Tag: lifestyle

Categories
Fashion Lite Blogs

Let’s go back to sarees in this festive season

Kanchipuram’s weavers are considered to be descendants of the sage Markanda (the master weaver of Gods). A Kanjivaram saree is your finest pick for any festive event…writes Anshul Gupta.

The festive season in the post-pandemic era has brought in new hopes and optimism. After almost two years people have now gradually started to organise festive gathering which spreads cheer.

Festivity and traditional clothing go hand in hand. As per customs, sarees are the favorite choice for Indian women, especially during the festivity as it showcases the elegance and grandeur of every woman.

Owing to the high demand for sarees there is a wide variety of saree options that are available in the market, starting form chiffon, silk to georgette, kanjivaram, and more. Every state in India has a different saree style that they follow, however, in the current times with the ever-expanding intercultural connect, women have now begun to create their own styles and trends.

Here are some of the trendiest traditional saree styles for this festive season:

Gara saree

A traditional Parsi Gara’s timeless charm is unmistakable. The Gara sari, which is embroidered with photorealistic perfection, is a one-of-a-kind item among the country’s vast array of crafts. The magnificent style, which is mostly worn by the Parsi community for weddings and special celebrations, should not be kept hidden away for special occasions, and one should wear them in the festive season to.

Petit Point embroidery

Petit point embroidery is a type of canvas embroidery that is comparable to cross-stitch embroidery but finer due to its smaller scale. At normal viewing distance, the squareness and regularity of the outlines of the forms represented are less visible. The stitch is stitched in diagonal or horizontal rows across the intersection of the canvas threads and is also known as petit point or tent stitch. To guarantee that the thread pull at the front is consistent, the thread is brought back from stitch to stitch in a uniform manner. This beautiful and intricate pattern on sarees is what adds to the grace in your festive look.

Kanjivaram Sarees

The grandeur of Kanjivaram sarees is well-known. Weavers from Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, south India, designed these sarees. Dip the silk threads in melted gold and silver to include the gold in the designs. Kanchipuram’s weavers are considered to be descendants of the sage Markanda (the master weaver of Gods). A Kanjivaram saree is your finest pick for any festive event.

Ikat Sarees

Ikat sarees are distinguished by the fact that the warp and weft are tie-dyed before weaving. Ikat or Sambalpuri sarees are other names for tie-dye sarees. During the tie-dye process, the knots in the beautifully woven saree are tied into the fabric. Odisha is where these sarees are manufactured (Sambalpur). The workmanship on these sarees is truly outstanding.

Bandhani Sarees

Bandhani sarees are named from the word ‘Bandhan’ which means tying a knot. The fabric of these sarees is tied in a particular way before dyeing the fabric which gives them the desired design. Bandhani sarees are extremely popular in Gujarat and Rajasthan as these states manufacture the most authentic Bandhani outfits. Bright colours in the Bandhani print makes it an apt choice for festivities.

ALSO READ-FALGUNI NAYAR: Smart in a Saree

READ MORE-‘Saree in a Gadi’ for Women Empowerment

Categories
Lifestyle Lite Blogs

Common myths related to facial care

Exfoliating your skin every day is a beauty and wellness sin! Exfoliation is the process of deep cleaning your skin by removing dirt and oil clogged in the pores…reports Ritika Jayaswal

Have you spent a considerable amount of money to buy organic skincare products without results? Ever wondered why your ayurvedic skincare products are not working? It may be because of certain skin care myths that have been imbibed in us for a long time.

If you love reading beauty and wellness articles or have been on the internet to find your best body care products or natural products for skin, the chances are that you have consumed a ton of data. Add to that midwives tales, and we are left wondering what is a fact and what is fiction.

Ritika Jayaswal, CEO & Founder, Nourish Mantra, busts some common myths related to facial care beauty products so you can move a step ahead in achieving your picture-perfect skin!

I only need to use sunscreen in summers

Winters and monsoon have little to no heat from the sun. That, however, does not mean that the sun’s rays are not present in the atmosphere. They simply aren’t very strong because of the weather. Sunscreens protect your skin from the harmful UV and UB rays of the sun which can cause skin cancer. Therefore, one must continue using a sun protection shield irrespective of the season.

