Ghee Vapasi

Yes you heard it right..ghee the most important food product in our kitchen has successfully made a comeback. The nutriotinists/dieticians now explicitly prescribe ghee in the food chart that they offer to their clients.

Our grannies always used generous amounts of ghee for the tadka in our dals. Mithais were invariably made in asli ghee. In certain parts of India, ghee was served in a katori as an accompaniment with the meal, it was strongly believed that consuming ghee will lead to good health, shiny hair and supple skin. When someone at home used to fall sick, they were served with khichdi and a dollop of ghee to regain strength. Ayurveda also gives special importance to ghee. In olden days people used to follow Ayurveda to the t wherein usage of ghee was a must.

However suddenly a few years later ghee was blacklisted.. it was looked upon as a villain in the kitchen and we were clearly asked to stay away from it as it was closely associated with weight gain, cholesterol, heart problems etc. So most of us quickly shifted to oil, using ghee only on rare occasions.

But then the question that arose was which oil to use. The market was flooded with a variety of oil you name it.. sunflower oil, rice bran oil, coconut oil, ground nut oil ,mustard oil, olive oil etc. They then said that choice of the cooking  oil should be in line with the geographical & conditions.

Now cut to recent times the good old asli ghee has made a dramatic comeback with a bang. Along with dieticians and nutritionists even some doctors are prescribing and promoting ghee for good health. They have concluded that ghee must be an integral part of your food. Must be consumed regularly though in limit.

So what are we waiting for dug your teeth into that home-made mithai laden in asli ghee and enjoy the soulful khichdi with a dollop of ghee without being conscious of weight gain until they say the otherwiseJ

Smartphone-Yuga is here!

The other day I was travelling in a local train in Mumbai, I happened to observe that most of the people were engrossed in their Smartphones, some were checking out social networking sites, some others were busy playing games on their phones, few were on calls, few others were just exploring the various features available on their smart phones. Only a handful of them had their phones tucked in their bags or should I presume that they were not owning one 😉. But do such individuals exist in this era? Yes they do, there is still a small group of people out there who are reluctant to use the mobile phone and no money is definitely not the issue here they simply do not want to get indulged in it for various personal reasons like they find it cumbersome to handle or they feel that they are unable to take care and will end up losing it, some elderly people find it too complicated and are simply incorrigible. Have just discovered one more reason of not carrying a mobile phone, was taken aback to know that a few don’t want to be accessible so they don’t have one.

But most of the janta today does own a mobile phone these days...I still recollect when mobile phones were just introduced in india a few years back only a few affluent people could afford it, in our family one of my uncles had bought it and showed off his priced possession to everyone. All were so very amazed and impressed after seeing this piece of technology.. they were really going ga ga over it.

A few years later after the introduction of smartphones the game plan become totally different, it literally bought the world at your fingertips. The smartphone has become a significant gadget in our lives to the extent that it has become absolutely indispensable! The old, simpler mobile phone which was just used to make phone calls and send sms got a new fresh sleek look just not externally but internally too.. it has actually became a substitute for a computer in more than one way! As the name suggests it is truly smart what with the ability to perform many of the functions of a computer, typically having a touchscreen interface, Internet access, and an operating system capable of running downloaded apps. It has easily substituted your physical diary, alarm clock, phone book, music sytem, calculator,camera,calender etc. etc.

With the availability of the various health applications available like the one which reminds you to drink water after every one hour , another which computes your calories intake by assimilating your diet, to the one that records your waking steps to reckon the level of activity undertaken are simple and easy tools to measure your health parameter.

But one also has to keep in mind that in this electronic age, time is quickly soaked up by the gizmos. Checking out the phone to see your new Whtsapp messages/videos, glancing through Facebook eats up your valuable productive time and you realise the clock has ticked quickly whilst you were busy on the phone. But at the same time it also helps us to stay connected with friends and family that we do not happen to see regularly.

Kids today are exposed to smartphone at an early age in life, a 2 year old exactly knows how to access Youtube in the phone and play their favourite carton films. The parents today are so busy that they find it convenient to handover the smartphones to kids so that they are kept busy for some time while they go about finishing their daily chores. A couple of years of usage & then the inevitable happens , the kids become so addicted to their smartphones that the same parents are now looking out for various solution to keep the children away from smartphones.

