Would You Balance Or Crash Your Diet?

Ever since we were kids, we have been taught the importance of adopting a balanced diet in our daily lifestyle.

Children have been made to understand how significant it is to have three square meals in a day, which are rich in a variety of nutrients, vitamins and minerals so as to aid proper development of their bodies and to keep all types of deficiency diseases at bay. 

As alluring as junk food items are, and as yummy as they may seem to be, the taste of these fast-food items is what weighs heavy on the health of an individual. Junk food is said to be devoid of all nutritional content, while being high on the taste factor, just like sedatives which degrade the health of an individual. 

It is no wonder then that there are news bulletins being televised proclaiming how many kids fall prey to this evil monster of ill-health every other day and are thus affected by obesity, hypertension and all other such diseases which could be life-threatening in the long run. 

On the other hand, there are some fitness freaks too, who end up pursuing crash diets to attain a fitter and more desirable body shape. Although these sort of 'one step solutions' seem miraculously ideal, they end up having an even more adverse effect than the former on the individual's health! 

Well, of course excess of anything is bad, but the same goes for deprivation also! These crash diets aim for rapid results in a short span of time, which in affects the body, because it does not get enough time then, to adjust itself to the change in food habits! 

While crash diets end up relying only on a certain food group for a certain period of time.  As most of them are very monotone and severely restrict the calorie intake, crash diets can be a pain to sustain oneself. 

Moreover, you may also take up various risks if you decide to embrace a crash diet. The slowing down of your metabolism, loss of muscle, weakening of the bones, potentially leading to osteoporosis, deprivation of essential nutrients, weakening of your immune system, cardiac stress and heart palpitations are some of the many risks which come attached with the label of crash dieting!

Having said that, I rely on a natural product to keep a check on my weight. Honey has helped me over the years to see that I sustain my body shape at least, if I am unable to reduce my weight. 

Who better than Dabur to trust for providing me with the sweeter and healthier alternative of adopting a Honey Diet so that I don't end up eating all bland food, while my taste buds crave for something yummier! :) 

It is because of honey's inherent purity and goodness, that it is endowed with various vitamins and minerals, along with the requisite amounts of iron and calcium. I can say #HoneyDietIsHere and honey is a sweeter and healthier alternative for all of us. :)

Quick Cricket, Thanks To UC Web!

Indians are true devotees when it comes to the sport of Cricket. With the Master Blaster, the God of Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar hailing from home soil, it comes as a no-brainer that Cricket is the game which is thought to be the national game of the country.

On the international front too, we have had sportsmen, no less than magicians, weaving their magic with their sportsmanship and the humble bat, helmet and pads. People love this magic, which has spread far and wide, across the seven seas.

In India, to be specific, it would be like picking the needle from the haystack if I were to tell you to spot an Indian who does not profess his love for the sport. Ironically, we Indians are too devoted to the game. For us, the entire world would be in one pan and the game of cricket in another, on the weighing scales, to be frank.

Who can forget the countless matches when India clashes with Pakistan on the field, and our sweet-sour relationship with our dear neighbouring country, surfaces during each World Cup tournament!

6-0 and मौका-मौका - even the advertising agencies know what allures Indians the most! We are like that, uniting as a nation for a simple sport, whilst being divided over petty issues of casteism and religion, otherwise.

Most of us, however, have to choose our profession over passion. More often than not, it is the exam stress for us students, and those board meetings for employees which lead us to a topic of debate - 'Exam OR Game', 'Job OR Match'!
More often than not, our fast-paced lifestyle makes it even more difficult for us, to buck up in the race of time and to grab hold of some relaxing pursuit. There is a need for speed, in all that we do, and all that we experience.

In the event of a golden opportunity to lay back and rest for a while, the demon of buffering surfaces even when we attempt to watch a live telecast of the game on our so-called smartphones.
Eventually, out of frustration, we decide to call it off and call it a day.

Recently, one of my friends introduced me to the lightning fast speed of the UC Browser, which has been marketed by UC Web, to enable the quintessential Indian to enjoy the game, sans any unwanted interruptions. I was really impressed by the effortless streaming of the proceedings of the game, on this particular browser.

