They work,but only partly. That too in closed rooms. You are hardly likely to stay in the same room throughout your life.
First Anniversary mocktail mommies celebration contest
Plants help improve emotional health
Plants also makes me feel good .All the time every time.
This thing is so bang on, that my hubby suggested we plant trees inside our flat .
He said it as a joke .But I took up the challenge. Though I don’t have trees I do have roughly 80/90 plants in my balcony jungle.
Workout options
Nature is also great for your physical health.A nature walk ,gardening all helps you get a good cardiovascular workout .Plus it’s fun .No monotony.Research also found walking surrounded by nature is more beneficial, than on the treadmill .
Plants make unique home decor
A home full of green plants is pleasant to see .It lifts the interiors, from mundane to wow in no time.
They remove VOC ,and other impurities from indoor air and makes it clean for you.
Plants have the good biophilic bacteria in them .These act as Probiotics for your skin and hair .When you are among plants these good bacteria settle down on the exposed body parts .They are good for your skin’s health .
Plants increase creativity and caring
Being around selfless living beings in nature, helps me understand the truth about life.My writers block disappears when I gaze at my balcony jungle.My low moods lift with a bit of pottering in the garden.
I wake up with a smile when I see my window box full of flowers in the morning.
Why are you thankful for nature ?
Write with us and Link Up .Make it a green revolution.
This week our featured winner is Shalini.
Read her winning post.
Thankful Thursdays featured winner this week is Shalini of shalzmojo.in
Shalini is passionate about everything design.
In her own words…
I am in love with photography, travel and baking. My writing journey was initiated with my letter writing hobby as a child and has metamorphosed into serious blogging as an adult. I blog at shalzmojo.inand my blog, in a nutshell, is about Me. I write about my opinions & views on food, photography, travel, mindfulness, baking, books, movies and recently penned a few fictional tales too.
I indulge with reading fantasy fiction, day dreaming and sipping good wine.
10 Things you should never say sorry for, is a list of my favourite beliefs.
It’s a week since we welcomed the new year.
Remember these 10 .For me they are nonnegotiable, for living well.
1) Sincerity
This characteristic makes you trustworthy .Any relationship, you need trust.So being sincere is a quality you should never apologize for.
2)For reading books
The treasure trove of knowledge. I owe my life and all that I know to books .Read ,read and then read some more. That’s my motto in life.Paperback,e-books ;magazines ,newspapers anything What’s more important that learning?
3)For doing your best
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
I only do things I can invest time sincerely.
4)For being kind
A highly underrated quality .It’s also a difficult one.Online or offline I plan to really persist with this.
5)For being honest
This one is a tricky one.Modifiable according to situation. Balance this with caution .For mental peace is even more important.
6)For loving yourself. A lot.
Self love is important. Until you love yourself you can’t love others completely. Until you love yourself your soul doesn’t feel loved.
7)For wanting to be there for your kids.
This is a landmine .SAHM ,WAHM ,working moms all have boatload of guilt.
Whatever you are ,it doesn’t matter.God knows what you want.
8)For being happy .
Happy is the best .It’s the best multivitamin.It’s the best way to look and stay healthy.
Happy means you enjoy life. That’s important. Enjoyment.
9)For liking money
Money is a misunderstood commodity.It’s a means of bartering .If you like the good it does ,there’s really no harm.If you appreciate it ,its attracted to you .If you feel it’s not important, that’s not good .
10)For believing in God
We are because of a supreme power.Saying thank you to this power is a way of reinforcing your belief. Believing makes thing happen.
When I read about Romila’s contest, I knew which topic I wanted to write about.
“Gifts“, that’s what!
Christmas is about gifts.
Gifts you give .Gifts you receive.
When I think of gifts I have received, I feel blessed.
Since all gifts are ultimately God’s gifts, my first “thank you”, is towards the almighty who has given me so much, and continues to do so.
What you are is God’s gift to you, What you become is your gift to God.
Hans Urs von Balthasar
God has given me the gift of a beautiful family ,wonderful friends,good health,mental peace(somewhat struggling with this one) and the willingness to be a student for life .
The least I can do is say “Thank you”
Every problem is a gift.
Without it we wouldn’t grow
Anthony Robbins
Every other gift is a result of his gifts.
But I am a gift person through and through.
It may be a simple card, a surprise bouquet of flowers ,anything.
I love giving and receiving thoughtful gifts.
Thoughtfulness ,is what makes gifts special.
Gifts that I have loved ,include the surprise trip to Chalsa forest resort ,on my last birthday.