I must exfoliate my skin every day

Exfoliating your skin every day is a beauty and wellness sin! Exfoliation is the process of deep cleaning your skin by removing dirt and oil clogged in the pores. Our skin naturally sheds dead skin cells. Exfoliating it every day will damage the skin and strip it off its natural oils, leaving it flaky and dry.

Using makeup is bad for my skin

A lot of dual-purpose cosmetic products come with moisturisers that nourish your skin. A good quality product does not clog your pores or trap the dirt. What does harm your skin, though, is sleeping with your makeup on! It not only causes skin breakouts but also breaks down the collagen, thereby causing premature ageing.

Expensive products mean a better product

This is not always true! What makes a product better than the other is its composition and formulation. Every skin reacts differently to different ingredients. We must choose products that work best with our skin type. You may consult a dermatologist to know more about your skin so you can pick your ayurvedic skincare products more wisely.

I have oily skin and should not use a moisturiser

Many believe that using moisturisers and creams on oily skin causes skin breakouts. Excess sebum production and clogged pores are the significant causes of acne, and your moisturiser is simply, well, a moisturiser! It nourishes your skin and keeps it soft and supple! Ensure that you use a lightweight or gel-based moisturiser for oily skin, and you are good to go.

A pea-sized amount of product is enough for my skin

Unless a product asks to use a small dollop, you must use as much as required to reap the benefits. It is not a one-size-fits-all situation with facial care beauty products. Some spread easily, while others need to be used in thick layers to work more efficiently.

ALSO READ-Organic skin care hacks

READ MORE-Skin care as per weather changes

Categories
Lifestyle Lite Blogs

Manushi: Ensure you are living a healthy lifestyle

I like to use limited products in my hair and generally avoid applying any kind of styling or leave-in creams, unless I’m working…Manushi speaks with N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe.

Hair fall is a common problem for Indian women as factors like dust, dirt, pollution and unhealthy lifestyle habits like unhealthy eating or excess blow-drying leads to dryness, and thus an increase hair fall.

Former Miss World Manushi Chhillar, who is the new brand ambassador for youth — favourite hair care brand, Pantene India, admits that she has struggled with hair fall, which began with dryness with all that styling during the Miss India pageant. Over the years the condition worsened as she was exposed to a hectic lifestyle and constant travelling while pursuing Miss World and her film career thereafter.

Manushi believes that your hair needs both internal and external care. She highlights the importance of discipline in a daily hair-care routine. Read on to learn more about Chhillar’s hair treatments, her favourite products and go-to hairstyle. Excerpt:

When did you realise you needed to have a serious hair care regimen?

I believe I have always been into hair care, when I was younger, my mother always helped me maintain and take care of my long hair. As I entered Miss India and subsequently Miss World, I started noticing hair fall and dryness because of my hectic schedule, excessive heat styling, pollution, frequent travelling etc. That’s when I realised, that I seriously had to take care of my tresses because it needs both, internal and external care.

How often do you wash your hair?

I don’t like to wash my hair very often, I would say about 2/3 times a week is sufficient to cleanse and condition your hair. I like to use limited products in my hair and generally avoid applying any kind of styling or leave-in creams, unless I’m working. My hair care regime is pretty simple — wash and air dry.

What do you do when you have a bad hair day? Your go-to hairstyle?

Usually when I’m in a rush and unable to wash my hair, I love doing the sleek-hair look, I guess that would be my go-to hairstyle.

Do you use any home remedies for hair care? Please share.

During my childhood years, I really enjoyed growing my hair long and my regular oiling sessions which I still do. I love using hot oil on my scalp, obviously whenever I get the time.

While you’re not shooting, do you give your hair a break from styling?

If I am not shooting, I like to give my hair some break from heat styling and instead style them naturally. So, after I wash my hair, I leave them to air dry and apply serum as the final step.

Your favourite hair care product and its benefits.

I love using the Pantene 2 in1 Shampoo and Conditioner because it offers dual benefits of a shampoo and nourishing conditioner in one bottle that helps prevent hair fall and doesn’t leave your hair feeling dry! It is enriched with Pro-Vitamin B5 and a luscious conditioning formula that strengthens and smoothens my hair.