Moreover, it is being endorsed by one of my all-time favorite cricketers, Yuvraj Singh. #YuviSurfsUC, they say. Well, if you have such an illustrious personality vouching for the reliability of a brand, it serves the purpose right. Just like Yuvi's sixers which land high across the boundaries, UC Web has also hit a sixer, by introducing the Indian audience to UC Cricket! :)

Zenfone2 Goes Social!

Being a proud owner of an ASUS Zenfone 5, I was elated when I had heard that ASUS would be launching the ASUS Zenfone2, which would be surpassing the standard set by Zenfone 5, and creating its own identity in this competitive world.

I had been fortunate enough to even attend the official launch at the Kingdom of Dreams in the presence of ASUS Global CEO, Mr. Jerry Shen and other senior officials from ASUS. Also, it was expected to be a starry affair with popular names from the film fraternity, of the likes of the Nawab of Pataudi, Saif Ali Khan, ace photographer Dabboo Ratnani and singer, Aditi Singh Sharma in attendance.

I marveled at the excellence in the craftsmanship of ASUS Zenfone2, and was equally impressed by their social media marketing strategies, which had brought the outstanding features, possessed by ASUS Zenfone2, to the limelight.

Fear not, because ASUS Zenfone2 a.k.a. Agent Z is here. Armed with 13 MP PixelMaster Camera, and Dual-Color Real Tone Flash, Agent Z shoots like a trained assassin! You are set to get the perfect clicks, thanks to the enhanced sensitivity, even in low-light mode, without doubt.

Agent Z is to be driven like a champion racer. Powered by lightning fast 4 GB RAM and Intel Atom Processor, you're bound to get work done in the blink of an eye!

Agent Z makes sure that it owns the red carpet, thanks to its incredible design, a trademark of the ASUS flagship.

ASUS has made sure that they capture the attention of the Indian audience by focusing on the capability of ASUS Zenfone2, namely the unmatched quality of the PixelMaster, with the popular campaigns on various social media platforms.

Two such campaigns are the ASUS Zenfone2 India Unseen Project, wherein the best snaps from all over India, capturing the beautiful heritage of the mainland have been invited from Zenfone2 users with the tagline - Let's See The Unseen, and the ASUS Zenfone2 Night Walkers, wherein a group of over 150 Mumbai Instagrammers gathered to see what others can't see with the incredible ASUS Zenfone2.

I am mighty impressed with ASUS as a brand, and with their interesting social media marketing campaigns. :)

My Hair Love Nioxin!

I have had the privilege of being invited by BlogAdda to try the Nioxin experience first-hand, as a part of the #NioxinNowInIndia activity.

Amy, Nikhil and Gaurav, on behalf of Nioxin and Ankita, from BlogAdda, made for gracious hosts at the Wella Salon, Select Citywalk, Saket.

If you haven't already, you could read about and see how my tresses were revamped by Nioxin, in May, here. 

I hadn't told you before, but I had Nioxin's customized kit, with me, to try out, over a period of twenty days. And, I am blogging about that experience, today.

The experts at Nioxin India firmly believe that the hair are an extension of the scalp and that nourishment for the scalp provides nourishment to the hair.

Nioxin approaches the backbone formulations of its products by piecing together the jigsaw of the factors which contribute to hair thinning, namely Derma, Density and Diameter and then developing feasible and effective solutions which would nourish the scalp. 

Three essential therapies work in coordination to prevent further loss of hair strands so that, in the long run, the hair enjoy good health. 

• Derma Renew, or the  dermabrasion, in-salon approach, which is an exclusive procedure provided at the salon itself. 
• Density Protect, which conditions and protects the scalp to reduce hair loss due to breakage. 
• Density Repair, which focuses on each hair strand. 

Nioxin's products are not like your over-the-counter, go-to-the-chemist sort of therapies, but they have been customized according to an individual's specific needs. 

The folks at Nioxin have developed a range of kits, numbered from 1 to 6. 

Kit 1 for fine, natural, normal to thin-looking hair.

