10 ideas to spend weekend at home

Weekend is a big dream for all those who work out of their homes for five or six consecutive hectic days. Most of the plans or tasks shall be waiting for their completion during weekends. Also spending a weekend out, say shopping, movies, restaurants, parks etc. is what most families do,but cannot be followed every time practically because of budget issues. Here a 10 different ideas that you can involve in to spend your weekends at home.

1. Experiment with new recipes: Try new recipes and bring that restaurant taste at home. Involve your hubby and kids to help you out.

2. Spend some time for your beauty: Care your hair and skin. Massage your hair with oil and apply a home made hair pack. Massage for an hour your body with oil and have a relaxed rejuvenating bath. See how time passes by without your notice.

3. Wash your car: Make your car shine by cleaning it all by yourselves. This way you burn some more calories too. Involve your kids and let them enjoy that water play !!

4. Attack your wardrobe: Go through all your clothes and see if they need any alterations. See if you can try new mix and match combinations. Arrange all those dresses which you want to wear that following week.

5. Open your photo album: Take a cup of coffee in your hand, go  to your balcony with your photo album. Share all those lovely moments with your kids and get drowned into those memories.

6. Write a dairy or planner: In your hectic schedule, you may not find time to write your dairy daily. Do it in your weekends. Note all the bills to be paid or appointments that following week in your planner.

7. Burn more calories: Do workout an hour more than you usually do. Split them into two half an hour intervals and do it in the morning and evening. Meditate for some more extra time and get refreshed.

8. Care your plants: Check the condition of your plants. Water, trim and care them. See if they need fertilizers or replace the soil in the pots.

9. Outdoor activities: Play outdoor games with your kids. Introduce them the games you played in your childhood. Spend some more time with your pet. It is also missing you on weekdays.

10. Re-decor you home: Change the curtains, bed sheets  and pillow covers etc. If possible, re arrange your furniture and bring a new look to your home.

As for me, in addition to all the above, I do three more things on weekends. Any guesses?? Sleeping sleeping and sleeping!! Yes, sleep an hour or two more on your weekends and make your body ready for the next week.

Amazing ways you can use Cloves !!

Born in Indonesia and available easily throughout the world, Cloves make a wonder spice in terms of its health benefits apart from its spicy flavor. They are most commonly used in preparation of spicy recipes. Almost in every Indian spice box, cloves are a must. Many home cures are available with this wonder spice for various problems. Let's check out all those health benefits that can be obtained from this spice.

1. Nasal and bronchial problems

• Nasal problems like cold, cough,sinusitis, sneezes and bronchial problems like asthma and bronchitis  can be put under control using cloves.
• Boil 6 cloves in 5 cups of water and wait till they become 2 cups. Drink this decoction twice a day to get relief from all the above problems. 
• You can also inhale the vapor while they are boiling to get relief from blocked nose.
• Apply clove oil on your handkerchief and inhale its smell frequently to breathe easily during cold and flu.

2. Indigestion and stomach disorders

• Diarrhea, worms in stomach, vomitings, giddiness can be controlled by drinking the decoction made of cloves.
• Mix powder of 2 cloves and a spoon of sugar in a glass of cold water. Drink this to get immediate relief from acidity.

3. Sex life enhancer and de alcoholic:

Regular usage of cloves in foods proved to improve your sexuality.  Chewing cloves also suppresses the desire to consume alcohol.

4. Tooth problems:

• Chew very slowly two cloves and swallow its juice twice a day. This relieves you from tooth pain.
• Apply clove oil on your teeth to suppress that pain.

5. Antioxidants:

Cloves are rich in anti-oxidants and help in fighting aging, obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer, cancer and arthritis.
Have them daily a two to attain their benefits.


Tip:

Like any other food or medicine, excessive consumption of cloves is also not suggested. A healthy person can chew up to three cloves a day to attain its amazing benefits.

5 home made masks to fix split ends

Split ends are a very common hair problem every lady faces, no matter how much care is taken. They are caused due to various factors like excessive hair treatments, lack of proper diet, excessive shampooing and frequent exposure to pollution and sun. Any type of hair, be it short or long, or dry,oily or normal can be affected with split ends. Once a hair splits, its growth becomes stunted and it grows no longer. Trimming them is the only solution.

Try these 5 home made masks at least once a week to provide enough nutrients to your hair from outside too and regular use of these will prevent split ends for sure.

Mask 1:

Blend a ripe banana,egg white,2 spoons olive oil, 2 spoons curd and a spoon of lemon juice. Apply this paste to your hair from the roots. Wait for 45 mins and wash off with very mild shampoo.

Mask 2:

Paste fresh hibiscus leaves and flowers and apply it to your hair roots. Wash off after 45 mins and see your hair glow !!

