"Vacation Work Out"

vacationspot.com

It’s what you’ve been waiting for all year. Dreaming about the shopping. Fantasizing about the sun-kissed beaches. Salivating over the different kinds of yumminess you are going to get to eat. It’s literally been on your mind 24/7 for the last six months! And its almost here. Your annual long vacation.


So what could possibly be a dark cloud on this perfectly sunny dream holiday? Absolutely nothing. Except, perhaps, just maybe, an eensy weensy chance that after all those deliciously long, dessert filled days, you might come home with more than just overweight suitcases. Ummm, you might just come home with an oversized ass….et other than summer sale shopping.

Sorry girls and boys, don’t mean to be a drag, but the truth is that after all those weeks, scratch that, months, of working out to get into that perfect bathing suit, do you really want to throw it away on a few days of indulging? You know what? I am here to tell you that in this case, you can literally have your cake and eat it too. All you need to do is to be a little smart about it!

How? It’s simple, you just work out on your vacation.

Hahaha before you freak out, don’t. I am not here to tell you to pack your weights with you, or even ask you to join the local gym on that gorgeous Goa beach you are on. Just follow a few of these simple tricks and stay in shape no matter how many days you’ll be away!

Walk: while you shop, when you are going to that special dinner, when you want to go dancing, when you want to find a nice sunset spot, just walk wherever you can. And guess what? Chances are, you will get to see the prettiest places that way as well!

Mix it up: while walking will get your feet moving, it goes only so far to get your blood pumping. So while you are soaking up those rays why not do a little bit of dancing, swimming, beach volleyball, or even some snorkeling so you can watch the beautiful marine life while burning some of those extra calories. Whatever the activity, pick something you enjoy and it will be like your vacation, and not work!

Serving sizes: ok so don’t worry, I am not telling you to ban anything from your diet on your dream trip. It is your vacation after all, and just as important as it is to be disciplined during the rest of your year, holidays are made for some naughtiness, so go ahead and order those desserts. Just ask for a couple of extra spoons. Sharing is an amazingly easy way to get a taste of all those sugary delights, while eating smarter. :)

"What to Eat to Look Great!"

static.flickr.com

There are all kinds of lists in life. Laundry lists. Grocery lists. Lists of Things to Do (by 6pm this evening). Invitation Lists. Gift lists. Even wish lists. Some lists make you want to pound your head on the wall (think list of bills you need to pay) and some lists are somehow, well, just a little sweeter.


And those are my favorite’s girls and boys. So of course when I came across a very special list of foods which make you look gorgeous on the outside AND feel fantastic on the inside, I knew I just had to share the sweetness :)

Here’s a list of the special stuff:


Grapefruit: Loaded with antioxidants which help fight all kinds of disease and infections including cancer, this is also known as one of those “fat-burning” foods. Add it to your breakfast in the morning and get a little extra zing in your day.

Red Peppers: Called a “superfood for the skin” by some, this veggie contain generous doses of Vitamins A, C and E. Just chop it up and brighten up that boring old green salad.
Lemon Water: Boost the effects of your workout and diet by starting your mornings with a glass of lemon water. Pectin, an ingredient found in the peel of lemon, has been shown to aid in weight loss, so just squeeze a little into your water every day and lose those extra kilos faster.

Watermelon: Meant to be a natural way help protect against the harmful rays of the sun, this juicy fruit contains lots of lycopene (a powerful antioxidant) which works to boost your immunity while also keeping you hydrated!

Cherries: Researchers at the University of Michigan have found that the anthocyanins in dark cherries reduce belly fat and lower cholesterol and blood sugar so yayayayaya go grab a bowl of cherries for your breakfast tomorrow!
Prunes: These wrinkly little dried fruits are rich in vitamin K and a top source of the mineral boron, and you know what? Turns out, we need both for strong bones.

