Health Benefits

Some of the health benefits of meditation are:-

1.Reduces anxiety attacks as it lowers the levels of blood lactate.

2.Builds self confidence.

3.Increases serotonin which influences moods and behavior. Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression, headaches and insomnia.

4.Enhances energy, strength and vigor.

5.Helps keep blood pressure normal

6.Reduces stress and tension

7.Creates a state of deep relaxation and general feeling of wellbeing

8.Helps with P.M.T.

9.Increases concentration and strengthens the mind

10.Helps reduce heart disease

11.Helps with weight loss

how to make shahi paneer

Shahi Paneer:-
Shahi Paneer is a very festive main dish that is creamy and rich in flavor. It is usually a special occasion dish. Shahi paneer can be served with any Indian bread, such as naan or with rice.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb paneer (approx. 1-1/2 cups cubed)
• 12 cashew nuts
• 2 tomatoes chopped
• 1 green chili chopped
• 1/4 inch of ginger
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1/8 teaspoon asafetida (hing)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon coriander powder (dhania)
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric (haldi
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder, adjust to taste
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (hara Dhania)

Method

1. Slice paneer into 3/4 inch cubes. Keep aside.
2. Grind cashews into powder-like consistency. Keep aside.
3. Puree tomatoes, green chili and ginger. Keep aside.
4. Add oil in a pan, over medium heat. Shallow fry paneer cubes till they turn slightly brown. Remove from pan and place over paper towels to absorb excess oil.
5. Increase heat to medium-high and test the oil by adding one cumin seed. If it cracks immediately, the oil is ready.
6. Add cumin seeds to the oil and as they crack, add asafetida and bay leaves. Stir for a few seconds.
7. Add tomato puree, coriander powder, turmeric, red chili powder, and paprika. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes. It will reduce to half its volume and start separating from the oil.
8. Add sugar, cashew powder and yogurt. Cook for another minute then add 1 cup of water and salt and bring to boil.
9. Add paneer and cover the pan. Simmer for a few minutes over medium-low heat, till gravy is slightly thick in consistency.
10. Remove from heat, add garam masala and chopped cilantro. Mix gently, cover the pan and let it sit for a couple of minutes.
11. Shahi paneer tastes best if it is served hot.

Healthy eating

What foods should I eat to help prevent heart disease and stroke?

You should eat mainly:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Grains (at least half of your grains should be whole grains, such as whole wheat, whole oats, oatmeal, whole-grain corn, brown rice, wild rice, whole rye, whole-grain barley, buckwheat, bulgur, millet, quinoa, and sorghum)
• Fat-free or low-fat versions of milk, cheese, yogurt, and other milk products
• Fish, skinless poultry, lean meats, dry beans, eggs, and nuts
• Polyunsaturated (pol-ee-uhn-SACH-uh-ray-tid) and monounsaturated (mon-oh-uhn-SACH-uh-ray-tid) fats (found in fish, nuts, and vegetable oils)

Also, you should limit the amount of foods you eat that contain:

• Saturated fat (found in foods such as fatty cuts of meat, whole milk, cheese made from whole milk, ice cream, sherbet, frozen yogurt, butter, lard, cakes, cookies, doughnuts, sausage, regular mayonnaise, coconut, palm oil)
• Trans fat (found mainly in processed foods such as cakes, cookies, crackers, pies, stick or hard margarine, potato chips, corn chips)
• Cholesterol (koh-LESS-tur-ol) (found in foods such as liver, chicken and turkey giblets, pork, sausage, whole milk, cheese made from whole milk, ice cream, sherbet, frozen yogurt)
• Sodium (found in salt and baking soda)
• Added sugars (such as corn syrup, corn sweetener, fructose, glucose, sucrose, dextrose, lactose, maltose, honey, molasses, raw sugar, invert sugar, malt syrup, syrup, caramel, and fruit juice concentrates)

Eating lots of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol may cause plaque buildup in your arteries. Eating lots of sodium may cause you to develop high blood pressure, also called hypertension. Eating lots of added sugars may cause you to develop type 2 diabetes. Both hypertension and diabetes increase your risk of heart disease and stroke

Health secrets of katrina kaif

Katrina's other secrets for younger looking skin:-

Katrina follows a simple diet. She starts her day with drinking four glasses of water on an empty stomach. For that smooth and glowing skin, she takes food supplements derived from Acai berry and wheatgrass powder. To increase the amount of antioxidants in her body, she relies on green tea. Antioxidants are powerful nutrients that fight the signs of ageing and keep the skin soft and young. 

Her diet: Since the actress follows a macrobiotic diet, she eats fresh boiled vegetables and fruits after every two hours. She prefers brown bread to white one. Moreover, for a good digestive system, she takes fibre rich diet and avoids carbohydrates. Her diet chart includes cereals and oatmeal for breakfast, and grilled fish and brown bread with butter for lunch. Brown bread with peanut butter satisfies her evening hunger pangs. For dinner, its soup, fish, chapatti and grilled vegetables for her.

