Chicory- An Excellent Health Aid

Posted by Mona Sarkar , Monday, November 21, 2011 11:39 AM


‘Chicory’ or Kasni in Hindi


Legend

This mystical plant is native to Europe and has a very interesting Greek legend attached to it.
It is said that a beautiful blue-eyed girl refused the amorous pursuit of the Sun God Apollo. Hence to avenge his rejection, Apollo turned the maiden into a blue flower that opens each morning to face the sun and slowly fades throughout the day.

About Chicory

It was well known among the Romans and eaten by them as a vegetable or in salads. In Belgium, the young and tender roots are boiled and eaten with butter.
On recognizing the versatile uses of this medicinal plant people have made it a part of their daily lives.

The leaves of this plant are a good source of potassium, calcium, zinc, vitamin A, K, E and B complex. 



Method

Always use the tender and newer leaves of this plant since they are less bitter as compared to the older ones. You can add them as a part of salad dressing or just simply boil them then strain and drink.

Its roots are dried and processed before using it as a coffee substitute

Medical Uses

  • Stimulating
  • Gall stones
  • Digestive weakness
  • Constipation
  • Liver problems
  • Hemorrhoids
  • Varicose veins
  • Blood cleaning
  • Metabolism strengthening
  • Diabetes
  • Uterine strengthening
  • Headaches
  • Ulcers
  • Hair loss
  • Skin impurities
  • Coffee substitute

Today it is readily available in shops and can be directly consumed.

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Age Difference Does Make A DIFFERENCE !!

Posted by Mona Sarkar , Labels: 10:27 AM


Recently I heard this bolly-gossip that a certain Ms Frieda Pinto is planning to get engaged to her boyfriend Dev Patel. It reminded me of a friend of mine.

Three years ago he got married (and is still happily married). You might ask me what the big deal out here is. People do get married right? Well in this case the guy was 24 and the girl was 30. The guy was one of those few lucky people who get early financial success in their careers. The only thing missing in his life was love.
He met his life-partner during some official meeting. Everything about them matched hobbies, goals, values, sense of humour, taste in food and even their communities were the same which was a stringent requirement by the guy’s mother. And as his mother wanted a daughter-in-law belonging to their own community, she too relented after some convincing.

The girl on the other hand hardly looked or behaved like a 30 year old. She had a perpetually youthful constitution of the kinds of a Riya sen or a Reese Witherspoon (I am sure she can conveniently pull off a Legally Blonde part-III even at 36).
So in other words the guy was lucky since except for the age factor he hardly had to compromise on anything else.

However, not everyone is this lucky. Most couples with age differences, who went down the aisle, had to face a very bitter end of their relationship.

Below are some examples of such failed marraiges:

1. Ashton-Demi: Kuchter the Butcher killed the relationship mercilessly-(15 yrs gap)
2. Madonna and Guy Ritchie – (10 yrs gap)
3. Courtney Cox and David Arquette (8 yrs gap)

For those who do not believe in age being a bar in their relationship, here are some awesome and successful marriages:

1. Farah khan and Shirish Kunder – (8 yrs gap)


2. Sachin Tendulkar and Anjali Tendulkar – (5 yrs gap)


3. Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin- (5 yrs gap)


In today's day and age, it’s very tough to come across people who are on the same wavelength as you. So, you really can’t afford to be picky about age. I truly feel that despite all these disparities, marriages can work if:

  • Both want it to work.
  • Both love, trust, and respect each other.
  • Adjust to and understand each other's needs, and
  • Are there for each other no matter what comes along the way.
Everything depends upon the people involved, you can either deal with what life gives you or you cannot, age is not the issue, the mind of the two in the relationship is the issue, you could be 30 days different and still have the same issues you are having.

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Shiney to Slimy Ahuja

Posted by Mona Sarkar , Labels: Sunday, October 30, 2011 12:52 AM



Shiney Ahuja, who is doing everything other than SHINE, is in news once again and this time one more girl is accusing him of sexual harassment.

The actor who started his career with Hazaaroon Kwaishein aisi, took the title too seriously and went on to fulfil his personal ‘kwaishes’ with his household maid. At the time when this news was taking rounds I gave the guy some benefit of doubt and assumed that the maid must be a gold digger and was doing this on purpose. But a recent news broke my naïve assumption into shreds.

Sayali Bhagat, a less known actress who is working with the actor in one of his upcoming films( don’t know how he still gets films) has accused the actor of trying to act fresh with her during the shoot. She was also contemplating to go legal with the issue.

As soon as his wife Anupam heard of her claims she along with her husband started harassing the girl so that she calls off her threat to go legal with the issue.
Lets see how Sayali decides to deal with this issue. Or may be who knows all this is just some sordid publicity stunt.

