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Health Benefits of Broccoli

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 04:12:00 +0000

Broccoli is a super food. This low calorie vegetable is an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, anti-oxidants and other nutrients. Besides its anti-cancerous properties, it is very beneficial for our immune system and our body. Eating broccoli everyday provides lot of health benefits to your health.

Cancer
Broccoli belongs to crucifer family like cabbage and cauliflower. It is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and other healing plant compounds which protect our body against several types of cancer. Broccoli is a good source of anticancer phytochemicals called isothiocyanates, which fights against cancer by neutralizing carcinogens (Cancer promoting chemical).

Healthy bones
Broccoli is a calcium rich vegetable. It also contains minerals like magnesium, zinc and phosphorus. They are very essential for bones health. Especially for children, old people, pregnant and lactating mother as they are more prone to weakening of bone due to calcium and minerals deficiency.

Detoxification
Vitamins, minerals and certain amino acids found in broccoli help to detoxify our body. It removes free radicals and toxins from the body and purifies blood.

Fiber
Broccoli is a very good source of soluble and insoluble fiber. Fiber helps to keep the health of your stomach by preventing constipation. The magnesium and vitamins present in broccoli also help to heal acidity and improve digestion.

Eye care
Broccoli have plentiful of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.They protect eyes from damages caused by free radicals. such as macular degeneration, weakened vision, cataract.

Skin care
Antioxidants like beta-carotene, vitamin C and other vitamins and nutrients like A, E, K, B complex, omega 3 fatty acids, amino acids, folate give shine to your skin, hair and revive the skin tissues. These all goody nutrients present in the broccoli. Eating broccoli everyday will help you to take very good care of your skin. Additionally, broccoli has detoxification power which helps to remove toxin from the body and purifies blood. This helps to keep away skin problems like eczema, rashes, early skin aging, itches and boils.

Body Defense
The elements found in broccoli like vitamin C, Beta-carotene, and other vitamins and minerals give great protection against various viral diseases and infections.

Diabetes
A compound found in the broccoli, called sulforaphane, encourages production of enzymes which protect the blood vessels, and a reduction in high levels of molecules which cause significant cell damage triggered by high blood sugar. Sulforaphane also seems to activate genes that regulate protective antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes.

Heart health
Fiber in broccoli helps to reduce level of bad cholesterol as well as keep the heart functioning properly by regulating blood pressure. People with Diabetes are more likely to develop heart stokes and other hearth related disease. sulforaphane found in broccoli helps to reduce the levels of molecules which cause significant cell damage.

Pregnancy
Broccoli and related crucifer vegetable like cabbage, cauliflower are rich in folate. It is very important to eat folate rich food especially during pregnancy to prevent birth defects. Additionally, broccoli is an excellent source of Vitamins, minerals, calcium, iron, protein, folic acid and other nutrients. They are very essential for mother and the baby during pregnancy. Constipation is a common problem during pregnancy. As broccoli is rich in fiber, constipation can be prevented by including broccoli into daily diet.

Top 5 Healthy breakfast Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:52:00 +0000

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Since it is the first meal after sleep, body is in need of energy. Ideal breakfast should provide this energy in healthy way. You should feel satiated in a healthy way so that you can feel light and energetic for the rest of the day. It should have complex carbs, fiber, protein and healthy fats. Here are must haves of any healthy and nutritious breakfast.

Whole grains:
A healthy breakfast should have at least 5 grams of fiber. Whole grain cereals and breads made from whole grains are good source of fiber. Fresh or dried berries and 1/2 cup skimmed milk can be added to the cereals to make it more enjoyable. Addition of nuts and seeds like a spoonful ground flax seeds or chopped nuts will add nice crunch in your breakfast and give you more energy, fiber and protein. Stock some healthy granola bars for morning rush hours.

Proteins:
Just like fiber, a healthy breakfast needs to have atleast 5 grams of protein. Lean meats like ham, turkey, bacon, low fat or nonfat dairy product like milk, yogurt, cottage cheese can be included in your breakfast to get good amount of protein. Soy products like soy milk, tofu are also high in protein.

Fruits and fruit juice:
Many of working people tend to skip breakfast. It is better to stock fruits like apple, orange, bananas, berries, melons so that you can grab couple of fruits and get going.
Instead of drinking readymade juice which may contains preservatives and lot of sugar, make fresh juice at home. This will facilitate you to combine different fruits to make mixed fruit juice. It will provide your body different vitamins and other nutrients.

Vegetable juices:
To make vegetable juice, vegetables like tomato, carrot, beetroot are great option to energize your body with different lot of vitamins and minerals.

Smoothies:
Smoothies made with nonfat yogurt and any kind of fruit like banana, all kinds of berries, avocado, cantaloupe, orange, apple etc by adding little honey, sugar, sweetener. Yogurt can be replaced by milk or soymilk.