My hubby organized it perfectly and gave me the much-needed break.
This electric beater my sister gifted.Whisking eggs have never been this easy.My daughter loves my chocolate cakes and cookies.Baking them for her ,using healthy ingredients, makes me haunt Pinterest .
I love the look of delight on her face ,when she licks the home-made goodies from her fingers.
The Knowtbook my first gift from a wonderful blogger
Amylynnandrews.com .
If you are a regular on my blog you will know all about Amy kindness .
Her blog has the absolute best resources ,for new bloggers.
She cuts through the jargon and gives you what you need to hear.
The Knowtbook is a constantly updated resource which is a must have item for all DIY bloggers.
This was where I first learnt about the true purpose of blogging. This platform ,that we are lucky to be a part of.
Medical school and late nights go together. So does early mornings and sleepless nights. When you burn the candle at both ends it takes a toll on your health. Ask any post-graduate trainee doctor about sleep, you will get the picture. Training without sleep, working without sleep, taking care of the ill without sleep. The Government has guidelines, but there are problems.
The lack of adequate staff makes this a vicious cycle. Pilots are not allowed to fly planes after 8 hours of flying. As residents, we often had to do 36 hour stretches twice or thrice a week, depending on the manpower. This added up to 100 to 120 hours of work per week.
In a highly critical vocation this kind of abuse is common. That’s mainly because otherwise, the authorities have to give an explanation for the shortage of human resources.
When you are awake and working for 36 to 48 hours at a stretch, in a physically and mentally exhausting profession, that takes its toll. Doctor heal thyself is something I take very seriously. That’s why I always tried to catch up on sleep when I could.
Not sleeping enough affects clinical skills, judgment,precision, empathy and most importantly your health. If health is not a priority, nothing works. Sleep is your body’s energizer. The only way all your systems can rejuvenate and repair itself while your brain oversees.
How does great sleep help you?
Good sleep will
Improve Quality of your life
Productivity
Emotional welfare
Creativity
Your Weight
Sleep is an easy activity with many benefits .
When you cut down on sleep ,the deficit adds up .This acts cumulatively over months and years .Until you stop the damage today,it may be too late.To learn,create,work effectively ,you need to act at your most productive level . That’s where sleep comes in .Just like your car needs regular servicing your body needs its sleep. When you don’t take care of your body ,everything falls apart.Your physical ,emotional ,social health all suffers.
What happens to your body if you don’t sleep enough?
Tiredness and lack of motivation
Decreased ability to concentrate
Difficulty memorizing
Moodiness and irritability
Problem coping with stress
Creative block
Reduced problem solving skills
Difficulty in decision-making
Impaired immunity to cold
Increased risk of diabetes ,hypertension weight gain and metabolic syndrome
Increased risk of accidents
Are you chronically sleep deprived?
Do you need an alarm clock to wake up?
Do you feel sleepy in the afternoon?I do!
Doze at meetings or lectures?
Love oversleeping on weekends?
If you are nodding yes to these ,it’s likely you are carrying a sleep debt.
31 Tips to Sleep like a baby naturally
How to sleep like a baby naturally?
Sleep tip 1
Do you know your body has a natural sleep cycle? Its called circadian rhythm . Stick to it.
Myth:Changing the sleep cycle doesn’t affect you Truth :It’s difficult to effectively change sleep cycle. The quality of your sleep suffers when you ignore your biological clock.
Sleep tip 2
Schedule your sleep Habits are important. Sleep habits help decide quality of sleep.Quantity and quality is both important. The latter more so. It’s important to have a refreshing sleep. Newborns can sleep up to 18 hours in a day. They actually grow while sleeping while adults on an average need 7 to 9 hours of sleep.
Sleep tip 3
Get more light during the day . Melatonin is released in low light.This hormone makes you fall asleep.Melatonin is a volatile hormone. Thats why you will feel sleepy, while putting your child to bed and yawning is contagious.
Sleep tip 4
Eat and drink smart Nicotine, caffeine, alcohol should be avoided 3 to 4 hours before bedtime Don’t have late night heavy meals.
Sleep tip 5
Avoid late night binge T.V watching. Don’t read on backlit tablets too close to bedtime.Read a book instead.The light at night and blue digital screens emit electromagnetic waves which scramble your brain sleep waves and prevent yo from sleeping.
Sleep tip 6
Dont leave the curtains open.They may let in light beams from outside and disturb sleep.
Definitely have the room properly darkened ,to help you fall asleep.
