Author: Aditi Malhotra
Marketing & Social Media Consultant | Content Writer & Columnist | Events & Wedding Planner | Award Winning Home Chef | Home Baker | Artist | Photography Enthusiast

6 Superfoods to Keep You Healthy

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

It’s an unfortunate fact, but no one feels their best every single day. Sometimes, you might be feeling a little rusty and just need an extra boost to work out how to remove rust stainsfrom your clothes and, well… life! Luckily, there are plenty of ways you can do this and start putting a little more zest into every day.

 

One such way is by focusing on what you eat. Superfoods, in particular, can have a wealth of benefits that’ll start making you feel better from the inside out. From giving you more energy to actively improving your mood, they can do a whole wealth of wonderful things. Let’s take a look at some that you could start trying!

 

Garlic for your immune system

 

Garlic promotes the body’s production of white blood cells, which are responsible for fighting off nasty germs in our systems. In this way, it helps aid our immune system and keep us feeling fit and healthy. It also helps fight off bad bacteria, fungi and yeast, making it a great natural antibiotic, and can even help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Pop into pasta sauces for a healthy hit!

 

Avocados for your heart

 

As if we needed any more reasons to eat avocado aside from how delicious it is, it’s an incredible superfood too! Full of monosaturated fats that are great for keeping the heart in good shape as well as vitamin c, vitamin k and a whole load of potassium (more than you can find in a banana, in fact), this is a great superfood to nourish your body. Slice some into your next salad or eat on toast for an easy boost!

 

Cinnamon to lower cholesterol

 

As well as smelling incredible and tasting delicious, cinnamon has a wealth of benefits. It’s packed full of antioxidants, can lower both blood sugar levels and cholesterol, can relieve sickness and fight inflammation. Sprinkle some over your morning porridge to set your body up for a healthy day.

 

Kale to lose weight

 

Kale is one of the most renowned superfoods. It’s amazing at helping weight loss and is rich in vitamins A, C and K, as well as calcium and magnesium. With very little calories, you can eat loads without feeling guilty at all. Kale chips can make a great snack, or you could make a salad using this power-plant in its raw form.

 

Blueberries to keep sickness at bay

 

Tiny and tasty, blueberries contain a ton of antioxidants to help keep disease at bay and are rich in vitamins C and K as well as manganese. Add to healthy, home-cooked muffins or pop on top of granola for a fruity touch!

 

Almonds for your brain

 

In the world of nuts, almonds win the top spot in terms of superfoods. Rich in calcium and good fats, as well as vitamin E and a whole lot of protein, these are a must in a healthy diet. Have a handful as a snack every day, though don’t overdo your almond intake – they’re pretty high in calories so be careful not to eat too many.

 

 

Add these super-foods to your diet and watch your body, energy and mind begin to transform. A healthy diet is the key to a happy life – and it’s the solution for those wondering how to remove rust stains from clothes when they’re feeling a little stiff! Dust off your life and feel brand new with these superfoods.

 

A Few Ideas on How to Lose Weight

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

If you are overweight, the chances are that you would like to lose some of that weight. You don’t have to be told that being overweight is unhealthy, and you don’t have to be a doctor to understand the benefits of losing weight. The problem is how do you go about it. Most people who lose weight seem to gain it back.

 Depending on how much weight you have to lose and your health, then you may consider bariatric surgery or tackle your weight loss with lifestyle changes. 

The following are a few ideas on how to lose weight and keep it off.

Burn off calories with exercise
This will work. The problem is that it can take a lot of exercise to burn off the extra fat, and unlike the commercials you see on television selling exercise equipment, the amount of exercise you need to do to burn off a significant amount of fat can be tremendous. If you truly want to lose a significant amount of fat with exercise, you really need to adopt a specific form of exercise as a way of life. One example would be to take up jogging.

