Covid-19 and Online Classes

Along with the spread of the novel Corona virus, India opted for lockdown to stop the transmission of the virus. Lives with this virus in the present scenario has resulted in the indefinite closure of schools, colleges and other educational institutions. Thanks to the modern technology everyone opted for online classes via different platforms amid this lockdown.

Photo by Julia M Cameron on Pexels.com

PROS OF ONLINE CLASSES:

  1. Firstly it provides opportunity of study to the students of the remote areas who earlier couldn’t contact the teachers due to transport barriers.
  2. Students don’t need to travel, so it saves a lot of time.
  3. Students can attend the classes as well as enjoy the comfort of being at home.

CONS OF ONLINE CLASSES:

  1. Many poor students don’t have access to smartphones and internet connection.
  2. Students may develop eye related problems if the screen time exceed the average limit.
  3. Students may become lethargic during classes and exams which will surely have a great negative impact in their future.

CONCLUSION:

Online classes are surely a great initiative amid this lockdown but students really need to be cautious regarding their studies and future and be very attentive in the classes. We all realize it is difficult for both the students as well as the teachers to adapt this new technology of spreading knowledge but we will have to use it in the best possible way to secure the future generations.

Late periods?

A period is the part of the menstrual cycle when a woman bleeds from her vagina for a few days. For most women this happens every 28 days or so, but it’s common for periods to be more or less frequent than this, ranging from day 21 to day 40 of their menstrual cycle. It is a very important process that a female goes through in her life and any kind of stress can leads to its delay which is obviously not a good signal. Sometimes getting a late period for 3-4 days is normal but if it is always so and about a month or more late than it needs to be treated well before time.

How to prioritize work

Learning how to prioritize

It means getting more out of the limited time you have each day. It’s one of the cornerstones of productivity and once you know how to properly prioritize, it can help with everything from your time management to work-life balance.

Master lists

Capture everything on a Master List and then break it down by monthly, weekly, and daily goals.

  • Start by making a master list—a document, app, or piece of paper where every current and future task will be stored. 
  • Once you have all your tasks together, break them down into monthly, weekly, and daily goals.
  • When setting your priorities, try not to get too “task-oriented” – you want to make sure you’re prioritizing the more effective work.
Eisenhower Matrix

The matrix is a simple four-quadrant box that answers that helps you separate “urgent” tasks from “important” ones:

  • Urgent and Important: Do these tasks as soon as possible
  • Important, but not urgent: Decide when you’ll do these and schedule it
  • Urgent, but not important: Delegate these tasks to someone else
  • Neither urgent nor important: Drop these from your schedule as soon as possible.
The Ivy Lee Method

Rank your work by its true priority with the Ivy Lee Method:

  • At the end of each workday, write down the 6 most important things you need to accomplish tomorrow. 
  • Prioritize those 6 items n order of their true importance.
  • When you arrive tomorrow, concentrate only on the first task. Work until the first task is finished before moving on to the next one.
  • Approach the rest of your list in the same fashion. At the end of the day, move any unfinished items to a new list of six tasks for the following day.
  • Repeat this process every working day.
The ABCDE method

Instead of keeping all tasks on a single level of priority, this method offers two or more levels for each task:

  • Go through your list and give every task a letter from A to E (A being the highest priority)
  • For every task that has an A, give it a number that dictates the order you’ll do it in
  • Repeat until all tasks have letters and numbers.
Set the tone of the day by “Eating the frog”

Once you’ve prioritized your most important work, it’s time to choose how to attack the day. How you start the day sets the tone for the rest of it. And often, getting a large, hairy, yet important task out of the way first thing gives you momentum, inspiration, and energy to keep moving. 

Warren Buffett’s 2-list strategy

Cut out “good enough” goals with Warren Buffett’s 2-list strategy.

  • Write down your top 25 goals: life goals, career goals, education goals, or anything else you want to spend your time on.
  • Circle your top 5 goals on that list.
  • Finally, any goal you didn’t circle goes on an “avoid at all cost” list. These are the tasks that are seemingly important enough to deserve your attention. But that isn’t moving you towards your long-term priorities.
The sunk cost fallacy

Humans are especially susceptible to the “sunk cost fallacy”—a psychological effect where we feel compelled to continue doing something just because we’ve already put time and effort into it. But the reality is that no matter what you spend your time doing, you can never get that time back. And any time spent continuing to work towards the wrong priority is just wasted time.

