lifestyle December 14, 2018

Bharatpur: Witness the Migration

Image: By Nikhilchandra81 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14870519

As someone who loves birds, my constant endeavour has been to protect the avifauna by bringing birders and nature lovers together through social media. And the fact that I am a member of a bird-conservation community in my city, just adds to my effort. So, when the members of that community decided to visit the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary last winter and do a little research on the current status of migratory birds in India, it was obvious that I would never leave such a chance for such an adventure.

For those who are unaware, the Bharatpur Sanctuary has been renamed to Keoladeo National Park and is the country’s largest avifauna reserve. Situated in Agra, this is the second biggest highlight of the historic city after Taj Mahal.

Reaching Bharatpur

Equipped with our cameras, binoculars, and recorders (to record bird sounds and their calls), our group of 8 people headed to Agra on a cold January morning. It takes 1.5 hours to reach Bharatpur from Agra city. The best way to travel to Bharatpur is to book a taxi in Agra from a reputed service provider, especially if you are travelling during the winter holidays.

We reached Bharatpur and settled ourselves at the Bharatpur Forest Lodge. This is a convenient lodging option for birders since it is right inside the sanctuary, only 1.5 Km from the main safari section. Once inside the sanctuary, you can take a Jeep or Elephant Safari. But since we had to be awfully quiet and take a lot of photos and record sounds, we chose to explore on foot.

A day the sanctuary

Every year, as some of our group members mentioned, thousands of birds from Siberia, Central Asia, Mongolia, Europe and other colder regions in the northern hemisphere would come down to the warmer tropical mountains of north India and stay throughout the colder months. For over 200 years, Bharatpur has been witnessing the migration of more than 230 species of exotic avifauna but their number has reduced over the years, with lesser forested areas to nest in and too many tourists exploring these areas.

There is a concrete road that runs throughout the park and is mostly for vehicles, with nature trails on either side. The path we took on, cuts through small pockets of marshy lands where groups of painted storks were resting and feeding amidst the reeds. These black-necked birds are the quintessential members of this sanctuary and come every year to nest in the forests of Bharatpur.

A 10-minute walk further ahead led us a bunch of Kingfishers waiting for their catch, a few stray Siberian Rubythroats, Moorhens, and a couple of Herons wading through the muddy patch. My birder friends divided into two groups- one went towards the outer fringes and managed to spot the Greater Painted Snipe. And I with the group continued on our walk inside and noticed a peahen trying to perch on a tree. On hearing our footsteps on the dry leaves, the national bird flew away but managed to give us a long shot photo.

There were also one or two Flycatchers, Wagtails, and larks, lurking randomly around the forest. Once in few years, the forests of Bharatpur are replete rosy pelicans, different species of cranes, geese, ducks, warblers, eagles, pintails, darters, and more, and I promised myself to keep coming back until I see them all.

Birding tips:

To all fellow bird-lovers, here are few tips from our community for a successful tour of Bharatpur:

Get a good start and book a taxi with a trained driver from Agra to Bharatpur to avoid unnecessary hassle.
Opt for a stay closest to the sanctuary, so you cut down on travel (even if it’s walking) and have more frequent trips throughout the day.
Avoid taking the Jeep Safari, since vehicle sound can drive the birds away.

Hope to see your pictures from your next trip to Bharatpur.

Disclaimer: Guest Post

That was it for today’s post. I hope you found this post helpful. Make sure to share it with your family and friends if you did. Pour in your thoughts in the comments. Your comments encourage me a lot! Do subscribe to our Newsletter so that you get notified whenever there is a new post on the blog. Will talk to you in my next post. Till then, be safe & keep smiling! Follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for regular updates and also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

lifestyle December 8, 2018

Himalaya PureHands Hand Sanitizers

I have been travelling a lot for the past couple of months. Be it long vacations or short trips, I am someone who enjoys train journeys more. If you are quite familiar with Indian train journeys then you know how hard it is to maintain hygiene while travelling. Thank God, I had the Himalaya PureHands hand sanitizers with me to save me from consuming bacterias and other germs.

Dirty hands can lead to a lot of diseases, especially related to stomach and intestines. Hand sanitizers are a must-have whenever you are going out of your home. These are the best discovery ever!

Recently, I was sent 5 variants of the Himalaya PureHands Hand Sanitizers and today I am going to review the range for you.

What it does:

The first of its kind, Himalaya’s PureHands is an effective, herbal, alcohol-based hand sanitizer, which kills 99.9% of germs, prevents infection, and ensures total hand hygiene.

PureHands contains extracts of herbs like Coriander, which have potent antimicrobial properties and Lime, which is a natural bactericidal. In addition, the active ingredients of Neem, which are antibacterial, fungicidal and antiviral, safely keep viruses, bacteria and fungi at bay.

Key ingredients:

Hrivera is a strongly aromatic herb, which has antibacterial, deodorizing and cooling properties. It also softens hands.
Coriander is derived from the oil of a herb called Oil Coriandrol. The fruits of the herb possess antimicrobial and astringent properties.
Lime is a rich source of vitamin C. It protects the skin from oxidative damage and helps prevent itching. The oil of lemon warms the skin when applied externally. The juice also has bactericidal and astringent properties.
Ushira is an astringent and antibacterial herb. When applied externally, it removes excess heat from the body and provides a cooling effect.
Neem extracts possess antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. The tree stem, root and bark have astringent, tonic and antiperiodic properties. Neem is used to treat skin diseases.

