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5 Reasons to Use Pomegranate for Health and Beauty

Which is your favorite fruit? Or, is it nuts? If you are trying to find reasons to tuck into them more often, checking out their health benefits would be a good idea. Fruits are nature’s storehouse of many vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Some of these really go a long way in keeping us healthy and kicking. Fruits like blueberries, cranberries, oranges, bananas and pomegranate help keep many ailments at bay. Homemade pomegranate juice without any added sugar can offer you loads of health benefits just with a glass full taken every day. It contains vitamins A, C and E along with powerful antioxidants and loads of important minerals. In fact, pomegranate contains much higher levels of antioxidants than even green tea and many other fruits including oranges. It’s mineral contents like iron, folic acid, potassium, calcium, folate, phosphorus and more help us stay healthy. Also, pomegranate’s anti-inflammatory properties come in real handy while dealing with inflammation of internal organs or blood vessels. It even contains punicic acid that helps boost skin regeneration. So, you can see that not only does pomegranate have quite a few health benefits, it works on counteracting signs of ageing too. Sufficient intake can even help deter diseases like diabetes, osteoarthritis, heart diseases and some types of cancer. Here are a few health benefits of pomegranate and how it’s magic works. So, let’s get exploring! 5 Ways Pomegranate Can Benefit Us Heart and blood health: Pomegranate decreases the level of bad cholesterol retention in our body. This helps minimize the chances of blood flow blockages to the important organs. This in turn reduces the chances of a stroke. It has punicic acid that helps reduce blood pressure. Anti-inflammatory properties help decrease the inflammation of blood vessels and pomegranate also maintains their flexibility. This wonder fruit acts as a natural blood thinner reducing the chances of blood clots. All this translates to reduced heart issues. As a result of enhanced blood flow, we are also better able to exercise and be comparatively less fatigued. Iron and folic acid present in pomegranate work on maintaining a healthy red blood cell count. Immunity improvement and cancer risk reduction: Antioxidants help flush out unwanted toxins from our body. The antioxidants of pomegranate stimulate white blood cells improving our body’s immunity to diseases. It’s antibacterial and anti-microbial properties strengthen our immune system. The anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of pomegranate come in handy for urinary tract infection symptom relief. Pomegranate reduces free radicals, which are responsible for many unwanted changes in human body. The natural aromatase inhibitors of this fruit minimize production of the hormone that plays a crucial role in breast cancer development. The anti-carcinogenic effects do not extend to treating but do reduce the risk of cancer development. It presumably even slows down progress of some types of cancer. Digestive health: Pomegranate is very good for digestion. A pinch of dried pomegranate seed powder after a heavy lunch can help our body get the better of it quickly. It’s high fiber content helps regulate bowel movement and are helpful in tackling diarrhea. However, people with chronic constipation issues should consult their physician before starting to take pomegranate juice regularly. This fruit is also good for oral health as it reduces the microbes responsible for dental cavities. It helps with conditions like gingivitis, periodontitis and helps prevent plaque formation. Bone health: The calcium content of this wonder fruit encourages bone health when taken regularly. It helps maintain healthy bone density and minimizes bone damage in osteoarthritis. Pomegranate has anti-inflammatory properties (flavonols) that can reduce bone inflammation and arthritic pain. It inhibits the production of enzymes which damage cartilages leading to osteoarthritis. In short, pomegranate comes in handy from maintaining bone strength to keeping osteoarthritis at bay. Beauty benefits: Reduction of free radicals and harmful toxins in our body can not only ensure better health, but also cosmetic benefits for us. It is the secret to younger-looking healthy skin free from blemishes and premature wrinkles. Pomegranate’s polyphenolic compounds help delay our skin’s ageing process. It helps reduce pigmentation and age spots along with keeping the skin hydrated and moisturized. It’s cell regenerating properties act as the cherry on top. Using a pomegranate juice face pack helps deal with oily skin issues and sun damage. Just apply directly and leave it on for 20 to 30 minutes before washing off with cold water. You can also make a daily detox drink with a bottle of water, handful of pomegranate seeds, 1 teaspoon honey and a few sprigs of mint (optional). Leave the ingredients in the bottle of water overnight and sip it through the next day. Hair too benefits with regular intake of this juice because it strengthens hair follicles. You can use pomegranate oil as hot oil treatment for your hair before shampooing. Pomegranate is a good addition to diet while recuperating after a long illness to regain strength. It also presumably has other benefits like cognitive or memory retention and aphrodisiac. This fruit has been used since Egyptian times as a kitchen medicine to treat many ailments. However, it is never recommended to go off your regular medication just because you are trying natural remedies. It would be a better idea to monitor the progress while on natural treatment and get medications adjusted accordingly. Pomegranate helps us de-stress tackling the unwanted toxic content of our body. Including this fruit in our diet even for it’s antioxidant value can help us in more ways than one. Going back to our roots and trying out nature’s remedies is never a bad idea. Exploring nature’s gifts to us can be healthy and delicious too! Do you like to explore your kitchen pharmacy or is it straight to the chemists? Warning: People with blood pressure and allergy issues or on chronic medication should consult their physician before starting regular pomegranate consumption. Follow my blog with Bloglovin

