Category: Woman

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Health Lite Blogs Woman

Relation Between Menopause And Diabetes

Diabetes.

Often women express irritation in ‘those five days in a month’, but menstruation is very important for a woman. When a woman undergoes menopause, it also triggers several health issues. Dr Uma Vaidyanathan, Senior Consultant — Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh talks about the connection between menopause and Type 2 Diabetes.

With advancing age, the female sex hormone estrogen levels decline in the body, ovaries stop producing eggs and periods stop; this phase is called ‘menopause’. The average age of menopause is 45. If periods stop before the age of 40, that can be considered as early menopause’. If the ovaries get removed for a medical necessity, menses may stop. But, without any medical reason, if anyone experiences early’ menopause, it becomes worrisome.

Many researchers claim that premature menopause and type 2 diabetes are interconnected. Though, medical science is still looking for evidence to establish a direct cause-effect relationship between early menopause and type 2 diabetes. A Dutch study has shown that when women experience menopause before the age of 40, the risk of type 2 diabetes is 4 times greater than those who experience late menopause. On the other hand, if a woman is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes beforehand, she can experience premature menopause. Family history, age and obesity are considered as three major risk factors in diabetes.

When menopause sets in, it leads to some physical changes. The variation in the level of estrogen and progesterone leads to insulin resistance. In this situation, due to hormonal imbalance, the pancreas struggles to produce required amount of insulin in the body, it may remain less effective and fails to allow the cells to absorb glucose as per requirement. Therefore, the blood glucose levels surge. Insulin assists in burning down fat that helps to energise our body.

If insulin production gets disturbed, the risk of obesity increases. It is an established fact that weight gain enhances the risk of type 2 diabetes. The progesterone fluctuation accelerates our food cravings and then to satiate the craving, we chose eating snacks or sweets. This unrestrained food craving makes diabetes management even more complicated. When it was observed that post menopause, women become more vulnerable to type 2 diabetes, researchers tried another study on post-menopausal women to understand whether estrogen truly affects the glucose level in the body.

In that study, it has been observed that estrogen specifically targets some cells in the pancreas and the gut and helps in increasing glucose tolerance.

Women need to stay cautious and seek medical attention immediately if any symptoms appear such as irregular periods, decreased sexual desire, vaginal infection, sleep disturbances etc. Experts believe that estrogen therapy may be beneficial in post-menopausal women in lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes. If one can monitor the blood sugar levels frequently, follow a healthy diet, quit smoking and exercise regularly, diabetes can be managed well.

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Fashion Woman

Monisha Expects Return Of Traditional Fashion

Fashion designer Monisha Jaising feels the pandemic will bring back the traditional “Ghunghat” worn by brides. As wedding season approaches, she says, the focus will be on silhouettes…writes Puja Gupta.

Excerpts from her interview :

Q: How has Covid changed bridal fashion and what trends do predict for the season ?

A: Due to the pandemic, weddings have changed completely — from guests list to the bridal attire. Earlier, brides used to go for heavy embroidery “lehengas” with a lot of jewellery to go with it. However, in the given situation, weddings have become closed-door events with a limited number of family and friends. It has brought back the traditional “ghunghat”. This will be a huge comeback trend in all weddings post-Covid as it is not just our tradition, but will also work as a mask to keep you safe.

The concept of “ghungats” has been there foe centuries. Its utilisation has become more of a fashion statement that necessity, because it’s meant to be a royal wedding accessory and also completes the Indian wedding attire.

Q: Silhouettes to be given more importance?

A: During this wedding season, the main focus will be on silhouettes because it’s now more important than heavy embellishments; sequins in the zari can carry the virus up to 72 hours. So brides should have something that safer during this time. Silhouettes will play the role as it will be the focus of the garment.

Q: Can bridal couture can be made functional?

A: Functional and comfortable clothing is the new essential for every bride for example lehengas and evening gowns with pockets to keep their stuff handy like mask, sanitiser, etc. Considering the current scenario, comfort is the key. Pocket lehengas or pre-stitched sarees are revolutionary in creating functional fashion. As many festivals and occasions are small due to pandemic, the kind of garments that we used to wear earlier has changed. Definitely this can bring more innovation to bridal fashion.

Q: How is bridal wear becoming sustainable?

