Happy New Year Glitter Pictures

1. Uppu (Salt)
2. Uppinakai (Pickles)
3. Chutney Pudi (Chutney Powder)
4. Kosumbri (Green Gram Salad)
5. Kosumbri (Bengal Gram Salad)
6. Kayi Chutney (Coconut Chutney)
7. Beans Pallya (Fogath)
8. Gujje Pallya (Jack Fruit Fogath)
9. Chitranna (Lemon Rice)
10. Happala (Papad)
11. Sandige (Crispies)
12. Kadubu (Steamed Rice Cake)
13. Anna (Rice)
14. Thovve (Dal)
15. Sihigojju (Raitha)
16. Saru (Rasam)
17. Uddinahittu (Black Gram Paste)
18. BadanePodi (Brinjal Pakoda)

19. Menaskai (Sweet And Sour Gravy)
20. Goli Baje (Maida Fry)
21. Avial (Vegetabel Mix)
22. Gatti Baje (Ladies Finger Pakoda)
23. Gulla Koddel (Brinjal Sambar)
24. Chiroti Milk (Sweet)
25. Gojjambade (Masalwada Curry)
26. Kayi Holige (Sweet Coconut Chapati)
27. Vangi Bath (Vegetable Upma)
28. Bharatha (Sour Ginger Gravy)
29. Paradi Payasa (Sweet)
30. Mosaru (Curds)
31. Majjige (Butter Milk)

30-Minute Holiday Workout

7 Exercises to Work Your Whole Body!

-- By Nicole Nichols, Fitness Instructor

Think you have no time to fit in fitness on this holiday? Think again! These seven exercises can be done almost anywhere, and you don't need any equipment at all—just a chair. By quickly progressing from one exercise to the next, you'll keep you heart rate up and speed through three full sets of each exercise in about 30 minutes flat.

If you don't have 30 minutes in the morning or evening, then keep this list of exercises with you. Steal a few minutes where you can—your body will still benefit, even if you split up your workout throughout the day.

30-Minute Holiday Workout
Aim for 15 repetitions of each exercise, then move to the next exercise. Repeat the series two more times.

Squats 15 reps Stand with your feet wider than shoulders, toes pointed forward. Inhale and bend your knees to slowly lower your body as if sitting back into a chair. Keep your weight in your heels and your back as upright as possible. Make sure your knees don’t cross the plane of your toes. Exhale and straighten legs back up to the starting position to complete one rep.
Forward Lunges 15 reps Stand with your feet about 6 inches apart, toes pointed forward. Inhale and step forward with one leg and lower your body to 90 degrees at both knees. Your weight on your heels and your knees should not cross the plane of your toes. Exhale to push up to the starting position to complete one rep. Repeat all reps on one leg, then switch to complete one set.
Calf Raises with Chair 15 reps Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, lightly holding on to a chair for balance. Exhale and lift your heels to rise up onto balls of feet. Inhale and slowly return to start position to complete one rep.
Triceps Dips with Bent Knees 15 reps Sit tall on the edge of a sturdy chair or step and wrap your fingertips over the front edge. Place feet on the floor in front of you with knees bent. Lift hips and butt upward and slightly forward, balancing your weight evenly between your heels and your hands. Inhale and bend elbows about 90 degrees to lower your body toward the floor. Exhale and press up until elbows are straight, but not locked to complete one rep.
Modified Pushups 15 reps Come down to hands and knees, with hands about shoulder-width apart and knees in line with hips. Keep your abdomen tight and your spine in a neutral position. Inhale and bend your elbows and lower your body towards the floor. Exhale and push up so that your arms are straight, making sure your elbows aren’t completely locked to complete one rep.
Swimming 15 reps Lie facedown, arms and legs outstretched, head in line with spine. Exhale and lift left arm and right leg off floor. Inhale and lower. Repeat on the opposite side to complete one rep.
Bicycle Crunches 15 reps Lie on your back, hands behind ears, legs extended. Exhale and crunch up, twisting your body so that your left elbow reaches towards your right knee. Inhale as you transition and switch sides/legs. Repeat on opposite side to complete one rep.

