Here are the links to my original review of this novel for the review site The Vault of Books -->
or
My Rating: 2.75 stars out of 5
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Book Review: 'The Snowman' by Jo Nesbo
Here are the links to my original review of this novel for the review site The Vault of Books -->
or
My rating --> 4.25 stars out of 5
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
The licence to immunity
Everyday our body is attacked by bacteria, viruses, dust, weather changes, infections and a million more hostile environmental factors. Since the immune system in children is still developing, they have lower immunity than adults and hence are more vulnerable to falling ill as compared to adults.
Kids form our world, define our future. They are a reflection of our nation's health and progress. It's our duty to ensure that our children have a healthy environment that helps them develop a strong foundation and a body that is built on a strong immune system.
The need of today is to build a stronger, healthier, and a more immune India. Following are some points I'd surely like to highlight for this cause:
1. The first and foremost thing in order to build natural immunity in children is by giving him a proper balanced diet everyday.
The breakfast should include whole grains, the best example being porridge (daliya) taken with milk. Lunch should have vegetables along with chapati/roti. In the evenings, indulge them in eating fresh seasonal fruits; while dinner has to have dal/pulses along with roti/rice and salad.
Moreover, children should consume a whole lot of water between meals, or whenever they feel thirsty.
And most importantly, before sleeping they should be given a spoon full of Dabur Chyawanprash with lukewarm milk. Dabur Chyawanprash helps building the essential immunity inside children, while milk helps in digestion of the food when the body is asleep.
In other words, have a diet that includes fresh vegetables and fruits rich in anti-oxidants to keep your immune system strong as well as drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water to flush out toxins from your system.. Lots of fat food or junk food should be avoided in case of kids.
2. Second thing is maintaining hygiene in daily lives of children. Kids are hyper-energetic. They will interact, play, share, fight with other children in natural environments. That all is totally ok, let them do all this uninterrupted so that their body shall build natural defense mechanisms against foreign particles (germs). This will reduce stress from their minds as well as instill strong qualities thus building their character in long term.
But necessary care should be taken for their safety from disease causing germs. Make them take bath with a good anti-bacterial soap in the morning; and building a habit of washing hands after using toilet, or coming from play, and before taking any type of food will make up for their hygiene care and prevent them from falling ill.
3. Proper breast-feeding of an infant transfers immunity-enhancing antibodies into the baby, thus guarding him/her against various early age infections and diseases.
4. A child needs much more sleep time than regular adults. Let them sleep till they want to, because sleep deprivation in any case will result in destruction of natural killer cells in the body, thus lessening their immunity build-up. Try to get them adequate sleep (6 to 10 hours every night); sleep has been linked to balanced hormone levels.
5. Exercising one's body moderately never has its demerits. Instead it results in the necessary sweating (thus secreting toxins out of the body), thus making children stronger, healthier and more immune. Moderate exercise can support the immune system by increasing blood circulation and oxygenating the body.
6. Ayurveda recommends a number of herbs to boost immunity. Chyawanprash, a time-tested, age-old formulation has a number of herbs like Amla, known to be one of the best antioxidants, Giloy (Guduchi) known to have immuno modulatory properties, and has more than 40 other natural ingredients, to boost immunity.
7. Last but not the least, give children their own breathing space at home or outdoors. Do not always instruct them according to your own comfort level. Let children do what they want/need to do, as long as it's safe. Regularly asking them to do or not to do certain things/tasks will result in unnecessary over-stress in them, which is not at all healthy. Instead, let them explore the world in their own 'happy' way.
Now the above points were indicative of boosting natural immunity with kids. And one of the most important point that carries a grand weightage is to include Dabur Chyawanprash in the kids' diet daily because of its following properties:
(a) Dabur Chyawanprash has a number of herbs like – Amla known to be one of the best antioxidants, Giloy (Guduchi) known to have immuno-modulatory properties and has many other natural ingredients which helps to boost immunity. Also, its consumption increases NK cells (Natural Killer Cells) which are an essential part of our body’s immune system and fights germs, bacteria and infections by 3 times hence increasing our immunity by 3 times. Thus, Dabur Chyawanprash helps us in fighting against germs, viruses and helps protect against infections, making us free to take on the outdoors, unhygienic surroundings, weather changes, pollution etc.!
(b) Chyawanprash contains various Ayurvedic ingredients that help in boosting immunity, protect against infections, and provides nutrition and energy. As a formulation it is documented for improvement in memory, intelligence and growth promotion, so it is very popular as a health tonic for kids. It may be consumed by children from 3 years of age onward.