REFERENCE

https://blog.rescuetime.com/how-to-prioritize/

Super foods for weight loss

What makes a food a superfood? More than just fuel for your body, superfoods yield benefits beyond the nutrients they provide,So whether you’re eating to shed a few pounds, maintain a healthy weight, or for overall health, superfoods make the cut. In fact, you’ll find these foods on healthy eating plans that include a variety of fruits and veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.

1.Black Beans

A cup of black beans packs 15 grams of satisfying protein and doesn’t contain any of the saturated fat found in other protein sources, like red meat. Plus, their polyphenol content makes them a potent antioxidant. Black beans belong to a food group known as “pulses,” the edible seeds of legume plants. A 2016 analysis of randomized controlled trials found that a serving a day of pulses may contribute to modest weight loss. That makes all sorts of beans, dry peas, chickpeas, and lentils great superfood choices.

2.Oats

Oats are rich in a type of soluble fiber called beta-glucan. It can keep you feel full throughout the day and may help reduce cholesterol. Oats also provide magnesium, an essential mineral that can help regulate blood sugar. When given a choice, go for whole grain oats . Skip the processed, sugary stuff that can spike your blood sugar. Other healthy whole-grain superfoods to try: quinoa (a high-fiber, protein-packed seeds) and black rice(rich in anthocyanin, a type of antioxidant). 

3.Avocados

These emerald beauties contain monounsaturated fatty acids, a heart-healthy type of fat that can keep you full for longer periods and stave off hunger.This plant-based source of fat and carbohydrate can lower inflammation in the body, which may aid weight loss.

4.Salmon

As a source of protein, you can’t go wrong with salmon. This cold-water fish contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, known to protect against heart disease and reduce inflammation. Salmon is a rich source of selenium, a trace mineral which helps prevent cell damage, and it also provides several B vitamins.

5.Blueberries

There’s a reason blueberries edge out other fruits for superfood status. These versatile berries—tasty raw, cooked, or frozen—are abundant in anthocyanins (plant pigments that give them their rich hue) and other flavonoids (plant chemicals) that have been shown to protect against cell damage and obesity, among other benefits. Fresh blueberries clock in at just 85 calories per cup. Include different kinds of berries in your diet for variety and maximum nutrition.

6.Broccoli

Cooked or raw, this member of the cabbage family is a stand-up addition to any plate. Along with its cruciferous cousins, broccoli is known for its potential to suppress tumor growth and reduce cancer risk. But with a punch of filling fiber, it also keeps blood sugar steady and supports weight management.

7.Almonds

Tree nuts, like almonds, may play a role in reducing body mass index and waist circumference, research suggests. “In addition to being satiating, the combo of healthy fat, plant protein, and fiber in almonds boosts feelings of fullness and delays the return of hunger,” explains Sass. “Plus, research has also shown that almonds actually contain about 20% fewer calories than the labels state, because some of the calories are not absorbed from the digestive tract into the bloodstream.”

8.Green tea

Green tea leaves consist mainly of antioxidant-packed polyphenols known for warding off cell damage and inflammation. Polyphenols are thought to protect against heart disease by acting on blood pressure and cholesterol. For a tasty pick-me-up, whip brewed green tea into a satisfying smoothie.

Though the evidence is preliminary, some small studies support the idea that green tea can aid in weight loss; one small study found that dieters who drank green tea lost more weight than those who drank water.

9.Dark chocolate

Cocoa is rich in flavanols, a category of polyphenols associated with lower insulin resistance and high blood pressure in adults, says the American Heart Association. Plus, flavonols may benefit vascular health by improving blood flow to the heart and brain, notes Cleveland Clinic. Choose dark chocolate (the darker, the better) and avoid versions loaded with extra ingredients that can bump up the fat and sugar content.

10.Potatoes

Despite what you may think, there’s no need banish carb-rich potatoes from your plate. One medium baked potato packs a ton of potassium—over 1,100 milligrams, or more than 1,500 if you eat the peel. Potassium is essential for keeping blood pressure in check. Potatoes also provide a good amount of filling fiber.

11.Bell peppers

Bell peppers get their fire from capsaicin. This compound is responsible for boosting metabolism, causing your body to burn extra calories, says Sass. “Hot peppers have also been shown to curb hunger and lead to naturally eating fewer calories,” she adds. Eat them raw, cooked, dried, or in powdered form, and when in doubt, throw some cayenne or hot sauce onto your meal.

