Did You Know.

20 Things To Start Doing In Your Relationships

Greetings.

Hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving celebration with family and friends. 

Here's something that we all should practice with those we surround ourselves with.

I can definitely resonate with this.

A Healthy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is tomorrow.
Here are some tips to follow that will make you feel good -

• have some breakfast before the thanksgiving feast begins - by having breakfast, you'll having some control during the thanksgiving feast
• have fruits instead of pies and ice cream
• drink water instead of sodas and alcohol
• use spices and herbs instead of salt and sugar
• favor milk over heavy cream
• whole wheat flour is better than white flour 
• make sure half of your plate has some vegetables 
• go for a nice walk 2 hours before eating if possible - this will help boost your metabolism and digestion before the big feast
• organic turkey is best
• watch your portions
• drink a few glasses of room temperature water 2 hours before the feast 

Eating Colors For Health

I love this!

The Amazing Health Benefits of Pomegranates

No wonder my father gets 6 at a time!

Besides being nutritious fruit rich in antioxidants, pomegranate has been considered as a symbol of health, fertility and eternal life for centuries, and is especially popular for its juice, seeds and oil.

Records of pomegranate can be found in many cultures and religions, and pomegranate is considered to be one of the oldest fruit trees known to mankind.

Most studies confirm that it is one of the world’s most healing fruits due to its useful impact on cardiovascular, nervous and bone structure.

Pomegranate contains large amounts of vitamin C, it is an excellent source of vitamin B5, potassium, organic acids and sugar.  Nutrients found in pomegranate inhibit the growth of breast, prostate and colon cancer, leukemia, and prevent changes that encourage tumor growth.

It has been proven that a glass of pomegranate juice daily has a stronger antioxidant effect than a glass of red wine or green tea. 

Pomegranate juice helps reducing the risk of some types of cancer, protects against osteoporosis, improves immune system, protects your teeth, destroys bacteria such as Escherichia coli and staphylococci.

For better immunity, experts advise consuming 2.5 deciliters of fresh pomegranate juice.

Also, pomegranate is rich in phytoestrogens that facilitate menopause and pre-menopause symptoms, mood swings, night sweats and lack of libido.

The use of pomegranate in household is wide-ranging, it is used in preparing cookies, syrups, juices, liqueurs, wine, vinegar and tea.

Pomegranate oil is ideal for massage and can be used orally and locally. It is used in production of ​​soaps, luxurious face cosmetics and other beauty products.

Kapha Pacifying Diet

Is your kapha out of balance?
Here's what you can do to pacify your kapha.

Favor the Following Foods -

General - lighter diet.  Dry, warm foods and warm drinks.  Pungent, bitter, astringent tastes.

Grains - old grains, barley, millet, corn, buckwheat, rye, oats, wheat, quinoa, cous cous.

Beans/Daal - all except tofu

Vegetables - green leafy vegetables, asparagus, artichoke, potato, carrot cabbage, beet root (small amounts), cauliflower, broccoli, celery, peas, pepper, sprouts, white pumpkin, zucchini, okra (only dry fried, non-slimy preparation), green papaya, tomato, tender eggplant, tender radish.

Dairy - lassi and buttermilk, low fat milk, small mounts of ghee and while milk

Sweeteners - honey

Oils - mustard, corn, sesame, all in small amounts

Nuts & seeds - sunflower and pumpkin

Spices & condiments - all except salt; especially pungent and sharp spices (pepper, ginger, cumin, etc.), lemon juice in small amounts

Fruits - pomegranate, apple, pear, papaya, jambu, grapes, persimmon, cranberry, raisins, figs, dates (best with honey), peaches, guava.

Avoid or reduce the following foods -

General - large quantities of food, especially at night.  Unctuous, cold, heavy food; sweet, sour and salty tastes

Grains - new grains, especially wheat and rice

Beans - tofu (soy beans)

Vegetables - sweet potatoes, tapioca, other tubers

Dairy - yogurt, cream, butter, whole milk, and ghee in large quantities

Sweeteners - sugar cane products

Nuts - all nuts

Spices & condiments - Salt

Fruits - avocado, banana, pineapple, orange, melon, plum, prunes, mango, coconut, apricot

Pitta Pacifying Diet

Is your pitta out of balance?
Here's what you can do to pacify Pitta.

