SUN-TAN : How to take-off the Sun Tan.

“There are various ways and methods to avoid or take off the newly acquired and much envied SUN TAN.”

1. Apply pure sandalwood paste on face 10-15 minute before shower. Its soothing to the skin. You may add some drops of rose water for fragrance and coolong.
2. Kitchen idea is to apply some Besan (gram flour) and rose water on tanned area. Leave it till it dries. Wash with luke warm water.
3. Make a paste of papaya, cream and sugar. Apply this on tanned area and leave for 15 mins. Wash with luke warm water.
4. For darker tans, mix juices of tomato and cucumber and apply daily
5. Grate cucumber and strain the juice. Add some grated potatoes and spread evenly on face. Leave for some time and wash with luke warm water.
6. Mix sugar with lemon juice. Add little glycerin. Scrub on the affected area and apply in circulated motion. Wash with luke warm water.
7. The other and last best way is to use a sunscreen with spf15 to 35. Also nowadays waterproof lotions are available which should be used before swimming.

SILVER : Household methods for preserving silver

Silver items tend to have a blackish look after some time and thereby losing it's shine. Here are some simple tips to get the gleam back.

Tip 1 : Use toothpaste (white one) to clean the silver. Apply some on brush and scrub

the jewellery with it.

Tip 2 : Clean silver with mild soap. Pat dry with soft cloth. For more stubborn dirt,

use a silver cleaner that you can get at any silver jewellery store.

Tip 3 : Make sure the silver is not dumped together. It may get entangled. Keep every

piece separately in felt cloth or tissue.

Tip 4 : Don’t wear silver when doing your household chores. Chlorinated water can

take away all the luster.

Tip 5 : Clean your silver in vinegar to find it looking brand new.

Tip 6 : Don’t use any abrasive cloth or paper to wipe the jewellery. It can develop

scratches. Use earbuds.

Tip 7 : Body lotions, perfume and cosmetics can ruin the silver jewellery. Always

wear jewellery after you beautify yourself.

FLU : Simple home remedies as prevention tips

Flu spreads like wildfire. So what can you do to protect yourself? Stay calm and practice these simple home remedies as prevention tips :

Consume amla regularly. Amla is the highest source of vitamin C and is used to prevent many diseases. It is available in many forms like powder, juice, candy & churan (tablets). Make ginger & garlic a regular part of your diet. They are powerful antibiotics & antibacterials. Onions is also a good antiseptic. Meat can be disinfected by coating it with a paste of garlic and salt.

Clean the atmosphere of the house by burning NEEM, INCENSE (Lohbaan) & Camphor. Neem is a very powerful antiviral and antibiotic. Also use Alum in water. Bathing with neem-infused water was common in India before we got modern filtration & clean water.

Drink an infusuion of Tulsi water daily. Boil 25 leaves of Tulsi in 4 cups of water and let it cool. Adults can have half cup and give babies no more than 10 drops.

Half cup of cinnamon water in morning is a good antiviral drink. Boil an inch of cinnamon in 2 cups of water.

Eucalyptus oil prevents the nasal tract from harbouring dangerous viruses. Carry a few drops of it in your handkerchief. Also use eucalyptus oil during steam inhalation.

Black pepper in meals or a combo of black pepper, honey & ginger is a good antiviral.

Haldi (Turmeric) in meals and as a decoction is very effective in controlling viral infections.

Use the antibacterial soaps to cleanse your hands. Wash them often, at least 15 seconds and rinse with running water.

Apart from being a mood depressant, alcohol is an immune suppressant that can actually decrease your resistance to viral infections like swine flu. So stay away from alcoholic drinks so that your immune system may be strong.

Moderate exercise can support the immune system by increasing circulation and oxygenating the body. For example brisk walking for 30-40 minutes 3-4 times a week will significantly perk up your immunity.

All these are preventive measures and apart from these you need to maintain a standard hygiene and a positive frame of mind.

FLU : Hype, Truth & Precautions.