Image courtesy: www.tcpersonaltraining.com

Free Ecards Websites

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:43:00 +0000

The first greeting card was sent back in the 1840s (Wikipedia). Since then, millions of greeting cards have been exchanged. They are so popular over nearly 2 centuries because of their power to share emotions over the distances. Internet has made it even easier to send the cards online. You can send e-cards or order/schedule cards to be mailed in traditional way by choosing design and style online.
Here is 3 great websites that let you send e-cards online for free.

www.123greetings.com
123greetings.com is a completely free e-cards website and there is no compulsory subscription to send the e-cards. On this site, you will find treasure of different e-greeting cards. On the home page you will see greeting cards for upcoming events and festivals. Besides, it has huge variety of interactive e-cards through which you can share your exact feelings. It also has general e-cards like friendship, inspirational e-cards, invitation cards, just to say HI e-cards and much more. Another great thing is you will find e-cards in different languages too. This is an amazing site to get e-cards for Indian festivals and events. So, even if you are away from your home, you can send your love and feelings through these beautiful e-cards.
To send the greeting card, select and watch the card. In most of the cards, you will get an options to change the music and background color / design. Once you decided to send the card, write your name and email in sender details. Write a message, write as much as you want. Fill up receiver's name and email. You can send the card to max 100 people at a time. Last thing is to select the date on which you want to send the e-card and just click on 'send this e-card' button.

www.egreetings.com
This is also a nice website for free e-cards. On the main page, you will find top 5 most popular free e cards. This site has e-card for different occasions and events like wedding, birthday, kids, love and dating, graduation, religious etc.

www.funny-ecards.com
This is another free e-cards website. You will find simple but funny cartoon e-cards which will definitely cheer the person you have sent one. This site has pretty good collection of funny e-cards, everyday cards, holiday cards etc. You can send the chosen e-card to upto 5 persons.

Look Beautiful in Winter

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:37:00 +0000

Usually, for many people winter is the season of wearing thick jackets and sweaters. But winter does not have to be boring unfashionable season. You can look fashionable and keep yourself warm and protected too using few tricks.

Choose correct layers and fabric:
It is very important to create proper layers of your clothes. Choose clothing material like wool and silk. These materials provide warmth and do not create excessive bulge on the body. Choose good quality fitting sweater or silk shirt. As a third layer, nice shawl gives a great flexibility while switching between warmer indoors and cold outdoors.

Thermal Underwear:
Seamless tight fitting thermal underwear keeps you warm without creating any bulk. This will keep you warm and you can avoid a layer of clothing.

Hat, scarf and gloves:
During chilly winter season, it is very important to protect hands, neck, ears and head from cold. If you buy them separately, it will look disconnected. Buy a set of hat, scarf and gloves in stores or online which is a lot economical. So it will protect you from cold and will look great as well.

Jacket/ Coat:
A good coat is a great addition to your wardrobe. Choose coat shape and size carefully. Buy a coat that is flattering to your body shape with a good fit. Do not buy a coat which is loose or over-sized. If you have a budget for only one coat or jacket, choose neutral or black shades.

Socks:
Keeping feet warm and cozy makes you comfortable in harsh winter. You need good woolen socks. Make sure you have multiple socks, as worn out socks can be very itchy and uncomfortable.

Image courtesy: www.wholesalescraves.org

Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:27:00 +0000

Christmas is all around. All shops are filled with gifts, holiday decorations, candies, chocolates and much more for Christmas. People already have started working on the decoration and planning for the holidays.
Decorating a Christmas tree is a traditional and beloved part of the holiday season. Decorating Christmas tree with your family is really joyful. Christmas tree can be decorated by traditional way or some creative way. To get new ideas and general tips about Christmas tree decoration, watch the following videos.
Making glittering tree ornaments at home will be fun and it will save you a lot on decoration. Take printouts create different homemade Tree ornaments on this Christmas. - Click here for Christmas Tree Ornament shapes

Traditional way to decorate Christmas tree

Basic Ideas about selecting Christmas tree and other decorative ornaments.

A different idea to decorate Christmas tree with Popcorn and Cranberries.

Health Benefits of Okra

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:30:00 +0000

Okra is very much popular due to its unique shape and texture. Many people don't like this vegetable due to its internal gelatinous substance. However, if cooked properly, it is top of all the vegetables. Besides its delicious taste, it has tons of health benefits which you might not be aware of. Here are the health benefits of this amazing vegetable.

Low in calorie
Okra is a low calorie vegetable. Therefore, it is a best volume food with few calories. It is ideal vegetable for weight loss.

Heart healthy
Okra is very healthy for heart as it is very low in fat along with various health benefits.

Healthy Stomach
The fiber found in okra helps to maintain health of intestinal track. The okra fiber absorbs the water ensuring bulk in stool which helps to prevent and improve constipation.

Diabetes Control
Okra is a rich in fiber, which is beneficial for helping control blood glucose levels.

Vitamin C
Okra is a good source of vitamin C. vitamin C protects against immune system deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease, and even skin wrinkling.