Source : www.sparkpeople.com

Most people believe that all exercises are good, safe and effective. After all, it's all exercise, and that has to count for something, doesn't it?

The truth is that some of the machines in gyms aren't safe at all (especially for people who have common muscle, joint, and health problems). Certain exercises require a bit more know-how than the average person possesses. And other exercises are downright wastes of your time.

But before we examine some of the most controversial exercises, I want to make it clear that every exercise on this list isn't always unsafe or ineffective for everyone. What you should do—or avoid—depends on your goals, fitness level, health history, workout schedule, and other personal issues. An article like this can't replace your own efforts to identify your goals and needs. That requires you to do some research on your own, talk to your medical professional about any pain or physical limitations you have, and learn how to exercise with proper form and technique.

So what makes an exercise risky? Here are a few red flags to look out for:

• Any unusual or “unnatural” movement pattern in the exercise
• Any movement that causes pain or discomfort in any way
• Any movement that enhances muscular imbalances that are already present
• Any movement that requires joint flexibility that is above and beyond your range of motion
• Any exercise with risks of injury that outweigh the potential benefit of the exercise itself

That said, the following exercises pose high risks and are generally considered contraindicated (if not controversial) by reputable fitness organizations and experts.

Think Twice Before Trying These 5 Moves

1. Behind-the-Head Lat Pulldowns
In the “old days,” people were actually taught to pull the bar behind their heads when doing a lat pulldown exercise—and many people still do that today. Bad idea. The problem? Only people with extremely flexible shoulder joints can do this behind-the-head movement safely, and even they have to be very careful about not hitting the back of their necks with the bar. In addition, almost anyone who spends their days deskbound is likely to have rounded shoulders or poor posture—a symptom of poor shoulder flexibility (among other things), making this exercise a no-no.

The Alternative: You can still work your lats without the risk of behind-the-head pulldowns by pulling the bar down in front of you. Sit with your spine straight, abs pulled in, and then lean your torso back slightly, keeping your spine straight. Pull the bar down towards your chest, but not below your collar bone.

2. Squats or Leg Presses with Deep Knee Bends
Whether you’re doing basic squats on your own or using a leg press machine, it can be very dangerous to bend your knees too deeply. The Problem? When your knees bend too deeply, your spine cannot maintain proper alignment. When that happens, the pelvis tilts and the lower back begins to take over, increasing the risk of strain to your lower back muscles or damage to spinal discs. In addition, bending your knees too deeply can injure or damage your knees, especially if you have knee problems.

The Alternatives: Squats and leg presses are generally safe and effective when done properly. But you should never bend your knees or hips more than 90 degrees during these exercises. Here's an example of proper form when doing a leg press machine, but this can apply to squats with a barbell, and the sled machine, too.

3. Seated Leg Extensions
This is a very popular exercise for targeting the muscles on the front of your thighs (quadriceps). The Problem? This exercise poses major risks to the knees. Lifting heavy weights in this position (with all the resistance focused at your ankles), is not what the knee was designed to do. If you have any kind of knee problem, or use a too much resistance during this exercise, you can easily run into big trouble.

The Alternatives: Simple squats and lunges, with or without added weight, will work your thigh muscles naturally, safely and effectively. If you want to expand on these exercises (to develop explosive force for sports like soccer, basketball, or volleyball, for example), try sport-specific plyometrics. If you can’t do lunges and squats because you lack the leg strength, start with simple ball squats or modified "mini" lunges, and only lower yourself part way, gradually increasing your range of motion as you get stronger.

4. Inner and Outer Thigh Machine Exercises
These machines are pretty popular in most gyms. Both involve sitting with your knees bent in front of you. The adduction machine is designed to target the muscles of the inner thighs, and the abduction machine helps target the outer thigh muscles. The Problem? Using your inner and outer thighs to lift weight while in a seated position puts you at risk of straining these relatively small muscles and aggravating lower back and hip problems. In addition, your inner and outer thigh muscles are designed to support movement, not to be prime movers like they are in these types of exercises.