Directions for use:

Squeeze approximately 0.5 ml (coin-sized drop) of the gel on your palms. Rub well over the palms, back of hands, fingernails and grooves briskly, until dry. No water is required after use.

Price: ₹90 for 100ml

Variants: Himalaya PureHands sanitizers come in 5 fruity variants- green apple, litchi, strawberry, lemon and orange.

My Experience with Himalaya PureHands Hand Sanitizers

Himalaya PureHands Hand Sanitizers come in little 100ml plastic bottles with flip-open caps. The bottles are transparent so that you can keep a tab on how much product you’re left with. The labels are colour-coordinated with different variants. Overall, the packaging is pretty convenient and travel-friendly.

The 5 variants of the sanitizers smell very fruity like they are intended to do. The fragrances are a little bit on the stronger side in my opinion which is ok because it works well to get rid of any remaining smell of the food you’ve eaten. Among the five my most favourite is the Litchi one (the one I am using non-stop since I got them) and least favourite would be the Green Apple one.

The product has very thick, gel-like consistency so you need a very less amount to work on your palms. A drop is enough for me. Also, it absorbs quickly in your skin without making it dry despite containing alcohol. It doesn’t cause stickiness either.

I think the Himalaya PureHands sanitizers are priced at a decent rate for the quantity and quality. They are made of 100% natural ingredients which makes it safe to use on children* (*under adult supervision).

I highly recommend you guys to try them out!

That was it for today’s post. I hope you found this post helpful. Make sure to share it with your family and friends if you did. Pour in your thoughts in the comments. Your comments encourage me a lot! Do subscribe to our Newsletter so that you get notified whenever there is a new post on the blog. Will talk to you in my next post. Till then, be safe & keep smiling! Follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for regular updates and also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

lifestyle October 22, 2018

Great Tips for Booking Cheap Flights to Canada

Booking tickets to Canada can sometimes be very expensive. Since you desire to save every coin when travelling to exotic destinations like Canada, where you will definitely have the need for money, it is always a good thing to take advantage of every saving opportunity you get. Canada already helps you by not charging a lot for a visa, especially if you are from visa exempt countries, all you need to do is fill up the Canada ETA form and that’s as far as the visa. Below is a look at some of the tips you can employ when booking your air tickets so that you realize incredible savings on the same-:

Book early

The first secret to getting cheap flights to any destination is to book early and this also applies when you are considering flying to Canada. If possible, check your schedule and once you ascertain the travel date, go get your air tickets immediately. Preferably, you should book at least one month to your travel date if you want to be a beneficiary of the low rates. If you wait till the last minute, there is no way you will be getting cheap tickets since the demand for them will be high, and the airlines know that this is the time they should be making a lot of money?

Set price alerts

The travel industry is such a massive one, and there are lots of technologies you can use to your advantage and for your convenience. When it comes to booking cheap flights, one of the best technology resources you have at your disposal is price alerts. As a person, it is nearly impossible to be calling airlines or visiting their websites every now and then to check if the rates have gone down. With price alerts, however, you will be informed every time the prices of tickets go down or they get into a range you are interested in. Whenever you get alerts for the price ranges you were looking forward to, don’t waste any minute. Grab your tickets and wait for the travel date.

Be flexible with your travel plans

The other way you can use to get cheap tickets is not to be rigid with your travel plans. There are certain days of the wee when the air tickets are expensive because so many people are travelling and there are certain days when the rates are relatively low because there is a low number of people travelling. For example, you don’t always have to travel during the weekends or at the start of the week. Everyone is travelling at this time and the airline knows it. You will be very ambitious if you think you can get cheap tickets around these times. What you ought to do is plan your travel right in the middle of the week, on a Wednesday or a Thursday. Additionally, you don’t have to travel around major holidays. This is because most people will also be travelling and as the laws of supply and demand dictates, the rates will just have to go up.

Consider connecting flights

If you are not in any particular hurry to get to Canada, you can opt for connecting flights instead of taking non-stop flights. This is because connecting flights are relatively cheaper due to some of the subtle inconveniences they have compared to the direct flights. All you have to do is use the flight search engines to filter and compared the options and see which best options will help you save money. With this approach, you may give up some of your time, but if it can save you a couple of hundred dollars and you are not in a hurry to reach your destination, then you should just go for it.

Use multiple travel portals

If you will be using travel portals, then you should consider using more than one portal. You should know that most of these portals are nothing but estimates, though they normally try to as correct as possible when they are doing the aggregation. Using just a single portal may not give you all the correct information about the tickets you are considering.

In case of a glitch or an error, you can rely on wrong information that might make you pay even more. But when you use multiple portals, you have a way to compare the results you are finding and you will also be in a better position to have a good grasp of where the rates are going, thus helping you be well equipped when it comes to making the final decision.

Check out for airline specials

If you choose to wait and book on the final week of your trip, be sure to check out for airline specials. There are some occasions when you can land very good deals on the very last minutes with an airline. This is especially when they have lots of empty seats and there day is fast approaching. With such, you can be lucky to travel so cheaply. However, this is never a solid strategy because it depends on luck – you are hoping that not many people will buy the tickets. You may wait all that time and end up buying the tickets even more expensively. But you can give it a try if you have to wait until the very last minute to purchase your ticket.