One Manushi Chhillar hair care tip.

I would suggest these tips to our lovely readers — ensure that you are living a healthy lifestyle, consume nutritious food and keep yourself hydrated. I think with hair care you have to get the base right, One can’t expect the products to do all the work!

A woman with many achievements to her name, Manushi Chhillar will be seen debuting opposite actor Akshay Kumar in the upcoming film Prithviraj.

ALSO READ-Manushi believes in eco-friendly lifestyle

Categories
Columns Lifestyle Lite Blogs

Handy gadgets to clean up your kitchen

Leave no stone, or drawer in this case, unturned. Organize your food staples too! Apart from waste minimization, your staples can be maintained in a unit that sustains their shelf life…writes N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe.

One of the many feats of the home becoming everyone’s epicentre is that the kitchen has more people in it than usual. Ultimately, the onus is on you to become a Masterchef and whip out dishes, do the cleaning, etc. Whether it is for the kids who are foraging for a tasty snack or your partner asking for a steaming hot cup of chai at any given point of the day!

In addition one has to ensure that everything is in order and in its place. It is essential for you to be able to make the most of your kitchen space since during the past year in lockdown, the kitchen has become multifunctional.

Starting off might seem like a Herculean task, but the trick is to make an inventory based on different sections of the kitchen and place yourself where it all begins — the counter. Bear in mind the following questions while sorting all stations of the kitchen: Do you really need it? Do you really use it? How often do you use it? Do you still want it? Can you give it to someone else? The idea is to not hoard and maximize space while keeping only what is needed. Fanny Jeanne Jozef Leyten — Interior Design Manager, IKEA India, presents a few handy gadgets to help you get on your way:

Countertops: You can start by emptying all visible things from your counter as it will most likely have too many things on it, which can lead to reduced space and also makes it difficult to clear things up. Search for what you really need on the countertop and keep everything else stacked using the RINNIG utensil rack. Remember to keep things minimal. If it isn’t frequently used, keep it stored away.

* Rails: It’s not only about what’s inside the kitchen cabinets but also what you display from the exterior. Open storage solutions such as KUNGSFORS help store and organize your utensils and crockery after cleaning.

Cabinets: With this tip, you won’t have to fret anymore over what might fall out and induce a mini heart attack. Time to get organized. When it comes to cabinets, you must make an inventory of what you want to keep up front and what can be hidden. Let’s say it’s kitchen utensils, frying pan, crockery. Where are they? Is it close to the sink? Because you would need it there. Maximize your space inside the cabinets by supplementing them with small trays like VAEIRA to utilize optimal space. That way you don’t need extra shelves inside the cabinet.

Drawers: Drawer dividers like MAXIMERA are your best friend to help in storing your utensils or spices in a better way. You can maximize on space and it helps you in time, unlike in a situation when you have an over-cluttered drawer. The same can be applied to your cutlery. Define and accentuate the space with bamboo/plastic dividers.

Food storage: Leave no stone, or drawer in this case, unturned. Organize your food staples too! Apart from waste minimization, your staples can be maintained in a unit that sustains their shelf life. This also ensures that you don’t overspend on food that would otherwise expire sooner rather than later. See-through the IKEA 365+ sustainable range for storage solutions for food and staples. These will help you immediately gauge what is what and wherein the cabinet.

Tables & trolleys: The dining table has evolved into a multifunctional space. Munching down on a meal is no longer its sole application because, in the past year in lockdown, people have taken to using it for office work or keeping a close eye on children doing their homework while they are preparing for lunch/dinner. Now in order to achieve an easy declutter, it would be wise to have an RASKOG trolley next to the dining table for easy cleaning up. So once you are done with the task at hand, you can maintain the space for its next intent.

Stools: Step stools are a great aid for when you need to reach high cabinets, and stackable ones help to minimize the space in the area, so it’s always good to have a GRUBBAN in a corner for ad hoc usage.

Trash cans: With all the litter that gets collected in a day in the kitchen, the disposal happens only the next day. To avoid a striking stench in your kitchen, consider VARIERA waste bin which is perforated to allow ventilation of the bin and reduce the stench.

