply, and exhale deeply as well, expelling out all the negativity, frustration that grips our soul...then only can we be at peace.

There are few Asanas (body postures) that if you practice in your stressful times, they tend to ease that tension a bit, besides relieving those tension knots in your spine and neck, like the Balasana (child pose), i tried it recently , and it works great for me...there are many more that help with body flexibility and mental peace...i am thinking about starting a series about yoga poses in my blog, lets see how it goes and how i start...as i have said earlier, I start many things but hardly complete them , or stick to them...i have serious commitment issues, that i need to work on...so not bragging about anything right now..lets see..fingers crossed!!




Photography credits go to my Niece , Divya Kaur Mehta, she is a 9th grader, an artist, a phenomenal painter, and budding photographer!!

In the pictures above, my darling Nephew and my elder sis, apparently my family in Kashmir celebrated their yoga day in Narang Nag in south Kashmir amidst all the beauty, greenery and fresh air!!

Monday, June 8, 2015

Lemongrass and Ginger Infusion



At times breaking the monotony/the same old routine that you follow everyday is good for you, for your health, well that's what i did ...while ordering for groceries this time , I ordered lemongrass and Sunflower seeds, and in the morning I made some fragrant lemongrass and ginger infusion...

Early morning I was there in my kitchen chopping those heavenly fragrant greens of lemon grass, pounding this  aromatic ginger and dissolving the golden jaggery !! and i made something amazing :) 




To make this infusion I used:

Lemongrass
Ginger
Jaggery



Let's talk about the goodness of Lemongrass and Ginger:

Lemongrass also known as Citronella apart from being used extensively in Aromatherapy and an excellent insect repellant, it strengthens the immune system, is helpful in painful swellings, in menstrual cramps, obesity, skin conditions,it is an  excellent nervine tonic, and also beneficial in fever, cough and cold.

Ginger is effective in nausea, vomiting, morning sickness, painful conditions like arthritis and painful menses and it boosts the immune system.

The benefits of these two herbs are many and not limited to the few listed above...

Method:
chop lemongrass, pound ginger and add both to 4 cups of water in a pan with lid and bring to boil, when the quantity of water is nearly half i.e 2 cups, turn the knob off, give a standing time of 3-4 minutes...now in a separate pan  add few pieces of jaggery  in 3/4th cup of water and let the jaggery dissolve in it....add this jaggery water to the lemongrass and ginger infusion as per the taste....and drink the infusion freely!!  drink the goodness of these herbs!!




I choose jaggery instead of sugar, why?? because of following reasons:

Sugar has only sucrose whereas jaggery has sucrose with traces of mineral salts, iron ( as it is prepared in iron vessels) and some fiber , which makes it excellent choice for anemia or iron deficiency.

 Sugar being simple in nature, is instantly absorbed in the blood and releases a burst of energy, which can prove harmful for some internal organs like kidneys, eyes, and brain, whereas jaggery is digested slower than sugar so it releases energy slowly which provides energy for a longer time and is not harmful for the body. 

Jaggery is very good as a cleansing agent. It cleanses the lungs, stomach, intestines, oesophagus and respiratory tracts. Those who are exposed to dust or silica in their daily life are highly recommended to take jaggery.



and finally to the above infusion, I added a tsf of Sunflower seeds, 

They are rich in poly-unsaturated fatty acid linoleic acid, which constitute more 50% fatty acids in them. They are also good in mono-unsaturated oleic acid that helps lower LDL or "bad cholesterol" and increases HDL or "good-cholesterol" in the blood.

Like other nuts, they are also a very good source of proteins with fine quality amino acids such as tryptophan that are essential for growth, especially in children. Just 100 g of seeds provide about 21 g of protein (37% of daily-recommended values).

Natural anti-oxidants, rich source of vitamin E, B-complex, folic acid, essential minerals. Calcium, iron, manganese, zinc, magnesium, selenium, and copper.



This was the perfect start of my day...it was healthy , it was yum!!


Source of information:

Organicfacts.net
Webmd.com
whfoods.com
Nutrition and you.com

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Homemade Lavender Lip Balm


There is nothing more fulfilling then making your own products at home, the world of Homemade stuff is endless and so adventurous…Nowadays I am busy making everything at home, from soaps, medicinal balms, lip balms, cakes, to baked biscotti , and I am enjoying every bit of it, it feels like there is so much to do, so much to create, so much to make…and I am going all crazy!!