Katrina's hair care secret:-

Her soft, silky and smooth hair is a result of a hair care routine, which she follows dedicatedly. Being an actress, her hair is exposed to a lot of styling and blow drying. So, to make sure that the heat applicators do not damage her lustrous locks, she uses heat protectants and hair serums. Also, she brushes her hair with a paddle brush.

Secret behind Katrina's sexy body:-

The secret of her svelte and toned body is exercise. She does yoga regularly to keep her body fit. Besides this, her regime also includes iso-planks, gymming, swimming and jogging. These exercises increase her blood circulation, thereby keeping her skin healthy. Since, she has a tendency to put on muscle mass easily, Katrina does not work out in the gym regularly. Instead, she attends Kathak classes. She believes that when a person is calm from within, the smile comes naturally on the face. She also advocates that healthy mind and healthy diet are mandatory, if a person wants to look beautiful. 

Now that we have revealed the beauty secrets of Bollywood's 'Barbie Doll', wait no more and follow them to get a beautiful and radiant skin like her.

how to take care of your skin in monsoon

In Monsoon:-

1. Avoid fungal infections. Fungal infections are the most common complaints of the rainy season. Never keep your skin wet for a long time. Bathing with lukewarm water and using antifungal creams, soaps and talc will prove to be effective in combating fungal invasion. Some of these common infections are athlete’s foot, ringworm, or itching caused by wet damp clothing.

2. Cleanse the skin. The skin should be cleaned 3-4 times a day with non-soapy face washes. This helps to clean excessive oil and dirt from the skin pores and helps it breathe.

3. Skin toning is essential. Non-alcoholic skin toners should be used to tone the skin twice a day to maintain the skin’s pH balance. Toning revives the skin and gives it an impeccable sheen.

4. Keeping dry skin moisturised. If your skin appears to be dry, moisturise it with a good moisturiser. Application of rose water, glycerine or almond oil before retiring to bed is beneficial in keeping the skin supple and healthy.

5. Keep oily skin clean. If you have dry skin and have visible whiteheads or blackheads, try to minimise oil secretion from the skin by using water based moisturisers, cleansers and by applying citrus face packs. Drinking a lot of water also helps in reducing oil production.

6. Shield your skin. Just because it’s cloudy, does not mean your skin is protected from the sun. It is highly important to guard your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays, so always use a good sunscreen with a high SPF factor.

7. Gentle exfoliation. Dead skin cells should be daily removed. Use a good skin scrub to get rid of those dead cells and make your skin radiant and glowing.

8. Drink adequate water. Drink at least 7-8 glasses of water to maintain skin hydration, as the skin loses a lot of water due to sweating.

9. Wash hair often. Wash hair a little more frequently that you usually do in the monsoon as all the humidity and sweat causes it to get dirty soon and attract dust and pollution.

10. Avoid artificial jewellery. For those who have very sensitive skin, it is best to avoid wearing heavy jewellery altogether. The humidity can make your skin break out when it comes into contact with anything irritable. So avoid jewellery around your neck and wrists and allow your skin to breathe.

Yoga Practice

Yoga Practice for Cervical Spondylitis:-

First of all, in Yoga you learn to relax, mentally as much as physically. This is very, very important for you, particularly if you are suffering from cervical spondylitis. Yoga teaches you asanas (poses) such as the Shavasana (Corpse Pose) and many other techniques designed specially for mental, physical and emotional relaxation.

If you practise Yoga regularly and in all respects, including the dietary recommendation of a Sattvic (simple, light and predominantly vegetarian) Yogic diet, and get enough sleep, you will be able to overcome your spondylitis problems. These practices will strengthen your muscles and help you manage pain by relieving tension, mostly through practices of relaxation. Tackle strategy for cervical spondylitis is as under:

• Constant postural awareness and control.

• Exercises to stretch your neck and shoulder muscles and girdle. These exercises will include gentle stretches and movements of your neck, arms and shoulders.

• Mild heat application for around 15 minutes 2 – 3 times daily. Please avoid application of excessive heat.

• Stretching your whole body 2 or 3 hours to reverse and effects of stress.

• Yoga relaxation with Nispanda Bhava (Unmoving Observation), Shavasana (Corpse pose) and Yoga Nidra (Yogic sleep). These will go a long way in helping relax the muscles of your back and neck.

Warm-Ups

• Shoulder Stretches (take care to avoid neck exercises and rotations)
• Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation). Do only a few rounds, slowly and without jerking your body.

Asanas (poses)

Standing Position -

• Tadasana
• Vrikshasana

Sitting Position

• Sukhasana (Easy pose)     
• Padmasana (Lotus pose)
• Vajrasana (Thunderbolt pose)
• Pawanmuktasana (Wind Relieving Pose). Never raise your neck or head in this pose; it could prove harmful.
• Parvatasana (Mountain pose). In this pose, join your hands, raise them up and stretch them to the limit.