Dark Chocolate: Because it is a filled with something called flavonoids, dark chocolate is believed to improve the health of the heart “reducing platelet activation, affecting the relaxation capabilities of blood vessels”…. In other words, go get yourself a guilt free bar and munch away today :)

'Rinse and Repeat!"

collegecandy.files.wordpress.com

It’s definitely one of the worst things that can happen to you in an office. You’ve just finished your lunch break and gone into a meeting with a colleague when bang in the middle of your explanation of something, you lean in to emphasize a point, and thud. It hits you like a cannonball moving at full speed. The breath of garlic, onion, mustard topping on something giving your otherwise perfectly pleasant co-worker the exhaling powers of the devil himself. Powerful enough to wipe out a town. There’s only one thing worse than dealing with a friend with bad breath post a garlicky lunch. And that’s having the toxic breath yourself. So here I am folks, to help you save the day. Mouth wash. It’s the easiest, simplest way to prevent ever worrying about anyone in the office avoiding you for after-lunch meetings.


And besides the obvious help it will do for your social life (trust me, minty fresh-smelling breath is a big turn on for all types), here are some other reasons to enjoy a rinse after each meal.


Kills germs: Just like having bad breath can do some real damage to your social and office life, using a good mouthwash after you eat can help kill germs because it is able to reach the spots between your teeth and gums that your toothbrush cant.
Cleans out the mouth: Eating a pasta or any other sticky food? Rinsing your mouth after helps to loosen up any food caught between your teeth, which if not spat out or swallowed, can eventually create trouble of all kinds!

Helps to prevent cavities: Anything that prevents you having to sit in that “special chair” at the dentist faced with the sight (and sound!) of those terrifying drills must be a good thing right? Using mouthwash at leas once a day helps to prevent the build up of plaque in the mouth, which is what causes all those nasty, painful cavities.

So this time, say with me: rinse, rinse, and repeat!

"Banish Binges"

i.ehow.com

It happens to the best of us. There you are behaving like a perfect angel, living a balanced life in which where are being careful about what you eat, getting the right (healthy) portions of all those carbs, proteins, fruits, veggies, and more on your plate at the right time of the day, and of course supplementing all this good behavior with regular visits to your gym, ensuring that you are getting a good 45 minutes on the treadmill or maybe even an hour at the new aerobics class. When suddenly it happens. Seemingly out of nowhere, the attack is a surprise. It’s unexpected, and catches you off guard.


And oh no, you didn’t see it coming. The big fat binge.

Before you know it, you are sitting at your desk surrounded by empty packets of chips, candy wrappers, and (god forbid!) multiple, now empty, boxes of pizza….And here comes the guilt.

Now you feel like kicking yourself. How did you let that happen? All those weeks of working out and healthy salads gone down the drain. You may as well give up right? Wrong.

Its time to take control people. I am here to tell you that not only can you have total power over those crazy cravings that have a habit of attacking when least expected, but you can avoid the moments of wanting to drown your sorrows in even more ice-cream entirely. I am talking about living a binge-free existence baby.

First things first, the worst thing you can do is to cut out everything sinful out of your life completely. We all have certain weakness, mine personally is chocolate. So what do I do? Allow myself to have those couple of pieces every couple of days…and you what? I ain’t obese. On the other hand, I can handle it when I come face to face with a ginormous Cookie Monster size cake. Plain and simple, if you love something, leave a little room for it in your life. That way you won’t go nuts every time your will power to fight it fades!

Second rule, avoid emotional eating. You just had a fight with your boyfriend. Your boss just yelled at you. Someone just called you “plump”. Do not, I repeat, do not take it out on all the junk food you can find. Stuffing your face full of high-fat, high-calorie food that’s poor in nutritive quality is not the answer girls and boys. Instead, give yourself a time out. Step outside for a couple of minutes if you can, trust me the fresh air can work wonders on a pissy mood. Drink a couple of glasses of water to quell the automatic need to eat something “bad”. In short, find a way to cool down. You’ll find the food choices you make to be dramatically different once you do so.

Finally, don’t fight it. No, I don’t mean load up on fried samosa the next time you feel the urge. I mean, stock up you desk drawer with a few healthy goodies (granola bars, unsalted nuts, baked snacks, digestive biscuits). The next time you get a need to binge, break out the baked stuff baby.