12.Spinach

While kale has enjoyed superstar status in recent years,Spinach (and really any dark, leafy green) is just as healthful and shouldn’t be overlooked. Besides being low-calorie, low-carb, and vitamin-rich, spinach is bursting with plant chemicals that “curb food intake by inducing secretion of satiety hormones,”.

13.Pear

Just one medium pear packs 6 grams of fiber. That’s about one fifth of your daily recommended intake. One study found that women who ate three pears a day consumed fewer calories and lost more weight than those who didn’t. Ditch the peeler though; the skin is where all that filling fiber is hiding!

14.Oranges

More than just a vehicle for vitamin C, this sweet citrus fruit makes the superfood list for its antioxidant, antimicrobial , and antiviral properties. With 3 grams of fiber, a medium orange can help fill you up and support gut health too.

15.Chia seeds

These tiny seeds provide 10 grams of fiber per ounce, plus a good amount of magnesium (95 milligrams) and other minerals. The fiber content is “a major benefit for weight loss,” says Sass. That’s because fiber helps regulate blood sugar and insulin levels, reduces calorie absorption, increases fullness, delays the return of hunger, and supports a healthy gut, she explains. Also, the plant-based omega-3s in chia seeds, called ALA, have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2019-20 for States and Union Territories

 Union Education Minister, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’  approved the release of Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2019-20 for States and Union Territories of India today. The Government has introduced the Performance Grading Index with a set of 70 parameters to catalyse transformational change in the field of school education.

The PGI for States and Union Territories was first published in 2019 with reference year 2017-18. The PGI : States/UTs for 2019-20 is the third publication in this series. The PGI exercise envisages that the index would propel States and UTs towards undertaking multi-pronged interventions that will that will bring about the much-desired optimal education outcomes. The PGI helps the States/UTs to pinpoint the gaps and accordingly prioritise areas for intervention to ensure that the school education system is robust at every level.

Punjab, Chandigarh, Tamil Nadu, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Kerala occupy the highest grade (Grade A++) for 2019-20.

Most of the States/UTs have improved their grade in PGI 2019-20 compared to the earlier years.

Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Puducherry, Punjab and Tamil Nadu have improved overall PGI score by 10%, i.e., 100 or more points.

Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and Punjab have shown improvement by 10% (8 points) or more in the PGI domain: Access.

As many as thirteen States and UTs have shown improvement by 10% (15 points) or more in the PGI domain: Infrastructure and Facilities. Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Odisha have shown improvement by 20% or more. 

Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Odisha have shown more than 10% improvement in the PGI domain: Equity.

Nineteen States and UTs have shown improvement by 10% (36 points) or more in the PGI domain: Governance Process. Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Punjab, Rajasthan and West Bengal have shown improvement by at least 20% (72 points or more).

For details, see the link below.

https://www.education.gov.in/hi/statistics-new?shs_term_node_tid_depth=391

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guidelines for the development of e-Content for Children with Disabilities

 Union Education Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ today approved the release of the guidelines for the Development of e-Content for Children with Disabilities today.

A comprehensive initiative, PM e-VIDYA was launched on 17th May 2020, with an aim to unify all efforts related to digital/online/on-air education. The programme interaliaenvisages development of special e-content for the Divyang (Children with Disabilities-CwDs).  In pursuance of this vision, the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education had constituted a Committee of experts, for recommending guidelines for developing e-content for these children.

For the first time, an attempt was made to prepare guidelines for CwD also referred to as Children with Special Needs (CWSN) children so that the goal of inclusive education is fulfilled. The Committee submitted a report titled “Guidelines for the Development of e-Content for Children with Disabilities” comprising of eleven Sections and two Appendices. This report was shared, presented, discussed and accepted by the MoE.

The salient highlights of the e- content guidelines in the report are: 

  • e-Content for CwDs should be developed based on the four principles namely: perceivable, operable, understandable and robust.
  • e-Content including text, tables, diagrams, visuals, audios, videos etc. should comply with accessibility standards: national standards (GIGW 2.0) and international standards (WCAG 2.1, E-Pub, DAISY  etc).
  • Distribution platforms on which content is uploaded (e.g. DIKSHA) and Reading platforms/devices on which content is accessed and interacted (e.g. e-pathshala) must comply with technical standards
  • Reasonable pedagogical accommodations have been recommended to meet specific needs of CwDs
  • The technical standards and guidelines have been detailed out in Section 4 of the report.

