All posts by HealthyLife

HealthyLife is a part of www.WeRIndia.com, an all India – centric website (https://healthylife.werindia.com) and is solely owned and operated by WeRIndia.com. It is a Indian nutritional portal providing educational articles.This nutritional port was launched on February 5th, 2015.
Removing unwanted hair natural way

Removing unwanted hair natural way

Instead of using chemicals on the body one can use natural ways to get rid of that “unwanted” hair from various parts of the body. In women, these unwanted hairs develop when androgens and testosterone hormones increases in the body.

Shaving, tweezing and threading are common techniques one can use, however these methods need to be repeated often.

There are other different ways to remove unwanted hair that does not permit growth of hair for long time.

1. Sugar wax: 

Use sugar and lemon juice this way!

  • Heat sugar in a pan with lemon juice and prepare a sticky paste.
  • Allow it cool for about 15 minutes.
  • Apply little facial powder to the affected area followed by aiding the sugary paste/wax – spread it using a wooden spoon. Leave for few minutes
  • Use a cloth, apply on the surface of the paste and quickly pull the cloth – it hurts a little but you can manage.
  1. Waxing: Lower leg and underarm hairs can be removed by waxing. Waxing removes hair for a longer period without producing any stubble.
  2. Spearmint Tea: Drink a cup of spearmint tea in the morning every day. Spearmint tea can help decrease the testosterone levels.
  3. Raw papaya: For facial hair removal turmeric with raw papaya helps too. Prepare papaya paste by peeling and grinding raw papaya pieces. Mix turmeric powder with raw papaya paste. Apply on the face and massage slowly. Wash using Luke warm water. Repeat at least once a week to reduce hair growth on face.
  4. Potato: Do you know potato is a natural bleaching agent? Try this method –

Take a bowl of yellow lentil and soak it overnight. Morning hours grind the lentil to a paste. Peel a bowl of potato and grind it. Collect the potato water using a sieve or muslin cloth. Add a Tbs of honey, 3 Tbs of lemon juice and the potato water to lentil paste and mix well. Apply this to affected area. Leave it for half an hour and allow it to dry. Remove the dried paste and wash the area using water.

  1. Turmeric: Turmeric has importance both in cooking as well as a medicine. Traditionally applying turmeric paste daily to face to get rid of hair and to get good glow in the skin is a practice in Indian women. Try turmeric in different ways:
  • Turmeric powder and Gram (chickpea) Flour – Prepare a paste of turmeric powder, gram flour using yogurt. Gently apply it to the affected portion of the skin and allow it to dry for 30 minutes. Then scrub the paste thoroughly. Apply paste 1-2 times a week for about 3 to 4 months for permanent result.
  • Mix turmeric powder in milk or milk cream and prepare paste. Apply on the face – on cheek, forehead, chin and above lips. Leave it for 10-20 minutes. Wash using warm water.

 7. Chickpea flour mask: Chickpeas mask gives a soft and shiny look to skin and helps in removal of unwanted hair. In a bowl mix chickpea, milk, turmeric powder and milk cream. Prepare paste and apply on the face in the direction of hair growth. After half an hour rub the flour mask in the opposite direction of hair growth. Wash face using warm water. Repeat this once or twice a week to get permanent benefit

8. Use alum and rose water paste : Mix ½ tsp of alum powder in 2-3 Tbs of rose water. Using a cotton ball apply this mix to areas where you are uncomfortable with hair. Let it dry. Once it dries reapply the mix again. Repeat this for one or two more times. Wash the areas and apply sesame oil to moisturize the area.

9. Honey, oatmeal and lemon juice: Mix 1 Tbs of honey, ½ Tbs of ground oatmeal and few drops of lemon juice. Apply on face like mask and leave it for 15 to 20 mins. Wash using warm water. Repeat this at least once a week for next one or two months for permanent result.