Mask 3: (If fresh leaves are not available)

Mix in a bowl 5 spoons hibiscus powder, 2 spoons fenugreek powder, 2 spoons aloevera powder, 2 spoons amla (gooseberry) powder, 2 spoons olive oil and a handful of curd. Let it soak for an hour, and apply to your hair. Wash off after half an hour.

All these powders are readily available in super markets.

Mask 4:

Mix castor oil 2 spoons, olive oil 1 spoon, coconut oil 1 spoon and almond oil 1 spoon thoroughly. Massage your hair very gently from roots to the tip. Apply on the tips too. Wait for two hours and wash with a herbal shampoo. For best results, you can also massage at night, wear a shower cap and go to bed. Wash off in the morning.

Mask 5:

Blend ripe papaya pieces a cup, half cup curd and two spoons olive oil. Apply this mix to your hair and wash off after half an hour.

Tip:

After applying all these packs, wait till they dry and wash off with warm water and herbal shampoos. Avoid chemical shampoos for best results. A hair pack can be applied once a week for best results.

Shilparamam- An ethnic village in a Hitech City

My dad and brother paid a surprise visit to our home last summer when my brother had just finished his secondary school exams. My son was reluctant to go to his play school on that day, at the sight of his maternal uncle. I had to agree for that and we planned to spend that day out. But my lovely hubby as usual had to go to his office, since it being a working day. Finally we decided to visit Shilparamam, which is located just opposite CyberTowers, in Hyderabad, India. It was just a few km from our home and also on the way to my hubby's office. My husband dropped all of us- my dad, bro, son and me at the entrance and wished us a good day out, and proceeded to his office.

Shilparamam is a ethnic village which replicates the traditional Andhra village culture and life style. As one steps in, the cool breeze and the neat corridors welcomes them and takes them into a village mood. Many handmade pottery items, sculptures, idols, models etc are showcased here which depict the true village culture of Telugu people. It consists of rural museum, rock garden, boating, art gallery and sculpture park. 

Shoppers find lots and lots of items to shop on. You can spend more than a half day just in shopping hundreds of traditional dresses, ladies accessories, temporary tattoos, hand bags, jewellery, dresses and many more. Handicrafts and traditional Hyderabadi pearls are also available in plenty here. A canteen serves many snack options including variety of Indian menu ,fruits and juices.


Though I had filled my album with the pics from this ethnic place, I am sharing only a few of them here. Rest you come and see with your own eyes and enjoy this village beauty.

Replicate of an Indian farmer with his bulls

A model of village house with a well in front of it and farmer with his bulls

An art from the Art gallery, showing a dance form of village women of Andhra

My dad and son  at the pottery area

Farmer at work- Sculpture

Wife and husband doing field work together- Sculpture

Replicate of a village woman drawing water from a well

Sculpture of Lord Buddha sitting on a lotus at the Rock garden

Scorpion replicates made out of metallic waste

A model showing a potter  family with their  works around

Mother's love - pottery work

A crow made of metallic waste

A model view of traditional Andhra village during festivals

A model showing a village man cutting wood

A village lady at kitchen work

My son playing with the horse and elephant made of clay

P.S:  In the evening, till my husband returned from office came and picked us,we all didn't know how the time passed that day!!

Mudras for health and beauty

Mudras are a gift of Ayurveda. They have been very prominent since the vedic times in India. Simply stating, a mudra comprises of touching two or more fingers with a relaxed mind. This creates and increases the positive energy of one's body and soul. Various mudras are in prominence for problems relating to spine, memory loss, stress relief, blood pressure, urinary problems, ear problems, eye sight, insomnia, beauty and a lot others. Infact, more than thousand mudras are presented in ancient ayurveda. However, only a hundred and above are in practice now a days.

The benefit of practicing mudras can be experienced when one believes them and practices them daily. they can be easily practiced any time any where, the only requisite is concentrate on your breathe for better and faster results. No specific time duration or time in the day or seating rules are prescribed. While practicing them, sit straight if you are in sitting posture either at office or in car or anywhere. If you can, cross your both legs one on the other and keep your spine straight for best results. The time you can allot for mudras is all up to your convenience and depends on the intensity of your health problem. It is suggested to stay away from drinking and consuming non veg foods to attain best results.

Few important mudras are presented here. For an exhaustive list of mudras, consult a certified yoga trainer or multiple sites and books offer you the mudras. You can practice them on your own too.  I found the book "Mudras: Yoga in your hand" by Gertrud Hirschi useful.

Gyan Mudra- Removes all negative thoughts, keeps anger and stress at a bay

Prithvi Mudra- Removes vitamin deficiencies from the body

Shunya Mudra- Relieves ear aches and cures deafness (not by birth)

Surya mudra- Controls obesity and reduces heaviness of the body

Vayu mudra- Relieves joint pains and helps fight paralytic condition

Image source: www.healthyogaindia.com