Eat and enjoy :)

"Live a Little"

junkfoodnews.net

Its wafting through the air and right up to you. As you close your eyes, you can literally picture that pizza in all its perfection…dripping with hot, melted mozzarella cheese, topped with garlic, chicken, mushrooms, and jalapenos. Delivered to your office desk in under 30 minutes or else your money back. And guess what? After being a diet and exercise nazi for a whole three months, you are totally, utterly and completely entitled to a little (ok big!) treat. Yummy, yummy,yummy, its time for a little Dominoes for your tummy.


You know what? It’s all good. Sometimes, it’s a good, no, it’s a great idea to break the rules with your “sensible eating” habits and go a little crazy. In fact, chances are if you don’t give in to your cravings every so often that you will either totally overboard when you do come face to face with that chocolate cake, else you will just turn into a person who is constantly in a bad mood. It’s true. Have you ever noticed how some of the skinniest people you meet tend to be the most ummm, shall we say sour-faced? I personally think they have taken the whole “size zero” thing so seriously they are always bitter and angry about the fact that everyone around them gets to eat the good stuff and they don’t!

No matter what, girls and boys, remember this. If you cant take a little time out from your regular “balanced life” to enjoy some of the delectable things in life (your mums gooey chocolate brownies, freshly made pesto pasta, a Spanish omelets made from country-grown farm eggs), then you aren’t living. And trust me, this stuff always, always tastes supremely mind-blowing when you make eating it on a special occasion. Once you are done, just go back to the good life of nutrition and exercise and smile knowing you have total control. Not just on your waist size, but much, much more. That’s what I call doing things in moderation :)

"Sink or Swim"

wallpaperbase.com

These days people are constantly talking about one of two things. Working out and eating right. Everywhere you go, all you hear are the names of the latest machines which can miraculously literally melt all of your body fat right off or the names of the latest diets which magically make you lose 10 kilos in 10 days (god, please don’t go anywhere near that one if you are smart girls and boys!). Its all about the newest gadgets and the latest scientifically proven research to show what foods combine to get you the maximum weight loss!


But how about going back to the classics? Something which has been tried and tested and always proven to show effective results giving you a fantastic body with curves in all the right places without even going near a machine of any kind? In fact, this form of exercise burns hundreds of calories without you feeling a moment of sweaty heat and ickiness! You’ve all seen it, and most of you have probably even done it a couple of hundred times in your lives. Swimming. One of the most effective ways to get a total body workout. How so? Simply because it forces ones to exert every single part of the body while practicing it. Besides the fact that swimming is great for increasing lung capacity as well as for the cardiovascular system as a whole, it also increases the flexibility and strength of the body as a whole (which is why it’s a great TOTAL body workout!).

Consequently, it protects the body from heart disease, stroke and diabetes while working to control blood pressure and cholesterol. In addition, regular swimming also means the body will benefit from a higher muscular stamina, which basically means you are able to work that much longer without muscle aches and pains. Swimming also helps when recovering from certain kinds of back injuries (even a slipped disc) because it works to strengthen the muscles around the spine in a safe and gentle manner.

So this spring don’t wait for the latest weight control fad to burn a hole in your wallet. Join your neighborhood swimming club instead and enjoy your water therapy coz trust me, it’s the coolest one :)

"Something Smells Good"

spicy99.com

The aroma of fresh aloo paratha comes wafting through the air and as if you were in a time machine, you are immediately transported back to your childhood home. Your face breaks into a soft smile at the scent of the first rains, again reminiscent of bunking school on those rainy days of your youth. But god forbid you get a whiff of Hugo Boss for men…which somehow makes your face contort as you have a flashback of that awful mistake of a boyfriend from college. Smell. A seemingly innocent one of our five senses (for a quick reminder for those who drowned out their bio teachers they are sight, sound, smell, touch and taste people!). Yet, smell can often have a deep and profound impact on our daily lives.


