What causes Hair loss?

Hair loss has many causes. What’s causing your hair loss can determine whether your hair:

• Falls out gradually or abruptly
• Thins
• Can regrow on its own
• Requires treatment to regrow
• Needs immediate care to prevent permanent hair loss

Causes of hair loss

Hereditary hair loss

Both men and women develop this type of hair loss, which is the most common cause of hair loss worldwide. In men, it’s called male pattern hair loss. Women get female pattern hair loss. Regardless of whether it develops in a man or women, the medical term is androgenic alopecia.

No matter which term you use, it means that you’ve inherited genes that cause your hair follicles (what each hair grows out of) to shrink and eventually stop growing hair. Shrinking can begin as early as your teens, but it usually starts later in life.

In women, the first noticeable sign of hereditary hair loss is usually overall thinning or a widening part.

When a man has hereditary hair loss, the first sign is often a receding hairline or bald spot at the top of his head.

Is regrowth possible?
Yes, treatment can help stop or slow hair loss. It may also help regrow hair. The earlier treatment is started, the better it works. Without treatment, you will continue to lose hair.

Hereditary hair loss

Both men and women develop this type of hair loss, which is the most common cause of hair loss worldwide. In men, it’s called male pattern hair loss. Women get female pattern hair loss.

Age

With age, most people notice some hair loss because hair growth slows. At some point, hair follicles stop growing hair, which causes the hair on our scalp to thin. Hair also starts to lose its color. A woman’s hairline naturally starts to recede.

Is regrowth possible?
Caught early, treatment helps some people regrow their hair.

Age

With age, most people notice some hair loss because hair growth slows.

Alopecia areata

Alopecia areata is a disease that develops when the body’s immune system attacks hair follicles (what holds the hair in place), causing hair loss. You can lose hair anywhere on your body, including your scalp, inside your nose, and in your ears. Some people lose their eyelashes or eyebrows.

Is regrowth possible?
Yes. If your hair fails to grow back on its own, treatment may help stimulate regrowth.

Alopecia areata

Alopecia areata is a disease that develops when the body’s immune system attacks hair follicles (what holds the hair in place), causing hair loss.

Cancer treatment

If you receive chemotherapy or have radiation treatment to your head or neck, you may lose all (or most of) your hair within a few weeks of starting treatment.

Is regrowth possible?
Hair usually starts to regrow within months of finishing chemotherapy or radiation treatments to the head or neck. Dermatologists can offer medication to help hair grow back more quickly.

Is it preventable?
Wearing a cooling cap before, during, and after each chemotherapy session may help prevent hair loss.

Cancer treatment

If you receive chemotherapy or have radiation treatment to your head or neck, you may lose all (or most of) your hair within a few weeks of starting treatment.

Childbirth, illness, or other stressors

A few months after giving birth, recovering from an illness, or having an operation, you may notice a lot more hairs in your brush or on your pillow. This can also happen after a stressful time in your life, such as a divorce or death of a loved one.

Is regrowth possible?
If the stress stops, your body will readjust and the excessive shedding will stop. When the shedding stops, most people see their hair regain its normal fullness within 6 to 9 months.

Childbirth, illness, or other stressors

A few months after giving birth, recovering from an illness, or having an operation, you may notice a lot more hairs in your brush or on your pillow. This can also happen after a stressful time in your life, such as a divorce or death of a loved one.

Hair care

If you color, perm, or relax your hair, you could be damaging your hair. Over time, this damage can lead to hair loss.

Is regrowth possible?
You can change how you care for your hair, which can prevent hair loss. Once you damage a hair follicle, hair cannot grow from that follicle. Having many damaged hair follicles creates permanent bald spots.

Hair care

If you color, perm, or relax your hair, you could be damaging your hair. Over time, this damage can lead to hair loss.

Hairstyle pulls on your scalp

If you often wear your hair tightly pulled back, the continual pulling can lead to permanent hair loss. The medical name for this condition is traction alopecia.

Is regrowth possible?
No. You can prevent hair loss by making some changes.

Hairstyle pulls on your scalp

If you often wear your hair tightly pulled back, the continual pulling can lead to permanent hair loss.

Hormonal imbalance

A common cause of this imbalance is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It leads to cysts on a woman’s ovaries, along with other signs and symptoms, which can include hair loss. Stopping some types of birth control pills can cause a temporary hormonal imbalance. Women who develop a hormonal imbalance can develop thinning hair (or hair loss) on their scalp.

Is regrowth possible?
Treatment may help.

Hormonal imbalance

A common cause of this imbalance is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It leads to cysts on a woman’s ovaries, along with other signs and symptoms, which can include hair loss.

Scalp infection

A scalp infection can lead to scaly and sometimes inflamed areas on your scalp. You may see what look like small black dots on your scalp. These are actually stubs of hair. Some people develop a bald spot.

Is regrowth possible?
Yes, treatment can get rid of the infection. Once the infection clears, hair tends to grow.

Scalp infection

A scalp infeciton can lead to scaly and sometimes inflamed areas on your scalp.

Medication

A possible side effect of some medications is hair loss. If you think a medication is causing your hair loss, ask the doctor who prescribed it if hair loss is a possible side effect. It’s essential that you do not stop taking the medication before talking with your doctor. Abruptly stopping some medications can cause serious health problems.

Is regrowth possible?
Yes.

Medication

A possible side effect of some medications is hair loss. If you think a medication is causing your hair loss, ask the doctor who prescribed it if hair loss is a possible side effect.

Scalp psoriasis

Many people who have plaque psoriasis develop psoriasis on their scalp at some point. This can lead to hair loss.

Is regrowth possible?
Hair tends to regrow once the scalp psoriasis clears, but this takes time. By following these dermatologists’ tips, you may be able to prevent hair loss.

Scalp psoriasis

Many people who have plaque psoriasis develop psoriasis on their scalp at some point. This can lead to hair loss.

Pulling your hair

Some people pull on their hair, often to relieve stress. They may be unaware that they’re pulling their hair. The medical term for this is trichotillomania.

Is regrowth possible?
If you haven’t destroyed the hair follicles, yes. For your hair to regrow, you have to stop pulling it.

Pulling your hair

Some people pull on their hair, often to relieve stress. They may be unaware that they’re pulling their hair.

