Category: Health

Foods Rich In Antioxidants

Antioxidants are substances that prevent cell damage due to free radicals. It delays the oxidation rate.

Antioxidants help to maintain weight and proper vision. Supports immune system and improves mental health.

Free radicals cause chronic diseases like cancer, heart diseases, aging diseases. If free radicals are not efficiently removed, body does not function well.

Chewing tobacco, smoking, pollution, stress and radiation are some of the factors that excessively produce free radicals.

Antioxidants include well known enzymes and substances like Vitamin C, Vitamin E that counter damaging effects of oxidation.

Antioxidants can be natural or artificial. Food products like vegetable oils and prepared foods contain antioxidants to avoid reduction from the action of air. Fruits and vegetables have Vitamin C and E that are known to be effective antioxidants.

Foods Rich in Antioxidants –

  • Vegetables

Vegetables like broccoli, carrot, beetroot, avocados, radish, potatoes are all high in antioxidants. These vegetables have Vitamin C and E.

Green, leafy vegetables have excellent number of antioxidants. Green, leafy vegetables have more antioxidants compared to other vegetables.

Artichokes recommended to be included in a diet as it has nutrients and antioxidants for a good heart and liver. It is seen that boiling artichokes produces good antioxidant levels.

Red cabbage contains Vitamin C, A and K. It prevents cancer, helps reduce inflammation and maintains weight.

  • Fruits

Guava, mangoes, peaches, oranges, papaya, figs are all packed with vitamins. These fruits are highly recommended as they are rich in antioxidants.

Berries are well known for foods with vitamins and minerals. Usually, berries are consumed through bakery goods or salads. Raspberries and strawberries are both healthy foods for regulating high cholesterol levels.

Another health benefit of raspberry is that it is highly effective in case of breast cancer.

  • Nuts

Nuts are also known to have a lot of nutritional value. Nuts like macadamia, almond, cashews, hazelnuts should be part of your diet. You can start your morning with oatmeal and cereals to give your breakfast a healthy twist.

Pecans have high level of antioxidants and minerals. Eating pecans on a daily basis reduces risk of high cholesterol and increases blood levels.

  • Herbs and spices

Paprika, coriander, onions, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cardamom are recommended for healthy diet.

Herbs like oregano, basil, tarragon contribute a punch of flavor to the meal and also have high antioxidant.

  • Dry Fruits

Dry fruits are quick and healthy snack. Can be carried easily anywhere you go. They are said to be rich in antioxidants as much as fruits. Raisins, plums, peaches can have added sugars so such dried fruits with added sugar should be avoided as it results in weight gain and high sugar levels. You should add dry fruits to your everyday meal.

  • Dark Chocolate

Chocolate is loved by children and adults. So, while eating chocolate make sure you eat dark chocolate, because it has impressive amount of antioxidant. It helps to reduce the risk of heart diseases and is beneficial for people with high blood pressure. High blood pressure is commonly found among people these days. The chances of high blood pressure can be decreased by consuming dark chocolate. It promotes good cholesterol in the body.

For a healthy body, one should include these foods that have high health benefits. Antioxidants are required by a body to reduce risks of potential chronic diseases and subsidize production of free radicals. All these foods are good source of antioxidants.

The utterly butterly delicious story of Amul

Over the years, Amul, one of the most beloved brands of our country, has become the taste of India, just as its tagline claims. Every Indian millennial has grown up listening to the jingles of its many dairy products, and the Amul girl, the brand’s mascot in the polka-dotted dress, has become a nostalgia-evoking symbol. Amul has truly come a long way since its founding in 1946.

The beginning

Amul was formed as a part of a cooperative movement against Polson Dairy in Anand, Gujarat, which procured milk from local farmers of Kaira District at very low rates and sold it to the then Bombay government. Everyone except the farmers benefited from this trade. The farmers took their plea to Sardar Patel, who had advocated farmers’ cooperatives since 1942. The result was the formation of the Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union Limited in Anand.

The union started pasteurising milk produced by a handful of farmers for the Bombay Milk Scheme and grew to 432 farmers by the end of 1948. The rapid growth led to problems including excess production that the Bombay Milk Scheme couldn’t accommodate. To solve this issue, a plant was set up to process all that extra milk into products such as milk powder and butter.

Amul is born

The late Dr. Verghese Kurien, rightly called the Milkman of India, was Amul’s true architect. His journey at Amul began in 1949 when he arrived in Anand to manage a dairy as a government employee. He went from helping farmers repair machinery to revolutionising India’s dairy industry with the White Revolution (or Operation Flood), the largest dairy development programme in the world.

The new dairy with the milk processing plant was ready for operation in October 1955, the year that also saw a breakthrough in dairy technology —buffalo milk was processed to make products for the first time in the world. The word ‘Amul’, derived from ‘Amulya’, which means ‘precious’ or ‘priceless’ in Sanskrit, was used to market the range of milk products developed by the Kaira Union. It is also an acronym for Anand Milk Union Ltd.

