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Book review of Stress free education by Deepa Gandhi

Blurb

Are you looking for ways to make education stress-free for your kids? 

Education can be fun and stress-free only if you know how to approach it in the right way. This Ebook shows you how. 

It is a parent’s guide to raising happy kids who are not stressed out due to academic pressures. Deepa Gandhi writes about education on her blog and believes that kids should be taught how to think and not what to think. 

My review


A lot of little busy minds that were awaiting their summer holidays or for some who were just about to enter the world of schooling, there awaited a much bigger should I say happy or a sad announcement. The schools were closed almost indefinitely. What initially became a news of enjoyment of never ending holidays for the children also opened up a new sense of adapting to education online. Not getting to see the teacher, the chalk dust, the bell ringing after each hour all suddenly became far from happening in the real time.



That’s when homeschooling started to make a boom. Though the concept of homeschooling has been there for long, it was the pandemic that made many parents take this decision of imparting education to children. When they say homeschooling it doesn’t mean having fun at home while learning. It is an extension of making the environment much more child-friendly and making the curriculum interesting based on the child’s perspective.



Deepa’s book stress free education becomes a handy guide for every parent who wishes to home-school their child in a stress-free manner. Homeschooling isn’t very difficult if the planning and preparation is done well. There are a lot of resources and forums that help parents incorporate homeschooling concept. With homeschooling also comes in a lot of responsibility and challenges and working on getting them right is what parents need to do in a stress-free manner. The tips Deepa offers are very practical and doable by every parent who wishes to home-school.



But if ever you are in a dilemma to whether start with homeschooling or stuck in between to make a decision, Deepa also offers reasons why homeschooling is a great way to adopt and impart education to the child. Time, resources, material and skills are now at your own discretion because you are the best person to decide what would suit your kid. The reasons are very compelling and make you understand why this can be a better option in times like these.


The one word every child fears during school is “EXAMS”. Be it someone who always studies on a day to day basis or someone who just prepares burning the midnight oil, the word examination is sure to give jitters. Deepa’s next chapter in the book deals with is “ tips to deal with exam pressure”. I loved the fact how the author chose to provide tips for both the parent and child since pressure is contagious and can have dangerous effects when not handled properly.



Making a child learn better and excel well is what every parent tries to accomplish each day. Making your child stand out better in everything and every way has become a common dream or an expectation. Deepa offers tips on how to make the learning methodology fun and engaging be it for a toddler or a kid. The tips help parents think in different perspectives to follow an approach that suits the kid.


Reading books is a great habit and does wonders in terms of development in the child when inculcated at an early age. They say that reading to kids can begin even when they’re in the utero, but to physically teach them and inculcate the habit also has benefits in terms of cognitive development and their wide exposure to the language. Deepa addresses the needs of why reading should be inculcated earlier and what benefits it would reap when you sow the habit earlier.



Keeping healthy is also essential for the overall development of the child. Offering balanced meals that help in getting good nutrition and offers good stamina during exam preparation is also very much necessary. Deepa breaks down information in detail on what needs in to be included in a balanced meal. On an addition she also offers a sample diet chart which c an help you plan meals. Makes it easier when you have a blueprint in hand doesn’t it?



Deepa also touches on how parents can make the child handle bullying at school, tips to make homework easier and how soft skills can be imparted. All these are much needed skills that require mild changes in the way of parenting to see greater astonishing results as the child grows up handling situation.


Two chapters by Stuti Mehrotra where she discusses why a parent should choose the montessori method and one by Divya Malhotra that outlines importance of team sports in children. These topics on addition make the parent think on why should they specifically opt for this teaching method or this physical skill and what does it hold in itself as advantages to be chosen by the parent.


The book overall helps the parent plan the educational as well as overall development of a child in a stress -free manner. The writing is simple and crisp making it easier to understand. Deepa’s tips shows her experience in parenting in a stress-free manner

Author Bio

Deepa Gandhi is a postgraduate in Food and nutrition. She is a freelance Dietician and a writer in many fields like parenting, health, and travel. She shares her experiences as a mom and as a nutritionist in her blog https://kreativemommy.com

She has published 3 eBooks – Parenting Tips and tricks, Healthy Recipes under 30 minutes, and memoirs of my travel which is a travel book.

Deepa travelled a lot after marriage and now stays with her husband and two daughters in Bangalore. Contact can be made via email at deepagandhi21@gmail.com or director@kreativemommy.com

COPYRIGHT NOTICE –
@Sindhu Vinod Narayan. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Sindhu Vinod Narayan (Thatmadrasmom) with the right and specific direction to the original content.

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5 reasons why we procrastinate and how to overcome it

“Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” – Benjamin Franklin



An act of unnecessarily postponing things , decisions or actions is called procrastination. People often confuse this with laziness but both are very different in their own ways.



Procrastinating is active meaning you chose to do something else instead of the actual task that you are supposed to be doing. Laziness on the other hand is being inactive and not deciding to do anything at all.



Procrastination is usually ignoring an important task in favour to something else that is much more easier to complete. Minor instances of procrastination can make us pay a heavy price. So it is always better not to give in to it, even if it is a smaller instance.