In the malls, gardens, roads, beaches everywhere else, whenever and wherever there is an opportunity people are seen to have an urge to take selfies freely. I recollect once my girls gang decided to have a reunion after a hiatus, the first thirty to forty minutes after we met up we were just clicking pictures. Soon someone wiser in the group realised that we haven’t even exchanged pleasantries, so then we quickly sat down after safely tucking our phones away and started chatting animatedly. Then it was such a beautiful evening in the company of friends we were thoroughly having such a good time.

There have been instances where people have taken the risk of taking a selfie at places which are unsafe/restricted/prohibited thereby putting themselves and others in danger. This has also proved to be fatal where young lives are lost just for the sake of clicking a selfie and impressing others.

So one will actually have to exercise quite a wise restrain over the usage so that it enhances the quality and value of life. Smartphone is at our hands to make our fast paced life easy and convenient, let us all soak in its goodness😊.

Self-Vow to Health and Fitness

Season’s Greetings to all!

Many of my family and friends who are receiving my daily health snippet have acknowledged the fact that staying healthy is indeed a way of life , especially in today’s times where people are health and diet conscious and fitness is the mantra for Good Life!

I strongly believe that if you must be happy and successful in life than health must be your topmost priority. If one is hale and hearty than half the battle is already won, isn’t it? Good health sails you over the challenges of life!

Health is important for every individual be it a new-born baby or a 60 plus individual. If your health is right everything falls in place. The mornings look so bright and beautiful, you are full of energy, vigour and enthusiasm and start your day on a happy-happy note.  All set to take on the world read tasks for the day that you have set in your minds and have to be accomplished by the end of the day.

Staying healthy does not merely mean staying fit physically but it also means being mentally and emotionally strong. Both physical and mental health goes hand-in-hand, one needs to have a tab on both to have an overall healthy Body and Mind. The 4 most important factors that lead to Health and Fitness are Physical health, Diet, Rest and Mental Health.

But unfortunately, my observation says that only a few people take good care of your health. This may be due to various factors like paucity of time, laziness, sheer ignorance or lack of determination.

One should seriously combat these frivolous excuses and stay focussed and pick up any physical exercise of your choice be it walking, cycling, swimming, gymming, yoga or indulging into your favourite sports and do follow it regularly for 45 minutes to an hour daily, a day or two off within a week is just fine, but no miss in the rest 5 days. Having a discipline is utmost important here, do keep a written record of the number of days that you been able to accomplish so that you are aware about where you stand at the end of the month. Some people also opt for a combo of two or more activities to cut out the boredom that erupts out of being monotonous. By taking up any of the physical exercise one is bound to get satiated with the feeling of wellness throughout the day, it also has a strong positive impact on your mental health. In fact the workouts can be made more interesting if you can also tag your friend or family along. Try as much to have your workouts outdoor as it offers stronger perks than when done indoors. When you are outdoors you stay connected with nature and can inhale fresh morning air under the sun. Exercise makes your heart stronger, which helps it pump more blood with each heartbeat. This delivers more oxygen to your body, which helps it to function more efficiently.

It has also been believed that exercise when done in the mornings has a greater and deeper effective impact on us. So, make a habit of hitting the bed early so that you avail your 7-8 hours of sleep which acts as an elixir for your mental health which makes you think/feel in a positive way and can benefit your health, weight and mind. A good night’s sleep plays a vital role in building your body’s capacity to heal and repair and enhances your immunity. Sufficient sleep will also aid in helping you wake up at the desired time in the morning, as per the old saying early to bed early to rise.

With regular physical exercise please also have a check and control over what you consume. If after a hard workout you come back home to gulp down the ghee-laden parathas or gorge on handful of sweets or have restaurant food on regular basis than all the workout goes down the drain, this is neither acceptable nor will yield the desired results. It will simply zeroise the effect of your workout & leave you where you were. Oily-greasy, high caloried, junk and sweets are very good to taste however have a bad effect on our heart and our overall health. Whilst you may indulge into your favourite unhealthy food occasionally to satiate your taste buds, but must strongly restrain yourself for your own betterment. This self-control over the diet is completely mind-driven, you will attain this with great determination. Choose healthier alternatives like boil, bake, grill, steam and microwave or stir- fry instead of deep frying. Some people abruptly plan to go for strict/crash dieting without any consultation which personally is not a way of life as we should have all types of food be it proteins, carbohydrates, fats but in moderation, so the key here is moderation.