Shop for flights incognito

While you are shopping for cheap flights, be smarter than the internet and shop incognito. This means that you browse when your browser is in private mode. The reason for this is so that your computer is not “cooked” by the sites you visit so that you can always see new price changes and not the same ones you had seen simply because the site you visited placed a cookie on your browser.

Don’t be afraid of package deals

Depending on how long or the nature of your business in Canada, strongly consider using package deals since they will not just help you save money on flights, but also on other aspects of your travels such as accommodation.

Disclaimer- Guest Post

That was it for today’s post. I hope you found this post helpful. Make sure to share it with your family and friends if you did. Pour in your thoughts in the comments. Your comments encourage me a lot! Do subscribe to our Newsletter so that you get notified whenever there is a new post on the blog. Will talk to you in my next post. Till then, be safe & keep smiling! Follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for regular updates and also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

lifestyle September 20, 2018

Celebrate the Season with a Special Portrait Ft. PortraitFlip

The season of festivals is fast approaching and thus you will find mindless chaos in all the streets and stores to find the suitable decorations and gifts for your home. The lights are bright as ever and voices resonating with joy and happiness are filled in the air. Brighten up your house or one of your special one’s face by getting a special portrait painting done.

Turn pictures into a painting of your favourite memory and make it an inseparable part of yourself. Something which will be adored by you, as well as all the people you know whether young or old.

Festivals are an important and innate aspect of our cultures and tradition not only in their materialistic celebratory sense but also in the values and morals that each one teaches us. The main motive of any and every religion and festival is to ultimately conquer and overcome all your demons, most of all the demons within!

Leave no stone unturned this season and get a custom portrait oil painting from a photo done to increase the festive look and appeal of your house. It is sure to leave all those who visit your house perplexed by its awesome aesthetic beauty. It is a unique and dope addition to your home décor which is sure to make heads turn and word spread.

PortraitFlip offers you a massive collection of portrait painting with different mediums to choose from such as oil portraits, charcoal portraits and more. They convert your favourite picture to painting into a genuinely real and great handmade portrait prepared by their talented pool of artists. A wide variety of features is sure to make you spoilt for choice and moreover, they also give you the option to avail a custom portrait.

Just imagine a huge life size custom portrait hanging in your hallway, wouldn’t that just look great! A portrait painting is also a great choice for a gift as it is the perfect amalgamation of intrinsic beauty and artistic talent. It is a great combination of thoughtfulness as well as creativity. It is something which is unconventional but appeals to the heart and the eyes.

Convert photo to oil painting and let nostalgia take over as you go down the memory lane and relive those golden times and days which in fact made you smile a little more and laugh a little harder than usual. Capturing and converting such memories into a masterpiece are also a great way to remember good moments which in turn shall convert into a positive outlook of thanksgiving and gratitude. Something which is of utmost importance if you want to live life to its greatest potential, for a positive attitude leads to a positive life.

The greatest things in life are the people we meet, the memories we make and the experiences that we gather along the way. Immortalize your most beloved memories and experiences by turning your pictures to painting for as long as certain memories shall be in your heart you can say that you have had a good life. A good picture may convey a thousand words but a good portrait painting will invoke and ignite a thousand emotions within the person. That is the power and ability that art possesses. It speaks a tongue that the blind can see, the deaf can hear and the dumb can speak. True art speaks to the heart and can be different for different people based on their respective perspectives. It appeals to audiences of different cultures, castes and creeds without any form of dissent and discrimination. It is the epitome of something which is creative yet universal in appeal.

Hence I would suggest you get a portrait painting as a tribute or a memoir for your home. You may travel a thousand miles from coast to coast and city to city, meet some wonderful people but at the end of the day, the heart belongs to the house in which it was shaped and formed. It is your sanctuary in a world which can at times be an overwhelming place to live in. Be it the season of festivals where you want to gift someone or just a unique and creative addition to your decorations, I guess it can be agreed upon that a custom portrait painting is an awesome option to create the sort of ambience that a house should be of.

That was it for today’s post. I hope you found this post helpful. Make sure to share it with your family and friends if you did. Pour in your thoughts in the comments. Your comments encourage me a lot! Do subscribe to our Newsletter so that you get notified whenever there is a new post on the blog. Will talk to you in my next post. Till then, be safe & keep smiling! Follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for regular updates and also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

lifestyle September 3, 2018

Orient Electric #AeroSeries Fans Event in Kolkata

If you follow me on Instagram, you would probably know that recently I was invited as one of the bloggers from Kolkata to attend a bloggers meet organised by one of the leading electric brand, Orient Electric. I can recall the memories of my childhood days where they used to broadcast these ads of Orient fans and their various features that, back then, were of no use to me but I have seen them getting installed at my home. So, my bond with #FansOfOrient is from the days I cannot even remember properly.

This media/bloggers meet was held at the Hyatt Regency, Kolkata to showcase their most recent launch which is the #AeroSeries fans that have been gaining popularity among consumers because of their contemporary designs, powerful cooling and soundless feature.