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9 Reasons why finding happiness is good for your mind, body, & soul

Resilience develops from realizing some things will be out of our control but still choosing to move towards positivity & focus on what we can. This article on NandyzSoulshine.com will show you how finding happiness can empower your mind, body, & soul to live a more meaningful life. Plus, there’s a free worksheet to help you get more clarity on the sources of happiness in your life.

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7 Insights to Guide and Motivate Aspiring Artists

‘Master Artist Quotes’ series part 2 Inspirational quotes have a way of expressing what we subconsciously know to be true. They guide us in the right direction to reach our full potential. It is quite common with me to suspend creative imagination and start following set rules and patterns while creating. So, I have fallen into the habit of creating a self-motivating arsenal of inspirational thoughts that guides me towards fresh perspectives from time to time. These help me barge ahead through my creative inhibitions, fears and hurdles. Hope all this is making sense and I haven’t started just rambling 🙂 Did you enjoy the previous list of Top 10 Quotes By Masters Inspiring Today’s Artist? If yes, then here are some more to keep your stream of creativity flowing. I would be sharing more with you as I collect a new stash adding to my treasure trove of positivity and inspiration. 7 Inspirational Insights Into Creativity to Guide and Motivate Do you have such other inspirational thoughts to guide and nudge creativity? I am sure there must be, but was this selection helpful to you in any way? Follow my blog with Bloglovin

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Aloe Vera: 7 Ways Leading to Health and Wellness