Along with physical health possessing a sound mental health is equally important. The basic nature of the mind is to keep wandering. Your mind first thinks and lets you know what it desires, here is where the first sapling of an idea or productivity is sown then we keep nurturing the same so that it blossoms and bears the fruits in form of love, happiness, success and accomplishments. Mind can be kept calm, positive and in control with meditation and various yoga breathing techniques(Pranayam). You must have encountered anxiety, sadness, frustration, fear, envy at some point of time in life, Mediation and Pranayam are effective in eradicating these negative traits out of your mental system. Keeping this in mind , we should set aside a few minutes of our time to practice Pranayam. It helps reduce the effects of stress on your body, encourages relaxation. It increases enthusiasm, vitality and work efficiency, improve your heart rate and increase your overall endurance.

You will feel rejuvenated, positive and have a great zeal in whatever you do.

What are you waiting for? Do take a self-vow to good health so that you live an enriched, happy and joyous life which is full of energy!

Happiness is within!

Well we often discuss about what makes us happy! But have you ever thought what exactly happiness is? Yes Happiness as they say is a state of mind where you are contented from within, you believe you are on the top of the world, you see everyone and everything  with a positive view, you know that things are absolutely under your control, the way you desire it. You wish to keep this moment standstill, retain it under your palms. The meaning of happiness actually differs for different people, the simple reason being everyone is not alike. What matters to you may not matter to me and vice versa! Yeah howsoever weird it may sound but that’s a fact.

For a one year old toddler happiness is seeing mom, for a 3 year old happiness is savouring a chocolate bar, for a five year old it’s having fun with other kids, for a 7 year old its visit to amusement park, for a ten year old happiness is surfing the net and playing online games, for a fifteen year old its hanging out with friends. As the kid grows up and moves to a college again the definition for happiness changes then its making new friends, enjoying chatting with them, following the latest fashion trends, being mischievous and pulling each other’s leg.

After one is done with the education, then comes the next target of acquiring a good lucrative job. When one achieves the dream job it’s yet another milestone reached and a reason for triumph. Then comes the next phase in life, marital bliss. This is the beautiful phase wherein you want to share your life with someone you love, with someone whom you connect and are compatible with. After marriage kids follow which bring joy, love and teach one the meaning of unbiased and unconditional love! We once again become kids in the company of our own kids.. What an eternal feeling it is.

But in all this have you ever noticed that we are constantly worrying and doubting ourselves if as to whether we will be in a position to accomplish our dreams? We know what we want, we know how to achieve it then why does the fear keep lurking us. One has to learn to be confident and have complete self –faith in the journey called life where you are always on your toes to reach your destination. With hard work accompanied with sincerity one has to hold a strong determination in the mind. In our gist of achieving the bigger milestone we often forget the small joys that life has to offer. For example, when we are working hard towards cracking an exam while we are constantly focussing on the end result we conveniently ignore the internal exam results where we would have excelled our past records. Why can’t we celebrate this mid-term results? This celebration can push us forward to achieve a higher goal. Likewise we can easily disintegrate our ultimate milestone into smaller ones, celebrate whenever we have achieved satisfactorily. We should basically try to celebrate our journey towards success rather than merely celebrating the end result. Have a close look at the baby who has just started walking on its own. It doesn’t learn to walk overnight, it first learns to crawl then sit, then takes support of something to stand and finally gains balance and confidence to stand on its own feet without any support. Every time the kid learns a new thing it has a sense of contentment and is overjoyed by its own effort, as adults we are so lost in our maturity that we have forgotten to celebrate small joys in our life.

Who doesn’t want to be successful in life? However people have actually started determining their source of happiness with the success you achieve. Success can be one of the reasons for our happiness but don’t let it be the only reason. Life is full of diversity, if you are not an expert in one thing you can always opt for something else that interests you rather than sulking over the spilled milk.