Supine Position

• Single Leg Raises (never raise your head or neck and please avoid Double Leg Raises)
• Supta Vajrasana (Supine Thunderbolt pose)

Prone Position

• Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)
• Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
• Shalabhasana (Locust pose)

Twist

• Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Spinal Twist). Never turn your neck or try to look behind or stare behind your shoulder like normal, healthy people are advised to do in this pose.

Relaxation

• Shavasana (Corpse pose)

how to make manchurian

Ingredients:-

• Cabbage grated                         - 2 cups
• Carrot grated                             - 1 cup
• Chopped spring onion               - ½ cup
• Ginger garlic paste                    - 2 tbsp
• Green chilly                               - 1
• Maida / All purpose flour             - ¼ cup
• Corn flour                                 - 3 to 4 tbsp
• Chilly sauce                              - 2 to 3 tbsp
• Tomato sauce                           - 3 to 5 tbsp
• Dark soya sauce                       - 2 to 3 tbsp     
• Salt to taste
• Oil to fry

    Method: -  

Grate cabbage & carrots to fine shreds.

Squeeze water from them and reserve.

Chop spring onion greens to small pieces.

In a mixing bowl, add grated cabbage, carrots and spring onion.

Add 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste and finely chopped green chilly.

Add salt to taste

Mix them very well.

Add ¼ cup Maida / APF and 3 tbsp of corn flour.

Mix well and knead to soft dough ( as the vegetables has water content, no need to add water )

Make small balls out of it.

Meanwhile heat oil in a frypan.

Add the vegetable balls in hot oil.

Deep fry on medium heat to golden & crisp.

Drain and keep it in kitchen paper to drain excess oil.

Now the Manchurians are ready.

Lets proceed to prepare the sauce for it.

In a heavy bottomed kadai / pan add 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste.

Add chilly sauce & tomato sauce to it

Add dark soya sauce, little salt, corn flour paste ( 1 tbsp corn flour + 1/4 cup water ) and mix well.

Heat the pan with the sauce in low medium flame.

Add half cup of water and bring it to a boil.

Turn off the flame. Gently add the fried Manchurian balls to the gravy.

Stir well.

Place them in the serving bowl and garnish with chopped spring onions.

Now Vegetable Manchurian is ready to enjoy with  fried rice,  veg  rice  or  with noodles.

       

Here are some sample food combinations for your post exercise meal:-

• Bread, a bagel, or an English muffin with cheese or peanut butter
• Dried fruit and nuts
• Cottage cheese with fruit
• Fruit juice with cheese
• Yogurt with fruit
• Veggie omelet with toast or roll
• Chocolate milk
• Cereal with milk
• Eggs and toast
• Turkey, ham, chicken, or roast beef sandwich
• Vegetable stir-fry with chicken, shrimp, edamame or tofu
• Crackers with low fat cheese
• Rice or popcorn cakes with nut butter
• Smoothie (with milk, yogurt, or added protein powder)
• A protein or energy bar
• A protein or energy shake
• Pancakes and eggs
• Any regular meal that contains lean protein, starch, and vegetables

meditation

meditation during pregnancy:-

What Meditation and Relaxation Therapies Are: An assortment of alternative therapies that rely on breathing, muscle relaxation, and guided imagery to develop a positive outlook on pregnancy (and life in general!) and soothe the mind and body.
 
What They Do: Deep relaxation techniques, meditation, and visualization can help you cope with a variety of physical and emotional stresses during pregnancy, enabling you to relax and focus your concentration, reduce stress, lower your blood pressure, and enhance your peace of mind. And who couldn't use that right now?
Deep breathing: Short of getting a daily massage, one of the most effective ways to ease muscle tension, lower your heart rate, and help you fall asleep is to breathe deeply and rhythmically. Try this: Lie down on the floor or on your bed with your feet shoulder-width apart. (After the second trimester or if you're uncomfortable lying on your back, rest on your side with a pillow between your legs for support.) Breathe slowly through your nose, keeping your mouth closed. Be conscious of your stomach rising as you gradually fill your lungs and diaphragm with air, then hold for one second before exhaling through your nose to the count of four.
Progressive muscle relaxation: This technique may take a couple of weeks to master, but once you do, you'll be glad you did. It's like a natural sleeping pill, which you'll really appreciate as your pregnancy progresses and a good night's sleep becomes more and more elusive. Here's how to do it: Lie down on your bed or on the floor and tense your muscles completely…then let them totally relax. Focus on one muscle group at a time and alternate between the left and right side of your body. One possible route is to start by tensing and releasing your hand and forearm muscles, followed by your triceps and biceps, then your face, chest and shoulders, stomach, legs, and finally, your feet.
Guided imagery: Remember when you were little and your mom told you to close your eyes and think of nice things whenever you got scared? Well, this is pretty similar. Just picture yourself in a place you find peaceful or relaxing — a tropical beach, a flower-filled meadow, or wherever your own private bliss may be. Next imagine every detail of that place, from the sounds to the smells and everything in between. An alternative to this technique is to think of an image from a magazine or photograph and fill in every detail in your mind. Visualization takes some practice, but once you get it, you'll find it's a great way to quiet your mind, ease your tension, and help you drift off to sleep.