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Scarring alopecia

This condition develops when inflammation destroys hair follicles. Once destroyed, a hair follicle cannot grow hair. Diverse conditions can cause this. The medical name for this group of conditions is cicatricial alopecia.

Is regrowth possible?
Once a hair follicle is destroyed, it cannot regrow a hair. Catching this condition early can prevent further hair loss.

Scarring alopecia

This condition develops when inflammation destroys hair follicles. Once destroyed, a hair follicle cannot grow hair. Diverse conditions can cause this.

Sexually transmitted infection

Left untreated, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) can lead to hair loss. Syphilis is such an STI. Left untreated, syphilis can cause patchy hair loss on the scalp, eyebrows, beard, and elsewhere. Other STIs can also cause hair loss.

Is regrowth possible?
After treating the STI, hair often starts to regrow.

Sexually transmitted infection

Left untreated, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) can lead to hair loss.

Thyroid disease

If you have a problem with your thyroid, you may see thinning hair. Some people notice that their hair comes out in clumps when they brush it.

Is regrowth possible?
Yes, treating the thyroid disease can reverse the hair loss.

Thyroid disease

If you have a problem with your thyroid, you may see thinning hair.

Too little biotin, iron, protein, or zinc

If you’re not getting enough of one or more of these, you can have noticeable hair loss.

Is regrowth possible?
Yes. When your body gets enough of the missing nutrients, hair can regrow.

Too little biotin, iron, protein, or zinc

If you’re not getting enough of one or more of these, you can have noticeable hair loss.

Friction

People can develop hair loss where boots, socks, or tight clothing frequently rubs against their skin. The medical term for this is frictional alopecia.

Is regrowth possible?
Hair tends to regrow on its own when the rubbing stops.

Friction

People can develop hair loss where boots, socks, or tight clothing frequently rubs against their skin.

Poison

Being slowly poisoned can lead to hair loss. Poisons that can cause hair loss include arsenic, thallium, mercury, and lithium. If you ingest a large amount of warfarin, which is found in rat poisons, it can also cause hair loss. Taking large amounts of vitamin A or selenium is also toxic and can cause hair loss.

Is regrowth possible?
Yes, hair tends to regrow when you are no longer exposed to the poison.

Poison

Being slowly poisoned can lead to hair loss. Poisons that can cause hair loss include arsenic, thallium, mercury, and lithium. If you ingest a large amount of warfarin, which is found in rat poisons, it can also cause hair loss.

While many causes of hair loss can be treated successfully, the key to effective treatment is to find out what’s causing the hair loss. Without an accurate diagnosis, treatment is often ineffective.

Being able to communicate effectively is perhaps the most important of all life skills. It is what enables us to pass information to other people, and to understand what is said to us. You only have to watch a baby listening intently to its mother and trying to repeat the sounds that she makes to understand how fundamental is the urge to communicate.

Communication, at its simplest, is the act of transferring information from one place to another. It may be vocally , written , visually or non-verbally (using body language, gestures and the tone and pitch of voice). In practice, it is often a combination of several of these.

Communication is a two-way process

Communication is not the same as broadcasting, or simply sending out information.

It is a two-way process. In other words , it involves both the sending and receiving of information.

It therefore requires both speaking and listening, but also—and perhaps more crucially—developing a shared understanding of the information being transmitted and received.

• If you are the ‘sender’ of information, this means communicating it clearly to start with (whether in writing or face-to-face), then asking questions to check your listeners’ understanding. You must also then listen to their replies, and if necessary, clarify further.
• If you are the recipient, it means listening carefully to the information, then checking that you have understood by reflecting back, or asking questions to ensure that you both have the same understanding of the situation.

It is, therefore an active process. There is nothing passive about communication, in either direction.

Developing Communication Skills

It is a longterm process, you will have to keep yourselves updated.Good communication skills can improve the way that you operate through life, smoothing your way in your relationships with others.

Poor communication skills, on the other hand, can sour relationships from business to personal, and make your life significantly harder.

Some people seem to understand how to communicate without even trying. They are able to tailor their language, tone and message to their audience, and get their point across quickly and succinctly, in a way that is heard. They are also able to pick up the messages sent to them rapidly, understanding both what is said, and what has not been said.

This may seem effortless, but the chances are that they have spent plenty of time honing their skills.

Along the way, they have probably also developed a good understanding of themselves and habits of reflecting on success and failure, and the actions that have led to one or the other.

Ways to Enhance Communication Skills

1.  Listen, listen, and listen. People want to know that they are being heard. Really listen to what the other person is saying, instead of formulating your response. Ask for clarification to avoid misunderstandings. At that moment, the person speaking to you should be the most important person in your life. Another important point is to have one conversation at a time. This means that if you are speaking to someone on the phone, do not respond to an email, or send a text at the same time. The other person will know that she doesn’t have your undivided attention.

2.  Who you are talking to matters. It is okay to use acronyms and informal language when you are communicating with a buddy, but if you are emailing or texting your boss, “Hey,” “TTYL” or any informal language, has no place in your message. You cannot assume that the other person knows what the acronym means. Some acronyms have different meanings to different people, do you want to be misunderstood? Effective communicators target their message based on who they are speaking to, so try to keep the other person in mind, when you are trying to get your message across.

3.  Body language matters. This is important for face-to-face meetings and video conferencing. Make sure that you appear accessible, so have open body language. This means that you should not cross your arms. And keep eye contact so that the other person knows that you are paying attention.

4.  Check your message before you hit send. Spell and grammar checkers are lifesavers, but they are not foolproof. Double check what you have written, to make sure that your words are communicating the intended message.

5.  Be brief, yet specific. For written and verbal communication, practice being brief yet specific enough, that you provide enough information for the other person to understand what you are trying to say. And if you are responding to an email, make sure that you read the entire email before crafting your response. With enough practice, you will learn not to ramble, or give way too much information.

6.  Write things down. Take notes while you are talking to another person or when you are in a meeting, and do not rely on your memory. Send a follow-up email to make sure that you understand what was being said during the conversation.

7.  Sometimes it’s better to pick up the phone. If you find that you have a lot to say, instead of sending an email, call the person instead. Email is great, but sometimes it is easier to communicate what you have to say verbally.