Dr Kurien had a vision. He wanted to offer small-scale dairy farmers quality-control units and centralised marketing, which were missing at the time in the dairy economy. Thus, the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) was created in 1973 to market milk and all milk products produced by six district cooperative unions in Gujarat. GCMMF is the largest exporter of dairy products in India and Amul is the umbrella for all of its products.

Awards, accolades, and a global presence

Over the years, Amul, together with GCMMF, has won numerous awards. Some of these include the Rajiv Gandhi National Quality Award, 1999; the Golden Trophy for Outstanding Export Performance, 2009-10; Best Marketing Campaign, 2014; and World Dairy Innovation Award, among many others. Amul earned recognition all over the world when GCMMF  introduced it on the Global Dairy Trade (GDT) platform, where only the six top dairy players across the world sell their products.

More than a mere slogan

Amul’s famous slogan, which is now a part of its logo, was created in 1994 by Shri Kanon Krishna of a Mumbai-based advertising agency called Advertising and Sales Promotion (ASP). According to Amul, the Taste of India slogan is more than just corporate positioning or advertising jargon. This slogan lends meaning to the brand’s never-ending commitment to taking quality food and products to the rural man, which he otherwise couldn’t have afforded.

The Butter Girl

Amul did not always have the round-eyed moppet as its mascot. The Butter Girl was born in 1966 when Sylvester daCunha, the then MD of the advertising agency handling Amul butter’s account, created her for its campaign. It was a pleasant change from the dull, corporate ads that the previous agency had come up with. Being a seasoned marketer himself, Dr Kurien gave daCunha complete creative freedom to create and release the ads without taking the company’s permission. 30 years later, the Utterly Butterly Girl still wins hearts wherever she is, whether on a billboard or on the packet of butter.

Amul is not just a brand; it is also a movement that represents farmers’ economic freedom. The name is now a household term that is here to stay, and the chubby-cheeked Amul girl will continue to cast a spell on the public.

MENTAL HEALTH: DON’T TAKE IT EASY

Many people believe that being physically healthy is a sign of good health, but do they even consider their mental health? Today I am going to discuss this particular topic called “Mental health of a human being”.

Today youngsters and even old people are very particular about their physical health. They join gyms, participate in various cardio activities to make themselves physically fit but what about their mental health? How people would understand whether they are mentally fit or not? And if they know, then how will they overcome it? Today in this era of competition in everything, being in studies or fashion or anything else, everyone is running a race and is trying to outshine each other. Because of this, they have forgotten that their mind should also be taken care of like anything else. 

Anxiety and depression have now became a common issue for every individual. Some people try to hide their anxiety by talking too much or by remaining extremely quiet.

Have you ever wondered, everybody, talks about an illness like cancer, heart attack, migraine, etc very freely but when it comes to mental health, they often hide from everyone and consider it a shameful thing? No one openly talks about their mental illness because somewhere they think that it is shameful to share it with anyone. Even, if he/she talks about it openly then they get very little support and is stabbed by their friends in tougher times, which makes them weaker and lonely even when surrounded by a crowd. Nowadays there are some who understand this problem and openly help such victims. Else, earlier they used to tag that person insane and didn’t look after them. 

But I want to convey to such people to come out, express yourself whatever you are feeling, either share it on your social media or talk with your loved ones, there are definitely people who will help you to overcome it. This is not something to be ashamed of, it is also a part of your health. Never feel low because of love failure, study stress or family problems, etc.

You are not alone in this. Your loved ones are standing behind you to support you.

And in the end, I would like to convey my message to those who take mental health for granted that please don’t judge people in any way. You have no idea about what a person is going through. So, LIVE AND LET LIVE.

BIRIYANI : THE BLESSINGS OF MUGHALS

The origin of biriyani in India is uncertain. Many theories are put forward in the origin of Biriyani in our country. The delicacy is considered as a food pride of our country. According to historian Lizzie Collingham, the modern biryani developed in the royal kitchens of the Mughal Empire (1526–1857) and is a mix of the native spicy rice dishes of India and the Persian pilaf.Indian restaurateur Kris Dhillon believes that the dish originated in Persia, and was brought to India by the Mughals. Pratibha Karan the author of the book “Biriyani” says that it is derived from a South origin dish called pilaf . She speculates that the pulao was an army dish in medieval India. Armies would prepare a one-pot dish of rice with whichever meat was available. Over time, the dish became biryani due to different methods of cooking, with the distinction between “pulao” and “biryani” being arbitrary.

Biriyani ❤️

INGREDIENTS

The spices and condiments used in biryani may include ghee (clarified butter), nutmeg, mace,pepper, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, coriander, mint leaves, ginger, onions, tomatoes, green chilies, and garlic. The premium varieties include saffron.

The main ingredient that usually accompanies the spices is chicken or goat meat; special varieties might use beef or seafood instead. The dish may be served with dahi chutney or raita, korma, curry, a sour dish of aubergine (brinjal), boiled egg, and salad.

The taste of India

VARIETIES OF BIRIYANI

There are many types of biryani, whose names are often based on their region of origin. For example, Sindhi biryani developed in the Sindh region of what is now Pakistan, and Hyderabadi biryani developed in the city of Hyderabad in South India.