Detoxification of your system from within is necessary, expunge all the negative traits like jealousy, envy, fear and guilt. These negative things go a long way to hamper your growth as a person and ultimately affect your happy space.

Staying in the company of positive people is important for they are the one that always encourage you and cheer you come what may! They are the driving force of life, they make you feel important and spread an aura of optimism. 

Be exuberant and have zeal for life!Stop worrying over trivial things, soak in the happiness and celebrate life!

No Honking

The other day on Raksha bandhan I was travelling to town by road. One thing which immediately caught my attention was the huge banners put up by Times of India related to No honking Drive

 (15^th-22 Aug 2016).

What an excellent initiative taken up by TOI to create awareness amongst the people on how hazardous unnecessary honking is. In metro cities like Mumbai especially where the city never sleeps it is extremely important to understand that unnecessary honking should be completely avoided. It not only damages hearing it also leads to anxiety, stress, road rage and hypertension. It actually breaks the silence. The journey from suburb to town which normally takes an hour took us 3 hours with incessant honking which further added to our plight. As we moved inch by inch towards our destination trying to trace the source of the traffic jam but could not find any on our way. Just 4-5 cars which had broken down in the middle of the traffic due to excess heating.

Abroad the scene is totally different there honking is treated as rude. If you honk people stare you with a look which says” My driving is perfect man don’t honk”. There are certain countries which take action against honking, it’s high time that we too follow them and make laws around no honking to deter honking.

Noise pollution is also one of the serious hazard for the environment it disturbs the plant and animal life. As per Awaaz foundation the normal decibel levels should be 55 DB, however they shoot up to 110 DB-140 DB during festivals. By creating awareness through schools and colleges we can sensitise the kids on noise pollution.. this in fact has proved to be an effective tool. The results are showing up, last couple of years there has been reduction in the sale of fire crackers especially sutali bombs which merely burst & penetrate your ears leave you temporarily shaken, they damage the ear organ. Not to forget the air pollution created by the fumes arising out of these fire crackers. Last year my cousin took his kids out for fire cracker shopping when the kids themselves objected to buy these noise polluting fire cracker as they were taught at the school about the hazards of noise pollution.

Some people actually move out of their place and travel off to some far off place during Diwali to avoid the air and noise pollution. During festivals and wedding people play loud music thereby disturbing all around, such occasion are happy and joyful events in ones’s life and shouldn’t be a reason for inconvenience to others. People will have to realise that they have to think about others and environment and maintain civic sense. I recollect this particular instance when fire caught our building on Diwali night due to bursting of fire cracker, we were fortunate enough that we were successful in dousing the flames on time!

Let us all pledge that we will not attribute to noise or air pollution and spread awareness so as to make the earth a better place to live in. 

Please share and comment!

Stop taking Pictures ..(stop being unreasonable)

Dear Respected Jaya Bacchan,

With regard to your valuable advise of Stop taking pictures to the students of Narsee Monjee’s annual festival who on seeing you immediately took out their mobile phones and went  click..click..click. Whilst you did get furious and categorically asked the students to stop taking the pictures..kindly note that they were doing what any other individual would have done had he or she been in their place. They were completely awestruck seeing a well-known celebrity who was there to have a chat session with the students. On seeing her raging and furious whereby she mentioned that just because you have a camera and mobile you have the freedom of taking anyone’s picture anytime without seeking their permission. The students got so remorseful that there prevailed pin drop silence in the hall.

Who is  to be blamed in this situation is not the students jayaji , but our very own system which idolises the bollywood hero and heroines to such an extent that they think of them as their real hero and some further go to the extent to literally construct temples in their names and worship them. With the advance in technology , inbuilt camera clicking pictures and videos has become so very easy. These very celebrities are publicity hungry they want their fans to give them the much needed adulation and admiration. What is the fuss about??

Next time you address a similar audience please be cordial and request the organisers itself to make an announcement at the beginning of the function restricting mobile usage..may be such pictures can be taken at the end of the programme.

What irks me is that very jayaji who went for launch of Dilip De’s digital art exhibition has no issues posing for the paparazzi. Depending on the location, people and place how easily the celebrity change their stance.