Loaded with nutrients
Eating okra provides your body various nutrients as it is a good source of Protein, minerals, Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Thiamin, Vitamins B complex, Folate and Calcium.

Pregnancy
Eating okra is much recommended for pregnant woman, as it is rich in folic acid which is essential in the neural tube formation of the fetus during 4-12 weeks of gestation period in the mother's womb.

Women's health
Okra is a home remedy for white vaginal discharge in women. It is called Leucorrhea. It happens due to unhealthy eating and living habits. The toxins in the food are in such high quantities that the lungs and bowels are unable to get rid of them. The body flushes these toxins with the white discharge. To get rid of this condition, boil 100 gram slit okra into 500 gram water for 10 to 15 minutes. Drink 4 tbsp twice a day atleast for a month.

Thanksgiving Leftovers

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:46:00 +0000

Thanksgiving is over, but the leftover turkey and other side dishes are still in the refrigerator. How about some delicious breakfast, brunch or some delectable snacks with all the leftover things!! Here are some videos and recipes which will give you ideas to transform leftovers into delicious new dishes.

Food Network
Thanksgiving Leftover recipes
You will get the recipes for leftover turkey, Mashed Potatoes, green beans, gravy etc.

Thanksgiving Leftover Videos - Utilize leftover turkey into healthy salad, soup, sandwich along with the other leftover foods like mashed potato, cranberry relish etc.

womansday.com
Womansday.com
Woman's day online magazine gives you 10 creative ways to savor leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

cdkitchen.com
cdkitchen.com - Few more leftover recipes.

myrecipes.com
Introductory video - It an introductory video, through which you will get an idea about 5 delicious leftover recipes.
Detail Recipes - 5 creative leftover turkey recipes.

Holidays.net
Leftover turkey recipes
Turn leftover turkey into delicious soups, salad, sandwiches and other yummy dishes.

Epicurious.com
Epicurious.com - Find multiple recipes of soups, salads, sandwiches and wraps by using leftover turkey and other leftover accompaniments.

How to Decorate Thanksgiving Table

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:59:00 +0000

Hosting a thanksgiving dinner is not only about delicious foods. Decorating dining table is also a part of Thanksgiving dinner party. Every year, creating something different to decorate the table is fun. Here are some ideas to beautify your thanksgiving table. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving under budget

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:02:00 +0000

Thanksgiving is all about fun, joy and delicious foods with your loved ones. Preparing numerous food items can be stressful on you and your wallet. Why not plan a value thanksgiving meal on which you can save a lot along with pretty decent food. Here are some websites which gives you basic idea about budget thanksgiving shopping.

Epicurious.com
Thanksgiving for 8 under $80 - On this website, you will get a pre-planned menu with respective recipes. In each recipe, cost of every ingredient is specified. So, you will come to know how much that particular recipe would cost. For your convenience, this site provides shopping list for each recipe.

KITV.com
Shopping for Thanksgiving - This video shows expensive and inexpensive shopping for Thanksgiving. You will see the difference while typical home-style Thanksgiving meal and expensive gourmet thanksgiving meal.

Foodnetwork.com
Thanksgiving for less - Foodnetwork.com has a value menu for thanksgiving. The main attraction is the side dish recipes. You will also get to see videos of selected recipes

Thanksgiving under $70 - Brothers Matt & Ted Lee are the authors of the new cookbook "Simple Fresh Southern" and they will prepare a Thanksgiving feast on a holiday budget of $70.

Best websites for Thanksgiving Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:23:00 +0000

Thanksgiving is a festival where all family comes together, have fun, and eat delicious foods. However, preparing whole lot foods can be stressful. If you decide the recipes in advance and plan accordingly, it will be a lot easier. So here are some best Thanksgiving recipe websites for you. Celebrate your thanksgiving by using creative ideas in your recipes and decorating your Thanksgiving dining table. Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Food Network.com

Thanksgiving Recipes - Browse according to courses like appetizer, turkey recipes, side dishes etc.
Recipes according to Menu - Get completely planned menu from appetizers to desserts. You will find different types of menu like traditional menu, fun menu, healthy menu and best chef's menu for thanksgiving.
There is a delicious menu for Vegetarians - Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menu

Epicurious.com

Interactive Menu Planner - This year Epicurious.com has introduced interactive thanksgiving menu planning tool which helps you in selecting a perfect menu for you and your guests. Answer six questions and get a perfect holiday meal that's customized to your preference. If you like the menu just click the 'satisfied' button and move to the actual recipes.
Thanksgiving Table Decorative Ideas - Thanksgiving is not only about food. Decorating dining table in creative way is also an important job. Learn easy-do-it yourself centerpieces, napkin holders to complete your thanksgiving table.
Epicurious Thanksgiving - Also, get ideas about food and drinks which compliment your main thanksgiving meal.

Holidays.net

Thanksgiving Recipes and Crafts - Holidays.net have lots of thanksgiving recipes and thanksgiving crafts for kids.