Some have taken the name of the shop that sells it, for example: Haji Biriyani, Haji Nanna Biriyani in Old Dhaka, Fakhruddin Biriyani in Dhaka, Students biryani in Karachi, Lucky biryani in Bandra, Mumbai and Baghdadi biryani in Colaba, Mumbai. Biryanis are often specific to the Muslim communities where they originate; they are usually the defining dishes of those communities.

KOLKATA BIRIYANI

Calcutta or Kolkata biryani evolved from the Lucknow style, when Awadh’s last Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was exiled in 1856 to the Kolkata suburb of Metiabruz. Shah brought his personal chef with him. The Kolkata biriyani is characterized by the unique presence of potato in it, along with meat. It is said that the Nawab, having is lost his kingdom, could not afford meat, so his chefs tried to compensate by adding potato.

Kolkata biriyani
Biriyani is a dish which brings pride to our food culture
      Anuj Das

5 Effective Factors for Good Health

As we all know “Health is Wealth “, we all should take a good care of our health .A good health is equal to valuable treasure .With a good healthy body & mind you will be able to live a long & diseases pain free life , able to get success , & have a happy everyday lifestyle . There are some factors which will helps you to gain in this important field.

Yoga Practices : Yoga is some  mental , physical spiritual actions for good mental & physical health .Some research already prove that yoga is an effective exercise for not only fitness of the body but also in mental health with other good improvement in health. WHO also have given positive feedback on yoga & made an 2018-2030 action plan for yoga practice  .United Nation announce 21st June as the World Yoga Day .There are various types of yoga with various benefits . Naukasana (Boat Posture) ,Vakrasana((Twisted Posture)  for belly-fat lose , Dhanurasana (Bow Posture) for weight-loss . Sukhasana (Easy Posture) ,Kakasana (Crow Posture), Bhujangasana (Cobra Posture), Sarvangasana (Stand On Shoulder Posture) ,Shirasana (Stand on Head Posture) etc are some yoga asana which help in many physical(Blood Circulation, Mussel Growth , Nervous System, Respiratory System, Blood circulation etc)  & mental Health ( Relaxation, Mind-peace, sleeplessness, concentration, stress etc) .Only one yoga poster have many remarkable benefits which help to prevent some harmful diseases. Now a days many YouTube channels ,apps ,communities are there for as a yoga instructors . Even some school, college ,company have included yoga in their curriculum keeping the benefactor of yoga in mind .

Regular Exercise or, Workout at gym : Exercise or workout are also very helpful in maintaining fitness . You can do it in a gym using some workout  machine & heavy weight equipment or you can do some workout exercise  for body fitness as both are effective .Although  some research show that there are some negative effects also .Exercise or workout helps in body fat loss , increase muscle strength , improve blood circulation, expand endurance level etc. Some machine used in gyms for workouts are mechanical treadmill , spring stretcher , Adjustable bench ,barbell stand ,cable crossover, lifting  etc. Push-up ,aerobic exercise ,walk, squat, swimming ,cycling are some effective exercise . You can take a help from some apps , YouTube channels ,community ,gym ,professionals for doing such exercise or workout for fitness .

Eating Healthy Food: Yoga & exercise help in good health but health foods are also very important in this case .As we all know every vegetables ,fruits ,animal products have some nutritious value and help our body to gain protein ,vitamins, carbohydrates, fat in perfect amount for healthiness if we consume them in a systematic manners . Some nutrition value , and health benefits are mentioned below — 1)Spinach: It is a green vegetable with lots of Calcium, Iron, Vitamins (Vita-K ,Vita-A ,Vita-C) ,antioxidants .It helps in physical energy , clean blood for oxygen circulation, blood pressure reduction for good heart etc. which prevents some health issues .                                      2) Kale: It is leafy greens . It has 7 calories & some vitamins(A,C,K) as nutrition .It decrease the amount of BP , bad cholesterols & sugar in our blood .                                                                                                                                3) Beets: It is a red- pinkish vegetable with  good cholesterols , potassium ,antioxidants which helps greatly in diabetes & BP .                                                                                                                                                      4) Carrots: It is a orange colors vegetables but it can also be purple or yellow . It has %2 types of calories , Vitamin A & a lot of amounts of beta carotenes which helps in skin problems , breast cancer ,eyesight . 5) Edible Mushrooms: It has various categories with special shapes ,size colors & very delicious . It has a great amount of Vitamin B-6 ,Vitamin C ,iron , protein & non-fat which it prevents cancer , diabetes , heart problem etc.                                                                                                                                                                        6) Lemons: it is sour juicy fruit lots of Vitamin C & antioxidants which works on cold flu , weight loss ,cancer , diabetes etc.                                                                                                                                                                            7) Apple: It is a popular health benefiting  fruit  which contains calories ,carbohydrates ,fibers , potassium etc. & works on cardio-vascular diseases .                                                                                                              8) Avocado: It is green creamy & quit expensive fruit with high amount of potassium ,calories & antioxidants & helps in lowering cholesterols &chances of  heart disease .                                                                      This is just given as an example for showing that every fruits & vegetables have good health nutation. As for animal products like milk , meat , eggs etc. also have lots of protein & other elements with is important for our body growth . So we can see every edible foods have certain amount of nutriments & we should consume them as much as our body needed . Neither less nor more . You can take a help from any app , nutrition in this case .