The Alternatives: The best way to target these muscles safely is with body weight exercises, such as standing adduction, standing abduction, lying adduction and abduction exercises, Pilates exercises, or similar movements that use resistance bands or the cable cross machines. Always start with a weight you know you can handle, and add resistance gradually.

5. Upright Rows
In this exercise, you stand holding a barbell or weight in the center, with hands close together, and bring your hands up under your chin. The Problem? Upright rows are controversial because the movement can compress the nerves in the shoulder area, impinging the shoulder.

The Alternatives: Instead of standing to perform an upright row, try bent-over rows, bending forward 90 degrees at the hip, holding weight down beneath your shoulders with hands slightly more than shoulder width apart, then lift weight straight up towards your chest until elbows and shoulders form a straight line. You can also try front or lateral shoulder raises, using a modest weight, so that you don’t need to lean back or use momentum for assistance.

Source : www.sparkpeople.com

Choose and Lose: How to Lose Weight on Any Diet

By Whitney Provost
 

When it comes to losing weight, everyone has an opinion about what works best. Low fat, low carb, or Mediterranean style—you've probably heard stories of people dropping major pounds by following one of these diets. The truth is you'll lose weight on any diet as long as you take in fewer calories than you burn. Keep reading to find out which diet is best for you.

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health studied more than 800 overweight adults over 2 years, and researchers found that as long as people made healthy choices, the percentage of protein, carbs, and fat consumed didn't really matter. All the study participants (divided into groups eating low fat, high fat, high carb, or high protein) lost about the same amount of weight when they ate fewer calories than they burned.
The bottom line: The diet you choose should make you feel good, keep you satisfied, and limit your cravings for unhealthy foods. So how do you decide what plan will work for you?

• Try balancing various amounts of lean protein (poultry, fish, and lean beef), complex carbs (fruits, vegetables, and whole grains), and healthy fat (nuts, olive oil, and seeds). Find the combination that makes you full and energetic.
• Keep a food journal of what you eat and how you feel. Over time, you'll start to see patterns emerge.
• If you're a Team Beachbody member, you can visit the Eat Smart section of the Web site and choose from three different pre-populated meal plans (Balanced, Low Carb, and Active Lifestyle), or custom design your own according to your preferences.

When you decide what kind of diet to follow, here's how to get the most out of it:

• Low-fat diet. The amount of fat you eat varies according to the diet's creator. The Ornish Diet, designed by cardiologist Dean Ornish to help people reverse heart disease, recommends that you eat 10 percent of your calories from fat. The American Heart Association, on the other hand, considers low fat to be up to 35 percent from fat. A low-fat diet should consist of lots of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans and legumes, and little meat. It is not an excuse to eat mountains of pasta or processed carbs (like fat-free cookies or crackers), as these will spike your blood sugar, make you hungrier, and add a lot of unnecessary calories.
• Low-carb diet. Plans like Atkins, South Beach, and the "Paleo" diet claim that by cutting carbohydrates your body will have to dig into its fat stores for energy. That is often true, at least at first, until your body adapts to the decreased energy from carbs and rapid weight loss slows. Plus, if you chow down on artery-clogging bacon, butter, and steak every day and don't choose heart-healthy protein and fat sources (like lean meats, nuts, and olive oil), you can develop other health problems and nutrient deficiencies. Watch out for saturated fat in foods like whole milk, butter, and meat, and be mindful of portion sizes when you're following a low-carb diet. You might find it hard to sustain a low-carb diet over the long term because you have less energy and feel tired a lot. If that happens, just switch to another diet plan.
• Mediterranean-style diet.This has gained popularity over the last few years as a healthy, balanced approach to eating. It emphasizes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, unsaturated fats from nuts and olive oil, and lean protein like fish and chicken. You don't want to overdo the pasta, cheese, and alcohol on this diet because these calories add up quickly. This is a moderate-fat diet that offers a variety of choices and will suit many different tastes. You'll find that most Beachbody® nutrition plans follow guidelines that are similar to a Mediterranean-style diet. It's easy to get all the nutrients you need to sustain a healthy, energetic lifestyle with this method of eating.