Favor the following foods -

General - Food not too hot.  Cool or luke warm drinks according to preference.  Sweet, bitter and astringent tastes.

Grains - wheat, rice, barley, oats.

Beans - yellow mung daal, small kidney beans, soy bean products

Vegetables - asparagus, artichokes, white pumpkin, okra (lady fingers), zucchini, spinach, chard, kale, chicory (bitter vegetable), cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, green beans, celery, potatoes, peas, green sweet pepper, green papaya, sprouts, lettuce, daikon (white carrot), tender eggplant.

Dairy - ghee, milk, butter, sweet buttermilk, sweet lassi, cream, cream cheese

Sweeteners - white or semi-refined sugar, honey in small amounts when person is not afflicted with heat.

Oils - coconut, olive, sunflower

Spices & condiments - coriander, cumin, ginger (in small amounts), turmeric, saffron, fennel, cinnamon, cardamom, lemon juice

Fruits - grapes, pomegranate, cashew, banana, avocado, mango, coconut, melons, apples, pears, raisins, dates figs, apricot, sweet orange, sweet pineapple, persimmon, papaya (small amounts), kiwi fruit.

Avoid or reduce the following -

General - pungent, sour and salty tastes

Grains - millet, corn, buckwheat, rye.

Beans - adzuki beans

Vegetables - tomatoes, beet root, carrots, radish, hot peppers, raw onions.

Dairy - sour milk products, yogurt, cheese (especially old and salty), salty butter, quark, sour cream.

Sweeteners - molasses, brown sugar.

Oils - almond, corn, safflower, sesame.

Nuts - all (except coconut)

Seeds - all except sunflower and pumpkin

Spices & condiments - chili pepper, cayenne, black pepper, mustard seeds, cloves, celery seeds fenugreek

Fruits - papaya, grapefruit, olive, sour orange, peach, sour grape, sour pineapple, berries, cranberries, prunes

Vata Pacifying Diet

Is your vata of balance?
Here's what you can do to pacify Vata.

Favor the following foods -  

General - sufficient quantity, unctuous food, warm food and drinks.  Sweet, sour and salty tastes.

Grains - wheat products, rice (whole rice is best), cooked oat flakes in small amounts.

Beans/Daal - yellow mung beans (green skin removed)

Vegetables - white pumpkin, zucchini, okra (lady fingers), artichokes, asparagus, tender eggplant, carrot, beet root, sweet potatoes with fat, tomato, cucumber, tender radish, celery, green papaya spinach in small amounts.

Dairy - All dairy products, cheese should be soft and fresh.

Oils - All

Nuts & Seeds - All except peanuts, seeds in small amounts.

Spices & condiments - cumin, ginger, mustard seeds, fenugreek, hinge (asafoetida), cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, anise, fennel, black pepper (small amounts), salt, lemon juice, tamarind.  All others in small amounts.

Fruits - ripe, sweet and juicy fruits.  Dried fruit is better soaked.  Sweet grapes, pomegranate (sweet and sour), mango, papaya, sweet pineapple, banana, avocado, sweet and juicy apples and pears, sweet oranges, melons, plums, cherries, raisins, dates, prunes, figs, kiwi fruit, peach, apricot.

Avoid or reduce the following foods -

General - light and dry foods.  Cold foods and drinks.  Pungent, bitter and astringent tastes.

Grains - barley, corn, millet, rye, buckwheat, raw oats.

Beans - all except yellow mung beans and red lentils

Vegetables - large quantity of green leafy vegetables, orange pumpkin and squash, peas, potato, sprouts, mature eggplants, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, celery.

Fruits - unripe, dry sour fruits.  guava, jambu, cashew, cranberries, persimmon (dried), chicory.