The Committee has also recommended that in a phased manner textbooks may be adapted into Accessible Digital Textbooks (ADTs). The content of ADTs should be provided in multiple formats (text, audio, video, sign language etc) with turn-on and turn-off features. Further ADTs should provide flexibility to CwDs to respond to its content/exercises in multiple ways. The detailed guidelines for developing ADTs along with existing international and national experience, in the development of prototypes including the recent NCERT’s experience: Barkha:A Reading Series for All (in print and digital forms),  Accessible Textbooks for All and UNICEF’s “Accessible Digital Textbooks using Universal Design for Learning ( for Learners with and without  Disabilities ) have been presented in Section 5 of the report.

  • In addition to ADTs, in Sections 6 to 9 the Committee has recommended specific guidelines for development of supplementary e-Content as per 21 disabilities specified in the RPWD Act 2016 for students having Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Multiple Disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Specific Learning Disabilities, Blindness, low vision, Deafness and Hard of Hearing and others.
  • A summary of the recommendations has been presented in Section 10 of the report for sharing widely with content creators, content designers, developers, publishers.
  • The implementation roadmap along with the suggestions to strengthen compliance to the accessibility guidelines have been presented in Section 11 of the report.
  • Comprehensive guidelines and technical standards for the production of Sign Language videos have been provided at Appendix-1 of the Report.
  • Universal Design for Learning( UDL)guidelines for content development and pedagogical accommodations are given in Appendix 2 of the report. 

These guidelines will initiate the creation of high quality content for digital education toChildrenwith Special needs. They are dynamic by nature, to be improved based on experience and advent of better technology.

click here for accessing the guidelines

 

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KP/AK

Indian universities achieve top-200 positions in QS World University Rankings 2022

 Three Indian Universities have achieved top-200 positions in QS World University Rankings 2022. IISc Bengaluru ranked number 1 in the world for research. QS Quacquarelli Symonds, global higher education analysts has today released the 18th edition of the world’s International University rankings.

Union Education Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ congratulated IIT Bombay for securing 177th position , IIT Delhi for securing 185th rank  and  IISc Bengaluru for securing 186th position in universities rankings. 

Shri Pokhriyal said that India is taking a leap in the field of Education & Research and is emerging as a Vishwaguru. We are equally proud to have a Guru like Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi who has constantly been thinking about the welfare of students, faculty staff and all other stakeholders associated with the Indian Education sector, he added.

The Minister further said that the initiatives such as National Education Policy – 2020 and Institute of Eminence are instrumental in ranking our colleges and institutes globally. This can be felt by looking at the university rankings declared by QS & Times Group, he added.

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All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2019-20

 Union Education Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ today announced the release of the report of All India Survey on Higher Education 2019-20. This Report provides key performance indicators on the current status of Higher education in the country.

Shri Pokhriyal noted that in the last five years from 2015-16 to 2019-20, there has been a growth of 11.4% in the student enrolment. The rise in female enrolment in higher education during the period is 18.2%. He emphasized that the continuous focus given by the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on education of girls, women empowerment and empowerment of socially backward classes are well reflected by the increased participation of women, SCs and STs population in Higher Education as shown by the Report.

Minister of State Shri Sanjay Dhotre said, “The results published in this report are indicators of the success of the policies adopted by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in the higher education sector of the Country. I hope this report will help our policy makers to further improve the higher education scenario of the country.”

Secretary, Higher Education Shri Amit Khare said that this report is the 10th in the series of All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) annually released by D/o Higher Education. The continuous rise in the enrolment, number of institutions, gender parity is a part of our country’s major move towards improving access, equity and quality in light of National Education Policy 2020, he added.

 Key features of All India Survey on Higher Education Report 2019-20

1. Total Enrolment in Higher Education stands at 3.85 crorein 2019-20 as compared to 3.74 crore in 2018-19, registering a growth of 11.36 lakh (3.04 %). Total enrolment was 3.42 crore in 2014-15.

 

2. Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), the percentage of students belonging to the eligible age group enrolled in Higher Education, in 2019-20 is 27.1% against 26.3% in 2018-19 and 24.3% in 2014-2015.

3. Gender Parity Index (GPI) in Higher Education in 2019-20 is 1.01 against 1.00 in 2018-19 indicating an improvement in the relative access to higher education for females of eligible age group compared to males.

4. Pupil Teacher Ratio in Higher Education in 2019-20 is 26.

In 2019-20: Universities: 1,043(2%); Colleges: 42,343(77%) and stand-alone institutions: 11,779(21%).