Thanksgiving Vegetarian Recipes

Thanksgiving is for everyone to enjoy so do for vegetarians and vegans. Here is the thanksgiving treat for all vegetarians -
http://www.vegkitchen.com
http://www.mercyforanimals.org

Beautiful Autumn - fall colors

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:23:00 +0000

Every season has its own beauty. But, Autumn stands out in all of them due to eye pleasing fall colors. All the roads, houses are covered with dazzling orange, red and yellow colored leaves. Enjoy few photographs of autumn from different part of the world.

Photograph Courtesy - Daryl Hunter - Flickr.com - Mt Moran, Grand Teton National Park.

Photograph Courtesy - Carnico.com - Flickr.com - Valentino's Park, Turin.

Image Courtesy - Lokidude99 - flickr.com

Photograph courtesy - Andrew Porter - Flickr.com

Photograph courtesy - Livingwilderness.com - Flickr.com - Franklin Falls Pond in the Adirondacks, New York

Photograph courtesy - Brian Callahan - Flickr.com - Ornate Red Bridge, Detroit

Health benefits of Raisins

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:52:00 +0000

Raisins are dried grapes. Naturally dried raisins are a tasty source of calcium, vitamin B complex, iron, potassium and fiber. Raisins are available year around and can be used in baking and cooking. Additionally, they are delicious and energy packed, low-fat snack itself. Eating a small quantity can provide lot of benefits to your health.

Fiber
Raisins are good source of fiber. Fiber regulates the bowel movement and prevent constipation. Therefore adding 1 serving of raisins helps to prevent constipation.

Antioxidants
Raisins are rich in antioxidants.Antioxidants are nutrients which can prevent or slow down the oxidation damage to our body. Extreme health issues like cancer, heart disease, diabetes occur due to oxidation damage. Therefore eating foods rich with antioxidants can lower the risks of these damages.

High calorie food
If you are trying to put on weight or you need more calories due to your frame of work, raisins are a great help. Being high in calories, but low in fats, raisins are a very good source of energy, especially for children and athlete.

Anemia
Raisins are rich in iron. It is also a good source of Vitamin B which promote cell growth, metabolism rate and enhances immune and nervous system function.

Blood Pressure
Adequate intake of potassium foods can help to maintain blood pressure. Raisins are high in potassium and low in sodium, its a great snack for your health.

Heart Health
Raisins are fat-free and contains soluble fiber. Soluble fiber may help to reduce cholesterol level. It may reduce the intestinal absorption of cholesterol.

Bone Health
Raisins are rich in calcium, important component for bone health. Raisins contain an vital nutrient called boron which is necessary for proper bone formation and absorption of calcium.

Eye Care
Raisins have plentiful of antioxidants.They protect eyes from damages caused by free radicals. such as macular degeneration, weakened vision, cataract etc.

Dental Care
Raisins contain oleanolic acid which fights against dental cavities. Oleanolic acid in food is very effective in killing the bacteria that causes cavity and dental problems.

Sexual Weakness
Raisins stimulate the libido since they contain arginine, an amino acid that combats erectile dysfunction.

How to apply Liquid Eyeliner

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:10:00 +0000

Eye-makeup is an important part of our routine makeup. Perfectly applied eyeliner helps to define your eyes and brings out the beauty of your eyes. However, if used incorrectly can ruin your entire makeup. There are different types of eyeliner available in the market. Pencil, liquid, gel, and cake are some examples. Every eyeliner has its own pros and cons. Liquid eyeliner is sort of difficult to apply as you need patience and steady hands while applying. If you give a wrong stroke, you have to wipe and apply it again. However, there are some advantages. It is easy to clean, smooth to apply and stays on well. The following video will help you in applying liquid eyeliner perfectly.

Suitable Outfits for Hourglass body shape

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:06:00 +0000

When we see an hourglass, the first thing we notice is it's shape. Hourglass has equal sized top and bottom and the middle area is very narrow. Hourglass shaped women have similar features. Hourglass shaped woman has very proportionate body figure which makes her look very attractive. Therefore, many outfits which don't suit on Boyish, Apple or pear body shape; go well on this body type. According to recent studies, only 8 % women of USA are lucky to have this sexy, attractive body shape. If you are the lucky one, find out which types of outfit flatter on your body.

Features:
1) Your busts and hips are approximately same in size.
2) You have narrow and defined waist line, which makes you look hourglass.

Dos:
1) If you have large bust area, wear proper bra which gives proper support.
2) You have fabulous figure. So wear clothes that clings to your body.
3) If your body is toned, any kind of body hugging top (with or without sleeves) will suit you.
4) Your waist is the smallest part of your body. So, wear well fitted wrap dress with belt to show your waistline. Pick a wrap that ties around the smallest part of your waist.
5) Wear mid-rise jeans. Complete your curves by wearing flared bottom jeans.
6) Emphasis your bottom half by wearing A-line or pencil skirts.

