Category: Sponsored posts

Why we need an RO Water Purifier.

Why we need an RO Water Purifier.

by writershilpa ♥ 14 Comments

Drinking water

Water – a blessing.

Water is a precious commodity we earthlings have been blessed with! 75% of our planet is covered with water, but sadly, there are millions here who aren’t as blessed as others. In India,  it’s the rural areas where the monsoon rarely keeps its date, where water is considered precious. The lack of proper water distribution sees people walking  miles in search of drinking water. The dry river beds and wells hold  a pitiful sight during the scorching summers, with people looking skywards in the hope of spotting the dark clouds that will bring them relief.

And, on the other hand, there are those who are fortunate enough to be living in cities and have taps that bring water into their households, but take it for granted and misuse it, waste it. My heart bleeds each time I see a dripping, leaking faucet, or water getting wasted. Wonder when man will realise the importance of valuing this precious natural resource and learn to save it, give it the respect it so deserves!

Apart from these issues, there is yet one more that’s associated with water. That of pollution and impurities that deem water unfit for drinking for so many of us. Water pollution, thanks to gross neglect of how waste materials get disposed of, causes impurities in water that play havoc with our health.

Often, newspapers carry stories of how people living in cities receive water that’s contaminated, muddy and worm-infested. The kind of water borne diseases such water can cause are a-plenty:

Water borne diseases

Diarrhoea,

Dysentery,

Cholera,

Typhoid fever,

Amoebiasis

These are just some of the diseases cause by polluted water. Imagine the risk to the health of people who receive such water in their homes! There’s water in their taps, but not a drop fit for drinking!

Water Purifiers

Thankfully, it’s for such a scenario that help is at hand, in the form of water purifiers.  Livpure brings for us the   best RO water purifiers in India. Of course, we have our old methods of purifying water by boiling, but the kind of pollutants one finds in water, isn’t a purifier  a smarter choice? It’s ultimately for our family and its health.

RO Water Purifiers

These purifiers are classified on the levels of purification and storage tank capacity. The levels of purification translate into the kind of purification needed for the impure water, which then passes through filters of the RO water purifiers and then becomes suitable for drinking.

People are waking up to the benefits of RO purifiers slowly and steadily. And, to make life easier for them, these water purifiers are available online, too. Shopping being done online nowadays, it’s no wonder that one can easily find the RO water purifiers online with a click! All you need to do is visit the online store from the comforts of your home, click in the best RO water purifiers in India, and you receive a list of options.

By choosing the right one that suits your needs and your budget, you can ensure the safety of your family from water borne diseases. Isn’t that so simple?

If you haven’t yet installed an RO water purifier in your home, now is the time. All it needs is a click of a button!

So, what are you waiting for? Hurry to your nearest chair in your home, make yourself comfortable and look up RO water purifiers!

 

Why we need a water purifier today.

 

 

 

 

Sources and management of Vitamin E. #EVION

Sources and management of Vitamin E. #EVION

by writershilpa ♥ 19 Comments

I remember reading about the importance of Vitamin E as a young collegian. Talks about beauty and skin/ hair care being more popular than health care, I would gather every piece of information about which magic potions would bless me with a flawless skin. Little did I know then that including foods rich in the vitamin would benefit me far more than using only the creams and lotions!

Over the years, an increased awareness about food and diet helped me realise how necessary it is to include foods from every food group so as to avail the benefits of  every nutrient that is necessary for a healthy mind and a healthy body.

Benefits of Vitamin E:

We often give importance to a particular nutrient, ignoring, or even overlooking, some others that play an equally important part in keeping us functioning at our best.   Take vitamin E, for example. We all know that it  gives us  healthy skin and hair, but not many of us are aware of its importance in protection against eye disorders, diabetes, premenstrual syndromes as well as arthritis.

  1. Vitamin E is an antioxidant, a fat-soluble vitamin that protects the tissues of the skin, eyes, liver, testes and breast.
  2. It reduces cardiovascular diseases and improves stamina.
  3. It also fights free radicals that cause heart disease and cancers.
  4. it improves moisture and elasticity of the skin and acts as the anti-ageing nutrient within the body.