Did you ever wish for a special something that could zap all your problems away? Guess what, there is! Well, it can’t fix a broken heart or your boss, if your mind just shot to that 🙂 . However, most of your pesky health issues can be resolved with nature’s super fighter – aloe vera. It single-handedly offers antimicrobial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties. Not only that, it is nature’s own blood purifier. Aloe vera is one of nature’s all rounders. It releases oxygen at night unlike most other plants while purifying the air of indoor toxins. This plant is perfect for your bedroom to get restful sleep and enhanced wellbeing. You can read more about it in 7 Plants to Purify and Clean Air Indoors. Coming back to the benefits of using aloe gel or juice, let’s explore these 7 specialties. 7 Wonderful uses of Aloe Vera Detox: Aloe vera is celebrated as a natural blood purifier. It washes the impurities and toxins away from our body making us feel more energized, full of vim and vigor along with enhanced mood. Aloe vera helps our kidneys and liver function better for natural detoxification. Also, it contains vitamins A, C and E, which help aloe vera act as an antioxidant in it’s own right. You can mix a tablespoon of aloe juice to your regular detox drinks for added detox benefits. Weight loss: Aloe vera helps improve our body’s metabolism with it’s phytosterols. And we all know that a healthy metabolism translates better fat loss and a fit body. Not only this, it improves our body’s digestive health helping break down fat better. You can drink a teaspoon full of aloe vera juice mixed with half a glass of lukewarm water and 1 teaspoon lemon every morning on empty stomach. This drink has multiple health and beauty benefits too apart from helping you reach your ideal BMI. If you would like something a bit more palatable, try the pineapple post-lunch drink. Put a slice of pineapple, half a cup orange juice and a tablespoon full of aloe vera juice in the blender to make a smoothie. Sip on this for improved digestion and weight loss. Remember to take a 2-week siesta between each 10-day juice routine. Digestive health: If you get frequent heartburn and acid reflux, instead of reaching for the next antacid, try aloe vera juice. It helps with IBS and improves digestive capacity of our gastrointestinal system. It’s amylase and lipase contents help break down fat and sugar better. Also, it’s salicyclic acid helps control inflammation in stomach and the organs around it. It gently and naturally cleanses the colon too. Topical medicine: Pure aloe gel helps heal bug bites, sunburn, mild cuts and burns, and even rashes. It contains aloe mucilaginous polysaccharides that have antiviral, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities. You can keep aloe vera gel as a handy ointment for everyday cuts, burns, bruises, rashes and whatnot. It even helps with chapped lips, acne and cracked heels. Hair: Here, aloe vera can help in many ways. You can start by replacing your chemical hair fixer with aloe gel to keep your updos in perfect condition. It can be used along with your regular shampoo to better control scalp itching or dandruff. You can even use aloe juice as a leave-in conditioner. This multi-beneficial wonder has antifungal properties and it also balances the pH level of skin helping control dandruff better. If you want to go the whole way, use it as an overnight mask mixed with your favorite hair oil. Wash it off in the morning for truly moisturized, soft, shiny and silky hair. One of the main reasons of hair fall is poor digestive health. So, you might want to add drinking aloe vera juice once a day to your aloe vera-centric hair care regimen. Skin: Most of our skin complaints can be handled effectively with aloe vera. For instance, it’s anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties can not only reduce the inflammation and swelling of acne breakouts, but also help reduce the scars to a large extent. It can be mixed with vitamin E oil and applied daily to reduce the appearance of scars and stretch marks. Aloe vera cleanses our skin of free radicals that promote the appearance of wrinkles. Mix it with honey and vitamin E oil applied as a 15-minute mask for best effect. To clear skin blemishes, use 1 part lemon and 3 parts aloe vera as a 20-minute mask. This mixture can also be applied around the eyes to reduce dark circles and puffy eyes. But, take care not to get any into the eyes. Cracked heels and rough elbows too can be treated with this wonder gel. Lips and Lashes: For chapped lips or even for daily care of your pout, try out the aloe vera lip balm. Mix 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel with 1 tablespoon of olive oil or coconut oil. Apply daily and store it in the refrigerator when done. Aloe vera can help achieve thick and long lashes too. Mix equal quantities of aloe gel and vitamin E oil with double the amount of castor oil. Using a clean mascara wand, apply it daily to your lashes. This can also be used for thick and healthy eyebrows. Massage brittle nails with aloe vera mixed with vitamin E oil for stronger talons. I feel, steering closer to a natural way of life helps us be healthier, happier and more peaceful. Toxins contribute much to our negative outlook on life with askew chemical production in our body. Aloe vera is one of the many products that nature holds for us to help combat many of the negative side effects of modern living. Even ancient Egyptians knew about the multifaceted benefits of this wonder plant. Shift aside some of those jars and bottles in your medicine cabinet to make way for a humble portion of aloe vera and see the difference! Live healthy to stay happy.

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10 Best Easy-to-Care Plants to Purify Air in Your Home

Plants can help manage stress better, lift your mood and feel happy. Physical and emotional health are like yin and yang and you need to feel physically healthy to focus on your goals in life. Plants can detoxify harmful chemicals from indoor air & improve your wellbeing. Click to read how they can help and the 10 best plants to purify air that you can add to your home

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10 Ways to Optimised Health and Beauty Using Honey

