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4 Ways To Add Apples In Your Diet!

The humble, sweet apple is much more than just a tasty snack. It’s rich with great nutrients like vitamin C, potassium, pectin and fibre that help avoid colds and hypertension while keeping your gut healthy. Here are four ways you can incorporate this wonder fruit in your diet!

Apple Salad

Toss sliced apples, walnuts, avocados, lettuce, and spinach in a bowl. Add a light dressing like balsamic vinaigrette and a little honey and mix well. Add any other fruits or veggies you like to this yummy salad!

Apple Jam

Boil 1 kg of peeled and diced apples for 10 minutes and drain them through a muslin cloth. Stir the apples with honey, lemon juice, cinnamon and a little chilli in a pan and reduce the mixture till it becomes a yummy jam!

Apple Smoothie

This one’s real easy – just add apples and any other fruit or vegetable like spinach, ginger or even broccoli with a little yoghurt and blend away!

Apple Sauce

Boil peeled and diced apples with water, lemon juice, honey and cinnamon for about 25 minutes. Puree this mixture and you’ve got amazing applesauce that goes with anything – from your morning oats or evening crackers!

Not everyone’s an apple fanatic, but don’t let that stop you from including it into your diet. Try out some of these recipes and see what works for you! If you’ve heard of any other unique apple recipes, comment below and let us know!

What is ASMR & how does it help relieve stress?

Do you remember how as a kid you fell asleep to whispered bedtime stories? Or when someone patted your back rhythmically? Or when you fall asleep at a lecture where the person speaks slowly in monotone? These would cause a tingling and relaxing sensation in your brain and through your spine and help you relax. This is known as Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR), and it has been a topic of growing popularity with many articles being written and video blogs being made on the same.

Different sounds or images can cause ASMR and these are called ‘triggers’. Some examples include:

Slow, rhythmic sounds
Crisp sounds such as typing of keys, tapping fingernails, etc.
Repetitive movements
Receiving personal attention from someone

How does it work?

People who feel ASMR probably have a stronger neural connection between emotional and auditory areas and potentially some personality parameters. However, scientists are still researching why people react to ASMR the way they do!

The ASMR Research & Support organization puts people who feel ASMR into two categories:

Type A – they are relaxed by their own thoughts (internal stimuli)
Type B – they react and are relaxed by soft whispers, sounds and visual stimulation (external stimuli).

ASMR has been reported to relieve anxiety, pain, stress and can even help insomniacs who are trying to sleep. ASMR as a content category has gained fame over the last couple of years, with channels and platforms being totally dedicated to ASMR content. If you want to experience ASMR, YouTube, Reddit and SoundCloud are some platforms where you could find relaxing audio and visual content!

Comment below with the ASMR triggers that help you relax!

Three golden rules to have a positive self-image

Out of all the people in our lives, we are our worst critics sometimes. While it is great to stay grounded, we must make sure that we aren’t underestimating our own self-worth. Here are three golden rules to have a positive self-image!

Focus on the good.

List down all the things you feel make you good. It’s important not to be your own bully and not nitpick too much on the things that you think are negative aspects of your personality. Accept your flaws and imperfections, and love yourself for who you are in spite of them.

Be kind.

A kind tone resonates well when you talk to people – including yourself. You deserve to be treated well as much as anyone else. Make the criticisms you address yourself with constructive and give yourself room for improvement. Accept the compliments you get graciously, instead of feeling like you don’t deserve them.

Cut yourself some slack.

Every single thing you do isn’t required to be done to please others. Don’t wait for validation from someone else – believe in the efforts that you put into your work. Stand up for yourself, because otherwise, who will?

Follow these simple rules to look in the mirror and see someone you love. Do comment below and share with us the things you do to feel good about yourself!

5 ways to naturally relieve period cramps!

Some women have the good fortune of having periods that pass by without event, while some have the misfortune of having painful cramps associated with each period. But before you reach for that bottle of ibuprofen, consider these natural remedies for cramps!

Exercise:
You might wonder how on earth you can exercise when in pain. However, brisk walking or any kind of aerobic exercise helps release endorphins in your brain and soothe your cramps.
Amp up the heat:
Cramps are caused due to the contraction of muscles and applying heat will help ease the pain. Heating pads or even a water bottle filled with hot water applied to your abdomen might help ease the pain.
Drink some tea:
Herbal teas like chamomile or peppermint contain chemicals that aid the release of oxytocin, the relaxing hormone and prostaglandin, an anti-inflammatory. It’s a double win – you get to relax and enjoy a drink!
Get that Vitamin D:
Soak in the sun or eat food like tuna, salmon, egg yolks, cheese, almonds, and soy milk to absorb Vitamin D. Vitamin D or Calciferol is a fat-soluble vitamin that can help reduce inflammation and alleviate cramps.
Give your diet a Magnesium Makeover
Your menstrual cycle involves both your nerves and muscles, and magnesium helps regulate the functioning of both these systems while preventing water retention which causes bloating. Eating a lot of leafy greens and food such as bananas, avocados and even dark chocolate helps boost the magnesium in your diet.