Home Aerobics

Home Aerobic Exercises & Steps:-

 1. Start the exercise with a 10 minute warm up session. Warming up is nothing but walking or jogging forward and backward in a fast pace. 

2. You will then continue with stretch exercises where you spread your up, down, right, left, forward, backwards with the synchronising leg movements.

 3. You will take a break with toning exercises that requires bending hips, thighs and knees. Place a chair and squat as if you were sitting on chair and then get back to the standing position. Doing semi squats like these until count 12 will tone your hip muscles and condition your lower body.

 4. You will then get back to aerobic exercises with cardio vascular workouts, either it can be running on the thread mill or dancing at a fast pace. During the exercise you feel your heart beating fast and feel like drinking a bottle of water.

 5. Another toning aerobic steps can be break to you. Start with easy squats (simple bending), crunches and stretching exercises that can relax your heart beats. To calm your body and mind, you will require deep breathing and meditation. Sit for a while and peacefully meditate for a few minutes and you will be done with your day's workout. These fitness tips have helped many homemakers in improving their general health, anti aging and also weight loss. Follow the home aerobic exercise correctly and enjoy the privacy of working out.

HOME SWEET HOME

how to take care of your home:-

A new house isn't a home until it's warmed by your personal items — family photos on the wall, your favorite towels in the bathroom and a joyful cacophony of pots and pans, plates and flatware for serving the foods you love. It's easy to forget that a home is also a house made up of thousands of parts, many of which require a maintenance regimen and regular inspection to ensure they are at peak performance, just like your car. Devoting regular attention to maintenance means:

• Preventing damage such as scratches, chips, cuts, burns, stains, gouges and scrapes to the cosmetic surfaces of your home
• Regular cleaning using manufacturer-recommended products and techniques
• Adjusting and lubricating the house's many parts
• Replacing consumable parts, like light bulbs, filters and batteries in smoke detectors
• Understanding and adhering to the manufacturer's recommended maintenance routine for appliances and other mechanical components.

Your new home likely has mechanical systems that are different from those of your last home. Take advantage of builders' homeowner orientation programs to make sure that you are familiar with the systems in your home and understand how to maximize their efficiency for your family's comfort. Know where the main safety shut-offs are for water, electricity and gas.

Building materials expand and contract over time because of changes in temperature and humidity, necessitating ongoing maintenance. Caulk, for example, dries, shrinks and cracks, diminishing its effectiveness until it no longer provides a seal against moisture and air infiltration. Maintaining caulking will be a routine task throughout the life of your home.

Likewise, you can expect some minor cracking in concrete flatwork, such as driveways and patios. Concrete cracks can result from shrinkage during curing, temperature changes or even soil movement. While cracking cannot be prevented entirely, you can minimize cracking by following these steps:

• Maintain good drainage away from concrete slabs
• Fill low spots or settled areas near concrete slabs
• Seal cracks with concrete caulking
• Remove ice and snow as soon as possible
• Protect concrete from de-icing agents
• Keep heavy vehicles (such as a moving van or dump truck) off concrete slabs

Beautiful yards are the result of years of caring and work, and require consistent attention to flourish. But whether gardening is a passion or a chore for you, consider planting native plants rather than exotics for best results. Cover soil as soon as possible to prevent erosion, and always maintain proper slope away from your home to ensure good drainage.

Finally, familiarize yourself with the warranties you receive with your new home, and be sure to activate manufacturer warranties by completing and mailing any registration cards. Besides activating your warranty, this step allows the manufacturer to contact you in the event of a product recall. Retain all warranty documents, and make sure recommended maintenance is up to date.

Few products combine science, technology, art and skill the way a new home does. Make preventative maintenance the hallmark of your home-care plan, and you'll enjoy the full satisfaction that owning a home can provide.

yoga tips for eyes..

Eye on yoga:-

Yoga plays a significant role in promoting eye health. A yoga routine replete with asanas, pranayama and meditation helps in achieving peace and tranquility. Yogic eye exercises strengthen the muscles of the eyes and thus help in curing many ailments of the eyes. Certain eye exercises are known to completely rectify eye problems. With yoga, people begin treating their eyes with care, which reflects in good eye health.

The renowned late William H. Bates, an ophthalmologist, claimed that vision could be improved with eye exercises like palming, eyeball rotations and gaze shifting. So, eye exercises are important to any individual and should be incorporated into the regular yoga routine. These exercises can be performed after the asanas.