Detox is the word of the day. There is a growing awareness about the toxic effects of chemicals on our body. Even everyday products off the shelf don’t seem to be safe enough. So, what should we do? Well, the simplest and pocket-friendly way is to explore natural products and kitchen pharmacy. They work just as well minus the toxin residue in our body. However, unleashing the full potential of common kitchen products needs a bit guidance. These act as wonderful curatives too if used the right way. Honey is a multitasker of nature that tastes yumm. It’s one of the very few do-gooders that doesn’t make you squirm and think twice before using. So, here are a few tips on how to easily use this gooey stuff for staying fit and gorgeous! 10 Ways to Use Honey for Beauty and Health Angelic Face Vigilante: i) To get that spotlessly fresh photoshop-ed look all the time, make a permanent place for honey on your dressing table. Honey and blackheads do not go together. So, mix half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder with 1 teaspoon of honey. Cover the spots up for about 20 minutes. Rinse off and repeat if necessary in a couple of days. ii) Adult acne as against teenage acne seems to be a more pesky problem. Zits pop up in awkward spots at the most inopportune time. They may also be indicative of some deeper problem. So, it is better to get them checked by a medical professional. However, to deal with acne externally, you can mix nutmeg and double the amount of honey for a face mask. Keep it on for about 20 minutes and wash off, do not rub. Nutmeg has anti-inflammatory agents and honey has healing properties. So, they will work their you-know-what off to minimize and reduce zits. Pimples and acne leave scars and enlarged pores and that’s why we hate these so much. They are not just ugly short-term but leave with a parting gift too! iii) To fade scars away, mix honey with lemon juice and leave it on for 10-15 minutes before washing off. Do it twice a week for a few weeks to get the best results. Use honey and egg white mask to shrink enlarged pores. I am yet to try this out because I simply cannot stand the smell of raw egg continuously for 15 minutes. But, if you can, try it out at least once as honey is nature’s moisturizer and raw egg has great wrinkle-lifting properties. Glorious Hair Curator: i) No matter how much care we take, dandruff seems to find it’s way instinctively to us in the winter months. So, instead of reaching out for the next anti-dandruff shampoo off the shelf that further dries out my already dry hair…I got thirsty speaking of so much dryness : ) , I decided to try honey therapy first. Massage honey on damp hair and scalp. Leave it on for 3 hours before washing off with your regular shampoo. However, remember that it works best for non-chronic conditions. Chronic dandruff would need medical attention too. ii) Honey tames down frizz admirably. Mix 1 teaspoon honey in 4 cups of water and apply it as leave-in conditioner. The yummy smell afterwards is an added bonus. Another way to get shiny, soft hair with honey is to mix equal parts honey and olive oil and apply on damp hair. Leave it on for 30 minutes before shampooing it off. See? The conditioner was used before shampooing and that’s why knowing the right way to use nature’s beauty and health gifts is important. [bctt tweet=”Knowing the right way to use honey for health and beauty optimizes its effect.”] Detox and Weight Loss Trainer: Drinking honey mixed with lemon and warm water first thing in the morning has great health benefits. It not only helps the liver to detoxify, but also helps in increasing body’s metabolism to help lose weight. We all know detoxified body translates to glowing skin. So, a dewy complexion is just one of the very-welcome side effects. While on the topic of weight loss, if you are on a diet or simply watching what you eat, honey can come in really handy. One tablespoon of honey will go a long way to stop your sweet cravings and also give you instant energy boost. Sleep Promoter: If you want the technical low down, raw honey has elements that boost the production of sleep hormone (melatonin) in our brain. This helps us sleep like a baby and wake up fresh-faced and full of energy. Also, honey helps detoxify the liver resulting in better hormone regulation. So, stress drains away from our body and helps us get 8 hours of restful shuteye. Quality sleep not only affects our mood, energy level, skin and hair quality but also our body’s capacity to fight with a lot of ailments. Instead of being a direct remedy, it improves the quality of life. So, try out a routine of slurping 1 teaspoon raw honey before bed and ‘sleep’ the difference yourself 🙂 . Bad Breath Banisher: There are a number of things that may lead to bad breath like dry mouth due to medication or dehydration, bad oral hygiene, gum problems, plaque build-up, smoking and more. Using honey mouthwash will not cure them but help curb them somewhat as well as limit the intensity of bad breath. Honey has anti-inflammatory and healing properties that also help with mouth hygiene. So, along with taking better care of your mouth with brushing, tongue scraping, flossing and visits to your dentist, use honey. Gargle twice a day with 2 teaspoons honey, 1/4th teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 cup water for better smelling breath. Manuka honey with heightened hydrogen peroxide anti-bacterial properties is considered to be a very good treatment for gingivitis. But, the limitation is that it is exclusively produced by bees in New Zealand. So, not easily available everywhere. Eye Protector: What with

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111 Inspirational quotes about staying happy and positive in life

111 quotes about staying happy to give you hope during hard times & a more positive outlook on life. Through quotes this post will share age-old and contemporary wisdom, inspiration, & motivate you to stay happy energizing everything you do, manage stress better, & enjoy life. Plus FREE happiness worksheet at NandyzSoulshine.com to get more clarity on what you need to focus & what to let go.