Primary issues cropping up would be demotivated behavior leading to low performance. But if it continues in the longer run it might lead to depression due to accumulated stress and degrade physical and mental health.

Most often misinterpreted as a matter of willpower, people fail to recognize that procrastination is something much more complex. Self-control is most important to give us the push to complete a task. We often get demotivated when factors like anxiety,negativity, failure interfere with self-control and take us in the opposite direction away from motivation.

Exhaustion and delay in receiving the reward for completion of task may make you disregard the value of the reward which interferes with the self-control and motivation. We must keep in mind that both self-control and motivation work hand-in-hand for us to complete a task or do an action. Anything in interference to these two will definitely have a negative impact.

Why do we procrastinate?



Unclear or abstract goals


When you have a concrete goal that is clearly defined you are more likely to show greater interest in completing the steps to achieve it. Contrary to this if your goal that is set is abstract or vague you are more likely to procrastinate.



Late rewards



When tasks come with the late reward package you are likely to deem it unimportant because the reward is getting to you a little late. Delay discounting where people tend to discount the value of rewards that they would be receiving later crops up. So people become biased to tasks which offer them a reward earlier and would be much interested to complete it first even if it is not critical.



Disconnect with future



A disconnect between the present and the future individual known as temporal discontinuity causes procrastination. People become carefree that the present is the only time to be concentrated and the future can be handled when it comes with the flow.


For someone who is advised a healthy diet by the physician failing to do so because, it is only the future individual who will be the sufferer. They fail to realize it is the individual’s present eating lifestyle that would cause the problems in future.



Optimistic future



People procrastinate because they are optimistic about the completion of tasks in future given the fact that they are confident of the availability of time and their ability to complete. Most often they fail when it comes to calculate the inadequate time at their disposal to complete the task and console themselves by saying the next time it would be different if in case it is a repetitive task.


Inability to make decisions



People procrastinate in situations when they are unable to decide the next course of action. Given the fact that the options in front of them would be too many to choose from, too important to choose and too similar to choose. In such cases the individual is said to have indecisiveness to proceed.



Anxiety and being overwhelmed



Sometimes when people feel anxious and highly overwhelmed they tend to procrastinate. Overwhelming could be due to situations where there is a single huge task or a couple of simple tasks. Anxiety on the other hand will have the capability even to put this into a loop- Anxiety and procrastinating due to anxiety.



Fear of failure, evaluation and negative feedback.



Exaggerated and unjustified would be right to name the fears in most cases when people procrastinate. The fear of being evaluated and given a feedback from the public make people worry and end up in procrastination.



Fear of failure is another important factor that plays a major role and could also be considered a subset of the evaluation and feedback fear. This would make them continue to work and not come to completion because of the fear.


How to overcome procrastination?

Agree or identify that you are procrastinating

The first step is to Identify that you’re into procrastination. Most people fail to recognize that they are procrastinating and think what’s stopping them.

How do you identify?

  • Waiting for the right time to work on it or make decisions.Read the instructions again and again but not taking any action or devising a strategy to work.
  • Low priority tasks are filled for the entire day in your planner.
  • Putting off a task in to-do for a long time though you know its important.
  • Try to fix why you are procrastinating.



Most times it is because of the task that is presented if it is vague or too simple or is overwhelming to be completed. Not having a proper strategy or the fear of success and failure could make you procrastinate. So identify the why and try to fix it.



Stopping the habit of procrastinating by adopting anti-procrastinating strategies.



If its an old habit it takes time to die hard. So understand that you cannot overcome this overnight. It takes time to forget the habit. Think how you could adopt strategies that will help you not procrastinate.

Strategies that help overcome procrastination

  • Forget the past.
  • Self-rewarding
  • Be capable of taking decisions immediately rather than postponing.
  • Peer pressure works so have someone check on you.
  • Commitment to the task
  • Lessen or minimize the distraction
  • Act on the go.



Take more control on the task. Think of it in a way that you choose to complete rather than you need to or you have to.



Procrastination is not a disease. It is not late to start correcting it, even if you are a senior citizen. Everybody gets a chance make mistakes, learn and bounce back. Make sure you do not procrastinate to getting started on the way to stop procrastinating.

This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon.’ 

COPYRIGHT NOTICE –
@Sindhu Vinod Narayan. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Sindhu Vinod Narayan (Thatmadrasmom) with the right and specific direction to the original content.

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Club you to death – Book review


BLURB:


When a hunky personal trainer is found asphyxiated to death under an overloaded barbell at the posh Delhi Turf Club, on the eve of the club elections, it is first thought to be a freak accident. But soon, it becomes clear that one of the members of the DTC – all pickled-in-privilege Dilliwallahs – is a cold-blooded killer.
As the capital bristles with speculation and conspiracy theories, Crime Branch veteran ACP Bhavani Singh is appointed to investigate the case. Together with his able deputies – ex-lovers Akash ‘Kashi’ Dogra, hottie crusader for human rights, and Bambi Todi, wealthy girl-about-town – ACP Bhavani sets out to solve a crime that seems simple enough at the surface, but turns out to have roots as deep and spreading as those of New Delhi’s famous Neem trees…
Anuja Chauhan returns with a bloody good romance set in the pulsating heart of Lutyen’s Delhi.