The event started with Mr Atul Jain the Vice President of Orient Electric addressing the media and the bloggers on the stage talking about the history of Orient Electric and its journey so far. He presented the business module and stated how they work. It was so wonderful to know how meticulously they have been designing their fans and how much do they care about the changing and evolving outlook of common people regarding electric devices.

Mr Atul Jain with the Aero Series Fnas by Orient Electric

Mr Atul Jain, Vice President of Orient Electric introducing the media with the new Aero Series fans

Then, he talked about their recent launch the Aero Series fans- Aero Cool and Aero Storm. These fans are aerodynamically designed to give you a powerful and efficient airflow that reaches every corner of the room, also the designs of the fans are very sophisticated to give your rooms a very stylish and elegant look within budget. Also, these fans are silent.

Buy Aero Cool Fans here

Buy Aero Storm Fans here

Mr Jain also told us about the positive approach they are getting from the consumers and how vastly the outlook has been changing. People who used to take fans and lights just as a necessity are now fancying about the designs, how well they complement the interiors etc. Nowadays, these are also a part of modern home décor that reflects one’s personality and lifestyle.

The Orient Electric Aero Series Fans Event at Hyatt Regency, Kolkata | Cherry On Top — Kolkata Bloggers at the Orient Electric Aero Series Fans Event at Hyatt Regency, Kolkata

With the various designs offered, you can give your house a quick makeover just by changing the fans or the lights or even the switches and it could actually completely change your surroundings. So, for the upcoming festivities, consider giving your homes a totally different look with Orient Electric.

The event concluded with a filling lunch and chatting with a few fellow bloggers. It was so nice to be a part of the event and knowing a lot more about the brand Orient Electric and the #AeroSeries fans.

That was it for today’s post. I hope you found this post helpful. Make sure to share it with your family and friends if you did. Pour in your thoughts in the comments. Your comments encourage me a lot! Do subscribe to our Newsletter so that you get notified whenever there is a new post on the blog. Will talk to you in my next post. Till then, be safe & keep smiling! Follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for regular updates and also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

lifestyle July 19, 2018

12 Effective Ways of Dealing with Short-Term Memory Loss

Do you remember childhood incidences but forget things that happen within a couple of hours? This may seem ironic, but it happens to some people. It is as a result of short-term memory loss. While to some people it is nothing serious, others may need medical intervention before all the memories start fading.

This condition can be confusing to both the victim and the family members. It can cause anxiety and frustration if you don’t understand what is happening to you. Doctors say that there are different causes of short-term memory loss. We will discuss some of them and help you know how to handle the situation and recovery your memories.

What causes short-term memory loss?

The causes may differ from one patient to the other. While some people experience short-term memory loss due to medical conditions, others trigger it through substance abuse. Others experience it from brain injuries from an accident they may have been involved in.

Medical conditions such as brain tumours, strokes as well as cancer treatments can affect your memory. When your brain receives less oxygen than it should, it can tamper with your memory. People who struggle with epilepsy and seizures are also prone to this condition.

Some people use drugs such as Xanax or alcohol to feel better from their depression. This tamper with the normal functioning of your brain. Short-term memory loss is among the symptoms of Xanax use. Whether the cause is medical or self-inflicted, you can deal with the situation in the following ways.

Engage your brain

Remaining mentally active will help you sharpen your mind. Forgetting things does not mean that your brain is inactive. If you engage it more through activities such as solving puzzles, you could overcome the short memory loss.

You can challenge your brain by solving crosswords or learning chess tricks. Introduce yourself to new activities such as playing an instrument that challenges you or using routes that don’t seem familiar. All these will sharpen your brain and trigger back your memories.

Socialize with others

Most people who suffer from short-term memory are usually depressed. Socializing with people around you will help you manage your stress levels. Let your friends and family be there for you and avoid isolating yourself from others. Through socializing, you can start remembering the things you did together. With patience and positivity, you can overcome it.

Remain focused

Enhancing your level of concentration can help you overcome short-term memory. If you have to read, get rid of any distractions that may affect your focus. It could be a buzzing phone or a noisy environment. Ensure that your working area is quiet enough for you to remain focused and enhance your memory.

Chew gum

Research shows that chewing gum when working on a project or learning enhances your capacity to retain learned information in the brain. It makes your brain more active and has a positive impact on the areas that are responsible for your memory. Stick to a specific flavour of gum and maintain the habit while busy studying or working.

Doodle as someone speaks

Doodling as you listen to someone improves your focus and helps you retain the information better than just listening. Inform someone that you are doodling to help you remember so that they don’t feel like you are not paying attention to them.

Take charge of any health conditions

Since some short-term memory loss can come from health conditions, always visit the doctor to manage your situation. Take your prescription as recommended and remain in contact with your doctor. If you notice that the medicines are affecting your memory, make the doctor aware so that they can find alternatives.

Seek support

Accepting that you addiction problems will help you save your memory. You can always find help in recovery clinics to break the drug tolerance. Start abstaining from drugs today with the help of professionals and enhance short-term memory loss.

Remain organized

This condition can make you forget the smallest details such as forgetting to lock your house when you go out. Remaining organized will help you not forget essential information. Assign a specific place for particular items to help you keep track of them. For instance, maintain the same shelves to place items such as your keys and phone. You can write the areas so that you refer back every time you get confused.

