Sindhu Vinod Narayan

December 15, 2020December 15, 2020

Lockdown: what it had in store for women?

Every woman out there needs support and a bit of encouragement to sail through. Although we do say that we do not need the constant push cause it’s usually in our genes that I’d say that we make sure that everyone else gets what they want and finally settle down to get something for us. We don’t complain or brood about it. Self contented is what id chose to explain that emotion.

When was the last time you sat down to have a hearty laugh and eat along with your family? If the answer is we do this all the time I’m certainly happy for you. But there are a lot of families where this wouldn’t have happened at all. It’s time for them to sit down think and make sure you give that woman some rest and joy of having a meal with you without a worry in her mind.

The lockdown not only brought every thing to a standstill but also made a drastic lifestyle change which brought in a lot of health complications. When it comes to a woman,the first thing that strikes you would be her reproductive health. Yes that’s a major lifestyle induced medical conditions that saw a lot of incoming cases and hospital visits.

Did you know that the lockdown stress had about 25% of women experience irregular periods? Blame it on the lifestyle change that involved a change in food sleep and physical activity totally resulting in this. Stress induced by this and to top it all taking care of the house and children played its part in fiddling with the delicate monthly cycle. A no-show at the end of the month brought in a lot of worries.

While the no-show brought in a lot of smiles for many yes I did come across a lot of lockdown pregnancy announcement for whom I’m happy for. For the rest it really did play with their reproductive health and the stress hormone cortisol levels causing a major disruption in their mental health. A lot of women with controlled PCOD jumped over the wall due to the improper sleep cycle and untimely food habits. Women experienced varying symptoms but all pointing to stress induced illnesses. So next time there is a no-show don’t ignore. This is not something to worry only when you plan on having a baby.

The lockdown also lowered socialising to a great extent. People feared to venture out even for genuine causes. Being a new mother myself, I had a lot of things running in my mind to handle delivering a baby during the lockdown. Thank God that the hospital was well prepared to handle the crisis and everything went on smooth and we came back to our nest safely.

But what was running in mind was a lot of doubts . Being a second time mother I was confident that I could handle this and I had things under control, but there was also the slightest doubts on one corner bothering me. What do I do ? That’s when hospitals had equipped themselves for video consultations. What a boon technology is? Not to forget that we also saw rising number of WhatsApp groups for new mothers which had doctors guiding them then and there. I was glad I had professional help handy and made life much easier for me. So thankful for the women who initiated the groups to help out other women.

Career options poured in from all directions. People who lost their livelihood and companies who couldn’t continue paying employees left a hole in many families. Thankful to opportunities that were freelance and those which offered upskilling people equipped themselves well to be prepared to take up good opportunities.

I’d seen that schools and educational institution were willing to take in women to help cope the demand for online classes. A lot of women with basic qualifications were employed.

Education portals opened access allowing the population to stay up to date, make the time useful and learn or upskill themselves.

Womenpreneurs bloomed, small scale, large scale , women who dreamt of coming up with their own venture came out of the shell proved success . I did see a lot of women supporting them through Instagram lives handling pop up sales and expanding market.

On my part I did Collaborate with a lot of small scale , local ,men/woman owned brands and helped with promotions. Happy that I could bring a smile and some orders for them.

These are my observations of what the lockdown had in store for us women especially and turning them to fruitful opportunities. The lockdown did bring in a lot of mental challenges but we sure did strive through successfully.

This post is part of #wswbloghop . I am a part of the #WSWBlogHop and I truly believe that we should support, empower each other and grow together.

December 10, 2020December 12, 2020

Simple period care regime to take care of PCODs and irregular periods.

Do you experience any of the below?

Irregular periods
Infrequent bleeding
Issues in ovulation
Thinning hair
Excess facial and body hair growth
Dark patches
Pelvic pain
Increase in body weight
Acne
Lipid abnormalities

If you have answered yes to most of the above symptoms, you could have PCOS/PCOD and would be necessary to check with a gynecologist to confirm the possibility.

What are PCOS and PCOD?

Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome is a common condition among women in the reproductive age group due to higher levels of androgen interfering with egg development and is transformed to cysts on the ovaries which prevents the ovaries from functioning normally.

Poly Cystic Ovarian Disorder is a collection of mature eggs not being released leading to cyst development. This is due to hormonal imbalance.

Ever since we had the pandemic in place and a lockdown being announced many of our metabolic clocks startled. Be it male or female, the majority would agree that their entire lifestyle took a jolt and would take a lot of time to recuperate back on track. Females had yet another clock that wasn’t spared by the pandemic and the associated stress meter that came into the picture.