With all these hacks at different kitchen stations, you must remember that the key to declutter is to be smart about the size of the kitchen you’re working with and focus on maximizing space. Decluttering your home is decluttering your mind.

ALSO READ-How to de-clutter your kitchen?

READ MORE-Zenfone 3: Light Smartphone Having Huge Battery Life

Categories
Columns Lite Blogs

Is your kid a morning bird? No worries

Having a sound sleep at night can help children lead healthy lives. Thus, from babies to school-aged kids and teenagers, parents might be keen to know many hours of sleep is essential for their child…writes Mubashshir Muzammil Khan.

Do your children wake up late every day? Then, you should be happy as it is a good sign that your child is sleeping well. But you have to worry when the child fails to wake up even after several alarms and you literally have to drag your child out of the bed. There are many children who fail to get sound sleep at night and feel lethargic and are unable to focus on studies during day time.

Is your child cranky? Is your kid unable to concentrate on studies or do their daily chores with ease? Then, he/she must encounter sleep problems. Yes, you have heard right! Many children become night owls, and that takes a toll on their overall well-being. Sleep is vital for young children. Early in life, one experiences tremendous development that impacts the brain, body, emotions, and behaviour and sets the stage for their growth through childhood and adolescence.

Having a sound sleep at night can help children lead healthy lives. Thus, from babies to school-aged kids and teenagers, parents might be keen to know many hours of sleep is essential for their child.

New-borns’ need to get around 14 hours of sleep, infants need around 15 hours of sleep, toddlers need approximately 14 hours of sleep, pre-school children need around 10-13 hours of sleep while school-going children of 6-13 age need around 9 hours of sleep. Here are a few fool proof tricks to help your child get sound sleep at night:

* Allow your child to get at least 10 to 11 hours of sleep every day without fail. If your child has a habit of sleeping late then make bedtime earlier half-an-hour as doing so will help your child wake up on time, and he/she will not have to miss online classes.

* Try to maintain the same schedule and your child will be able to sleep peacefully and complete his/her sleep properly. Create a consistent bedtime routine to calm down the child and make him/her sleep on an immediate basis.

* You will have to limit your child’s exposure to electronic gadgets at least 1 hour before sleeping. Do not allow your child to play games on the mobile or watch television before hitting the sack as doing so can snatch away the child’s sleep.

* Avoid caffeine and sugary drinks, particularly in the second half of the day as it hampers good sleep. Don’t let your child drink a lot of water before sleeping as he/she will have to make continuous trips to the loo and the sleep will be disturbed.

* Maintain good lighting and temperature in the kid’s room. Don’t fill up the child’s bed with toys and heavy blankets that will suffocate the child and make him/her uncomfortable. Use a good pillow and mattress that will support your child’s back and neck. Improper mattress and pillow can lead to back and neck pain.

If your child has any sleep problems such as loud or heavy breathing, snoring, and even waking up after regular intervals then you need to consult the doctor. Make sure your child gets enough sleep on a regular basis so that he/she can stay healthy and hearty.

ALSO READ-Health consequences of sleep loss

READ MORE-Are you sleeping on time?

Categories
Lifestyle Lite Blogs

Can you keep your kids away from smoking?

Talk with them about the serious health issues that can come up with smoking, preferably using real life examples…writes Priyanka Thukral Mahajan

Smoking is a habit that is detrimental for people across all ages. For kids, it starts as fun, becomes a habit and later an addiction. There are various trigger points like peer pressure which relate smoking to maturity and independence or just the urge to try out new things in life.

To prevent your kids from getting into this lifetime addiction, here’s what can help:

Discussion is key: Discuss with your children about smoking in a friendly way. Ask them how much they know about smoking and make them aware that smoking is harmful to them. Some parents ignore talking about this topic due to their own inhibitions, but it is always advised to have a healthy discussion to know their viewpoint on smoking.

Importance of saying No: When children are entering their teens, peer pressure is the maximum and most of them succumb to this. You must sit with them and encourage them to say no whenever they are asked for a smoke. In fact, as a parent you should practice with them saying “Sorry, I don’t smoke”.