10. Coffee powder and baking soda: Mix 2 Tbs of coffee powder with 1 tsp of baking soda. Rub this on the areas (hands, legs) for few minutes, slowly. Hair follicles will fall off and hair growth will prevent

11. Diet: To reduce hormonal imbalance, take help of good nutrients that can neutralize it. Phytoestrogen is a plant hormone like human female hormone, estrogens. Including several herbs and regular consumption of flaxseeds, fennel seeds and herb, alfalfa, licorice, gotu kola ( Centella species) – will help to reduce imbalance in hormone and reduces unwanted hair growth. Avoid eating much fatty foods and high glycemic index content foods.

Suggestion: Test any method on a small unexposed area of your skin. If there is any reaction or allergy, then stop further use of any method that can harm your skin.

Reference: www.werindia.com

Image credit: https://www.freeimages.com/photo/arms-to-the-sky-1238291 (Free for commercial use)

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: May 17, 2017
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Green ways to combat climate change

Green ways to combat climate change

These resilient women are turning to innovation and clean energy to provide for their families.

In Western nations, it can often be difficult to accept that the effects of climate change are being seen throughout the world right now because of first-world luxuries. Things that citizens take for granted, like running water and electricity are unheard of in well-populated but poor areas around the world and these regions’ reliance on agriculture or work that involves their land is actually costing them their lives.

In Kenya, many farms are drying up because of an unusually long drought brought on by the Earth’s changing climate, and people are being forced to turn to another means of income. Once the farms fail, men in the household look for other jobs that tend to only be part-time or seasonal, leaving families with less income and forcing women to join the outside workforce to make up the difference.

Many women have turned to an efficient business that is growing in popularity and even bringing some families out of poverty: clean energy cookstoves that use less firewood than traditional stoves. This initiative not only gives families the income they need, but is helping to protect forests by reducing reliance on firewood. Trees in the forest help stave off drought and regulate rainfall, which in turns helps the communities that still thrive on their farming.

“Demand for cook stoves in rural households is fast increasing as deforestation leaves little firewood available for cooking,” said Nyawira Njau, the owner of a business that sells cookstoves.

Njau sold all of her stock of maize and potatoes last year after irregular rainfall caused poor crop yields in an effort to raise $300 to start her cookstove business. She used the money to buy a shed and cookstove materials to get started and business has been booming ever since. She now earns enough money to provide for her family and send both of her children to school. Since education is the number one way to combat the cycle of poverty, this is great news for families growing up in poor neighborhoods.

Similar initiatives have started in nearby regions, such as “Imarisha,” which means “to make better,” trainers show women from the community how to make charcoal briquettes that are compressed and can be used to burn for energy. Hundreds of women have been trained to make these briquettes since 2014, which they can sell and use to start their own clean energy businesses.

“The training has taught me that charcoal briquettes are in high demand in central Kenya’s highlands,” said Njeri Kiraithe, who signed up for the free training because she wanted to sell her stock in potatoes and start selling briquettes instead. “For instance, chicken farmers prefer to use briquettes to keep their roosts warm at night because the smoke they emit does not make you choke like firewood does.”

“Briquettes also protect the environment because they are made of waste,” she added, as the briquettes are constructed of charcoal dust, flour, and sawdust.

These programs are not empowering women and reducing poverty, but they are green ways to combat the very thing that ruined their farm land: climate change. By refusing to engage in the same harmful practices that got them to this point, they are bettering the world even while living in a state of poverty, and the rest of the world would do well to follow suit.

 Read More: By Brianna Acuesta @ http://www.trueactivist.com/

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on:
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21 Natural ways to get rid of unwanted odor

21 Natural ways to get rid of unwanted odor

Whatever we do.. that stinky or unwanted odor comes back from various sources at home.

There are easy natural ways to get rid of unwanted odor.

1. Natural disinfectant: Mix a one tsp of tea tree oil in one liter of water. Spray this on tables and counter tops. Wipe using paper towel. This gives fresh odor to the house.

2. To remove odor from kitchen cupboard: Fill a clean, old stocking with ½ cup fresh ground coffee. Place or hang it in the cupboard. This removes odor of hing/asafetida, spices and other cooking ingredients odors.

3. If you don’t have a exhaust fan then, install a window fan in the kitchen to remove cooking oil/ deep frying odor. OR run exhaust fan in the bathroom. Any moving air in the house helps to reduce cooking smell.