Good Habits : With the  healthy foods , exercise & yoga ,we should develops some good habits for better health benefit , prevention of diseases . Some good habits are mentioned below —– 1) Early To bed & early to rise ,2) Drinking water after raising 3) Don’t go to bed as soon as your lunch or dinner is finished ,4) consume lots of water in a day ,5) do some exercise after eating , 6) yoga after raising 7)drinking mild hot water with lemon or honey in morning instead coffee 7) check about weight on daily or weekly basis 8) Do exercise or yoga in morning daily 9) Don’t drink cold water 10) Bath in morning  11) a healthy breakfast with fruits ,eggs  . There are so many healthy habits & you should practices them as you needed but they are important .

POLO : THE FORGOTTEN GAME

The role of sports programs in promoting academic success, health and fitness, responsible social behaviors and self confidence among young people and how such programs could be expanded to reach those in great need. While sports can encourage good study habits as well as the expression of ethical behaviors such as fair play, integrity, sportsman spirit and compassion and the result can be counterproductive if these values are not modelled by parents and coaches. Polo has been referred to as “the sport of kings”. This sports requires more energy and enthusiasm , youth is the best age to begin participating in it. It is more than just a game; it is something to be enjoyed with all of one’s heart. Only when we enjoy what we are doing can we contribute our full potential to it.

Polo is not only for men, but women can also play it, and there is an equal increase in that. many people have a passion for this sport but they abandon their dreams because they do not receive enough support and encouragement from their family. polo is an expensive sport where one has to spend money to buy horses and the clothing’s etc.  There are many sponsors who are ready to spend for the expenses, if the person financially not stable. There are numerous corporate entities eager to assist players. Most major cities have academies, including the Rajasthan Polo Club in Jaipur, the Greater Mahalaxmi Race Course in Mumbai, and the Jindal Academy in Noida. If there are people who can help them financially, there will be a large number of young people who want to play.

This game, like any other, has more risk factors. Only when the person is on top of the horse and maintains proper posture and balance will he be able to play smoothly. It necessitates greater concentration, as the player must maintain a keen focus on the ball, his opponents, and then ride the horse; all in all, it is extremely dangerous. When it comes to risk factors, young people find it more exciting because they enjoy adventure, and in this game, the player must be both mentally and physically active. A major issue for at-risk youth is that they have not had the kinds of experiences that success in life necessitates, such as personal discipline and the ability to persevere. Athletics can be an effective tool for teaching life lessons.

Polo helps to improve your balance, coordination, and motor function. When hitting a ball with a mallet on a moving horse, hand-eye coordination is put to the test to the fullest. According to research, polo has numerous cardiovascular and muscle conditioning benefits. Power to your muscles and a lower risk of injury come from your core, which is strengthened by polo. According to research, an hour of activity can burn the same amount of calories as a 30-minute jog or cycle. Increased ride speed and duration will increase the intensity of your workout and burn more calories.

It is critical to raise awareness among young people that participation in sports promotes their healthy development. It is critical that these awareness campaigns begin at home, where parents should teach their children the value of playing games and encourage them in any way they can. In schools, students have one period allotted to them outdoor where they can play whatever games they want. However, not a single school provides students with polo guidance, despite the fact that these students are more familiar with cricket and football. This could be because polo is played on the top of a horse, and as a result, schools may not be able to discuss it, proper guidance that is what needed. So, just like any other sport, polo should be well known among students, and let us hope for a world where there are children who are as enthusiastic about polo as they are about cricket and football.

Cyber Bullying

What is Cyber Bullying?

When a young person uses the Internet or technology to harass, threaten, embarrass, or target another person, this person is called a cyberbullying. Typically, cyberbullying involves tweens and teens; but it’s not uncommon for adults to experience cyberbullying and public shaming as well. Even if someone deletes a mean post, chances are it’s still available in some form such as in a screenshot or a shared text message. Worse yet, those targeted by cyberbullies often don’t know who is bullying them, so they often have no way to bring it to an end.

Impact of Cyberbullying

If your child is being targeted by cyberbullying, it’s important that you work with them to report the cyberbullying and do everything you can to get the victimization to stop. Additionally, you should talk to their pediatrician or a mental health professional about what your child is experiencing. Expecting your child to cope with the cyberbullying on their own is not realistic. Cyberbullying also can lead to increasing levels of anxiety and depression. One study found that as many as 93% of kids victimized by cyberbullies reported feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and powerlessness.