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5 Photography Tips to Click Frame-Worthy Images

Have you ever felt that the snapshots couldn’t do justice to how it actually felt in real life? With cameras getting extremely handy accompanying smartphones, all of us have become photographers of sorts. The art of photography is easy to be acquired, but takes persistence and creativity to master. Like any other form of art, capturing memorable images requires learning the rules, practicing and using your creativity to break the rules ingeniously. Whether you decide to use the smartphone or your prized camera to capture memories, here are some tips to help you create beautiful images. 5 Photography Tips to Consider Before You Click Subject and motion: Overcome the urge to click as soon as you find something appealing. Take a moment, step back and identify your subject. Position it visually in your composition in such a manner that while drawing all the focus, it also binds the other elements together. This will make it easier to get your message or emotions across through photography. It will help bring out the feel that inspired you to capture the scene in the first place. Leading lines also create great compositions. They guide the eyes to the subject effortlessly. Try and explore leading lines whenever they appear to create a sense of movement and involvement of the viewer. Texture and negative space: Not just busy images, but those with breathing space also make for great photographs. Negative space is as important as the subject. Breathing space in the composition tells a story of it’s own and expresses beauty through simplicity. Subjects or scenes that give a feel of being peered through doorways have a lot of negative space. It adds layers to the image story. Textures too play a great role in photography. For instance, the texture of a dilapidated wall speaks a lot when used as a backdrop for delicate flowers. Try to capture the drama as light hits the elements in your scene, enhancing textures. Light and darkness: While clicking outdoors, try to use the softer rays of sun early in the day or just before sunset. Everything looks more soft and beautiful in this light. Else, try to find pockets of light where the sun doesn’t shine from above, but is reflected by the surroundings. It creates a more horizontal source of light than a vertical one and thus is amenable to photography. Overexposed light sources can cause the foreground to blur or darken. Use opacity of elements to manage exposure and let light peek out from behind the subject. This creates warmly lit images. Darkness is as important as light in many situations. Some images are best captured with brightly lit background and silhouetted subjects in the foreground. It creates interest and depth. Highs and lows: With so many cameras about, finding something unique to click isn’t easy. The trick here is to not search for unique subjects, but for unique angles and vantage points. Find interesting and creative angles to infuse interest in mundane scenes. Use your surroundings to put your subject in perspective. Try to see things differently that have been clicked too many times and convey that newness through your photography. Depth: Depth in a photograph creates a layered, 3D feel, as if you can step right into the scene. Getting up close to your subject is an easy way to create depth in the image. This photography technique creates a nice bokeh effect in the foreground and a diffused background. The focus remains crisply on the elements in mid-distance. Thus, you get layers in the image similar to the way real-life feel is created in animation. For a more professional approach to photography, you can also use wide-angle lens to infuse a sense of being present on the scene through depth creation. From cave paintings to life-scene-depicting artworks and now photography – the quest to capture memories in tangible forms is always going to appeal to us humans. So, it is as well that we learn to do it properly. Photography as an art form has a huge scope for expression and communication of ideas, messages and emotions. Deciding to begin this exciting journey is the first step towards learning a new language that is globally understood. So pick your camera up, make informed choices and click away to your heart’s content! Follow my blog with Bloglovin

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How to Stay Kick-Ass Fit Stylishly: Fitness Fun