Maintain a specific routine

A routine will remind you of the things you should do each day. Write down what you do at particular times of the day. Sticking to that routine will make remembering easy for you and help you get back your memory. Maintaining a journal with everything written down according to the dates and time will make the days feel normal.

Don’t hesitate to ask

Sometimes, short-term memory loss can be confusing. Ask the people around you to repeat themselves to help you remember what they said. Repetition is the best tool to trigger memories. It will also reduce the pressure and frustration of forgetting things. Most people understand and don’t mind repeating themselves if you ask politely.

Make use of mnemonics

This is not a trick that only works for students during exams. It can come in handy if you have short-term memory loss. Learn to attach a particular word with an object or an image. Memorizing things in this order will make it stick in your brain. It will help you start remembering things you tend to forget.

Chunk information

For such a person, lots of information can be too much to handle at once. You don’t have to remember everything. Start by separating data into small groups and work on memorizing them first before the entire information. For instance, if you are struggling to remember someone’s phone number, start by memorizing the first three digits, then you can move on to three others once the first three stick in your head.

Final thoughts

Short-term memory loss is a reversible situation that can pass with time if you use the techniques above. Do not despair or feel withdrawn from people willing to help. Getting support from loved ones will help you express your feelings and remember information in bits. All the best!

Health/Fitness May 30, 2018

Want to Reduce Tummy Fat in a Week? Read This!

We all want to look presentable and most times belly fat and muffin tops take a lot away from that. Researchers have denoted that belly fat accumulates fast and it’s always the last to go. Not only does tummy fat suck out all your confidence and sometimes self-esteem, but it is also unhealthy. Doctors have associated cholesterol issues and heart diseases while accumulated fat in our bodies.

As a result, losing weight, especially the belly fat, has become a prevalent concern especially among women. The most disappointing part is that losing the belly fat is never a small deal. You will always come across machines and pills that claim to reduce the tummy fat but doesn’t even help.

Improve your Diet

You can never lose any body fat if all you do is consume junk food and processed food all day every day. The reality is that body you want so badly and that flat tummy you want to target, starts in the kitchen. It matters not how many workout routines you incorporate, as long as your diet is slacked you won’t achieve any results.

You have to make sure that you are eating the right foods. The reality is if you jogged for 30 minutes, then went ahead to have a small order of fries, which is around 400 calories, you will undo your workout in one sitting.

You need to make sure that you toss out the processed food and don’t overeat. Seven days is not a lot of time, so you have to be all hands on deck to make sure that your efforts don’t go to waste. So for the next week, get rid of microwave dinners, potato chips, and avoid fast food joints like the plague.

The chemicals in these foods like colors, flavors, sweeteners, fat, etc. slow down your metabolism by disrupting your biochemistry. The sugars, sodium and simple starches will only keep your tummy looking bloated and beat your efforts.

If you want maximum belly-fat burn in a week, you need to replace the junk food and work quality, whole, organic foods packed with healthy nutrients and not preservatives into your diet.

Have an Active Lifestyle

Well, the good news is, you can lose that tummy fat in a week, the bad news is, you won’t if you are lazy! Being plopped on your chair all day long is not good for you or your belly fat. If you must, look for 5-minute chair workouts you can do at home or in the office.

You should also try and get up and move around in the day. Find suitable workouts that will give you short bursts of energy. You could try taking a brisk walk in the morning before having breakfast. Not only will this make you active, but it will also target your belly fat because researchers have claimed that the morning light undercuts your fat genes and also synchronized your metabolism.

Being active will not only help you shed that tummy fat, but it will also be useful for your heart health. Utilize your mornings and afternoon well by engaging in activities that will give your energy and keep you active.

Sleep

Besides looking like a panda, lack of sleep also overloads the belly fat. Sleep depreciation releases cortisol which is a stress hormone. This is why you found yourself worried and stressed out when on the verge of insomnia. The importance of sleep for your overall health can’t be insisted upon enough.

Enough sleep plays a huge role in our weight. This is due to the fact that our metabolism controls everything from how the body burns calories to where and when the fat is stored. Metabolism is, therefore, your hormone balance. This means that if you are not getting enough sleep, your body won’t release the required amount of fat burning HGH, and instead release more of the tummy fat stress hormone, that is cortisol.

Lack of sleep also releases Ghrelin which is an appetite enhancing hormone, which makes you want to eat or snack in the middle of the night. You should make sure that you get 8 hours of sleep, in any case, 7 hours will also suffice.

Go to the Gym

People have associated sit-ups and crunches with tummy fat. Will contrary to popular belief, if you want to reduce the belly fat, you need to do exercises that will target your entire body and not just the belly. You need to understand that both the love handles and the belly bulge are about extra body fat and not insufficient muscle.

In as much as you are looking forward to cutting that belly fat in just a week, the sad news is, it is not possible to spot reduce fat. Which is why you need to erase the assumption that abs exercises are the solution. If you want to score a flat tummy, you have to do workouts that will target and burn fat throughout your body.

The perfect example would be the mountain climber exercise. It helps you work out your shoulders, chest, core, triceps and accelerates your heart rate which is optimal for calorie burn.