Seven Side Effects of Soda

We need to STOP!

* Click on image for larger view *

Tip Of The Day

Cucumbers should not be taken much with food because it takes the meal a longer time to digest.

What Your Urine Says About Your Health

You would be surprised by how much information can be gleaned from the urine that you produce each day (one to two quarts, on average). For example, the simple “dipstick” urine test that doctors often use to check for a urinary tract infection also can help them diagnose kidney disease, diabetes, cancer and other conditions. But there is more.

What you may not realize: If you know what to look for, you can tell a lot about your health just by being aware of the physical characteristics of your urine—such as color, smell and frequency. What to watch out for…

COLOR

When you’re healthy and drinking enough water, your urine should be mainly clear or straw-colored with just a hint of yellow. The yellow color comes from urochrome, a pigment produced by the breakdown of a protein in red blood cells.

Urine is naturally darker in the morning because you don’t drink water while you sleep. If a color change persists, however, it could be a problem. For example…

Brown or dark brown. Pay attention if your urine is dark for more than a week.

What this usually means: Liver disease. The liver normally breaks down and excretesbilirubin, a pigment that’s produced by the turnover of red blood cells. Patients with liver disease accumulate bilirubin. This initially will cause jaundice, a yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes. As more bilirubin accumulates, it can cause the urine to become brown. A combination of dark-colored urine and jaundice means that liver disease might be getting worse. See your doctor right away.

Dark-colored urine also can be a side effect of some antibiotics, laxatives and muscle relaxants. Eating large amounts of fava beans, rhubarb or aloe can cause brown urine as well. In some cases, dark-colored urine can signal kidney failure.

Red or pink. Urine that’s tinged with red or pink could simply mean that you have been eating beets. (The medical term for beet-induced urine changes is beeturia). Or it could mean that you’re urinating blood.

The amount of blood will affect the color. If the urine resembles cabernet wine, you’re bleeding a lot…urine that’s pinkish or just slightly red contains only traces of blood. A microscopic amount of blood won’t be visible—it can be detected only with a laboratory test.

What this usually means: Blood in the urine is always a problem. Make an appointment to see your doctor. If you see blood and it also hurts when you urinate, you could have an infection—in the urethra, bladder or kidney or even a malignancy in the bladder, for example. Bleeding without pain also can indicate these conditions.

Green. Though rare, a person’s urine can turn a greenish color.

What this usually means: Green urine can appear when you’ve consumed a chemical dye—from food coloring, for example, or from taking medications such as amitriptyline(Elavil), an antidepressant, or indomethacin (Indocin), a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. In some cases, urine with a greenish tint can signal a urinary tract infection with certain bacteria (such as pseudomonas) that affect the color.

If your urine is greenish, increase fluid intake to see if it clears. If it doesn’t in two days, see your doctor or a urologist.

ODOR

If you’re healthy, your urine should be highly diluted, consisting of about 95% water, with only small amounts of dissolved chemical compounds and metabolic by-products. It typically has no—or only a faint—odor.

Of course everyone is familiar with the effect that asparagus and some other foods, such as onions or fish, have on the smell of one’s urine. This strong “rotten” smell is due to the chemical compounds in certain foods, particularly molecules that are not completely broken down by the body. The smell usually disappears within a day or so.

Some other less common urine smells include…

Ammonia-like. If your urine is concentrated, with a larger-than-normal amount of urea (a chemical compound in urine), you might smell an aroma that resembles ammonia. Or you might just notice that it has a stronger smell than usual.

What this usually means: Dehydration. The less water you drink, the higher the concentration of urea and other substances—and the stronger the smell. You can diagnose this yourself by drinking, say, one extra glass of water an hour for several hours to add water to your urine. The strong urine smell will probably disappear within a few hours. If it does not, see your doctor.

Foul-smelling. If your urine smells foul or unusual in any way for more than a few days, pay attention to the odor.

