"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.

"Rush Hour Rage"

mumbaitraffic.in.net

Dealing with Taffic Tension

Alright so I am willing to admit that I am one of those people who suffers from the awful fate of having a sliiiggghtly short fuse. Which means I am not exactly the most patient persons you will meet, and sometimes, when things seem to take longer than they ought to, I can get a little…shall we say agitated? And amongst the top 3 most annoying, stressful, makesmewanttotearmyhairout and hurt somebody situations I can find myself in also happens to be a completely unavoidable, and totally regular feature of our daily lives: TRAFFIC.


Crawling at a snails pace. Blaring horns.Cars, trucks, buses, cyclists, even pedestrians, all trying to squeeze into tiny lanes. Oh. My. God. These is special vein in my forehead which can literally burst at the thought of the torture of waiting endlessly to inch forward in a sea of vehicles all seemingly desperate to get to the exact same destination which I am heading to! Sound familiar? Am guessing it does for too many of us.

So I have decided to take matters into my own hands. The fact is the traffic ain’t gonna go nowhere girls and boys. If anything, its going to get worse. So whats the variable factor here? Me. And my reactions to it. Lets face it. Theres absolutely no point giving yourself a near heart attack on your daily commute when theres little you can do to control the situation. Ah, but here are a few ways you CAN make your road rage a little more bearable….

Leave early: make sure you give yourself an extra half an hour for unaccounted traffic snarls anytime you are setting out for a pre-scheduled meeting. That way, even If you do get stuck in a jam, you wont need to suffer from a panic attack.

Music for your ears: Drown out the sounds of those horns and lose yourself to the sounds of something soothing for you: Rabbi, Massive Attack, some Manu Chao maybe even a little rock..use your ipod or your radio and tune in, turn on, and zone out until you’re moving again.

Reading time – Carry your newspapers, laptop, even a book with you when you are on the road. So while you are waiting to get through that 20 minute red light, you can finish up the presentation due next week. Or read a chapter of your novel. Or just catch up on your daily horoscope. You’d be amazed how much calmer you will feel focusing on something other than the chaos outside your window.

"Massage Therapy"

spalife.bk.com

There’s something about Amy. No, shes not my latest crush. And no, shes not my best friend, collegue, or boss. She’s an angel from heaven sent down to save me. Amy is the name of my masseuse.


And once a week, she relaxes my mind, body, and weary soul!

Haha , alright maybe I sound like I am a little crazy, but heres the thing. Gone are the days when going to a spa to get a massage was considered to be an indulgence. In fact, more and more doctors today will actually recommend that people try and get a regular massage treatment as part of their weekly regime. This is emphasized even more with reference to people who are highly physically and mentally active (read: people who train hard at the gym and have high-pressure, high-stress jobs) Research shows that getting a regular form of body work (massage, physio-therapy, or maalish) comes with a number of benefits. Here are the 3 biggest reasons to get yourself a regular appointment!


Physical relief: the kneading strokes of a massage when combined with the circular movement actually serves a multitude of purposes. First, this rhythmic and strong motion works to loosed up any knotted muscles in the region (think of the jammed feeling you get in your back and shoulders after a long week of meetings, not to mention weight training!). Second, massage also helps to improve the blood circulation in the muscles of the body, this increased blood circulation allows for better transport of oxygen to all the muscles and organs enabling them to function more effectively. Third,certain massages also work to stretch the body, working to improve ligament and joint function.

Relaxation for the mind: Spending an hour in a week allowing all of the knots in those shoulder and back muscles to be slowly loosened gives you a great sense of relaxation. In fact, not only do you leave feeling like your back feels better, you literally feel like a weight has been lifted off those shoulders.

The feel-good factor: On a purely hedonistic note, getting a regular massage simply feels GREAT. Both mentally and phycially you are getting the respite you need from your weekly grind, allowing you to continue to do your best, and with a smile on your face. So lie back, and enjoy :)

"Grey Matter"

haircare.net

There are some moments in life you will always remember. The day you got your first pay check. The day he proposed. Your first kiss. And the day you spotted your first grey hair.


Yes, ladies and gentlemen, my dear, dear friends, that day will come. And usually when you least expect it…if it hasn’t already. Unfortunately, along with the all the other trends and changes happening with our fast-paced lifestyles, this has been a startling new trend as well. People are going grey younger and younger. I can vouch for it. My grey moment happened at the tender age of 17. Yes, I was getting ready for a Friday night class dance, and there it was…Ten years later, and I am still asking the higher powers to give me the grace to accept the things I cannot change, and change the things I can.