Sudden isolation from kith and kin, no outdoors, and no helping hands for domestic chores, managing kids, and working from home skyrocketed the stress levels. Untimely meals which could be junk, no proper sleep cycle added more fuel to a burning medical problem amongst women. Would you believe that there have been reports that at least 25% of women in the country have been experiencing irregularities in periods?

Stress from any trigger be it at the office, travel, or at home could have an impact on your monthly cycle. The so-called new reality hit the female population hard that Doctors reported more cases of disrupted menstrual cycles which were either irregular cycles or severe menstrual cramps of varying intensities.

A no-show at the end of the month brought out smiles to many but brought trouble to the others. The fear of getting infected and the inability to venture to hospitals to get the irregularities checked worsened the condition for many.

Doctors reported that many patients who had PCOD under control had their conditions jumping over the wall due to lockdown stress. Binge eating, no physical activity, and stress have been attributed to have caused the major malfunction.

Doctors have also mentioned that increased levels of cortisol (stress hormone) were messing up the monthly cycles in women when tests were taken. A regular mealtime with nutritious food, physical activity, and a good sleep cycle could help keep the condition in check. More importantly, finding ways to relieve stress and maintaining good menstrual health is a must for women.

Though PCOD and PCOS cannot be completely cured, you could keep them at controlled levels so that they do not bring in complications.

You could bring in tremendous changes by inculcating the below habits.

11 habits to control PCOS and PCOD

Keep a check on your weight.
Addressing triggers of stress be it a human or a situation.
No junk food.
Being sure of the food portions, eating only when you are hungry, and not skipping meals in between to end up binge eating.
No desserts which include sweets, chocolates, or bakery items.
Limiting intake of wheat, dairy, and minimizing simple carbs.
Not ignoring an irregular period.
Increasing intake of fiber and bitter foods.
A good amount of physical exercise.
Good sleep cycle.
Leading a slow and joyful life.

I also came across a period care kit that I would love to share with you here.

Deal PCOS and PCOD with Namyaa Period Care

Namyaa natural care’s newest launch is their period care range. Comprising of three products under the name of Namyaa period care the products help in treating the root cause and aid in keeping the hormone level in balance.

Namyaa Aarthava Kshaya for PCOD and PCOS – These are tablets that are 60 in number packaged in a bottle. Prepared by following the Ayurvedic principles of Stree Roga Chikitsa.
The product claims to address the root cause of PCOD and PCOS, helps in restoring hormonal balance, and aids in timely ovulation. The product has no chemicals, is prepared by using all-natural ayurvedic ingredients, and hence safe to consume.

Price: Rs.399 for a bottle of 60 tablets

Namyaa Anartava – For delayed and irregular periods – An exclusive syrup that treats irregular periods. The product claims to be a permanent solution for delayed periods and help maintain a regular menstrual cycle. Not only regularize the monthly cycle but helps restore a proper balance of hormone and thereby eliminating toxins for blood purification.

Price: Rs.449 for a 500ml syrup bottle

Namyaa Shwetkanika for white discharge– A pack of 60 tablets that help in controlling white discharge. Instructed to be taken twice post breakfast and dinner for 90 days to achieve the results. Also helps in balancing hormone and eliminating toxins.

Price: Rs.399 for a bottle of 60 tablets.

All the above three products part of Namyaa period care are available on the brand website, amazon, and Flipkart.

Next time you have irregular periods don’t ignore and take care of your health. Remember that you are important to run the show. And a no-show could ruin things for you.

Keep regular, be healthy. Happy periods!

October 30, 2020October 30, 2020

Lipsmacking Mint peas pulao , sweet potato sticks

We all love pulao. Though it is mildly flavoured compared to its counterpart biryani this dish sure does top it to favourite food lists of many especially the vegetarians and people who prefer mild flavours.

The mint peas pulao is actually a variation of my mint rice with cooked peas being an additional ingredient.

Cooking is all about experimenting. I love adding in new ingredients to existing dishes. When you succeed you have a brand new dish. Voila !!

At the same time you need to be careful while experimenting. The ingredient that you chose to add or substitute shouldn’t overpower and spoil the dish on the whole.

For the same mint rice, I cannot add peanuts . But I can alternate the peas or chhole or chickpeas. So experiment but know how and what.

This mint pulao is made with seeraga samba rice variant. The grains are much shorter but the aroma and flavours are to die for. Also you would require more quantity of rice than basmati because of the size.