(c) Dabur Chyawanprash can be consumed in summers also. Germs causing infections know no season, and can strike you any time of the year. Daily intake of Dabur Chyawanprash strengthens your immune system & protects you all the year long. It is a myth that it can be used only during winter seasons.
(d) Dabur Chyawanprash is suitable for all age groups, starting from 3 years age onwards.
(e) Chyawanprash is being used since ages in almost every Indian household. No specific safety concern has been reported till date.
(f) Dabur Chyawanprash is the largest selling Chyawanprash brand in the country. It is available in over 15 lakh retail outlets in India. So you can easily get it in your nearest retail outlet and help booster your kids' immunity mechanism.
(g) Keeping in view children's cravings for different flavours, Dabur Chyawanprash is now also available in 3 different flavours: Mixed friut, Orange & Mango, to pamper the tastebuds of young India.
Conclusion: Dabur Chyawanprash has anti-oxidant properties & strengthens our body's internal defense mechanism, the immune system, thereby protecting us from everyday infections, cough, cold & stress etc. At a time when flu and viruses are everywhere, our immunity system provides the best prevention from these deadly diseases. And Dabur Chyawanprash proves to be the best bet in this case undoubtedly.
Dabur Chyawanprash, The Health Giver
- Derived from 2,500-year-old Ayurvedic formula
- Totally chemical-free, natural and safe
- Powerful combination of herbs and plant extracts in a base of Amla fruit pulp
- Refined by Dabur to provide traditional goodness with best quality
- Reinforces the immune system & helps fight disease
- Trusted health provider of a majority of Indian households
Note: Dabur Chyawanprash is clinically tested to boost immunity.
P.S. -- This post is for an IndiBlogger contest An Immune India in addition with Dabur Chyawanprash.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Smart Suraksha: Tips for Being Safe
When it comes to your safety, there is no other option but to be Smart! When we are caught in an unwanted situation, there’s nothing that strikes us owing to the fear created and we end up landing ourselves into more trouble instead of getting out of the situation safely. It is always better to keep some tips ready in your head so that you, even as an impulse reaction, do the right thing and end up safe. Smart Suraksha App is one such application for Android phones which at the touch of a single button sends your message of help to five pre-chosen contacts on your phone. Another great feature of this app being that along with your message, it also fetches and sends your location to the chosen contacts even if the GPS setting on your phone is switched off. This ensures that at all times you are reachable to your close ones and that your safety is ensured.
1. Install and trial run Smart Suraksha App so as to ensure no-panick mode when confronted with any security challenge in reality.
2. Practice calling our for HELP loudly so as to give yourself an extra confidence of using the same when faced with a situation demanding the same.
3. Never hesitate to run while calling out for help whenever you see yourself in a tricky situation concerning your safety.
4. Always keep an extra phone battery and pepper spray with you, just in case.
5. If possible, try to keep extra company of friend(s) with you during the darker hours of the day/night, just to be safe than sorry.
6. Learn little bit of martial arts for your own protection, and use them if and when need arises.
7. Save the women helpline numbers of police as well as NGOs into your phone. Better to have such a backup to fall upon, if nothing else works
8. Always keep atleast someone in your friend circle informed about your whereabouts, by messaging or calling them (in rotation) regarding your location/situation at hand.
9. Whenever you sense weirdness about your safety, try to come to a nearyby crowded place, and start talking loudly (faking a phone call, or just shouting to noone in particular) so as to attract attention towards you, thereby discouraging the predator.
10. Make a note of these and more preventive tricks into your phone or diary, and revise them atleast once a day, so that your mind remains conscious always how to come out of any uncomfortable situation asap.
Hope my safety tips help you in some way or the other, rather I hope you never get to use them, such should be the environment in every city/village of our country. But just in case, precaution is always better than cure. So prepare yourself in advance and just remember - you are your first saviour, ma'm!
Delhi: I suggest
Voicing issues doesn’t solve them!
There is a plan to be made. There is a process that needs to be followed. There is an action that needs to be taken.
Everybody is so willing and ready to criticize or complain about everything. On the other hand, there are very few people who want to actually take a problem in their hands and try to solve it. We are not suggesting you take it in your hand and solve it, but only saying that along with the issues, you need to voice your valuable solutions as well. There are enough who talk about the issues and stop, we encourage you to think of solutions too!
I've seen the problems around me and discussed the issues in my Delhi Manifesto that I think need to be addressed and improved at the earliest. Pondering over those issues, I am hereby trying to provide the respective solutions for the same.
