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THE GOOD HAIR DIET

Shampoos. Conditioners. Serums. No blow-drying. Tonnes of creams. Brushing your hair thrice a day. What are the other tips you have got to keep your hair healthy?

While it is good to do these things to keep your hair healthy, the problem largely is that these are mostly superficial!

By eating nutrient rich foods that are good for you, you are feeding your hair and giving it a chance to grow healthy and fixing the problem at its roots. Here are 8 foods that are excellent for healthy hair.

1. Amla Berries

Indian gooseberry or Amla which is famous for its sour taste is very high in antioxidants and is extremely good for healthy hair. They can be cut into pieces and eaten as is but the only catch is that you need to develop a liking for this extreme sour taste.

2.Green Leafy Vegetables

Not just for healthy hair but green leafy vegetables are a must have in your diet and give you a host of health benefits. Greens like spinach must be a definite addition to your diet to help your hair grow healthy and thick!

3.Oats

Rich in various nutrients that range from omega 3 to iron and zinc, oats are a great choice for healthy hair. Make a breakfast out of oatmeal or have them for your mid-evening break and enjoy lustrous hair.

4.Guava

They are not just tasty but they are also great for your hair! Rich in vitamin C, guavas are the best bet for anyone who has thin hair woes.

5.Eggs

They don’t just make you healthier and stronger but are also packed with vitamin B. Vitamin B prevents your hair from being brittle and unhealthy and instead adds the much need lustre and strength to your hair!

6.Sweet Potatoes

Not just sweet potatoes but almost every orange coloured vegetable and fruit ( like carrots, pumpkins and mangoes) is so good for your hair that they are called elixir of the locks.

7.Nuts and Seeds

Whether it is walnuts, pistachios or cashews, nuts have a lot of nutrients that help keep your hair supple and prevent breakage.

8.Barley

Barley contains vitamin E that helps repair sun damage on the scalp which helps prevent hair thinning. Vitamin E supplements have been proven to improve hair growth and since barley is very rich in this, it is important to include it in your diet!

References

http://www.eatthis.com/foods-for-healthy-hair

6 Bad Habits That Ruin Your Workout

Are you someone who is fairly committed to your workout routine? Do you exercise regularly or miss only a few classes? Do you find that you are not seeing the results you should be seeing given the effort you put in?

If those are things you relate to, here are 6 things that people like you commonly do that can ruin a good workout plan and our suggestions on how you can work around them:

1.Not having a clear vision

It is important to know exactly what it is that you are working towards – General fitness? Weight loss? Muscle building? Defining your goals and not treating exercise as random movements on a daily basis will go a long way in defining your workout.

2.Eating too much after a workout or eating too little in general

It is a given that you will be hungry after a tiring workout – however, eating too much and gorging on food and especially junk food after a workout can completely negate the good effects a healthy workout will have. Ensure you are very conscious of your pre and post workout eating routine to make the best of your workout!

The same way if you are on a “diet” thinking that it is the best thing you can do while working out, beware because even eating very little can be detrimental to your fitness goals. Ensure you eat enough and you eat healthy to supplement your training in the right way.

3.Not drinking enough water

Water has a huge impact on your performance levels and surprisingly it is not just about being dehydrated; water also aids weight loss! Ensure you drink enough water through the day!

4.Over-training

Those who are enthusiastic about training often make this mistake – over-training! Ensure that you are giving your body enough rest to recoup from training because this is very crucial for your body to actually experience the good effects of training.

5.Not including variety

Doing the same routine over and over again will kill your workout! It is important to include a good mix of cardio, strength training, and different exercises to ensure your workout gives you maximum impact.

6.Being distracted during a workout

Whether it is your phone or it is just you thinking about office while you are doing your reps – they are absolute no-nos during your workout! Being fully present mentally at an exercise class is as and if not more important as showing up.

References

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/mindandbody/6-surprising-habits-that-ruin-your-workouts/ar-AAo3eTY?index=1&li=BBoPWjQ

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/8-habits-that-could-wreck-your-fitness-goals

5 Ways to Deal with Fatigue

Are you someone who feels tired when you wake up? Do you constantly feel groggy after getting out of bed? If someone asks you how you were feeling, would “tired” be the word you use?

If you answered yes to any or all of those questions, there is a good chance that fatigue is troubling you! It is important that you stop for fuel when you are on a long drive and fatigue is a sign that your body needs to do just that.

Here are a few ways in which you can replenish your energy and get right back on track.