AUTHOR BIO:


Anuja Chauhan went to school in Meerut, Delhi and Australia. She has worked in advertising for over fourteen years and has created many popular ad campaigns, including ‘Nothing Official About it’, ‘Yeh Dil Maange More’ and ‘Oye Bubbly’ for brand Pepsi. She is currently Executive Creative Director and Vice-President at J. Walter Thompson Advertising.



REVIEW:



Having read Anuja’s earlier works and a fan of ‘ The pricey Thakur girls’ having read two times, I was very eager for this book being something new that she attempted. Who said Romance authors couldn’t handle other genres. For a maiden attempt at a mystery thriller I feel this was pretty good.


An ardent fan of whodunits I was excited when I read the blurb eagerly awaiting the time to read the book. Though I couldn’t finish it at one go, yes the book is a bit lengthy say about 400 and odd pages, I finished reading in two days taking ample time.



A line up of many characters, her usual magic of rom-com thrown in as snippets keeps you glued. Though the mystery can be cracked initially, because you could zero in on the suspect, the end definitely helps in making the loose ends meet. It makes much more sense when you understand the who and whys at the end.



Leo Mathew a personal trainer is found dead in the DTC(Delhi Turf Club) on the morning following Annual Bumper tambola on a Sunday morning. The place comes under media scrutiny when the death is suspected to be a murder.



A fit, nearing sixty ACP Bhavani Singh,is appointed by the Police Chief to handle the case and sets his temporary camp at DTC. He is assisted by Padam Kumar who is on the lookout for a perfect wife. Urvashi Khurana is a first time candidate for the club President is said to have an affair with Leo who is now dead. Her husband Mukesh Mukki is the prime suspect ever since he comes to blow Leo, make his motive even more clearer.



The ACP who is deemed calm is an analytical investigator as well. His interactions with the assistant PK makes the book entertaining. Kashi and Bambi with an interesting past behind them give the investigation team access to the club to resolve the mystery. A friendly romance of the kind will they or will they not makes an interesting light moments in between the serious investigations. A love triangle to be precise would make it sound better.



A puzzle that is multi layered weaved around multiple suspects blackmail tales take you to a convincing conclusion. Anuja makes her statement subtle just like how she always does. Loved the sprinkling of hilarious Laugh out louds at many places. Also loved the Hinglish or the english-hindi accents almost throughout the book.


The hypocrisy of the society we live in also has mentions that seem like sly pokes. The cover design totally adds beauty to this thriller mystery. I could possibly give this book a visit in case I’d want to read a mystery thriller that is also light with romance sprinkles.

Thank you writer’s melon for the review copy.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE –
@Sindhu Vinod Narayan. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Sindhu Vinod Narayan (Thatmadrasmom) with the right and specific direction to the original content.

This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.

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5 reasons why women should start investing

Gone are the days when men were the only earning members and the finance minister of the house. We now live in a period wherein men and women play an equal role in working to raise the standards of the family and also help provide a better lifestyle. So if both work hard the odds of leading a high-quality standard of living are guaranteed, once they earn, how to plan on the expenditure and investments is all together with a bigger subject that needs more knowledge.



We surpassed the period where men decide the expenses and allow the budget for household expenditure. The world we now live in wholeheartedly accepts or to put it better believe that women can handle finance equally or should I say much better.



The world of smartphones gives her easy access to buy a gold bond if she wants to invest in gold. Not only that gone are the days where it’s difficult to know how to make money or how to invest. All this is now available at her fingertips just by a click or by asking a query( thanks to Alexa and Siri). Shoot the query and within a blink of an eye, you get results and solutions. It’s now even easier to get certified in the financial sector with the wide range of courses available online through various learning portals. Women can not only equip themselves with knowledge but also start making money by investing and saving. Not to forget that life and medical insurances can also be applied with a click from an app. 

The modern world truly opened doors wide for women of this age to explore the world of finances from the comfort of home.



Since women are much better to handle situations and multiple events happening they also forecast long-term plans and can make better investment plans to improve the quality of lifestyle and achieve future goals.



Here are the hows and why I urge women to start investing.


Future goals: Women always think ahead be it the five-year plan or a ten-year plan. They make the blueprints and work on achieving the goal. Improving the quality of lifestyle, acquiring properties, higher education, vacations, and whatnot. Ask her what she wishes for in the future you will get your answers in a jiffy and that too with proper planning and priorities sorted. This is ideally the goal most women have be it someone who works in the corporate or a housewife who helps manage the home.



Learning about investment: Online classes are not only for school-going kids these days but also for adults. Virtual learning opened doors to many fields including finance. Learning centers, youtube, and dedicated Facebook and what’s app groups are now becoming better options to kick start financial learning. Doing this will not only enable you to manage finance at home but could also open doors to various job opportunities which would mean extra income to save more.