4. Add lemon juice or slices of lemon to water. Boil the combination and then let it simmer. The acidic substance can take on the most potent of aromas such as that of burnt food.

5. Wipe off kitchen counter top and cabinets regularly using a disinfectant wipe.

6. a pot of boiling water and one or two sticks of cinnamon creates a great perfume to cover up stinky cooking odors.

7. Place roasted coffee beans in the refrigerator to remove odor from refrigerator.

8. Remove refrigerator odors with vanilla. Put a soaked cotton ball in a saucer and place it into the refrigerator.

9. To deodorize the microwave /oven place a bowl of water containing lemon slices or lemon juice. Bring this to a boil and let set for 15 minutes.

10. Combine a few tablespoons of baking soda with water in a crock pot and turn it on low. Keep the cover off and odors will simply disappear.

11. Pine or cedar wood shavings can be added to drawers, trunks or suitcases to remove bad odors and replace them with the wood scent.

12. Add your favorite scent to a room by filling cotton balls and placing them in closets, drawers.

13. Eliminate unpleasant odors with white vinegar. Pour some vinegar into saucers and set them around the kitchen or other rooms that need help.

14. Use newspaper- Wad up enough newspaper to fill the article and close it up. This may take days or weeks, and replacing the newspaper every few days will speed things up.

15. To deodorize the garbage disposal, do this: Put several tablespoons of borax in the drain, let it set 15 to 30 minutes, then flush it down with boiling water while the disposal is running.

16. To remove odor from stinky shoes use tea leaves. Use socks or pantyhose to hold the tea leaves, insert them into the shoes, and let set for a few days.

17. Deodorize garbage can by washing it using borax and water, let it dry, then add more borax.

18. Open the house windows every day for few minutes to get fresh air inside the house.

19. To remove paint odor – Use vanilla extract or lemon extract in a bowl and place them near the painted area or if you don’t have both then just place a few bowls of water to remove the paint odor.

20. Grinding coffee beans and brewing coffee are easy ways to fill a home with a pleasant aroma that can override less pleasant odors.

21. Prepare a simmering potpourri at home. It is easy – Bring a small pot of water to a gentle simmer, and add any combination of the following to the water: citrus peels, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon stick/powder. Let it simmer for few minutes and house smells good!!

Try these methods and share your opinion with grandma.

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: May 15, 2017
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Despite some rumors, a lime juice marinade cannot really “cook” raw fish or shellfish and kill all bacteria. True or False?

  • True
  • False

The answer is: True

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: May 13, 2017
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Honey and brown sugar are more nutritious than white sugar. True or False?

  • True
  • False

The answer is: False (both supply sugar calories)

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: May 11, 2017
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FSSAI to rescue Indians from Junk Food

FSSAI to rescue Indians from Junk Food

Are you fond of junk food? Then be prepared to pay more price for your favorite junk foods!!  Yes, to put a control on the obesity and over eating of junk food that contains high amount of  Fat, Sugar and Salt (FSS) FSSAI has suggested corrective measures.

Higher Tax on Junk Food and Sweetened Drinks – FSSAI

These measures came out after FSSAI’s recent report (May 9, 2017) on consumption of Fat, Sugar and Salt (FSS) and its health effects on India’s population.  There is a growing concern regarding the increase in consumption of FSS by the overall population and the result in growth of chronic conditions.

As per the FSSAI report “The country’s existing nutrition and public health policies fails to provide vision and urgent steps that are needed to tackle the rising problem of overweight and obesity due to increasing urbanization, sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy diets. Thus, we need to recognize and formulate strategies to reduce the burden of risk factors that fuel the chronic disease epidemic. One such established risk factor is unhealthy diet, especially those high in trans and saturated fats, refined sugars and salt.”

Salient feature of the report:

The FSSAI 2006 Act does not define the term junk food. However, the name Junk food popularly refers to foods which do not have positive nutritional value and in fact when regularly consumed may rise the risk of chronic diseases. These foods are also known as fast foods. Indian deep fried foods like samosas, pakoras and western foods like burgers, pizza, chips, sugar-sweetened beverages come under the junk food category.