Asana for the eyes:-

Shavasana or the corpse pose

Before beginning the eye exercises, it is important to assume the corpse pose to relax all the body parts.

Steps:-
1. To do this pose, one should lie motionless on the floor and close the eyes.
2. All the body parts from the toes to the head should be in a relaxed state.
3. In this relaxed posture, total calmness, and peace is felt when the whole body and mind have taken complete rest.

GOOD AND HEALTHY SKIN

HEALTHY SKIN:-

1. Protect yourself from the sun

One of the most important ways to take care of your skin is to protect it from the sun. A lifetime of sun exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots and other skin problems — as well as increase the risk of skin cancer.

For the most complete sun protection:

Use sunscreen. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. When you're outdoors, reapply sunscreen every two hours — or more often if you're swimming or perspiring.
Seek shade. Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun's rays are strongest.
Wear protective clothing. Cover your skin with tightly woven long-sleeved shirts, long pants and wide-brimmed hats. Also consider laundry additives, which give clothing an additional layer of ultraviolet protection for a certain number of washings, or special sun-protective clothing — which is specifically designed to block ultraviolet rays.
2. Don't smoke

Smoking makes your skin look older and contributes to wrinkles. Smoking narrows the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin, which decreases blood flow. This depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients that are important to skin health. Smoking also damages collagen and elastin — the fibers that give your skin its strength and elasticity. In addition, the repetitive facial expressions you make when smoking — such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke — can contribute to wrinkles.

If you smoke, the best way to protect your skin is to quit. Ask your doctor for tips or treatments to help you stop smoking.

3. Treat your skin gently

Daily cleansing and shaving can take a toll on your skin. To keep it gentle:

Limit bath time. Hot water and long showers or baths remove oils from your skin. Limit your bath or shower time, and use warm — rather than hot — water.
Avoid strong soaps. Strong soaps and detergents can strip oil from your skin. Instead, choose mild cleansers.
Shave carefully. To protect and lubricate your skin, apply shaving cream, lotion or gel before shaving. For the closest shave, use a clean, sharp razor. Shave in the direction the hair grows, not against it.
Pat dry. After washing or bathing, gently pat or blot your skin dry with a towel so that some moisture remains on your skin.
Moisturize dry skin. If your skin is dry, use a moisturizer that fits your skin type. For daily use, consider a moisturizer that contains SPF.
4. Eat a healthy diet

A healthy diet can help you look and feel your best. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. The association between diet and acne isn't clear — but some research suggests that a diet rich in vitamin C and low in unhealthy fats and processed or refined carbohydrates might promote younger looking skin.

5. Manage stress

Uncontrolled stress can make your skin more sensitive and trigger acne breakouts and other skin problems. To encourage healthy skin — and a healthy state of mind — take steps to manage your stress. Set reasonable limits, scale back your to-do list and make time to do the things you enjoy. The results might be more dramatic than you expect.

how to get healthy thick hair.

Healthy thick hairs:-

We always see models and celebrities with thick, volumized, luscious hair. Whether it's long or short, it looks ample and youthful. The truth is, many women find themselves with thinning hair due to post-pregnancy hormones, menopause, illness or stress. Here are a few tips to get fuller, thicker hair.

UNDERSTAND YOUR HAIR:-
At any given time, your hair is in one of three phases: The Anagen cycle- when it is actually growing, the Catagen phase- the intermediate phase when the lower two-thirds of your hair is destroyed, or the Telogen cycle- the resting phase.

Usually about 85-90 percent of your hair is in the Anagen phase and 1 percent is in the Catagen phase. The rest of the hair is in the Telogen phase; however circumstances can cause growing hair to get to this cycle faster, causing thinning hair

DETERMINE THE CAUSE:-
This is the time to check with your doctor to determine the cause of thinning hair, whether it is post-pregnancy hormones or even a thyroid issue.

TRY A HEALTHY-HAIR DIET
Make sure your diet contains foods with vitamins and minerals that can help with healthy hair growth. Folic acid (found in soybeans and wheat) can help with hair thinning, Vitamin C (found in citrus fruits) can help with keratin production, Vitamin A (found in spinach) helps keep the scalp healthy. Lastly, Vitamin B (found in red meat) can help prevent hair loss.

Make sure to also take your vitaminds and talk to your doctor or dermatologist about a good daily vitamin or supplement with the vitamins above in combination with biotin and zinc.

DEEP CONDITION
Your existing hair can get weak and brittle with exposure to the elements and frequent washing and blow-drying. Keep it moisturized and strong with frequent conditioning treatments. Once a week, shampoo hair and remove excess water then apply a deep conditioning mask and wrap a warm towel around your head. Leave on for 20 minutes and rinse. If this is too long for you, try one of the new express conditioning treatments, such as Dove Damage Therapy Intensive Repair Conditioner (at drugstores nationwide).