We associate scents with people, memories, even emotions. In fact, according to some scientists, if you were to do a blind taste test of say a cola versus a lemony drink with your nose held as well (therefore being unable to smell the product), your tongue would actually be unable to differentiate between the two!! There is a whole industry based on the idea that we can actually use certain kinds of aromas to promote a variety of feelings and emotions. Aromatherapy claims that using blends of essential oils fused with specific ingredients (usually flower or plant based) can help to relieve both physical and mental conditions that we as a super-charged race in the twenty first century suffer from on a regular basis. I say, hey, its worth a shot.

 If smelling a nice scent every evening when I come home or during my yoga sessions helps me to relieve anxiety then why not? Here’s a short list of some of the fragrances out there for you to try (I would give the trial period at least two weeks). Essential oils are available at Forest Essential stores across the country. Just ask the sales consultant about usage and let me know what you think!

Chamomile: calms irritability and anger, soothes anxiety and depression.

Jasmine: eases the symptoms of depression and promotes a sense of optimism and happiness.

Lavender: produces a soothing and calming effect on the mind and body. Helps to alleviate depression and anxiety.

Lemon: Helps increase mental clarity as well as a sense of energy. Eases stress and depression.

Sandalwood: Promotes a sense of deep calm and peace. Helps to relieve signs of stress and anxiety. Also meant to be an aphrodisiac.

"Blame it on the Rain!"

weatherpicturesweatherphotos.net

So it’s a brand new year and you wake up with a smile on your face. There’s a definite spring in your step as you bounce out of bed and you know you got it. This time your new years weight loss resolution (2010 is my year to slink into those sexy skinny blue jeans!) is going to work and there’s nothing, nothing that can stop you from making it real.


Nothing that is, but the weather. Tip tip tip. Drip drip drip. Cold, grey, cloudy, and windy. No, unfortunately I am not describing the background to a scary ghost story about a haunted house on a hill. I am talking about the reality of life right outside your front door. Make that dripping from your ceiling.

Too bad. Too sad. Guess the gym is going to have to wait for another day and you can put those sneakers back in the closet right? Wrong.

It’s time to take control people. So what if it looks like doomsday outside your window? Who says you can’t do something super-energetic and calorie-burning right there in your living room? I am here to tell you that you don’t have to be a slave to the gym or be disheartened because the weather isn’t on your side today. When you want to work off all that guilt from your holiday eating, you just have to work out. And honey, when you can’t get to the gym, you just got to make that gym come to you.

Here are 4 fabulous ways to keep your fitness resolutions this year!

Push ups: you can choose between girly style (on your knees lifting your torso weight only) or good old military style (on your toes lifting your entire body weight evenly). Either way, you are going to get your heart pumping and your body screaming --- in a good way! Do two sets of 10.

Squats: Get your posture right by practicing with a trainer or someone experienced with the exercise the first few times. Once you have your positioning right you can try and go for 4 sets of 15 each of these free squats. Amongst one of the most efficient movements for a full body workout, these killers work all the way up from your calves and hamstrings right to your abdominal core. Burn baby burn.

Jumping Jacks: Get back to the old days of PT in school! Boosting the blood pumped to the heart this works as a great cardiovascular workout when you don’t have access to a treadmill. Also, it can actually be a lot of fun. Think 2 to 3 sets of 20 reps each depending on how much you want to push it.

Spot Jogging: Cant get to the park? Rain upto your knees keeping you from your beloved treadmill in the gym. Use your very own bedroom floor instead. Just crank up some Tiesto on your ipod dock and start running. While you stay in the same spot. Keep jogging till your tune is done. Then lie down, relax and breathe.

Most importantly, always, always, enjoy your work out!

"Dairy Diet"

thejewishstar.files.wordpress.com

All of us like a bit of variety. Something different to look forward every day so that it doesn’t feel like you are reliving the same 24 hours again and again and again. And lets face it, that’s why we like to eat out or order in. Just the change in menu from the regular ghar ka khana to something a little more exciting (say Chinese or Italian…yummm) can make for a nice break in the average mundane week. And why not, absolutely nothing wrong with stimulating the taste buds with a little something out of the regular fare I think. As long as you are still getting your daily basics on your dinner plates that is.