Don'ts:
1) As you are naturally curvy, do not wear baggy clothes like baggy pants, loose and bulky shirts that would make you look heavy.
2) You have a great figure and may be fuller bust area. So you don't need to emphasis it by wearing dress with more detailing on the top. It will make you look disproportionate.

How to Slow down Skin Aging

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:53:00 +0000

Skin is an important part of human body. It adds beauty, covers and protects the organs inside. Our health reflects through our skin. Aging, inevitable and progressive, makes skin look dull, loose and wear out. However, we can slow down the effects of aging, atleast externally, by keeping our skin well-nourished. There are many products for slowing down the aging process of skin. But, Some following few simple rules can also help to keep your skin looking younger and healthy.

Sun:
Sun exposure is the most probable reason for skin aging. Avoid going into sun when the heat is at peak. Apply sunscreen to your face, hands and other sun exposed body part.
Wear long sleeved shirt. To protect scalp, apply sunscreen, specially made for scalp and hair. Otherwise, wear wide-brimmed hat.
How to Protect skin against Sun Damage

Smoking:
Wrinkles on the face are unavoidable. However, premature wrinkling occurs due to smoking. Nicotine in cigarettes causes narrowing the blood vessels in the outermost layer of the skin which results into less blood flow in the body. Due to less blood flow, our skin dons not get enough oxygen to keep skin healthy. Quit smoking to slow down the early aging. Smoking deprives the oxygen, drink lots of water to counteract it.

Alcohol
Too much alcohol is bad for your skin and dehydrates the body. So, moderate the amount of alcohol intake. Drink plenty of ice water after alcoholic beverage. It will detoxify the body .

Unhealthy food
Convenient or comfort food like burger, pizza, soda or other junks food items don't provide essential nutrition to your skin and body. Protection of the skin is possible by eating foods rich in vitamins A, C and E. Fresh fruits and vegetables are particularly good for keeping the skin youthful.
So try to avoid ready-made junk food and prepare healthy meals at home, so that you can vary the ingredients according to your choice. Also, ask your doctor for vitamin supplement prescription if you are not getting enough nutrients from your foods.
Healthy Foods for Younger looking skin

Stress:
Under stress, levels of cortisol, which is the major stress hormone, increase. This in turn breaks down collagen and causes inflammation. It causes various skin related issues, fine lines and wrinkles.
Getting stressed is not the way out. Know the actual reason of your stress and try to find the solution on it. Do activities which make you stress-free. Yoga, Head and Body massage can relax your body and help reduce the stress.

How to clean your hairbrush

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:18:00 +0000

Shampoo, Hair conditioning, styling cream, hairsprays all keep your hair in a good shape. But this takes a toll on the single most important tool for hair care - your hairbrush! The residue of styling products, gels, oils, dead scalp skin and environmental dirt get stuck between our hairbrush bristles. If used without cleaning, it can make cleaned hair dirty and leave oily, dirt layer on the hair. Therefore, it is important to clean the comb or hairbrush, atleast once in a week. Keep your comb or hairbrush dirt-free and clean in inexpensive way by following some simple tips.

hand soap / Shampoo:
Before cleaning, remove hair stuck to the comb, in any. Take a mug or container in which comb can easily fit in. Fill the container with warm water, add approx a spoonful of hand soap. You can use shampoo instead of hand soap. Give a stir and soak the comb for 15 to 20 minutes. Soaking makes the fibrous dirt and dead skin cells swollen and easy to remove. Use tooth pick to remove the dirt. To make it quick, use an old toothbrush and gently brush between comb bristles. After cleaning the comb, wash with clean water to remove soap residue. Pat dry with a towel.

Both, round and flat hair brush have difficult places to reach. First, remove any hair embedded. Use comb-tail or wooden skewer to remove the hair. Soak the brush into warm soap water for 20 minutes. If the hairbrush is wooden, do not soak. Soaking wood in the water can deteriorate the texture of the brush. Clean with toothpick or toothbrush to remove all the dirt out. In the end, wash the brush with clean water and pat dry.

Vinegar:
Soak hair brush or comb in the mixture of vinegar and warm water for 20 minutes to remove oily substances.

Baking Soda:
Dissolve 2 tbsp baking soda in 2 cups of warm water. Remove the hair stuck between the comb bristles and soak the comb for 15 minutes. Scrub with the tooth brush in between the bristles. Rinse with cold water and pat dry with a cloth. After rinsing, hair brush should be kept bristles side down to drip off all the water.

How to use Curling Iron

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:09:00 +0000

Usually we feel comfortable in a particular hairstyle. Many a times, we are reluctant to change our hairstyle as we are unsure if that hairstyle suits us or not . However changing hairstyle can bring drastic change in your looks. And you may find it perfect hairstyle for you.
Hair Straightening and Curling, both are easily possible at home. If you have straight hair or unruly wavy hair, you can try curling them properly by using curling iron/ curling tongs. Curly hair style may suits you more, than your previous hairstyle. Learn how to use curling iron to get curly hairstyle.