Stress on the health issues: A lot of children think vaping (e-cigarettes) and other commonly used methods like candy cigarettes, water pipes (hookah) is safe. They should be made aware of the contrary. Talk with them about the serious health issues that can come up with smoking, preferably using real life examples. Make them understand the harmful effects of passive smoking as well, and they should avoid places where people are smoking.

Calculate the money: Do the math and make them calculate how much they spend on cigarettes and e-cigarettes, if taken daily. Then the number of cigarettes they will be smoking in a month and a year. Compare it to the things they can buy with that much amount of money like smartphones, dresses or anything else.

Understand the attraction: Some teens might smoke as a way to express rebellion. You must sit with them and explain them how advertising agencies make smoking look cool, glamorous, and sexy. Explain them that the perceptions created by them are false. And now even during the smoking related scenes on media, where they depict people smoking, it is always accompanied by a small caption on the screen “Cigarette Smoking is Injurious to Health”.

Set an example: If you are a smoking parent, it is advised that you stop smoking and set an example in front of them. It is advised to make them understand your challenges related to smoking. Do not keep any stuff related to smoking at home which is easily accessible to them. They might try it out of curiosity.

Even one cigarette harms: Make your children understand that even a single cigarette can make you get addicted to smoking. Hence, even trying for fun may lead to lifelong habit. Tell them that most of the adult smokers start as teens and quitting is a tough job.

If you as parents support your kids and discuss with them all the important issues related to smoking you can keep them away from smoking and give them a happy and healthy future.

ALSO READ-Passive smoking can raise kidney disease risk

READ MORE-Smoking may damage immunity of skin cancer patients

Categories
Lifestyle Lite Blogs

Are you aware of these dangerous habits?

Sticking to your chair for the whole day when you go to the office is as dangerous as smoking…writes Siddhi Jain.

In our modern life, we have certainly habits that we think are alright to follow but in reality, could be slowly eroding away at our health and immune systems.

Neha Mittal, the co-founder of healthcare device company OneAbove, shares 5 habits as dangerous as smoking:

Compromising sleep: Have you noticed how cranky and irritated you become the next day if you do not sleep properly? It is one of the side effects of ignoring quality sleep. As per health professionals, we must take at least 6 hours of sleep each day to make sure our body is rejuvenating at its natural speed. Any compromise in the sleep hours affects your immune system, respiratory and digestive system negatively.

Eating high animal-protein meals: Excessive consumption of meals rich in animal proteins such as cheese and meat can promote cancer growth due to a hormone named IGF1. The risk factor for this is equivalent to smoking. To avoid overconsumption of such proteins, do include plant proteins, like beans, in your meals.

Long hours sitting: Sticking to your chair for the whole day when you go to the office is as dangerous as smoking. Studies have linked sitting for long hours, whether it is for work or driving, to various cancers like lung, breast, and colon. Be sure to move around a little every one or two hours and then continue your work.

Being lonely: While in normal life, we may not view being lonely as an important issue, it certainly is. Being lonely makes one more prone to heart diseases. Not just that, it invites additional diseases such as anxiety, emotional disturbances, and even harmful addictions. Try to make some good friends who listen to you even when you are low.

Tanning in a controlled environment: Many people have started tanning in a controlled environment rather than taking in sunlight. Sunlight can indeed cause skin cancer, but tanning indoors is harmful too. Stop going to the local tanning salon and start taking adequate sunlight.

ALSO READ-Covid Changed Health Habits

READ MORE-‘Fitness Habits: Breaking The Barriers To Fitness’

Categories
Health Lite Blogs

‘Consistency’, the real mantra behind fitness

Do we stop eating? Do we stop sleeping? NO! We don’t because our body needs every day to function properly…Shwetambari speaks with Siddhi Jain.

Since pandemic has affected total lifestyle, people started to give more importance to workout and fitness. At-home fitness has become the new reality for millions across the globe, and according to fitness experts like Shwetambari Shetty, who is one of the fittest Indian women and a trainer, it is here to stay. The Cult. fit expert says she has witnessed people dropping weight, losing fat, gaining muscle, looking lean and strong, and becoming the best version of themselves using at-home workouts.
Excerpts:


As a coach, how do you think the pandemic has impacted India’s fitness levels?