So what are those basics? Well, simply put, they are your carbohydrates, proteins, fruits and veggies, and oh yes, your dairy. Now you know enough reasons why it’s super important that you get your daily dose of those first three categories, but what about the fourth? Why do you really need to bother with dairy after you pass the age of 15 when your mom finally stopped yelling at you about drinking your milk so that you could grow “big and tall and strong”?

The truth is that despite all the bad press they may get from dietaholics (oh yes, I do believe that’s a valid term to use for those obsessed with calorie counting, for gods sake, we are NOT all going to walk around calculating every breath of air we take!) dairy products really do contain a bunch of good stuff. Lets start with calcium, the main ingredient found in all dairy products, helps to keep the body strong and prevents brittle bones, nails, teeth and hair as well as decreases the chances of osteoporosis later in life.

Dairy also contains high amounts of protein, which is the main nutrient needed for good muscular health. Vitamin D is another important reason to get that dairy on your plate as it works as an important aid in the absorption of calcium by the body, increasing its bone density and strength. Research has even shown that those people who consume healthy amounts of dairy products on a regular basis are less likely to develop high blood pressure over a period of time than those who have a low intake of dairy.

Last but not least, where oh where do you find this vital nutrient for your daily diet? Good sources of calcium, protein, magnesium, Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 can be found in milk, paneer (cottage cheese), cheese, butter, yoghurt and even in ice-cream (low-fat) --- but go slow and reach for the low-fat versions so that you avoid the extra saturated fat, calories and cholesterol and still get all the rest of the goodies you need.

"Soups Up"

blog.sigsiv.com

It’s the perfect meal when you want to go light. It’s the ideal feel-good food when you are feeling far from good. It’s the winter food which keeps you feeling warm. It’s all the nutrients and health you need fitting perfectly in a bowl.


Undoubtedly, one of the nicest benefits to adding soup to your regular diet is the fact that even though it fills you up with its yumminess, it can easily be a low-calorie; nearly fat-free meal in itself. A good example is any clear vegetable soup. Basic rules say if the soup is clear it means it doesn’t contain any cream, butter, or milk --- which means its practically water people! Instead just adding some boiled veggies to some clear vegetable stock soup can make for a super-delicious meal. So not only do you get a taste of something warm and nourishing, adding comfort to your day, you get a healthy way to lose those extra kilos :)

And here’s another reason why you should think about soup. Since soup is more or less liquid in form, you can put all kinds of wholesome goodness into the blender and add it to soup making sure its packed with all the vitamins, antioxidants, and immunity boosting foods you need to keep you fighting fit. Which is why soup is also a smart thing to eat if you are ever feeling a little under the weather. Take your pick from a wide range of ingredients to make tomato, spinach, pea, mixed veggie, broccoli, beetroot, pumpkin, cabbage, even lentil soup! If you are a carnivore who cant do without meat on your plate you could consider adding a little shredded chicken, or some shrimp into your bowl as well. So the next time you are wondering what to have for lunch, just think about all the wellness power in that little bowl of soup and drink up!

"Hope for Bad Hair Days"

inxecovier.com

Its summer time again and just like every year, your hair seems to be going through some sort of angst. Maybe its the dry air, or maybe its swimming in the sun-kissed beaches of Goa, or maybe its just that you haven’t had a chance to condition it in ages, but there definitely something that needs to be done!

Here are my 3 Golden Rules for happy hair.



Feed your hair: just like you worry about the way your body looks and think about what it is that you put into your body, your hair needs to be looked after in the same way. Some foods which encourage healthy hair growth while giving you lustrous and lovely locks include egg (or egg whites if you are watching the cholesterol), salmon (vitamin B-12, iron and omega-3 fatty acids), dark green veggies (spinach, broccoli both of which have vitamin A and B) brown rice, cottage cheese, and even lentils (loaded with iron and zinc).So the next time you are loading up your plate for lunch – don’t just think about thin thighs, think about happy hair!