How to choose right sized Curling Iron for your hair.
1) You will get curling Irons in different sizes. However variety in size changes according to the brands. Generally it comes in 3 sizes - 1/2 inch, 1 inch and 1 and 1/2 inch.
Small sized barrels (rod) is use to create spiral curls (small and dense curls). It suits to short hair or short and thin hair. It gives nice dense hair look.
Medium sized barrel gives medium curls. For thick and medium length hair, medium sized barrel is perfect. And large rod gives bigger curls which suits to longer hair.
2) Ceramic iron is popular and better option for hair. They give off negative ions that prevent the positive charge of the hair shaft, resulting in smoother tresses.
3) Choose curling iron with adjustable temperature setting. So that you can change the temperature according to your hair texture and thickness, as thin hair requires low temperature and thick hair requires medium or high temperature.

You will need
Curling Iron
Comb/ Hair Brush
Heat Protective serum
Hair Spray
Hair holding Clips

Steps to follow
1) Shampoo and condition your hair.
2) Air dry or blow dry hair before ironing.
3) Once hair are dry, divide them into horizontal sections. You can do it by vertical sections, but horizontal sections are better and easy to cover all hair.
4) Start from the lowest hair section which lies above neck area. Clip the remaining hair up.
5) Hold a small section of hair and spray some heat protective serum.
6) Place the section in curling tong and close. Slowly, pull the tong towards the tip of the hair.
7) Roll the tong back to the hair and hold for 10 seconds. Be careful, not to burn your hair or scalp.
8) Open the tongs and you will see curled hair. Work the same way to all your hair.
9) If you don't like thick and condensed curls, run through wide tooth comb to loosen the curls. Do not use narrow tooth comb, it will ruin the entire hairstyle.
10) Spray little hair spray to hold the style.

Watch the video for more detailed demonstration

How to declutter your closet

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:50:00 +0000

Are you afraid of entering your own closet because of clutter? Its time to ditch the fear and take control. It can take some time of your weekend , but you'll surely feel nice when you walk into the well organized and clean closet. And you'll be able to find and pick up what you want to wear in seconds saving time in future.

Closet contains 80% clothes and accessories that you don't use most of the times. So why to keep all unnecessary things on the shelf. Declutter the closet and transform it into a spacious and clutter free place where you can find only the clothes you like to see and wear. Here are some simple steps to get a clutter free closet.

1) Spread an old bed-sheet near to the closet. Bring out all the clothes from your closet and put it over the bed-sheet.

2) If you have big plastic containers, moving boxes or big plastic bags, then get four of them. Name them as Donate, Trash, Unsure, and Sell. The clothes which you are surely going to wear will go directly in your closet, on the hanger.

3) Arrange the hangers on closet rod. Decide the places for skits, office-wears, pants, jackets, shirts, t-shirts etc

4) Start going through all clothes.

Sort all the clothes - Pants, shirts, skirts, dress, office-wear, inner-wears and set of clothes - Pile them separately.

Pick each cloth and think. Clothes which fit and look nice on you and is in good condition, will directly go back to your closet.

Trash - All clothes which are really in bad condition will go to the box named trash.

Donate - Old Clothes which are in good condition, but you are surely not going to wear goes in donation bag.

Sell or Donate - Good clothes which don't suit you or don't fit you, sell them or donate them.

Unsure - If you are not sure whether to keep, donate or trash, put them into unsure bag.

Arrange - Soft fabric or any cotton clothes can easily get wrinkled if they are not placed properly. Therefore hang the soft and delicate fabrics (shirts, skirts or trousers) on hangers. Jeans pant or T-shirts which are less likely to get wrinkles can be folded and kept on shelves.
Under garments - Only keep the bras which are good in shape and fit you correctly.

Remember 'Unsure' Box?
Once you are done with all clothes, go through the unsure items. Decide practically and not emotionally.If you are really very much attach to any outfit, but you are sure you are not going to wear it, fold it nicely and put it in some other bag which you don't use often. Clear 'Unsure' box completely.

If you keep your purses, shoes into your closet. Allot proper space for them on shelve or buy small open cupboard for shoes and purse to keep them organized.

After every 15 days, have a good look in your closet and if you find any trace of clutter starting, fix that up immediately. Try to maintain your closet clutter-free, so next time you don't have to go through all these hassles.

Now you have well organized closet.