8.  Think before you speak. Always pause before you speak, not saying the first thing that comes to mind. Take a moment and pay close attention to what you say and how you say it. This one habit will allow you to avoid embarrassments.

9.  Treat everyone equally. Do not talk down to anyone, treating everyone with respect. Treat others as your equal.

10.  Maintain a positive attitude and smile. Even when you are speaking on the phone, smile because your positive attitude will shine through and the other person will know it. When you smile often and exude a positive attitude, people will respond positively to you.

Communicating effectively is a teachable skill, therefore following a few of the tips outlined above, will enable you to hone up on your communication skills.

The Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been called a variant of concern by WHO based on the evidence that it has several mutations that may have an impact on how it behaves. There is still substantial uncertainty regarding Omicron and a lot of research underway to evaluate its transmissibility, severity and reinfection risk.

Development of the Omicron Variant

When a virus is circulating widely and causing numerous infections, the likelihood of the virus mutating increases. The more opportunities a virus has to spread, the more opportunities it has to undergo changes.

New variants like Omicron are a reminder that the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. It is therefore essential that people get the vaccine when available to them and continue to follow existing advice on preventing the spread of the virus, including physical distancing, wearing masks, regular handwashing and keeping indoor areas well ventilated.

It is also crucial that vaccines and other public health measures are accessible everywhere. Vaccine inequity leaves lower income countries – many of them in Africa – at the mercy of COVID-19. Well-supplied countries must urgently deliver the doses they promised.

Is Omicron variant less severe?

There is also emerging evidence that omicron tends not to burrow deep into the lungs as much as previous variants. A study, which was posted online by the University of Hong Kong and not yet peer-reviewed, found that while omicron is less severe in the lungs, it can replicate faster higher up in the respiratory tract.

In this way, omicron may act more like bronchitis than pneumonia, said Dr. Hugh Cassiere, director of critical care services for Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital at the North Shore University Hospital, on Long Island, New York.

“Usually patients with acute bronchitis tend not to be short of breath. They tend to cough and produce sputum,” he said. “Patients with pneumonia tend to be short of breath and feel more fatigued than bronchitis in general.”

A small study from the CDC found that people who had Covid and are later reinfected with omicron may experience fewer symptoms than they did during their initial bout with the virus.

Still, it’s virtually impossible for people to rely on symptoms to self-diagnose an illness. In addition to omicron, the delta variant continues to circulate, along with increasing cases of the flu.

For these reasons, doctors urge people who have any cold symptoms or flulike symptoms to get tested.

Symptoms of Omicron

1. Most common symptoms: fever, cough ,tiredness, loss of taste or smell
2. Less common symptoms: sore throat, headache aches and pains, diarrhoea, a rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes red or irritated eyes
3. Serious symptoms: difficulty breathing or shortness of breath loss of speech or mobility, or confusion, chest pain.
4. Seek immediate medical attention if you have serious symptoms.
5. Always call before visiting your doctor or health facility.
6. People with mild symptoms who are otherwise healthy should manage their symptoms at home.
7. On average it takes 5–6 days from when someone is infected with the virus for symptoms to show, however it can take up to 14 days.

The symptoms of omicron generally start with body ache, generalised weakness, fatigue, headache and fever in the initial days and eventually they might also develop a cough which is sometimes dry along with a cold where there is water from the nose, sneezing, etc. The cough is typically dry which resolves over the next few days. Most of the time i.e. in 80% of the patients, fever is resolving over the first 3 days and if not, then that becomes a sign of moderate to severe infection which needs close monitoring.

How do you protect yourself and others?

The WHO has advised the following steps to protect yourself and prevent the spread of COVID-19:

• Get vaccinated
• Wear a mask
• Maintain physical distancing
• Ventilate indoor spaces
• Keep good hygiene
• Self-isolate if you develop symptoms

Effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against Omicron or Delta infection

A research shows that Two doses of COVID-19 vaccines are unlikely to protect against infection by Omicron. A third dose provides some protection in the immediate term, but substantially less than against Delta. Our results may be confounded by behaviours that we were unable to account for in our analyses. Further research is needed to examine protection against severe outcomes.

1. Shimla – a stunning city in the Himalayan foothills which is one of the best places to explore in India.

A popular tourist destination located in the north-west Himalayas, gorgeous Shimla is also sometimes referred to as the ‘Queen of Hills.’ Its colourful colonial past is still evident today and the town is characterised by unusual neo-gothic buildings surrounded by thick forest and outstanding views, offering a very different feel to the rest of India.

‘The Mall’ is the main shopping street and the hub of the city where tourists and locals like to meet, shop and eat. This area also has a good number of clubs and bars great for those looking to step it up a gear.

The Christ Church is also worth a visit – it’s the second oldest church in northern India and its stained glass windows are designed in a distinctive style that you won’t find anywhere else. Also don’t leave Shimla without visiting Jakhu Hill – the highest peak which is also home to many playful monkeys who hang out waiting to be fed. From Shimla, you can also visit a comparatively offbeat destination called Chai.

2. Goa – the famously beautiful beach and party resort.

The famous idyllic party place should not be missed and it’s still one of the most popular places to visit in India as well as the most beautiful. If you decide to take a trip, I recommend not leaving the island’s coastal areas. Goa is the smallest state in India and has the most beautiful beaches by far – when you’re here you’ll want to make the most of them.

Many refer to Goa as a tropical paradise and when you’re here enjoying the warm temperatures, clear turquoise water, and palm trees you’ll also probably agree. If you time your visit around the Goa Carnival held every February you’ll be treated to three days and nights of music, lights, dancers, and awesome food.

This is when the legendary King Momo takes over the state and the island becomes party central. Originally celebrated in the 1800s by locals only, now both tourists and locals come here to have a good time.

3.Mumbai – the bustling and vibrant city which is one of the most famous cities to visit in India.

This place has a kind of beauty all of its own. Formally known as Bombay, Mumbai is the most populated city in India. Noisy, frantic, and polluted, Mumbai is a melting pot of different cultures, religions, and wealth extremes. Even though the city is developing at a fast rate, unfortunately, you’ll still see many scenes of poverty.

