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.
Undavali Caves

Undavalli Caves

In the famous city of Vijayawada of Andra Pradesh, one can find the well preserved 7th century dated Undavalli cave temples. There is a quiet tranquility to the place that is really unmatched elsewhere. In the caves one can find many shrines that are dedicated to the powerful Hindu deities like lord Shiva, lord Vishnu, and Lord Brahma.  The Mogalarajapuram caves are an interesting find but they are in the ruins nowadays but still worth a visit. However, these caves are very famous for exploration and getting to know about their make and architecture is very interesting.


Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: November 10, 2015
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Caves of Badami

Caves of Badami

Karnataka state of India is known for its rich heritage of Historical places. Badami is a beautiful and interesting place to visit.  Badami not only highlight the rock caves however additionally includes all the heritage sites that may be seen by taking only a little tour from Badami. Badami caves are considered as an example of Indian rock-cut architecture, especially Badami Chalukya architecture initiated during the 6th century. Badami was previously known as Vataapi Badami, the capital of the early Chalukya dynasty, who ruled much of Karnataka from middle of the sixth until the middle of the eighth centuries.


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The Ajanta Caves

The Ajanta Caves

The Ajanta Caves in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra state of India are about 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments which date from the 2nd century BCE to about 480 or 650 CE. The caves include paintings and sculptures described by the government Archaeological Survey of India as “the finest surviving examples of Indian art, particularly painting” which are masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, with figures of the Buddha and depictions of the Jataka tales. Ajanta is the major tourist attraction of the Marathwada region of Maharashtra.


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Ellora Caves

Ellora Caves

Ajanta and Ellora caves, located in the city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra India, are both listed as World Heritage Sites and are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. Ajanta comprises of around thirty rock-cut caves adorned by Buddhist sculptures and paintings with the caves marked as Cave 1, Cave 2 and so on. On the other hand, the Ellora caves unite the Buddhist, Jain and Hindu arts and cultures through their artwork, displaying the religious harmony prevailing in the country at that time. The caves in Ellora are numbered as those in Ajanta with Caves 1 to 12 being dedicated to Buddhist art, 13 to 29 being Hindu Caves and 13 to 29 being Jain caves. The most celebrated and monumental of the caves temples at the Ellora complex is Kailash. Unlike the surrounding caves, Kailash was ‘unveiled’ from the top of the mountain and is considered one of the great monolithic structures in the world. Kailash combines immensity of effort with grace and superb craftsmanship.


Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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Turmeric Smoothie

Turmeric Smoothie – IMMUNE SYSTEM BOOSTER

One of the healthiest foods on earth is turmeric powder. Turmeric powder is obtained from dried root of Curcuma longa of Zingiberaceae family (or ginger family). It has an active compound namely curcumin. Curcumin is an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-tumor and antioxidant compound. In Ayurvedic system, turmeric has many uses. In India, traditionally ladies apply turmeric paste or powder on their face. It gives good color to skin. Turmeric can heal wounds, useful in arthritis and acts as an antidepressant.  Turmeric in milk is good for digestive system. Indian cooking will remain unfinished if we do not add turmeric powder in the dish. Here is a simple turmeric smoothie recipe for overall good health.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup pineapple or mango chunks
  • Few carrot pieces
  • 1 fresh banana
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger

Method: Add all ingredients, blend and serve immediately!


Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: November 3, 2015
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Nutrition Jokes and Facts

NUTRITION JOKES AND FACTS

WHY WE EAT SO MUCH? 

When we rationalize, our thinking in favor of eating too much once a while is okay….then,  we tend to eat too much. It happens when we start thinking that it is okay to eat once a while because I do not eat in a restaurant every week or saying I am looking  good and it is okay to eat little more. In addition to these thinking if we don’t get enough sleep or treating food like a reward or if we have a habit of eating too fast – consuming too much calorie very fast before our stomach feels full – these all leads to that feeling “why did I eat so much food”!

Past of Eat is I ate too much and the future – What?

Past of eat is I ate too much and the future - What?

Eating big portion during dinnertime, having dinner after 8 PM, staying up late, having too much desert may be risk factors in weight gain.  A recent study from Northwestern Medicine found that late sleepers consumed 248 more calories a day, mainly at dinner and later in the evening. They ate half as many fruits and vegetables, twice the fast food and drank more full-calorie sodas than those with earlier sleep times. The extra daily calories can mean a significant amount of weight gain – two pounds per month – if they are not balanced by more exercise.

Dieting is fun or is it?

Dieting is fun or isn't it?