MASSAGE YOUR SCALP
Massage your scalp with coconut or jojoba oil to increase scalp circulation. On either wet or dry hair, apply coconut oil to your scalp. Massage in circular motions around your scalp. Finish by wrapping a warm, wet towel around your head and leave on for 10 minutes for extra conditioning.

"How we take care of our hair at home greatly impacts its health and appearance," says Eva Scrivo, renowned hair expert and author of Eva Scrivo on Beauty.

VOLUMIZE
Switch to products that create volume from shampoo, conditioner to hair styling products. These products contain ingredients that give hair fullness. These include humectants, a non-oily substance that draws in hydration from the surrounding environment and attracts it to the hair strand. These humectants swell the hair shaft, temporarily making hair look thicker. Polymers in hair volumizers coat each strand, also adding to the thicker look. In result, the increased moisture also helps each strand of hair look thicker.

STRATEGIC COLOR
Try strategic color placement and ask your stylist for low-lights to create the illusion of thicker hair.

ADD EXTENSIONS
Even if you are not seeking extra length to your hair, extensions can be a great way to add volume and fullness. Find a salon that offers real hair extensions (prices start at $500) or try one of the new at-home, clip in versions to save time and money, such as Milani Hair Extensions. This is one of the few do-it-yourself extensions that are made from real human hair. They can be cut and styled just like regular hair and even a few strands can make a huge difference. These are also low-maintenance and commitment-free compared to in salon extensions.

TRY A LASER COMB
New at-home FDA approved technology uses nourishing laser light energy into your hair to revitalize it and improve its condition. Results are usually seen in 6-16 weeks, depending on the condition of the scalp and hair. Although expensive (at-home units average $500), this can be another, great option

RANBIR KAPOOR HEALTH SECERETS

HEALTH SECERET:-

Have a look at his career graph and the variety of roles he has been doing, you’ll know the typical chocolate boy who did the notorious towel dance in his debut movie has come a long way.

His personal trainer Pradeep Bhatia helps him get the look he must portray in different movies. Bhatia has been training RK for three years now.

The Problem

Since Ranbir Kapoor is a complete non-vegetarian, there is a singular lack of vegetables in his diet. Hence, his mom (former actress Neetu Singh) prepares vegetable juice for him in the morning. It contains all the possible vegetables, so he gets his intake.

Ranbir Kapoor’s Workout Schedule

Ranbir Kapoor has appointed a dedicated trainer who takes care of what he eats, drinks and the physical activities he indulges in. Since Ranbir doesn’t have time off his busy shooting and endorsement schedules, a personal trainer who can be with him on a full time basis was the best choice.

So Pradeep travels to all the actor’s shoots and makes sure he doesn’t miss his workouts and eats right. Ranbir Kapoor also visits to Sanjay Dutts’s gym five days a week for around 1 hour to an hour and 30 minutes a day.

Hardcore Gym Workout

Ranbir doesn’t likes to practise Yoga or Swim. He is into hardcore gym workout schedules. His workout is planned in a way to take care of his chest and back but cringes. He also works on his legs. Ranbir likes to listen to music while working out.

Running

Ranbir runs a lot to maintain his stamina.

Football

Kapoor plays football regularly.

Weights and Cardio

Ranbir follows a fixed schedule comprising of weights and cardio four times a week.

The Energy for Workout

Ranbir Kapoor has protein shake both before and after workouts.

Ranbir Kapoor’s Diet Plan

Ranbir is a foodie with less appetite. His trainer keeps a close watch on Ranbir’s diet. Here’s the diet chart Ranbir has been following recently to maintain his super cool looks:

Breakfast

• Milk with cornflakes and a banana

Or

• Egg white omelette and brown bread toast with a glass of fresh juice/Black/espresso coffee

Lunch

• Tandoori chicken

• Daal

• Two Rotis

Dinner

• Grilled salmon

• Fish

• Chicken

Ranbir’s Diet on the Sets

• Fruits

• Juices

• Green tea

• Darjeeling tea

Supplements Prescribed for Ranbir Kapoor

• Multi- vitamins

• Whey protein shake (twice a day) – after workouts and after dinner

Ranbir Kapoor is Mad about

• A soft drink he endorses

• A slice of cake

• Grand mom’s food

• Salami

• Cream cheese

Ranbir Kapoor’s Health Habit

• He drinks a lot of water throughout the day

Ranbir Kapoor’s Favourite Cuisines

• Italian

• Chinese

Ayurveda Treatment

Ayurveda :-

1.Dhanya Kizhi Dhanya kizhi is a kind of therapeutic sweating. It is a dry type of fomentation. In this treatment, body is fomented with linen bundles containing drugs like cereals, horse gram, black gram, cotton seed etc, in semi powdered form.

Indication. Effective in reducing pain and inflammation in the joints, neck and lower back. 45 to 60 minutes session.