Morning Makeup in Minutes

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:20:00 +0000

Makeup has become integral part in woman's life. Makeup, if done correctly makes you glow and look beautiful. Quality cosmetics protect facial skin from sun damage, pollution. Makeup should be varied according to the occasion. However, working women usually don't have enough time to do a complete makeup. Besides, light makeup keeps your face look natural and beautiful. A morning makeup routine can be done just in couple of minutes. The following video shows you easy steps for quick makeup routine. Also, you can carry very few, small sized cosmetics in your purse to quick touch up during office hours.

image courtesy: carolthompsonbeautysecrets.com

How to Apply fake eyelashes

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:24:00 +0000

Long, curled eyelashes make eyes more attractive and enhance the appearance. Though, everyone is not lucky to have magnificent long and fuller eyelashes. If you are the one, do not worry!! As because of fashion development, you can get stunning thicker eyelashes by using fake eyelashes which are easily available in the superstores. It needs little practice to fit fake eyelash over your actual one. Removing the fake eyelashes is as important as applying. The following video will help you by showing detailed and well illustrated steps about applying and properly removing fake eyelashes.

How to use hair straightener

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:57:00 +0000

Hair play vital role in your overall appearance. Many women have frizzy, unruly hair which are very difficult to manage. Hair straightening is an easy option to get chic and silky hair. Straight hair suit almost everyone. Temporary hair straightening can be done by using Flat iron. The following article describes how to choose and use flat iron for hair straightening.

How to choose Flat iron:-
1) Before buying, read reviews of the product on internet and other sources like friends.
2) Buy ceramic iron to avoid hair damage.
3) According to your hair length and texture, choose plate size of the iron. For long and thick hair wide plate (approx 2 to 3 inches ) is suitable. For medium/ short but coarse hair medium sized plate (1.5 inch) works well. For normal and thin textured hair small to medium sized plate (1 to 1.5 inch) is suitable. However, the plate size is completely depends on everyone's own preference.
4) Flat iron should provide adjustable temperature button. So, you can adjust the temperature according to your hair texture. For very coarse hair, you might need higher temperature. However, try different temperature to find perfect temperature for your hair.

Points to remember:
1) Hair should be clean. Do not use iron on uncleaned hair.
2) If possible, let your hair dry naturally. Otherwise, use hair dryer to dry them.
3) Use heat protective spray or serum to prevent damage due to heat.

steps to follow
1) Comb and untangle hair nicely.
2) Straighten your hair into horizontal sections.
3) Heat iron to required temperature.
4) Start from the lowest hair section which lies above neck area. Clip the remaining hair up.
5) Take a part of the hair and carefully place them between the iron, close the hot plates and slowly work the way down to tip.
6) Repeat the action until the hair straightens.
7) Once ironing is done to the lower section, take a small horizontal section of hair clipped up on the head and iron them the same way.
8) Apply little lock out lotions or shine spray over ironed hair to maintain the style. (Optional)
9) Iron all your hair in sections.
10) Use hair spray after done with straightening to maintain the style.

Image courtesy: amominredhighheels.com

Yoga for Neck Stiffness

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:53:00 +0000

Many of us spend a lot of the time sitting at a desk. Some do lot of lifting and twisting work. people spending long hours at computer, doing lot of driving or busy moms carrying toddler are common victim of stiff neck muscles. Doing little yoga to free up tension in neck is really a good idea having long term benefits. If properly done, yoga routine for neck will help strengthen muscles and increase flexibility in the neck. This will also reduce your shoulder and back stress. Learn simple yoga exercise for neck watching this video from well known yoga instructor.

Note:
Make sure to see your doctor if Your neck pain persists for more than three days or keeps coming back.

Image Courtesy: valeosteopathy.com

Homemade Cleansers for Oily Skin

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:35:00 +0000

Most people with oily skin find it difficult to keep it clean. They face different problems like acne, blemishes and blackheads. However, it will be surprise for many to know the fact that oily skin slows down aging and wrinkles as the oily skin always remains moist. Whatever your skin type may be, it requires good care to keep it fresh, healthy and bright.

Cleansing everyday is the way out of all oily skin problems. Dirt, make up traces and pollution have their first impact on the facial skin. Cleansing removes the dirt and avoid clogging the pores. There are ready made facial cleansers available in the market. You can also cleanse your facial skin naturally. Here are some natural, inexpensive cleansers for oily skin which you will find easily right in your kitchen.

Cucumber-lemon juice cleanser
Mix 1 tbsp Cucumber juice and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Wash your face with warm water and pat dry with towel. Apply cucumber-lemon mixture with cotton ball over your face and neck. After 4 to 5 minutes remove it with another cotton ball. You will see all the dirt come off on the cotton ball. Then wash your face with warm water.

Lemon juice
Take 1 tbsp lemon juice. Dab all over your face and neck. Avoid eye area. Leave it for few minutes and rinse off with warm water and then cool water. Acid in lemon juice helps to remove dirt, clean your pores and make it oil-free.

Grapes, berries and other citrus fruits
All citrus fruits like grapes, berries, orange juice contain AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid). Crush the available fruits, apply the juice all over the face and wash it with warm water.

Tomato juice
Tomato is a great cleanser for oily skin. Squeeze a tomato and apply its juice with cotton ball, let it dry. Wash with the water.

Milk
Milk is an excellent cleanser for your skin. You can combine 1 tbsp cold milk with 1 tbsp tomato juice, or lemon juice. Smear with cotton ball. Let it dry over your face and wash with the water.

