All posts by Sumana Rao

Don't worry about the people in your past; There's a reason they didn't make it to your future.
Garlic Chutney Chutney Powder

Garlic Chutney Powder

Ingredients:

1. 1 & 1/4 -cup shredded dry coconut

2. 1- cup curry leaves wash and spread it on a towel to take out the excess water

3. ¼- cup garlic cloves

4. 1 Tbs -Jaggery (optional)

5. Tamarind – lemon size

6. 1 -tsp salt

7. 8- red chilli

8. 2- tsp oil

Method:

1. Garlic love – cut it into small equal parts.

2. Heat a pan on low heat and roast the dried coconut on low flame until it turns light brown or becomes crispy. Transfer it to a bowl.

3. Roast the curry leaves until it becomes crisp.

4. Fry the garlic until it turns brown.

5. To fried garlic add the roasted curry leaves, red chilli, dried coconut, tamarind, salt and mix it well.

6. Once the mix is cool enough, grind it to a coarse consistency along with the jaggery.

7. Garlic Chutney Powder ready to eat.

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: June 30, 2017
« »
« »

Recommended for you

Flax Seeds Chutney Powder

Flaxseed Chutney Powder

Ingredients

1. Flax seeds -1 cup

2. Dry red chillies 8-10

3. Chana dal – 3- 4 tsp

4. Urad Dal -3-4 tsp

5. Sesame seeds -2tsp

6. Cumin seeds- 2 tsp

7. Salt (as per your taste)

Method:

1. Heat a pan and dry roast flax seeds in low heat till aroma comes. Keep aside.

2. Roast chana dal, urad dal, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, garlic and dry red chillies SEPARATELY. Let them cool.

3. Combine all the roasted ingredients and salt in a blender. Make fine powder.

4. Flax seed chutney powder is ready. Store it in an airtight container.

5. Flax seed chutney powder goes well with white rice, roti, chapati, idli etc.

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
« »
« »

Recommended for you

Coriander Chutney Powder

Coriander Leaves Chutney Powder

Ingredients:

1. 100 gms Urad dal

2. 10-12- Red chilly (kashmiri)

3. Asafoetida – a pinch

4. A small piece of tamarind

5. 1 tsp -Oil

6. Coriander leaves- One big bunch.

7. Salt

Method:

1. In a deep pan heat the oil on medium flame.

2. Add the urad dal and fry till it turns brown color

3. Add red chillies and fry till chillies become crisp.

4. Remove from stove and allow both the chilli and urid dal to cool.

5. Finally mix all the remaining ingredients and grind to a coarse powder.

6. Store in a air tight container.

7. Mix with white rice or have on side with curd rice, dosa, idli etc

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
« »
« »

Recommended for you

Neem Flower Chutney Powder

Neem Flower Chutney Powder

Ingredients:

1. Neem flowers (fresh) – 1/2 cup

2. Red Chillies – 5 or 6

3. Coriander powder – 1/2 spoon

4. Jaggery – 1 spoon

5. Almonds – 5

6. Salt – to taste

Method:

1. Fry neem flowers and red chillies in a pan without oil.

2. Add coriander powder, jaggery and almonds with them.

3. Grind into a fine powder.

4. Finally add the salt. This can be served with rice, dosa or idlis.

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
« »
« »

Recommended for you

Swimming safety tips for kids

Help your kid to swim safely

Summer is here and it means time to swim! Swimming is not only fun but is also a terrific exercise for all. Kids love to swim with their friends and it is also a preferred family sport. Many have swimming pool at home or parents take their children to nearby public swimming pools. While swimming can be fun, it is a huge responsibility for parents. It is important to teach kids to be safe in and around swimming pool and parents need to learn and teach kids safety about swimming. Help your kid to swim safely with following tips.

Tell your kids to keep these tips in mind:

1. Keep away from swimming pool water if you have diarrhea

2. Shower before and after you get into the water.

3. Don’t pee or poop in the water.

4. Don’t swallow the swimming pool water.

5. If you are spending more than an hour in the swimming pool, take a break and use restroom.

6. Apply sunscreen for skin protection.

7. Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration in the heat and the sun.

8. Protect your skin. Limit the amount of direct sunlight you receive between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and wear sunscreen with a protection factor of at least 15.