Sleep tip 7
Check your mattress. It shouldnt be too soft .The mattress should be supporting your spine.A comfortable bed can give you awesome sleep. Sleep tip 8
Check your pillows .Are they just right?They should support your neck .Not too high.Try sleeping without pillows .That’s best for your cervical spine as it avoids unnatural straightening.
Sleep tip 9
Avoid long afternoon siestas. If you feel like napping a 10 to 20 minute power snooze will refresh and make you look prettier, without slowing the metabolism. Power naps are known to increase productivity by 54%. Nap in semi reclining position. Use an eye cover and ear muffs to block out light and sound.’. Set an alarm which is pleasant
Try the nano -nap:A 2 to 5 minute shut-eye which helps to remove sleepiness.
Best time for beauty naps: 1pm to 3 pm
A power nap done right,can help to refresh you and cut down the risk of coronary heart disease.
Geniuses such as Einstein and Edison loved napping.
World leaders like Napoleon,Churchill ,Margaret Thatcher and Bill Clinton have all napped to cope with their work stress,
Sleep tip 10
Don’t stress it . Just like everything else sleep is more difficult if you worry about it. Relax. Use these techniques to unwind and beat stress.
Sleep tip 11
Exercise. Regular exercise helps you sleep better.Even walking 20 minutes a day will help you.But the habit needs to be built up Timing and amount is important. Don’t exercise too close to bedtime.That make keep you awake.
Sleep tip 12
Essential oils:Do they help? Lavender, chamomile, and ylang-ylang, activate the alpha wave activity .This helps in relaxation and makes you sleep more soundly.
Sleep tip 13
Is your bedroom cool When you slip under the sheets you should be feeling cool .That works best for getting you all sleepy. Here are some interesting ways to keep cool
Sleep tip 14
Listen to a familiar audiobook.Not a new one.That way you don’t get sucked into an interesting book.
Sleep tip 15
Get a white noise box.It helps to block out the traffic noise,TV next door any other disturbing noise.The Bose ear phone is great to shut off snoring sounds too.
Sleep tip 16
Dont keep phones and other digital device in the bedroom.Or atleast turn off the wi-fi.
Sleep tip 17
Dont talk business or anything that can increase anxiety and cause sleep problems.Discuss it during the day.Its always nice to wind up the day on a relaxed note.
Sleep tip 18
Make sleep a priority.Just like spending x hours a day working is important ,having 7 to 8 hours of sleep is important.Make this non-negotiable.
Sleep tip 19
Dont forget making love or at least cuddle.Human touch helps you feel good .Couples who regularly cuddle before sleeping have much better sleep quality than those who don’t.
Sleep tip 20
Are you perimenopausal?Dont worry this can be the best time of your life.You will never have to worry about contraception.But if hot flushes are making it difficult for sleep to come,try making the room cooler.
Using an air conditioner or an extra bedside fan to lower the temperature.The lower room temperature can help prevent the sudden hot flushes and drenching sweats.If the lifestyle tips don’t work,don’t worry, your doctor can help you out.
Sleep tip 21
You sleep but wake up feeling tired.Your quality of sleep may be poor.Ask your partner whether you are snoring .Snoring is a sign of OSA or obstructive sleep apnea,which can put you at risk for poor cardiovascular health ,weight gain,diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
If you are overweight,decreasing your weight is the best way to prevent snoring and cut down on these risks.
Try to sleep on your sides with a bolster supporting your back.This cuts down snoring and helps you sleep better.
Sleep tip 22
Are you a shift worker?
This is unfortunately a big risk factor for poor sleep quality,physical and mental health issues.Rotating work or night duties can affect your bodies ability to regulate its functions.
Health risks of shift work:
Acidity,GERD,ulcers Depression,anxiety,irritability,mood swings. Heart disease,diabetes,obesity Sleep tip 23
The right vitamins and minerals can help you fall asleep better.
Vitamin B complex, Vitamin D ,Vitamin E Calcium and magnesium
Sleep tip 24
Dont drink too much water before bedtime.You dont want your sleep disturbed by frequent toilet breaks.
Sleep tip 25
Use the bed for a specific purpose also known as stimulus control
Only go to bed when you feel tired. Get up if you are having difficulty falling asleep (again). Use your bed for sleeping (or sex), and not for reading, watching TV or eating. Try getting up at the same time in the morning.
Sleep tip 26
Practice mindfulness and mindfulness therapy for better sleep quality and improved quality of life.