2.Gala Vasthi

A circular receptacle made out of black gram dough is fixed on the back of neck (cervical area). Lukewarm medicated oil is slowly poured in to it. The oil in the receptacle is kept warm by transferring the oil gently heated in a water bath through out the procedure for 45 to 60 minutes.

Indication -For pain, stiffness, degenerative changes (osteoarthritis),spondylosis and cervical spine injuries.

3.Ela KizhiMinced herbal leaves, coconut gratings and lemon,are warmed in medicated oil and bundled into boluses in cotton cloth.These bundles are steamed and the fomentation is patted rhythmically all over the body for sudation.


Indication-Advised in hemiplegia,pain in,neck,back and joints. 45 to 60 minutes session.

4.Nasyam Therapeutic administration of medicated oils or herbal juices (prepared in the form of nasal drops) through nostrils is termed as Nasyam.This is one of the Pancha karma procedure for detoxification. Nasyam is advised either in the morning on an empty stomach or in the evening. During the sessions of Nasyam, shower (bathing of head), exposure to sunlight and dust should be avoided.

Indication - facial paralysis, sinusitis,migraine, Cervical spondylosis and arthritis. Duration-15 to 20 minutes to complete the procedure.

5.Njavara Kizhi (SHASHTIKA PINDA SWEDAM) involves fomentation of the body with boluses of specially cooked rice.A particular kind of rice known for its medicinal and nourishment value is cooked in milk along with suitable herbal decoction). These boluses are tied up in linen bags as kizhis.

Indication. Very effective for rejuvenation, nourishment.Reduces pain and inflammation. Advised in paralysis, low back ache, neck pain and arthritis.

6.Siro Vasthi Lukewarm herbal oil is poured into an open cap fitted on the head for 15 to 60 minutes per day.

Indication-This procedure is advised for facial palsy, migraine, dryness of mouth, throat and nostrils, insomnia, cervical spondylosis, Parkinson's disease etc.

Duration. 7 to 9 days

7.THAKRA DHARA In thakradhara, medicated butter milk is poured continuously on the forehead as a continuous stream in between the temples.

Indication -For skin diseases like psoriasis, insomnia, and stress.Helps to improve concentration.

8.janu vasti A circular receptacle made out of black gram dough is fixed on or behind the knee joint.Lukewarm medicated oil is slowly poured in to it. The oil in the receptacle is kept warm by transfering the oil gently heated in a water bath through out the procedure.

Indication – For pain, stiffness, degenerative changes (osteoarthritis), tendon tear, and injury in the knee joint.

9.Shirodhara In shirodhara, medicated oil is poured gently on the forehead as a continuous stream in between the temples.

Indication -Insomnia, migraine, fascial palsy, parkinsonism, poor memory,hearing impairment, tinnitus, vertigo, Ménière's disease and stress. Helps to improve concentration.

10.KARASKARA KSHEERA DHARA Karaskara ksheeram - is a herbal decoction prepared in milk.Warm Karaskara ksheeram is poured in a continuous stream all over the body. Dhara is usually done in four to five postures.

Indication. Effective treatment to improve peripheral blood circulation, reducing pain, numbness, burning sensation and inflammation. This line of treatment combined with specific externally used oils has an added effect for Rheumatoid arthritis, diabetic neuropathy, eczema and psoriasis.

POHA

HOW TO MAKE Delicious POHA IN BREAKFAST:-

Poha is very Delicious & simple dish of Maharashtra. It Is called "pohe" in marathi or "avlakki bhat" in kannada. It is easy to cook & will take very short time. Poha is made up of Beaten rice. It is very light, You can eat it into morning Breakfast & in Evening with Tea also.

Ingredients:-

• Beaten Rice Two cup
• Groundnuts 50 gm
• Onions medium size 2
• Tomato 2
• Green chilly 2
• Mustred seeds
• One Potato
• Chopped curry leaves
• Chopped coriander
• One pinch turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

How To Make Poha?

Take Beaten rice & soak it into water for some time.wash & drain out water.

Spring some salt & pinch of turmeric powder in it.

Cut small pieces of onion, tomato, chili, & potato.

Heat oil in pan , add peanuts to crackle, mustered & put curry leaves.

Add potato to saute them then add onion, salt & green chili.

When onion turns golden brown then add tomato & stir it well.

Now time to add poha & mix it well with mixture.

Put chopped coriander on it to decorate.

Put lemon juice on it & your delicious poha is ready.

Workout

CHEST:-

Pushups:-Get into pushup position, with your weight evenly distributed between your toes and your hands and your legs, hips and back in a straight line and lower and raise your body by bending your elbows, making sure that your arm angle is 90° at the bottom of the movement.

Chest Dips:-Hold yourself up on a dip bar and, making sure to keep your head down and your legs straight beneath you at the angle of 90 degree, lower yourself by bending your elbows, and come back up to the starting position. Make sure to keep the movement in your chest and not in your triceps, this will help you to build your chest size.