Kit 2 for fine, natural, noticeably thinning hair.

Kit 3 for fine, chemically treated, normal to thin-looking hair.

Kit 4 for fine, chemically enhanced, noticeably thinning hair.

Kit 5 for medium to coarse, natural, normal to thin-looking hair.

Kit 6 for medium to coarse, natural, noticeably thinning hair. 

Mine was 5, as I had normal to thin-looking, medium textured, and natural hair. 

The kit contained the following products: 

• Nioxin Cleanser, which refreshes the hair and scalp, in the beginning. Cleansing the scalp rids it of any obstacles to obtaining thicker, fuller hair. Thanks to its fruit extracts such peppermint and white tea, the cleanser leaves a lingering, refreshing, cool mint fragrance. 
• Nioxin Scalp Revitaliser, which has been formulated to regulate moisture balance. The conditioner provided me with a smooth feel to my tresses. 
• Nioxin Scalp Treatment, which has been enriched with antioxidants and fruit extracts that refresh the scalp. It is to be sprayed after a head wash has been done and dried using a towel. 

Nioxin has lent the desirable smoothness and shine to my hair and I am satisfied with their product.

However, according to the frequency of usage, being advised to you, it can be a breeze or a hassle. 

In my case, I had been advised daily usage. Thank God for the summer vacations which made it easier to wash my tresses daily, otherwise I could not have stuck to the timely completion of this experience 

The hour-long sessions were worthwhile, after all. :) 

~~~

You can try and experience #NioxinNowInIndia at your nearest salon. This activity is in association with BlogAdda.com.

#ComeCloser To Radiant Skin

Our skin is one of our five senses.
It is the as valuable as the other four, if not more.

It is our duty then, to ensure that we protect our skin from all such environmental factors, which possess the potential to cause damage to it. Skin-care is to be given its due while taking care to avoid any regimes which may cause side-effects.

Thus, it is very important to say a big NO, in the face, to chemicals and chemically treated products, which may cause more harm than benefit.

Whenever we talk of embracing nature, as a means of therapy, or naturopathy, I am reminded of the ancient goodness of Ayurveda.

While today, we are surrounded by a facade of pretentious products, all falsely claiming to be 'scientifically proven' to show desirable results, the truth is that nothing could be better than age-old, natural skin-care regimes and remedies, for our skin.

Whenever I think of skin-care and beauty products incorporating Ayurveda into their constitution, the first name which pops up in the mind is that of Vicco and their herbal, medicinal products incorporating turmeric, sandalwood and a host of other botanical extracts derived from plants.

Remember VICCO Turmeric Cream, which was not cosmetic, but Ayurvedic? :D

My mother had used some products offered by Vicco in the past in the mid-90s. I must admit that she was pleasantly surprised to see a re-run of their old adverts on the idiot box, as she was reminded of their jingle word-by-word.

If you were to ask me to elucidate my remedies for naturally radiant skin, I would be reminded of three key ingredients at first - water, honey, and cucumber.

If you have not guessed already, it is a three-step process:

• Drink a lot of water. 
• Mix two teaspoons of honey in lukewarm water, to be had just after waking up, and just before sleeping. 
• Place cucumber slices upon your eyes. 

Staying hydrated helps to ensure that the skin remains in the pink of its health. It helps to take care of body processes such as regenerating cells and improving circulation.
         
Honey has been proclaimed as a natural cleanser. It exfoliates the skin to endow it with a certain radiance and a glowing complexion.

As much as cucumber slices are famous for fading dark circles, and reducing the puffiness of eyes, if made to rest on the eyes for a few minutes, they can also be used to aid treatment of a sunburn, after you're done vacationing amid the sun and the sand.

These are some simple, yet naturally effective regimens that I have been following all these years. I'm sure that some of my readers might also have adopted these and many other such techniques to ensure that the glow and radiance never fade away from their skin. :)

Last, but not the least, one should never sleep with their make-up on as the harsh chemicals in these products keep seeping through the skin and harm its cells. One must always wash the face thoroughly, before calling it a day.

I am all ears to know about your skin-care secrets in the comments section!

---