A: Bridal wear can be reused on other occasions as going minimal with garments is trending. Garments that are simple yet elegant, can be recreated, for instance, pairing the bottom of the lehenga with shirt to rock the occasion.

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Lite Blogs Woman

Skincare tips for winter

Home made face masks.

With the pandemic turning the spotlight on health and environment, even our beauty routine is being impacted. More and more people are turning to personalised products for every unique skin types and problems.

Taking personalisation in beauty a notch up is India’s first ever 100 percent personalised skincare range, Bare Anatomy. The brand marks its entry into the skincare market with celebrating inclusivity. The data-driven beauty tech beauty brand has a range of products formulated in their own state-of-the-art R&D lab, by a team of skin experts and scientists. Expanding to premium skincare with fresh and clean beauty formulations customised to unique skin type, goals and concerns, their 3-step regime consists of multi-tasking products to offer complete care.

Home made face masks.

Bare Anatomy ticks all the boxes being Vegan: PETA certified, derma-tested and free of harmful chemicals. It brings its expertise of rigorous research and advanced technology to every custom made order. The new range is available in kits consisting of a Deep Pore Cleansing Facewash, Intense Hydrating Moisturiser and overnight Restorative Night Cream, to suit varied Indian skin types, ranging from oily, normal to dry. Owing to its clean botanical ingredients which are customised to each skin type such as Salicylic acid, Hyaluronic acid, Resorcinol, Peptides, fruit enzymes and Lactic acid, it emerges as a credible solution to skin problems.

The experts share 5 expert tips for winter skincare

Moisturise well, preferably twice a day and on damp skin

Ample hydration in the form of a moisturiser suited for your specific skin type is necessary to reinstate the lost moisture in winters.

Use sunscreen when you step out!

Sunscreen is as important in winters as it is in summer. The ozone layer is the thinnest in winters, allowing those harsh UV rays to often harm the skin.

The beauty ritual of exfoliating.

Use a gentle, sulphate-free face wash that doesn’t dry the skin

Sulphates are among the worst toxins to be found in products which deep cleanse, since these agents dehydrate the skin as well. Make sure you pick a cleanser which is mild, doesn’t dry out the skin yet cleanses deeply.

Keep yourself hydrated with fluids

Your body’s water requirements are the same throughout the year so keep yourself hydrated as much in winters with water and juices for great skin.

Load up on Vitamin C

Vitamin C plays a huge role in reversing the dehydrating and dulling effect winter season has on skin and hair health.

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Fashion Lite Blogs Woman

Brands Preset For Festive Season

Jaiviknaari.
Jaiviknaari.

The virtual edition of IFFDs India Runway Week that concluded recently saw veteran fashion designers like Rohit Bal, Ashima Leena, Abhinav Mishra, Amit GT and others showcase their collection in a digital format.

Ball, the finale designer, showcased an affordable range of his latest creations made from organic fabrics like malmal and Chanderi. He said: “This time around we had showcased an affordable range so that the brand could reach the masses virtually and people can have a look at this collection for the upcoming festive season”.

Rohit Bal’s collection.

He added: “The idea was to reach a wider set of the audience because people are more active digitally these days, so IRW’s second edition happened at the right time when the festive season was knocking on our doors!”

Amit’s collection comprised of ensembles for various wedding functions like Haldi, Mehendi, reception, Sagan and wedding. He said: “I did the virtual edition of IRW as it was the right time since the wedding season is around.”

Commenting on the experience of doing a virtual fashion show, Leena from Ashima Leena said: “The new technique of green screen was very impressive. The outcome of the whole show was really nice. In the times of Covid when everything has become virtual, IRW took it to another level.”

Designer Poonam Dubey’s collection was presented by Avon Watch me which was about celebrating the transformation of women of different walks of life. Dubey presented an Indian festive collection. Virtues’ collections, known as Banaras Gherana, is made of Benarasi silk and had sarees, lehengas, and anarkalis.

Designer duo Leconat Hement launched a daily wear collection inspired by nature.

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Fashion Lite Blogs Woman

Cosmos Inspired Silhouettes Of Ensembles

TRESemme presents Amit Aggarwal for LFW 2020.

“For the last six months, fashion has taken more visual space,” says designer Amit Aggarwal who launched his latest festive edit ‘First Light’ on Day 3 of the ongoing digital edition of the Lakme Fashion Week…writes Puja Gupta.