What this usually means: If it’s not caused by a food that you’ve eaten, it could signal an infection in the bladder or kidneys. Less often, it’s due to a metabolic disorder that reduces the body’s ability to fully break down foods during digestion.

Uncontrolled diabetes can cause an abnormally sweet odor, and penicillin can cause a distinctive medicinal odor.

Even if you have no other symptoms, such as pain while urinating, but your urine continues to have an unusually strong smell for more than a couple of days, talk to your doctor.

FOAMY OR BUBBLY

It’s natural to see foam in the toilet when you really have to go and have a heavy stream. But urine that’s consistently foamy or bubbly could mean that you’re losing protein.

What this usually means: Kidney disease. Large amounts of protein in the urine is one of the main signs of chronic kidney disease. See your doctor right away.

MUCUS OR CLOUDY

Mucus in urine could indicate inflammation in the urinary tract.

What this usually means: Urinary tract infection. See your doctor.

Cloudy urine also can be related to infection but often is just an indication that your urine is alkaline, which is harmless at low levels.

VOLUME AND FREQUENCY

The average adult typically urinates four to eight times in 24 hours. A change in the frequency of your urinary habits, including getting up more than twice a night to urinate, or an increase or decrease in the amount that you urinate, warrants attention.

What this usually means: An increase in the frequency of urination, along with an increase in volume, is one of the telltale signs of diabetes.

If the amount of urine seems the same but you’re urinating more often, you could have a urinary tract infection. If this is the case, you’ll probably have very strong urges to urinate even when just a small amount comes out.

Frequency of urination and/or urinary urgency in the absence of a urinary tract infection can indicate an overactive bladder.

In men, enlargement of the prostate gland can trigger urinary urgency. Patients with neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, can also have this symptom.

Don’t worry if there’s been a decrease in the amount or frequency of urination. You probably just need to drink more water. If this doesn’t help, see your doctor.

Source: Jonathan M. Vapnek, MD, a urologist and clinical associate professor of urology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. A member of the American Urological Association, he’s been named by New York Magazine as one of New York City’s best urologists. Dr. Vapnek has authored or coauthored more than 35 papers on urological topics.

Why India Is The World's Fastest Growing Wellness Tourism

Even before the Beatles went on their famous pilgrimage to Rishikesh with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1969, India has been a popular travel destination for American tourists seeking serenity and spiritual growth. But in recent years, wellness travel to India has exploded.

Mia Farrow, Steve Jobs, and Oprah are just a few of the many Westerners who have flocked to India for life-changing trips to visit meditation retreats and spiritual sites. Now, the southeast asian country is the fastest-growing wellness travel destination, with a projected 22 percent annual growth rate. In comparison, the United States -- the leading country for wellness travel -- has an average annual growth rate of 5.8 percent.

Wellness travel -- any tourism associated with the goal of maintaining or enhancing one's personal well-being -- is now a $439 billion industry worldwide within the $3.2 trillion global tourism industry, representing 14 percent of all tourism spending. It's estimated to have a trillion dollars worth of economic impact.

"As more people embrace overall healthier lifestyles at home, we are now seeing those behaviors translate and be integrated into their travel and vacation habits," Susie Ellis, Chairman and CEO of the Global Spa & Wellness Summit, said in a statement. "For others, vacation provides an escape from the non-stop activities of their daily lives. As these two trends converge, we are seeing many people commit their vacation time and dollars to wellness travel, as evidenced by their increased spending and specific global destination choices."

Spa experiences, healthy eating, opportunities for personal growth, yoga and meditation, fitness, stress reduction and holistic health are among the experiences sought by wellness travelers, according to the 2013 Global Wellness Tourism Economy Report.

Ellis explains that the recent mindfulness boom may be playing a part in attracting more visitors to India.

"India's wellness offerings are very understandable -- they have yoga, meditation and Ayurveda," Ellis tells the Huffington Post. "Right now, those are things that are really resonating with people... the kind of things that people want and need are the things that India is offering."