To me it looks like India is finally ready to make exercise a necessity and a way of life. Until now it has been a luxury. People are understanding that regular exercise and movement helps one become fit and healthy. Maintaining good health, also means good immunity which makes one stronger overall to fight certain illnesses and conditions. So yes, people are now more aware of why everyday movement and fitness is key. It’s not ‘I have a special occasion and need to drop some pounds’ anymore. People are making exercise and fitness a part of their daily routine.

Online fitness sessions and classes have seen a boom. Do you find them as effective as sweating it out in a gym or a physical group class?

I have witnessed people dropping weight, losing fat, gaining muscle, looking lean and strong, and becoming the best version of themselves using at-home workouts. We would have never known this could be possible if it wasn’t for this pandemic. So while we love the adrenaline a group class brings in at the gym, the conclusion is home workouts can be just as effective as a gym workout.

Many beginners who would otherwise be intimidated to step inside a gym due to many reasons, including body shaming, have resorted to exercising at home as they feel that is a “no judgement zone”. They have lost weight, gained confidence, gained good health and high energy. There is no risk of injury if a beginner starts as a beginner, slowly and steadily, and follows all the trainers’ instructions and trains with a qualified fitness coach. To help all our beginners, we have ensured that we have multiple beginner-friendly workouts across all formats and age groups via the cult.live offering.

Personally, how have you been working out during the Covid era?

At home! I delivered a baby in July 2020, during the peak of the first Covid wave, and started working out a month after. I lost 10 plus kg that I gained from pregnancy by working out at home. Now I have started going to Cult.fit. I had my Dance. Fitness for cardio and then got myself dumbbells for my strength training and did yoga twice a week.

Where do most people go wrong when it comes to achieving any fitness goals, say fat loss or belly burn, or toning the body?

Consistency! People are not consistent and not regular with their workouts. As soon as a goal is achieved, people take a break. Do we stop eating? Do we stop sleeping? NO! We don’t because our body needs every day to function properly. In the exact same way, our body needs exercise and movement daily to function well and keep that unwanted fat at bay.

Your top three fitness tips would be…

One, breathe deeply and think positively. Your mind has a powerful impact on your body. Two, exercise regularly and Eat nutritiously. Consistency is the key here. Three, move often and sleep well. Stay active but ensure you rest well.

What is the one fitness trend that the industry could see in a big way in the coming time?

Exercising itself will be trending. People will choose a barbell over a bar. Given the importance of being and staying healthy for each of us being more pronounced than ever, the biggest trend that is coming is just the need to exercise and build it into your lifestyle. Apart from this, having a healthy mind along with a healthy body is also a key trend that has come up and will continue to gain momentum.

You are a trainer at Cult.Fit, and there’s massive uptake of your 4-week Belly Burn course. What do you think is the reason for this targeted preference?

Everyone I know wants a flat stomach, washboard abs, or six packs. While this is totally possible, it will take a great deal of effort and hard work. The Belly Burn program, thus, does not promote spot reduction because that is not possible. It aids in building a strong core and as we exercise for a strong core, a lot of that belly fat will go away. The program also promotes HIIT — these are workouts that alternate between high-and low-intensity. The powerful bursts of energy use more fat as fuel and the rest periods in between to help flush out waste products from muscles. In a program like this we have the perfect combination of burning full body fat and strengthening the core. And people who experienced it in its first run did just this. We had 30k plus people participating and engaging actively with us to get fitter using the workouts, meal plans, and group discussions. We think the success of a targeted preference like this lies in the fact that a lot of people have specific goals in mind — such as fat loss, improving strength, increasing flexibility etc — and they want an organized and guided approach to help them attain it.

For people taking this course, what is your advice?

A: My advice would be to stay consistent. Don’t give up in the middle if you want to fulfill your goal. If it gets tough, take a breath and come back. Take it at your own pace. You can also engage actively with other members that sign up to ensure you stay motivated.