The designer presented a fashion film to launch the collection, inspired by the cosmos. Shot in slow motion and against a calming background of our galaxy, the film featured visions of stars, floating planets and earthy images that matched with the fluidity of the silhouettes of the ensembles.

Aggarwal said: “As we experience the world through the safety of our homes, stars continue to twinkle, and space remains vast and undisturbed. I dream of escaping into this gossamer freedom and wanted the collection to capture that sense of beauty. To me, it was fascinating to experience celestial weightlessness come to life through highly technical material and precise karigari.”

Colours ranged from gold, inspired by Saturn, violets derived from Venus, Gamma Green and Earthy plum, used on fabrics like Chanderi and Matka silk merged with the designer’s signature industrial hand weaving techniques. The designer has also used Leheriya technique to represent the projected imagery of orbiting spirals in space. Swirling lehengas, sarees and separates comprised the capsule.

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-Top News India News Woman

Priyanca Radhakrishnan NZ’s first-ever Indian-origin minister

Priyanca Radhakrishnan
Priyanca Radhakrishnan

Keralite Priyanca Radhakrishnan on Monday became the first Indian to be sworn in as a Minister in New Zealand as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern unveiled her new cabinet.

The 41-year-old has been sworn in as the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector.

Radhakrishnan, born in Chennai and brought up in Singapore, has her roots at Paravur, Kochi, where her grandfather was a medical professional as well as a Communist.

A two-time MP from Auckland, she reached New Zealand to pursue her higher studies, following which she a Kiwi national hailing from Christchurch and since 2004 she has been in active politics with the Labour Party.

She shot into prominence and became a household name in Kerala during last Onam when she came live with Ardern to extend her greetings on the occassion.

Radhakrishnan continues her love with Malayalam songs and she said her most admired singer is none other popular Keralite playback singer K.J. Yesudas.

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Bollywood Celebrity Lite Blogs Woman

Alia To Join woman-led company with Indian roots

Alia Bhatt reads out from 'Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone'.
Actress Alia Bhatt

Yet another Bollywood celebrity to join in the business world is youth icon Alia Bhatt. The young superstar has made a personal investment in leading omnichannel lifestyle retailer, Nykaa via a secondary transaction for an undisclosed amount.

iCommenting on the development Falguni Nayar, Founder and CEO, Nykaa said, “Alia and I had a very interesting conversation about how both she and Nykaa were both launched in 2012. She said the three reasons she wanted to invest in Nykaa were because it has Indian roots, it is founded by a woman and Nykaa is proof that the best in India can take on the best in the world. I loved her clarity of thought and got a glimpse of that keen mind which has placed her on Forbes 30 Under 30 list.”

Adding, “I really admire how much Alia has achieved at such a young age and the sheer diversity of characters she has portrayed on film with so much depth. All of us at Nykaa are delighted to welcome her as an investor in the company.”

Along with Bhatt, even Katrina Kaif is part of the Nykaa investor family.

Also Read-‘Digitizing theatre helps reach new audiences’

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Woman

Study: Menstrual dysfunction more prevalent in young athletes

Researchers, including one of Indian-origin, have found that menstrual dysfunction is more prevalent in young athletes than among non-athletes of a similar age.

The study, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, conducted among members of sports clubs who exercised at least four times a week (athletes) and non-athletes.

“The current data of athletes and non-athletes in adolescence (14-16 years) and subsequently in young adulthood (18-20 years) were investigated,” said study authors from the University of Jyvaskyla in Finland.

Why the first two days of your periods are a mess. (Photo Courtesy: Pixabay)

In this study, menstrual dysfunction was defined as follows: primary amenorrhea, prolonged menstrual cycle (below 35 days) or absence of menses for at least three consecutive months (secondary amenorrhea).

The findings showed that in adolescence, 18 per cent of both athletes and non-athletes reported menstrual dysfunction.

However, eight per cent of the athletes reported primary amenorrhea (absence of menses by the age of 15) in contrast to the non-athletes group, where the prevalence of primary amenorrhea was zero per cent.

In young adulthood, the prevalence of menstrual dysfunction in athletes was 39 per cent, while six per cent of the non-athletes reported menstrual dysfunction.