9. Do not go to swimming pool alone or with young friends– go with an adult who can supervise you when you swim. If you are allowed, still always swim with a buddy; do not allow anyone to swim alone.

10. Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards.

11. No running! You could slip or trip — hurting not just yourself, but someone else as well.

12. Put toys away. People might trip over them and hurt themselves. No one wants that!

What precautions parents should take for kids swimming in pool?

An adult should actively watch children at all times while they are in a pool. For infants and toddlers, an adult should be in the water and within arm’s reach for touch supervision. For older children, an adult should be paying constant attention and free from distractions, like talking on the phone, socializing, tending household chores, or drinking alcohol. More important, the supervising adult must know how to swim.

1. Educate your children about the dangers of drain entanglement and entrapment and teach them to never play or swim near drains or suction outlets.

2. Pools that pose the greatest risk of entrapment are children’s public wading pools, in-ground hot tubs, or any other pools that have flat drain grates or a single main drain system.

3. For new pools or hot tubs, install multiple drains in all pools, spas, whirlpools and hot tubs. This minimizes the suction of any one drain, reducing risk of death or injury. If you do have drains, protective measures include anti-entrapment drain covers and a safety vacuum release system to automatically release suction and shut down the pump should entrapment occur.

4. Regularly check to make sure drain covers are secure and have no cracks, and replace flat drain covers with dome-shaped ones. If a pool or hot tub has a broken, lose or missing drain cover, don’t use it.

5. If you do have drains, protective measures include anti-entrapment drain covers and a safety vacuum release system to automatically release suction and shut down the pump should entrapment occur.

6. Don’t Rely on they should never swimming Aids: Remember that swimming aids such as water wings or noodles are fun toys for kids. but they should never be used in place of a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device (PFD).

7. Check to make sure your pool or hot tub’s drains are compliant with the Pool and Spa Safety Act.

8. Toddlers and babies: You can start introducing your babies to water when they are about 6 months old. Remember to always use waterproof diapers and change them frequently.

Precautions to avoid disaster:

  • Never turn your back on a child while she’s in the water — not even for a moment.
  • A swimming pool is a ton of fun for you and your kids. Make sure backyard pools have four-sided fencing that’s at least 4 feet high and a self closing, self-latching gate to prevent a child from wandering into the pool area unsupervised.
  • When using inflatable or portable pools, remember to empty them immediately after use. Store them upside down and out of children’s reach.
  • Install a door alarm, a window alarm or both to alert you if a child wanders into the pool area unsupervised.
  • Never dunk a child under 3 — little kids can swallow large amounts of water, which could be dangerous.
  • Learn CPR from a designated institute (YMCA or local college that teaches CPR and swimming)

One more critical information all parents should know: If you are taking your kids to nearby recreational water for swimming beware of diseases linked to outbreaks of diarrhea. RWI or recreational water illnesses are caused when germs are spread by swallowing breathing in water or having contact with contaminated water in swimming pools, spas, hot tubs, lakes etc.

.
References:
• Lehigh valley woman magazine, June/July 2017
• http://www.swimmingpool.com
• http://ehstoday.com

 

Image credit: Image by tookapic from Pixabay  (Free for commercial use)

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: June 27, 2017
« »
« »

Recommended for you

Body Image Obsession

Mirror, Mirror on the wall – Body Image obsession

If a person feels and obsessed about their appearance and all the time think that it need to be fixed (even it is normal) and goes beyond ordinary to fix it then it is obsessive body image.  Some concern about one’s appearance is normal. But an obsession with one’s appearance is not. Body image obsession is also called body dysmorphic disorder.

Mirror, Mirror on the wall – what is wrong in the image ?

Body obsession can develop when a person suffers from extreme body dissatisfaction. Their thoughts and feelings about their body image can become an obsessive fixation that will influence their decisions and activities. People with body obsession can be fanatically preoccupied with their physical appearance. They can go to great lengths to change and preserve a body shape, weight or size. This includes dieting, excessive exercise, heavy makeups, steroids and/or plastic surgery.

What is Body Dysmorphia Disorder (BDD)?

BDD is a distressing condition which is often associated with depression, social anxiety and feelings of shame. At its center is a fairly specific negative body image, marked by an intense preoccupation with a perceived flaw in your physical appearance.