ALSO READ-Shilpa signs in as fitness ambassador

READ MORE-‘Fitness Habits: Breaking The Barriers To Fitness’

Categories
Food Lifestyle Lite Blogs

Find comfort in food choices

Not only are we continually seeking comfort in our food choices, but we are also becoming more conscious about overeating and actively opt for guilt-free snacks…writes Chef Kunal Kapur

Snacks and junk food are the unavoidable bad habits in the present times. Youngsters have a close relationship with these kinds of food that destructs our inner and outer body slowly. Lately, many of us have been bogged down and caught up with work and home responsibilities; when it comes to leisure time, our options are limited. Yet on any normal day, we look forward to our favourite cup of chai or coffee and a snack that instantly uplifts our moods. During the evening hours, we allow ourselves to indulge our cravings for flavourful and mouth-watering foods; but we also seek easy-to-prepare solutions to satisfy hunger pangs.

While we each may have our preferences, when choosing a snack, taste plays a vital role. We only wait for our short evening snack breaks, because that’s when we can treat ourselves to something yummy. Snacking is known to enhance our good feelings and cheer us up, even on dull and dragging days. While we can’t meet up with friends and colleagues to chat up over samosas and chaat, we can exploit the digital medium to share in these little joys over video calls and group sessions. In fact, ready-to-eat foods that are easily available can provide safe and exciting solutions to the dilemmas of ‘new normal’ lifestyles.

Capturing the growing inclination towards snacking, Euromonitor reports reveal that most of us are constantly seeking time-saving solutions and higher convenience across various aspects of life, including our food habits. In most households, food is prepared by the homemaker and by late afternoon, fatigue sets in; she prefers simplified alternatives to a traditional snack menu. These days, even those accustomed to a cook are managing without any additional help, and the need for easy-to-make snacks have been on the rise.

Not only are we continually seeking comfort in our food choices, but we are also becoming more conscious about overeating and actively opt for guilt-free snacks. When it comes to mindful eating, wholegrain oats are becoming increasingly popular for their high nutrition, protein and fibre content. Oats are satiating in small portions and these days, they come in various forms and flavours, such as Saffola Masala Oats that are infused with traditional spices to suit the Indian palette and desire for piping hot snacks.

Euromonitor reports also indicate that instances of snacking are the highest between 4 p.m. to 6 p.m; when we break from work or catch up with our social media feeds, music playlist and OTT shows that we are binge watching. We enjoy eating light, but also need to tease our taste buds and feel content; oats allows us to customize our bowls to suit our fancy. With regional twists like Masala & Coriander or Curry & Pepper,

Saffola Masala Oats can be whipped up to your liking using real vegetables, sauces, dry fruits and crispies.

In fact, it can also be shared virtually with colleagues — plan productive brainstorming sessions or team-building activities on Zoom or Google Meet. Most companies have been adopting innovative ideas to keep employees motivated when working from home. Snacking can supercharge creativity and calm the jitters; so why not schedule it on the work calendar. Saffola Masala Oats is available at local stores and online on platforms like Amazon.in and BigBasket; so your colleagues can easily select their favourites.

It can also be made more exciting with fresh ingredients like lemon and mint leaves or crunchy toppings like carrot sticks, capsicum slices and croutons. If you prefer going solo and have been spending your evenings reading or watching the sunset, make the most of your time at home with a lip-smacking bowl of joy. Feel good with tangy oats on toast, bite on lavash and coriander oats, sip a soupy bowl of vegetable oats and just go wild with your imagination when customizing your evening snacks!

ALSO READ-Some snacks for your Mom

READ MORE-Lip-smacking snacks to munch on

Categories
Health Lite Blogs

‘Yoga Of Rehab: The Twelve Sutras For Transcending Addiction’

Yoga and meditation showed me the doorway to Self. Once in touch with Self, inner contentment results — there is no longer a need to intoxicate yourself with external substances… Anjali Talcherkar interacts with Siddhi Jain.

The level of yoga has grown very faster in the modern era of unhealthy lifestyle and habits. Is the power of yoga, meditation and conscious shift towards spirituality enough to pull someone back from the deepest pits of drug addiction and alcoholism? The powerful and intense real-life story of Anjali Talcherkar, told vividly in her new book “Yoga of Rehab: The Twelve Sutras for Transcending Addiction” is a testimony to the life-changing potential of the yogic way of life.