The city is also the birthplace of Indian cinema and there are many theatres to watch movies from all over the world.

A visually impressive city Mumbai has a large metropolitan area comparable to the size of New York’s skyline and a fine but eclectic mix of colonial buildings, stylish bars, colourful bazaars, and shiny new malls. Finding something to do here would not be a problem.

4.Varanasi – an intriguing and beautiful city which is regarded as sacred by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains.

If you wanted to bottle the essence of Hindu spirituality, then Varanasi would be the place to do it. Walking along the ghats along the River Ganges in this Uttar Pradesh city is not an experience that any visitor ever forgets.

While this city is very much alive, it is also fundamentally about death and rebirth. Here you can watch public cremation ceremonies at the Ganges by day and witness the Hindu aarti ritual by night. Aarti is a part of puja (worship) where light is offered to the gods at the different ghats.

Holy men (known as sadhus) as well as babas and aghoris all spend their days down at the ghats. The sadhus are holy men, often swathed in orange, babas are so-called spiritual gurus and aghoris drink the blood of the dead and cover themselves in cremation ashes.

Not all of them have good intentions so be careful. It is common for holy men to be naked and covered in powder or ashes, some adorn their penises and even do tricks with them for tourists. Varanasi is certainly not for the faint-hearted.

5.The backwaters of Kerala – a network of brackish lagoons and a famous beauty spot to visit in India.

The backwaters are a beautiful chain of lakes and lagoons along the Arabian sea coast and are a place in India that definitely shouldn’t be missed – they are considered to be the number one tourist destination in India. Ferries here will take you anywhere and you can even hire a houseboat to stay in.

In the Kuttanad region of Alappuzha you’ll also be treated to boat races, where you will also find snake boats that can hold up to a hundred oarsmen. Thousands of fans line the riverbanks and cheer on their favourite teams which makes for a great atmosphere.

There are dozens of villages and communities throughout this area which you can visit and get a real sense of everyday life and culture in this interesting place.

 6. Kapaleeshwarar Temple – the temple’s towers were once the tallest structures in one of the oldest cities in India.

Chennai and the state of Tamil Nadu is one of India’s most spiritual regions, with many exquisite Hindu temples and ruins. In the region of Mylapore in Chennai (formerly known as Madras) you can find the wonderful Hindu Kapaleeshwarar Temple. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva with an incredible rainbow-coloured gopuram (tower), with a large pool within its walls.

Nearby is the busy Marina beach, the second longest urban beach in the world, a hectic stretch of land complete with a market and its own lighthouse. At the nearby San Thome Cathedral, you can attend mass and visit the tomb of St Thomas the apostle that resides there.

7.Jodhpur – the beautiful and incredible ‘Blue City’

Jodhpur in Rajasthan is known as the ‘Blue City’ as so many of this city’s buildings are painted in a Brahmin blue colour. Residents did this to distinguish themselves as Brahmins.

This isn’t the only history to be found here as it’s also home to the magnificent Mehrangarh Fort. Inside one of India’s largest forts is Maharaja Gaj Singh II’s personal collection of riches, and there are a lot of them, with over 15,000 treasures to see in total.

There are cultural performances that take place in various areas of the fort throughout the day. For those that want even more history, there is also the Umaid Bhawan Palace, the Jaswant Thada marble building, and the beautiful Mandore Gardens

8.Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab – a beautiful and spiritual place and the main attraction in the city.

Amritsar is a city close to India’s border with Pakistan that is the beating heart of Punjab as well as a principal place of worship for Sikhs. The Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib) is considered the holiest shrine in Sikhism and draws people from all over the world to marvel and worship at it. Many tourists return to the temple after darkness falls to listen to the sounds of prayer emanating from it.

Everyone that visits the temple can sit down for a free meal, known as langar, which is served to 50,000 people by hundreds of volunteers every day. The food is made in vats due to the scale of it, and each plate is washed 5 times afterwards. In the early evening, don’t miss the Wagah-Attari border ceremony.

This is an elaborate ceremony performed by the Indian and Pakistani military to show comradeship between the nations.

9.Ladakh – a beautiful city located on the crossroads of the historic “Silk Route” .

To be in with a chance of seeing India’s snow leopards, you need to travel up to Leh, in the Northwest corner of the country. Whether you are looking for the elusive leopard or not, Ladakh is a jaw-dropping place to hike through its mountains and valleys.

The town of Leh has its own palace, as well as several Buddhist stupas and monasteries, making it a serene place to spend time at a high altitude. 

10. Konkan Coast, Maharashtra – a little-developed shoreline running south from Mumbai all the way to Goa.

The Konkan Coast runs from the city of Mumbai all the way down to Goa, with many serene beaches and interesting attractions along the way. Some of the most beautiful beaches to visit are Alibaug, Kashid, Diveagar, Murud, Karde, and Ganpatipule.

Ganpatipule even has a Ganesh Temple located right on the beach. Winter is a great time to visit as there are dolphin sightings on a daily basis.

This maxim was first stated by Sir Thomas Overbury in his poem “A Wife” (1613): “All the Carnall beauty of my wife is but skin-deep.” He strongly suggests that External attractiveness has no relation to goodness or essential quality. The quote states that physical appearance has nothing to do with one’s character.A good personality is determined by a his/her thoughts.

I comply with the topic, “Personality is more important than looks”. Both of these adjectives fall under two different domains. There is something called Inner Beauty and Outer Beauty. Personality is something that we call inner beauty which refers to the mindset and character of a person and Looks is something that we call outer beauty which simply refers to the physical appearance of a person. In my opinion, looks can never be a factor based on which an individual should be judged. How we look, What’s the colour of our skin, Short or Tall, all these traits are God-Gifted and we ain’t the one who can manipulate it.

Looks or Outer Beauty is the one that can be pretended. There are many ways in which a person can look good, be it Dressing, Make-up, Surgery, or any other treatments but Inner beauty can’t be pretended. It reflects in the behaviour and attitude of a person. A person may possess a very good and dashing appearance but if he doesn’t have morals, ethics, and good personality, he will still be considered evil.