Every year millions of people die of influenza in this world unnoticed and uncovered by our holy media. May be the virus has mutated a bit this time round. These are very small germs that might, under some circumstances, produce diseases. Mutation, in simple language, means that these viruses are like chameleons. They change their genetic make up sometimes very fast. This is our bane of controlling them. It only takes a few days for a virus to mutate and when it does that all our efforts to identify them drugs against the virus as also the vaccine lose their meaning. Mask will not protect healthy people against the disease in society. If one is attending to the infected, one needs to have the mask to avoid direct droplets from the patient falling into the nose or eyes etc. This virus does not float in the air all by itself for the mask to stop it. The virus is carried in small droplets from the patients' mucus secretions. Mask is a must for every patient to avoid spraying the droplets in his/her surroundings, especially if one is in a crowd or a closed aircraft cabin etc. Over crowding helps the virus to spread easily. Shaking hands is a deadly exercise in this setting. Door knobs, railings, utensils used by an infected person, kissing someone with the virus, close contact with infected people who are incubating the virus, table tops etc carry the virus even up to 48 long hours. Indian system of “Namaste” (greeting with hands folded, palms touching each other) is very healthy practice. Your best bet is to meticulously clean your hands with simple soap and water (not chemical detergent soaps) as frequently as is possible or, at least, before touching your nose, eyes and mouth. During travel or hospital visits one does well to carry a bottle of alcohol hand cleaners for use where soap and water are scarce. They are very effective. Plenty of rest, adequate sleep, nourishing but, simple foods like fruits and vegetables, not too much spoiled by over cooking and frying, avoiding cooked meat to the extent possible; plenty of water to keep the mucus membranes wet; regular non-strenuous exercise that boosts the immune system, avoiding smoking and alcohol, happy disposition with Yoga and adequate oxygenation of all the cells including those in the immune system by Praanaayaama should help to prevent this dread. Try to do proper Yoga under a professional teacher. Do not pay heed to rumours and baseless advices OR crowd talks.

Indian Director-Editor of persian film meets Afghanistan Consul General

I was invited by the Consul general for appreciation for my debut direction film PANAAH - Baroye Zinda Mondan which has been widely accepted by the Afghans worldwide. We did talk about Films, shooting probabilities in afghanistan and also exchanged anecdotes about our lives. He was very happy that I, an Indian, had made a film highlighting the plights of Afghans. The film can be seen online on www.sundeepmohnot.com or also on http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/1155/Panaah-Baroye-Zinda-Mondan
Do check the photograph on Facebook on http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/photo.php?pid=2178201&id=703343470&ref=nf

It was surely a great meeting. mr Asad Sikander, Producer of the film, is very happy with the meeting and hopes the meeting will lead to more bollywood films being shot in Afghanistan. He hopes to strengthen the ties between the two countries.

Why do we go to USA for our own internal security?

Why is India so soft on terrorism? Why do we have to behave like a cry-baby in front of the world especially in front of USA whether it’s Kashmir oer Bomb blasts? Pakistan is a direct threat on our security and has been lying to us on terrorism issues for decades. They have been harboring so many hard core terrorists wanted by India & the Interpol. Most of the superpower countries have turned a Nelson’s eye towards these issues which is mainly due to pressure from USA. Our boundaries have been decreased by forceful accession and we have failed to align the people to wards us. Pok, Aksai Chin & Arunachal Pradesh are examples. The world doesn’t question China on invasion on Tibet but asks us to give our territories. The world wants nuclear disarmament but fails to put a check on Pakistani A Q Khan who has sold the Nuclear tech to many countries and who has been aided by China. USA & CHINA help this rogue state by supplying military tech know-how, arms & aid in the guise of NGO’s. Any other country would have waged a war against Pakistan after 26/11, Parliament attack, Mumbai bomb blasts, Kandahar hijack, etc. but we continue to maintain restrain in the name of peace & path of non-violence. USA wiped out Afghanistan & Iraq when just WTC was bombed but what India who is fighting terrorism for the past 6 decades. We are ready for war and Pakistan is well aware of the consequences. Condolezza & later Hillary come running to us to maintain peace but helps Pakistan by camouflaging their misdeeds by saying that Pakistan is fighting it’s own internal battle and is determined to wipe out terrorism from their soil. How will it wipe out when the training camps are being funded by their own ISI. We have sent clear signals to the world that we are a soft state & our citizens are sitting ducks anywhere in the world. The recent release of 26/11 mastermind Saeed by Pakistan shows Pakistani double standards in the name of curbing terrorism and Mr. Hoolbrooke calmly in a press conference in the presence of Zardari says it’s their internal matter so we will not comment on it. Adding a topping is the new US$200M aid to the rogue state through some front end NGO’s of it’s own ISI. How the money is used and for what is very well known and doesn’t need to be guessed. This act is highly appalling & disturbing. It shows that USA treats Pakistan as it’s strong ally in South Asia and just wants to use India for it’s vested interests. Why do we have to go to USA or need consent for all our internal matters on security or Pakistan threats? Countries like North Korea, Iran & even France have challenged the supremacy of USA. France was against the attacks by USA but today has become it’s strong ally. Everyone knows about Iran & N Korea. Are we a smaller country or a weaker country than these two states. We are now amongst the super powers of the world but are being scared & provoked by our neighbours like Pakistan, Bangladesh, China & Sri Lanka. What kind of power we possess when we are always looking towards USA for maintaining our security. The MEA of India has to act in defiance of Pakistani acts and maintain the dignity, sovereignty & safety of our country. The present government has been elected on a very important issue of securing the country and we hope they will live upto their promises.