Mint pulao recipe

Ingredients

To grind

Mint leaves 1 cup
Chilli -2 long
Poppy seed -1 tbsp
Small onions-3-4
Ginger -1′ piece
Garlic – 2 pods
Cinnamon -1′ stick
Cloves -2
Elaichi-1
Star anise -1
Bay leaf-1
Coconut shredded- 2 tbsp

The whole spices must be soaked in hot water for about 15 mins before being grounded.

Seeraga samba rice -1 cup (200 GM’s)
Oil as required
Green peas -100 GM’s
Salt as required
Ghee – 2 tbsp
One potato boiled and cubed

Method

Soak the rice for 30 mins.
Grind the paste and keep ready.
In a cooker add ghee and oil.
Add in the ground paste , green peas and cubed potato.
Add little salt, stir and cook for 5 mins until raw smell goes off.
Add soaked rice mix.
For 1 cup of rice add 1 cup of water.
Adjust salt and cook for 1 Whistle.
Cook in simmer for 3 mins and turn off.
Release pressure, fluff with fork and add ghee.
Mix ghee and serve hot with raitha.

Sweet potato sticks

An absolutely perfect side for mint peas pulao. This can be made spicy or just mild depending on your need. This is also a healthy snacking option. Did you know that this can also be offered as snack post 9 months for baby.

Ingredients

Sweet potato -3
Salt as required
Oil for shallow frying
Chill powder -2 tbsp
Cumin powder -1 tbsp
Chat masala-1 tbsp
Corn flour to coat the sticks

Method

Boil the sweet potato for one whistle.
Peel skin and cut into sticks or strips
They would be damp so quickly add in corn flour and the spice excluding chat masala.
Leave aside for about ten minutes.
Heat oil in a pan
Add the sticks and fry till golden brown.
Take out cool and add chat masala

Lipsmacking sweet potato sticks is ready to be eaten with mint peas pulao or even as snack.

You could also try the same recipe with raw banana, yam and potato. Like I said substitute and play. I’m sure you will definitely keep this recipe safer. Kids will definitely bug you for this snack.

On a healthier note, you could choose to bake the sticks instead of frying them.

I’m taking my blog to the next level with Blogchatter’s #MyFriendAlexa.

October 30, 2020October 30, 2020

Desi style pasta – no onion no garlic

We all know that pasta is an Italian dish. Be it the white bechamel or the red arabiatta, the flavours are mouthwatering and definitely would make you want more.

Garlic and herbs like oregano , basil take the level of taste to another world. They can taste bland but rich and flavourful with cheese and nutmeg.

But did you also know that you can make it in am Indianised way. Yes no basil, no oregano just Indian spices that can make mouthwatering pasta .

I did come across a lot of recipes named desi style pasta. It was navratri, a no onion no garlic time for us. Dinner options were making my head spin. I need a filling, lipsmacking dish that doesn’t require much effort or time. I also remembered the code no onion no garlic.

I had some uncooked pasta in the pantry waiting to be picked. So I decided to fulfill its wishes. That packet of pasta would be dinner tonight.

So here goes my desi style no onion no garlic pasta.

Ingredients

Pasta -200 GM’s
Salt as per taste.
Olive oil – 3-5 tbsp
Tomato chopped – 2
Capsicum chopped -1/2
Chilli powder-2 tbsp
Pepper powder-1 tbsp
Sugar -1/2 tbsp
Coriander powder – 2 tbsp
Tomato sauce -1 tbsp make sure you get the no onion no garlic variant
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Water to boil pasta
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Method:

Boil the water required for cooking pasta with a tbsp of salt and tbsp of olive oil.
Once water starts boiling add in pasta and cook till Al dente.
Drain and cool the pasta. Make sure they don’t stick to one another.
In a pan add 3 tbsp of olive oil.
Add chopped tomatoes,and sugar.
Cook until tomato is mushy.
Add chilli powder, coriander powder and pepper powder.
Cook for 3-4 mins until raw smell of spices go away.
Add chopped capsicum.
Cook closed for 2 mins.
Adjust salt. Add tomato sauce boil for a minute.
Add in the cooked pasta. Give it a mix.
Squeeze half a lime and turn off gas.
Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.
This can be served with just hung curd.

This pasta is spicy cause we use chilli and pepper powders together. As a variation instead of the three powders you could also add sambar powder.

The spice of the chilli and pepper, tanginess of tomato, sourness from lime make the pasta taste absolutely lipsmacking. You only need curd for a side. But of you are someone who loves spicy food, then you should definitely try this out.

Most importantly this has no onion no garlic so you can also make this during festivals or when you’re breaking a fast.