Coping with Cyberbullying

  • Encourage your child to reclaim control. Cyberbullying can make teens feel like their lives are out of control. For this reason, you want to give them opportunities where they feel like they have some control. One way to do this is to encourage your child to use what they have experienced and turn it into something good like helping others going through the same thing.
  • Focus on learning from the experience. Whether your child needs a boost to their self-esteem or they need to learn to think positively, help your child identify what they can learn from this experience. You also can help them reframe their experience and focus on the good that has come from it rather than the pain that it caused.

The rivers in the rainy season.

The monsoon rain is believed to be a blessing as well as a curse. When the rain comes down in sufficient quantity, it is a blessing for us after the scorching heat of summer and also for the farmers because the crops grow in abundance. After the dry summer spell the rivers fill up. Fed by the monsoon rain the rivers become furious in size and volume in the rainy season. At that time water runs down from hills and mountains and strong currents overflow the banks of the rivers. Sometimes crops are washed away by flood water on both sides of the river. When the flood becomes more furious, some domestic animals are drowned. The roads and national highways are inundated, and people become homeless. They are bound to starve for a number of days. The whole system of economy of the rural areas as well as urban areas is miserably hampered by the floods in the rivers. The heavy rains in the highland regions cause soil erosion. The rainwater gushes down bringing with it all the top soil and plants. This makes the river water very muddy. Sometimes big trees are uprooted and they too flow down the river.

So, to control floods dams are erected on some of the rivers to check such devastating floods. When the volume of water is controlled through dams, flood is stopped, and it causes good harvest by the useful use of the river water. Thus, sometimes the rivers become a curse and sometimes a boon in the rainy season.

So we always hope for moderate but sufficient rainfall so that the rivers in the rainy season remain manageable.

The other side of pandemic

This pandemic has proven dangerous to human breed, in the past two years the humankind has experienced a lot of negativities and we still are. When, a year passed into the pandemic people were like better days be coming. its just a phase, it will pass and we all will be back to normal but, somehow the flashing headlines on TV which are now forecasting third wave is making things complicated for many. Currently, every single person is been affected by the ongoing pandemic it can be in the form of financial loss or even the loss of mental health. During this whole time no matter how much, we try to get detached from that unusual feeling which can look like boredom, constant pressure and stressing about future or present or not trying to make efforts we often end up thinking about the same whole day.


This is the influence of a global pandemic. Just like social media can influence a person in a good or bad way same goes with the ongoing situation. We are experiencing some unusual changes in our daily life many people have updated their habits healthy eating, meditation, yoga etc. reason can be that they have observed that health is important than anything else on the other hand there must be people who used to be happy and cheerful can be sitting alone in the house, not in contact of any close friend and depressed. We can not say its totally normal because adapting to few things is still a difficult task just like taking online classes can be normal but, not when they are imposed permanently and there is no other option left Afterall we have to get our degree. Many people among us must be thinking that they are missing out so much by just sitting home and yes we are. Every age group is missing out on something or the other and also wondering how different I was two years back or how I was enjoying so much two years back. But, we should all be thankful and grateful for what we have right now. Yes we cannot go out and have fun but, at least we are able to afford the basic necessities of life, we are safe in our houses, we have family and friends. as there are people who are suffering right now who are in the worst situation.


We live on hope, it is what keep us alive and motivate us to keep going. As humans we are still hopeful for better days to come, things will be in better condition. The important thing is to learn our lesson and keep looking forward instead of stressing on past, present or future facing the current situation and accept things the way they are but, not forgetting to improve ourselves be it personally, professionally, mentally, emotionally or physical. Focusing on the positive aspect of life is the main aim, it will not only save you from negativity that can spread but, it will surely strengthen us inside.

Impact of Covid-19 on environment

The activities human does has its impact directly on the environment which in turn affect humans in the long term . In the last two centuries the concern for the environment protection arose first during the Industrial Revolution in Europe which changed the entire dynamics of the world leading to revolutionary changes but the burning of coal to run the machines in the industries led to smoke pollution. With time as the number of industries increased globally so did the number of harmful pollutants released in the air causing high smog level, acid rain , respiratory diseases among many other things. It was not just the air but also the water where the waste from industries was directly released making water misfit for humans as well as posing threat to the animals in there. Everything on the surface of earth is interrelated , the cycle of destruction which once starts consumes everything within it fueled by the human greed. Extensive mining , improper waste disposal, excessive noise from honking of cars and other sources leads to different forms of air, soil and noise pollution . Over the years, different governments have come up with different plans to preserve and protect the natural resources and environment along with various methods to reduce the negative impact of globalization and industrialization on the environment.

The covid-19 pandemic which hit the world in early 2020 and has claimed almost a million lives till now had the countries going into the complete lockdown to prevent the further spread of the disease. Lockdown ceased the normal routines of the people as everyone was caged inside their houses with many loosing their jobs, many getting rest from the normally hectic lives, the conditions of the medical professionalists being worse as they had to deal with a foreign deadly disease which they had no idea about. The lockdown which closed all industries and workplaces brought down the world economy to a major level. Despite all these hardships, the only positive thing which happened was the clearance of the environment such as air and water which had been polluted beyond repair by the humans.