Since the 2002 "Incredible India" tourism ad campaign, travel to the country has been on a fairly steady rise. The campaign sought to bring higher-yield tourists to India -- the country had long been attracting hikers and travelers staying at low-cost ashrams, but the tourism board knew that if they attracted wealthier tourists, the rest would follow.

And they were right: Using bright colors and promising "thousand-year-old recipes for eternal youth," the campaign generated a 16 percent increase in tourism in its first year.

The country's latest high-profile wellness travelers are Prince Charles and Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, who are currently on their first nine-day tour through India. The British royal couple will be touring some of the holy cities and spending time at an ashram in Rishikesh.

Visitors going to India for wellness-based trips will often spend a fair amount of time visiting there, learning about the ancient arts of yoga and meditation, as well as Ayurveda (the Indian "science of life," a system of traditional medicine) on an extended week or two-long trip, according to Ellis.

"To go to India and detox and spend a week and really feel what it's like to be in a state of mindfulness, that's life-changing," says Ellis. "And it would attract the people who have the time and resources to do that."

Several upscale destination spas in India that have become popular among such travelers are Ananda in the Himalayas (a palace that was formerly home to the Maharajah of Tehri-Garhwal) and the Soukya Holistic Health Center in Bangalore, says Ellis.

A growing number of wellness retreats and spas are cropping up across India, from Dharamsala to Mysore, to accommodate the growing demand for holistic health-based travel. Lonely Planet event ranked Sikkim, India one of the top 10 travel destinations for 2014.

Along with India, China, South Korea, Russia and Germany are some of the other top wellness tourism destinations. Still, the U.S. remains the top destination for wellness travel, with $167.1 billion in expenditures and a total of 141.4 million wellness trips taken annually (followed by Germany at 49.3 million).

Tips For Healthy Hair

Tips for healthy hair -

• include lots of leafy green vegetables and sweet juicy fruits
• coconut is best
• favor fresh yogurt, milk, buttermilk, ghee 
• favor seeds, nuts and grains 
• eat less of processed, canned food - no nutrition is given to body and mind
• cumin, turmeric, black pepper are good for the hair - include these spices in your cooking
• stress is a huge factor for hair loss and graying of hair - practice TM or any other meditation technique
• harsh chemicals in hair products is a big NO - it damages the hair - read the labels
• oil massages to the scalp once or twice a week stimulates the hair follicles, provides nourishment to the scalp, stimulates the mind and clears any impurities on the head
• do not comb or brush your hair when wet - more hair will break and fall
• blow drying hair is a big NO - excessive heat damages the hair, is not good for the mind and gives you split ends
• it's good to brush the hair regularly to stimulate the scalp and keeping the hair looking healthy and lustrous! 

Hair Care Remedies - Dandruff & Lice

Dandruff is the shedding of dead skin cells from the scalp.

Fenugreek helps with dandruff. 

Take 2 tablespoons of fenugreek seeds (methi) and soak in water over night.

The next morning, take the seeds and grind them into a paste. 

Apply on scalp.

Let it set for 30-60  minutes.

Wash off.

Lice hair or louse hair are wingless insects that live on human hair and feed on the small blood drawn from the scalp.

Apply onion juice on the scalp 3-4 times a week.

Let it set 30-40 minutes.

Wash off. 

Best Herb For Any Hair Growth

The best and main herb for hair care is Bhringraj.
Take the plant, crush it and make a paste.
Apply paste on scalp.
Let it set for an hour and then wash off.
Recommended to do this for 3 months.
New hair follicles with emerge on bald areas.

Vata Pitta Kapha & Hair Oils

Here's a chart for you to better understand what hair type you have and which oil to use - 

Dosha	Hair type	Hair oil
Vata	frizzy, dark, coarse, easily tangled, split ends	almond or sesame oil - nourishes the scalp and hair
Pitta	brown, blond, silky, oily, premature baldness, premature graying of hair	coconut oil - cooling for pittas and helps with thinning and premature graying
Kapha	thick, heavy, dark or light, wavy, lustrous	sesame or olive oil - olive oil has purifying properties that keeps pores open

Why Running is Good For Health

Who's going running tonight? 