I paired this with capsicum and mushroom tempura and paneer capsicum stir fry. These again do not have onion and garlic. Do let me know.in comments if you’d want me to share those recipes.

I’m taking my blog to the next level with Blogchatter’s #MyFriendAlexa.

October 28, 2020October 29, 2020

Things you never knew about facial massage and rollers

What is a facial massage?

A facial massage is a technique, that can be done manually by hands or with helps of facial roller available in the market. The technique involves gently massaging the facial skin.

Why facial massage?

A facial massage helps in increasing blood circulation, destressing and decreasing puffiness. The result of which is a smooth glowing healthy skin.

Typically the face has over 40 muscles, so a massage is great for resolving sinus issues , decreased puffiness with lymphatic drainage. The excess fluid us diverted to the lymph nodes later flushed with the toxins out of the body.

Manual facial massage

Manual facial massage involves applying slightest pressure while massaging the facial muscles with hands. It’s one of the most simplest way to having a healthy skin.

How to do facial massage with hands?

Make sure you wash your face and your hands are clean.
Take a little amount of cream or serum you use in your palms.
Apply gentle pressure to massage face.
Massage lymph areas under the ears and side of neck.
Smooth the lines on forehead.
Use fingers to massage eye area and slide along temples.
Use only light strokes.

Directions to use in facial massage

Chin to lip.
Nose, nostrils and lips to cheekbones horizontally. To be precise along the smile lines.
Massage neck from bottom to chin vertically.
Eyebrows to forehead.

Massaging with facial roller

A small roller pin like tool with rollers of different sizes on both ends. It’s used in facial massage and can be made out of gem stones.

Typically these rollers are used to distribute the facial care products over the face evenly. Also guarantees a deeper absorption into the skin.

Facts about rollers

Facial rollers cannot slim the face. Removing puffiness can temporarily make it appear slim.
Facial rollers can contour your face when using them up at an angle. Pushing the movement by down the ear.
They help flushing out the toxins, by stimulating lymphatic drainage. This achieved massaging in a particular direction.
Since it helps in destressing, it helps you in changing your mood.
Most importantly helps in deeper absorption of skincare products.

How to Massage using facial roller?

Generously apply serum or moisturizer. Lubrication is key else the roller might tag skin. This could even result in wrinkles.
Roll up from the neck. No back and forth movement.
From the jawline to ear. Apply gentle pressure on both sides.
Forehead to the temples. This should be done only in upward direction.
Horizontal over the eyebrows. Use it flatly.

How often and how long?

A facial roller can be used daily typically for a few minutes to get destressing benefits.

Types of facial roller

Jade
Rose quartz
Amethyst
Obsidian
Metal
Teak wood

Jade and rose quartz are most commonly used rollers. Jade and metal are cold natured materials. So in order to have a cooling effect they needn’t be stored in refrigerator.

Rose quartz can withhold temperature, so for cold massage you can store the roller in refrigerator.

Jade is soft in terms of fragility with respect to quartz, hence quartz can last longer without breaking if accidentally dropped down.

Jade isn’t smooth in terms of stone texture, which helps in contouring due to the natural friction present.

Of all the rollers mentioned above , amethyst is said to give the skin purifying effects and also effective in treating acne.

On a concluding note, a facial roller is a good investment for healthy looking skin.

I’m taking my blog to the next level with Blogchatter’s #MyFriendAlexa.

October 27, 2020October 27, 2020

Spicy cow peas kurma – no onion no garlic

With dussehra a lot many of us were into fasting, some didn’t take non vegetarian food and few like me wanted to take food without onion and garlic.

Not only for dussehra but also for certain auspicious days we tend to avoid adding onion and garlic to food. In South India, typically during the month of Purattasi ( mid September to mid October) people generally give up non vegetarian food cause of devotion to Lord Narayana and it’s an auspicious month.

These ten days during dussehra, I avoided added any onion and garlic to food and didn’t consume any outside food.

Dinner options were getting very limited. For lunch I planned to make the neivedhyam ( offering) for the day , which would become our lunch as well. A variety rice paired with boiled and tempered lentils also known as Sundal in the south. This would be offered to the God and kolu at homes.

But dinner for a big headache. For a person like me who tries including if not garlic but onion in most dishes, cooking during these days was challenging. That is when I started whipping out recipes without onion and garlic. Believe me they tasted equally good. I’m here giving you a recipe of a kurma that has no onion and garlic, but had lipsmacking taste. This goes well with rotis, phulkas, plain rice and even pulaos.