Everything has its own pros and cons. This blogs will tell you about the positive and negative impact of covid-19 on environment.

Positive impacts

  • There was a phenomenal reduction observed in the emission of green house gases such as carbon dioxide , methane and nitrous oxides due to closed industries and shut down of transportation which led to cleaner air. According to a study, China which had an average of 2,00,000 metric tones of carbon dioxide emission saw the emission being reduced by 25% which according to the Earth system scientists saved the lives of over 77000 people in two months. The decrease in air pollution brought with it 50% reduction of nitrogen dioxide and oxides of carbons levels which also decreased the rain in that particular time period being acidic. Acid rain which had led to many diseases and corrosion of metals and monuments such as our mighty Taj Mahal is caused by the combination of nitrogen dioxide with oxygen and water vapor present in the atmosphere which leads to the production of the harmful nitric acid along with water.
  • India, where the AQI(Air Quality Index) had worsen in the last decade, saw a drastic improvement in the air quality. The AQI obtained by the Central Pollution Control Board(CPCB) was assessed by comparing the level of pollutants degrading the air quality( PM10, PM2.5, Carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide) in the unlock (pre covid-19) phase to that in the four lockdowns which the country experienced. It was observed that there was a gradual to rapid reduction in the level of these harmful pollutants and increment in ozone concentration due to the reduction in Nitrogen dioxide concentration by almost 80%.
  • Water Pollution which is a major problem in India and Bangladesh with industries releasing their waste water without its proper treatment in the water bodies causing the decrease in oxygen level in the water affecting the aquatic life present there and also making it unfit for human use. According to various reports, the Ganga and Yamuna rivers of the country which were one of the highly polluted rivers due to the dumping of garbage and industrial releases pre covid showed the signs of rejunevation during the lockdown. No discharge of harmful affluent in these water bodies led to the decline in nitrite concentration in water increasing the dissolved oxygen level. Further, it was reported that the districts in Ganga river basins experienced 60% more rainfall than what it normally experiences which led to the increased discharge of water in river further contributing towards the dilution of remaining pollutants.
  • Also, the animals which were rarely found in open such as the sea turtles finally retreated to their original natural habitant with many sea turtle and rare species of fishes being spotted in the open and on the beaches which were deserted in the lockdown.

Negative Impacts

  • People were advised to use masks and gloves as a precaution against covid-19. The inappropriate disposal of masks and gloves along with other bio medical waste which was used to treat the covid-19 patients will lead to more harm in the long term. Governments advised people against the open disposal of the bio medical wastes but lack of proper knowledge led people to do the otherwise contributing in the water and soil pollution.
  • Also, the flora and fauna which was protected by human guards against the illegal human activities was also at risk. As with lockdown, decrease in man power guarding the reserved forests and sanctuaries decreased which led to the increase in illegal deforestation, wildlife hunting among other things.

Covid-19 can be seen as the nature’s warning to humans to stop interfering in the natural things and to mend its relation with the environment , else the consequences will be terrible.

Myths and Taboos around Menstruation

Menstruation has always been surrounded by taboos and myths that exclude women from many aspects of socio-cultural life. Not entering the temples and kitchens during menstruation is a major restriction for rural girls and women from orthodox families. They are believed to be unhygienic, inpure and unclean and hence their touch is considered to be contaminating.

“A menstruating woman is impure, she cannot enter holy places”

“Don’t enter the kitchen, don’t cook or touch the food, it will go sour”

Such taboos about menstruation present in many societies impact on girls’ and women’s emotional state, mentality and lifestyle and most importantly, health. About 23% of girls in India, mostly from less economically developed areas drop out of school when they begin menstruating. The monthly menstruation period also creates obstacles for female laborers. The gender – unfriendly work environment, infrastructure and the lack of adequate menstrual protection alternatives and clean, safe and private sanitation facilities for female workers undermine the right of privacy. Over 77% of menstruating girls and women in India use old cloth, which is often reused. This increases susceptibility to infection, putting them at the risk of being stigmatized.

The first and foremost strategy in this regard is raising the awareness among the adolescent girls related to menstrual health and hygiene. The need of the hour is to disseminate the same knowledge and normalize this concept among the male community, since most women shy away from discussing about it due to lack of support from their male partners and other family members. Provision of sanitary napkins and adequate facilities for sanitation and washing should be made available with the gender perspective.

We need to rise above all odds and link physical infrastructure and sanitation projects to health education and reproductive health programs and address the issue in more holistic ways because

Menstruation is a very normal biological phenomenon, and society should understand that women have the power of procreation just because of this virtue. TALK ABOUT IT!

How to Restore Our Sleep Cycle

Pandemic has a huge impact on the sleep pattern of the people around the world. Some of them are tossing side to side to get a proper sleep during night time, other stay long awake but unable to regulate their usual pattern. Many experts also suggested that these days people often faces troubled sleep, with many going to bed far later and sleeping longer than usual.