1.Get Yourself Checked

The first step before deciding how to combat fatigue is to ensure that you are not tired because of a medical problem – this includes taking a test, visiting your doctor and ensuring you rule out any medical reason.

2.Exercise

While it seems counterproductive that exercising when you are already feeling so tired can help you feel better, it is the ultimate truth! Get out and move your body and ensure that you get some or any sort of exercise. It could be yoga or strength training or even just a walk – the adrenalin rush will help your body stay fit and give you some much-needed energy.

3.Monitor Your Sleep

Two aspects of sleep are important – are you getting enough and are you getting quality sleep? Take stock of these two and try to fix your sleep cycle. This involves getting up and going to bed at the same time every day and ensuring you sleep really well. Leaving your gadgets behind is also a good idea before you go to sleep!

4.Lose Weight

Being obese can be a reason for fatigue – if you are obese or even slightly overweight, make sure you work towards losing weight so that you get fit but also feel better!

5.Fix your diet

If you are feeling super tired and drained – one of the most important things you should be doing is fixing your diet! Are you getting enough nutrients? Ensure you take a second look at your diet and add anything that might help you feel healthier.

References

http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/get-energy-back#1

10 Things That Happy People Do

10 Things That Happy People Do

Happiness is not a destination but a journey and if you have ever looked at someone who is so happy and wondered what they are doing right – don’t wonder for too long! Here are 10 habits that happy people who are emotionally strong inculcate that helps them to stay the way there.

1.The Art of Gratitude

Being thankful for what you have is almost like practising an art! This is something that those with good emotional strength do because how can you stay happy if you are not cherishing the things that you do currently have?

2.They understand the power of the “Self”

Being accountable for your own actions and not transferring blame or responsibility on someone else, helps people stay strong and happy. Those who are happy understand this very well and have a huge amount of accountability on themselves!

3.They have clear boundaries

Defining your personal boundaries is almost like giving other people guidelines as to how to treat you. This will help avoid any frustration or anger that you might harbour towards other people because if you tell them exactly how to treat you, the chances of them going wrong are lesser!

4.Being comfortable with the past

Happy people are those who have learnt to make peace with their past. Constantly dwelling on what happened is only going to keep pulling you from what happiness that life has to offer for you!

5.They deal with failure

Emotionally strong people don’t let failure pull them down. In fact, they view failure and mistakes as opportunities to grow stronger and come back with an inclination to perform better.

6.They accept when they are wrong

Not accepting when you make a mistake can put a lot of pressure on you and accepting it in fact is a very healthy habit to practise that is vital for your own happiness!

7.They understand that emotional energy is limited

Happy people are careful where they spend their emotional energy because they understand it is limited. Instead of wasting it on pointless arguments and things that drain them, they only choose to do so when it is truly important.

8.They don’t over-think

Are you someone who imagines at least a hundred different possibilities to every situation? This might just be the habit that is keeping you from your happiness! While it is important to plan well, over-thinking is a definite happiness jeopardiser.hey are optimistic

9.They are optimistic

Optimism and having faith that good things will happen, define happy people – constantly thinking negative thoughts can pull you down and make you feel worse and imagine possibilities that probably only occur in your imagination.

10.They are comfortable being alone

Learning to be alone is a huge part of embracing happiness – people who constantly don’t depend on other people to validate, entertain or look out for them are much happier and stronger!

Reference

https://www.inc.com/amy-morin/18-things-mentally-strong-people-do.html

Your Guide To A Vegetarian Pregnancy

Pregnancy is that time of your life where you should be extra careful about all the things that you do on a normal basis. While being pregnant is not a “condition” that you need to be wary of, it is imperative that you take good care of your health so that you and your baby are healthy.

The most important part of this has to be what you eat and how much you exercise. One question that most people seem to have when they are pregnant is what is okay and what is not okay to eat.

A lot of people worry if eating meat is okay. Others worry if they are getting enough protein and nutrients from their plant based diet!

In case you are a vegetarian and solely depend on plant-based foods for your nutrients, here are some foods you can include to eat healthy and stay fit throughout your pregnancy.

High protein vegetarian options

While staying vegetarian during your pregnancy can offer a host of benefits, the most important question you need to ask yourself is if you are getting enough protein. And proteins being the building blocks of life are a non-negotiable addition to a pregnant woman’s diet! If you are Eggetarian, make sure you eat eggs to get protein. Otherwise, some protein-rich vegetarian options for you are lentils, paneer, beans and nuts. Make sure you judiciously include these in your diet.

Iron

During pregnancy, the body produces more blood to help your body carry nutrients and it is vital that your iron intake is optimum. Green vegetables, wholemeal bread, a glass of orange juice or some dried fruits are a great way to ensure your iron intake is taken care of.