Bench Press:-Lie down on a flat bench making sure not to arch your back and grip the barbell with your hands shoulder width apart, palms facing your feet, and press the barbell straight up and back down. If you do this on an incline, you will place more stretch on your upper chest, whereas a decline places more stretch on your lower chest.

ABS:-

First Way To Form Abs:-Lie on your left side, right arm extended so its perpendicular to the floor, Prop yourself up on your left forearm and raise your hips so your body is straight from ankles to head.Lower your left hip, and then raise it again until its in line with your body.Thats 1 rep. Continue lowering and raising your hip for 20 reps, and then hold the up position for 10 seconds. Repeat on your right side.

Hip Raise -- Leg Raise:-Lie down on a flat bench with your legs up and perpendicular to the bench (hold the bench behind your head for stability). Lift your hips slightly off the bench by contracting your lower abs, hold for three seconds, and lower your hips. Keep your back flat on the bench, your legs straight and lower your legs until they almost form a straight line with the rest of your body. Hold for a count of three and bring them back to the starting position.

Jackknife:-lie down on your back and extend your arms above your head. Simultaneously lift your arms and legs toward the ceiling, until your fingertips touch your toes (if you can). Slowly return to the starting position.

ARMS:-

Dumbbell Curl:-This exercise is done by taking a dumbbell in each hand and using a curling motion from waist level to chin level.The dumbbell must stay level and the wrist must stay flat throughout the entire exercise.This exercise can be alternated or done simultaneously

Reverse Dumbbell Curl:-This exercise is similar to the dumbbell curl but the dumbbell remains vertical while curling instead of flat.This exercise creates the 3d effect that so many people are after, targeting the lower bicep.

Dumbbell Tricep Extension:-This exercise like the reverse dumbbell curl for biceps, targets the lower tricep and really fills out the lower area. Making your arms appear bigger underneath

How To Meditate Into Higher States Of Consciousness

Higher States Of Consciousness:-

We live most of our life through three states of consciousness: waking, dreaming and sleeping.

In the waking state of consciousness, we experience the world through the five senses. We seek elevation and joy from these senses. If any one of the senses is missing, the entire dimension of that sense is lost. One who cannot hear is bereft of the whole arena of sound. Similarly, he who cannot see is deprived of all the beautiful sights and colors. So, the sense is more important and much bigger than the object of the sense.

The mind is higher than the senses. The mind is infinite, its desires are many, but the capacity of the senses to enjoy is limited. Greed is wanting more and more of sensory objects. Even though one can only enjoy a limited amount during a lifetime, one wants all the wealth in the world.

Giving too much importance to sensory objects leads to greed; giving too much importance to the senses leads to lust; and giving too much importance to the mind and its desires leads to delusion.

We hold on to the concepts of the mind and want things to happen in a certain way. Thus, the concepts in our mind impede us from perceiving the infinite consciousness that is a part of us. This is not to say that the senses or the mind are bad. But we must learn to discriminate between things and be aware of what is happening at all times; that is when clarity dawns on us. This is the first step toward the higher state of consciousness.

In the waking state, one is constantly engaged in looking, eating, working, etc. The other extreme is the sleeping state where one is completely cut off and dull. The dullness and heaviness linger even after waking. The more one sleeps, the duller one feels since a lot of energy is expended in sleep. Then there is the dreaming state where one is neither asleep nor awake. Here, you neither feel at rest nor are aware of your surroundings.

Meditation

The higher state of consciousness is somewhere in between the waking, sleeping and dreaming states. Here, we know we "are" but we don't know "where" we are. This knowledge that I "am," but I don't know "where" I am or "what" I am, is called Shiva. This state gives the deepest possible rest that one can experience. And one can achieve this through meditation.

Meditation helps in two ways -- it prevents stress from entering the system and simultaneously releases accumulated stress. With the assimilation of meditation into daily life, a higher state of consciousness called cosmic consciousness dawns within us. Cosmic consciousness perceives the whole universe as part of oneself. When we perceive the world as a part of us, love flows strongly between the world and us. This love empowers us to overcome the opposing forces and the disturbances in life. Anger and disappointments become fleeting emotions that occur momentarily and then vanish.

A higher state of consciousness will not simply happen one fine morning. The sapling of consciousness is within you -- it needs to be nurtured through spiritual practices like meditation. Some coconut trees yield in three years, and some in 10 years. And those that are not nurtured never yield, they simply exist.

Attaining higher states of consciousness does not require any complicated strategy; one just needs to learn the art of letting go. The confluence of knowledge, understanding and practice makes life complete. When you grow into higher states of consciousness, you find that you are no longer thrown off-balance by different situations and disturbances. You become strong yet soft -- a delicate and beautiful individual capable of accommodating different values in life without any conditions. As your consciousness opens and the whole system gets physically, mentally and spiritually elevated, your life truly becomes worth living.