Advisors: If managing it on your own is a situation that happens not to worry when you have experts in the field to guide you through the process of selection of investing in where and what. It is completely ok to not know the technicalities and how-tos of investing and take help from experts. As long as your goal is met, this is not something to be worried off.

But make sure to convey what your goal is and how you plan to achieve meaning the milestones that you would want to see before the final goal.



Being financially independent: Every woman working or no, married or single must be financially independent. Unforeseen events can happen anytime with no warning. This could be a recession, loss of property, theft, or even problems in the relationship. If you are financially independent there is nothing to worry off, as long as you can take care of the situation on your own and not sit and brood thinking that you are hopeless and need money.



Better investor: Studies on comparison between man and woman bring out results that women are willing to access risk, patiently learn the how-tos, and not expect quick outcomes. This slow but patient approach marks them separate as better investors than men. They don’t choose shortcuts but are willing to take the longer route to attain their goal.

The lockdown last year saw a lot of women giving wings to their entrepreneurial spirit and give it their best. Supporting them gave me a lot of happiness. Though I’d say that I gained no monetary benefit, the feeling of uplifting people definitely is something above money. But don’t let that die out your dreams.



So if you are someone who is still depending on your better half for finances, there is no much better time than now for you to make the decision. Take smaller steps, take the time to gain expertise, explore the opportunities, choose the best of what suits you, invest, save and live a carefree life and the life of your dreams. Be financially independent and make the world yours.

Saving is an important habit that can be cultivated over time. What matters is to get started and be cautious of how the money is spent.

This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon.’ 

COPYRIGHT NOTICE –
@Sindhu Vinod Narayan. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Sindhu Vinod Narayan (Thatmadrasmom) with the right and specific direction to the original content.

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5 reasons to track your periods

The four-day bloody show for each women may stir in many emotions depending on their need. For some it might bring happiness, for some a feeling of dejection and a good-to-go for the rest. It not only helps you to plan natural conception but also also helps prevent unwanted pregnancy.

Tracking periods



Did you know that your period could also give you the hint that your body is working fine? Women who do not track their periods end up giving a blank stare when they aren’t sure of the day of the last period. It’s fascinating and at the same time empowering to track the cycle. Tracking periods makes it easier to identify gynecological problems at an earlier stage and also in understanding the sexuality and our body. Regularity in getting your periods is one of the key indicators of overall well-being.



Most women have a 28-day cycle ,whereas it’s generally considered to be normal if the cycle is anywhere between 21-35 days. Tracking the cycle also helps to identify the ovulation period that makes it easier to plan conception. Understanding your cycle and your ovulation dates makes it easier to plan. Women ovulate 14 days before each cycle, depending on the length of your cycle. So planning conception during ovulation increases your odds of becoming pregnant.


At the same time, it also helps prevent unwanted pregnancies when you avoid intercourse during your ovulation period. So the tracking of periods play a major role be it planning for a pregnancy or not to becoming pregnant as well.



But if your periods aren’t regular, which means your cycles do not fall between the normal duration it indicates an underlying health condition that needs to be checked. Vaginal infections, fibroids, pelvic inflammation, PCOD could be reasons that your period is irregular.



The best days to go for vacation or party can also be done since you might be well prepared with period supplies like the pads, menstrual cups. And save the nicest white pant from the bloody show.



Tracking periods also helps in understanding mood. Irritability, anxiety could not just be part of PMS but mood swings during the menstrual cycle helps understand the rhythm of the cycle. So the moods are much more than PMS, knowing and tracking them makes you well prepared to manage them.



We now live in a world that every human being owns a smart phone and has it loaded with apps starting with one for work, meets and even tracking drinking water. Why not have an app that lets you know about your bodily functions and help in your well-being.

What to look for in period tracking app?

  • Easy to understand tracking mechanism.
  • Clear instructions to input period start date and end date along with flow, discharge pattern and moods.
  • Indicate fertile period and ovulation date.
  • Reminder before couple of days to period start for keeping supplies handy.



I tried out a couple of apps to track my periods that really helped to understand my body better. It also helps in calculating your LMP when you miss your period and helps to calculate the due date.



Here are three apps that I tried and recommend for period tracking.

PERIOD CALENDAR:


Period calendar helps in tracking and predicting period dates. Major advantages are the prediction of fertile window and ovulation date. Tracking of temperature,mood,weight, birth control and intercourse are additional features.


Additional feature of pill reminder helps when you take supplements or birth control pills.



Available on android and iPhones.

Download

FLO PERIOD TRACKER



Flo uses machine learning to accurately access periods and ovulation dates. The calendar is simple and bold helps in tracking moods, symptoms and sex drive.



Sleep cycles, water consumption and physical activity can also be tracked. The dashboard that portrays the insights help in making us understand more about body and cycle.



Available on android and iphone.

Download

CLUE



Ranked as the top app for tracking periods and ovulation by the obstetrics and gynecology journal this app helps in identifying unique patterns in menstrual cycles. There is no pinks, butterflies and the app caters to all age groups. The app uses science to keep track of moods, periods, health log and exercises.



The unique algorithm uses the data that is input to provide predictions, so the more the usage the smarter the app.