Ingredients

Cow peas – 100 GM’s
Tomato – 2 chopped into chunks roughly
Red chilli whole – as per your spice level
Potatoes – boiled, peeled and cubed
Cloves -2
Cinnamon -1′ piece
Cardamom -2 pods
Ginger – 1/2′ piece
Turmeric powder -1 tbsp
Shredded coconut – 4 tbsp
Salt – as per taste
Oil for tempering and sautéing
Cumin seeds -1 tbsp
Bay leaf -1
Saunf / fennel seeds -1 tbsp
Cashew – 4-5 pieces
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Method

Soak cashew , cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, saunf in hot water for 20 minutes.
In a pan add oil saute tomato chunks, red chilli and ginger piece.
Once cooked until mushy ,cool it.
Once cooled add mushy tomatoes, soaked ingredients, shredded coconut and turmeric powder to blender and blend them smooth.
Dry roast cow peas in pan for about 3-4 minutes until you get slightly roasted aroma.
Boil it in pressure cooker with water and salt for about 5 whistles.
Release steam, cool drain and keep aside.
In a pan temper cumin seeds and add tomato masala paste.
Saute for a while add little salt.
Give it a light boil.
Add cooked cow peas and potato.
Mix it with the gravy, adjust consistency with water.
Boil for 5 minutes in simmer until you get kurma consistency.
Adjust salt.
Turn off gas ,add lemon juice ,mix and serve garnished with coriander leaves.

The quantity of ingredients mentioned above is for two people. You can scale up as per need.

The kurma is spicy cause of red chilli and ginger, with a light tinge of tanginess fro the lemon juice.

The kurma is a great side to rotis, phulkas, plain rice and pulaos. Do try out and let me know.

Cooking without onion and garlic is not difficult and there are lipsmacking recipes that taste equally good. I will be sharing a couple more if such recipes.

I’m taking my blog to the next level with Blogchatter’s #MyFriendAlexa.

October 24, 2020October 24, 2020

Charcoal for skin? Why should you choose Supersmelly?

What is activated charcoal?

A form of carbon that has low volume pores but can increase surface area for adsorption.

Why is it used in Skincare?

As mentioned above it could magnify the amounts of absorption and there by bring out dirt and impurities from skin. So skin looks clear and dirt free. This is why, activated charcoal finds it’s place is a wide range of skincare and personal care items.

Benefits of activated charcoal for skin

Removes impurities

Since activated charcoal can absorb out toxins from body, the masks can help remove dirt and impurities from skin.

Reduces acne

Collection of sebum(facial oil) in skin pores can make them clog as a result of which you could see acne breakouts. Activated charcoal helps to bring out the excess oil from the pores and keeps them free.

Reduces oiliness

Activated charcoal helps in removing dead skin cells by exfoliation and helps in absorbing excess oil present in skin, there by reducing oiliness in skin.

Doesn’t adsorb vitamins

Though activated charcoal helps in clearing out toxins from skin, it doesn’t adsorb the needed vitamins and nutrients. Therefore skin remains healthy in a natural way.

Doesn’t cause allergy

Due to the nature of being inert, activated charcoal doesn’t call any allergies and most importantly it suits sensitive skin.

About the brand Supersmelly

Founded by a Super mom, Dipali Mathur Dayal and her friend Milan Sharma. Dipali Washington shocked to see the labels when she went to pick a deodorant for her tween. The ingredients listed made her think that this is not what teens would want. They need products that are all natural , safe and effective to use and not some pesticide in attractive labels and catchy bottles.

The brand name absolutely makes your head turn and ask many questions. One answer that is all the more satisfactory to give you a go and make you pick it up , they’re India’s first brand of natural and toxin free personal care products for tweens and teens.

Bright and glow regime from Supersmelly

A combination of face wash and face pack formulated to give you the bright and glowing skin.

Charcoal and aloe Vera face wash

Contains activated charcoal, Asian ginseng and aloe Vera . Activated charcoal helps in flushing out the toxins and helps in deep cleansing the skin.

The consistency isn’t runny and is just pasty enough to be squeezed off using. Upon continuous usage , the results are visible with bright and glowing skin. The face wash also helps in removing excess oil, there reducing chances for breakouts to occur. Also helps in killing acne causing bacteria.

I also noticed that acne marks which I had previously have started to lighten on continuous usage.

The face wash is made of natural ingredients with no toxins and parabens. Most importantly no chemicals.which would cause skin irritation.

The face wash helps in exfoliation thereby removing dead skin cells.

Suited for all skin types, the face wash is a good option to be included in Skincare routine.

Helps in de-tanning and achieve even skin tone.

The facewash is suited for anyone above 7years of age.

Activated awesomeness is the name of the face wash and keeps up to it name by giving you a bright skin.

