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Best of 2018

The year 2018 is coming to an end and how fast! Compared to 2017, I did manage to pen quite a number of posts, though nowhere near my expected goal.   I revisited quite a few older posts, updated outdated info in them and reposted them as new posts; that was quite a bit of work, which was much needed!  So now, without much ado, I’d like to list out some of the best posts from the year 2018. 

Best Posts of 2018 from the blog Beauty and Personal Grooming
Teenage is full of worries and insecurities. Something as innocuous as a ‘smile’ also is a matter of worry for some self-conscious teenager.  One such teenager shares her apprehension about how her smile ruins her otherwise good –looking face.

Excruciating pain in the heels as soon as you get up in the morning is certainly a cause of concern. Mostly women who are entering into middle-age or those who are middle-aged are likely to experience it. Do read more about it in the post.

It’s never a good idea to suppress natural body mechanisms like sneezing, coughing, yawning, urinating or even farting! Suppressing a sneeze, for instance can lead to catastrophic consequences. Read how a man ruptured his throat after suppressing his sneeze by clamping his nostrils and mouth shut.

Some people want to look their best everywhere. Seriously, this isn’t a good thing as I wrote in one of my older posts Are you overdoing it?.  On that note, let me reiterate that it is not wise to exercise in a gym or do yoga with a face full of makeup. Why, because it could ruin your skin and cause breakouts also.

Pregnancy is a time when women should exercise utmost caution.  They shouldn’t just pop any OTC pill for a minor headache or fever without their doctor’s recommendation nor should they eat certain foods that supposedly could harm the foetus or induce uterine contractions. Even antacids during pregnancy aren’t considered safe. Read on to know more.

A woman goes out of her way to help her friends and colleagues but doesn’t get a good feeling about it afterwards. No doubt, it’s good to help people in need but why don’t people value her helpful nature and acknowledge it? Where exactly is she going wrong? Read on to know more.

A girl does waxing at home to get rid of superfluous hair on her arms and legs but finds that the hair grows back quickly within a week. Is she doing waxing wrong? What tips should she follow next time around to ensure that hair doesn’t grow back quickly? Should she go for professional waxing at a salon and totally give up on at-home waxing? Read on to find out.

Most women dream of getting a slim, trim and svelte figure.  But is it achievable?  Guest poster Stuti says that it is very much possible, provided these women make changes in their lifestyle, their eating habits and get rid of their sedentary lifestyle. Her tips and suggestions for achieving a beautiful figure are simple and easy.    

Interruptions do affect our productivity and many of our tasks are left unfinished. Tarini, in this guest post suggests ways to minimize interruptions and get more things done. While it’s not possible to totally avoid unwanted conversations, gossip or occasional visits from friendly neighbours which do hamper your productivity, you can definitely try your best to prevent those interruptions which can be predicted and foreseen. By the way, did you know that bad mood can make you productive?

Ending up with a pot-belly, flabby breasts, huge hips and thighs and ugly stretch marks is one of the worst nightmares of most young mothers-to-be.  Get slim, svelte & supple figure after child-birth with these tips.

The elderly need to be cared with affection, consideration and sensitivity. And we should all remember that one day we too will grow old and need these things. Our culture impresses upon us the importance of looking after our elders and we should make sincere efforts to preserve these good values of our culture.

Who hasn’t experienced ingratitude in life? After all, it’s natural for people to forget to be grateful for the things you have done for them. The best way to deal with ingratitude is to expect it.  Help others just for the joy of helping without expecting anything in return.

Exercise releases the feel-good hormones called endorphins, thus making you feel less stressed. Hence if you are going through a depression, regular exercise will help you to overcome it to some extent. However, if you stop exercising all of a sudden, your depressive symptoms will return within a week, warns a new study.

Certain times such as after delivery, after a fracture or grave injury due to an accident, a sever bout of gastro-enteritis or typhoid or even mosquito borne illnesses like dengue, chikungunya or malaria, the recovery period takes time and it’s simply not possible to be up on our feet quickly. So, how to handle such a situation? What tips and suggestions should you follow? How should your diet be? How should you entertain yourself during this period? Read all about this and more such advice in the above post.

Agreed that eating too much of sugar increases your risk of several diseases and makes you obese. But did you know that cutting out sugar completely form your diet is not good either?

Dengue is a dreaded mosquito borne disease that can also prove to be fatal. There are several myths associated with this illness. Earlier it was thought that dengue fever cannot be transmitted through sex but a new study says otherwise.

Nasal hair dangling out of nostrils is so unsightly.  While men are most likely to have such protruding hairs, women in their late 30’s and 40’s also tend to grow such hair due to hormonal changes at that age.  Nasal hairs can be trimmed using trimmers for a well-groomed appearance. However, remember to never pluck out nasal hairs; always trim them. Read on to know more about nasal hair and grooming.

Only those who have suffered from a frozen shoulder know how torturous and self-debilitating it can be! In this post, a woman relates her ordeal with frozen, stiff shoulder and how with the right kind of medical advice, physiotherapy, exercises and will-power she managed to overcome her chronic pain and recover from it.

Spending quality time with family fosters strong bonds.  Reserving a day in a week as a family day and doing chores together, playing together, going for an outing or picnic together – all these boost your kids’ mental, cognitive and physical health. It’s good for yours and your spouse’s overall health and well-being as well.

I prepare this particular lemon chutney or nimbe gojju because it’s tasty and goes well as a side-dish with rice and curry. However, it has several health benefits too. Since this chutney uses the outer peel as well, its health benefits are more enhanced and its regular consumption can ensure a strong immune system, and a healthy skin.

I always remember this when I see my sister-in-law gulping glasses of milk throughout the day. I simply can’t understand her obsession with drinking milk in her middle-age. I did try to dissuade her by citing the above study which says that excess milk-drinking could increase her risk of brittle bones and osteoporosis but she doesn’t seem to like my well-intended advice. Don’t be like my sister-in-law!

Chewing gum does much more than just to freshen bad breath. It helps fight motion sickness, helps to relieve earaches in flights, relieves stress and anxiety, exercises your face and does a lot more things. However, as with everything moderation is the key. Chew gum sensibly and don’t overdo it.

A comprehensive essay on co-sleeping that you always wanted to know! How co-sleeping helps boding with your baby, its benefits, myths associated and dangers involved.

Cornstarch is a wonderful kitchen ingredient that can be used in variety of beauty recipes. For oily skin, as a scrub, to detangle hair, to remove oiliness from a greasy scalp etc are some of them.

You’ll have heard of using fruits, flowers and vegetable in DIY beauty recipes but using leaves in homemade beauty aids also work wonderfully. Read this compilation of how various leaves of different plants and creepers can be used for DIY beauty and for skin care and hair care.

If you are going to add serum to your skin care routine, it’s best to use an all-natural version. In this guide we’ll show you how to find the right serum for your skin type, how to use it and what natural face serums are!

Do go through this roundup of best posts, specially handpicked for you all, read the ones which you haven’t yet, and leave your valuable comments and inputs.

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