How to Improve your Sleep

Sleep is a major part of our lives. What we do know is that sleep has many health benefits and getting a good night’s sleep is the key to feeling energized every day. Understanding sleep can help you improve your health and may even extend your life.

Good sleep strategies are essential to deep, restorative sleep you can count on, night after night. By learning to avoid common enemies of sleep and trying out a variety of healthy sleep-promoting techniques, you can discover your personal prescription to a good night’s rest.

Each individual’s sleep need varies. For the majority of adults, the daily sleep need is between 7 and 9 hours. Some people need even more than 9 hours and others need less than 7, but this is rare. If you are awake and alert during the day and feel satisfied with your sleep, then you are getting enough sleep.

·       Sleeping Place. Is your sleeping space comfortable? Look at light, noise and temperature. How about your bed? Is it too firm or too soft?

·       Be smart about napping. While taking a nap can be a great way to recharge, especially for older adults, it can make insomnia worse. If insomnia is a problem for you, consider eliminating napping. If you must nap, do it in the early afternoon, and limit it to thirty minutes.

·       Develop a sleep routine. Going to bed at the same time; rituals such as having a cup of relaxing tea and then washing up, and the like.

·       Try relaxing. Mediate, take a bath, listen to soft music, read a gentle book, get a massage. If worries are keeping you awake, try journalism – it may provide a way for you to “release” the worry onto paper and thus relax and sleep.

·       Eat a balanced diet. We all know that our eating habits are closely related to our health. So it won’t come as a surprise that maintaining a balanced diet and a healthy weight will have a positive impact on your sleep.

How to Stop Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol belongs to a family of poisons. Ethyl alcohol, the main intoxicating ingredient in wine, beer and distilled liquor is a toxic drug which depresses the brain and nervous system. Alcohol is not changed or digested in any way. It is quickly absorbed in the body blood stream and then travels to every part of the body, adversely affecting vital organs like the brain and liver.

Drinking Alcohol Effects: -

• Puffy face with blood shot eyes
• Hoarse voice
• Rapid pulse
• Impaired judgment
• Disturbed sleep

Few vitamins acquired in process of burning alcohol in body, so vitamin deficiency can lead to a convulsions, neuritis disorders of the eyes and impaired memory. Excessive drinking often causes premature graying of hair due to vitamin deficiency. Chronic alcoholism results depletion of minerals in body, particularly Magnesium, which produces symptoms like tremor of hands, feet and tongue.

Dietary Treatment:-

The most effective way to treat alcoholism is to build the body’s nutritional integrity so as to prevent the carving for stimulants like drinks. Take only juice at least 10 days in the beginning: During the juice usually no craving for alcohol. After that diet should consist of whole grain cereals, nuts seeds and sprouts, fresh fruit and veg.

Diet Plan:-

Early Morning: A glass of Luke warm water with half a freshly squeezed lime and teaspoon of honey.
Breakfast: Fresh fruits and a cup of milk.
Mid – Morning: A glass of fresh fruit Juice.
Lunch: Steamed vegetables, whole chapattis and buttermilk.
Mid Afternoon: A glass of carrot or sugarcane juice.
Dinner: A good sized raw vegetables salad and sprouts.

Note: Take frequently small meals rather than two or three large ones. In case of craving for alcohol, take one glass of fresh fruit juice.

Avoid: Sugar, white rice, macaroni and white flour products, meals, strong condiments and smoking.

Other pleasures: Proper rest, exercise and yoga.

By following these easy to adapt tips live an alcohol free life… make your drinking diary and write down daily goals, problems you have to overcome and good thoughts to cut down on your drinking habits.

FAMOUS VIETNAMESE SNAKE WINE

Snake wine is an alcoholic beverage that includes a whole venomous snake in the bottle. It originated in Vietnam and can be found around Southeast Asia. The snakes, preferably venomous ones, are usually not preserved for their meat. They are preserved to have the snake poison dissolved in the liquor. However, because snake venom is protein-based, they are unfolded and therefore inactivated due to the influence of the denaturing effects of ethanol. A large venomous snake can be placed into a glass jar of rice wine, often with many smaller snakes, turtles, insects, or birds, and left to steep for many months. The wine is drunk as a restorative in small shots or cups. Body fluids of snake are mixed into wine and consumed immediately in the form of a shot. Snake blood wine is prepared by slicing a snake along its belly and draining its blood into a mixing vat with rice wine or grain alcohol. Snake bile wine is done through a similar method by using the contents of the gall bladder. Snake meat, liver, and skin can be prepared to accompany the drinks.