Do Mumbaiikars have a right to complain?

Can the bombayites hear some laughter in Mantralya building? If we can then the we are the cause it. We have given them an opportunity to laugh on us. The crystal clear & enthusiastic visuals of the candle march to the Gateway of India, the slogans, the speeches and fire of the youth had invigorated the citizens. When we were passing the Mantralaya (the government HQ of Maharshtra) building, we could sense the fear of the bureaucrats inside. They were fearing the outcome of the movement. It was the biggest movement by the citizens without any support from political party or vested interest of politician. The speeches were not only full of hatred but also of awareness of the citizens of the city. We did not wanted to be called “The city of DEAD”. Till now everybody has been misleading us by calling “The city with undying spirit” when infact it was just to keep the Nelson eye attitude intact. The JAAGO RE campaign was a hit with all. Everybody thought that this time Bombay people will give a much deserving answer to the government. We will not allow ourselves to be taken for granted. BUT finally the bureaucrats & Mantralaya people had the last laugh. They knew that this movement is because of momentary heat. Momentary anger. All smoke, No fire. THEY WERE RIGHT. The headlines of percentage of voter turnout was embarrassing. Less than 50%. Reason – Weekend, much needed break, quality time to family, etc. All crap. A person wanted this vacation badly and hence did not consider voting as important. Wow!! Next time please do not complain of anything against the government. You are not entitled. People left the city on Wednesday night. Could not wait till noon of Thursday. The polling booth opens at 7am. They are ready to stand in queue for trains, cinema tickets, McDonalds, Temples, etc but can’t stand in queue at polling booth. What do they expect—The EC dept officers to come to your doorstep with the EVM. The icing on the cake was by the celebrities who had done the numerous ads requesting people to vote. They themselves were absconding with flimsy reasons. Must be expecting some payment to come and vote as they are used to getting paid for wherever they go. They had time to attend Priyanka Chopra’s party but no time to vote. Another reason could be that these celebs do not leave their houses without make-up lest people see their horrible REAL faces. And that day the make-up man & his assts. were absent as they had gone to vote. So obviously how can the celebs venture out and loose their fan who admire their false looks. This proves that PLEASE DO NOT BELIEVE THESE CELEBS. They will misguide & mislead you to any extent for their personal interests. We should applaud Aamir & Shahrukh Khan for coming to vote and doing their duties. Practice what you preach. Instead everybody is interested in finding the reason for Shahrukh’s visit to the city which turns out to be a dance party at some real estate tycoon. So how does it matter? He has done his job –VOTE & after that he is free to do whatever he wants. Who are these people to point finger on him? What right they have to do that? So actually we, the citizens, deserve what we get - whether its apathy from the government, the laugh of Mantralaya or the taken-for-granted attitude of the politicians. Please DO NOT COMPLAIN FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

Home Remedy for CONSTIPATION

HOME REMEDY -- CONSTIPATION

For a healthy and fit lifestyle a person should have his food

with the required calories and nutrients daily. He/she should

evacuate his bowels daily. But in some cases this is not so. And

when it is not so we say that this person is suffering from

Constipation. Constipation is no fun. Some times it can be pain_

ful. But the cause of constipation is not easy to find. It may

include lack of fiber in the diet, insufficient liquid intake,

stress, medications, lack of exercise and bad bowel habits. The

foremost thing to be considered as the cause of constipation is

to check your diet and your daily liquid intake. But how much

fiber and liquid do you need? Let's start with liquid. A minimum

of 8 glasses of liquid should be a part of every adult's diet.

While any fluid will do the trick but the best fluid is water. A

daily consumption of 20 to 35 grams of dietary fiber for all

adults and at least 30 grams for those suffering from constipa_

tion is a must. Where does this fiber come from? Top sources of

fiber are legumes, fruits, whole grains and vegetables. It is not

difficult to get 30 grams if fiber in your daily diet, if you

choose your food carefully. eg. A half cup of cooked kidney beans

(rajma) will give 9 grams, half cup of cooked dals will give 5.2
grams, a bowl of bran cereal will give 13 grams, 1 sweet potato

will give 3.4 grams, 1 apple will give 3 grams, 1 large pear will

give 6.2 grams, etc. Others rich fiber foods include prunes,

figs, raisins popcorn, nuts, strawberries, carrots and cereals.