Cut Off Alcohol

If you love the happy hour, you need to abstain from it completely. You can enjoy a glass of red wine and a little tequila from time to time, but if you want to tone up and cut that belly fat, you need to stay away from alcohol no questions asked.

Alcohol may pave the way fora good time, but when it comes to your weight, it is your ultimate enemy. It releases estrogen into your bloodstream, and the excess estrogen makes you more prone to adding and holding on to weight.

Alcohol also stimulates your appetite, lowers your inhibitions and decreases your willpower. This is why you find yourself ordering fries at 3 a.m. if you want to look your best in 7 days, then you shouldn’t go near alcohol. If you are already addicted then you should check out Recovery Village Resources Colorado Springs.

Disclaimer: Guest Post

That was it for today’s post. I hope you found this post helpful. Make sure to share it with your family and friends if you did. Pour in your thoughts in the comments. Your comments encourage me a lot! Do subscribe to our Newsletter so that you get notified whenever there is a new post on the blog. Will talk to you in my next post. Till then, be safe & keep smiling! Follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for regular updates and also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

Self Care May 24, 2018

Why am I not Blogging Much | My Anxiety Story

Sometimes, life puts us to the test to see if we are capable enough to help ourselves or not. Sometimes, we have to go through a phase that seems more difficult than you could ever imagine it to be, but at the same time, it is rewarding and something that strengthens your belief that ‘I can do it!’. Today, I am going to talk about something that I always heard people facing but never expected myself to face it. Yes, today I am talking about anxiety (as if the title wasn’t enough!) and how I dealt with it.

Those who haven’t faced anxiety might think it isn’t even an issue, it might seem to them as an ephemeral thing. When anxiety struck me, it took me a couple of months to understand what it actually is and why am I not feeling myself. I never discussed it with many but a few of whom I shared it with thought I was overthinking. See, that’s why is it necessary to spread awareness about mental health!

Anxiety isn't momentary, it isn't mood swing or overthinking. It's lengthy and the period varies from person to person. Share on X

Today, I’ll tell you my story. I am not a therapist or counselor, I am a sufferer myself who have just partially overcome it. I hope I can help some of you and/or you can help someone who needs help. Exactly a year ago when I thought I am at my creative best, anxiety struck me. The first thing to get affected by it was my blog, my writing, and my creativity. At first, I thought it’s another creative block but soon I was proved wrong. This creative block lasted 10 months and it wasn’t a creative block alone. Even the thought of opening my blog and of writing scared me, made me nervous. Needless to say, I was not at all okay with it. Imagine you love doing something and all of a sudden it becomes a burden for you. You cannot be cool with it, can you? The only thing that kept me going is my boyfriend’s support (at this point, only he was aware of my situation). He made me try and I tried. I forced myself to write a few pending reviews and occasionally one or two Instagram posts and that’s it.

In between all these, I took a couple of days off and went for a vacation thinking it will make everything normal again. Although I enjoyed quite a bit but, when I returned home everything was the same. I used to cry sitting in front of the computer. I lost all my inspiration. The girl who was always occupied in her blog suddenly wanted to run away from everything. This went to the extent where I almost deleted my blog but thank god I didn’t.

In the middle of all these, I finally started my YouTube Channel. It was long due and I thought to start my own channel (Which had been my dream) at this point in time might help me feel myself again. Talking about this, let me tell you doing new things makes me the happiest! The intro video went really well, people really appreciated me a lot and I was encouraged by so many people. Then I shot my second video and it came out to be terrible! Clearly, it did not make an appearance to the Tube. I cried the entire day. I was already broken and this broke me even more. I would like to thank four people from the bottom of my heart and they are my boyfriend Amit, my sister Sohini, Kinkinee (a fellow blogger, my best friend and soul sister) and Kirti (a fellow blogger and an amazing friend). These people help me stand up when I was determined to leave YouTube forever. I cannot express how grateful I am to them. I would have never summoned up the courage to give it a go once again. Now, I love my YouTube channel as much as I love my blog. I cannot imagine my life without them!

Slowly, very slowly, I started feeling better. It wasn’t an overnight thing. Each day felt like a year to me. I never thought I could make it but, I did. I can’t say I’m 100% cured but I have recovered a lot and am still in the process of recovering fully. I’m going to share some of the things that made this happen.

Talk to someone about it even if you don’t want to.
Be with people. Loneliness is your biggest enemy. Spend time with the people you love and who love you back.
Eliminate people who are spreading negativity around you.
Take a break from work and engage in the activities you haven’t done in a while.
Travel.
Go out more often. Being in the same place will make you more conscious of the situation that you actually need to avoid.
Read real-life stories of people who have suffered anxiety issues.

These are the primary steps you need to try but, if the problem persists, seek a therapist without wasting time. It’s important.

Mental health is not a matter of secrecy or shame. We all go through it. Share on X

As I said, I have recovered 99%. I am only scared of getting back to that same spot. For me, it wasn’t as bad as some stories I had heard. I did not need any medical or therapeutical help. I am loving m job again. I have started planning contents for the next couple of months and I am feeling so proud of myself. One thing I must tell you all. I did not write this post to gain any kind of sympathy from anyone. Sharing this with you feels really good and comforting. It somehow releases all my stress. Plus, you guys have become a very important part of my life- my virtual family. The sole reason to write my experience down is to help anyone who is in need of that. I hope this post serves the purpose.