1. Transparency in Governance can be brought out by reducing red-tapism in bureaucracy, and by instilling a sense of real public service in the minds of public servants.
2. It's high time that the heavily demanded JanLokPal bill be passed in the capital Vidhan Sabha (as well as the Indian Parliament). This will ensure minimization of corruption and crime in politics.
3. One of the most concerning agenda of my manifesto is to make our Delhi totally safe for women, where one could roam free of fear any time of the day. First and foremost, Moral education in academic institutions as well as in residential societies and slum areas needs to be propagated for public to accept females as an equal and independent entity. Secondly, police attitude towards even minor eve-teasing cases needs to be bettered. System should support the reporting of policemen/women's misconduct while dealing in such cases. It is high time every individual learns to respect oneself and the other gender equally.
4. Electricity should be regularized by bringing public and private partnership, so as to ensure the control of power generation in State hands, while maintenance and distribution to be governed by private sector. This will bring in harmonizing the power shortage of the capital city equally for residential and industrial purposes.
5. Even when it ain't the raining season, most of Delhi roads can be found littered with garbage, or full of potholes. Now this is a question of public conscience as well as govt. responsibility. One needs to properly put his/her litter in the garbage bins (number should be increased). People should keep any waste product with them after usage and properly dump them only when they come across dustbins. Govt., on the other hand, has to make sure of the better construction using A-quality road materials, and periodical repairing of the same, so as to avoid the inconvenience of potholes even in the autumn.
6. Traffic sense - how many of us have really got it? The main cause of accidents are either we ourselves when we are not following traffic rules, or the others doing the same. Public awareness through regular programmes need to be build up, thus inculcating traffic sense into them, and it is the need of the hour. The govt. has to make aam janta understand that driving comes with responsibility, not just fun.
7. Beggars on the streets (mostly at traffic signals) of our capital city have always been a source of nuisance for everyone. Beggar management schemes need to be channeled out so as to provide them with proper living and work to sustain themselves.
8. Delhi Metro has put itself up as the best managed transportation system. But the rest of Road transportation still needs a huge infrastructural boost. It is good, but it can be much better. The input suggestions of public could play a very important role in improving the same.
9. Crime will automatically be challenged if education is made compulsory to all. People from other states pouring into the city should be monitored and provided basic support to start up their livelihood so that they don't turn to crime to meet their ends.
These are just a few of my suggestions towards my Delhi Manifesto presented earlier in a blogpost. There is so much to do and can be done if we just maintain a positive attitude towards our own responsibilities and duties, in addition to the government's.
2. It's high time that the heavily demanded JanLokPal bill be passed in the capital Vidhan Sabha (as well as the Indian Parliament). This will ensure minimization of corruption and crime in politics.
3. One of the most concerning agenda of my manifesto is to make our Delhi totally safe for women, where one could roam free of fear any time of the day. First and foremost, Moral education in academic institutions as well as in residential societies and slum areas needs to be propagated for public to accept females as an equal and independent entity. Secondly, police attitude towards even minor eve-teasing cases needs to be bettered. System should support the reporting of policemen/women's misconduct while dealing in such cases. It is high time every individual learns to respect oneself and the other gender equally.
4. Electricity should be regularized by bringing public and private partnership, so as to ensure the control of power generation in State hands, while maintenance and distribution to be governed by private sector. This will bring in harmonizing the power shortage of the capital city equally for residential and industrial purposes.
5. Even when it ain't the raining season, most of Delhi roads can be found littered with garbage, or full of potholes. Now this is a question of public conscience as well as govt. responsibility. One needs to properly put his/her litter in the garbage bins (number should be increased). People should keep any waste product with them after usage and properly dump them only when they come across dustbins. Govt., on the other hand, has to make sure of the better construction using A-quality road materials, and periodical repairing of the same, so as to avoid the inconvenience of potholes even in the autumn.
6. Traffic sense - how many of us have really got it? The main cause of accidents are either we ourselves when we are not following traffic rules, or the others doing the same. Public awareness through regular programmes need to be build up, thus inculcating traffic sense into them, and it is the need of the hour. The govt. has to make aam janta understand that driving comes with responsibility, not just fun.
7. Beggars on the streets (mostly at traffic signals) of our capital city have always been a source of nuisance for everyone. Beggar management schemes need to be channeled out so as to provide them with proper living and work to sustain themselves.
8. Delhi Metro has put itself up as the best managed transportation system. But the rest of Road transportation still needs a huge infrastructural boost. It is good, but it can be much better. The input suggestions of public could play a very important role in improving the same.