If your fiber intake has been low, build it up gradually so as to

avoid gas attacks. Think about the oil slick in your stomach and

match it with the one in Alaska. It will give you cramps if the

same was in your stomach. Eliminate oil from your diet such as

liquid vegetable oil, soy oil or olive. It's not the oil but

eating in it's free state that causes constipation and many other

digestive problems. These oils form a film in the stomach which

makes it difficult to digest carbohydrates and proteins there and

in the small intestine. Adequate digestion is delayed which

causes putrefecation, gas and toxins. But oils eaten in their

natural form, locked up in whole nuts, avocados and corn are

released slowly into the body so that no oil slick occurs to

block digestion and create constipation. Regular exercise tends

to combat constipation faster. One of the best exercise is walk_

ing. Good body tone, good bowel tone. Exercise strengthens the

body, relieves stress and calm your irritable bowel.If you sus_

pect stress and tension is one of your reasons for constipation

then avoid it. Relax and listen to relaxation music. Do not

strain during constipation. Because straining raises your blood

pressure and lowers your heartbeat which results to blackout and

a fall in the toilet. Instead of chemical laxatives try the

"natural" or "vegetable" laxatives. Isabghol is a superconcen_

trated form of fiber and hence is non-addictiveand safe. But they

should be taken with a lot of water. Juices are also beneficial.

Juice of spinach, carrot or a mixture of juices of potato, cucum_

ber and apple. One can also have juices of fig, guava or orange.

The body is well cleansed if lemon juice mixed warm water and

honey is taken on an empty stomach early in the morning. This

will releive you from constipation. It's tough to be serious

about flatulence, though we may try to without invoking laughter.

If you are adding fiber to your diet start with a small dose so

that bowels get used to it. That lessens the increase of flatus.

Activated charcoal tablets are effective in eliminating excessive

gas. It's not only what we eat but also how we eat. Digesting a

lot of food eaten all at once over stimulates the digestive

system. That is why it is much better to eat frequent smaller

meals than infrequent larger meals. And always remember that

"AFTER LUNCH NAP A WHILE AND AFTER DINNER WALK A MILE"

HOME REMEDY --COLD, GOUGH, SORE THROAT

At one time or other, everyone of us succumbs to the common

cold. The bravest, the strongest, the sweetest, the smartest -

our virtues matter not to these viruses as they set about reduc_

ing us to coughing, sneezing sneezing shadows of our former

selves. Worse yet, there's no cure. Antiboitics, champs at knock_

ing out bacterial infection, are down for the count against cold

viruses. So we sniffle on bravely, maybe take a cold pill or two,

and hope the symptoms will disappear in the customary week or so.

Some home remedies as suggested by doctors may help us overcome

cold more quickly. Vitamin C works in the body as a scavenger

picking up all sorts of trash - including virus trash. It can

shorten the length of a cold from seven days to two or three

days. Vitamin C may also cut back on coughing, sneezing and other

symptoms. Juices of orange, grape fruit and cranberry are rich

sources of vitamin C. Sucking on Zinc lozenges can cut colds

short. The downside is that Zinc has an unpleasant taste. There

are however lozenges in the market that contain honey and/or

citrus that are a lot easier to swallow. But do nottake more than

reccommended by the doctors it can be toxic in large doses. Extra

rest enables you to put all your energy into getting well. Take

a day off or two from work if you are really bad. Mild exercises

improves your circulation, helping your immune system circulate

infection fighting antibodies. Try taking a brisk half an hour

walk. For diet eat fewer fatty foods, meat and milk products and

eat more fresh fruit and vegetables. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of

water, juice, tea and mostly clear liquids. This will replace

important fluids lost during a cold and help flush out impurities

that may be preying on your system. Smoking aggravates a throat

that may already feel irritated from cold. So, try to abstain

yourself at least for a while. Relieve an irritated throat by

gargling morning, noon and night whenever it hurts the most. Fill

a glass of warm water and mix in 1 teaspoon of salt. Take a hot
water bath or steam your nose by inhaling steam from boiling

water mixed with menthol. Or try garlic tea. This familiar herb

has an antibiotic effect. It can actually kill germs and clear up

the cold symptoms more rapidly. Try to avoid spreading cold by

not sharing your food with others. Do not step outside with a wet

head. If it persists with a fever about 103 degrees fah. see your

doctor. Also visit him if you have extreme pain such as ear ache,

swollen tonsils, sinus pain or chest pain, extremely difficulty

in swallowing, excessive large amounts of sputum or sputum that

is greenish or bloody, shortness of breath or excessive of appe_

tite. Lemonated water will also provide relief. Juices of ginger,

orange, carrot, raddish, garlic can be taken. Crush some tulsi

leaves and give one or two drops of the juice to babies 2 to 3

times a day. To relieve congestion dissolve one tbsp. of crushed

camphor in 2 tsp. of hot coconut oil. Store in an air tight

container and rub it on the chest and throat of the child.