Per recent health reports from India (and other parts of the world), there is an alarming rise in certain conditions due to obesity and by consuming junk food. Many Governments already have taken action against this. In United Kingdom tax has been introduced on fat so that the price of junk food goes up.  In Chile, a total ban has been imposed on ads that has high FSS in foods and beverages in children channel. All these regulations make consumers to (probably) think before they spend money on unhealthy foods. In India, State of Maharashtra announced ban of junk food near school territories and in canteens.  An expert group that involves Medical professionals, Nutritionists and Dietitians has come up with a detail report and based on the report FSSAI suggests the following measures –

  • Monitoring of FSS intakes at a national level that will facilitate the much-needed evidence and basis for establishing regulatory limits in food for manufacturing and sale.
  • Advertisement ban for foods high in FSS during children TV shows or kids TV channels. Celebrity endorsements of such foods to be discouraged. The online social media websites should also comply with advertising ban for unhealthy foods.
  • Additional tax on highly processed commodities and sugar sweetened beverages. Imposing additional tax on the purchase of commodities such as pre-packaged foods with high salt and fat content, sugar sweetened beverages, etc., can be a pragmatic approach to reduce their intake.
  • Nutrition education and awareness. A multifaceted approach with policy convergence between nutrition, agriculture, food industries, health and allied sectors to bring about significant reduction in FSS intakes at large. Raising consumer knowledge and awareness through public health campaigns, school education programs to help make healthier food choices among the population.
  • Advocating reformulation of commercialized products. Encourage voluntary reformulation of food products to reduce the contents of fats (i.e. saturated fats and trans fats), sugar (free sugars) and salt in packaged food.
  • Positive nutritional labeling in creating awareness among the population to make healthier food choices. Detailed guidance from FSSAI’s panel constituted specifically for labelling issues is sought.
  • Provide a nutrition-sensitive and an enabling environment to allow a consumer to make healthier choices in a sustained fashion.

Do you think FSSAI’s these measures helps to create public awareness regarding junk food? Comment in the box below.

References:

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: May 10, 2017
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The label on a frozen dessert tells you that a serving has 110 calories and 3 grams of fat. Is this a high-fat food? Yes or no

  • Yes
  • No

The answer is: No (Only 24% of its calories come from fat and does not exceed 30%)

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: May 9, 2017
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Rice Coconut Halva – Halubai

Rice Coconut Halva – Halubai

Halubai or Halbai is sweet dish made of rice or millet, coconut and jaggery. It is a classic, traditional sweet prepared during auspicious and festival occasions.

Appearance of Halbai is like burfi or rice coconut halva and is very soft. The word halbai is derived from the ‘milk’ extracted out of soaked and ground rice along with the coconut.

It is easy to prepare and kids love the taste.  Jaggery, cardamom and ghee gives a very good flavor for this sweet.

Ingredients:

  1. Soaked white rice- ½ cup
  2. Jaggery* – 1 cup
  3. Grated coconut – 1 cup
  4. Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
  5. Salt – ¼ tsp
  6. Ghee/ clarified butter – 2 Tbs

* Remember – The color of halubai depends on the color of jiggery. If you use dark color jiggery then halubai comes out dark. If you prefer using light colore jiggery then go for it.

 Preparation:

1. Wash and soak rice in water for 2 hrs.

2. Grind soaked rice, grated coconut, cardamom powder and salt by adding ½ cup water.

3. Add ½ cup water to jiggery and boil on medium flame. Let the jiggery dissolve.

4. When the jiggery water is boiling, add finely grinded rice mix to jiggery water.

5. Continue to stir for few more minutes.

6. Stir this mixture till it turns to a thick paste. Add ghee and stir until the paste starts to leave the side of the cooking vessel.

7. Apply little ghee on a baking pan/plate and pour the hot paste on the pan. Place/spread few cashew pieces on the top.

8. Allow it to cool and cut it into diamond or square shape.

9. Serve halubai as a dessert item or you can prepare this during festival day too.

.

Reference: www.werindia.com

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: May 8, 2017
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