Finding it hard to push yourself off to the gym every morning? Then maybe it’s time to jazz up your fitness routine a bit. Quite a few martial arts techniques taught nowadays have been moulded to suit the endurance level and time-crunch of fast paced living. Learning some easy self-defence techniques and routines not only does wonders for our confidence, but keeps us healthy in the long run too. I have shortlisted here a few really cool techniques that you can try. These techniques guarantee a fabulous workout burning at least 500 calories an hour working out your whole body and mind. Get ready to pick and choose your way to a leaner and meaner version of you. Sounds exciting, right? So, let’s explore our options to a Lara Croft-ish physique and attitude. Top 7 Martial Arts Fitness Techniques Karate: Probably the easiest one in terms of finding a training center near you, karate offers manageable overall body workout and some neat self-defence techniques. It also works on stamina, concentration, and reaction time. Additionally, learning to eventually use the nunchuk would surely make you feel way empowered. However, karate basically stresses on freehand defence and combat techniques involving arms as well as legs. The workout is mostly non-contact, but also involves kicking and punching sessions with padded boards and bags. The self-defence techniques are quite manageable and easy for all endurance and weight categories. A one-hour session usually burns up about 500 calories keeping weight and fitness goals within easy reach. Mixed Martial Arts: This self-defence and workout technique can be tried as a way to pep up your routine gym workout. However, it doesn’t mean that you need to have a certain level of fitness to begin with. MMA, through its workout routines involving kicking, punching, strength training and self-defence moves, gradually generates strength and stamina. What you can expect after following the instructions sincerely and practicing, is improved overall body fitness, muscle toning, improved balance and energy. Improved self-confidence, better stress handling and improved self-confidence are some of the not-so-physically-manifesting benefits. It is very helpful in reaching fitness and confidence goals without taxing your endurance. Wing Chun Kung Fu: Precision and efficiency are it’s main building blocks…no doubt there, as a woman developed this technique 😉 Kidding aside, this technique provides total body workout, improved coordination and reflexes, reduced stress and great cardio workout. It involves techniques to help you tackle bigger and stronger opponents without getting hurt in real life situations. What’s best is that you don’t need too much space to do your routine practice. Which means that you do not have to skip your sessions while on a holiday. If staring people bother you, just polish your moves in the hotel room or in a corner of your bedroom! Kick-boxing: This is a great technique that combines boxing, aerobics and martial arts to vent the day’s stress away. You can kick and punch to your heart’s content! It attacks belly fat straight away and can burn up to 900 calories an hour if followed to the T. Kick-boxing is a great whole body workout, as it involves all the major muscle groups along. It also acts as a superb stress buster and cardio conditioner. The improved fitness level, reflexes and killer moves add to the self-defence part of this technique. However, this is a very intense form of exercise and requires loads of energy. So be sure that you are mentally and physically prepared before paying up and signing on the dotted line. Krav Maga: Cardio exercises, strength training and power drills are basically what you are looking at. The aim is to burn calories and tone muscles like never before. As a self-defence technique, this is one of the best. It trains you for stressful and far-from-ideal attack situations simulating real life. Also, you would be able to handle any height and weight group of attacker. The workouts aim at conditioning the body as much as possible because in Krav Maga, you use your body as the ultimate weapon. This combat technique has been moulded to provide excellent workout to all the major muscle groups and offers levels suitable for beginners too. Jiu-Jitsu: This confirmed calorie burner encourages physical fitness with both vertical and horizontal moves. As a self-defence technique, jiu-jitsu teaches us how to grapple and ground a bigger and stronger opponent without striking. It is so effective that this technique has become a part of many military force and self-defence training programs! On a psychological level, it will improve patience and quick-thinking. The increased strength, stamina and muscle tone are the physical outcomes. However, it takes time and patience to master the different grappling techniques. So patience and perseverance should be high on your have-it qualities before deciding to go full force into this amazing workout. Capoeira: If you enjoy dancing, you would surely like this fitness routine. Concocted in Brazil, this is a high-energy fun workout that provides overall fitness and martial arts self-defence techniques. Additionally, you also get great cardio workout, body toning and improved stamina. The graceful rhythmic movements accompanying music help in busting stress in style. Now, there’s no need to get put-off by the ‘high energy’ part because there is always the beginner’s level. At this level, you build your stamina slowly and condition the whole body for higher levels in a fun way. Combining martial arts moves with music and dance, this calorie-burning workout is as fun as learning choreographed dance moves! It is a good idea to spice up our exercise routine with a generous sprinkling of martial arts time. But, remember that your ultimate decision would depend on your location and budget too. Even if there isn’t a training center handy enough, you can always try some of the online ones! These fitness routines even at their very basic level take care of belly and arm fat, bone health, heart problems, reduced concentration and sleep. As very welcome freebies, they also improve

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Top 9 Quirky Dollops of Happiness and Sunshine