Sometimes, outer beauty gets more significance, for instance, in fashion shows. Over there, the people will rate you according to your looks and appearance. However, even in a fashion show, the contestants need a positive personality. If he/she possesses a negative personality, it will be very difficult for him/her to win the crown because personality reflects in your attitude. Moreover, beauty is just a short – sustaining bonus of nature. It doesn’t last for too long with any individual. As you grow older and older, the beauty starts to fade. The only thing which will remain with us until our last breath is our inner beauty which is our personality, our attitude, and behaviour towards others. Even after demise, people will remember us for our behaviour, kindness, and professionalism and not on the ground of our appearance.

There is a common saying that, “Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder”. It ravishingly explains that it depends upon the person with whom you are dealing with whether you look attractive to them or not. Not all people will judge you by the looks you possess, some will still consider you beautiful, even if you are not, because of the personality you possess.

However, there are still many people who lack this moral and run after appearance rather than personality. They will pretend in front of everyone that they don’t care for looks but they do. Let’s take an example of George Floyd, a black man who was killed by white police officers in Minneapolis in the United States recently. Worldwide, over millions of people are protesting for him with a phrase, “Black Lives Matter” and the social media platforms are also flooded with these hashtags but deep down we all know that most of them themselves run after physical appearance of the person. When they have to find a bridegroom for their daughters, most of them will try their best to find one with better looks and wealth rather than inner beauty and behaviour, which is the most important one for keeping their daughters happy for a lifetime. So, there’s a drastic need for change in people’s mentality. They should heartily accept that not only Black but all lives matter and look is not a criterion for deciding which person is gentle and which is not.

As a conclusion, I must say that a person should focus on and work on his personality. He should make sure that his behaviour and attitude are not hurting anyone and people consider him a wise and gentle person. Whatever beautifulness and smartness you try to manoeuvre, but at the end of the day, if you don’t get moral pleasure and peace of mind, that you have done right to all those you met throughout the day, you won’t be considered a beautiful person. And this moral pleasure comes from nowhere other than people’s blessings.

So, it doesn’t matter at all whether you are good looking or not, you have to be well-behaved and possess inner beauty and you will be praised everywhere.

How far can we go—in science, mathematics, technology, medicine, the arts, even politics? Can our efforts in these fields advance indefinitely? Or will they eventually bump into limits? I have a weakness for such impossibly grand questions, and so, I was happy to discover, does the British physicist David Deutsch.

Mr. Deutsch has earned notice for his vigorous advocacy of the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics—the idea that, although we see a particle follow only one path in our world, it actually follows all possible paths in other universes.

Mr. Deutsch touches on this and other esoteric concepts in “The Beginning of Infinity,” but his book is animated by an ambition much greater than defending a particular theory. Mr. Deutsch wants us to share his radically optimistic vision of humanity’s future, one in which progress continues forever.

I’m not a fan of “multiverse” theories, which I think of as science fiction with equations. And Mr. Deutsch knocks my 1996 book, “The End of Science,” for proposing that the glory days of science—especially pure science, the effort to map out and understand reality—may be over.

Mr. Deutsch equates my thesis with “dogmatism, stagnation and tyranny,” all of which, for the record, I oppose. But he makes the case for infinite progress with such passion, imagination and quirky brilliance that I couldn’t help enjoying his argument. More often than not I found myself agreeing with him—or at least hoping that he is right.

Mr. Deutsch notes that for most of history—apart from a few shining exceptions, such as Athens in the time of Pericles—knowledge scarcely evolved. Conformity reigned, and innovation was suppressed. But several centuries ago, Enlightenment figures such as Galileo, Newton and Voltaire helped propagate a powerful way of solving problems: propose an explanation of reality, test it and criticize it, pose a new and improved explanation, test and criticize that one, and so on.

Through this process we began to accumulate insight into nature, an achievement embodied by the scientific and industrial revolutions. We also advanced in the political realm, replacing archaic forms of governance with more just, representational systems.

The greatest threat to continued progress, Mr. Deutsch contends, is our belief that we can achieve—or, worse, have already achieved—ultimate solutions. We must accept that we are fallible, he says, and hence that our knowledge is tentative and improvable no matter how definitive it may seem at the moment.

He rejects end-points of all kinds, whether a “theory of everything” that answers every scientific riddle, a work of art so exquisite that it cannot be surpassed or even the Buddhist version of Enlightenment, a state of unsurpassable spiritual grace.

If we acknowledge our imperfections, Mr. Deutsch observes, then, paradoxically, there is no problem that we cannot tackle. Death, for instance. Or the apparent incompatibility between the two pillars of modern physics, quantum theory and general relativity.

Or global warming, which Mr. Deutsch believes we can overcome through innovation rather than drastic cutbacks in consumption. He gores the sacred cow of “sustainability”: Societies are healthiest, he declares, not when they achieve equilibrium but when they are rapidly evolving.

Making the case for science’s open-endedness, Mr. Deutsch mounts a compelling challenge to scientific reductionism, which explains all phenomena in terms of their physical components. Yes, atomic theory, chemistry and genetics have worked spectacularly well at explaining many features of nature. But small-scale processes, the author notes, spawn so-called emergent phenomena that require understanding on their own terms.

Bodies give rise to minds, which in turn give rise to ideas, which have no specific physical properties but can nonetheless influence human behaviour in profound ways, as the Enlightenment itself demonstrates.

Mr. Deutsch’s emphasis on the nonmaterial qualities of the mind dovetails with his insistence that progress stems, above all, from human creativity. Although we are subject to the laws of nature, he says, we can control our destiny through our own free choices.

This might not seem like a terribly controversial claim, but many leading scientists—from Albert Einstein and Francis Crick to Stephen Hawking—have argued that free will is an illusion, because our “choices” are pre-determined by physical processes beyond our conscious control. I am heartened that Mr. Deutsch resists this appalling scientific determinism.

“The Beginning of Infinity” is, as Mr. Deutsch’s own argument would stipulate, imperfect. He rejects appeals to authority but constantly defers to the philosopher Karl Popper, who can be a weirdly dogmatic opponent of dogmatism. And Mr. Deutsch’s optimism sometimes resembles that of a man standing on a mountaintop, high above the problems afflicting us ordinary folk in the lowlands.