What factors influences body obsession and dissatisfaction?

It is a mindset that can be influenced by several external factors. For example, family, friends, acquaintances, teachers and the media all have an impact on how a person sees and feels about themselves and their appearance. Individuals in appearance-oriented environments or those who receive negative feedback about their appearance are at an increased risk of body dissatisfaction and/or obsession.

Some of the areas that people with BDD report as being problematic include (but are not limited to): skin or complexion, nose size or shape, eyes or eyebrows, stomach, breast, legs, lips, teeth or smile, arms, height, scars and muscles. Individuals with BDD are often concerned that the body part is too big or too small, not the right shape, asymmetrical, or out of proportion to the rest of their body.

What are the warning signs of Body Obsession?

There are several warning signs to look out for that show when a person’s focus on their weight and/or body shape has transitioned from ‘just trying to stay healthy’ to a dangerous obsession:

  1. Preoccupation with eating, food, body shape, and weight – at the expense of all other interests,
  2. Extreme body image dissatisfaction
  3. Extreme dieting behavior
  4. Standing in front of mirror for longer hours and disapproving the image
  5. Excessively restricting and/or counting calories
  6. Compulsive or excessive exercising – spending more time in fitness centers or gym
  7. Use of legal or illicit substances to alter the body size, weight or shape
  8. Repetitive or obsessive behaviors relating to body shape, size and weight
  9. Fixation on attaining the physical appearance of celebrities, models and even inanimate body
  10. Trying to replicate the effects of photographic manipulation through dieting or exercise
  11. Feelings of guilt and shame when exercise is missed
  12. Feeling guilt when particular foods are eaten or served
  13. Constantly weighing and measuring oneself
  14. Obsessive focus on and discussion of body size, shape and weight
  15. Trying various types of diet and constantly changing dieting habit

The four aspects of body image

  1.  How you see your body is your perceptual body image. This is not always a correct representation of how you actually look. For example, a person may perceive themselves as overweight when they are actually underweight.
  2. The way you feel about your body is your affective body image. This relates to the amount of satisfaction or dissatisfaction you feel about your shape, weight and individual body parts.
  3. The way you think about your body is your cognitive body image. This can lead to preoccupation with body shape and weight.
  4. Behaviors in which you engage as a result of your body image encompass your behavioral body image. When a person is dissatisfied with the way they look, they may isolate themselves or employ destructive behaviors (e.g. excessive exercising, disordered eating) to change appearance.

What are the risks associated with Body Obsession?

  • Significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning
  • Development of a clinical eating disorder
  • Development of Body Dysmorphia Disorder
  • Physical disfigurement
  • Depression

In BDD, usually the actual flaw a person is worrying about is so slight that others do not really notice or consider it important. In some cases, the flaw may be imperceptible to others. However, even if this is pointed out to a person with BDD, they will continue to worry about that area of their body and often believe that others are thinking negatively of them because of it.

If you suspect that you or someone you know is having problems with Body Obsession talk to your doctor. It is important to seek help immediately – the earlier you seek help the better your chances of recovery.

,

Reference & for more reading:

  • https://thebutterflyfoundation.org.au
  • http://www.nedc.com.au
  • https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/what-body-image
  • Image credit: Photo by Romain V on Unsplash (Free for commercial use)
Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: June 26, 2017
« »
« »

Recommended for you

Human Foetus

Human fetus can recognize face like visual stimuli

Are you pregnant and want to know whether your baby in the womb recognizes faces? Recent studies and reports answers yes to your question. Yes, human fetus can recognize face like visual stimuli !!

A new study, led by researchers at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom, reveals that babies show a preference for faces while still in the womb.

Prof. Vincent Reid, lead researcher of the study and psychologist at Lancaster University, worked with collaborators from Blackpool NHS Trust, the University of Cumbria, and Durham University, all in the U.K. Their findings were published in Current Biology.

The findings, which appeared in the journal Current Biology, were also the first to show it’s possible to explore sight and cognition in babies before birth. Analysis of the human eye has previously shown that there is significant biological development of the eye from around 25 weeks’ gestation. Preterm birth studies have also shown that babies can visually fix and track from 32 weeks’ gestational age.