Nourish your hair: Picking the right products for your hair is almost as essential as making sure you are giving it the nutrition it needs through your diet. The first step to correct product use is to identify the kind of hair you have, so the next time you are at the parlor just ask your hairdresser whether you have dry, oily, damaged, or normal hair. Next, find the brand which works for your hair. if all brands did the same work we would all be walking around flipping our hair like the girls in the Sunsilk ads, but this is not the case so we can only rely on trial and error to get it right. Again, ask your hairdresser what they may recommend and try that, if you don’t think its doing much for your hair, try something else. If you have over-treated or sun damaged hair, make sure you invest in a good deep conditioner that you use once a week to help soften the hair.


Save your hair: Yet again, our mothers were right. Too much blow drying really does damage the hair. Not only does it dry out the hair, it also robs it of precious moisture and sheen, leaving it looking dull, dry and very brittle. Another thing we really shouldn’t get too much of? Permanent colors and strong treatments like rebonding, perming, and repeated highlighting. I'm not saying ban the beauty parlor for good, but exercise some restraint with the product pile-up in your hair girls and boys. If you do like to go visit the salon every so often, then make it a weekly protein treatment, or better yet, a nice oil massage!

"Breathe Easy"

thehealthylivinglounge.com

It happens to all of us. Some days it just feels like the world has woken up on the fast train and some how you are stuck on a verrry slow donkey trying to catch up. Its almost as if there aren’t enough minutes in the day to finish all of the zillion things you need to get ticked off of your “To Do List”! Blame it on the heavy meal you had the night before. Or maybe the extra glass of wine that you really could have done without. Or the fact that the alarm just didn’t ring this morning causing you to wake up and move straight into fifth gear to get into the office on time. The point is, your world seems to be spinning out of control today and you have a bad feeling things are just going to collapse all over you. Like a house of cards.


Here’s what you have to do. Just Breathe.

It’s actually as easy as that. Close your eyes. Now take a deep breath in, taking your own time to breathe in all the oxygen you can. Try and count the number of seconds it takes you to get this nice, full breath of air into your lungs, focusing on the physical movement in your lungs while dong so. Once you have taken in a complete breath, slowly, with awareness on all the sensations of your body, begin to exhale. Keeping the eyes soft and closed, gently allow the breath to leave your body and once you have completed your exhalation, begin to breathe in deeply once more. Continue to breathe in this way for about five more breaths counting one complete inhalation and exhalation as a single breath.

Deep breathing is one of the easiest and simplest ways to get back that sense of balance when you are feeling over flustered or stressed. Proven by research around the world, this form of breath work helps to give the mind a feeling of calm and even reduces blood pressure when practiced on a regular basis. The best part is that the next time you are having one of those crazy days, you don’t have to go to a doctor or worry about falling to pieces in the middle of your office. All you need to do is breathe :)

"Go for the Green"

musikality.com

Sometimes the simplest solution is the one that’s right there staring you in the face. As human beings living in the times of instant cash, instant noodles, and yes, even instant fixes we are all moving at the speed of light. All the time. Answering phone, replying to emails, sending texts, even “poking” or “pinging” each other literally every minute of the day. So when the moment of burnout comes, and yes, it does come for us all girls and boys, what’s the best way to escape the chaos around? Like I said, its so simple, it scares me. Just step outside.

I mean literally, leave the four corners of your air-conditioned worlds and get outside (where the animals live). Reconnecting with nature has been proven time and again to have several benefits both from the physical point of view as well as from an emotional/mental/some could call it spiritual perspective.

Think about how good you feel when you are driving out of the crazy city traffic on those weekends to the beach or the hills. It almost feels like the minute you leave the intensity of the urban life and start moving towards the quieter strength of nature, that you begin to feel a sense of calm. If you can’t manage to take a weekend break too often, find a park near your home or office and just spend a half hour walking there after work. Trust me, you will get home with a fresh feeling of optimism and energy. Walking not only gives you a great form of calorie-burning exercise, the time spent outdoors and away from the constant demands of the laptop and phone gives you something special.

Of course you can find this sense of space in other ways. Some people are literally spa-aholics, for whom missing their weekly massage is equivalent to the apocalypse. What I am selling is free. And from my experience, the best way to rejuvenate the tired body, mind , and spirit.

It’s out there for all of us to enjoy – the magic of mother nature.