And that’s what I come to you with today. Fact: once you go grey, you don’t go back. So here are some ways to handle the change!

Nature cures: I have heard sworn testimonies from many a raven haired uncle who tell me about the miraculous cures of amla. Apparently, if you use the oil of amla in a gentle massage of your scalp regularly, you will not just prevent further greying, but you could actually stop the process entirely. Now although I haven’t seen evidence of this myself, I would say this: it doesn’t hurt to try! And the power of faith is amazing.

Bottled Bliss – If you are one of those people who don’t have the patience to take the natural (but longer) route to help, then you can always get some help from your neighborhood salon. Most places also have the option of using ammonia-free colors which do minimal damage to your hair, while giving you a month of happy grey-covered hair. Of course this is really something you should consider only if you have a fair amount of the grey stuff showing. If its just a couple of stray strands, just ask your hairdresser to snip them away!

Stress less – More and more studies are showing that consistently high levels of stress are no good for our minds or our bodies. One of the not-so-nice side effects of this is going grey early. So take a yoga and meditation class, and keep those greys away longer!

"Break Free from Bad Moods"

homepage.eircom.net

Simple Tips to Chase those Blues away...

Play with your pet: I call it “schmoozling” , but playing with your dog (or cat for that matter) can really allow you to escape your stress, even if its for a short while. And not just that, the act of looking after or giving love to your pet or any loved one is actually proven to be therapeutic to lifting those spirits.


Eat Right: you literally are what you eat. And a healthy diet is not just good for the body, its also good for the mind. Load up on those fruits, whole grains and veggies, which are actually shown to improve the mood and watch those sugary, high-fat foods people. In fact studies have shown that vitamin B-12 and omega-3 fatty acids are specifically helpful in beating the effects of depression. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in nuts, dark green veggies, flaxseed, salmon, and tune. Seafood and low-fat dairy products are also rich sources of B-12.The mind body connection is far more real that you and I give it credit for.

Cutting the caffeine: No need to panic people, I am not saying you need to banish those hot cups of java from your lives completely. But do you really need that third cup? Research has shown that too much caffeine can cause feelings of nervousness and anxiety. And really, is stress something you need to add more of to your life? Controlling the coffee will keep you jitter-free, not to mention give you a better nights sleep allowing you to wake up feeling calm and rested.

Hit the gym: Exercise is truly a great blues-buster. Not only do you get to sweat out the stress from your daily grind, you feel fantastic (thanks to those lovely endorphins), look better, and even sleep better, guaranteeing you will see that light at the end of the tunnel. And no, you don’t have to run a marathon. Choose from a brisk run, a dancing class, aerobics, kickboxing, yoga, pilates, even swimming! So what are you waiting for? Save your money, skip the shrink, therapy and pills, and just get moving. :)

"Sleepless in the City"

principalspage.com

Signals of Sleep Trouble...


Do you often find yourself lying in bed for up to an hour or more, tossing and turning, waiting to fall asleep?

Often wake up several times during the night and then find that its hard going back to sleep?

Find yourself waking up many hours before the alarm goes off?

 Frequently wake up feeling exhausted, like you haven’t had enough sleep?

Feel cranky, sleepy, or stressed and have difficultly getting things done during the daytime?



Why so sleepless?

Stress– this is why you need to make sure you leave the office stress behind when you leave. All the tension and stress built up from the days work, if left unchecked, can manifest itself through insomnia when even though your body is lying down, your mind is running at 100km an hour!

Bad night time habits – this includes activities like watching tv before you go to sleep – something which many of us do, but also leads to overstimulation of brain activity making it difficult to sleep. Other night time no-nos? Coffee, tea, alcohol, nicotine and other stimulants before bed time.

Physical pain – discomfort of the body can also affect its ability to rest.

Changes in environment – jet lag, sleeping in a new bed, moving to a new home, can all impact the ability of the body and brain to go into deep relaxation and sleep.

Little or no exercise – if the body is completely sedentary (ie a couch potato), it tends to have an adverse effect on its natural ability to fall asleep.


Secrets to a good nights sleep:
Routine - try to wake up and go to bed at around the same time every day. This allows your body to develop a natural system where it begins to naturally feel tired and ready to rest at the right time for you.

Exercise – make sure to do some form of exercise at least 3 times a week. You could try early morning walks or a yoga class (which is also sure to bring down your stress levels). Be sure to finish your work out at least 4 hours before bedtime so your endorphins are released and the body is ready to rest.