Talcherkar, born to Eastern Indian parents and raised in a rural farm town near Illinois, US, turned to alcohol and drugs in late teenage years, falling deeper into the nexus of pills, drinks and denial about her addiction. In the book, the author explains how she was doing the rounds between relapse and self-discipline, supported by peers, parents and mental healthcare practitioners. During rehabilitation, she met and married her husband, who she eventually lost to a drug overdose. Having hit rock bottom, Talcherkar finally found her ‘blessing’, and began her arduous journey from the dark to the light.

“Yoga of Rehab” is the brave story of Talcherkar climbing out from the dark abyss of addiction. The path of yoga, meditation and SKY (Sudarshan Kriya Yoga) helped her recover. Today, she is out of addiction, is a certified yoga teacher and has obtained a Doctorate in Integrative Medicine. The book also details specific asanas (having specific mantras and mottos), besides some practical tasks for the readers. Excerpts from the interview:


In the book, you detail the profound impact yoga and meditation had in your life, especially in deaddiction. When were you first introduced to it? What about it moved you to quit and start afresh?

I was first introduced to yoga meditation in my early 20’s. I followed predecessors like Deepak Chopra and others until I was introduced to the Art of Living foundation in 2005 through my mother, who was a devotee. It was a time in my life when I was really struggling with addiction and traditional methods like therapy and medication could only go so far. I feel yoga and meditation reached deeper levels, helping me release trauma and underlying emotional issues causing the addictive pattern. Once I started to feel healthy mentally, physically, and emotionally, this was a new level of freedom I hadn’t experienced before. Yoga and meditation showed me the doorway to Self. Once in touch with Self, inner contentment results — there is no longer a need to intoxicate yourself with external substances. This is the freedom I experience today in my life.

You also mentioned that the nomenclature of an ‘addict’, or a ‘hardcore addict’ can be stigmatizing. Across borders, where do you think we could strengthen institutional support for people struggling with drug addiction?

Yes, absolutely. Labels do no justice in describing or identifying who you really are at your core. No words or labels can. I think people form an identity around the label and then have a hard time letting it go, even years after being free from the addiction. We can see humans as more than a label and level the playing field. All humans experience struggles in life, but to marry them to a label permanently is simply pathologizing and counterproductive. Of course, this is how the Western medical paradigm operates for many reasons, including profitability. There’s more money in treating addiction vs curing it. So, let’s start by taking the hype out of addiction (i.e., normalise it). Because lets’ face it, the world has a propensity toward addictions (food, drugs, relationships, the internet, etc.) the list could go on ad infinitum. In short, there is a need to shift the current medical paradigm and disease ideology.

Both yoga and meditation are considered alternate therapies. Being a yoga coach and CAM expert, do you feel the need to mainstream access to such treatments, both in the US and in India?

Yes, I do because these modalities work. Point blank. I’ve worked in several different rehabs over the years, and I have seen CAM treatments slowly finding their way into treatment centers, which is very positive. The main issue is the lack of insurance coverage for such treatments. Generally, unless CAM interventions are offered within the treatment program itself, people pay out of pocket. So, basically, there is a need to mainstream CAM modalities, make them accessible to underserved populations, and affordable to the masses.

Finally, after every relapse, what kept you going and striving towards health and de-addiction?

I will preface my response by stating upfront that I do not see relapse as a failure. Sometimes people need to take a few steps back to move ahead, and that is fine: it’s a personal journey. In my coaching work, I refer to a harm-reduction model, meaning abstinence could be one goal but not necessarily uniform for everyone. Some people want to cut back for a while and that works for them. While conducting my doctoral research, I re-introduced alcohol back into my life in a moderate and responsible manner. I was abstinent for 6 years until I made that decision; my view on addiction changed through my academic research. Sobriety does not necessarily mean abstinence and vice versa. If you look up the definition of sobriety, it reads, “of sound and reason mind.” I don’t consider myself an addict in recovery anymore because I have healed myself.

ALSO READ-UAE Celebrates International Day of Yoga

READ MORE-Yoga connects 37 million people across US