I really wasn’t aware of it all until some time ago when I was researching the reasons behind the changes my body was undergoing;  I had put it all down as ageing!

Sources of Vitamin E:

Vitamin E is found in plant food as well as animal food. But being a vegetarian, I looked at the plant sources  of this nutrient as veggies is what I prefer over sea-food, or meat. All I needed to do was tweak my diet a bit, include foods that weren’t present in my daily diet and improve my overall health.

Cold pressed oils-

Sunflower oil

Safflower oil

Olive oil

Wheat germ oil

Palm oil

Nuts and seeds-

Almonds

Hazelnuts

Peanuts

Dried Apricots

Sunflower seeds

Vegetables-

Spinach

Broccoli

Tomatoes

Red or green bell peppers

Parsley

Fruits-

Mango

Papaya

Kiwi

Avocados

Animal foods-

Milk fat

Butter

Egg yolk

Liver

Ghee

How do you include these in your diet?

Eating locally available and seasonal fruits and vegetables is the best way to improve one’s diet. Including the above veggies and fruits in your daily diet as and when they are available will ensure sufficient consumption of Vitamin E.

Breakfast:

Begin the day with a fruit, say papaya, instead of a cup of tea. I know how difficult it can be for regular tea/coffee drinkers, but, maybe you could enjoy that cuppa later!

Peanuts  fried in a little oil can be added to the poha that you have for your breakfast.

Peanut butter applied to a multi-grain bread, or a paratha to enhance the taste as well as its nutritional value

Boiled egg sprinkled with a little salt and pepper powder, or fried eggs eaten along with the bread/paratha.

Sunflower seeds – a spoonful of the dried seeds before breakfast ensures you begin your day on a healthy note.

Snacks: 

Almonds/Peanut/Dried apricots chikki, makes for an ideal 4 p.m. snack instead of the vada pav/samosa !

Spinach and cheese sandwich using multi-grain bread to go with the tea or coffee.

Lunch/Dinner:

Soups- Tomato or spinach soup

Salad prepared using tomatoes, bell peppers, spinach, roasted peanuts and seasoned with paprika, oregano and an olive oil dressing makes for a perfect start to the regular meals. (Paprika and oregano also contain Vitamin E apart from the flavour they give to our recipes).

Veggie dishes like palak paneer, tomato chutney, stuffed capsicum, or a  simple capsicum sabji  along with chapati or rice. The possibilities are aplenty.

Using sunflower oil for cooking, olive oil for salad dressing, and yes, including home made ghee in your daily meals will ensure you  receive your daily dose of Vitamin E. Ghee is something most of us prefer to stay away from, but trust our grandmothers and mothers and their wisdom, ghee is a boon to the human body! A spoonful everyday will not only provide you with enough Vitamin E, but also keep your joints well lubricated, your skin healthy and your gut functioning perfectly.

Skin care-

Using moisturisers or creams containing natural ingredients like aloe vera is much more beneficial than using those with a hundred chemicals and which can actually damage your skin in the long run. Aloe vera, as we all know, has natural healing properties. So, when used in combination with Vitamin E, it  not just keeps your skin beautiful, but flawless, healthy and well moisturised.

#Evion ,  (Evion Supplements ) uses the above two ingredients – aloe vera (10%) and vitamin E (1%) – in a cream that can be used daily, without any harmful side-effects. Just apply it after bath and at night to get the well-moisturised and pampered skin we all dream of. As we age, our skin tends to lose its elasticity and becomes drier by the day. Using good quality creams to keep your skin moisturised becomes a necessity.

Finally, a balanced diet rich in Vitamin E along with  the right products  for skin care will help you stay active and healthy and your skin beautiful and well-moisturised!

Stay healthy, stay blessed!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scribble your heart away!

Scribble your heart away!

by writershilpa ♥ 12 Comments
The Creative Women’s Journal

I gaze at his picture and wish he would just leap out of it into my arms – my son, Chikoo. The laptop sits in front of me, on the table; the keys waiting to be tapped and words waiting to spill onto the blank screen. But, not a single thought enters my mind, except that of my baby. I ought to begin living again, but, the heart has a mind of its own, and it won’t pay heed to my practical advice. And so, there I sit, lost in Chikoo’s thoughts, unable to bring myself to write a word. Of course, there are days when I write like crazy, but those days are few and far between.