Download



Now that you know the benefits of tracking periods, start doing it and thank me later. When you have tonnes of apps for everything you need or sometime for things not needed, why not have one to track your health.

This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon.’ 

COPYRIGHT NOTICE –
@Sindhu Vinod Narayan. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Sindhu Vinod Narayan (Thatmadrasmom) with the right and specific direction to the original content.

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Reasons to switch to a menstrual cup

Embracing a pad-free, zero-waste menstrual cycle and switching to a menstrual cup takes a lot of patience and guts in my opinion. Inserting an alien object into the private part gives me jitters even as I thought about it. But, I’ve seen women making the change, feeling comfortable and most importantly helped spread the word to make other women cupvert.

Busting the Myths on why not to use the cup click here

Painful experience to get it inside and fit it properly.



Patience and being relaxed is the first step. There are a lot of YouTube videos that help understand the different types of folds. Choose the one that best suits you and you are sure to be a pro after a couple of cycles. Do not aim to get it right at the first time, this isn’t a race or a competition.

Fear of loosing the cup inside . Ouch!!



That is not going to happen for sure. You can relax, it’s not a tiny pill that is going to get lost or get dissolved. Moreover, the cup isn’t going to pass through cervix so no matter how much you fear it isn’t going anywhere but staying where you exactly put it.

Thinking it needs to be removed when you use the restroom every single time.



You might need to revisit your biology chapters to understand your private parts. You bleed menstrual blood through vagina so the cup stays there. You pee through the urethra and poop through the rectum, so they are all different holes and you needn’t remove the cup every time you visit the restroom.

Fear of the cup overflowing



That’s where the size comes into play. Did you know that you need to empty the cup only twice if you are a person with regular flow. But if you are a person with heavy bleeding, even then it is highly unlikely that the cup would overflow within an eight-hour period.

Thought of inserting plastic inside



Medical or health grade silicone is the material the cup is made of, so it is safer to use. It’s rash-free, itch-free and makes it comfortable.

Pad-free period

Tips for usage of menstrual cup

Menstrual cup

Sterilize the cup, since safety is first



Make sure you sterilize the cup by boiling it, before and after your period. Place the cup in a pot with water, turn on stove, bring to boil and turn it off. Remove the cup, wipe it dry and store it in a cloth bag.

Trying out different folds



Once you buy the cup, try out different folds available on the internet. Choose the one that suits you, the C fold doesn’t suit everyone, you might even find a better one.

Learn positions to insert it



Relaxing and finding a comfortable position to insert the cup is just like finding the fold that suits you. Sitting , squatting or lifting either one of the legs should make it work.

Learning and understanding the how tos before the period



Trying it out during period is going to be very difficult. Make sure you watch videos on insertion, position and sterilizing before your period so that it’s easier for you to do it. Learning how to relax the pelvic area also plays an important role when you use the cup. How the cup works when inserted definitely helps preparing yourself mentally and physically.

Checking the leaks



The fear of leak is the biggest for any women. So how do you check for leaks? There is a pop sound that you hear once the cup is in.

Not keeping it longer than 8-10 hours



Most cups can be kept till 12 hours, they are safer than pads. But make sure you empty it when it exceeds 8 hours just to be on the safer side.

Cleaning before re-inserting



When you empty the cup for re-inserting, make sure you wash it with hot water if it’s available. Else a couple of washes with regular water also works.

How pelvic muscles can help?



Relaxing pelvic muscles by taking deep breaths makes it easier for insertion. Using the muscles to push the cup out makes it easy to remove. Squatting helps relax to get the cup out.

Using cloth pads of low flow days



Depending on the cycle and your flow you can switch to cloth pad beyond three days or days when you have lighter flow.

What are the advantages to use the cup?

  • The menstrual cup is the most environmentally friendly and cheap option that is hygienic and also is zero-waste.
  • Much more hygienic than pads to use for longer duration.
  • Makes the period most comfortable because you forget that you have it inside.
  • Makes it easy to do physical activities when you wear a cup.
  • Using the cup, helps reduce menstrual cramps.

Sirona menstrual cup helps in giving you a peaceful period experience by making it odour-free, itch-free and rash-free. It offers 10-hour protection and is one of the cheapest options for a menstrual cup. click here

Reasons to switch to a menstrual cup

COPYRIGHT NOTICE –
@Sindhu Vinod Narayan. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Sindhu Vinod Narayan (Thatmadrasmom) with the right and specific direction to the original content.

This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.

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A2Z of common diseases & their homeopathic treatment – Book review

Blurb

This ebook is a collection of 26 chapters (in alphabetic format) about all common diseases. As “A” to acidity to “Z”, “Zika virus infection,” each chapter has a proper detail information about all common diseases. Each chapter contain causes, symptoms, diagnosis, prevention, and homeopathic treatment of common diseases. I am hoping this e-book will give an insight about common diseases and also help in understanding the efficacy of homeopathic medicines in treating routine and day to day ailments. You can also use this as a handy guide to understand the causes, symptoms, prevention, and homeopathic treatment of routine illnesses. 