 

6. 3.38 crore Students enrolled in programmes at under-graduate and post-graduate level.  Out of these, nearly 85% of the students (2.85 crore) were enrolled in the six major disciplines such as Humanities, Science, Commerce, Engineering & Technology, Medical Science and IT & Computer.

7. The number of students pursuing PhD in 2019-20 is 2.03 lakh against 1.17 lakh in 2014-15.

8. The Total Number of Teachers stands at 15,03,156 comprising of 57.5% male and 42.5% female.

Click below to see the report:

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How To Tame Frizzy Hair?

Frizzy Hair

Frizzy hair is the effect of different individual hair fibers running in multiple directions, which is why frizzy hair has a rough feel to it. As a result, hair appears dry and frizzy instead of smooth and defined.

Frizzy hair happens when the cuticle layer of your hair is raised, which allows moisture to pass through and swell the strands. But, what is the cuticle layer? The cuticle layer refers to the outermost layer of the hair strand that protects the innermost layers of the hair shaft.

What Causes Frizzy Hair?

“There are essentially four primary factors that cause frizz,”. “The first is the environment, such as humidity. Hair fibers act like sponges and when exposed to moisture, the hydrophobic bonds created with styling products break as moisture moves in and out of the hair fiber. Then there’s the diameter of the hair fiber itself. As we learned previously, frizz is misaligned hair fibers and the thicker the hair fiber, the more difficult it is to reshape and realign. The third cause is related to how curly a person’s hair is. The curlier the hair, the greater the challenge it is to align the hair fibers.”

Curly hair can be prone to frizz, but certain hairstyles work to tame frizz and define your beautiful, curly hair. Lastly, The amount of damage to the hair leads to frizz. For instance, split ends, cuticle loss and breakage gives hair that frizzy look because the hair fibers aren’t uniform or aligned.”

Tips to avoid frizzy hair

  1. Avoid using a terry cloth towel to dry your hair. Cloth towels can add damaging friction to your hair. Instead of drying your hair with a terry cloth towel, air dry your hair or use a microfiber towel.
  2. Avoid using a traditional bristle hairbrush. Certain hairbrushes can damage hair cuticles and lead to frizz. Switch to a widetooth comb to prevent breakage.
  3. Avoid using an old blow dryer. Traditional hair dryers use hot air to quickly dry your hair. Excess heat can damage your hair and lead to frizz. Instead, pick an ionic hair dryer to reduce damage while drying your hair.
  4. Avoid washing your hair every day. Washing your hair too often can deplete your hair of moisture and raise your hair cuticles, both of which contribute to frizz. Instead, wash your hair 2-3 times a week to prevent frizz.

What causes Frizz?

Frizzy hair isn’t always easy to deal with and varies based on your hair type. Therefore, knowing what frizzy hair is and what causes it is the first step.

  • Frizzy hair happens when all the different individual hair fibers are running in multiple directions.
  • There are four primary factors that cause frizz: the environment, diameter of the hair fiber itself, level of curl, and the amount of damage.
  • Avoid long and hot showers, excess exfoliation, and hot tools like traditional hairdryers and flat irons to prevent frizz.

Hair serum for frizz free hair

Hair serums may not be the magical elixir for thinning hair or hair loss, much less to promote hair growth. But it’s definitely the go-to frizzy hair treatment. A serum is formulated with a mix of argan oil, jojoba oil, and sunflower oil. Besides that, it features a custom blend of synthetic and naturally derived ingredients, including vitamin E, depending on your favourite hair goals. 

One of the greatest benefits of using a hair serum is its ability to block out humidity and create a sleek, polished finish. Simply put, there’s no better product to use when you’re trying to create that perfect glossy hair look.

Rather than just applying your serum to damp hair before heat styling, we suggest also using it in place of your hairspray to help tame any unruly strands. 

Simply rub a small amount of serum through the palm of your hands. Then, using two fingers, gently apply it to the strands using a pressing motion anywhere you want a smoother hair texture.

Serum only on the tresses and not the roots:

The idea of having super-shiny hair from root to tip may sound like a good idea in theory. But trust us when we say that, unlike a scalp treatment, you’ll want to avoid applying your serum directly on your roots or scalp. This holds especially true for those with naturally-fine  or oily hair, as even the most lightweight serums have the potential to weigh the hair down, cause product buildup, and make your roots look greasy.