What is this study revealed?

The new study analyzed fetal head turns in response to visual stimuli projected through the uterine wall. In total, 39 fetuses at 34 weeks gestation were presented with upright and inverted face-like imagery. Their responses were monitored with high-quality 4-D ultrasound.

In the third trimester of pregnancy, the human fetus has the capacity to process perceptual information. During the studies, upright and inverted “faces” – consisting of three dots in the shape of a triangle – were projected onto the mother’s abdomen. Both image types were shown to one side of the baby’s face and moved horizontally away from the baby to see whether their head would turn.

While the foetuses moved their heads to track the upright face-like patterns, no such movement was observed with the inverted projections. These results demonstrate that it was not the pattern itself that the fetus liked best, but the particular arrangement of dots likened to a face shape.

According to Prof, Reid “It turned out that they responded in a way that was very similar to infants,”

Neither mothers nor fetuses were in danger during the research. “We were very careful and made sure that the light was bright enough to enter the womb but not too bright as to be unpleasant or aversive for the fetus”, Reid said.

In general, though, he discourages pregnant mothers from shining bright lights into their bellies. While fetuses’ eyes are likely to be closed most of the time, the ultrasound scans often showed them blinking.

So cautions Prof. Reid: “I would also say that if you are pregnant, don’t go shining bright lights into the face of your fetus. We were very careful and made sure that the light was bright enough to enter the womb but not too bright as to be unpleasant or aversive for the fetus”.

.

References:

  1. http://www.cell.com/current-biology
  2. https://www.usatoday.com
  3. http://gizmodo.com

Image credit: Image by ekseaborn0 from Pixabay (Free for commercial use)

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: June 14, 2017
« »
« »

Recommended for you

Easy cooking tips

Useful Cooking Tips

While working in kitchen we should be able to handle cooking materials wisely. This wisdom comes from experience.

Grandma is sharing some simple and useful cooking tips for you all.

1. When cooking rice for lemon rice or cumin rice add a tsp of lemon juice or 1/2 tsp cooking oil to get clump free rice.

2. Add few dry neem leaves into rice box to keep away rice insects.

3. To get easy and good digestion always cook lentils to soft. Soak daal/lentil in hot water for 15 minutes before keeping it in pressure cooker.

4. When you wash raw rice, collect the water and use this rice water to cook daal/lentil. This helps daal to cook more soft and fast too.

5. Another tip to cook soft daal is, add little turmeric powder into daal container. This gives extra good fragrance too.

6. For longer-term storage of all purpose flour (maida) use a Ziploc bag and keep it in freezer.

7. Keep few neem leaves (dried) at the bottom of any flour container to keep moisture away.

8. Dry tulsi leaves and store in a container. Evening hours you can use it as essence to keep mosquitoes away.

9. When you are preparing chapati, roti, parata – mix flour well ahead and leave it in a closed container for about an hour or two. This will give you soft chapati or roti.

10. Do not store spices and condiments closes to heating source. Heat will reduce masala effect and food tastes won’t be good.

11. To keep green chillis in its original color- store them in a bottle with little turmeric powder.

12. To reduce burning sensation in palms, after cutting or grinding green chillis, rinse hand with little lemon juice or sugar water or tamarind water.

13. To remove tea and coffee marks in cups or utensils, apply salt and wash and, rinse in water.

14. While preparing clarified butter or ghee – add half leaf of beetle leaf. This will give fragrance and crystal appearance to ghee.

15. To remove odd smell in opened butter – daily rinse butter in cold water and store in fresh water.

16. To avoid blackening of egg plant, plantain pieces – add little butter milk or lemon juice to water and transfer the cut pieces to this mix water.

17. Apply little oil on your palms to avoid blackening of palms while cutting jackfruit, plantain or brinjal.

18. When you store vegetables inside fridge, store them in different containers/bags inside refrigerator.

19. Add 1/4 tsp of raw rice at base of salt dispenser to avoid moisture development .

20. Rolling lemons hard under your palm helps to break down the fibers and makes it more easy to squeeze and, you will be able to extract more juice from lemons.

Image credit: Photo by Angele J from Pexels

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: June 9, 2017
« »
« »

Recommended for you