Apple Cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar has antiseptic qualities that helps to prevent spreading skin bacterias. Along with antiseptic properties, it is a good cleanser. It can dissolve excessive oil deposits at the surface of the skin. It is a great, inexpensive, all natural, non-toxic facial cleanser. Add 2 tbsp water for 1 tbsp of Apple cider vinegar. After 15 minutes, rinse off with water.

Yogurt
Yogurt is high in lactic acid, which helps in soothing your skin and refine pores. Massage gently the yogurt over the face. Avoid eye area. Rinse with warm water and gently pat the skin dry.

After cleansing and washing your face, Apply some toner to close opened pores and do not forget to moisturize your face with good moisturizer. Moisturizers specially for oily skin are easily available in the pharmacy and other stores.

Image Courtesy: spafindskincare.com

Grocery coupons Sites

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:58:00 +0000

Grocery expense is one big but essential item on the monthly expenses. The best way to save on groceries is coupons. In US, near to 70 billions $ offered in coupon savings per year. Most of the times, cosumers do not use the coupons because everyone thinks it is time consuming and tedious task. But with few really cool e-coupons sites, you can get printable grocery e-coupons you want in few clicks. Before making your trip to the grocery store, check out these coupon sites. These sites have coupons for local stores as well.

Coupons.smartsource.com
This coupon site is very easy to operate. It has coupons on its homepage. Activate coupon printer before printing coupons. Just select the coupons you want and click print button. It also provides coupons according to store. Click on 'Local Grocery Deals', enter your zip code and get hundreds of grocery coupons of nearby grocery stores.

http://www.couponmom.com/
This site has other online coupons like restaurant coupons, discount coupons along with grocery coupons. For grocery coupons, click on 'Printable grocery coupons' button on the left.

http://www.mysavings.com/
This is also a good site for grocery coupons. Sign up for free, to access printable grocery coupons.

http://www.shortcuts.com/
shortcuts.com is an another e-coupon site. Sign up for free. While registering, you have to provide your postal code. It will help you to find coupons of nearby grocery stores. Once you are signed in, you will get access to your account and e-coupons. Every coupon has 'info' button which has information about the stores where you can use that coupon. Another facility on this site is, the grocery items are categorized like frozen, condiments, dairy, bakery and bread etc.

http://www.thegrocerygame.com/
www.thegrocerygame.com is a grocery coupon site. To get grocery coupons, click on free coupons button on left hand side. It will show you a list. Click on 'Print Free Grocery Coupons - Page 1'. Enter your ZIP Code for even more coupons in your area. Select the coupons and click on 'print now' button. You have to install java application to activate printer.
You can get coupons through mail. After clicking 'Free coupons' button from homepage, click on 'Print Free Grocery Coupons - Page 2'. Enter your email ID and Zip code.

Image Courtesy: sfwmag.com

How to know your skin type

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Bhave) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 20:17:00 +0000

Knowing your skin type is a first step in taking care of your skin. If you know your skin type, it will be helpful for choosing beauty products. There are basically 4 skin types - Oily, Dry, Normal and combination. You should treat your skin according to its type, otherwise it can cause damage like wrinkles, pimples, rashes and blemishes.
Suitable cosmetics and beauty products, not only take care of your skin but also make you beautiful.

How to test your skin type:
1) Wash your face with mild face wash. Pat dry with towel.
2) Do not apply anything for an hour. Also, do not go out if the climate very hot or cold. It will give better result if you stay at home. Cool temperature makes your skin dry and hot temperature makes it oily.
3) Don't test your skin if you have applied oil to your hair. Sometimes, very light coat of oil spread over the forehead. Therefore, do it when your hair are cleaned.
4) You can make out your skin type by looking carefully. However, you can use tissue paper to find it.
5) If you are using tissues, use one tissue for one facial area or cut one tissue into 4 pieces so that you can use each piece for one area. wash your hands with soap and make them dry completely.
6) Stand in front of mirror. There should be proper light.

Oily Skin
If you see all the face shiny (mainly nose, chicks, forehead, chin), you have oily skin. Do the tissue taste. Press tissues on forehead, chin, forehead and chicks. If you find little oil on the tissue. Another way is observe your face carefully, if it has large sized skin pores, you have oily skin.

Dry Skin
About an hour after washing face, if you feel flaky, stretched skin, then you might have dry skin. If you have dry skin you won't get any oily substance on the tissue, but you will feel tight and dryness in the skin.

Normal Skin
Your facial skin doesn't look oily or dry even after washing it. People with normal skin type has very bright and blemish-free skin.

Combination
Combination skin has combination of dry and oily skin. This is a very common skin type. Oily skin is generally in the T-zone, that means forehead, nose and chin are oily. Chicks area have dry skin. If you press the tissue on forehead, chin and nose, Tissue will become greasy. But chicks will be dry.