Source: fbpedia

Camphor- The effective & healthy mosquito repellent

Malaria and Dengue are on a steep rise. We all must be using liquid or the old blue tablet type of mosquito repellents sold under various names. Despite their use, it is common to see mosquitoes hovering around with the best of repellents in action. Many people land up with allergies due to them.

Earlier man would light diyas and burn camphor on a regular basis as a part of daily prayer. These helped to purify the air and keep harmful bacteria, viruses and mosquitoes away. Here are Benefits of Camphor:

Camphor has many known medicinal uses-

1. It relieves nasal congestion and cough when rubbed on the chest as an oil.
2. Camphor is used as an ingredient in throat lozenges and cough syrups and in Vicks.
3. Camphor is also used in some anti-itch ointments, creams and cooling gels because it is can be absorbed through skin and is effective at treating pain locally.
4. It has an analgesic effect which makes it a favourite oil to be used in pain relieving massage blends for sore muscles and arthritic pain.
5. Camphor is known to improve the quality of air making it a better for our lungs and heart.Many people are not aware of the Mosquito repellent power of Camphor – a simple solution without side effects and very cost effective.

CAMPHOR IS A NATURAL MOSQUITO REPELLENT. You do not need to burn it for that. There are two easier ways to do it -

1. Put 2 tablets of commercially available camphor on any warm surface

2. Place 2 tablets of camphor on different corners of the room or at places where mosquitoes seem to love to stay. Leave them there and they will evaporate in a day or so keeping the air purer and mosquito free.

You will be amazed at the results! Do experience it and help spread these healthy tips!

Hair care tips for summer to protect your hair from sun damage

 
Here are the top ten hair care tips for summer to protect your hair from sun damage.

1. Don't wash your hair more than twice a week if at all possible.

Many of the lubricants your hair needs to stay silky and smooth after sun exposure are made by the scalp itself, but if you wash them away, your hair can only dry out. If there is something you need to get out of your hair, try rinsing without shampoo.

When you do have to use shampoo, the best shampoos for your hair are lower in pH, which makes them gentler on the cuticle that holds your hair in place. Shampoos that contain humectants attract moisture to your hair and hold it there.

It's also important to make sure that you use shampoos that don't contain sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate. These chemicals can irritate your scalp, and, in extreme cases, even make your hair fall out.

It's only extreme cases, however, that these common hair care chemicals are a real problem. A few years ago, clinical tests found that a 5% solution of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) caused hair loss. Most commercial shampoos are 10 to 20% SLS.

These tests, however, also required volunteers to keep the shampoo on their hair for a full five hours. The bottom line is, completely rinsing the shampoo out of your hair, if you have to use a brand that is made with SLS, protects your hair. Rinsing after a minute or so greatly reduces the risk of hair damage

Also, since you definitely need to wash your hair after swimming, especially after swimming in salt water, you will need to war a bathing cap or to avoid swimming more often than twice a week.

2. Massage your scalp every time you shampoo.

Massaging your scalp stimulates the production of hair-protective sebum, but be careful that you don't tug on fragile hair. You want to stimulate the oil glands in your scalp to produce the sebum that lubricates your hair and makes it full, but you don't want to pull out damaged hair.

3. Use conditioner after every shampoo.

Conditioner can replace the body shampooing takes out of your hair, but some conditioners are worse than no treatment at all. Any conditioner that contains alcohol, essential oils, or fragrances can dry out both your hair and your scalp.

4. Air-dry. Don't blow dry.

Don't use a blow drier to dry your hair. The heat from your blow drier only compounds sun damage. If you must use a blow drier, turn it to its lowest setting and use a diffuser, a filter you place on the end of your blow drier.

5. Use appropriate hair restoration products.

The right product for your hair depends on whether your hair is thick or thin, straight or curly, naturally oily or naturally dry. There are so many hair restoration products that sometimes it is hard to know where to look. Here are some hair care tips for perusing the product aisles:

•    If you have thick, curly, or coarse hair, you can rehydrate with Aussie 3-Minute Miracle Hair Mask. Just apply to the hair for three minutes and rinse away.

•    If you have thin, brittle, straight hair, you will get better results with a product like Phytosesame Express Hydrating Conditioner. It also rejuvenates hair in minutes.

•    For split ends and other problem areas, you might want to try J.F. Lazartigue Vita-Cream with Milk Proteins after you shampoo. This product is usually applied only to problem areas.

Or you might be able to take care of dry hair with just a drop or two of jojoba oil. The important thing to remember that no single product works for every kind of hair. If you are on a strict budget, however, about half a teaspoon (2 ml) of safflower or olive oil rubbed into your hair after showering, being careful not to use too much, may also be helpful. Always spread the product up your hair away from your scalp, not down your hair toward your scalp.