Ingredients

Activated charcoal – Helps eliminate dirt and excess oil from skin.
Aloe Vera – Helps combat harsh effects of pollution,UV rays and acne.
Vitamin A C & E – Helps in boosting collagen production and healthy skin . Also helps against sun damage.
Asian ginseng – Remove dead skin cell and promote elasticity.

Price: Rs. 379 for 100ml on Amazon and on their website.

How to use ?

Wet face with water.
Squeeze little amount on hand or to a sponge.
Apply evenly, massage in circular motion.
Wash with cold water and pat dry.

Natural go glow activated charcoal face pack

The face pack acts like a magnet. Yes, it pulls out all dirt and impurities from skin. Absolutely love how it removes effects of pollution and dust.

The face pack removes tan and gives bright glowing skin.

This is a cleanliness freak, because it helps wiping away dirt accumulation in the pores and helps in unclogging.

Helps in rejuvenation of skin, keeping it healthy.

Ingredients

Activated charcoal- removes dirt and excess oil. Helps in exfoliation as well.
Aloe Vera- Combats effects of pollution, UV rays. Provides moisturization.
Cocoa powder – Helps in brightening skill. Also reversal of damage from sun and tanning.
Bentonite clay or volcanic ash – prevents blackheads, helps unclog pores, flushes out toxins and skim regeneration.
Kaolin mud – Helps in cleansing and absorption of impurities.
Argan, olive, peach and apricot oil- helps in skin nourishment.
Multani clay : Helps in maintaining even skin tone and brightness.
Coffee seeds – Helps reduce puffiness and boost blood circulation.
Green clay – Exfoliates skin and reduces inflammation.
Dead sea salt – Helps in removing toxins, boost blood circulation and balance skin pH.

The mask doesn’t smell overly pungent, compared to the other charcoal mask that I have used previously. It’s light on the skin and easy to wash off.

Price : Rs. 599 for 70gms available on Amazon and on their website.

How to use?

Apply the mask evenly on to skin with bare hands or with a brush.
Leave it on for 10-15 minutes.
Wash off with cold water by gently applying circular motion on skin.

The mask and the face wash are available together as a combo known as bright and glow regimen for Rs. 978. They can also be purchased individually.

Reasons why you should try Supersmelly

Cruelty free as it’s not tested on animals.
Vegan friendly certified
Australian allergy certified
Dermatologically tested as hypoallergenic.
Made safe , nontoxic certified.
Australian certified as allergen free.

They also have a wide range of other personal care products like deodorants, moisturisers, lipbalms and sanitizer.

The products are available individually or as combos.

Check out their website to know more about them and to purchased products.

I’m taking my blog to the next level with Blogchatter’s #MyFriendAlexa.

October 20, 2020October 27, 2020

Irresistibly lipsmacking recipes for toddlers #myfriendalexa

Toddlers are little humans who are just getting to know the world around them. Food, people, surroundings are what they start exploring with.

Looking around people analysing their behaviour from what they talk , do and eat always fascinates them. They try imitating and feel happy doing it.

Have you eve noticed the toddler demanding to eat like an adult. Yes they feel kind of accomplished or superior if their demand is fulfilled .

Quite often us adults are in a way responsible for the way they eat and also reject foods. Since I already told you they love to imitate this is not only in normal behaviour but also seen when choosing what to eat.

Junk foods , ready to eat, fried foods, food containing maida gain more popularity through media and their peers. Kids also demand getting these at home.

I will not say that we should right away reject or deny. See of you are able to give in to them, but as a healthy option that you are able to offer.

Here are two recipes that never go wrong and I tell you that your toddlers would want you making this on demand frequently.

UPMA CHEESE BALLS

Upma is most often a less looked upon option for tiffen especially by the spouses and the kids. With this recipe below I’m sure that they will trouble you to make upma here on.

Ingredients

Upma – 1/2 cup (100gm)
Besan / chickpea flour- needed to coat the balls. Say a 100gm
Cheese cubes -2
Salt- as needed
Oil for frying

You could alternatively do an air fry as well.

METHOD

Make upma into balls but adding little ghee so that it’s easier to mould them as balls. I generally use semolina upma. You could also alternatively try with poha/vermicelli upma.
Cut cheese cubes into bite sized pieces and place inside the upma balls.
Make a batter of besan,salt and water . You could add pepper if you need spice. I’ve not because the upma already has enough spice. Make sure the batter is of dripping consistency.
Heat oil in a wok. Add the besan coated balls and fry until golden brown.
They could be had with tomato ketchup, mayonnaise or even hung curd.