When you've found the diet that suits you, you may notice that your weight starts to drop without a lot of effort. You'll be more satisfied and less prone to cravings, which will help you be consistent with your plan. As long as you stick to your diet and combine it with a workout program that also fits your preferences.

A simple method to convert raw rice into boiled rice..
Just transfer the sedired amount of raw rice(like long grain or any variety) into a pressure cooker safe vessel.
Steam it for 5-7 min without adding the weight and without adding water in that vessel. Do add water at the bottom of the cooker for steaming. It will turn into par-boiled rice (puzhungal arisi). it should steam for 5 min (meaning the steam should come out for 5 min..so it might a few 2-3 min more for the cooker to heat up


Got this info from the comments section of one of the food blogs...sorry for not making a note of the blog name...

If you use onions to cook from time to time and is annoyed with the whole onions making you cry then here are a few cool tricks that you can do to stop your eyes from crying when you cut onions.

Why do Onions make your eyes watery?

when cutting through an Onion, the onion cells get cut too which releases a gas that reacts with water and creates sulfuric acid which causes irritation. The eye then releases water to dilute the acid which makes the eye watery.

How to prevent your eyes from watering when cutting onions

• The most effective way is to run the onion under water before cutting it. So peel the onion and run it under water before you chop it.
• Use a sharp knife (sharp knife cuts the onion cells cleanly and hence less juice is released from the Onion)
• Use salt or bread crump on the knife.
• Put the onions in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before cutting them

This useful information was shared by my gud pal Baldev...Thanks Dev :)

 

Also click this link and take a print out of it and have it handy

http://www.bangaloretrafficpolice.gov.in/trafic_spot_fines.htm

The Benefits of Slowing Down & Chewing More

-- By Liza Barnes, Health Educator

In this era of fast-paced everything, even the act of eating a meal has become something we can do on the run. Breakfast comes in bars, lunch can be eaten while speeding down the highway, and dinner is merely an accompaniment to the evening news, squeezed in between other pressing activities. Invariably, when eating plays second string to everything else, every meal becomes “fast food,” as in eaten-very-fast food. If you find yourself wolfing down your meals in a hurry, you’re actually shortchanging yourself in more ways than you might think.

It turns out there’s a reason food tastes so good. You’re supposed to enjoy it—slow down and savor it, not just get it to your stomach as quickly as possible. Chewing your food thoroughly is actually the first step in the complex process of digestion, and if you glaze over it, just chewing the minimum amount of times necessary to get the food down your esophagus, you’re actually compromising this process. And it’s a mistake many people make.

If you try to imagine swallowing a whole piece of pizza, it’s easy to see why chewing is necessary. But besides breaking up your food into manageable chunks, there’s another good reason to put in the effort and chew. The saliva that coats your food as you chew actually contains digestive enzymes that begin to digest your food before you even swallow it. The enzymes alpha-amylase and lingual lipase begin digesting carbohydrates and fats, reducing the amount of work for which the stomach will be responsible. And it isn’t just a nice gesture. If food fragments are swallowed un-chewed, not only do nutrients remain locked in the fragments, but these fragments create an environment in the colon that is conducive to digestive distress—bacterial overgrowth, gas, and bloating.  

For food particles to even leave your stomach though, the “gates” of the stomach, the pyloric sphincter, must open. Conveniently, chewing also aids in this process, signaling this event. And speaking of signals, just seeing your food causes your brain to send signals to the pancreas and stomach to secrete digestive acids and enzymes that are essential to digestion. And the longer your food has contact with your taste and smell receptors—the longer you chew each bite—the stronger these signals become. Strong signals mean more digestive molecules, less indigestion, less acid reflux, and superior nutrient absorption.

Chewing your food thoroughly and eating your meals more slowly has another benefit. It might shrink your waistline—and not just because you’ll have less bloating and indigestion. Eating more slowly gives your body a chance to tell your mind that it’s full, so that you stop eating before you go overboard. In a preliminary study presented at the North American Association for the Study of Obesity’s Annual Scientific Meeting in 2004, study subjects ate less when they were instructed to eat more slowly.