For that reason, we always recommend applying your serum to the ends first and slowly working your way up to the mid-shafts. This will not only ensure that you don’t overload on the product, but that you’re also only applying it to the part of your hair that needs it most.

Don’t Apply Right Away:

Unlike hair oils, hair serums tend to be a little thicker in consistency, which can make working them into your hair a bit more difficult for some.

Our tip? Don’t try applying your hair serum as soon as you dispense it. Instead, try warming up the product between your hands for a few seconds so that it has the chance to break down and liquify a bit, giving you a little more slip. This’ll not only help your serum perform better but also ensure a more seamless, even application.

Don’t Over-Apply:

Whether your hair is long or short, thin or thick, there’s a fine line between looking perfectly polished and flat and greasy. That’s why it’s important to start with a small amount of serum and then gradually work in more only as needed.

When in doubt, start with the least number of pumps recommended for your hair type and then slowly build from there. Whatever you do, just remember: a little goes a long way.

Benefits of Honey

Honey is a liquid sweetener that bees make. After they collect nectar from flowers, they take it back to the hive and regurgitate it. Then, the other bees chew it until it becomes honey. The bees deposit the honey into tiny, waxy storage units called honeycombs. They fan it with their wings to dry it out. This process makes it stickier.

“Honey gets its sweetness from its chemical makeup,”. “It’s made up of two simple sugars called glucose and fructose, along with some minerals.”

Types of honey

The U.S. boasts more than 300 different types of honey. You can buy it:

  • Raw: Raw honey comes straight from the hive. “Raw honey is the least processed and probably has the most antioxidants,” Ilic says. Despite its raw status, it’s considered safe to eat except for children younger than 1, who should avoid all honey.
  • Pasteurized: Pasteurized honey has been processed to remove imperfections and improve its shelf life. “It can also be spiked with added corn syrup or other sweeteners,” Ilic notes. “Not all honey sold in the stores is the same even though it all starts naturally in the hive.”

Why is some honey light and others dark?

Whether honey is light or dark in color depends on which kind of plant the bees who made it took the nectar from. “For instance, dark buckwheat yields dark honey,”. “But nutritionally, there’s evidence that darker honey has less water and more antioxidants than light-colored honey.”

Honey has so many different tastes you can enjoy compared to plain sugar, she adds. “It can be sweeter or more bitter, depending on the flower source.”

Light honey varieties

Light-colored honey tends to be mild in flavour. Varieties include:

  • Acacia honey: It has floral scents and sweetness but doesn’t change the taste of what you put it in, such as tea and oatmeal.
  • Clover honey: This honey is common in the U.S. “It has a floral, sweet taste and a bit of a sour aftertaste,”. “It’s good for baking, sauces and dressings.”

Dark honey varieties

Dark honeys are known for their stronger flavours. Examples include:

  • Buckwheat honey: “This full-flavored honey can be used in marinades,” says Ilic.
  • Manuka honey: Manuka honey comes from the nectar and pollen of the Manuka bush in New Zealand. “Studies have shown it contains antioxidants, along with antibacterial and antifungal properties. It’s also expensive,” adds Ilic. It’s traditionally used topically to treat burns, cuts and sores.

Is crystallized honey bad?

Store honey in a cool location away from sunlight. But sometimes, even in the perfect spot, honey can crystallize and solidify. “Honey with a higher ratio of glucose versus fructose crystallizes sooner,”. “Glucose may also attach to the little particles of honeycomb and pollen in raw honey and is more likely to crystallize as a result.”

But crystallized honey is still safe to eat: It can be used as a spread, like butter. You can also re-liquefy it by putting the container in a warm water bath.

Honey’s health benefits

Honey contains antioxidants, minerals, enzymes that have many potential health benefits. There’s also evidence that honey can:

  • Soothe coughs: The World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Academy of Pediatrics both endorse honey as a natural cough remedy. 
  • Treat wounds and burns: Pharmaceutical-grade manuka honey dressings have been used in clinical settings to treat burns and pressure ulcers.

“Many other claims have been made about the health benefits of honey – some based on very small studies, others overstated and based on mixed study results,”. “Additional studies are needed.”

How to add honey to your diet

While honey has health qualities that other sugars only dream of, it’s still an added sugar — and eating too much of it can wreak havoc on your health. The American Heart Association recommends:

  • Women: Consume no more than 6 teaspoons daily of added sugars (100 calories).
  • Men: Consume no more than 9 teaspoons daily of added sugars (150 calories).