Most of the days are such, you know, when there are a hundred thoughts swarming around in the mind, but the heart is just not into it. No post gets written, no sketch gets made, the mundane chores of everyday life get done haphazardly. Nothing seems to  motivate me to get up and get going. Thankfully, my luck, it seems, can’t bear this sight of me sitting idle with a wan smile, looking all lost,  and so it brings a beautiful  ‘something’ for me that it knows is bound to cheer me up!

First, it gets my blogger friend Shalini Baisiwala to tag me in a post on the Facebook Page of Matrika Paper Products;  then,  it gets me to register on their site where I discover the amazing Creative Women’s Journal. Finally, one fine day, when my energy levels are at their lowest, my luck knocks on my door and hands me this vibrant,  red notebook with a beautiful golden quill on  the cover with the word, “Write” at the top.

And, that’s just what I begin doing!

Colours, as we know so well, add life to the world around us. The vibrant hues are those that rev up the energy levels with their brightness,  driving away the gloominess and adding zest to life. So, if one was to receive such a vibrant gift to be used to write, doodle, scribble one’s thoughts, dream and plan for the future, how wouldn’t one feel alive again? And, alive is just how I have been feeling ever since the beautiful journal landed in my hands.

My first colouring activity and some thoughts I penned.

The journal opens up to the first page where you fill in your details, and then turn over to a short note for its users about all that they can expect inside this magnificent little book. It consists of 8 adult colouring pages with pictures inspired by nature. Colouring is the most therapeutic activity I have indulged in right since childhood. However, since some time now, I have been away from it for lack of enthusiasm, so, these colouring pages feel like manna to this gloomy soul.

The journal also has some plain pages for all the times when one feels like doodling their thoughts away. Like I do when I write in a book. The margins of most pages are crowded with doodles that tend to help me creatively in a way I really cannot explain. For me, doodling is cathartic and this pretty book gives me an opportunity to doodle when my mind goes on its own trip to some fantasy land, leaving the words aside for a while. So, there will be not just writing, but colouring as well as doodling! Isn’t that great?

The stickers that voice your emotions.

To add to the list of lovelies in this pretty journal, there are stickers for the various moods that we experience at any given time, some encouraging messages, some to-do stickers to embellish your to-do lists and motivate you to reach for those stars. There are also pages with “Books to be read” and “Places to be visited” lists at the end that I intend to fill up, soon.  These are going to be my dreams, for myself. We all ought to have some dreams for ourselves and work towards fulfilling those dreams. The satisfaction one gets at the end of it all is unparalleled. I am sure you know what I mean!

I began by colouring the first picture in the journal and jotted down a few thoughts that popped in my head at the end of my colouring activity. I am sharing the picture with you here. Let me tell you, it was a marvellous feeling I experienced as I used almost every colour I could lay my hands on for colouring. I suggest you try it out –  colouring,  doodling,  penning your thoughts,  planning and dreaming – every activity this journal encourages you to indulge in is therapy for a harried soul, and harried souls we all are, aren’t we?

Do try out this journal. Visit the Matrika Paper Products Facebook Page and learn more about it all.

I think I am going to get addicted to maintaining a journal after using my new gift! I am sure you will, too!

The BergerXP Indiblogger Meet.

The BergerXP Indiblogger Meet.

by writershilpa ♥ 9 Comments

    Last week,  I received an invite from Indiblogger for a BergerXP Indiblogger  Meet at The Vivanta by Taj, at Cuffe Parade.  They promised me “a  fun-filled Saturday afternoon with loads of madness the good old Indiblogger way.”   I hadn’t attended a single Indiblogger meet, and so, was eager to know what sort of “madness” there would be. Indiblogger also added a note that I had been invited for the meet because of the topics I blogged about and my Indirank and also my overall awesomeness! Wow! Trust Indiblogger to make you feel so special,  I simply had to go!