“We know from previous studies that one of the most common reasons for menstrual dysfunction is low energy availability,” said study author Suvi Ravi.

Gear up for a virtual marathon. (Photo: IansLife)

The present study also assessed body weight dissatisfaction among the participants.

The results showed that athletes were more satisfied with their weight and had less desire to lose weight than non-athletes did.

Despite this, in both age groups about 20 per cent of the athletes and about 40 per cent of the non-athletes reported body weight dissatisfaction.

“This is concerning since we know that body weight dissatisfaction can result in disordered eating,” Ravi said.

“Attention should be paid to young people’s body weight dissatisfaction as well as menstrual dysfunction in order to prevent future health problems,” he noted.

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Arts & Culture Lite Blogs Woman

Srishti Receives Grant from Culture Recovery Fund

Nina Rajarani

Independent Indian dance and music organisation named Srishti, run by Nina Rajarani MBE has been awarded a grant as part of the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund (CRF) to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and to ensure they have a sustainable future, the Culture Secretary has announced.

“I am overwhelmed, relieved and grateful for this result. The trust and belief placed by Arts Council England in my company’s work has given me renewed strength to continue forging ahead, come what may, ”Nina Rajarani responded.

Nina Rajarani

Srishti – Nina Rajarani Dance Creations is one of 1,385 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently needed support. £257 million of investment has been announced as part of the very first round of the Culture Recovery Fund grants programme being administered by Arts Council England. Further rounds of funding in the cultural and heritage sector are due to be announced over the coming weeks.

“This funding is a vital boost for the theatres, music venues, museums and cultural organisations that form the soul of our nation. It will protect these special places, save jobs and help the culture sector’s recovery.“These places and projects are cultural beacons the length and breadth of the country. This unprecedented investment in the arts is proof this government is here for culture, with further support to come in the days and weeks ahead so that the culture sector can bounce back strongly.” Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden commented.

“Theatres, museums, galleries, dance companies and music venues bring joy to people and life to our cities, towns and villages. This life-changing funding will save thousands of cultural spaces loved by local communities and international audiences. Further funding is still to be announced and we are working hard to support our sector during these challenging times.”, Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair, Arts Council England, said.

Srishti is a resident company of Harrow Arts Centre. Since its formation in 1991 the company has regularly created and toured work nationally and internationally. Artistic Director Nina Rajarani MBE creates authentic classical Indian dance with a present-day flavour, always featuring live musicians who become part of the story, so that her work reaches people who haven’t experienced classical dance before. Nina was awarded an MBE for Services to South Asian dance in 2009 and received the prestigious choreography Place Prize for her choreography of ‘QUICK!’.

Nina Rajarani

As well as the professional touring dance company, Nina runs a successful dance and music school in Harrow Arts Centre. Srishti has many projects in the pipeline and the grant from The Culture Recovery Fund means that Srishti will be able to continue to develop these projects instead of having to close down whilst unable to perform to live audiences. The company will be able to provide paid work to freelance dancers as they develop new work to be shared either online or to live audiences when current restrictions ease.

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Fashion Lite Blogs Woman

Parallax: New Promise To New Normal

Designers Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna closed the first-ever phygital edition of Lotus Make-up India Fashion Week, Spring Summer ’21 with their line called Parallax on Sunday.

Parallax is a collection created for the “new modern” bride and groom, as the designers aspired to present what they call a “new promise to this new normal”. To bring back and reflect emotions of hope and celebrations for the future this collection aims to reintroduce the colour of love –Red.

Menswear featured intricate metallic embroidery on sharp tailored jackets and Tuxedos made from rich velvet and textured silk fabrics. The womenswear retained the label’s signature structured yet feminine and sensual silhouette. Trending silk organza incorporated meshe, feathers, sequins and fringes on the garments.

With the thought that there is always a reason to celebrate the label aims to lend to “”the mystery of the current global events into a whimsical subversive twist.”

The duo, who are the darlings of the Delhi social circle, requested their friends to support and cheer them on by posting the preview of their show on their friend’s respective social media handles. In addition Delhi’s “Page 3 socialites” or rather, influencers as they are now called, dressed up in the designer’s outfits in time to watch the show, from their homes of course!

Also Read-Tips To Glow Yourself On Festivals