More than anything else I am worried about his wife Anupam who seriously needs a bravery award for standing by a husband who is as slippery as a Toad.
Being a girl I personally fail to understand the psyche behind such blind loyalty. It reminds me of quote by Bettina Arndt,

“Traditionally, marriage involved a kind of bartering, rather than mutual inter-dependence or role sharing. Husbands financially and economically supported wives, while wives emotionally, psychologically and socially supported husbands. He brought home the bacon, she cooked it. He fixed the plumbing, she the psyche.”

Well now since she has decided to put up with him emotionally, psychologically & socially she’d better fix up something to support him physically other than just Baai’s.

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Wonderful uses of baking Soda

Posted by Mona Sarkar , Wednesday, September 7, 2011 12:18 AM


Baking soda remains one of the world’s best kept secret!



There is absolutely no need to go about spending an absurd amount of money on buying beauty products when an effective and cost efficient product sits right on top your kitchen cupboard-Baking Soda

It is an excellent beauty aid for skin as well as hair. It also used internally to control indigestion and gas. Its deodorizing qualities are used to its hilt while cleaning Refrigerators, Microwave, kitchen sink and the like.

Following are some quick Beauty tips which might come handy to you:

1. Bath: Add some baking soda along with lemon and castor oil (you can also add olive/baby/coconut) oil  in your bath tub. It will relieve you from itchy skin caused specially during winters. If you soak urself in the bath for 10 -15 mins it will also act as a mild bleaching agent for your skin thus providing a touch lighter shade to it.

2. Foot Soak: For general maintenance of your feet or for callous and hard foot skin do the following remedy. Prepare a foot soak with a spoon of Baking soda in warm water. Soak your feet for 30 mins in it. Trust me your feet will thank you for this especially if you are suffering from nail infections in your feet. If you want you can also put a thick paste of Baking soda with water along with tea tree oil if available otherwise a water paste inside the infected nail. Let it be as long as you can before washing.

3. Face Scrub: Mix a pinch of baking soda with a your regular face wash and start rubbing it on your face. Then wash it and see the difference. It helps in removing dead skin cells, makeup and acts as a natural scrub.

4: Hair Care: Take some 1 teaspoon of baking soda with a cup of water prepare a mixture and start rubbing it on dry hair for about 4-5 mins. Now wash with shampoo and conditioner as usual. You can also directly use it directly with the shampoo.
This helps remove old build-up of hair products on the scalp due to long term use of shampoos, styling products and hair colors.
Do this at least once a week or twice a month and you will immediately fall in love with your thoroughly cleaned, shiny & bouncy hair.

5. Deodarent: Immediately after having your bath rub some baking soda on your underarms in clock wise and anti clock wise motion. This is will not only keep bad odour away from you but is an excellent remedy for blackness around under arms.

Some other uses of baking soda (BS) are as follows:

1. Relieve Canker sore pains by using baking soda with water as a gargle. It can also be used as a mouth freshner and is an excellent replacement for toothpaste. A mixture of BS with salt can be used to rub on your teeth for effective cleaning and removing stains from them.

2. Use it in the toilet to flush out the stains and keep out the odour.

3. Sprinkle a little BS on gas stove to remove stains and unblock the clogged gas stove.

4. As an antacid for an upset stomach.

5. It can be effectively used to remove stains from cloth, remove rust from metals, clean mirrors and keep fridge sweet smelling.

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Satya Sai Baba's rise after death

Posted by Mona Sarkar , Labels: Monday, April 25, 2011 1:04 AM

Read the TOI article stating that Satya Sai Baba will rise on the third day after his death just like Jesus Christ. The third day falls on Wednesday. His followers' immense faith has me sit up and take notice of this believe.Though was just trying to visualize the scenario if this believe comes true. Just imagine how will the medical science practitioners'  react to this modern day miracle.
His last rituals are slated to be performed on Wednesday, so what will happen if he suddenly becomes alive. Amidst those preparation if one suddenly realizes that his lifeless form is showing some movement of life in it how will they react?
Can't wait for Wednesday any longer...
With Due Respect....Waiting





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Hope is.....

Posted by Mona Sarkar , Labels: Monday, January 3, 2011 6:30 AM

Hope is when river flows
Sometimes serene, sometimes aggressive
Against the unruly windy blows

Hope is one more Sunday
Late to come but quickly gone
Lazy but week’s fun-day

Hope is when I see u smile
Clear, bright and carefree
Wide enough to bridge over Nile

Hope is falling asleep calm & serene
Knowing here comes one more night
Another chance to complete my daydream

Hope is planning for the future again
Knowing nothing lasts and everything is uncertain
But wishing all the same

Hope is your life’s only stance
It brings you another chance
To dream, drink and have a carefree dance

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