6. Avoid using hair mousse on dry, brittle hair.

Mousse can dry out your hair. Use a hair-thickening agent instead. Hair straighteners, relaxants, and dyes should also be avoided on dry hair.

7. While you can apply a conditioner that contains sunscreen to your hair after you shampoo, it's more important to avoid overheating your hair.

Whether or not heating is due to direct exposure your hair to the sun, it's heat that causes dry hair, not the sunlight itself. Cover your hair with a hat when you go out door, preferably one with a broad brim that also protects your face, ears, and neck.

8. Avoid the combination of heat and oil on your hair, unless you are using essential oils.

All oils seal moisture in your hair. If you "cook" most oils on your hair, however, they will form a barrier that not only seals old moisture in but also seals new moisture out. It's important to apply any oil to your hair after your blow dry or use a curling oil, not before.

9. And with all that you do to keep your hair lustrous and silky, make sure it doesn't flop down into your face.

Hair oils are a major cause of blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples. The most important hair care tip for keeping your skin blemish-free is to keep your hair out of your face.

10. Finally, no list of hair care tips would be complete without a reminder to take care of your hair from the inside out. 

It's relatively rare for nutritional factors to be the sole cause of dry hair, although this can happen when there is a deficiency of the B vitamin biotin. Consuming large amounts of raw egg white, usually in protein supplements, or taking large amounts of R-lipoic or alpha-lipoic acid, can result in biotin deficiency. The particular B vitamin deficiency is most common in people who have blond or strawberry-blond hair.

Most of the time it's enough to make sure you keep well hydrated, by drinking at least eight cups (about 2 liters) of water every day, eating foods that include n-3 essential fatty acids (such as olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fish), and getting your recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals all support naturally flexible, silky, lustrous hair that stands up to sun and heat.

Source: Robert Rister

FAIRNESS TIPS FOR MEN

1. Take mashed banana and few drops of honey. Apply this paste to your face and leave it for ten minutes. Wash off with lukewarm water. This is good tip for smooth skin.

2. Take almond, neem leaf, sandal wood, turmeric and poppy seeds. Grind these ingredients into a fine paste using milk or rose water. It makes skin will very smooth.

3. After your shave you should apply oil free moisturizer. This moisturizer will help to protect your face.

4. Use sunscreen lotion at least SPF 15 when your going outside. Sunscreen lotion can to protect the face.

5. Mix milk and lemon juice to a spoon of turmeric powder. Apply it on your face and leave it for 15 minutes before washing off. This tip gives excellent result for fairness.

5. Grind dried orange peels with raw milk. Scrub your face before going to bath is gives fairness to men.

 

NATURAL TREATMENT FOR WHITE HAIR

                No matter what type of hair nature blessed you with; there are things you can do to keep it healthy, lustrous, looking its best.

For many people, hair turning gray or white can be very embarrassing, particularly when it happens before a certain age. But due to their hectic lifestyles these days both men and women suffer from hair loss, dandruff problems and premature graying of hair. As one gets older, the hair loses its natural color and turns grey. But premature graying is a morose condition wherein even the young appear old due to the color of their hair. This is of much concern to men and women alike.

A few herbal and home remedies for hair loss, premature graying and dandruff are mentioned herein:

REMEDY 1

Amla or the Indian gooseberry is an excellent tonic for premature graying of hair and preventing hair loss. Cut a few Amla fruits into pieces, dry it in shade and boil in coconut oil until the solid matter is well cooked and appears dark in color. This oil when massaged into the scalp every day is the best medicine for premature graying of hair. Even the water in which a few dried pieces of Amla are soaked overnight can be used for rinsing hair. This is very nourishing and helps prevent premature graying. Also massaging Amla juice, mixed with almond oil and few drops of lime juice every night is found to be beneficial in treating premature graying of hair.

REMEDY 2

For white hair apply a mixture of coconut oil and curry leaves. This treatment can be done on a daily basis. Take ½ a cup of curry leaves and 1/8 cup of coconut oil in a saucepan. Bring it to boil at medium flame. Keep the pan aside till the mixture has cooled down to the room temperature. Gently massage this mixture onto your scalp and leave for 20 minutes. Wash your head with lukewarm water and mild shampoo.

REMEDY 3

Adding curry leaves to one’s regular diet has proven to be beneficial in treating premature graying of hair, as the curry leaves add strength and vitality to hair. Curry leaves can also be boiled in coconut oil and applied regularly for healthy hair.