The part I looked forward to was meeting bloggers I had only met virtually. The venue selected was royal, to say the least. And, the moment I stepped inside Vivanta, I knew I would be having a lovely time. We gathered, introduced ourselves and on learning how well we knew each other virtually, burst into guffaws for feeling like strangers on meeting in the real world! The registration done, we mingled, chatted and laughed as we got acquainted with each other,

The photographers moved around prodding us to pose for pictures and give our views on what we were looking forward to. Silly of us to pose like celebrities, but the photographers were gracious enough to indulge us every way we wished!

After the photo session, we went on to have our tummies indulged, as well. The lip-smacking spread  was to die for, and was accompanied by some more laughter and chatter. Eventually, we moved on to the main event where we  settled down for a talk by  Chandranath Banerjee, Services Head, Express Painting. He began with the history of how Berger came into being.  Right from how Lewis Berger laid the foundation of  the company in 1760 in UK, to how it arrived in India in the year 1923 and how it now features among the Forbes Super 50, the Unusual Billionaires and is also one of the Unique 7 companies.

Around 2015, Berger came up with a revolutionary painting technique never heard of. It consisted of Express Painting – a faster, cleaner and a better way of painting.  We all know so well how we find painting a cumbersome job; one we would rather put off until we can bear it no more.  What with all the dust that settles on every surface, in every nook and cranny in the house and does not get cleaned try as we might, we tend to make it a seven-year plan.

The never ending procedure of sanding the walls,  scrubbing them till they get a smooth finish and then painting over it, can make life miserable. Life almost comes to a standstill! But, with the new Express Painting technique, painting could become an enjoyable event, hassle-free as well as satisfying. Berger Paints has come up with automatic machines that can bring down the hassle-quotient to a zero!

It’s the machines that do the sanding, the scrubbing and the cleaning, giving you dust-free homes. Machines that have been fitted with a vacuum that sucks up the dust and prevents it from settling on any surface. The workers are well-trained and skilled in their job. They come armed with plastic covers for your furnitures, covering everything so well, you don’t need to worry about your prized possessions getting dusty, dirty or paint-spilled. They offer water-proofing solutions as well as post painting clean-up and rearrangement of your furniture.

The entire package consists of :

* Use of fully automatic painting machines.

* Better finish.

* Trained painters.

*Use of authentic Berger products.

*Post painting clean-up.

*Less wastage of materials.

There is a wide colour scheme on offer, with shades selected from the rich craft culture and tradition of our colourful country. The vivid colour combinations for the  interiors as well as the exteriors promise to give us the home of our dreams. And, the paints used are such, they actually don’t allow dust to settle on the walls! So, you have a regal looking home from inside as well as from the outside to boast about.

Berger also brings for us luxury design textures they call, Silk Illusions. And, the variety of textures for your walls is bound to take your breath away. Classy, sophisticated, calming to the senses and easy on your pocket. Isn’t it all what we all look forward to when we set about painting our homes? I so wish I had known about it earlier. A year ago, we had our house painted, putting in quite an amount of money, but failed to reap the benefits as we had hoped.

The seepage through the walls and the quality of colour has left my walls looking dull, drab and weather-beaten. And, it’s not even two years, yet! Next time, though, I know whose services I will be hiring for the painting job.

After the talk and the question and answer session, we had some activities in store. We were to play the role of the painters! Yes.  There was a team activity that included sanding and scrubbing of boards to get a smooth finish.  Mr. Banerjee explained to us how the boards had to be scrubbed using sandpaper and achieve a smooth finish. It was an exercise in learning how things had been up until now and how the new revolutionary technique could leave us feeling stress-free.

We were then shown the colours and the tints created by Berger, that can be mixed with a base of white to achieve the shade of our choice. We were supplied with those paints and drawing sheets and a theme to work on and create a painting. It was a team activity which every one of us thoroughly enjoyed. It was fun working in tandem to bring alive on the canvas the picture we had visualised.

At the end, after a huge round of applause for all the teams and their art and the hosts, and for Berger, too, the event came to an end.

It was a day well spent. I had a chance to meet my blogger friends, have some fun and learn about something new that I can very well predict is going to put Berger on the top of everyone’s list of favourites.

I would like to thank Indiblogger for the wonderful time I had and request them to keep organising such meets as frequently as possible.  Oh, and they deserve full points for the pampering, too!

*Pictures courtesy: Indiblogger.