Reduce your food intake
A lack of exercise is not what caused your weight gain. It was eating too much. Most people understand this and that is why they choose various diets in order to lose weight. Of course, many people do lose weight, but they often do not lose a significant amount. The reason for this is hunger. When you reduce the amount of calories you eat at a meal and during the day, you will feel hungry.
Everyone knows this, but other than suffering, what else can be done? One solution is to restrict your intake of foods high in carbohydrates. Also known as starches, they are known to create feelings of hunger when your body needs food. Less carbohydrates means less hunger, but this doesn’t work for everyone. Another possible solution is to use diet products formulated to suppress your appetite. This will mean you eat less because you are not as hungry. Many weight loss pills are designed to suppress your appetite.

Keeping your weight off
The key to staying slim is a lifestyle change. Whatever you do to lose weight must become permanent in your life. This is the biggest issue for people who have been successful at losing weight. Whatever method they chose to lose weight, simply was not something they could sustain for a long period of time. They drift back into their old habits, and they gain their weight back. Sometimes they end up gaining more weight, so they end up even heavier than before. The lesson here is that you must choose a method of weight loss that is something you can do for the rest of your life.

Research every weight loss method you can. You want to find something that fits your life and who you are, so you can keep the weight off and make it a part of your life. Also, remember that more than one method can be used in combination to solve your weight problem.

Depending on how much weight you have to lose and your health, then you may consider bariatric surgery or tackle your weight loss with lifestyle changes. 

Summer Whiskey Cocktails

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Savour the golden malt and introduce your taste buds to these rare yet refreshing whisky cocktail recipes because Summer is nature’s way of saying let’s party

 

Recipes

Grant’s and Apple Whisky Cocktail

Ingredients –

50ml Grant’s Family Reserve

 

150ml Apple Juice

 

1/4 Lemon squeezed

Instructions

Pour whisky over ice into mixing glass.

 

Top off with apple juice and squeeze in lemon.

 

Garnish with apple slice.

Key to your drink: https://www.grantswhisky.com/en/our-cocktails/grants-and-apple/

 

GRANT’S WHISKY SOUR WHISKY COCKTAIL

Ingredients

50ml Grant’s Family Reserve

25ml Simple Syrup

25ml Lemon Juice

 

Instruction

Add whisky, simple syrup and ice to shaker.

 

Squeeze in the lemon juice and shake.

 

Strain and garnish with a Maraschino cherry.

 

Key to your drink: https://www.grantswhisky.com/en/our-cocktails/grants-whisky-sour/

GRANT’S WHISKY ROYALE WHISKY COCKTAIL

 

Ingredients

50ml Grant’s Family Reserve

100ml Champagne

1 Sugar Cube Soaked in bitters

 

Instruction

Add sugar cube soaked in bitters to a Champagne flute.

Add whisky and top with Champagne.

Garnish with a lemon twist.

Key to your drink- https://www.grantswhisky.com/en/our-cocktails/grants-whisky-royale/

 

 

 

 

Four Ways to Show Your Mother You Appreciate Her

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

It doesn’t have to be Mother’s Day to show your mother you appreciate her. She does so much for the family it’s never a bad time to let her know how much you care. Consider four ways to show your mom how much you love her.

Give Her a Gift

Making the decision to give your mom a gift is the easy part. The next step is to figure out what she’d like. One way to go about it is to look at her tastes and hobbies. Maybe she loves to cook. If so, give her a new cooking utensil or maybe a set of pans. These gifts would contribute to her enjoyment of cooking. If you want to be more traditional, give your mom a surprise gift of chocolate or other tasty treats. Finding a selection of delicious treats is simple at a place like The Sweet Basket.

Make a Special Dinner

Another way to show your mom you love her is to make her favorite dinner. If she loves spaghetti, then make that entrée along with her favorite side dishes. If you’re not so confident as a cook, take her to a favorite restaurant and treat her to dinner!

Write Her a Letter

Write your mom a letter describing how much she means to you. Bring up specific times in your childhood when you and she really bonded. This letter is going to mean a lot to her. Put the letter in the mail so she can find it in her mailbox one day. She is sure to treasure it for years to come.

Clean Her House

If cleaning is not your mom’s favorite activity, then why not give her a break? Clean all the rooms in your mom’s home. This includes vacuuming, dusting, washing windows, mopping floors and washing curtains. She is sure to be pleased with all your efforts and glad she doesn’t have to clean her home for a while! Of course, if you don’t have the time to clean your mom’s place, you can hire a professional cleaning service. Though you didn’t do the work yourself, you are still giving her the gift of a clean home. As an added bonus, send her to a day at the spa or to a movie while you get her house in shipshape.

Lastly, take some time to think about what your mom would enjoy. She’s going to be able to tell that you gave some thought to her gift and she will appreciate it all the more!

Holiday Nightmares: The Dangers Of Travelling Abroad

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

(image source)

 

 

 

Imagine the scene: you have saved up your money to go on holiday. Excitement is bubbling over, and you cannot wait to leave your home town and jet off abroad to whatever country you have chosen. Sun, sea, rest, and relaxation await. Oh, the fun you will have, the memories you will bring back with you, the stress you will feel slide away from your tired mind…unless you are caught up in one of the following holiday nightmares and those memories will be dark ones and the idea of fun will slip away, being replaced with the stress you thought you had left behind. Gulp!

 

 

Nightmare #1: You have an accident or injury

 

Your home may be a child-proofed fortress, but your health and safety know-how needs to be adapted for a holiday abroad. There are many dangers, from slipping over at the hotel poolside to hurting yourself on unsafe roads. Not every country adheres to the safety requirements you practice in your country, so you need to be prepared.

 

Tip: Pack a first-aid kit with you before you leave and carry it with you everywhere you go. From bee sting creams to a maritime tourniquet, carry something for every eventuality, keeping you and your travelling companions safe from added harm should an injury take place.

 

Nightmare #2: You have a stomach upset

 

We told you in a previous article that travelling is good for your health. It is, but when travelling in a foreign clime, you need to be careful. Stomach upsets are common, especially if you drink from contaminated water sources or eat foods that are unfamiliar to your delicate stomachs.

 

Tip: Bring plenty of bottled water with you, or buy store-bought water while abroad, rather than drinking from the tap or any other water source. Be careful what you eat too – while it’s good to be adventurous with your food options when abroad, be mindful of what your stomach can normally stand and only eat in reputable food eateries.

 

Nightmare #3: You get mugged

 

Tourists stand out like the proverbial sore thumb, taking snaps with their smartphones, and dressing in clothing that is clearly alien to local custom. The chances of a tourist getting pickpocketed (or worse) are high.

 

Tip: Stop looking like a tourist! Wear clothing that helps you blend into the country, and don’t do anything that gives your tourist credentials away – standing in the middle of the street with a giant map is a big no-no for starters. Try and travel in groups as well, and don’t go anywhere unpopulated alone at night. You need to keep yourself safe, as well as your precious belongings.

 

Nightmare #4: You end up in a war zone

 

This is the biggest nightmare of them all, and something we all need to be aware of. Every day we hear of terrorist attacks in foreign and neighbouring countries, and some countries are prone to political unrest. Your life could be on the line.

 

Tip: Keep an eye on the news. If you discover your holiday destination is potentially unsafe, don’t take the risk unless your holiday operator tells you otherwise. Check out this list of dangerous countries too – with the risk of terrorist attack and tourist kidnappings; these are definitely places to avoid, no matter how much of a risk taker you think you are.

 

Finally

 

We have given you a whistle-stop tour of some of the holiday nightmares that await you. Still, we aren’t trying to put you off travelling abroad. Most of you will have a fantastic time. However, it pays to take precautions, so whatever you do this year, take care of yourself and those around you when making your holiday plans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 minutes for a total face clean up with Nivea!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Unexpected plan for a movie..? A surprise date with boyfriend..? A sudden business meeting..?

Whenever we find ourselves in midst of these kind of situations, the first thing we wonder about is the way we look, our day to day life bogs us down, and with these unexpected plans that tired look or unclean face is the last thing we want to see, but then who has got the time to visit a parlour and get a clean up done, its often not possible. But what if I tell you that you can have a parlour like clean up in just 5 minutes..

Yes you read it right, with Nivea Total Face Clean Up, it just takes 5 minutes for you to have a clean and supple looking skin. More often than not, we all are rushed up with the day to day life, and stress about going to a parlour to get a clean up done. We dread the idea, because it normally means taking out at least 2 hours from your busy schedule, and in such scenarios products like these are a boon. Easy to use and easy to carry in your bag all the time.

I recently came across this product and must say I loved it completely. To me a clean up at home also meant spending 30-40 minutes and using 4-5 different products but not anymore, now with just one product and in 5 minutes I am done and whether I am at home or office, I can easily use it and get a total face clean up. It’s a 3 in one product that can be used as a face wash first, then scrub it gently on your face for about a minute and leave it as a face pack for another 3-4 minutes and ta daa.. in just five minutes your complete clean up is done.

Product benefits at a glance
1. Unclogs pores
2. Removes blackheads
3. Reduces spots
4. Refines skin
5. Deep cleanses

It can be used individually as a daily face wash, as a scrub, 3-4 times a week and as a face pack, 2-3 times a week

Final verdict- a great product which comes in handy especially when you have a time crunch. Given the price point of Rs 120 for 50ml, I think it’s a product worth grabbing.

 

Easter Recipes by Plaza Premium Lounge

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Recipe Courtesy – Ankit Mangla, Executive Chef, Plaza Premium Lounge India

 

Pineapple Upside down Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

Pineapple Slices, drained- 1 tin chopped

Refined Flour- 250 gm

Sugar- 250 gm

Butter- 250 gm

Baking Powder- 5 gm

Salt- a pinch

Eggs- 5 no.

Vanilla Essence- 2 drops

 

METHOD

  1. Heat the oven upto 180 degree celsius and grease the muffin moulds
  2. In a large bowl, mix the cream sugar and butter at a slow speed with an electric mixer
  3. Add the eggs and mix it for another 2 minutes
  4. Add refined flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla essence to the mixture
  5. Put in the pineapples at the bottom of the moulds and top them with the batter
  6. Bake the mixture for 20 minutes or until the toothpick inserts in the center comes out clean
  7. Serve warm

Cinnamon Roll

INGREDIENTS

Refined Flour- 250 gm

Sugar- 15 gm

Yeast- 5 gm

Gluten- 2.5 gm

Bread Improver- 1 gm

Water- 150 gm

Butter- 15 gm

Cinnamon Powder- 5 gm

Butter- 150 gm

METHOD

  1. In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, gluten, bread improver & butter.     Mix them at slow speed
  2. Add water and knead softly for smooth dough
  3. Refrigerate it for 24 hours
  4. Take it out & rest it for 15 minutes, then roll and laminate it with butter 3 times each side, dusting with flour in each layer for a smooth dough
  5. Again refrigerate it for 30minutes
  6. Sprinkle cinnamon powder and shape them into rolls
  7. Rest them for 30 minutes at room temperature
  8. Prepare a spray mix of sugar and milk
  9. Spray the liquid before baking at 200 Celsius for 17 minutes
  10. Serve warm

Don’t Turn A Blind Eye To Eye Wrinkles

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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Are you starting to get wrinkles around the eyes? None of us want to have eye bags and crow’s feet – whilst they may be a natural sign of aging later on in life, many factors can cause us to develop these wrinkles earlier. Here are several ways to combat eye wrinkles.

 

Stop smoking

 

Smoking effects the skin in many ways – preventing the flow of oxygen to the surface and causing it to become pale and dry. Smoking also causes facial wrinkles due to the smoke and heat. Packing in your smoking habit could help to fight those eye-wrinkles. You could buy yourself an electronic cigarette from a site like Vapor Vanity and take up vaping instead. Alternatively, you could find another way of giving up smoking such as chewing gum or wearing patches.

 

Get more sleep

 

A lack of sleep causes bags to develop under the eyes. This is the result of trapped fluid – when we get enough sleep this fluid is flushed out. Taking steps to improve your sleep quality could help to prevent these bags turning into permanent wrinkles.

 

Destress

 

Stress can directly lead to a lack of sleep, helping to bring on bags under the eyes. By taking time to destress before you go to bed, you could get a better quality of sleep. This could include taking a hot bath or listening to music or reading a book. You should avoid activities involving bright screens such as watching TV or playing on your phone as these can trick our brains into thinking it’s still daytime, preventing the release of melatonin.

 

Wear shades in the sun

 

Squinting in the sun can cause eye wrinkles to develop known as crow’s feet. Wearing shades could help to stop you from squinting and prevent these wrinkles from developing. Not all sunglasses are tinted enough to make a difference, so try different pairs of shades to find that you can see through without squinting.

 

Stop squinting at the computer screen

 

If you find yourself squinting at your computer screen often, it could be because the light on your screen doesn’t match the light of your environment. This could include staring at a bright screen in the dark or having to deal with sun glare when working outside on a laptop. Programmes such as Flux can help to adjust the brightness of your screen to the time of day, preventing you from squinting and helping you to sleep better.

 

Moisturise

 

Wrinkling can often be caused by dry skin. Applying moisturiser to your face could help to combat wrinkles by providing the necessary oils into your skin. There are even products out there designed specifically to target eye wrinkles such as Skinceuticals A.G.E. Eye Complex. Experiment with these products and see if they make a difference.

 

Keeping Everyone In The Family Happy And Healthy

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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Maintaining a happy family in such a busy modern world can be tough. Everyone’s got to focus on their own individual lives, after all. Your kids might be worried about school, whether they get a lot of homework to complete every week or they have problems with certain teachers, friends, and fellow classmates. You might have a lot on your mind in terms of your job, bills, and other important adult responsibilities. However, staying connected as a family is the best way to keep everyone happy and healthy, and we’ll discuss that in this article.

 

Stay physically active.

First of all, physical health is essential to happiness both today and in the long-term. When you’ve got so much to do in the average day, exercise is probably the last thing you want to put on your ‘To Do’ list. If you do have any free time then you and other members of your family probably watch TV on the couch or take a power nap to get through the rest of the day. It’s time to change this mentality in your household. Staying physically active won’t just ensure that you maintain a healthy figure but that your mental health improves too.

 

You should find some sort of physical activity that can get the whole family to spend time together. It’s also a great way to ensure that everybody commits to this new lifestyle. You might all want to go on more walks around your local park, for example. But you could really push yourselves by joining a new club. Perhaps you could take up dance as a family. That’ll be a fun way to socialize and relax without really thinking about the fact that you’re exercising. As we’ve discussed before, it’s important to look after the older members of your family, so you should invite the grandparents to join in with your new exercise routine. Remember, physical activity doesn’t have to be strenuous; getting your body moving is the important thing. If you choose an easy activity then everyone in the family can get involved.

 

Save money.

If you want a happier household then you should start saving money. It’ll mean you don’t have to worry so much about covering costs and your kids don’t have to worry about you. You could reduce energy bills by insulating your home more effectively and getting energy-efficient appliances, for example. If your kids are prone to ripping or ruining their clothes as soon as you buy new gear then you could even check out a service such as www.stitchit.co/services/ to mend their jeans, shirts, and so on. There’s no point in wasting money on new clothes all the time when your kids are just going to wreck anyway. Save that money for when they actually need new clothes because they’ve outgrown their old ones. Being frugal is about taking a look at your expenses and cutting out the waste. Your family will be much happier if you don’t have to worry about money. You can go on nice vacations or treat yourself to luxuries if you start being smarter with your finances.

 

Have weekly family meetings.

A final way in which you could keep everyone in the family happy and healthy is to hold a weekly family meeting. Happiness and healthiness are synonymous in many ways. If you want your family to have a healthy life then you need to prioritize their mental states. The best way to do that is to gather in a room and check in with everyone. Let people air their issues if they’re struggling at work, at school, or even at home. This is a chance for everyone in the family to support each other. It’s also a chance to have fun and bond as a family. Everyone could swap stories, as suggested over at www.webmd.com/parenting/. You could tell a funny story from your week or an old story from many years ago to make the kids laugh.

Cancer Fighting Foods

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

If you are on the lookout for the some cancer prevention ways and means then it is likely that you will find the next few lines interesting and informative. There is no denying the fact that cancer is one of the biggest killers and each year millions die from this disease across the world. Our food habits have an important role to play. Hence, we are happy to share below top 12 cancer fighting foods which we are sure will go a long way in helping you to stay healthy and avoid the risk of being impacted by some life threatening forms of cancers.

 

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