Image: Shutterstock

Our sleep schedules do vary from person to person, depending in large part on the environmental causes. Because according to our circadian clock , that control our sleep schedules are sensitive to light like things like how much sunlight we’re exposed to throughout the day and what types of light we’re exposed to at night affect our sleep schedules. It’s really a huge problem, having a disrupted sleep schedule can result in deteriorating sleep pattern. But this will led to severe health ailments linked to several chronic health problems, such as sleep disorders, obesity, diabetes, depression, bipolar disorder, and seasonal affective disorders etc.

Image: Banala lite

But there are some suggested ways to get our disrupted sleep back on track:

  • A proper bed time routine: Try to stick to a schedule of sleep, like keeping your sleep-wake cycle the same. Our bodies have a circadian rhythm and walking up at different times disrupts it. The less you deviate from your normal bed and wake up times, the better you sleep. To get to sleep earlier, even doctors recommends going slowly and in small increments, adjusting no more than 15 minutes earlier every two to three days.
  • A touch of nature: Get a good amount of sunlight every morning. It serves an important purpose: it shuts down the release of melatonin, this hormone promotes sleep. Aim to get at least 15 minutes of sunlight every morning.

      Image: NPR

  • Cut off caffeine before sleep: Caffeine has a half-life of six to eight hours and a quarter-life of 12 hours. That means if you drink coffee at 4 pm, you’ll still have a quarter of the caffeine floating around in your brain at 4 am.
  • Limit your drinking habit: Alcohol suppresses REM sleep cause sleep disruptions. If you drink alcohol, limit that to two drinks or stop the intake at least three hours before bed.
  • Limit the screen timings: Avoid screen timings just before going to bed. As blue light of mobile screen interfere with sleep habits by sending wrong signals to stay awake. But many of us do it anyway. Avoid screen time before 2 hours of going to bed.
  • Journaling: You can’t get a proper sleep if something is bothering you, it’s always better to pen down your worries in a diary. Making this a habit can lessen your worries. Sit down with a blank piece of paper one to two hours before bed each night. Writing down your thoughts, especially anything that is bothering you. It will help you to schedule your activities and calm your mind.
Image: Unsplash

Meditation and Music: Meditation eases your woes by giving a direction to your thoughts. To get a proper sleep one should practice this 10 minutes daily routine. On the other hand, music calms mind and listening to a relaxing one will help to achieve sleep.

  • Avoid sleeping at day time: To promote better sleep one should avoid day time nap, so as to get a better sleep at night.
  • Environment: Make a good sleeping environment like switching off unnecessary lights and put on the curtains to prevent the entry of noise and lights. Take a warm bath and play some relaxing music, for instance. Make sure your bed is comfortable, the room is dark, and the temperature is not too warm.

These are the ways which enable us regain our disturbed sleep pattern. Sleep, itself promotes body healing. So, this is advised to get a proper 7-8 hours of sleep during night time.

Image: PBS

ORGANIC FOOD

HEALTY FOOD

This article of mine will fill you with the knowledge of how mare the method of growing a vegetable, grains, fruits, leads you to good health, & how those grains will fill you with energy. Every one have heard of the slogan, “ EAT ORGANIC , STAY FIT” , but do you know how these organic foods or grains are grown ? Organic food is grown without the use of synthetic chemicals, such as human-made pesticides and fertilizers, and does not contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs). They are free from man made pesticides & fertilizers & hence leads to good heath.

Organic refers to the way farmers grow and process agricultural products. Practices vary worldwide; however, organic foods are generally grown without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers or routine use of antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic farming supports biodiversity by choosing appropriate species of plant & animal. Farmers use crop rotation technique , this is a technique in which different types of crops are grown over different seasons on the very same land , it helps in controlling soil erosion & maintaining soil fertility.

I think you all will love to know the benefits of organic food , after all all of us are interested in living a healthy life . some of the core benefits of organic food are :

Organic food have no pesticides , hence its free from harmful chemicals.

organic food is often fresher because no preservatives are used & that is what makes it last longer than usual grains.

When it comes to meat and milk, organic products can have about 50% more omega-3 fatty acids, a type of unsaturated healthy fat, than conventionally produced products , which is good for health .

Last I would like to conclude , Organic products are more expensive than conventional ones, and whether they’re really worth the extra cost is certainly a matter of choice. “If you can afford all organic, that’s fantastic, but it’s not feasible for most people,” , but just to inform you all , those extra money which you will spend on organic food will be worth for , specially to you health.

Third wave of covid-19 knocking at our doorstep

While mass vaccination drive is going on around the whole globe,news of emergence of Third wave of coronavirus have started to surface. WHO (world Health organisation) have also warned about the third wave in Europe. Cases recorded in this wave are of ‘Delta-variant’ of coronavirus.

Second wave of coronavirus caught us all off-guard and hit us hard and many lives were lost and there was a State of panic amongst us all for few months, due to this wave of coronavirus. After, passing of this second wave, people flocked the hill stations and flouted covid norms.
Even, in markets people are walking without masks and not taking necessary precautions.