Hope these natural remedies help you with your next period. Comment below if you have any other helpful tips!

Healthy Habits to follow in your 20s and 30s

The 20s and 30s of a woman’s life are her prime years. While it is absolutely encouraged to be a free spirit, this is also the time where you tend to make poor health choices. So, here are 6 habits to follow in your 20s and 30s for a full and fun life!

Fill your nutrition gaps:

Studies suggest that women in their 20s and 30s need 60 to 70 grams of protein in a day, in addition to several other nutrients like iron, calcium, phytonutrients and omega-3. It’s important to identify why each nutrient is needed by your body and which ones you lack.

Catch some z’s

The recommended average duration of sleep for an adult is 7-8 hours. Catching up on that beauty sleep doesn’t just leave you feeling refreshed and energetic, it also lowers the risk of hypertension and diabetes!

Step on that scale:

It is very important to maintain your weight and a healthy BMI for your body, as it reduces the risk of so many disorders such as diabetes and PCOD. Making healthy food choices, eating lots of veggies and fruits and drinking adequate water are all things that you can do to maintain your weight.

Party in moderation:

While the intake of alcohol in moderation has certain health benefits, it is important not to go too overboard as this might cause some serious damage to your liver. So party smart, ladies!

Let go of vices:

Smoking and drinking are vices that are hard to let go off. However, they cause more harm than good, and slowly weaning yourself off of these vices is something you in 20 years will be grateful for!

Get screened regularly:

It’s important to know the numbers of your own body and maintain optimum levels of cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure. Get your systems screened regularly to detect any abnormalities before they become problems!

So there you go ladies! Follow these habits for a long and healthy life! What other tips would you recommend?

6 Ways to Prep Your Skin for The Summer!

March is here, which means summer is just around the corner! It will soon be the time of swimming, slurping on mangoes, slathering that sunscreen and showing off a little skin! Here are 6 ways to prep your skin for the summer:

Smoothen it with scrubs!
Exfoliate your skin with homemade scrubs regularly for silky smooth, even and glowing skin! Scrubbing helps remove the layer of dust and grime that settles on top of your skin – so that you feel fresh all summer!
Tomatoes all the way!
Tomatoes help protect your skin from the inside. They are rich in antioxidants and help reduce the effects of sunburn, like redness and swelling! So whether it’s a smoothie or a Bloody Mary, tomatoes are great for the summer season!
Pedicures are sure winners!
Your feet deserve a little TLC after spending all winter in closed shoes – so bust out those flip-flops and show off your pedicured feet! Pedicures also remove layers of dead skin from your feet and get them ready for the heat of summer!
Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!
The rich creams of the winter step aside for the light, water-based moisturizers of the summer! Moisturizing your skin is important as it keeps it hydrated and cool. And if your moisturizer has SPF, that’s a bonus!
Don’t skip the ‘screen!
This is not just important during the summer – it is important to wear sunscreen year-round too! Wear a sunscreen that is SPF 15 or higher to have all the fun in the sun you want! And if your sunscreen is gel-based – it’s a great coolant for your skin as well.
Stay hydrated!
As the temperature of the season soars, make sure your body temperature doesn’t! Drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day not only keeps you hydrated – it makes your skin glow and improves its elasticity, giving you a youthful appearance!

Follow these tips for great skin all through the summer! Have any other tips? Comment below and let us know!

5 push-up variations every woman should know!

Push-ups can be really hard, but are one of the best compound full body exercises!

Especially for all you ladies out there, push-ups are a great way to engage your core and increase your strength. Here are five variations on the basic push-up that every woman should know!

Wall Push-Ups

Place both your hands somewhat wider than your shoulder width on a wall, then kick your legs out and extend your body till you are on your toes. Using the balance of your core and hands, push forward towards the wall and then back to the initial position to finish one pushup.

Knee Push-Ups

Place your knees on the mat, lower yourself to the ground just like in a normal push-up pose, but now, you have the support of the knees to give you more balance. You can do several reps of these pushups until you start feeling winded!

Inclined Push-Ups

If you have trouble doing the basic pushup, inclined pushups are a great alternative! This exercise puts far less stress on your elbows but still targets the main chest muscles (the pectoralis major and minor). It also decreases the amount of body weight you are lifting. What’s more, these push-ups can be done just about anywhere!