Here are some practical tips for chewing more thoroughly and eating more slowly:

• Give yourself enough time to eat—at least 20-30 minutes just to eat the meal, plus additional time to prepare it.
• Don’t eat amidst distractions, like the TV, computer, or while driving.
• Be fully present while you eat. Notice the smell, temperature, texture, color, and subtle flavor differences of each food you consume.
• Take smaller portions, taking a break before refilling.
• Put your fork down after each bite.
• Eat mindfully, chewing each bite as many times as necessary to pulverize any texture.
• If you’re eating in a group, be aware of the speed at which others are eating. Challenge yourself to be the last to finish.

Besides all of the physical benefits, perhaps the most pleasant benefit of all is that, if you allow yourself to slow down and chew, you’ll enjoy your food much more.

 

Knowing what cooking oil to use is like knowing what baby name to choose. With so many options, where do we even begin? 
Canola: Nutritionists recommend staying away from canola oil whenever possible. It has been linked to vitamin E deficiency and heart disease, plus it goes rancid easily. But if it's all you have lying around, it's pretty all-purpose, and most commonly used in baking and sautéing.

Olive: Ideal for salads, Mediterranean and Italian dishes (like pesto), and of course bread-dunking. Some recommended olive oil brands include: Carapelli, Whole Foods 365 brand, Berio, or the giant Kirkland brand jug from Costco, which should last you months.



Grapeseed: A bit pricy, but keep in mind, grapeseed oil lowers cholesterol. Use it when you'd use olive oil, and since it has a higher smoke point, it's also good for frying and sautéing. (And the super special bottles will involve an elephant spout.)

Peanut: Not the best one for you (lots of monounsaturated fatty acids in there). But when the time comes for stir frying and deep frying, throw a little in there.

Sesame: The vitamin E-rich oil adds a nice smoky flavor to foods, especially in meat and chicken. Make sure to keep it in the fridge. Usually the darker the oil, the more sesame-y the taste.

Soybean: It's in so many packaged goods (margarine, salad dressings, and mayo), odds are you're digesting it right now.

Walnut: The FDA is pretty pro-walnuts. They have said that "supportive but not conclusive" evidence shows that "eating 1.5 ounces of walnuts a day ... may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease." So go for it oil form. Throw walnut oil into salads or finish off a fish dish.

Whether in Rome or at home, do as the Romans do: Make olive oil a staple. If you already eat the Mediterranean way, you know that the oil not only tastes good but that it is good for you. It's an amazing source of antioxidants, capable of dousing inflammation, defending cells from menacing molecules, and more. Here's the latest on this superhero food.

IT CUTS YOUR CANCER RISK
Olive oil's cancer-preventing powers are lab legends. Which substances get the credit? Polyphenols, for one -- these potent plant antioxidants protect against cancer-causing cell damage. But it also looks like the oil's monounsaturated fat has anti-cancer effects, which means olive oil packs quite a one-two punch! Some people-proof: Check the lower rates of breast, ovarian and prostate cancer among Southern Europeans -- whose diets flow with olive oil -- compared to their northern neighbors.

IT HELPS YOUR HEART
There's virtually nothing better than the big "double O" when it comes to your heart. Olive oil ups good HDL cholesterol, lowers bad LDL, and reduces other harmful blood fats (triglycerides). And that's not all. It also reduces inflammation, another contributor to cardiovascular disease.

IT KEEPS YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE DOWN
Speaking of your heart, how's your blood pressure? If it's not below 120/80, you need to get it there. And yes, olive oil plays a role. It can help enough to reduce the need for daily meds. Those potent polyphenols appear to dilate arteries, which brings blood pressure down. (Always choose extra-virgin olive oil, by the way -- its minimal processing preserves the maximum number of antioxidants and heat-sensitive vitamins.)