With this post, I am starting a new series on my blog called Pep Talk. Let me know how you like the idea and which topics you want me to cover next. There are many new things coming soon on this blog. I am sure you’re going to like it.

Do share your thoughts with me.

That was it for today’s post. I hope you found this post helpful. Make sure to share it with your family and friends if you did. Pour in your thoughts in the comments. Your comments encourage me a lot! Do subscribe to our Newsletter so that you get notified whenever there is a new post on the blog. Will talk to you in my next post. Till then, be safe & keep smiling! Follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for regular updates and also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

lifestyle May 4, 2018

Why Traveling To Norway Is Cheaper Than You Think

Norway is one of the most tranquil places in the entire world. The country is known to have some ridiculous temperatures during certain times of the year, but it has so many good things going for it and which makes it a top attraction for most individuals. However, the country is also known to have very high rates of taxation and this has created an impression that Norway is expensive and for you to visit, then you must be well endowed financially.

This is not entirely true and you can travel to Norway with the average budget you would need when travelling to any European destination. Therefore, if you were planning a trip to Norway but have been hesitant due to fear of having to spend a lot, then you can now go for expedited passport renewal because we reveal to you just why travelling to Norway is cheaper than you actually think-:

The Norwegian currency is relatively weaker

When you are coming from a country with a stronger economy compared to the economy of the country you are visiting, then you can expect to have more value for your money when once you change it to the local currency. This is what is happening with the Norwegian krone compared to other major world currencies. If you are coming from a strong economy like the United States or the Eurozone, you will get more for your cash once you change it into krone.

As a result, you will access stuff and services more affordable than you would have done while in your home country or where your home currency would have been relatively weaker. Therefore, don’t be afraid to travel to Norway because you will be getting a lot more for your dollars or Euros.

It is beautiful everywhere

One of the reasons why people go for expedited passport renewal is so that they can take trips to places they have never been before so that they can marvel at the beauty found in those places. It is always refreshing to be in a new place that is full of natural beauty, and Norway is not short of such places. But how is this relevant when considering the cost of travelling to Norway? With a plethora of beautiful places around you, you don’t have to spend a lot of time and money travelling long distances just to catch some beauty. In Norway, it is right outside your door, or just along the streets. Everywhere you look at is amazing and you can get your fill of beauty without leaving your town. As such, you will end up saving a lot of money, while still getting treated to real and pure natural beauty.

There are many free things to do in Norway

People don’t cross borders and seas to go to Norway to enjoy a nightlife or indulge in shopping, though these would be very nice compliments. People travel to Norway to enjoy nature and you will not need any money to simply enjoy nature unless you really want to. Of course, you will have to pay money to go for a fjord cruise or to embark on a rail adventure, but you can also decide to go hiking from whichever city you flew in and you will still be treated to breathtaking landscapes as you watch the city below from the mountaintops. The good news is that Norway is basically mountainous and you will never run short of hiking trails.

You are free to camp anywhere in Norway

Camping in a new country is always exciting. It is a chance to have a breath of fresh air and explore the natural beauties the country has to offer. Norway, with its magnificent landscapes, is a true camper’s paradise, and what is even more alluring about this is the fact that you don’t need to pay any money for you to camp. In Norway, you have the freedom to camp anywhere you want, provided that it is 150 meters away from the nearest residential dwelling. The beauty of this is that you don’t have to bother with expensive hostel accommodation and you can choose any fine spots you like. This is unlike places like the United States where camping is allowed only in designated places where you will have to pay some money before you are allowed to camp.

Food is cheap from the supermarkets

Food is normally a great concern for every traveller. You don’t just want to get the best of it, but also you want to feel and experience the culture of the countries you visit through their foods. However, but not watching how you eat or where you eat, the cost may sometimes get through the roof and it can turn a nice travelling experience to become unnecessarily expensive. However, there are concerns you should never have when travelling to Norway. This is because the foods from the store brand supermarkets are very cheap. With such, you don’t just get a chance to eat cheaply, but also to taste true Norwegian foods and sample their culinary diversity as most of the store brand supermarkets only sell Norwegian products.

Education in Norway is free

Norway is one of the few countries in the world where you don’t have to pay for education and if you are a Norwegian, you could be paid just to go to school. This is unlike countries such as the US and UK where students are incurring debts upon debts to go to school. So how is this relevant when it comes to travelling to Norway for cheap? It means that you can easily go to Norway and become an international student, pursuing any program of your choice.

It is cheap to fly with the Norwegian Air

Most people are nowadays visiting Iceland courtesy of the free Iceland Air stopover. The Norwegian air is also quickly making the country an affordable travel destination due to the cheap flights available to Europe, United States, and Asia. It makes possible for travellers to dash to Norway for a weekend before boarding a budget flight to their European destinations.

Disclaimer: This is a guest post.