Those limits include all sources of added sugar in your diet, so use honey in moderation to avoid exceeding the limits. “Try sweetening plain yogurt with a light drizzle of honey and add your own fruit, instead of eating flavoured yogurt with too much added sugar.” You could also use honey in sauces and marinades or as a skin mask.

Learning how to learn!

“Focused” and “Diffused” Modes

When learning, there are times in which you are focused and times in which you allow your mind to wander. Both modes are valuable to allow your brain to learn something.
Take regular breaks, meditate, think about other things, and give yourself plenty of time in both modes.

Chunking

This is the idea of breaking what you want to learn into concepts. The goal is to learn each concept in a way that they each become like a well-known puzzle piece. 
To master a concept, you not only need to know it but also to know how it fits into the bigger picture.

Beware of Illusions of Competence

There are many ways in which we can make ourselves feel like we have “learned” a concept. Instead of highlighting or underlining, rather take brief notes that summarize key concepts.

Recall

Take a couple of minutes to summarize or recall the material you are trying to learn. It goes a long way to taking something from short-term memory to long-term learning.

Bite-Sized Testing

To avoid breakthrough illusions of competence, you should test yourself as you’re encountering new material. The recall is a simple example of this mini-testing.

Over-Learning

Do not spend too much time in one sitting going over the same material over and over again. The law of diminishing returns certainly applies. Spread it out over many sessions and many different modes of learning.

Interleaving

Once you have a basic understanding of what you are trying to learn, practice jumping back and forth between problems that require different techniques. This will solidify your understanding of the concepts by learning how to choose to apply them in various situations. Knowing when to apply a particular concept is as important as knowing how.

Process over Product

When facing procrastination, think of the process over the product.
Instead of thinking that you have to get X done, rather think to spend an hour on X. It is then not overwhelming and doesn’t require a long breakdown of tasks.

Metaphors and Analogies

They are often talked about as helpful study techniques. 
Try to make a deliberate effort to teach what you learn to someone else and, in doing so, you will likely be forced to explain concepts with relatable metaphors and analogies.

Study Groups / Teamwork

This has proven to be most beneficial to maintain continued progress and hold each other accountable. Finding the right group is key.

Reference

https://medium.com/learn-love-code/learnings-from-learning-how-to-learn-19d149920dc4

SARAH’S : A CHANGE IN THE NOTION OF MOTHERHOOD

Jude Anthony Joseph’s 2021 Malayalam film Sarah’s is making a revolutionary turn in Malayalam cinema by changing the notions of pregnancy, abortion and motherhood. The protagonist Sarah is a woman who is not willing to get pregnant and to bcome a mother. As she gets older day by day this decision gets stronger. she even marries a man on this agreement. The tension arises when she becomes pregnant, by a contraceptive failure. But even after this Sarah is stronger with her opinion of her own pregnancy, but her husband, family and the society compells her to continue this pregnancy without considering her opinion. But towards the end the decision made by Sarah on her pregnancy is something revolutionary. This kind of representation of womanhood and motherhood is very rare in Mollywood.

Through the character of Sarah the film portrays the fact that women are not just medium of reproduction. The direction also shows themes like modern sexual relations, legal side of abortions etc. Through the medium of satire the movie comments on old notions of motherhood. And also states that there is no need to glorify motherhood, if that affects the mental physical and emotional state of mother. The movie says that parenthood is not a social norm. The film even not glorifies abortion. It opens a discussion that when and why a person can decide it. The comment ” Better not be a parent, than a bad parent” is thoughtful. The film can be considered as an ode to women about parenthood, identity and opinion.

IMPORTANCE OF SELF LOVE

Self love, which is the “consideration of one’s own happiness or advantage” is a basic human necessity. It is a kind of appreciation for oneself that results in the well being of one’s physical, psychological and spiritual self. It includes actions and thoughts which is for one’s own needs and not sacrificing one’s well being to please others. The habit of self love and self appreciation is considered as compulsory for the psyche of human. Because people who love themselves are less likely to suffer from anxiety, depression and such similar psychological conditions. It also lessens procrastination and increases the focus to work.