IT HELPS YOU LOSE WEIGHT
"Great taste, less filling" -- that light beer slogan rings true for olive oil. While ounce for ounce, all oils have the same calories, olive oil has a fuller flavor so less is needed for tantalizing taste. Plus research shows that overweight people who eat a diet with some fat -- including olive oil -- are more likely to shed pounds than those who slash fat. Why? Oil's rich flavor makes it easier to stick with the program.

IT EASES YOUR ACHING HEAD
If you're prone to headaches and wary of overdoing ibuprofen, try routinely dressing your salad or crisp-tender veggies in extra-virgin olive oil. It contains oleocanthal, a natural compound that, like ibuprofen, blocks pain-producing and inflammatory substances -- but without the risk of stomach upset. While daily oleocanthal doses aren't the painkiller's complete equal, they could lower your risk for heart disease, cancer, arthritis and possibly Alzheimer's. Quite a trade-off.

Source :  http://food.yahoo.com/

Air conditioning in cars cuts out more than 80 percent of germs, fungal spores and particles from outside air, providing a boon for people with respiratory problems or allergies, German scientists say.

In a study released at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID), a Hannover Medical School team monitored air quality in three cars between five and 10 years old that had been fitted with air conditioning.

The microbiological quality of air showed "an enormous improvement," ranging from 80.5 to 88.7 percent, when the air conditioners were on, the researchers say.

The scientists stress, though, that the test was carried out on cars whose air conditioners had been properly maintained and whose air filters had been changed regularly.

The team recommends car users examine their air conditioning systems as soon as they smell any suspicious odour.

The three cars were a 1998 Volkswagen Passat station wagon that had notched up 110,000 kilometers (68,000 miles); a VW Polo FSI saloon, also called a sedan, built in 2003 which had travelled 10,000 kms (6,000 miles); and a 1997 SEAT Alhambra van, with 175,000 kms (110,000 miles) on the clock.

The research is to be released on Monday, the penultimate day of a four-day conference in Helsinki gathering more than 8,000 experts in virology and microbiology.

 

Thanks for sending across the information Gays :)

The modern Mother's Day holiday was created by Anna Jarvis as a day for each family to honor their mother,^[ and it's now celebrated on various days in many places around the world. It complements Father's Day, the celebration honoring fathers.
This holiday is relatively modern, being created at the start of the 20th century, and should not be confused with the early pagan and Christian traditions honoring mothers, or with the 16th century celebration of Mothering Sunday, which is also known as Mother's Day in the UK.
In most countries the Mother's Day celebration is a recent holiday derived from the original US celebration. Exceptions are, for example, the Mothering Sunday holiday in the UK.
It is celebrated in the United States each year on the second Sunday of May.

 

 

M - O - T - H - E - R

"M" is for the million things she gave me,

"O" means only that she's growing old,

"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,

"H" is for her heart of purest gold;

"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,

"R" means right, and right she'll always be,

Put them all together, they spell

"MOTHER,"

A word that means the world to me.

Howard Johnson (c. 1915)

Cotton Roll small packet x 1 roll
Roller Bandage 15cm x 3 roll
Roller Bandage 5cm x 3 roll
Micropore Plaster x 1 roll
Burns Cream 'Silverex" Ointment x 1tube
Betadiene Solution x 1 bottle
Washproof Band-Aid x 5 pcs
Paracetamol 650 x 5tabs
Ibubrufen x 2tabs
Muscle Relaxant Gel/Spray x1 no
Betadiene Cream x 1 no
Thermometer x 1 no

The above medicines will be useful for

* first aid for bruises and to prevent bleeding wounds
* Burns Cream for treatment of Burns
* Paracetamol 650 for Adults to control fever, pain etc.,
* Thermometer to check the temperature of an adult/child.
* Muscle Relaxants for immediate relief from muscular sprains etc.
* Ibubrufen for any body aches / tooth aches etc.,

Source : www.chennaimoms.com

Register to get your SSLC/Matric/HSC results and marks promptly to your mobile via SMS. Registration can be done either by visiting the http://results.mobiledin.com or by sending an SMS to 99659-32323.

Sending SMS:
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