* Click on image for larger view * 

Tip of the day!

The only two fruits that can be eaten on an empty stomach or with other foods are mangos and coconuts.  Coconut is nature's energy drink.  It helps flush out the system and is a sacred fruit in the Vedic tradition.  Mangos support all the seven tissues, helps with digestion, acts as an energizer and balances all three doshas.

What's Your Dosha?

What's your dosha?
Vata, pitta, kapha?
Take the dosha quiz to determine what's your dosha.
Check off which best applies to you.
At the end, add up your scores.
The dosha with the highest score determines your body type.

OBSERVATIONS	Click	VATA	Click	PITTA	Click	KAPHA
Body size		Thin built		Medium built		Large built
Body weight		Low		Medium		Heavy side
Weight change		Trouble gaining		Can gain but lose quickly		Gains weight easily, hard to lose
Skin type		Thin, dry		Smooth, combination skin		Thick, oily
Skin texture		Cold, roughness, light color		Warm, reddish, freckles		Cool, pale
Hair		Dry, brittle, scarce, gets knotted		Straight, oily, prone to hair loss		Thick, curly, oily, wavy, luxuriant
Hair color		Brown, black		Blond, gray, red,		Dark black, dark brown
Teeth		Big, roomy, stick out, thin gums		Medium size, soft, tender gums		Healthy, white, strong gums
Nose		Uneven shape, deviated septum		Long, pointed, red nose tip		Short, rounded, button nose
Eyes		Small, sunken, dry, active, freq.blinking		Sharp, sensitive to light		Big, calm,
Eye color		Black, brown		bright gray, green, yellow, red		Blue
Nails		Dry, rough, easily broken		Sharp, flexible, long, reddish tint		Thick, smooth, shiny surface
Lip		Dry, cracked		Often inflamed		Smooth, large
Lip color		Black or brown tint		Red or yellowish		Pale
Chin		Thin and angular		Tapered		Rounded, big
Cheeks		Sunken, lines or wrinkles		Flat and smooth		Big or round
Neck		Long, thin		Medium		Wide
Chest		Small, flat		Moderate		Broad chested
Belly		Small, flat		Moderate		large, defined
Bellybutton		Small, irregular		Oval, superficial		Big, deep, round
Hips		Small or thin		Moderate		Big
Joints		Cracking noise		Moderate		Large, lubricated
Appetite		Irregular in frequency and magnitude		Strong, cannot skip meals		Steady, regular, skips meals
Taste preference		Sweet, sour, salty		Sweet, bitter, astringent		Bitter, pungent, astringent
Thirst		Variable		Need water regularly		Sparse need for water
Digestion		Irregular		Quick		Slow
When there is indigestion		Tendency to constipation, forms gas		Causes burning, heart burn, reflux		Forms mucous
Elimination		Dry		Loose		Thick, sluggish
Physical activity		Always active		Moderate		Slow, measured
Mental activity		Always active		Moderate		Calm
Personality		Vivacious, talkative, social, outgoing		Likes to be in control, intense, ambitious		Reserved, laid back, concerned
Emotional response when stressed		Anxiety, fear		Anger, jealousy		Greedy, possessive, withdrawn
Faith or beliefs		Variable		Dedicated/strong		Consistent
Intellectual response		Quick, not detailed		Accurate, timely		Paced but exact
Memory		Good short term, quick to forget		Medium but accurate		Slow to remember but then sustained
Career, life preference		Creative arts, designing		Science or engineering		Management, human relations, care giving
Environment		Easily feels cold		Intolerant of heat		Uncomfortable in humidity
Sleep		Short, broken up		moderate and sound		Deep and long
Dreams		Multiple and quick, fearful		Fiery, often about conflicts		Slow, romantic
Speech		Rapid, hither thither		precise, articulate		Slow, monotonous
Financial		Buy on impulse		Spends money on luxuries		Good at Saving money
TOTAL		VATA		PITTA		KAPHA