Physics, for example, has stalled not for lack of a can-do spirit, as the author implies, but for mundane reasons: Society is reluctant to build the gigantic, expensive accelerators that might help physicists forge past current theories. It is true that neuroscience has the potential to yield discoveries of revolutionary import, but neuroscientists have yet to crack the code of the brain, which becomes more dauntingly complex as we learn more about it.

So when it comes to science it is easy to see limits where Mr. Deutsch sees boundless opportunities. But he has persuaded me that we can solve many of our problems as long as we don’t assume that we know more than we do. And, given a choice, why not choose hope?

Perfume

Perfume plays a vital role, it act as a feel good factor that instantly lifts one’s state of mind.Since the beginning of time, perfume has been used for its fragrance, helping to neutralize body odors and ensuring that you smell good all day long.

Usually, perfumes describe odours from flowers or certain other things that belongs to the nature.For instance, A pine-scented perfume has a much stronger or heavier scent. Lilac scent is very close to perfume, but it has a more neutral connotation, making it more applicable.

For centuries, vanilla has been used as a natural aphrodisiac. It is no surprise, then, that men find it pleasing to smell in women.One major myth is that only costly perfumes are effective, but the truth is that it depends on who uses it.For some people it may last longer whereas in others it may last only for a while.It has nothing to do with the perfume.The secret lies in choosing right perfume that serves best for us.

Knowing the fragrance :

According to Dr. Hirsch, “Sweet and tasty scents are familiar to Women.If you are looking for a perfume that lasts longer, then undoubtedly you can go for perfumes made with musk, vanilla or amber. Musk, a fixative in perfumery is one of the most expensive animal products in the world.It is obtained from the musk pod, a gland in the abdomen of the male musk deer that inhabits a pouch, or sac, under the skin.Fresh musk is semiliquid, but dries to a grainy powder which compared with woodsy and earthy smells.It is said to smell like a baby’s skin.

An ambergris is a fossilized whale’s faeces that is often described as being musky and having a sweet earthy aroma or a mossy smell reminiscent of soil near a forest.Initially, ambergris has a marine, faecal smell. It ages to acquire a sweet, earthy scent similar to rubbing alcohol without the vaporous astringency.

How to choose the right perfume?

It might be slightly complicated, but it is worth the effort.With respect to time, the fragrance that linger on after the application of a perfume, can be divided into three categories as top, intermediate and base.Perfume notes are ingredients that make up a fragrance.

The top note of a scent represents the very first impression. Generally, the lightest note of all which is recognised immediately upon application of a perfume. The most common scents include citrus, light fruits and herbs.In perfumery, intermediate notes are generally pleasant and well-rounded with a blend of floral and fruity tones; sometimes spiced with hints of woodiness.

It is said to be the heart of the fragrance, and lasts longer than top notes.Base notes appear while the top notes have evaporated and mix with the heart notes to create a complete fragrance picture. Typically cedar wood, sandalwood, vanilla, amber, and musk are the most common base notes.

FRESH FRAGRANCES: Characterised by freshness and lightness, this group of scents is commonly known by their citrus or green notes. Often made from lemon, orange and bergamot; then accented with herbal tones to revive the senses.These perfumes evoke the senses for that jolt of crispness. Wear them on brunch dates or when you kick back by the pool.These include citrus, water, green and fruity flavours.

EARTHY & WOODY FRAGRANCES: Wild aromatic perfumes are often light in top notes, but filled with deep notes of patchouli, sandalwood, and oak moss to provide an air of sophistication and luxury. When evening comes, this strong, opulent scent will accent your date-night outfit.A scent with wood notes including cedar wood, oak moss and sandalwood. Woody notes are built upon a base of bark and moss, conjuring images of winding forest trails.

WARM & SPICY FRAGRANCES: This decadent blend features an earthy, animalistic base scent such as musk or ambergris, frequently combined with warm notes such as amber.Make an entrance at dinner with a perfume that is bold yet mysterious.

FLORAL FRAGRANCES: From a lone flower petal to a bouquet of flowers, floral scents are made for girly girls . They can be single notes, but usually blend the fragrances of various flowers such as lavender, rose, violet and jasmine to create a classy fragrance with a feminine appeal.When you want to leave a lasting impression, spritz on these light and slightly sweet scents.

How to Make the perfume Last Longer ?

While every perfume evaporates after few hours, few hacks can help you to retain the smell longer.

-Use petroleum jelly as a base for perfume, as it makes the perfume adhere to your skin.
-When you spray fragrance on your body immediately after a bath, your pores will be opened and your skin will be warm, allowing the perfume to absorb into your body.
-The scented area should be rubbed to reactivate the fragrance after a few hours.
-It is best to apply perfume directly to pulse points such as the wrists, navel, and collarbones in order to make it last longer.

Things to remember while choosing a perfume:

• If you are unsure about a fragrance, don’t commit until you have smelled the base notes.
• Whenever possible, mix and match your perfumes from different families. You should always change your perfume according to the seasons.
• Choose your perfume with patience, as it is going to travel with you for a long period of time.
• When we go on a perfume shopping spree in the evening, our sense of smell is sharper, since the air at that time is warmer and we are more able to smell the scents.
• Do not spray the perfume directly on your skin without first spraying on a card and smelling it. After ten minutes, smell it again and only spray on your skin if you find it appealing.

Things to avoid while choosing perfume :

• Try not to test out too many perfumes at once. Make a few visits to the perfume counter, sniff the jars of coffee beans on the counter, and then take another whiff. This allows your nose to breathe, clearing the olfactory perception s between the tests of different perfumes.
• It is important to consider your skin type as well before choosing a perfume. Perfumes dissipate faster on drier skin tones, so a perfume oil with higher concentrations will have a greater impact.
• When you smell a perfume on others, there’s a possibility that it won’t smell right on you. Perfumes come alive after mixing with your body heat and pheromones. That’s why every fragrance will smell differently on each person.

What is Bilingual Method ?

Bilingual method is one of the newest method. where two languages are used one is the mother tongue of the students and the other is the target language (English). Mother tongue is used in the class to achieve the target language. This method is the midway approach of grammar translation method and direct method.

Bilingual Method is one of many teaching methods of English language.C.J Dodson had invented this method of teaching Foreign language   in 1967. Schools use this method where two languages i.e. the mother tongue and target language are used. In this method, teachers use the mother tongue to achieve the target language ( here it is English) .