"Bursting Bladder?"

travelblog.com

Ever feel like you are just dyyyyyying to pee? Usually when you are stuck in a seemingly endless meeting. Or when you have spent about an hour commuting from one side of town to the other travelling on the super bumpy roads of our cities. Even when you step out from a room in which the ac in turned on “high cool” to the sweltering heat outside? Sometimes I really wonder if adult diapers might just be the solution to my almost daily stress to running into some restroom or the other to pee! So if you have the same worries, these next tidbits of news are going to make you very happy.
The experts have found that the consumption of certain things can actually make your bladder feel like its bursting even more, so read on to know how to avoid dying-to-pee syndrome the next time you are about to step into that meeting!



Caffeine: Keep a count on those coffee breaks people. Research has found that caffeine actually stimulates the bladder and acts as a diuretic, producing more urine. But don’t panic, you don’t have to quit that little coffee habit you’ve got going altogether, just cut down on the cups, or even better, switch to deca!
P.S. Guess what else contains caffeine? Chocolate. Enough said.


Too much liquid: While I am all for staying hydrated, research says two liters is a very decent amount of fluid for the body to intake on a daily basis. If you are one of those water enthusiasts, try and avoid drinking too much in the evenings, it will save you those midnight trips to the bathroom!


Too little liquid: Contrary to the assumption that if you don’t drink too much, you won’t need to pee, and that will solve the problem, too little fluid in the body can actually irritate the bladder and cause an infection. The key is to drink enough to stay balanced and hydrated. And don’t forget, you also get a good portion of your daily fluid needs from food itself – about 20 percent! Food which contains high amounts of fluid? Fruits, salads, soups and dals.

Alcohol: Although it is dehydrating, alcohol also makes you tend to pee a lot more frequently while you are consuming it. In fact, it can also induce the brain into sending mixed signals to the bladder, making you feel like to need to pee when you don’t! So remember to drink responsibly girls and boys.


Other culprits I bet you didn’t know about, but all of which can make a nervous bladder even worse, aerated drinks (fizzy drinks and sodas), acidic fruit and juices artificial sweeteners and spicy food!

"Good vs Evil: The 2 Sides of Holiday Foods"

maxwebber.hunter.cuny.edu

Its that time of the year again people. Pool parties, birthday bashes, annual extravaganzas, and crazy music festivals. Its officially party time. You know what that means don’t you? Cake, pudding, chocolate pie, strawberry cupcakes, butter cookies, and much much more… Ok, you can stop the drooling! Before you reach for that second, make that, THIRD slice of the caramel toffee cake stop and take a second to read on. For I have for you a neat little list of the not-so- goodies on our holiday plates, just to help you know when its worth another bite, and when its most definitely not!


And I am not just talking about a little big of struggling to get into those fitted jeans. According to statistics, the average person puts on about a half kg every festive season (make that 1kg for us Indians since we like to party during Diwali and at the end of the year!), and most people do not end up losing that extra kg, leading to progressive weight gain year after year!

Listen up, and learn girls and boys.

Chicken with the skin on – you’ll be surprised to learn that the skin of the chicken actually contains a whole lot of saturated fat which is usually the stuff that likes to clog up your arteries, not to mention add some ummm…bump to your backside. Another warning – pick white meat (chicken, turkey, pork) over red meat (mutton, beef) when possible since the latter has more fat per bite than the former!

Mashed, soft –as-heaven potatoes – you can bet your last rupee this stuff has got dollops of butter and other creamy delights inside its innocent looking exterior and trust me, you don’t want to go there. If you want to eat potatoes, pick the grilled or even the roasted kind…yummy, without the tummy.

Pecan/Apple Pie – don’t fool yourself into thinking that because its named after a healthy fruit or nut, its super light and healthy. On the contrary, these desserts usually come loaded with all kinds of fatty stuff like butter, milk, cream, sugar and corn syrup. On average, one slice of a pecan pie can be between 500 and 800 calories. Now how long does it take to work that off on the treadmill?? Hmmm, about 90 minutes for most of us!

So before you attack that buffet table at random, think twice people.