A healthy heart in a healthy body.

A healthy heart in a healthy body.

by writershilpa ♥ 4 Comments

 

“I am joining the Saffolalife #ChhoteKadam initiative in association with BlogAdda and follow these small steps for a healthy heart.”

“My heart is beating,
keeps on repeating,
I am waiting for you…”

   It’s a song for the love struck hearts from an old hindi movie. As I was humming it this morning, I came across the Saffolalife #ChhoteKadam initiative for a healthy heart and my mind tweaked the words from the above song a bit:

“My heart is beating,
keeps on repeating,
“Are you lookin’ after me?”

   Indeed, if  our heart could verbalise its innermost feelings, this is what it would ask! The poor organ gets battered, bruised and neglected big time, what else would it wonder?! Do we ever stop to ponder that our heart, too, has a shelf life?  In our hectic schedules, rarely do we give it the time, consideration or care it deserves. And, one day, all of a sudden, the worn little thing gives up in frustration, waking us with a jolt, but with no time to rectify our mistakes!

If we were to give some consideration to all the effort  that our heart takes in order to keep us going, we would definitely give it the TLC it so deserves. Just a few minor changes in our lifestyle would ensure our heart stays shipshape, WE stay shipshape! A few necessary changes in our diet will do the trick, as we all know but fail to put into practice.  Oh, and also, moving our butt off the couch and giving a good workout to our lazy body will make sure that we stay young at heart and so does our heart!

I can vouch for the fact that these minor changes have helped me feel the difference.
Some time ago, when I realised how I was ill-treating my body by eating anything I fancied and exercising only in my dreams, I decided to clean up my act. Blessed with a lean built, I took it for granted that I would never have to worry about a thing. Alas, how wrong I was! Every type of body  requires a diet and an exercise regimen that will keep it fit and healthy. Of course, life is not in our control, but, taking care of ourselves for the long run is!

To begin with, I introduced oats in my diet. Those who find the grain tasteless and sand-like, will wonder why I torture my taste-buds. But, believe me, oats can be enjoyed – with milk/curds, a handful of dry-fruits or even veggies, some spices and a dollop of amrit, aka homemade ghee! It was a tiny step towards a healthier me! A 1 kilo packet of Saffola Oats always finds its way into my monthly shopping cart at the grocer’s. And, I am not saying this because I write a post for Saffolalife!
Eating healthy also meant restricting the junk food intake. I do indulge in some sin-foods every once in a while, for, what’s life without a few sins?! But, I make sure the quantity of fruits and veggies is much more than the quantity of junk food entering my mouth. My heart blesses me for being so caring towards it, towards myself!

Last year, I began practicing Yoga – something I had been only thinking of doing for a long time..  An hour long, early-morning  workout is now my favourite part of the day! Yoga, as we all know, is the best exercise for our body, mind and soul – a fact I have realised since some time now.  For, gone are the mood-swings, the depression and the wild bursts of anger –  all of which harm our dil and leave the poor organ all achy and sad. There are times when things do go awry, but now my happiness hormones help me cool down faster and bring life back to normalcy. My workouts not only leave me feeling rejuvenated, but also leave my heart thumping happily! At times, I can actually hear it sing with an impish glee!

I understand that finding time for oneself early in the morning may not be possible for everyone, so maybe one could find some time at night, for a walk after dinner. For, any physical activity (an exercise or a dance form)  not only helps the blood run through your veins and gives your heart a good workout,  but also acts as a mood-uplifter. It wakes up our happy hormones – serotonin, endorphins and dopamine – and is also responsible for charging us up, mentally as well as physically! It needs to be done religiously, though. Sticking to a schedule is an effort, but rest assured that these efforts will not go in vain.

And, lastly, stay happy. H A P P Y.
We don’t own all the troubles in life. In fact, life is much better than we think it is. Most of our problems are imaginary, things we just think about.  Condition your mind to de-clutter on a regular basis and fill it with happy thoughts.  Spend time with your loved ones, discuss your problems with your closest people and  programme yourself to accept the things you have no control over. Life comes with its own set of idiosyncrasies. Learn to live with life the way life  has learnt to live with you!

So, smile, please. Thank you! 😉