The method is based on the principles of similarities and differences which is found between the two languages. These may be of situation, sounds, vocabulary, structure etc. If the learner/the teacher understands these differences, the learning of the target language is facilitated considerably.

When the child is learning his mother tongue, he becomes acquainted with the situations and picks up the language easily and correctly. While learning the foreign language, the teacher can create same situations again in order to make the child learn the foreign language.

Difference between Bilingual and Direct Method?

Direct Method is used in majority of English Medium schools and Bilingual method is used in majority of regional language medium schools.In Bilingual method of teaching English the teacher used both language English as well as mother tongue.

Science behind bilingual method

The advocates of bilingual method believe that it is merely wastage of time as there is duplicity of the same thing. We suggest you that you can utilise the saved time for giving practice in sentence pattern.

In this method, importance is given to the mother tongue and its culture. Thus it does not lead to substitution of one means of communication for another. This method of language learning ensures accessibility. When students start learning a language using this method, they find a level of familiarity.

Bilingual methods of teaching English

The history of language teaching in India has a long tradition background. The key part of learning procedure was attributed through memorization of vocabulary and translation of sentences. In India the ancient languages like Pali and Sanskrit were taught through the practice of memorization of texts, in this 20th century there should be a remarkable changes in language teaching.

The term bilingual education is stated to using of two or more languages in the classroom atmosphere for the better understanding. It is the process of teaching the target language through mother tongue of the student. Since English is not a medium of instructions in schools and colleges in India, Indian students can’t practice and perform their English pronunciation.

Even during in English classes most of the teachers teach English without providing students for proper practice in speaking because they are not well prepared enough to give practice it especially in rural engineering colleges in India. This paper focuses on teaching English through mother tongue for engineers with reference to the Indian context.

Advantages of Bilingual Method

1. The teacher is able to teach English to the entire satisfaction of the students.

2. The students are also able to understand English well.

3. Right use of mother tongue by the teacher does not spoil the environment of teaching English. It just helps in teaching English better.

4. This method helps in developing fluency in spoken English.

5. Bilingual Method also helps in giving proper training for different skills namely listening, speaking, reading and writing.

6. The use of mother tongue saves a lot time and makes learning easier. Complex things can be easily explained in the mother tongue.

Disadvantages of Bilingual Method

1. Using this method, the teacher teaches English through English language  and sometimes he uses his mother tongue and this practice diverts the attention of the students.

2. Sometimes it happens that the teacher of English language may not be good in both the languages. He doesn’t get perfection in any of the languages as his labor is also distributed between the two languages.

3. The use of mother tongue while teaching English language may spoil the continuity and fluency of the language.

4. It is the possibility that a few students in the class may be more attentive to mother tongue sounds and less attentive to English Sounds. As a result their pronunciation may become defective.

Positive psychology is a branch of psychology focused on the character strengths and behaviour that allow individuals to build a life of meaning and purpose—to move beyond surviving to flourishing. Theorists and researchers in the field have sought to identify the elements of a good life. They have also proposed and tested practices for improving life satisfaction and well-being.

The Basics of Positive Psychology

Positive psychology emphasizes meaning and deep satisfaction, not just on fleeting happiness.Martin Seligman, often regarded as the father of positive psychology, has described multiple visions of what it means to live happily, including the Pleasant Life , the Good Life , and the Meaningful Life.

Positive psychologists have explored a range of experiences and behaviours involved in different versions of positive living, including specific positive emotions, “flow” states, and sense of meaning or purpose.

While there is plenty of overlap, positive psychology has been described as different from other areas of psychology due to its primary interest in identifying and building mental assests , as opposed to addressing weaknesses and problems. 

TECHNIQUES USED IN POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

Positive psychotherapy is the application of positive psychology principles in a professional therapeutic setting. It is based on the concept that happiness may be broken down into three more manageable components:

• Positive emotion
• Engagement
• Meaning

The exercises used in positive psychotherapy are designed to enhance one or more of these components in a person’s life.

Some of the techniques used in this form of therapy involve examining the activities of the person in therapy. In therapy, the positive implications of each activity are explored.Therapists may, with the consent of the person receiving therapy, beep the individual to remind them to record their experiences.

These records are expanded upon when a person adds daily entries to describe the details of the past day. They are then evaluated with long-term appraisals. These methods are often referred to as short-term sampling.

People in therapy are also often encouraged to keep a gratitude journal. This record is a reminder of the positive events and accomplishments of each day. The practice may help offset rumination on things that did not go according to plan. 

How to apply positive psychology?

Identifying one’s character strengths (such as courage, humanity, or justice) is considered an important step on the road to the good and meaningful life envisioned by positive psychologists. There are also positive psychology practices one can try at home to promote well-being.

For instance, gratitude exercises have been studied by psychologists as a way to increase happiness over time. Just what the name sounds like, these involve such simple actions as writing down each day three things for which one is grateful.

Although the focus of positive psychology is on happiness and fulfillment, it is important to understand that this does not mean people are advised to push away their negative emotions altogether. People who are flourishing make room in their lives for such inevitable states of mind.

Benefits of positive psychology

Practices associated with positive psychology such as gratitude interventions can boost social and emotional well-being.

Positive psychology has also led to explorations of how developing certain character strengths, positive emotions like awe, and other qualities, such as a sense of meaning and purpose in life, might contribute to positive life outcomes.

Measures of meaning in life have been found to relate to other positive life outcomes. For example, a study shows that the older adults who consider their lives worthwhile tend to have better physical and mental health.

How did Positive Psychology evolve?

Many psychologists admit that we have little knowledge of what makes life worth living or of how normal people flourish under usual, rather than extreme, conditions. In fact, we often have little more to say about the good life than self-help gurus. But shouldn’t we know better?

The Western world has long overgrown the rationale for an exclusively disease model of psychology. Perhaps now is the time to readdress the balance by using psychology resources to learn about normal and flourishing lives, rather than lives that are in need of help.

Perhaps now is the time to gather knowledge about strengths and talents, high achievement (in every sense of this word), the best ways and means of self-improvement, fulfilling work and relationships, and a great art of ordinary living carried out in every corner of the planet. This is the rationale behind the creation of positive psychology.