Change in lifestyle – cut out the late night binges. Be it fast food, caffeine, nicotine or alcohol, the less of the stuff in your system, the better you will sleep.
So good night, and sleep tight! :)

"Detox Dilemma"

watchmojo.com

Fatigue. Dull skin. Dry or greasy hair. Brittle Nails. Irritability. Depression. Low resistance to flus and viruses. Mood swings. Sleep problems. Stress. Digestive problems. Mouth ulcers. Muscle and joint pain. Migraines. Dark circles. Nausea.


Sound a little too familiar? If you have two or more of these symptoms, chances are you are suffering the consequences of a build of toxins in the body. And where and how do these toxins come from? Well they come both internal and external environments. Some toxins are a result of the waste products naturally created by our own body’s digestive systems, while others are a product of certain harmful presences in our external environments. And what might these be? Cigarettes, alcohol, pollution in the air, medications, and preservatives in food, artificial flavors and coloring are the most common culprits.

But wait a minute, isn’t the body meant to be able to get rid of these toxins on its own? Well, yes, that is indeed true. But, and this is the kicker, if there the levels of toxins in the body are too high, our body’s simply are no match for these nasties. Instead, the body begins to struggle in its resistance, the organs begin to slow in their function, and slowly you start to notice that you are showing some of the symptoms listed above  So how does one solve these problems of physical and mental deterioration without getting weaker and more agitated?

That’s where Detox come in. There are two common goals which form the basis of almost any detox plan. They are the cleansing and the rejuvenation of the body. The principles are essentially as follows: you cut down on the amount of energy you take in through food, reduce if not completely stop the intake of any toxins into your system, drink loads of water to drain the body of toxins, eat a healthy and nutritious diet, and get regular exercise. And research shows that if done safely and for a reasonable length of time, most detox plans have a beneficial impact on our physical well-beings. But, and this is important girls and boys, make sure you understand one thing clearly and that’s the following. Although some detox plans do have the effect of some weight loss, they ARE NOT to be confused with weight-loss plans.

So I know what you are thinking. It’s all too complicated; you wouldn’t know what to cut and what to keep.Want to start with something doable? Some of the simplest detox plans would include cutting out the following from your diet: meat, alcohol, coffee, tea, and processed sugars (ie any of those sugary desserts and soft drinks!). Of course you would have to make sure you are getting loads of fresh vegetables (both cooked and raw), plenty of water, fruit juices, and some fruit as well.

You could try it for a week and see if you notice any differences in how your body (and mind) feel!

Remember, your body is a temple. Treat it gently and with respect, and it will be kind to you all through your life :)

"Pet Power - Finding fitness with our furry friends"

newfreedownloads.com

Want to know an easy way to lower your cholesterol, keep your blood pressure under control, feel less stressed out when you come home after a long, hard days of chasing paperwork ? Get yourself a new best friend. No, I don’t mean replace you current BFF (I am sure they must the best drinking buddies/gossip girls a guy/girl could ask for!). I mean get yourself a cute, friendly, loveable, cuddly little (or big!) pet!

The word is that those people who enjoy the company of our friends from the animal kingdom (am taking dogs/cats/hamster/birds/maybe even fish) a re more likely to live longer, healthier, and yes, even happier lives. Speaking from personal experience, I am lucky enough to have the love of 2 such adorable creatures! My oh-so-schmooperable Bam Bam (named after Fred Flintsone’s kid) is what I would call my “happy medicine” – she just delivers everytime! Her bouncy, crazy, happy go lucky nature makes everyone around her smile and trust me, nothing beats that pitter patter of paws chasing your every move! And then theres Nawab (only a royal title is good enough for him) who is the most loving, affectionate, playful, human-dog (yes, it’s a word!) I know! I have yet to be met at the door with the kind of excitement, and pure glee with which Nawabi comes running at me when I ring that doorbell.

The bottom line is that our lives today are filled with more than enough stress, fighting, arguments, negativity, and general angst. We are all in desperate need of a little dose of pure, unadulterated, and yes, truly unconditional love. Not to mention the fact that we can combine some good quality time with our pets and our exercise routines - taking a nice, long power walk/jog in the park is so much more fun with your pooch! Animals like these simply have the ability to make ones rattled nerves feel soothed, to calm that anxiety ridden mind, to relax those taut muscles, and get a smile out of you no matter what kind of day you’ve had…


FYI: Some benefits of having a pet

- Decrease in minor ailments like headaches, colds, dizziness

- Faster recovery from serious illnesses like heart attacks

- Soothing those who suffer from depression

- Calming those who suffer from anxiety