For dry cough, take a solution containing 1 part of honey, 1 part

of lime juice and 1 part of rum or gin ( leave alcohol out for

children and those who have difficulty in breathing ). Take 1

tsp. of this solution every 2 to 3 hours. For sinusitis, soak a

piece of turmeric in castor oil, burn it and inhale the smoke. Or

inhale the smoke by burning a few pepper corns. Or roast garlic

in hot ash and take it three times a day. For cold, boil a hand_

ful of eucalyptus leaves in two glasses of water till the quanti_

ty is reduced to half. Strain the water, add sugar and drink 3

times a day. This remedy is for adults. Most coughs are due to

the air passages becoming inflammed by infection and forming more

mucus than the usual. Sometimes a throat infection will irritate

the cough reflex without causing much increase in mucus and dry

barking coughs maybe troublesome. Coughing may have other causes

- inhalation of dust or chemicals, pressure on the air passages

from a tumour, accumulation of fluid in lungs. Sometimes coughing

maybe the only symptom of asthma. Mostly coughs are doing a

useful job, clearing the lungs of phlegm and that any treatment

should be aimed at the cause of the cough rather than the cough

itself. Remedies fall into 2 categories : Expectorants which make

the mucus in the chest more liquid and therefore easier to cough

and suppresants which damp down the cough reflex. If you are

coughing up thick phlegm, take an expectorant. A dry, irritating

cough may warrant a suppressant. What makes more sense is to

take a cough medicine that contains a drug of both kinds.

Combine a sore throat with a rasping cough and you know the

meaning of torture. Sore throats are early warning signs of cold

or flu. But they can exist independently as the result of some

other viral or bacterial infection. If you have sore throat

caused by a viral infection, antibiotics won't help. But medicat_

ed lozenges may do some good. Zinc lozenges as stated above will

also help. Several actors mentioned the time honoured salvo of

lemon juice and honey in hot water or tea sipped through the day.

Some even inhale steam for about ten mins. a day. If you have the

time, try it 2 to 3 times a day. One more idea is to gargle with

whisky in a large glass of warm water. If part of the reason you

are breathing through your mouth is that your nose is clogged,

then open it with an decongestant nasal spray. Try to limit its

use for a day or two, because it can become addictive. If you
live near the sea, then go ahead and inhale the sea breeze. When

you inhale the mist, the saline air moistens your nose and drips

down the back of your throat to help increase humidity there.

Unlike the nasal decongestants, the saline way is not addictive.

Try to avoid milky drinks which may produce more mucus, making

you cough and further irritating the tissues. Caffeine containing

beverages have a counter productive diuretic effect. Garlic is

one of the best natural antibiotics and antiseptics. Vitamin C

helps to build up tissues to fight germs that are responsible for

sore throat. Believe it or not, your toothbrush may be perpetuat_

ing or even causing the sore throat. Bacteria collects on the

bristles and any injuryto the gums during brushing injects these

germs into your system. From the preventive standpoint, replace

the toothbrush every month and also store it outside the moist,

bacteria prone bathroom. If you think it's expensive then think

again about the cost of just one trip to the doctor's clinic.

Another cause of sore throat in the morning - besides sleeping

with your mouth open - is a backp of stomach acids into your

throat during night. These acids are extremely irritating to the

sensitive throat tissues. Avoid the problem by tilting the bed_

frame or add a pillow so that the head is 4 to 6 inches higher

than the foot. But don't simply add pillow, they can cause you to

bend in the middle, increasing pressure on the oesophagus and

making the problem worse. As an extra precaution, do not eat or

drink for an hour or two before retiring. See the doctor if you

experience the following : Severe, prolonged or recurrent sore

throats, difficulty in breathing, swallowing or opening of mouth,

joint pains, earache or lump in the neck, rash, fever above 101

degrees fahrenheit, hoarseness lasting two weeks or longer, blood

in saliva or phlegm. If you take the necessary precautions you

will do better in the long run to stay well.