Tourists in Manali

Alarmed by this situation government of India have warned the citizens about this 3rd wave. Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry, on Tuesday said that the third wave of Covid-19 may be caused due to the gross violation of covid appropriate behavior. He told that :

We would like to request to everyone- when we talk about the third wave (of COVID-19), we are taking it as a weather update and not understanding its seriousness and our responsibilities associated with it

Lav Agarwal (joint secretary, Health ministry, GOI)

According to union health ministry data on Tuesday there were 32,906 new cases of Covid-19 and 2020 related fatalities, which pushed the overall tally to 30,905,819 and the death toll to 410,784.

Markets are open and govt offices and school’s are running with 50% capacity, but the way in which common people are violating the covid-19 precaution guidelines, day is not far when we’ll have to pay for this type of behaviour. If situation remains like this, then the government in order to control the spread may impose lockdowns and come up with strict measures.

Hill Stations will be there,if we’ll be safe,then we can visit there later on. We need to learn from our mistakes commited during the second wave of pandemic and try not to repeat them this time.


Government is preparing on its behalf to face up with the inevitable third wave of pandemic. We all as a responsible citizen should adhere with the government guidelines and take precautions,then we can defeat this pandemic.

Can Dogs Eat Apples?

In short, yes, dogs can eat apples, but there are a few things to consider before feeding them to your dog. These fruits are high in nutrients that are good for your dog’s health, but there are some things to avoid, such as the cores and seeds. Moderation is crucial with apples, as it is with anything nice, because too many apples can cause stomach discomfort in dogs. 

However, before offering the apple to your dog, make sure it is free of the core and seeds. The seeds contain a very small quantity of cyanide, which is released only when they are eaten. Therefore, eating a couple of pips is unlikely to cause issues, just as it is in people.

They are healthy occasional snacks that can be quite refreshing and pleasant if served carefully and safely to your dog. Before offering your dog human foods, such as apples, you should always consult your veterinarian.

Apples are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and dietary fiber for your dog’s diet. They also assist in keeping your dog’s teeth clean and freshening their breath.

What Benefits Do Apples Have For Dogs?

Apples can be a low-cost, high-nutrient food for dogs, as long as they’re offered in moderation. They’re low in protein and high in fiber, which can help with digestion and make them an excellent option for dogs on restricted diets that don’t allow for a lot of protein and fat. This is particularly beneficial for senior pets or canines suffering from specific ailments.

They’re also high in calcium and phosphorus, as well as vitamins A, C, and K. These fruits’ antioxidants may aid in the prevention of cancer and the treatment of joint disease symptoms. Dogs’ dental health and breath can also be improved by eating apples.

When Is It Bad For Dogs To Eat Apples?

When giving apples to dogs, the seeds and cores are the most important items to keep an eye out for. The seeds contain cyanide, which is poisonous in trace levels. It would take a large number of seeds to cause cyanide poisoning, so if your dog consumes a few, he is unlikely to be harmed. Even so, putting your dog’s health in danger is unnecessary. Therefore, remove the seeds before feeding your dog apples. Some people believe that stems are also hazardous, therefore it’s preferable to remove them as well. The apple’s core is solid and difficult to eat for most dogs. It is a choking hazard and can cause gastrointestinal blockage if ingested.

Because apples contain sugar, they should be consumed in moderation. Sugar can cause difficulties for dogs with cancer or diabetes, which is another reason to consult your veterinarian before providing it to your pet. Furthermore, even in healthy dogs, eating too many apples might cause stomach distress or diarrhoea. 

Sugar, artificial flavors, and chemicals are frequently included in apple-flavored or apple-containing items. Always check the labels before giving your dog any human foods, and stay away from additional sugars, artificial sweeteners like xylitol, and new substances, as they can be hazardous. Because many apples from shops are coated with additives that make them shiny, it’s best to buy organic apples. Any fruit you purchase should be washed because they may contain herbicides or pesticides. It’s possible that your dog will be allergic to it, just like most foods. Anaphylaxis, a potentially fatal illness, can occur in rare cases as a result of allergic responses. Stop feeding these fruits to your dog if you notice any signs of an allergic response, such as coughing, sneezing, swelling, hives, difficulty breathing, or other symptoms. Contact your veterinarian right away.

What Is The Best Way To Feed Apples To Your Dog?

Before feeding your pets human food, consult your veterinarian. Apple consumption may aggravate medical issues in some dogs. Once your veterinarian has given you the go-ahead, wash any fruits you wish to feed your dog, remove the stems, seeds, and cores, and chop them into bite-sized pieces. Apples can be served to dogs in a variety of ways. You can freeze them and eat them as a cool summer snack. They can be blended with other nutritious fruits to produce a wonderful smoothie, mashed into a homemade applesauce, or mixed in with your dog’s food for a sweet treat.

To summarize, dogs can eat apples, but they must be consumed in moderation. Apples are only treats, not a replacement for the dog’s usual diet. It means that your dog only needs one apple each day. Don’t be afraid to give your dog apples as a treat. Just remember to core the apple and discard all of the seeds inside. Keep the portions small enough so your dog’s coat shines, he doesn’t get diarrhoea, and he’s a happy camper.