Gifts, whatever the size or shape, seldom fail to put a smile on our face. I am not talking about the gifts that are destined for the ‘to be gifted’ heap the moment you set eyes on them. There should be law against anybody even thinking of them as a gift in the first place. We are focusing on the little specks of sunshine that life shines on us from time to time, which even the most ardent ‘return to store’ enthusiast cannot but like. Pleasant surprises and happy coincidences put us in a mood of benevolence towards our fellow breathers…yes, even the neighborhood grump! I am a simple person with simple needs (what I wish for is a totally different story 😉 ). And it doesn’t take much to make things turn rosy for me. Here are a few of my personal favourites for you to relish. 9 Simple Treats Infusing Happiness and Sunshine in Everyday Life In Sync with the World (…or Something Similar): Have you ever had a song stuck in your head and just can’t stop humming it? Now, it has happened to me at least a couple of times that as I switched on the radio, it picked up that particular song at just the word I was humming (weird, huh?)! But it simply made my day, putting me in a jolly mood spreading joy left and right for the rest of the day. It obviously also jams the song securely in my head making people wince every time I pass them humming the song to death for the umpteenth time. Random Memories: Sounds and smells have a way of triggering random memories that you never thought you would remember after a while. These little bits of our past refresh everything we saw and felt as if it were happening in realtime. Most of them leave us with a warm feeling of reassurance and nostalgia. All this might seem a bit heavy talk but I am sure you connect with me on this, right? Sometimes these memories make us hum (oh, no! here we go again) as we feel the awkwardness afresh which we squirmed through the last time. Most of these flashes from the past either make me thankful that I am out of it for good or just brighten my day with the happy feeling of having received an unexpected gift. All in all, it has a very secure place in my list of tiny rays of sunshine in my life. Remembering your Dream (Not Nightmares): Dreams have a way of slipping through our hands as soon as we open our eyes. We get a feeling that something nice was going on and someone turned it off at the most interesting point, but for the life of us simply can’t remember what it was all about. It really gives me the pips and want to go back to sleep again. But, waking up from a good night’s sleep and remembering my dream makes me feel like a genius (I am a simple girl with simple taste, all right?). I don’t know what science has to say about sleep pattern, dreams, restful sleep and all that thingamajig, but it really starts my day on a good note. Green Light at Every Crossing: It’s a luxury that only people running late and living in heavy traffic places can appreciate. Seeing traffic signals go sparkling green as far as your eyes can see, has a way of replacing your favorite color with green. It keeps you in good mood and humming (oh! I am stuck on humming) at least for some time. That is to say, until your boss or the next imbecile (fancy word for a not-so-fancy thought) ruins everything up. I don’t know why, but it also nudges me to make a mental note of going green (no…not with envy, jealousy or as in inexperienced) – environmentally speaking. So, lush it up while it lasts – that’s my motto. Hammock, Book and a Cup of Coffee: I feel like going all poetic on this one, so here goes nothing (please bear with me) – Oh, for the heavens above, If only I had leisure and peace enough To spend my day cuddled in a hammock Sipping coffee and reading a nice book that didn’t suck (?) ; ) I think I should stick to prose if I do not wish to disgust people off. My plan for the perfect day would be snuggling down in a cuddly hammock with the much awaited new book and a cup of coffee. Nothing spells bliss and sunshine more than this…right? But, I have a feeling that I would need a lamp and personal genie for this to come true. However, on an odd day when I am able to touch this level of nirvana, it boosts me up before hitting gold again. I actually went ahead and had a decent hammock installed at home to inspire me every morning like a carrot in front of the mule (did I just call myself a mule? Well, whatever). Tagged by a pup: Have you ever been stalked home by a gutsy little pup on a stroll out? A high point for animal lovers, being tagged home by a baby animal feels way heart warming than a 100 ‘likes’ on facebook by ‘friends’…who has 100 friends by the way? May be acquaintances and people you like, but friends…really? Isn’t it going a bit too far calling the person you met yesterday and added to your account, ‘friend’? Anyway, dragging myself back to the topic….if a pup insists on following me home ignoring all my dire warnings and threats of lawsuit, it really makes me feel privileged and pleased. I might get a bit vexed too, but considering all in all, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I know a ray of sunshine when I see one and nothing is going to make me miss a good one shone