You could also air fry them, as I had mentioned above. In that case you could coat them with bread crumbs post the besan batter coating. Leave for a while and then fry.

BUN PIZZA

Kids often get tempted seeing the variety of pizzas shown on TV. More or less during dine in I’ve seen more of wastage when parents order pizza as per the kids choice. You could try the below method at home to make bun sized pizza. It’s satisfactory to the kid and also easy on your pockets. Most importantly it’s home cooked so you needn’t worry about hygiene.

Ingredients

Bun – 2
Cheese slices -2
Cheese cube -2
Mix veggies – onion tomato capsicum and baby corn
Pizza spice – 2 tbsp
Tomayo ketchup -2 tbsp
Oil as per need
Butter for toasting
Salt and pepper- as per taste

METHOD

Add oil in a pan, saute all the veggies together . Season with salt and pepper. They only need to be half cooked.
Add butter to the same pan and toast the outer brown side of the bun.
Once toasted, apply tomato ketchup to the inner side.
Place the cheese slice on top of the ketchup layer.
Now arrange the veggies on top.
Sprinkle pizza spice or individually sprinkle chilli flakes and oregano.
Close with lid and cook until cheese melts.
I bet you will never look to place an order for pizza.
You could also play with toppings as you like it.

Do try these recipes and let me know in comments. This is my first recipe post. I’d be happy to take feedback.

I’m taking my blog to the next level with Blogchatter’s #MyFriendAlexa.

October 13, 2020October 20, 2020

Skin exfoliation – How to and how not to. #myfriendalexa

What is exfoliation ?

Our skin sheds dead skin cells on a periodic basis, removal of the dead skin cells from the topmost layer is called exfoliation. This removal is done by using granular products or chemicals. Each one of these has its own effects.

Benefits of exfoliation

Exfoliating the skin by removing the dead skin cells results in clearer and brighter skin. Skin exfoliation helps to unclog pores and remove the dry flaky skin that is caused when skin doesn’t shed completely. There is no use of applying skincare products on skin that is not exfoliated. Only when the dead cells are removed, it paves way for good absorption of skincare products.

Breakouts can be minimised when you do not have any clogged pores due to regular exfoliation.

Reduction of fine lines, sagging are what we want to keep skin healthy and for anti-ageing. Collagen is the key for the spotless and younger looking healthy skin. This protein helps in skin elasticity. If you need glowing skin, collagen is the secret ingredient behind it. Long term exfoliation, helps in increasing collagen production the natural way.

How often to exfoliate ?

If you are person with normal skin, you should do this thrice a week.

But if you have acne-prone skin, it is best to do it everyday. This should be done before using your cleanser since that will not completely remove the accumulation.

If you have sensitive skin, stick to exfoliating once a week.

When to exfoliate?

The ideal time would be morning, since at nights the skin goes to the repair and rejuvenate mode. This can soak up all the benefits. Make sure to use a good moisturizer post exfoliation.

Types of exfoliator

Manual exfoliators which can be the scrubs available OTC or DIYs at home. They can be abrasive so you must be careful while choosing them.

Chemical exfoliators are those with AHAs, BHAs and salicylic acid. They’re chemicals with acid which react with skin to remove the dead skin accumulation. They give you a uniform exfoliated look compared to the manual one’s.

Don’ts of exfoliation

1. Exfoliate very often if you have normal skin. Twice or thrice a week should be fine.

2. Exfoliate broken or irritated skin. Especially if you have shaved or waxed.

3. Use random exfoliators that you get.

4. Rub the skin or use rough motions to exfoliate.

5. Use body scrubs for face. They are harsher and apt only for body. The facial skin is delicate and requires specific product.

Do’s of exfoliation

1. Pick the right exfoliator that suits your skin.

2. Apply moisturizer generously post exfoliation.

3. Exfoliate in the morning and stick to the time. Not alternating day and night.

4. Invest in a good gentle scrub if you place to do it daily.

5. Wash off with cold water and pat dry.

DIY scrubs at home

Salt scrub – One tbsp of salt, half a tbsp of almond, coconut or sesame oil and 2 drops of essential oil.
Sugar scrub – One tbsp of salt, half a tbsp of almond, coconut or sesame oil and 2 drops of essential oil.
Oatmeal scrub – Two tbsp of oats, two tbsp of sugar, one tbsp of oil and 2 drops of essential oil.
Coffee scrub – Two tbsp of coffee powder, two tbsp of sugar, one tbsp of oil and 2 drops of essential oil.