People go on diet then they give up in the middle. There are so many nutrition jokes about diet planning. Dieting is hard but is worth. One should know which diet is good for one’s body. Dieting does not end in a day. Many diet plans go from one week to 30 days. Remember these funny words when you go on dieting…

  • It’s not the minutes spent at the table that put on weight, it is the seconds.
  • The biggest drawback to fasting for seven days is that it makes one weak.
  • The toughest part of a diet is not watching what you eat. It is watching what other people eat.
  • An excellent way to lose weight is by skipping … snacks and dessert.

Doctor and Patient

Doctor and Patient

Many patients conclude their condition before the diagnosis. Everybody knows the term hereditary and this becomes an excuse for overweight, obesity or diabetes conditions. If we exercise regularly, minimum three days a week – 25 minutes each day, body will burn the calorie and  the chance of  developing various conditions is less. Ask your doctor or nutritionist or dietitian how to proceed with diet or exercise. Once you take that healthy path your body feels better inside out.

Control your portion

Control your portion

Limiting portions can help you lose weight and ultimately prevent complications. A 2004 study of 329 overweight people found that 38% of those who practiced portion control for two years lost 5% or more of body weight, compared with 33% of participants who did not (they gained 5% or more of body weight). Learning what a portion size actually is—and eating that amount—is tricky. Do research and understand the basic terms of nutrition -calorie, portion, gram, tea and table spoon, one cup, ounce, liter….all these will help to control the food intake.

Understand your body symptoms

Understand your Body Symptoms

 If you do not know, what is happening with your body do not try to give a reason. Observe symptoms like allergy, weight gain, weight loss, nausea, bloating, gas formation, indigestion, rashes etc. Contact your doctor and undergo some test like blood work etc. Once you know what is happening then consult a nutrition expert to understand your diet -what you can eat or what you should not. For example gluten free diet is becoming a trend. More and more people are on the anti-wheat warpath trend, as the label “gluten free” appears on everything from beer to pets food. For those with celiac disease, a life-threatening autoimmune disorder that destroys the gastrointestinal tract, going gluten-free is critical to avoid damage to the small intestine. For everyone else, though, it is an unnecessary, and potentially unhealthy, diet.

What is that calorie?

Calories and Energy

Everybody talks about calorie or mentions this beautiful word calorie – at dinner table, restaurant menu, office, on food labels everywhere. Fact is, many people does not know the meaning of calorie -it is a mystery for many. It’s usage is so loose that it is phrased as “the thing in food that makes me fat.” A calorie is the energy it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius. The important word to take away from this definition is ENERGY. Calories are ENERGY that fuel our bodies; much like gasoline fuels our cars. Without sufficient calories our body does not work – heart beat, lungs, kidney, brain and all other system need energy to function. Understand how many calories our body need every day. For men and women, young children, teenagers, young adults, athletes, seniors – the calorie need varies. If you exceed the number of calories your body requires each day- you will eventually gain weight.

Eat your veggie, not fries

Eat your veggies

Eating soluble fiber, greens, fruits vs. fatty foods: Adding fiber to your diet every day may be the key to preventing the growth of the belly fat that has been linked to chronic diseases. Include green leaves (spinach, amaranths, phalak etc), broccoli, carrots, brussels sprouts etc in your diet. Fresh vegetables and fruits are very helpful in removing the fat that is sitting in the system. As they say at that moment, you may feel pathetic to eat greens but it makes your body feel better. Whereas consuming fast food and French fries…..see the slide!


Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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Eat your veggies, not fries

Eat your veggie, not fries

Eating soluble fiber, greens, fruits vs. fatty foods: Adding fiber to your diet every day may be the key to preventing the growth of the belly fat that has been linked to chronic diseases. Include green leaves (spinach, amaranths, phalak etc), broccoli, carrots, brussels sprouts etc in your diet. Fresh vegetables and fruits are very helpful in removing the fat that is sitting in the system. As they say at that moment, you may feel pathetic to eat greens but it makes your body feel better. Whereas consuming fast food and French fries….. see the slide!


Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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What is that calorie?

What is that calorie?

Everybody talks about calorie or mentions this beautiful word calorie – at dinner table, restaurant menu, office, on food labels everywhere. Fact is, many people does not know the meaning of calorie -it is a mystery for many. It’s usage is so loose that it is phrased as “the thing in food that makes me fat.” A calorie is the energy it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius. The important word to take away from this definition is ENERGY. Calories are ENERGY that fuel our bodies; much like gasoline fuels our cars. Without sufficient calories our body does not work – heart beat, lungs, kidney, brain and all other system need energy to function. Understand how many calories our body need every day. For men and women, young children, teenagers, young adults, athletes, seniors – the calorie need varies. If you exceed the number of calories your body requires each day – you will eventually gain weight.

 


Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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