9. Crime will automatically be challenged if education is made compulsory to all. People from other states pouring into the city should be monitored and provided basic support to start up their livelihood so that they don't turn to crime to meet their ends.
These are just a few of my suggestions towards my Delhi Manifesto presented earlier in a blogpost. There is so much to do and can be done if we just maintain a positive attitude towards our own responsibilities and duties, in addition to the government's.
P.S. -- This is My Delhi Manifesto in association with BlogAdda.com
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
I wish She had Smart Suraksha with her
As soon as I heard about this contest from BlogAdda, the first image in my mind was of the Damini case last Dec. in Delhi. The girl was brutally tortured, raped, and left to die. But the first thing her captors did was to throw off her mobile phone, so that she won't be able to contact or alert any of her contacts about the pre-assumed danger she was going to fall in. How I wish that time she would have a suitable mobile phone app which at a touch of single button could send a SOS message to her contacts! She could have been saved the cruel ordeal...
Trouble doesn’t announce its arrival! Anyone can be attacked by anything like adverse situations or the wrong people at anytime, even in broad daylight. If a girl is cornered in a deserted area, her screams for help may go unnoticed. The Smart Suraksha App is an Android Application that aims at making the women feel safe. This App, at the press of a single button, sends your message of help to five pre-chosen contacts from your contact list. An additional feature of this app is that along with your message for help, it also sends across your location even if the GPS on your cellphone is switched off. Thus, the women can be reassured that there is help available at all times.
We hear disheartening incidents almost on a daily basis. In such times, it is important that we have applications like these so that everyone gets aware of the safety of their loved ones. It is our duty as fellow citizens to try and help instead of letting the scenario get worse.
Therefore, I appeal to all my female friends to get more know-how of this app, and my male friends to ask their female acquaintances making them aware about the same. I sincerely hope that my post will be of immense help to all the womenfolk because if they are ever caught in a similar situation, they will sure be in a better position to handle it.
P.S. -- I am participating in the Seeking Smart Suraksha contest at BlogAdda.com in association with Smart Suraksha App.
My Delhi Manifesto
India as a country is in a very dual state as of now. On one end we’re enjoying impeccable success in fields like science and technology while on the other a few negatives like poverty and corruption keep pulling our nation behind while we dream of striding ahead. Problems like these cannot be eradicated at a single go. A lot of meticulous planning and timely execution goes into the process. There has to be a step taken with the view of change, primarily of the attitude, and further on, of the action! Every change begins from the heart! Your heart tells you that you were wrong and you feel the need to change what has been done and you act accordingly!
For the society, the people form its heart! Thus, if there has to be a change, it has to begin and come from the people, alone!
‘There’s no nation that is perfect, it has to be made so!’, a quote from the movie Rang De Basanti seems to fit in so apt at this juncture where we stand. Delhi, the capital of India stands tall in spite of everything it faces! Many problems, hidden injuries, some scars affecting the grandeur but it manages to maintain its eternal peace and beauty for the onlooker. It indeed is the heart of the nation, we referring to it as Dilwalon Ki Dilli isn’t a co-incidence after all! If there’s a change that India has to see, we believe it should begin from the heart and thereby spread to the other states as well.
Below are some of the very important points I want to cover in My Delhi Manifesto:
1. Transparency in Governance
2. JanLokPal bill in effect
3. Safe for Women Delhi
4. Enhanced electricity generation
5. Repairing of potholes and non-littered roads
6. Accident-free Delhi
7. Reduction in increasing number of beggars on the street
8. Better urban transportation system (apart from Delhi Metro)
9. Minimal crime capital
P.S. -- This is http://www.delhimanifesto.com" target="_blank">My Delhi Manifesto
1. Transparency in Governance
2. JanLokPal bill in effect
3. Safe for Women Delhi
4. Enhanced electricity generation
5. Repairing of potholes and non-littered roads
6. Accident-free Delhi
7. Reduction in increasing number of beggars on the street
8. Better urban transportation system (apart from Delhi Metro)
9. Minimal crime capital
P.S. -- This is http://www.delhimanifesto.com" target="_blank">My Delhi Manifesto
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
My Easy Doodle Recipe - Eggy Maggi!
And here comes VPS special Eggy Maggi.... dhan te nan! :)
With my Morphy Richards electric kettle and all-time availability of Maggi and eggs at my flat (with no kitchen), I prefer the following doodle recipe atleast once every week(end). Savour it yourself! ;)
P.S. -- My Doodle recipe is a part of Easy Doodle Recipe contest at BlogAdda.com in association with TastyKhana.com
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