Beauty and Personal Grooming

Those who are going through stress and depression are often advised to exercise and avoid sedentary lifestyle as it has been proven that regular physical activity increases the release of feel-good hormones, endorphins which boosts our moods and promotes relaxation and calmness.  A study conducted by Black Dog Institute has found that regular exercise of any intensity can  protect against depression, with mental health benefits seen regardless of age or gender -- and just one hour per week can help. Results of this study also showed that people who reported doing no exercise at all had a 44% increased chance of developing depression compared to those who were exercising one to two hours a week. Do not stop exercising; it can increase your depressive symptoms.

Water is the most important element in sustaining life on Earth. Without water, most lifeforms on earth will perish.  Our bodies are mostly of water. As such, for the body to work at its optimum level, we need to drink enough water.  There are so many benefits of drinking water. It helps us to maintain our energy levels, removes toxins and wastes and also imparts a healthy glowing complexion.

Long time ago, I had posted about how introducing fish in a baby's diet before the age of nine months could lower eczema risk . It looks like besides genetic inheritance and other factors, a baby's risk of developing eczema is also dependent on the expectant mother's food habits. A new r esearch has found that women who take probiotics while they’re pregnant and breastfeeding could be less likely to have children with eczema than mothers who don’t. Eat probiotics when you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

World Sleep Day was celebrated on March 16th . A restful night sleep spanning 7-8 hours leaves us feeling refreshed and  healthy. It enhances your beauty, helps you maintain healthy body weight, keeps your mind calm and peaceful, decreases your risk of cardiovascular diseases and so on and so forth.  You just can't get enough of enumerating the health benefits of adequate sleep. It's that important.

Prema asks: I use cold wax for removing superfluous hair from my legs. According to the instructions on the jar, it should be used once a month. But my hair has grown back within a week. Why is it so? Response: When the hair is not pulled properly or when it has not been gripped firmly by the wax, it breaks just below the skin and surfaces within a week. Normally waxing lasts for about 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the individual hair growth rate. So, there is something wrong with your waxing method. Do read Waxing at home .

You are in the middle of an overseas conversation and your sister-in-law chooses that instant to ask for clarification of a recipe. In another instance, when you are exhausted after a hard day’s work and have just settled down on your sofa with a cup of coffee, you hear the doorbell announcing a neighbour’s friendly visit which could well run into 2 hours. Interruptions, much as we may wish to rid ourselves of them, always find a way into our lives. In the days of yore they were blissful diversions. This was largely because time was aplenty, women were not working at outside jobs, gender roles were separate, there was little socializing and most important of all lifestyles were simple and unassuming. There was no rat race and keeping up with the Joneses. Compare this with present times and you have people filling their day with hectic activity. Managing work and pleasure have become a delicate balancing act. All this naturally leaves little time to accommodate interrupt...

A neat, trim waist and a flat belly looks gorgeous but a bulging, pendulous belly can lessen the charm of the most alluring woman and it has its own health hazards as well.   Do read Woes of having a big belly .     A protruding midriff is the result of flabby, soft abdominal muscles. Lack of exercise, being overweight or obese and child bearing – all take their toll on the woman’s belly. Childbirth generally sees a weakening of abdominal muscles and the start of a protruding belly. To get a flatter tummy after years of neglect will certainly take time and lots of effort on your part.   A controlled diet, an exercise regimen consisting of specific yoga poses and most important of all your determination is required to regain your slender, flat and trim belly . Do read the posts I wanna reduce my waist and thighs, Please help !,    Have Craving for a flat tummy? Check these top treatments for a tighter core , Slim Down and Stay in Shape with Yoga ...

Wishing all the wonderful ladies a very Happy Women’s Day! You are a source of inspiration for the family and society as a whole! Keep shining and smiling always!

Who doesn’t dream of having a slim and shapely body? All those women with extra fat on their hips, arms and thighs, and those tyres around their waists have surely tried innumerable easy, and difficult, ways to shed that stubborn fat, and found it still there. Don’t lose heart. There is still an easy way out. Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? So read on and find out. Easy way of accommodating exercise in your daily schedule. By “easy” way, I mean fitting the exercise schedules into hard work-load. Normally one has to keep aside those precious 20 minutes every day for exercising, sometimes, even more. And after those workouts, you are tired, hungry and wondering why the extra fat doesn’t disappear. One thing to make clear is that without exercise and a controlled diet, it is impossible to have that slim appearance. Don’t fool yourself by starving one day and eating for 2 the next! This does more harm than good. You won’t lose weight.   And crash diets (beware) a...

Vanita asks: I am a 24 year old working woman. My problem is that I am far too kind! I am always trying to help the needy. All my colleagues, of both sexes, bring their problems to me and I help them as much as I can. I enjoy this. Occasionally, I get the impression that people do not appreciate my help and that they don't really care about me. Then I feel bad and also angry. But then, in a few days, I go back to my old ways. Is something wrong with me? Please advise.

Life is a cycle of seasons and mid-life sets in somewhere between the end of the summer and the beginning of the autumn in one’s life. It is a period of transition between the late 30s and the early 40s, quite distinct from the pre-menopausal years that come later. There are many transition periods in life, both in men and women, which pass quite unnoticed. There may be minor disruptions in lifestyle which are soon to be resolved. But when the disruptions fail to resolve, a crisis begins. Mid-life has been recognized as a potentially likely period when a crisis can occur. Almost 90% of women, single, married or widowed, irrespective of their socio-economic status, go though it in varying degrees. Mid-life crisis has been recognized as a malady of recent times.   A hundred years ago, the woman’s role was well-defined and limited to home and family. Whether wife, mother or domestic drudge, she was content in her roles and voiced no protest or question.