Sleep tip 27
Have you tried sleep yoga ?These yoga poses helps your body unwind and relax.
Sleep tip 28
Plan your mornings so that you have creative and fun activity lined up.That way you will wake up with a smile looking forward to the day.
Sleep tip 29
Check your sleep direction .According to Vaastu any direction other than north works fine.Keeping your bedroom clutter free and inviting makes sleep easier.The flow of energy should be balanced on all four sides of your bed.
Sleep tip 30
Try sleep journalling.
Maintain a journal of naps and hours of sleep .Also jot down ,eating ,drinking and exercise habits.This will help identify sleep problems and tailor make the solution.
Sleep tip 31:Bonus tip
Have a bedtime routine. My favourite bedtime routine: A warm bath or soak your feet in warm water. Dim the lights. TV off. Read book using the bedside reading lamp. Cuddle.
Still can’t fall asleep?
This is what you can do. Imagine a black dot in the centre of your forehead .Now try seeing the centre of the dot with your mind’s eye, keeping your eyes closed. This mindfulness technique helps in quick relaxation and falling asleep. Do you have any sleep tips.Comment below to let me know.
Alarm sound shouldn’t be jarring
References:
Ruggiero JS, Redeker NS. Effects of napping on sleepiness and sleep-related performance deficits in night-shift workers: a systematic review. Biol Res Nurs 13.02.2013 [Epub ahead of print]. [PMC free article] [PubMed]
Mitchell MD, Gehrman P, Perlis M, Umscheid CA. Comparative effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia: a systematic review. BMC Fam Pract 2012; 13: 40. [PMC free article] [PubMed]
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Manifestations and management of chronic insomnia in adults. June 2005 [Accessed on: July 25, 2005] (Evidence Report/Technology Assessment; Band 125).
Yang PY, Ho KH, Chen HC, Chien MY. Exercise training improves sleep quality in middle-aged and older adults with sleep problems: a systematic review. J Physiother 2012; 58(3): 157-163. [PubMed
I have blogged for 2 years.I am a blogging baby.Just like babies learn from their parents ,their caregivers ,I too learn from my blogging parents .
Sounds funny,right ?
But think about it for a moment.
When did you first start reading blogs?
Which blogs made you happy ?
Which blogs inspired you to blog?
Along the years you must be having scores of wonderful blogs which you love reading .
What made those blogs different from the thousand others?
For me it’s about the human connect .
The person behind the blog .
The values they radiate.
The quality they portray .
The standards they keep up.
I read many blogs .Some preach ,some teach by doing.
When I started blogging I was clueless .I just wanted to make health information freely available to as many people as I could.
Maybe that way preventing lifestyle diseases would be a bit easier.
Writing about health and disease is natural for me .Housekeeping was not.
That’s where my first favourite blog saved me.
3 Blogs I am thankful for reading is an impossible list for many people.So many blogs shaped our journey.But wen you get down to the framework you will find themi
This week our featured winner is Romila @romspeaks
Read her winner entry here.
Thankful Thursdays 6 winner is Romila of novemberschild.com
Romila is very passionate about reading and writing.She finds technology and gadgets simply sexy and tempting. She likes to relax with a cup of hot coffee, reading a great book or watching movies.
#Thankful Thursday 6 winner is @romspeaks.A very helpful and talented writer
A certified homebody when the moment calls for it, but at the same time Romila loves to get out and explore from time to time. She is a genuinely fun ,helpful and very friendly person, often helping new bloggers find their way.
A perfect blogger to be featured on today’s #ThankfulThursdays
We are grateful to the all the wonderful writers who wrote with us for #Thankful Thursdays. Don’t wait to say thank you.You never know what’s in store. Link up your posts in the link below
RULES OF THE LINKY
Just comment on this post and my co-hosts post and any two of the posts in the link up. I deeply believe in community spirit.Eagerly looking forward to visiting your blogs. Follow @twinklingtina & @misra_amrita on Twitter. Prompts will be announced every Wed 20:00 hrs IST.
Write the post and Link Up with Amritaor Tina
We would love to have you join our blog members.Just enter your email in the subscription box.
Read, comment, share on host and co-hosts posts and at least two more posts linked in the party . Pro Tip – Networking and commenting is good for your blog’s health and ranks. Comment rules: 2 sentence atleast 15 words and should be relevant to the main post. Use #ThankfulThursdays in your post and share in social media using the same hashtag. Every week we will have one featured blogger who is the best reflection of this community spirit.
Indiblogger asked us to write about 12 things I learnt in 2016.