Loving oneself is a different task, but to develop the habit is easy. One of the practice to develop self love is to stop comparing oneself with others. This comparison is natural, but if it sometime leads to danger. There is no need for comparison because every individual is unique m Apart from this one needs to focus on his or her self energy and spirit. Neglecting other’s opinion is also an important habits with regard to self love. Constructive criticism is important for one’s personality development. But worrying about other’ opinion and thinking what the society thinks before doing anything is a bad practice. It is human to make mistakes. Nobody is perfect. With each mistakes one learn each lessons. So the freedom to do mistakes is an important factor in self love. Good decision making, forbidding how one’s body look, avoidance of toxic people, understanding and rejecting fears and finding beauty in simple things are some steps to develop the habit of self love.

Another important factor is the freedom to feel pain and happiness equally. Limitations in feelings like happiness, pain and fear are dangerous. It is human to experience every emotion in its fullest form. These experiences will make one to realize oneself. Giving priority to oneself is a good practice. Even though it is in every one, women is more accustomed to putting other’s first.

When a person practices self love, others will also start feeling love with himself or herself. As a result of this one’s confidence increases and it leads to success in professional and personal life. It helps to understand one’s passion and this habit attracts others. Thus self love is a necessary habit in one’s physical psychological and spiritual well being.

Kinds Of Essay

An essay is a short composition in prose. It discusses, either formally or informally, one or more topics. This term was first applied to Montaigne’s volumn of informal pieces. This volume was first published in 1580. After seventeen years, Francis Bacon used the English word ‘essay’ to describe his brief philosophic discourses. With the development of periodicals, the essay become a popular form. Addison, Steel, Lamb, Hazlitt, and Pater made it their major concern.

The Aphoristic Essay Bacon was the first to write proper essays in English. Though he was inspired by the French writer Montaigne, his essays are more objectives and impersonal than those of the French master. Bacon’s essays are written in an aphoristic style. They contain mostly short, crisp sentences with a didactic bent. Bacon called his essay’s ‘counsels civil and moral’ and ‘dispersed meditations’. Aphoristic essays are known for their precision of style and balancing structure. No superfluous words are used and sentences flow rapidly. They seem abrupt and rugged but express the ideas directly and clearly. As a critic says, the sentences in an aphoristic essay are in a state of ‘literary undress’

The Character Essay In the earlier part of the 17th century, the essay took the form of character sketches in the writings of Joshep Hall, John Earle, and Sir Thomas Overbury. They were inspired by the Greek philosopher Theophrastus and the Roman Seneca. The early character essays were marked by minute details and were often presented in a humorous and satirical manner. Such essays were almost like pen pictures of various types of men and women. Some traits of the character essay can be seen even in Addison’s essays on Sir Roger de Coverley.

The Critical Essay Dryden introduced this type of essay during the Restoration period. Though the critical essay retained the traditional form, its theme was literary criticism. Dryden’s Prefaces and other prose writings can be included in this category. The critical essay is the main objective. However, it often exhibits traits of the personal essay because critical opinions are generally colored by the personality of the writer. In the 19th century, the critical essay flourished in the writings of Emerson, Hazlitt, Arnold, Carlyle, and Ruskin. The 20th century has seen a host of critics who made valuable contributions to the critical essay. Among them, T.S.Eliot and F.R.Leavis are the most important.

The Periodical Essay The periodical essay became popular in the 18th century especially with the publication of the ‘Tatler’ and the ‘The Spectator’. The essay that began to appear in the periodicals drew their inspiration from the social life of the people. The periodical essay was adapted for literary criticism and the delineation of character. Addison’s essay delineating the character of ‘The Spectator’ and the several essays by Steele and Addison on the imaginary character Sir Roger de Coverley is the examples of how journalistic writings could attain artistic perfection.

The Personal Essay In the Personal Essay, the personal element predominates. Charles Lamb is known as the greatest writer of the personal essay in English Literature. There is no formal or logical development of thought in an essay. The various points are mentioned haphazardly. Its author likes to enjoy the freedom of conversation. So, he is informal and often chatty. Hazlitt, De Quincey, and Charles Lamb brought the personal essay to a level that has remained unsurpassed. George Orwell, E.M. Forster, James Thurber, and E.B. White are excellent model practitioners of the personal essay.

Twentieth Century Essay In the 20th century, the development of the essay is encouraged by a large number of periodicals and newspapers. Many of the modern essays appear in the form of articles and are often collected and published in book form. In the modern essay, the distinction between the personal and the objective is hardly noticeable. It is at once expository, reflective, and descriptive and one of its main elements is humor. Some of the important modern essayists are G.K.Chesterton, A.G.Gardiner, F.L.Lucas, Max Beerbohm, and Hilaire Belloc

https://track2training.org/2022/01/11/what-is-an-essay/