Spiderman Push-Ups

Start in a normal plank position and then while raising yourself up, bring up one of your knees toward the elbow as much as you can and then push it back as you return to the initial position.

The Elevated Push-Up

Put your feet up on an elevated surface and doing a push up in that position. This will make your body work harder!

Practice these variations on the basic push-up and push yourself through a better lifestyle!

3 detox recipes to kick-start your metabolism

An essential part of maintaining your healthy habits is stimulating your metabolism by helping it process nutrients and meal components.

Here are 3 very easy and effective detox recipes for you to boost your metabolism.

Lemon & Mint Detox Water

This detox water is perfect for enjoying as the first thing in the morning!

Ingredients:

8 ounces of drinking water (room temperature)
Juice of half a lemon
Three whole mint leaves

Recipe:

Put all the ingredients into a pretty glass, stir and drink up!

Morning Green Smoothie

Have this tasty drink for a light breakfast or a satisfying snack!

Ingredients:

3 ice cubes
1 cup green tea
300 grams of low-fat yoghurt
2 cups stemmed and chopped spinach
1 medium apple – cored and chopped
1 cup of pomegranate
1/4 avocado, chopped
1/2-inch fresh ginger, peeled (optional)

Recipe:

Blitz all the ingredients in a blender and you’re good to go!

Delicious Detox Salad

This truly delicious salad is a great appetizer and Instagram worthy!

Ingredients:

You can use just about any base ingredients in this salad including fresh greens, veggies, or herbs. We like to use a good mix of

Finely chopped cabbage, spinach or kale, broccoli and carrots
Half an onion
A handful of toasted almonds
A spoon of any salad dressing of your choice

Recipe:

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and you are certain to gobble it up all at once!

These are the best ways for you to keep your healthy journey on track. If you know more interesting and yummy detox recipes, please comment below and let us know!

6 questions to help you see life more clearly

Life can be complicated. It is a journey where you learn, develop and rise above the hurdles to discover the essence of your true self. Caught up in the pursuit of happiness, we forget to realise the power we have to make ourselves more content and happy.

Here are 6 fundamental questions you can ask yourself to be at the top of your game in life.

Who Am I?

You might describe yourself by your ethnicity or your way of living. However, this question is built to understand how you are constantly evolving as a human being. So think through and look deeper into your individual narrative.

Do I like myself?

This is not about your appearance; it’s about your opinion on your answer to the first question. If you disapprove of yourself, then you would find it difficult to be happy with anyone – it stems from your relationship with yourself.

What matters the most?

This one is crucial – until you clarify what you value the most, you will never know the purpose of what you do. When you find what matters, you will understand the meaning behind the time you spend for each task you do.

Whom do I forgive to find inner peace?

Forgiveness is key. This act of courage keeps you peaceful and free of any unnecessary internal struggles.

Am I doing my best?

Once you find what you want to do, give it your fullest. Also, this action moves you closer to the person you intend to be.

Have I made someone smile today?

Love is the essence of life. The way you treat other people has an effect on you too! A slight gesture by you has the power to make others happy – which will consequently make you happy!

Ask yourself these questions every day and get valuable insights into the work you do!

6 Ways to Curb Emotional Eating

Had a bad day at work? Is parenting getting extra stressful?

Don’t worry – you know that reaching for that tub of ice cream and settling in with your favourite Netflix series will do the trick. Right?

Wrong!

We all know that eating junk food will do us more harm in the long run, but we still cave in when our emotions take a hit.

So how can we control these cravings? Let’s look at a few effective tricks:

1. Write a new grocery list.
Swap some items in your grocery list with healthier options. You can’t binge if there is no junk in the house. So, let’s start with the obvious and cut down on the temptations.

2. Face your problems
The next time you’re feeling stressed, ask yourself what the problem is and how to address it, rather than reaching for your comfort food. Focus on being a better and more productive person tomorrow.

3. Keep yourself active
Do some form of exercise whenever you get time – go for a walk, climb up the stairs instead of taking the elevator – even the smallest things add up! The chemicals released in your brain when you exercise make you feel happier and will help you get a mood lift.

4. Focus on the positives
Count your little successes to make you feel better. Give positive changes more attention by believing in encouragement and not criticism.
For example, praise yourself for not taking that extra cookie.

5. Make plans with your loved ones
Call up your friends and laugh your stress away! The people you love will help you make a bigger difference in your life than you would do for yourself.

6. Take Support
If nothing works and you still can’t stop binging on unhealthy food, seek support. Sign up for professional help if you are shifting from moderate to severe emotional eating.

It may seem a little difficult to keep up in the beginning, but changing your emotional and binge eating habits is a process. Backsliding may happen, so acknowledge it when it does and use it as a reason to start again.

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