My review

Homeopathy is based on the belief that the body can cure itself. Founded in the 1700s in Germany it is one of the widely sought alternative medicinal approach.
What actually brings on symptoms in a healthy person, in a very minute proportion can help in treating an illness that has similar symptoms. So it is more like triggering the body’s natural defenses.



By adding water these ingredients become weakened. The mixture is then shaken known as potentization. This is the step that transfers the essence of healing. Homeopaths firmly believe that lower the dose , the more powerful the medicine becomes. Sugar pellets, liquid drops, cream and gel are forms in which homeopathic medicine is available.



Homeopaths do ask a lot of questions about mental, emotional and physical health. A remedy that best matches all the symptoms is prescribed and the treatment is tailor made.



I was used to taking allopathic medicine until I got married. Be it cold, fever or an allergy I always resorted to taking a pill that was prescribed. No side effects but it did help me heal. But I also came to know of a couple of adverse effects that allopathic medicines gave in when treated for something different that had no relevance to the side effects being experienced. I was shaken, but continued to take them when I fell ill.



My in-laws have been taking homeopathic medicines for over ten years. And I was suggested to get an appointment. I have bad allergies which God knows what triggers them and couldn’t be cured with the medicines I’ve been taking. I met the Doctor, who I’d now say definitely knows about my body like the back of her hand now. Something that I totally resisted to switch, but I wouldn’t say I was forced to but I think it was destiny that gave me the push and trust me homeopathy worked wonders that I now recommend it and my doctor when people come up to me for suggestions.



The tailor made treatment and understanding the emotional and mental health definitely made me trust this way of medicinal approach which I’d say has to be the first step when you encounter a condition or a disease. Trust in the medicine and the doctor who treats you helps you heal faster.



Surbhi’s book lists out the diseases alphabetically,giving you an insight of what the disease is and the homeopathic treatment corresponding to it. The book also dives deep to make you understand the efficacy of homeopathy in treating the illnesses.



Understanding the disease by proper diagnosis of the symptom, triggers, prevention and treatment is the first and foremost step that will lead you to healing. Surbhi breaks it down to a very basic level that the book can serve as a first hand guide to the common illnesses.



I really liked that the author Surbhi, chose to include lifestyle factors that could cause the issue, the home-care treatments and homeopathic treatments as different sections under each chapter for a much clearer understanding.



The author also clearly lists down the preventive measures that can be taken, the danger signs to look for and the complications that each of the common disease could lead to. Homeopathic treatment and combinations are detailed with the dosage information that show the amount of research and effort spent by the author to give us a guide that makes it trustworthy and provide the value of knowledge.



Some of the diseases covered in the book include those which include the younger and older age group so makes the book a perfect handbook for medical references in each family. Though the book does not encourage self-medication, it is always good to understand your body and the way it reacts to decipher a condition.

Author BIO

Dr. Surbhi Prapanna is a homeopathic therapist by profession and a writer and blogger by passion. She has more than 5 years of professional writing experience and her work has been published on various prestigious online platforms like Momspresso.com, kidstoppress.com, cureJoy.com and shivanaspirit.com.
Health, parenting and creative activities for kids (art, crafts, DIYs etc…) are her niche. And she shares her areas of expertise and parenting experience on her blog Surbhiprapanna.com. She has won so many awards for her academic and professional excellence, but winning the “Best parent award” is the most precious and satisfying experience of her life.

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When patriarchy needs to walk out

If patriarchy had a specific beginning in history,

It can also have an end.

– Maria Miles

Smash patriarchy

Patriarchy is a system in a society, where the male gender hold the power and the females are excluded. Given a super power this word is in the top of my list of words to be removed from dictionary.


The term in itself might sound new to many but is an age old practice that’s been there in the families for long. A lot more women and a handful of men who understand that this needs to end have taken necessary steps to get this out. But the efforts are all still only a drop in the ocean. But nevertheless it cannot be ignored and such experiences can motivate more people to come forward to get rid of it permanently.


What made me write this article is a recent movie that me and the hubster sat down to watch during one of the weekends.

“ The Great Indian Kitchen” it is. The movie has been getting attention from all directions as in the sub titles made it easier that people from er languages also geared interest to watch it. Not to forget the fact that the movie got released in a much lesser known OTT platform, people even went to the extent of paying the membership just to watch this movie. Thank goodness the movie stirred up a lot of news and Amazon decided to stream it on their platforms , that it saved me from spending on a new OTT membership. Glad this happened else that would have been one more reason for me to brood.


The film is set in Kerala, where in a newly wed couple start getting to know each other. That’s what happens in arranged marriages. You don’t immediately let your husband take up kitchen duties or pitch in to help, because it’s a society governed by patriarchy.


A typical morning in the house, and as the scenes unfold the husband does not even drop his coffee mug in the sink and that is the duty of the wife. Should I mention as one of the duty? The mother in law makes elaborate preparations chopping vegetables, grinding, tossing vessels, cookers what not. What I thought was supposed to be a lunch preparation turned out to be the scene for breakfast.


Not to mention the chutneys being ground on mortar and pestle and dosas straight to the plate from tawas. To top it all the way in which the father and son eat literally got me sick as I was having my lunch.