REMEDY 4

A mixture of carrot seed essential oil and sesame oil can be applied to the scalp and roots of the hair to help cure white hair. To make this treatment, combine ½ teaspoon of carrot seed essential oil and 4 tablespoon of sesame oil in a dark, clean glass bottle with air tight lid and shake well to mix. Gently massage the mixture onto the scalp and roots of your hair and leave it on for 30 minutes.

REMEDY 5

Mixture of buttermilk and curry leaves. You just need to mix a tablespoon of curry leaves to a cup of buttermilk. Apply on your scalp and massage gently. Wash after 30 minutes.

REMEDY 6

To restore the colour of your hair apply mixture of lime juice, amla juice and almond oil. You can safely keep this mixture in refrigerator for 3days. To make the mixture take 4 tablespoon of almond oil, 1 tablespoon of amla and lemon juice. Gently massage on scalp and leave for 45 minutes. Wash your head with cool water and moisturizing shampoo. For best results apply this mixture on daily basis.

Point to Remember:

Never attack wet hair with a brush, no matter how rushed for time you are. Tangles in wet hair are best removed with a wide-toothed comb. Use a wooden comb if you can find one it won’t generate static electricity. Excessive blow-drying can damage hair in the long-term, making it brittle and causing split ends. If you can, let your hair dry naturally, then brush into place.

source:  Health magazine

IS 21 DECEMBER 2012 REALLY A DOOMSDAY?

IS 21 DECEMBER 2012 REALLY A DOOMSDAY…?
(Mayan Calendar)

·         The Mayans were skilled mathematicians.

·         The Mayans had an elaborate calendar system, no longer in use, which obviously evolved in complete isolation from those of the old world.

·         During the 1990s, archeologists, with great analysis, were able to fill in many of the gaps in our knowledge of Mayan civilization, including the calendar system. (Many gaps were filled, BUT MANY GAPS STILL EXIST).

·         Their calendar ends on 21 Dec. 2012.

·         This system ended with the fall of the Mayan civilization. Most of the remaining knowledge of it was destroyed by the Spanish during the conquest.

·         It is possible that they were not able to create a calendar further than Dec. 21 2012 because of their fall. And after all, you cannot expect someone to create calendar/calendars that would last up till the end of humanity (if so).

·         In fact, there is nothing stated in Mayan calendar regarding 21 Dec. 2012 as
Doomsday.

·         Great deal of nonsense has been claimed that the calendar will 'come to an end' in the near future, and along with it will arrive a Mayan apocalypse, a pole shift, earth change, cosmic convergence, etc.

·         Ironically, for most of the living descendents of the ancient Mayans themselves, it's just the end of another calendar cycle or simply another day.

·         The usual modern profiteers one would expect to see promoting such doomsday scenarios have all become involved such as: Hollywood movies, mainstream network, television segments, cable television, documentaries, radio programs, public lectures, websites, and book publications too…

·         The rumor of Mayan calendar and its Doomsday came into light around the year
2001-2002., but the movie '2012' acted just like 'fuel to the fire'.

·         In fact, the makers of '2012' clearly told that "This movie is just for entertainment
purpose, though it mentions Mayan calendar, it has nothing to do with it.”.

·         It is simply over hyped by them to gain profit.

·         You will celebrate (may be more enthusiastically) the arrival of new year ’13 in
the same way as you celebrated the new year ’12 few months ago.

The chances of Earth meeting its end on 21 Dec. 2012 are the same as of its getting
attacked by an alien on 7 April 2012.

PAN CARD- WHAT IT EXPLAINS?

PAN CARD- WHAT IT EXPLAINS?
PAN is a 10 digit alpha numeric number, where the first 5 characters are letters, the next 4 numbers and the last one a letter again. These 10 characters can be divided in five parts as can be seen below. The meaning of each number has been explained further.
1. First three characters are alphabetic series running from AAA to ZZZ
2. Fourth character of PAN represents the status of the PAN holder.
* C — Company
* P — Person
* H — HUF(Hindu Undivided Family)
* F — Firm
* A — Association of Persons (AOP)
* T — AOP (Trust)
* B — Body of Individuals (BOI)
* L — Local Authority
* J — Artificial Juridical Person
* G — Government
3. Fifth character represents first character of the PAN holder’s last name/surname.
4. Next four characters are sequential number running from 0001 to 9999.
5. Last character in the PAN is an alphabetic check digit.
 

Nowadays, the DOI (Date of Issue) of PAN card is mentioned at the right (vertical) hand side of the photo on the PAN card.