Recently I made this vanilla lip balm, that is natural and safe…lip balms in market have many unnecessary and harmful chemicals, like petrolatum, mineral oil, alcohol, dyes, and god knows what type of fragrances…whereas I made it with just 3 things:

1)      Natural Beeswax
2)      Cold pressed Coconut Oil
3)      Lavender Essential oil


You make fine pieces of the natural beeswax, melt it in a double boiler, add Coconut oil and mix well and then finally 5-6 drops of Lavender essential oil…shake well and pour this mixture in a container…let it set and you are good to go…The whole process usually takes 15-20 minutes…That’s it… simple and 100% safe and effective, without any chemicals…. and the fact that you have made it, will make it even more special... Isn’t it amazing!!


Next on my list is a Homemade shaving cream J












Thursday, May 28, 2015

Kahwa and flax seeds tea and my learning today!!



It was a great day….I felt so energetic, so refreshed and full of life…why?? Because of many things:
Firstly I woke up at 7 rather than 9 which I usually do….I used my handmade soap for shower  and I felt so good… I thought I am so happy to see my creation put to good use…than won’t god be happy to see his creation (that’s me) so happy today…he will be thinking what a beautiful creation is this soul…so happy so cheerful, full of love, exactly the way i wanted it to be!! That’s what I actually thought!!

Secondly I read few chapters from the “Book of Woman” while sipping my fav Kashmiri Kahwa tea… (Infusion of kahwa leaves, cinnamon, saffron, and sugar) with 2 teaspoons of flax seeds…!! Adding the seeds was a new twist in the usual tea…why?? because:

Power packed flax seeds have a nutty taste…they are a source of omega-3 and omega-6, rich source of lignin, that’s flushes out the excess oestrogen from body reducing chances of oestrogen linked cancers like breast cancer. 

( Note: They should be crushed before use otherwise they will pass through the body just like that…once crushed they should be refrigerated because the oil  in the seeds will be oxidized thereby diminishing their nutritive value).

And thirdly:

I gifted Josna one homemade soap J, we had our casual discussion about life, how things should be actually and how we mistakenly perceive them to be…how life should move on, how our relationships should be…it is always refreshing to have such discussions with her… and every time we end up learning a thing or two…embracing the beauty of life’s mysteries with open arms !!






Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Homemade Herbal Soap :)



Story goes like this, “so the really handsome Narcissus saw his reflection in the pool of water and he fell in love with it”

Yeah I made this saffron, turmeric, and rosemary soap at home today and I fell in love with it…   :)
I am so happy to have finally made it, few days earlier even yestreen it was a dream…so distant, so far…just in my thoughts…but today I am holding it in my hands…smelling it and taking pride in it!!  After all  “I made a soap, a homemade soap”.

My soapy story goes back to the post (here) when I started to pay attention to the products that we have been using without actually being aware of the chemicals used in their preparation...so I thought I will make soap at home as well since it can be done... and I will be making it as safe as possible by using all the natural ingredients!!


It’s like one of a thing on my “DIY before I die “ list is checked…I did it!!   and By the way aren't those visible valuable saffron threads so inviting?? 












Saturday, May 23, 2015

Homemade Eucalyptus Balm


 Homemade Eucalyptus Balm


Past 3 days were hard on us…Vihaan was not well and you know what happens when your baby is unwell... you have to deal with  everything…from baby's health to whole household chores…. So in this process of managing everything I lost the balance somewhere…and one night I just broke down…I cried…I had wrist pain and headache and Vihaan was not ready to sleep, he wanted to be in my arms…he wanted to sleep in my lap and I had no energy left…I cried for being too incompetent to manage all this…I felt too self-centred to cater to the need of my little sick baby… anyhow the night passed and the day dawned…in the morning I looked like a drug addict…with half closed eyes…dizzy... frail me…in lot of pain...and my little one looking upto me for understanding him...for caring for him...for comforting him... Akash had to come early from his office... and vihaan was with him...under his care for the rest of the day...somehow we managed...and the day passed as well… that's what happened in the past two days.

Today I felt a little better and so did Vihaan... I felt back in action, and I made an eucalyptus balm at home…eucalyptus helps to relieve  the symptoms of cold, sinusitis and flu...