The mother in law and daughter in law sit down on the same table which the daughter in law finds difficult to cope. It looks like the mother in law has no voice to speak against such practices or is gotten used to adjusting. The level of treatment the men expect goes to Himalayan heights when the father in law is given the toothbrush with paste in hand to go brush the teeth and slippers being delivered right at his feet when he steps out. Blood boiled that I had to turn it off to calm myself for a while before I resumed watching.


The mother in law leaves abroad to help her pregnant daughter leaving all the responsibilities and duties to take care of the immature children of the house( the father and son). What started off to be a little hectic gets worse in one or two days. The never ending chores in kitchen , house cleaning , washing clothes makes her tense. To add to the woes the kitchen sink starts to leak which is left unattended even after multiple reminders she does so that her husband calls up the plumber.

The husband who is a shabby eater in the house is a perfect gentleman with table manners at the restaurant. When commented he gets pissed and makes the woman apologize. Atrocities!



The poor thing when she decides to take up a job is being advised by the father in law to leave all the thought because that’s what the mother in law did. Makes me want to question, who are these people to give opinions if a girl should work or no? All the education and experience only to wash clothes by hand and pound chutneys in mortar is highly unacceptable. It is really saddening to see that women in yester generation continue to do all this for their husbands and son and also give unrealistic hopes that the daughter in law who comes in will continue to do the same.



Being a millennial parent, it is our duty to raise sons who will equally respect the female gender. Raise sons who will cook, clean and help the women in the family. Raise sons who will do their own chores which includes keeping their rooms, tables clean , help in putting away dishes to sink and give some rest to the ever working women in the family.

Do not glorify if men in the home do this or tell the woman she is lucky to have them do all this. Let’s normalize such behaviour from men.

It was said in olden days that” the key to a man’s heart is through his stomach”. Whoever said that only meant tasty food not sumptuous spreads for every meal of the day that also includes room service to clear away mugs, plates and not to mention the leftover clean up after they ate.


Mentioning the clean up, I feel even diaper duties were far better after I saw the table in that movie.



The generation we now are supports equal parenting and gender equality. Let the men of the family take up kitchen duties during the period when the women menstruate, not citing purity as reasons as I also do not believe in it. This is just to make them capable of taking it up and not just relying upon women for food and everything.


Stop practicing that women should serve food to men and should serve themselves. Change that. Either sit together for a meal or have the men serve you once they finish. I don’t think that is going to reduce their worth or what so ever.


Raise your sons equivalent to your daughters. Do not practice gender based chores at home, it has to be shared equally. Only if this is done , your daughter in law would be happy that she is into a home that believes in modern way of thinking rather than surrendering to patriarchy.


Recently a picture that brought tears was a woman with an oxygen concentrator cooking in the kitchen captioned unconditional love= mother. This is the result of patriarchy. The person has no shame in portraying the suffering of the mother. The picture brought in a lot of negative traction. The women need to stand up against such practices.



It all comes down to making a change . Be the change to see more people joining you.



Men can make their own coffee or tea and can clean up. They can also look up simple recipes to cook, just saying.

If the daughter in law decides to make a change support them and don’t stand as a hindrance as push them into the same pit.

Do not raise sons with expectations that the wife will take care of everything for him just like how she does.

This post is part of #causeachatter for blogchatter.

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5 reasons to use rose in skincare

Rose in skincare

Pick up roses when you find them. This is not just to smell their fragrance but as a perfect skin food. So next time don’t just buy roses for you vase. Be it a cleanser,toner, soap, face scrub, face mask, body butter or rose water the ingredient just works wonders on skin.

Why should you include rose in skincare routine?



POWERHOUSE OF ANTIOXIDANTS: We all know that anti oxidants are great for skin. In terms of protecting against sun damage, neutralizing free radicals and skin regeneration. They also work great to delay premature ageing .



HYDRATION AND HEALING: When it comes to dry skin, the skin lacks moisture and also develops cracks. Roses help in providing moisture and helps in preventing moisture loss and keeps the moisture barrier at check. For other skin types, roses help in providing necessary hydration to skin.


REDUCE OILINESS: Roses help in balancing moisture which would also mean that it regulates excess oil secretion. The natural pH of the skin is maintained due to the astringent properties of roses which help in eliminating dirt and oil from skin. As mentioned above by increasing hydration roses also help keeping the oils at bay.



CALMING EFFECT: Roses have anti inflammatory properties in abundance that they can help in soothing skin from redness and irritation. Skin conditions such as eczema could also result in irritated skin which is eased by using roses because of it containing fatty acids and antioxidant combination.


WRINKLE FREE: We already know that antioxidants are in abundance when it comes to roses but it also contains vitamins A and C which are great for anti-ageing properties. So rose does not only help in reducing wrinkles but also dark spots and age spots. They’re a vital source of retinol and also aid in collagen production.


I recently loved incorporating two rose products from Deyga organics into my skincare routine. I always choose products after going through the ingredients and the process from which they are derived; which also means strictly no harsh chemicals.

