Mustard and its Goodness!

Mustard is a condiment widely used in the whole world. It is a source of many vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants. It is an important vegetable and it's seeds are used in conjunction with other spices, for a distinct delicious flavor and aroma.

Mustard is believed to have grown in the Indus Valley Civilization. It has a prominent place in Indian scriptures and is believed to have many medicinal properties.

Here are a few good things that you can get from mustard leaves and mustard seeds!

1. Mustard oil is extremely good for hair and skin in dry and cold conditions. If applied on hair and body before a bath, mustard oil helps in relieving severe signs of dryness and itching.
2. If you apply a little oil on the base of your feet before sleeping, you will be able to cure yourself of severe headaches.
3. Mustard leaves, if consumed as a vegetable, are good for digestion and also works as a mild laxative.
4. A poultice made of mustard seeds and applied on the affected area can cure acne vulgaris.
5. Mustard oil is considered to be good for managing diabetes. 
6. Mustard seeds used as a condiment serves as an antimicrobial. 

Nature has served us immensely by giving us herbs and seeds. All we need to do is go back into nature. But in this modern age and time, we have forgotten what nature can do for us!

Home Remedy with Cumin

Cumin, also known as the seeds of a plant called Cuminum Cyminum, has immense medicinal properties. It is helpful in:

• Decreasing Inflammation in the body
• Increases apetite
• Decreases flatulance
• Helps in digestion
• Helps in increasing the milk production in lactating women
• Acts as an aphrodasiac
• Good for skin 
• Helps reduce colic pain
• Helps relieve piles
• Helps lower blood sugar
• Rich in Iron
• Antioxidant rich

You can take maximum benefit from this seed by using it in cooking, infusing it in warm water and then drinking the water, roasting and crushing it to be taken with honey.

Walk your way to health!

Oh, please don't look at me that way. I know what you are thinking. "It isn't as simple." Well, I know it isn't.

But is it not simple to convince yourself to not sit. Is is not simple to place books or anything heavy on your couch so that you don't sit on it. Is it not simple to place very uncomfortable chairs all around your house so that you don't sit on them for more than 10 minutes at a time.

Health is achieved bit by bit. Fitness is achieved bit by bit. And the bit starts with five minutes. Manageable? I sure think so.

My mantra is this, I do not sit for more than ten minutes at a time. I climb up the stairs often. I eat everything I want to but in the least possible quantity. I keep myself happy and content. I am not unhappy about my weight.

If you have big goal, in all likelihood, you are not going to achieve it. Therefore, you have to break your 'big' goal into very very 'small' goals. Smaller goals are easier to achieve. And you will give yourself more and more pats as you go on achieving these goals. This is encourage you to do more, give in more effort. And before you know it, you will be looking at a healthier you next time you happen to look into a mirror!

Now, isn't that amazing!

Stay happy! Chao!!

How to tackle Thyroid problems

Thyroid is a small gland at the base of the neck. This gland produces hormones which helps in regulating a body's metabolism. Problems occur when the hormone is produces too less or too much.

This exercise helps keep the thyroid gland healthy. Just five minutes of this exercise everyday will keep you healthy and away from all thyroid issues.

                    (Picture courtesy: http://yogaesmas.com/posturas-de-yoga-la-vela-sarvangasana)

1. Lie flat on a mat.
2. Slowly lift your feet and legs until you reach a position where you are lifting your back as well.
3. Support your back with your hands as shown in the picture.
4. Bring your body to a 90 degree position as shown above.
5. Breathe normally in the final position. Relax and do not feel stressed. Enjoy being in the position.
6. Slowly bring your body down to the initial position.

This exercise is one of the best exercise to keep all the thyroid issues under control.

Gas out the Gas!

Boil a tea spoon of carrom seeds in about five litres of water. Let it cool. Have this water all day. You will feel lighter and all the trapped gases in your system will get eliminated.

Little is More!

Keeping healthy is not difficult. It only requires persistence. I am not model like slim but I am proud to say that I am 40 and most of the times, invariably, I am told I look not more than 30.

There is no great secret. I just try to eat in smaller portions. I never deny myself anything. I eat everything.

I walk around the house all  the time. I hardly sit. And then when my feet ache, all I do is sit in a yoga asana called 'Vajrasan'. All the discomfort vanishes. I feel nice.

Then, when I find the time, I keep moving one or the other part of my body in various positions. For example, I am cooking in the kitchen and the dish is getting made. I does not need too much stirring. I don't waste time. I just decide on which part of my body to exercise at that time. It might be for two minutes. But that't OK. So, if I decide to move my arms, I do all sorts of moving. Up and down and rotate and move. That is it. And believe me, it works.

So keeping fit is not necessarily tying yourself to a regimen. It is necessarily about moving. And you can move whenever you want to. You can exercise sitting, you can exercise standing, you can exercise while cooking; there are endless options.

Happy Living People! Just enjoy! :-)

Your Health In Your Hands

I am nearing forty, a single working mother and always short on time. I hardly find any time for a workout, whether at home or the gym. Here are some tips I follow to keep myself healthy and fit.

Stand: Sounds absurd isn’t it. But there are many people who really don’t know that even standing is an exercise in itself. I prefer to stand whenever I can. That way, I am not putting in much effort and still burning calories.

Eat small portions: That means making your stomach get used to small portions of food so that you feel fuller soon. This way when you have lost a considerable amount of weight and your stomach shrinks, it will have got used to less food, and therefore fewer calories.

Have a lunch bag: I carry a lunch bag which fits small boxes containing my lunch, two snacks and yoghurt. I normally carry cut vegetable (cucumber, carrot, beetroot or capsicum) in one snack box and one portion of fruit (seasonal or mixed dry fruit) in the other. Yoghurt is a must and so is Chapati (Indian bread) and dal (Pulses) or cooked vegetables.

And trust me, occasional binging is not a sin. I have a sweet tooth. And I binge once in a while. That’s not wrong. You don’t have to feel guilty about it. All you need to do is move a little more after having satisfied your cravings. That’s all it takes. Please don’t make your life a punishment by craving.

Activity: What most people fail to understand that any kind of activity whether done indoors or outdoors is an exercise in itself. All you need to do is MOVE.

Be happy: Believe me; it keeps me healthy and fit. And not the other way round. Love yourself, your body and your weight. Smile and accept yourself the way you are. Don’t strive for an hour glass figure. You don’t really have to fit into someone else’s assumption of an ideal figure. Just become fit for yourself. Just LOVE yourself.

In conclusion, all I can say is stop worrying about your weight. Eat right, in moderation and be on the move. Most important, be happy with yourself.

Happy Living!