What is Procrastination ?

Procrastination is one of the main barriers blocking you from getting up, making the right decisions and living the dream life you’ve thought of.

Recent studies have shown that people regret more the things they haven’t done than the things they have done. In addition, feelings of regret and guilt resulting from missed opportunities tend to stay with people much longer.

Sometimes all our opportunities seem to be on our fingertips, but we can’t seem to reach them. When you procrastinate, you waste time that you could be investing in something meaningful.If you can overcome this fierce enemy, you will be able to accomplish more and in doing so better utilise the potential that life has to offer.

We are aware that the world today is conducive to procrastinating and learning how to overcome, it is, therefore, one of the most important skills you can learn.

Why do people procrastinate?

Willpower is often perceived to be the leading cause of procrastination, but it is mainly our intrinsic motivation that helps us to overcome the habit of putting things off on daily basis.

_{Decision Paralysis}

Despite having so many opportunities, modern society worships individual liberty under the belief that the more free people are, the happier they will be. But then why aren’t people today significantly happier than they were decades ago?

In the midst of more freedom to decide our own future and act in accordance with our desires, we’ve become confused about what matters most, what is crucial and what isn’t, as well as the right and wrong things to do, and have therefore been demotivated to act at all.

_{Ignoring the value of time}

Our time on Earth is limited and finite and, unfortunately, we will all die at some point. For these reasons, time is the most valuable asset you have. It isn’t money; like money, you can borrow money, save money, or earn more.Each minute that is wasted can never be brought back.

A second wasted on waste is lost forever. Realising that life is finite leads to people managing their time more carefully. They reflect on how they would like to spend the remaining time of their lives.

_{Lack of self-discipline}

Self-discipline or self-control is a moment when you give yourself orders, but you’re having a hard time following them. It is not the cause of procrastination, but it is an important component.

Discipline requires the right kind of motivation and a commitment to maintaining and adopting positive habits.

How to stop Procrastinating ?

If you do not integrate the information you learn about self-discipline, motivation, planning, and time management into your daily routine, your habits, and your thinking patterns, it will be just a piece of useless information.

_{Personal Vision}

The personal vision is one of the core tools, it helps you understand your skills and priorities, and by creating one, you will never feel lost in what is it that you want to do with your life. The personal vision as well helps you to focus your effort on the right activities and set priorities to avoid continually switching between actions. Understand what motivates you, and you will be able to maintain your discipline and make the most out of each day.

_{To-Do list}

Long to-do lists tend to pile on, and this leads to procrastination. Seeing the long list of tasks can frustrate us so much that we have tendencies to give up on them completely. The To-Do Today method is there to help you get the most important and urgent tasks done every day, while also helping you prioritize the work on your schedule and limit new tasks. With its help, you will be able to manage much more in a day, with less stress and tiredness.

_{Habit list}

Learning new habits is one of the basic elements of personal development. If we make a habit of doing something, its implementation requires less mental energy to do it. Learning new habits is, therefore, very important. But there are several myths about what is working and what is not in learning new habits. The Habit-list is based on scientific research about proper planning, learning habits, and its tracking, which then motivates us even further.

_{Meeting with oneself}

This tool will help to guide you through your own “Meeting With Yourself” a time allocated just for you! During your meetings, you can focus on long-term planning and the overall retrospective of your personal growth. It is designed to make you ask yourself how far you have moved forward recently. To consider which direction you would like to head in life and to think about what you can improve even further.

REFERENCE :

Procrastination: A Scientific Guide on How to Stop Procrastinating

A collection of 14 mini-stories and a short play based on the idea of haunting. Sometimes it has to do with ghostly phenomena, and sometimes with psychological phenomena that are more primal. The stories drift to us from different eras, past and present, but they all share a central theme: they all center around a troubled person. For example, Gaston, a French child who lost his parents just a few weeks earlier, witnesses an odd event on the beach.

A woman travels to a French castle with an appointment with her past in the inevitably touching but beautiful Red Letter Day. The Duet runs the risk of being completely different, drawing the viewer into a fascinating dialogue and then hitting a stinging note at the end. 

There are different lengths of stories, from the 36 pages of The Ship of the Dead (lights on for that one!) to the captivating 3-pager Why Yew Trees Live So Long. Yet the length does not matter because we’re drawn into the moment, and, in my case, the book is consumed in its entirety.

As silly as it sounds after saying that, I began reading The Mistletoe Bride with trepidation and anticipation. You see, I devoured Kate’s Languedoc Trilogy (Sepulchre, Labyrinth, Citadel) and am in awe of what she’s capable of spinning out to such lengths while weaving such an intriguing storyline.

Kate has proven to be an exemplar when it comes to writing long stories, but short stories are a different discipline altogether. No worries – these stories are not only enthralling, but they’re also more poignant than scary, so cowardly readers are not ostracized.

All of these plays have been published before since some of the plays have appeared in periodicals over the years, and Syrinx at the end has become a classic for American Drama. 
Nevertheless, Kate has tweaked and rewritten some of the originals as the first collection of the stories. In some cases, she has even rewritten the originals in a way that she is happier with at this juncture of her career.

A fascinating aspect of these stories is that we can actually trace the author’s inspiration from these stories. In The Yellow Scarf, for example, not only do strange things happen to a woman wandering around a castle, but we also see the roots of the time travel ideas that will later appear in the novel.
 The Drowned Village shows her love for French folklore, a love that was also evident in her later works, and in The Princess Alice, one of my favourites, she combines real history with what-ifs.

As part of Kate’s personal notes, she explains the origin of every story as she pre-empts or posts-scripts it. This is especially effective with the title story, a version of which we’ve all heard before (i.e. a game of hide-and-seek gone haywire).It is, however, Kate’s explanation of where and how the story originated that adds a fresh flavour to the tale.

As well as providing information on the author’s family members, the notes also inform us about Aunt Margaret, the first woman ordained in her diocese.As a result, Kate credits her own creative process to these people, showing us someone whose success did not eradicate humility or gratitude; a thought that is as comforting as curling up with these short stories before bedtime, as soon as children have gone to bed. 

Reference:

Short Fiction Spotlight: The Mistletoe Bride and Other Haunting Tales