I am little freak when it comes to using the available medications for children to treat few common seasonal ailments…that’s why I home made this balm…it wasn't that easy, I spent a lot of time studying about the best available essential oil manufactures in India, then about the natural beeswax…and after a lot of brainstorming and going through a lot of online reviews…I got this eucalyptus essential oil from Soul flower… as we cannot use the essential oil directly to the skin, I had to search for the best carrier oil available…I choose Jojoba cold pressed oil…


And here I am with my homemade balm for my little one…not only Vihaan but all three us can use it (I did a patch sensitivity test before the application of the balm) and I can’t tell you how happy I am with this little creation of mine…

Next on my list is a luscious Lip moisturizing balm and homemade natural soaps  :)






Thursday, May 14, 2015

How safe is your Family toothpaste??



How safe is your Family toothpaste??

We get the best toothpaste available in the market, we brush 2 times in a day and that’s it…
No carries, no cavity and no worries.. and all goody..

Well let me burst the bubble and state that we are doomed at the first step …why?? What??
Because my friends that toothpaste has been lying to us..{with a loud grin, I might add}
we never pay attention to the “active ingredients” in our germ fighting toothpaste…
have you wondered why we get to hear so much about cancer incidence in every third person we know…in our family, in our circle…it’s so prevalent nowadays…why??

Partly because day in –day out we are using the chemicals that trigger such reaction in our body, and we  hardly know!! a little more knowledge, little more effort can save us and our dear ones!! Awareness about what we use, what we buy…can make a lot of difference!!

Today while I was watching TV…I happened to see a very informational programme based on the day to day products that we use and about their ingredients…that was a real eye opener for me.. I headed straight to my washroom and got all the toothpastes that we have been using since ages…and when I checked for their ingredients, I was shocked…it was all too confusing.....I thought I used the best products… even the toothpaste that I thought was safe enough for Vihaan was not SAFE!!









What to do?? Now I was aware of the harmful chemicals that we have been using every day, first thing in the morning…I had to do something about it and then I searched for the safer options available...to my surprise even the Dabur red toothpaste had few artificial preservatives… after much research I finally settled for Vicco vajradanti toothpaste..I found it to be safe and 100% herbal and Vihaan can use it as well!! ( For more information about Vicco toothpaste click here..)  I called up the local supermarket guy to check for this particular brand which he had…I dumped all other tubes in the waste bin and pledged to be more alert and wise in terms of choosing the products that we guys use…in coming days I will research for the  Hair shampoos, conditioner’s and other products that we use and take appropriate actions if required!!






I will suggest that you guys go through this Skin Deep and EWG  to know more about the products that you have been using and if need be, switch to safer options…after all its for your health and wellbeing…take an initiative!!

AS I say : Love, respect, and treat your body well, remember it’s where your soul resides”

PS: This post is not sponsored by" Vicco", opinion expressed is my own and data points are taken from (EWG) and Skin Deep.

Friday, February 8, 2013

Fruit/Vegetable/Herb of the week- once in a week-every week

I thought of starting the series "Fruit/Vegetable/Herb of the week, once a week every week.

I am currently reading 2 books, one is "The miracle juice diet" by Amanda Cross and 2nd is "Ayurveda for women" by Dr. Robert E. Svoboda.....both the books are quite enlightening and loaded with information.  I will be sharing passages from these 2 books and also from my experience and practice.






To begin with Lets start with " papaya"





Papaya is known to aid digestion from centuries, it contains enzyme "Papain":which helps in digestion by breaking down protein.

It gives protection against cancer and is known to replenish lost levels of Vitamin C, making it very good choice for smokers.Smoking break downs Vitamin C causing its excretion from body.

Papaya juice helps in curing colon infections.

Shampoos that contain papaya help control dandruff.



CONTRAINDICATIONS:
Contraindicated in pregnancy/breast feeding/bleeding disorders/if you are on blood thinning medications.  people who are very sensitive.

Sharing one recipe from The miracle juice diet" by Amanda Cross:

Recipe name:Deep Breath:

Quite often if you are stressed you will find that your digestion and circulation are affected, which will leave you feeling fatigued. try out this one

Ingredients:



Mix all the ingredients,  blend the juice with/without  ice cubes in a blender.