Calcium

Why is calcium so important for a pregnant woman? Because these ensure the development of your baby’s bones and cells! So make sure your diet is rich in calcium. If you naturally eat a lot of dairy products like milk, cheese, yoghurt, you do not have to worry too much about calcium. However, if you are not big on dairy, consciously make sure that you either take tablets to improve calcium levels or eat a lot of pulses, oats and dried fruit.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D by itself is very important but it is also vital because it helps in the absorption of calcium. Irrespective of what your diet preferences are, a vitamin D supplement will go a long way in ensuring good health during your pregnancy.

Reference

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-have- healthy-vegetarian- pregnancy

Mid-Year Workout Motivation Goals

Time does fly quickly and before we know it, 6 months of 2017 has gone by!

In the beginning of the year, we are super enthusiastic about the fitness goals we set for ourselves. In January we take out our cheque books and enrol for fun fitness classes. We are enthusiastic and like everyone who wants to jog at the beach we are convinced that this is the year our life will turn around and we will finally get fit.

However within a few months, the motivation drops. This is why it is even more critical to do a mid-year review of where your fitness goals are and how you have progressed!

Here are a few things you can do to keep the enthusiasm intact and continue your fitness journey:

Do an honest review

Take stock of how this year has been – how many classes did you miss and why? Analysing your reasons and understanding what the reasons are can help you fix your schedule accordingly to eliminate these excuses. For instance, if you are a morning person, there is no point doing an evening fitness class!

Is your current workout helping you?

What were your fitness goals at the beginning of the year and how much progress have you made? Taking stock of this will help you understand if you are progressing in the right direction or if there is another way that you have to take.

What should I be doing different?

After sticking to an exercise routine for 6 months, it is the perfect time to think about what it is that you could be doing different. Perhaps you need to eat differently or you need to get more sleep or reduce your stress! Adding other lifestyle changes at this point can help you get the most out of your exercise routine.

Plan the rest of the year

We seldom plan the second half of the year with the same enthusiasm as the first half! However, going back to the board and chalking out plans again is equally important. Think of this as a fresh start and start planning how your workout routine would look for the rest of the year.

Keep going irrespective of how you have done

Did you stick to every fitness goals you have? Did you slack and not do anything? It doesn’t matter! Now is a good time to say that I can still make the most of the year if I start right now. So, keep that enthusiasm intact and start over again or use the enthusiasm to keep the momentum high.

5 Inflammation Fighting Foods

Inflammation is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong – in fact, it is a cry for help from your immunity system. While inflammation cannot be treated as the end problem because it is mostly a symptom or an indicator of something, it can sometimes be a condition by itself. It is important to understand how to reduce inflammation.

Medicines are definitely a treatment option but there are also some excellent foods that help fight inflammation.

Before you read these, remember that just like how some foods help reduce inflammation, some aggravate it and this typically includes foods high in sugar and saturated fat and it would do you good to stay away from them.

1.Fish Rich In Fats

Eating oily fish that are rich in omega-3 is a great idea to reduce inflammation. Dislike seafood or are a vegetarian? Then consuming omega 3 capsules is a good idea to give your body the much-needed chance to fight against inflammation.

2.Whole Grains

The biggest problem with our diets these days is that our food is extra processed, refined and completely lacking in fiber. It helps fight inflammation and by including foods that are rich in fiber, you reduce the risk of inflammation and control it.

3.Green Vegetables

Green vegetables contain vitamin E which is one of the essential vitamins to fight against inflammation. In case you are someone who stays away from green vegetables, it might be a good time to change that.

4.Low-Fat Dairy

Are you someone who apart from multiple cups of coffee a day, also rely on eggs and paneer and curd later in the day? Dairy products which are rich in fat tend to cause inflammatory diseases! You should either try to cut down on dairy or switch to low-fat dairy to avoid inflammation.

5.Onions and Garlic

Considered most effective for their anti-inflammatory properties, onions and garlic work effectively in reducing the presence of substances in the blood that cause inflammation. It is best if eaten raw but considering that is a very difficult task, you can cook them for about ten minutes before consuming.

Reference

http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation

Borderline Personality Disorder

Mental illness has long been belittled by fiction and the name “Borderline Personality Disorder” probably brings to your mind something that is mysterious and scary.

However, the reality is far from it.