These are readily available ingredients at home that can help you with exfoliation and also ones with which you can alternate. If you find any irritation or redness post exfoliation discontinue using it.

It is widely said that chemical exfoliators are better since they are less abrasive. The acids react with the skin and peel of the dry and flaky skin. But these exfoliators need to sit on the skin for a longer duration for the reaction to happen. However in a physical exfoliator do not rub and perform circular motion for more than three minutes.

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October 1, 2020October 1, 2020

Review of New borns and new moms #myfriendalexa

BLURB:

As soon as a baby is born, a woman’s life is engulfed by inevitable chaos. Newborns and New Moms dispels the confusion new mothers in urban India often go through.

Drawing from her own experience as a mother and her years as an accomplished and empathetic family physician, Dr Farah Adam Mukadam offers valuable tips and advice tailored for Indian parents through a book that:

Prepares a mother for her new life once the baby comes home
Validates Indian traditions surrounding childcare from a scientific and modern perspective
Provides insights about what to expect from family members and how to handle complex domestic circumstances after childbirth
Covers pertinent topics like mastering breastfeeding, accepting your changed body, postpartum mental and sexual well-being and readjusting to work after maternity leave
Contains useful tips for expecting couples in the age of Covid-19
Packed with wisdom and strengthened by real-life examples, this accessible how-to is the inspiration you need to embrace and enjoy motherhood.

MY REVIEW :

Whoever said that a toddler is a blender without a lid failed to relate this to a new mothers brain.

Being a new mother myself, there were a lot of things running in my mind. The baby, my toddler, my elderly parents and the covid pandemic that added itself to my ever piling up list of worries.

It was the right time that I grabbed Farah’s book which was exactly like she had a CCTV control room at her office.

A new mother is confused about her capabilities of mastering Breastfeeding, accepting her bodily functions post delivery, mental and sexual well-being yes that’s important too after delivery and adjusting herself to workplace post maternity.

Farah writes about postpartum care of the new mother. Most households have a similarity in the confinement period, belly binding ( you need not be in a hurry, but yes you could do it if you are comfortable and want to get back to pre pregnancy body ) .

The diet that the new mother is advised to what she can and what she has to avoid inorder to have a smoother transition.A set of general guidelines outlining the must be done and mustn’t be done. The meal should be simple, light, according to the mother’s taste and special foods that need to be mandatory in her meal. A lovely meal plan for new mothers charted by Farah is an easy guide for all new moms. The meal plan makes it easy for making prior preparation so that she doesn’t have to spend much time cooking.

Baby’s sickness and health is the four chapter where we get to know about various conditions pertaining to baby growth, brain development, colic, spit up and constipation. The doctor unapproved substances like Kajal, castor oil but are a must as per family traditions are very well explained on why being termed as unapproved.

Breastfeeding chapter discusses about the basic know how’s , preparation and must haves.A separate section about saboteurs and self doubters is something I really enjoyed reading and relate much. The field of lactation is been made aware only recently. We only knew about gynecologist and paediatricians. But the role of lactation consultant in between these two is known recently and is helping families from switching to formula and instead correct issues in breastfeeding. The appearance of bumps during breastfeeding, the causes and first aids to be followed are explained clearly so that you can conclude what you are suffering from.

A separate chapter on body image issues faced by women postpartum clearly explains why women look the way they are post delivery. A workout routine and eating right to keep metabolism levels up also helps new mothers to get back to their pre pregnancy weight.

PPD or postpartum depression would be the next word on Google suggestions if you type postpartum. Farah discusses about mood swings and ways to divert yourself.

The bedrooms after the baby, right from sleeping with the baby to getting back to sex life what you need to know is just waiting for you to read. All your doubts and inhibitions would be cleared very well once you read this book.

Just a like an extra wish, as a new mother, you could also offer your advice and care to couples who are planning for pregnancy during this time of #pandemic . Yes Farah has an exclusive epilogue just to address this.

At simple usage of words, mix of her personal and other real life experiences from patients, Farah makes this book a go to guide for every #newmother .

BOOK DETAILS

Format : Paperback

Pages : 288

Publisher : Pan

Price : Rs. 319

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr Farah Adam Mukadam is a family physician from Bengaluru, India. She completed her MBBS from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal and holds a Diploma in Family Medicine. She is a mother of two kids, a six-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter. She is a consulting physician at Narayana Hrudalaya Multispecialty Clinic, Bengaluru and has a special interest in providing breastfeeding and postpartum support to new mothers. She has a YouTube channel called ‘Momstein’ where she often busts myths around contemporary medical aid.
Instagram @dr.farah_momstein
Facebook @dr.farahadam

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