Health

The Lean Snack Nutrition Bars

September 24, 2018 Swati 2 Comments

Nutrition Bars are really popular these days but I fall into the skeptics bracket. I have always been worried about the ingredients that go into making them, especially for the protein bars and the preservatives. Somehow, I always equate them to the factory processed foods.

So when The Lean Snack came under my radar, I was not sure. I asked them for their ingredient list and product literature before even checking out their website. So, what do I think about them?

The Lean Snack Nutrition Bars

Price : Rs 60 for 30 gms (they have packs of 4, 8,16 and 24 which are even more economical!)

Availability : Website

Ingredients

Do you take care of your EARS?

September 14, 2018 Swati 1 Comment

ear buds, ears — Image Courtesy Pixabay.com via pexels.com

Updated from 18th April 2010. Revamping an extremely old post. Grooming and taking care of personal hygiene is an important part of looking beautiful and that covers all parts of our body. So, we shall be focussing on how to keep our ears healthy and clean.

So, today, instead of talking about skin or eyes or hair, I would like to focus on Ears. Many people do not realize how to take care of their ears and what precautions they should take to prevent ear infections. Ears are the most taken-for-granted parts of your body. We abuse our ears so much without realizing that we are doing it. One should realize that ears are very sensitive and very much prone to fungal infections. Any wrong thing can cost us our hearing.

Many people use anything to clean their ears like pencils, pens, keys and even, their fingers unconsciously. Please remember there are things called ear buds which can be used very safely to clean the wax.
But, there is a limit to using ear buds also. Excessive usage of ear buds can push wax deeper into the ear instead of bringing it out. And, you would end up blocking you ear tunnel which leads to a lot of itching and irritation in the ear and can even impair your hearing abilities.
Then, there are many ear drops available in the market. They actually help to clean your ears by expanding the wax just as a cake rises when your use baking soda. Thus, bringing the wax on to the surface of the ear. But, these ear drops when used very frequently cause fungal infections in the ear and you could actually end up closing your ear. You can even feel the pressure difference in between both the ears and your hearing ability will suffer temporarily.
Another thing of concern is excessive of piercings done in the ear or usage of all kinds of artificial jewelery which is made from cheap metals which are toxic to human body. If your skin is too sensitive, you could end up being a very bad case of metal reaction in your ear and it is very painful. And, if the piercings are not done carefully, your ear veins might end up injured and you could again get a reaction in the ear. Too many piercings may be quite cool but are very dangerous in that sense.

How to deal with these issues?

Always remember that ear wax is an ear protection mechanism to avoid foreign particles and organisms from entering the ear so cleaning up the wax is actually bad for your ear.
The human body mechanism is such that it forces the wastes out of the body automatically so do not worry that the wax would stay inside and clog up in the tunnel. When enough of wax would accumulate, it is pushed to the surface of the ear. You can clean your ear by wiping your ear with a wet cotton ball (squeeze hard to let out all the water it has soaked so as to avoid water running into your ear).
Avoid using buds too frequently. Clean your ears once in two weeks or when you feel stickiness on the surface of your ear (whichever is later) and when using the ear buds, make sure you do not dig deep into the ear tunnel but clean only on the surface of the ear.
Take precautions not to let water enter your ears while taking a shower or during swimming. It is also one of the main reasons for fungal infections in the ear.

How to Manage Mental Health and Stress?

August 21, 2018 PSCfy Partner 2 Comments

apollo, scleroderma, mental health, stress — Image Courtesy via pexels.com

Mental Health is one of the most understated issues of the day. We rush to the doctors on the first physical symptom of illness but continuous stress and struggle with life does not impress us enough to take our mental health seriously. It is quite important for people to realize healthy brain is essential for a healthy life. And, our lifestyle and relationships have a particular affect on how healthy our brain is.

Our body can undergo biological and chemical changes due to our mental health and in turn it can affect our heart condition. So, it is imperative that we learn to manage both our mental and physical health for overall well-being. So, let us see how we can manage the enormous amount of stress prevailing in our lives.

How to manage Mental Health and Stress?

Create a Healthy Work-Life Balance

Excessive working hours and stressing out too much about career is detrimental to our health. This is especially true for women and if you are a working mother, stress and hectic work life can take a real toll. Depending on how demanding your role is, the amount of decisions which rest with you and security of the job are all factors which lead to stress.

Financial Planning

True Elements Make My Muesli Grainy Mix

August 7, 2018 PSCfy Partner 4 Comments

Do you like having breakfast? What do you like for your breakfast? I love a huge breakfast but I hate to make one for myself. Who wants to slave in the kitchen the moment you get up, right? And, I want my breakfast right away. Thus, my fallback option is cereals. True Elements Make My Muesli is a lovely concept which makes it easier for me to choose what combination of cereal do I want.

Cereals have always been my friends though I know the high sugar content do not make them as desirable breakfast options as we would like them to be. So, when I got to know about this interesting customizable cereal from True Elements, I was definitely curious. And, I have to mention here that I am not really a big fan of muesli. You have to keep on chewing it and it takes ages for just one morsel!!

True Elements Make My Muesli Grainy Mix

Price : Rs 315.50 for 400gms

Availability : Online Website

Let me start with the packaging. As you can see, it comes in a cylindrical cardboard carton, the muesli being packed in the regular aluminum packs. The one I got was grainy mix with goji berries, cranberries, hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds. It supposedly has honey in it as sweetener but I am not sure how do they put it in a dry mix. The cereal was hardly sweet.

Top 5 Post Pregnancy Measures To Get Back In Shape

July 16, 2018 Swati 2 Comments

pregnancy, losing weight after delivery — Image Courtesy @ Wayne Evans via pexels.com

Life after you become a mother is never the same – everything from your priorities to your perspectives undergoes a revolution. Where you were once called the social butterfly among your friend circle, you are today known as the “overly attached mother”. At one time going shopping meant raiding the entire mall buying outfits, accessories and makeup for yourself; today it means stocking your tote with nappies, toys, and clothes for your little one. Pregnancy is one of the biggest changes in a woman.

Besides the whirlwind of changes in your schedule, your social life, and your life choices, what also undergoes a major change through the course of your pregnancy and motherhood is your body. Sure the experience of being a mother to a beautiful baby is highly enriching and fulfilling, but the fact that your body has lost its vitality and tone can pull you down tremendously. To quickly get back to your fitter self, you may resort to high-intensity exercises and fad diets, but these measures can do you more harm than good. Here are five safe post pregnancy measures to get back in shape:

Don’t Rush It

One of the biggest mistakes made by new mothers is that they turn on the weight loss mode immediately after giving birth even before they are mentally or physically ready. Especially if you’ve had a C-section delivery, doctors advise that you wait at least for six weeks before embarking on a fitness quest.

Heavy workouts can hinder your healing process while also exhausting and discouraging you from continuing the weight loss process. It is important that you take it slow initially and gradually increase the intensity of your workouts. Practicing exercises like walking, kegels and lifting light weights can help expedite your healing process while easing you into the weight loss mode.