In absolutely no particular order the 12 things I learnt.
1)Have Faith
Always .In good times and bad. Specially when the going gets wonky ,you need to reach inside and anchor self. Believe that things hit rock-bottom ,before they get better.It always gets better.Just don’t give up.Ever
2)Be Healthy
My blog healthwealthbridge was named because I believed my health is my true wealth.
Physical,emotional.and mental health.All of it together helps me function .When I had a cough ,I was unhappy .When I was unhappy I didn’t feel like exercising.When I didn’t workout,I felt even worse.Hitting the treadmill running once a week or three times a week was not working.I had to do it like eating.
Normally ,naturally and throughout the day .If that means taking the stairs to the eighth floor OPD, then so be it
.But I will do it. Not only because I want to look good even when I am 70 ,but I want to feel great at 70 .That’s what I have learnt about myself this year. I really don’t want age to be an excuse, nor a handicap to do all the thing I love.
3)No carrying extra emotional baggage
This is hard .Nearly an impossible lesson for me to learn.
Forgive I can after a suitable amount of time.But forgetting makes the lesson unlearned.
For the last 3 months this is the lesson I am learning by heart.
This is just emotional clutter.
Serves no purpose except suck out creative energy.
4)Trust my gut feeling even when it’s not the popular choice.
Did you know your gut or the gastrointestinal tract has nerves in it.Nerves ultimately communicate with your brain.The strange feeling you get in the pit of your stomach ,before an interview,stage show or when you met your hubby for the first time .That’s the one I am talking about.Trust that feeling .Because intuition is actually logic at speed of light.
Now this thing called happiness is a two way street.If you are happy ,you will try to make others happy.If you help others and make them happy,you will be happy.
Now you decide what comes first.
For me its” Do unto others as you want others to do unto you.
If you don’t believe me read the Go giver.I have been helped so many times by random strangers ,that I have to say thank you every moment of every day.
6)Write everyday
As much as I can.
Not only on the blog,In your notebook ,anywhere.Jot down my thoughts ,my plans,my dreams.
Someday they may be exactly what I need to remember.
7)Honesty ,truth and people
Lord Krishna said something interesting to Arjun
That truth which helps others needs to be said,
The truth that harms others must not be said.
A lie for a good cause is better than a truth for a bad cause.
Truth is relative.
Good and bad is relative. The sun neither rises nor sets. It’s the relative motion of the earth rotating around its own axis ,that makes it seem so.
Life and death are both different states of energy.What matters is being true to myself and people who love me.
Few people want to talk about emperors new clothes,or their lack.If you know the truth .Good.If you know what to do with it,even better.People who are surrounded by dishonesty ,cant recognize truth ,when they fall over iT.Unlikely I can help.They have to learn their, #Lifelessons.
8)Help will always be given to people who ask for it..Dumbledore said it correctly.
I was helped by Pat Flynn .My sparkling new theme is SPI Pro running on the truly awesome Genesis framework. All thanks to Pat.
I was gifted the Genius Bloggers toolkit by the Ultimate bundles people.The best part.They asked for nothing in return. Absolutely nothing. Its packed full of good stuff which all bloggers need ,but don’t know where to look for. That’s why I am speed reading them to help pin pint those that can help most.
This special Blogging checklist I made after researching 1000s of blog posts and 32 ebooks and course.Click to download it now.
BLOGGING JOURNAL WITH PRE AND POST PUBLISHING CHECKLIST.Click on the image to download now
9)I love plants and nature.
No shopping mall as holiday destination.Dont get me wrong I adore shopping.Its just not enough to make me happy anymore.
I need green plants ,flowers ,mountains, lakes streams, oceans, to revive me .If I don’t have green view I feel upset. It’s that bad. So for my new home I am planning multiple green walls.
Now if the finance minister gives us a raise or a tax rebate for planting trees ,that might help.
10)I am a survivor
Afterall I am surviving demonetization and all the associated headache. Thanks to very helpful neighbourhood shops, in small towns.Also Vijaya Bank where I have my salary account had come to our hospital to dispense some part of the salary as cash .This helped us immensely .
11)Stopped making bridges over imaginary rivers
Yes I have an overactive imagination and an even worse tendency to act on it.
That’s why I have decided ,to let the problem present first ,specially when its other people’s problems.Help when they ask for it.Really camyt rescue everyone.
For me works great.So its going to be a balancing act. Will be fine tuning it over the next year.
12)Blogging and life ,works best when you do it together and have fun