That was it for today’s post. I hope you found this post helpful. Make sure to share it with your family and friends if you did. Pour in your thoughts in the comments. Your comments encourage me a lot! Do subscribe to our Newsletter so that you get notified whenever there is a new post on the blog. Will talk to you in my next post. Till then, be safe & keep smiling! Follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for regular updates and also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

lifestyle April 9, 2018

Vienna Imports: A Hub for the Best-Selling Goods

We love to enjoy various fragrances, a blend of the sweet-smelling materials that are put together to give a single formation of beautiful smells altogether. One of the leading companies from Vienna the Vienna Imports is a hub where we can shop for many of the articles that can provide us a soothing effect including some other articles of daily life as well. So, this enriched hub of any of the articles you wish to have will surely make you purchase a whole lot of things.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Vienna Imports is a leading company from Vienna, Austria. The company is a very renowned one in relation to the top selling products it sells. The company is situated in Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44222-0281. To get further information about the top products with the aesthetic values just send a mail to them or visit viennaimports.com.

THE THINGS THAT THE COMPANY IMPORTS

There are a lot many things that the company actually imports. They are listed under several categories according to the choice of the people who will avail for the products. The cultural imports include materials such as dream catchers, the musical instruments, the pocket knives, the tapestries, the wind chimes of any variety, the wooden boxes to hold articles, Zen gardens. There is also a range of beauty products like the Cologne and perfume, the herbal soaps. You may also go for buying religious goods.

Raw materials include clay powders, exfoliants, chemicals and the compounds that are needed in our daily life, natural waxes and the bath salts which can give you a pleasant feeling throughout the day. Besides, you may also buy carrier oils, essential oils and fragrance oils for beautifying yourself.

Sweet smelling materials with aesthetic values are also sold here. The sweet-smelling incense not only adds to the aesthetic beauty of our environment, rather they freshen our mind from the day to day tiresome activities. These include incense sticks, burners, dhoop incense, incense cones, resin incense, smudge sticks and also unsorted Agarbattiincense. The incense brands are the world’s best brands like Balaji Incense, the Green Tree Incense, Herb and Earth Incense and many others. These are the top brands which will fetch you the best incense materials around the world.

The kitchen goods are sold of awesome qualities like grinders, the kitchen knives, miscellaneous kitchenware, mortar and the pestles, sake sets and the utensils. There are also teacups, teapots, and chopsticks. The qualities of the kitchen goods are one of the best with long time durability.

There are also other precious stones and minerals like calcite, precious gemstones, crystals and the Haematite. These gemstones will not only adorn you with beauty but also add an elegant look to your personality. The gemstones are the most trusted ones and can fetch you some good luck in your life. There are also tumbled gemstones, quartz, and the mineral specimens.

Many important books that are available here can give you a wide knowledge about many of the facts to religious ideas to enrich you with all the values of life. The religious books deal with many of the religious values across the world like those in the Eastern Countries, the Western religious beliefs, Pagan and Wiccan as well as for the different meditation techniques. There are also miscellaneous books related to poetries that can soothe your mind. The herbal books give you an idea about how to deal with Ayurveda. There are NativeAmerican books, books giving you philosophical knowledge. Moreover, the CDs that are sold by the company will enrich you with the beautiful ethnic music.

ABOUT A SPECIAL PRODUCT

The bath time memories are one of the sweet ones. Many people take it to be the most relaxing phase of life. After a whole day of tiresome jobs, we need to have a bath time that will give us the peace of the mind by the sweet smelling aromatic substances. One of such mixture is the peppermint bath salts. The peppermint bath salts are an awesome solution to be a pleasant experience for you and your family.

The bath salts are just not a thing to give us a relaxation but also are very easy to prepare. So, let me explain to you how this is made beautifully to give you the pleasure.

The materials required are Epsom salt in its natural form of about 2 cups, the sea salt or the kosher salt of about half a cup. Some amount of baking soda of about half a cup, peppermint essential oil of about 15 to 20 drops, the food coloring is also an additional option to increase the look of the soap.

PREPARING THE RECIPE

The recipe is an easy one and is one of the best DIY tricks. The preparation of the recipe in steps can be explained as follows:

Step 1: All the three ingredients that include the Epsom salt, the sea salt, and the baking soda is to be mixed together to make a beautiful mixture.
Step2: You need to stir the peppermint oil into the mixture for some time. The quantity of the peppermint oil must not be in excess because it will hamper the composition of the mixture.
Step3: Some people like to add some colors to their bath soap. So, you may add a color according to your choice. But before that just, separate the material into two different portions and then just add about 4 to 8 drops of the food color you want.
Step 4: You may also go for adding more layers to the already existing soap. But if you desire to do this, you must drain out the salts before doing so.

Hence only by applying the about four steps, you can get an absolute touch of the beautiful ingredients of nature. The natural components without the addition of an excess of any chemical components can be a very beautiful one to give a rich fragrance to your body, a beautiful and fair skin.

CONCLUSION

A touch of aesthetic, ethnic values, as well as the spiritual values in the form of substances, books, goods and home decors, can give us a perfect atmosphere to enjoy our self. So, you must also try to feel the values of the products from this beautiful company. The moments and the relaxation will make you feel at the top of the world. So, have a super cool time enjoying all the beautiful things in life.

Disclaimer: This is a guest post.

That was it for today’s post. I hope you found this post helpful. Make sure to share it with your family and friends if you did. Pour in your thoughts in the comments. Your comments encourage me a lot! Do subscribe to our Newsletter so that you get notified whenever there is a new post on the blog. Will talk to you in my next post. Till then, be safe & keep smiling! Follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for regular updates and also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel!