Monday, 13 May 2013

FASHION & STYLE-ROCKING YOUR ANKARA IN A CURVY WAY

The Ankara fabric is fast growing and going global. Designs in recent times are taking advantage of that is creating lovely designs. In this edition, we feature some lovely designs to suit the body of a curvy sister.

STYLE PICK-Ankara Accesorries

Aside creating lovely clothes with the Ankara fabric, designers are now taking the delight in complimenting those outfits with accessories with Ankara fabric.The suit for all sorts of public functions.

Accessories by Inspyno Afrik

Thursday, 9 May 2013

FITNESS TIPS: Mood boost: Stress-less exercise.

Mood boost: Stress-less exercise

We reveal myriad ways in which you can change your approach to the pressures of everyday life and make our ethos your mantra.

TRY THIS:

Sit comfortably with your back supported against the back of the chair, feet firmly on the ground, hands and arms open and relaxed.
1) With a deep breath in, raise the shoulders towards the ears and hold them raised for a few seconds. Then slowly breathe out and drop the shoulders. Repeat several times.
2) Place your left hand on your right shoulder. Squeeze gently and then release. Repeat down the right arm to the elbow. Repeat several times. Place your right hand on your left shoulder and repeat the exercise.
3) Place the fingers of both hands at the base of your skull; apply slow circular pressures down from the base of the skull to the base of the neck.
4) Now close your eyes and relax your face muscles. Be aware of your eye muscles, your jaw and your forehead. Place the fingers of both hands on each side of the temples and slowly massage in circular motion. Repeat several times.
5) Finish by cupping your hands over your eyes and holding for several seconds. This helps to release tension and tightness in the face.

BEAUTY ZONE-Handling Stress and Beauty

You can learn the secrets of guided imagery and use them at any time of the day. All you need is five minutes to yourself.
Begin by closing your eyes and taking deep, measured breaths. Imagine that you are in beautiful surroundings – either a place you have visited or a place you conjure up from your imagination. Focus on bringing all the elements of the scene to life: the colours you see, the sounds you hear, the smells you detect, the aromas and taste. How does your body feel with whatever it’s doing in your special place? Is it warm or cool? Are you alone or with others? Bring the images into focus and try to stay in the scene for at least five minutes.
Practice this exercise for a few minutes every day, or use whenever you’re stressed.

Recipe of the month- Vegetable Rice Sevai

Vegetable Rice Sevai

Vegetable Sevai makes for a light, filling and quick-fix breakfast meal. Prepared pretty much the way one would prepare vermicelli/semiya. Adding vegetables of your choice makes it substantial while tofu/paneer adds a dose of protein. Sevai are a type of rice noodles popular in South India especially Tamil Nadu and Sevai preparations include coconut, lemon and tomato.

Vegetable Sevai Recipe

Prep & Cooking Time: 20 mts

Serves 4 persons

Cuisine: South Indian

Ingredients:2 cups instant rice sevai (I used MTR brand)
1 finely sliced large onion
3-4 slit green chillis
1″ ginger finely chopped
pinch of asafoetida/hing/inguva
1 tomato, chopped
1 1/2 cups diced and parboiled mixed vegetables (carrot, beans, green peas)
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves (optional)
1/2 tbsp oil
1 tsp ghee (optional)
salt
For seasoning:
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tbsp split black gram
1/2″ cinnamon stick (optional)
12-15 curry leaves

Boil 4 cups of water and add the rice sevai along with 1/4 tsp salt and 1 tsp oil. Once the sevai is cooked (it should be just soft and not mushy), turn off heat, pour into a colander to drain completely and and keep aside. The sevai cooks fast so watch out while its boiling.
2 Heat oil and ghee in a cooking vessel, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the black gram and curry leaves and saute them till the dal turns slightly brown and a nice aroma emanates the kitchen. Add the asafoetida and mix.
3 Add the sliced onions, green chillis and ginger and saute for 4 mts. Add the parboiled vegetables and green peas. Cook for 4 mts.
4 Add the chopped tomatoes and saute on medium heat for 4 mts.
5 Now, add the cooked sevai and and mix it lightly and see that no lumps form. Garnish with coriander leaves. Turn off heat.
6 Serve hot with chutney or pickle of your choice.

Perfect Nutrition-Do you skip breakfast often?

Do you skip breakfast often?
Many people have a hard time functioning in the morning, so they wake up as late as they possibly can. Unfortunately this rids them of the time they have to prepare a healthy breakfast that contains all of the nutrients needed to begin the day. Think skipping breakfast every day will help you lose weight and stay healthy? Think again. Read on to learn about the negative effects of skipping breakfast:

1) Lack of Energy

This is one of the most negative effects of skipping breakfast. Glucose levels drop significantly while you’re sleeping. Eating breakfast helps restore glucose (fueling your cells) to your blood, providing energy to be productive throughout the day. By eating breakfast, you will feel energized and able to take on your responsibilities more efficiently; you will find that your ability to concentrate and focus is also improved.

2) Weight Gain

Those who consistently skip breakfast may notice weight gain or failing weight loss efforts; this is a pretty negative effect of skipping breakfast! Eating breakfast helps reduce your appetite later in the day. This helps you avoid reaching for the wrong food or overeating later in the day. Also, waiting until the afternoon to eat will put your body into
‘starvation mode,’ causing it to store more fat.

3) Destabilizes Your Mood

If you feel moody in the morning, it could be because you are skipping or aren’t eating a sufficient breakfast. Consuming breakfast regularly can stabilize mood swings, improve irritability, and even decrease depression. This is due to the fact that eating supplies your body with energy it needs to properly function.

4) Poor Nutrition

Skipping breakfast, or any meal for that matter, cuts out a significant opportunity for you to supply your body with essential nutrients. By eating a nutritious breakfast, you will increase intake of protein, complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables. It is known that those who eat breakfast are more likely to eat healthier throughout the day.

Hopefully after reading about the negative effects of skipping breakfast, you will be convinced to wake up a little earlier to prepare yourself a healthy meal to jump-start your metabolism. Eating breakfast will prove to be beneficial to your health—start tomorrow to feel the positive effects!