Products from deyga organics

ROSE & GERANIUM BODY BUTTER:

Rose and geranium body butter



Body butters are generally helpful to provide more moisture to skin. Especially if you have dry skin, body butters are prepared than body lotions because of the hydration and their heaviness. The rose and geranium body butter helps keep dryness away by providing good amount of moisture. The butter spreads easily and keeps skin supple for longer duration. Since roses help in anti-ageing the butter helps in keeping skin free from spots and wrinkles.Best results when used post bath and night time before hitting the beauty sleep.

INGREDIENTS: Shea butter, almond oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, geranium oil and rose oil.
PRICE: Rs. 550 for 100gms

ROSE SCRUB

Rose scrub

The ultimate goal of using a scrub is exfoliation which involves removing dead skin cells, dirt and help in regeneration of new skin cells. It helps in polishing the skin and also makes it smooth by drawing out impurities. This one form Deyga has semolina and rice flour which helps in exfoliation whereas rose, aloe vera help in hydration post exfoliation. Beetroot extract provides a rosy glow. Scrubs are mechanical exfoliation so needs ingredients which help soothe skin for which we have the rose. I mixed it with milk for usage and loved how it worked on my combination skin. Best results when used twice a week.
INGREDIENTS: Rose petal, lotus petal, semolina, rice flour, aloe vera powder and beetroot extract.
PRICE: Rs. 570 for 100gms



ABOUT DEYGA:


A brand where purity meets wisdom. This is proven as all products are handmade, organic and gentle on skin. Each product is carefully chosen by hand, formulated and crafted to suit skin types by craftsmen.

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What’s a lemon squeezer doing in my vagina? Book review


The author’s memoir of her five year long battle to become a parent is what I’d like to put it as compared to the battle with infertility. “infertility” is actually considered a taboo topic to be discussed? No that would have been few years back. We now live in a period where women come forward to share their experiences as stories of inspiration to many women out there.

The biological clock ticking is often a very commonly heard or discussed term once a woman is married. The very society that helped in applauding her victories, her career progress and her married life suddenly turns all its focus only to look forward to hear that she is pregnant.


Whether the person is closely related to you or a random aunt from either the groom or the distant relative or a neighbour of yours the one question which they do not think of to ask is “have you missed your period or is there a good news?”.

Million Dollar question : aren’t you pregnant or do you have any good news ? ( No career prospects or wealth, they only mean a baby .)



The woman buying a property or moving up the career ladder or even moving out the country is no big thing. Because the only thing they expect after marriage is a child bearing woman. It is saddening to know that quite often people even the close ones be it the parent or the in-laws fail to notice or care about the relationship between the man and wife. All they expect is a kid. Doesn’t matter even if they are not in good terms they need to make a baby.



And if you do not say that you’re expecting in a year or two, you will definitely have to answer this question or plans if any you had to postpone baby making at least a twenty times when you attend events or gatherings. And that also comes with a question of doubt that there might possibly be an issue between the couple in making the baby and often it is the woman who is made the scapegoat.



In this book, Rohini recalls her feelings and her journey that she traveled to become a mother. What Rohini tries to explain is that though there was no medical in-capabilities for both she and her husband something was not clicking right. They decided to get that fixed by visiting a fertility specialist Dr. Leela. Rohini explains in detail about the procedures, the lemon squeezer that she mentioned in the title, the complexities of numerous IUI and its failure making them proceed with an IVF.


Rohini’s anxiousness in becoming a mother, her partner whom she expects to be her wall throughout and needs support and shoulder to lean on make the narration much interesting.

Managing work, the innumerous procedures that the women is supposed to undergo in comparison to the male who only ejects the semen and waits until the baby is delivered to be held is definitely strenuous and mentally too much for a woman to take in.


No matter the part played by the male partner is small, it is their support and shoulder to lean in the women expect in return. Not being able to open up about the procedures, trying to manage the whys, what ifs, why nots of the society and in-laws is something that the married women go through in every household.


Rohini’s mixed feeling of being happy for her sister-in -law’s pregnancy and at the same time pushing her behind in the queue depicts truly what a woman would brim with. The cycles in IUI or IVF making you drain physically, mentally and financially all for one positive result of the two pink lines.


I absolutely loved how honest she was in using the words to bring out what she actually felt in going through this struggle to conceive though she was fit in every aspect.


Rohini’s happiness when her nurse who accompanies her for all procedures being pregnant and there she is still trying to cope with failed IUIs and getting herself ready for IVF shows her strong will.


Rohini echoes her thoughts with thousands of women who experience the same battle of trying to bear a child. Her mothers subtle way of expressing her desire to play with grandchildren or Ranjith who stays by Rohini with her decisions though he doesn’t express much is something that is not cliched.


Her story is an inspiration to many women out there who share the same thought by not being able to be there immediately sends out a strong message that it does take time to get there. The path might be tough with hurdles and failures, but do not give up.
Nowhere I felt any emotion was overboard.


I loved the cover design that covered all aspects of a married woman’s worry like the pill, the clock ticking and the calendar to plan.


Rohini’s book is an inspiration to woman who are trying to conceive and gives them the courage to move on and also talk about the struggle openly.