Like any other illness one might encounter, there is nothing that is mysterious about BPD. There is a list of symptoms that could mean someone has BPD and there are many ways to treat and reduce the intensity of both the symptoms and the disorder.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental disorder marked by a pattern of ongoing instability in moods, behavior, self-image, and functioning. The most important thing to keep in mind here is with these individuals there is always a sense of indecisiveness and instability about them.

Here are a few symptoms that are indicators of BPD:

1.Emotional Instability

People with borderline personality always tend to have a sense of emotional instability – they are constantly oscillating between different emotions that they are processing and a change in their moods or constant irritability is a definite symptom.

2.Instability in relationships

Difficulty maintaining relationships and friendships is sometimes a reality for a lot of us. However, if this is consistent and a pattern in your life, it might be a symptom of BPD.

3. Impulsiveness

People who have BPD tend to make impulsive decisions – whether it is shopping decisions or reckless driving or anything that gives them a momentary adrenaline rush.

4.Suicidal Behaviour

With BPD, the recurrent suicidal behaviour is a pattern that is unavoidable. If you find yourself feeling constantly suicidal or feel that your loved ones are feeling that way, it is a definite symptom of an underlying mental illness and there is a good chance it could be BPD.

5.Stress and Emptiness

BPD tends to drive you to perceive otherwise normal situations as ones that involve a great amount of stress and those with BPD tend to feel empty and lost in a lot of situations. If this feeling persists, it is a good idea to get checked.

Reference :

https://psychcentral.com/disorders/borderline-personality-disorder-symptoms/

4 Dumbbell Exercises For A Full Body Burn

It does not matter whether you are at home or traveling – with a pair of dumbbells, there are a whole bunch of exercises that you can do which will give you a full body workout.

We often believe that to exercise, we need sophisticated equipment and fancy routines. The power of simplicity, however, is that exercise has nothing to do with the equipment you own!

Here are 4 exercises that you can do with just a pair of dumbbells and still get a full body workout!

1.Squats

Hold the dumbbells to the side of your body, bend your knees and ensure you are comfortable with the weight. Now imagine you are sitting in a chair and have to go all the way down for it. Do this until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Make sure your knees are relaxed because you don’t want to be too stiff for this exercise.

2.Lateral Rise

This exercise is really simple – you just have to hold the dumbbells and lift your arms up until they reach your shoulder height and then drop your arms down. While doing this, you have to ensure your knees are not stiff but slightly bent. This is important so that you don’t hurt yourself in the process!

3.Bicep Curl

With a dumbbell in each hand, stand up straight. Exhale and curl the weights while you contract the biceps. Now keep raising the weights until the dumbbells are at shoulder level and your biceps are fully contracted. You can do variations of this exercise while standing up or sitting down on a bench!

4.Overhead Press

Stand up straight with your feet apart and knees comfortably bent. Now lift the dumbbells and place them above your shoulders. Once you have done this, lift your hands all the way up to above your head. Get back to the starting point and ensure that you do all of these moves in a controlled manner while breathing normally.

Refernces

https://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/main/popup/name/dumbbell-bicep-curl

International Day against Drug Abuse – Listen First!

June 26^th is observed as International Day against Drug Abuse and the theme for the year is “Listen First – Listening to children and youth is the first step to help them grow safe”

When it comes to drug abuse or any habit we fear our children or young people might pick up, the instant reaction is to worry about how to talk to them about it.

How would we explain to them that they should not do drugs? How would we explain the side effects of doing drugs? How do we sit them down and tell them some habits can potentially damage their future?

While we worry a lot about what we would say to them, we forget the most important aspect of educating our children – LISTENING!

Listening is the first step to help your children and here are 4 reasons why listening is critical to prevent your children from falling into the trap of drugs or other similar situations.

1. Listening helps them feel understood

While we are busy giving out words of wisdom, we forget that our children on the other side want to be heard. Taking that time to simply sit and understand what they are thinking gives them the much-needed impetus to trust.

2. Listening helps you identify problems

Listening to their stories means switching off from whatever you are doing and giving your complete attention to what they are saying, their body language and how they feel. This will help you see if anything is wrong with them and identify red flags earlier than later!

3. Listening gives perspective

If you think something is amiss with your kids – Listen to what they are saying and sometimes not saying! This will help you understand not just the problem but also understand the problem from their perspective. It will give you a world of information to help solve any trouble they might have.

4. Listen without any expectations

Good listening is something that is done without a motive – if you have a motive that you wish to achieve through listening whether it is to give solutions or extract information, you might not get much done. Listen for the sake of listening and for being there for your children and that is exactly the kind of listening that will help you and them the most.

References:

https://www.unodc.org/listenfirst/

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