Color Therapy

Colours are part of the universe, our planet and thus all of us. Colours have been used by healers for centuries and we too, can bring greater harmony into our lives by applying the properties of colours to our lives. Colours can help in harmonising the body and mind and in our living spaces. Here are a few time-tested colour healing tips which can be applied in our daily lives:

• If you have a busy day coming up and you need to feel energized, wear orange. This colour helps boost creativity and give you that extra burst of energy.
  
• If you desire to give off an air of power and strength, wear black.
  
• Yellow helps improve memory, try studying by writing your notes on a yellow pad. Or put some thing yellow in your child’s study room eg a cushion, painting or paint one wall yellow.
  
• If you desire total relaxation at the end of a long day and want to soak in the tub, bring in shades of green into the bathroom.
  
• Got a fussy eater at home? Bright colors such as red, orangeand yellow have been proven to stimulate the nervous system and increase your appetite. Choose food in these colours or serve food in plates of red, orange or yellow.
  
• Pink has been proven to be an appetite suppressant, wear shades of pink while dieting.
  
• Blue reflects a calm, restful and relaxing environment. Tints of blue will make a room appear more spacious and pale blue ceilings, such as a faux sky with clouds, are soothing especially in the bedroom promoting better sleep.
  
• White implies purity, cleanliness, spaciousness and innocence. White rooms tend to be very dramatic and create a feeling of quiet luxury. A master bedroom with large amounts of white could become your oasis from a hectic world.
  
• Brown is an effective grounding colour. On days when you feel a little spacey or lacking in focus, wearing brown will help you focus on practical matters.

Victims of own desires

People face various situations and circumstances, which may leave them with a feeling of hopelessness or helplessness. This insecurity is usually related to innumerable materialistic wants or even relationships. As a result, often unconsciously, they become victims of panic attacks.

Before you become a victim of your own desires, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Faith

Believe in your abilities and acknowledge the fact that you have the capability of overcoming the odds, which are making you feel insecure. Instead of hoping for things to fall in place on its own, take a vow to resolve the situation on your own. Pen down 10 reasons to prove to yourself that you have adequate competency to overcome the insecurity.

Confront

Confront the situation and dig deep by questioning yourself:

• Why these circumstances arose in the first place
• What actions or thoughts have lead to this feeling of insecurity and is making you feel miserable.

You must be able to appreciate your shortcomings resulting in your prevailing circumstances. Now make a promise that such mistake will not be repeated.

Laws of Nature

Acknowledge the fact that your actions are in your capacity but the results of those actions are not. The results of all the actions are taken care of by the laws of nature, which are unbiased and neutral for every one of us. Be willing to accept the circumstances as the result of your inappropriate actions in the past. Have absolute faith that from now on, your actions will be desirable resulting in desirable circumstances and soon the Laws of Nature will bless you with favorable circumstances.

Act patiently

It is the over reaction to a situation which multiplies ones insecurity. Therefore, lie loose and avoid trying too hard to get out of the current mess at the earliest. Patiently observe and see in which direction things are going and the reasons behind it. If the situation is further making you insecure, identify the catalyst and start by addressing it. Avoid acting on all the reasons simultaneously as you may be in the danger of entangling yourself further and hence feeling more vulnerable.

Rough & Dry Skin

‘Egg’cellent treatment

A few drops of lemon juice and olive oil mixed in an egg yolk and applied on the face is known to transform dry and rough skin to a much smoother and hydrated level. Leave the mix on your face till it dries. Wash it off with ordinary tap water.

Olive oil protection

Use a muslin cloth to make a simple face mask by cutting holes for the eyes, nose and mouth in it. Before going to bed, soak the cloth mask in olive oil, put it on your face and lie down. After about 40 minutes or so, take off the mask and wipe off your face with a dry soft cloth. In the morning, wash your face with luke warm water and then splash cool tap water liberally. Gently pat dry. This treatment is believed to work wonders in combating dry skin.

To protect your skin and prevent it from dryness during the winter, add two drops of olive oil in your bath water.

Home made night cream

You can make this cream in a minute. Take half a teaspoon of milk cream, lemon juice, one teaspoon of almond oil and mix all the ingredients well. You have an effective cream to counteract dry and rough skin at your finger tips. Use it on your face and neck every night.

Rose and lemon lotion

Use the following mixture on your body after your bath to counteract dry skin. Take three tablespoons rose water, two tablespoons lemon juice and one-tablespoon glycerine. Mix all the ingredients well. Left over lotion can be stored in the refrigerator.

Smoothen with salt

Knees, elbows and heels are prone to getting rough and dry. Use salt and mustard oil to make a paste. Massage these vulnerable parts with the salt paste regularly and you will soon notice a beautiful difference.

Beautify with cabbage juice

Take some cabbage juice, a dash of yeast, and a teaspoon of honey. Mix all the ingredients well. Apply the mixture on your face and neck. Let remain for twenty minutes. Take it off using soft cloth or cotton wool soaked in plain tap water. Pat dry. This nourishing and nurturing mask for rough and dry skin is said to be an excellent preventive for wrinkles too.

Kriyas for Knee Pain

One of the common symptoms of ageing is knee / joint pain. Even young people hold their knees while climbing stairs or while squatting during rigorous workouts. The lifestyles, routines and regimens prevalent today are far from what our ancestors had prescribed and that leads us towards vikriti, a state of imbalance.

Knee pain is the direct result of an imbalance in the pranic flow in the knee region. Since the problem finds its root in something that is beyond physical, the solution too calls for a more holistic approach. Sanatan Kriya, which touches upon all aspects of human existence, offers simple techniques to keep such problems at bay.

Sit with a straight back, arms straight, palms on the floor close to hips and legs stretched forward. Keeping your eyes shut, do the following set of asanas.

Jaanu Akarshan

• Inhaling, contract your right knee pushing it into the floor.
• Hold for a count of 7.
• Release while exhaling.
• Repeat 7 times.
• Now do the same on the left knee.
• Finally contract and release both the knees together, 7 times while maintaining breath awareness.

Jaanu Chakra

• Fold your right leg such that the thigh presses against the torso, the knee touches the chest.
• Support the thigh with both your hands.
• Now rotate the lower leg (knee onwards) in clockwise and reverse direction, seven times each.
  Synchronize the rotation with your breath, inhaling in half circle and exhaling in the other half.
• Gently bring the leg down.
• Repeat with the left leg.
• Now fold both the legs close to the chest, and repeat the rounds with both legs together in clockwise and counter-clockwise direction.

Finally, lie down in shavasana. Take your awareness to the knee joints and strengthen them with the aid of your consciousness.

Ayurveda prescribes regular massage of the knees with mahanarayan oil to keep the knee joints lubricated. It is also advisable to apply alternate hot and cold compression to the affected region so as to stimulate muscle movement. Later on hot compression can be done at regular intervals to release accumulated vata (wind) from that region.

Dieting Diet

“The most important part of being a normal weight is not looking a certain way, it is feeling good and staying healthy. Having too much body fat can be harmful to the body in many ways. The good news is that it is never too late to make changes in eating habits to control your weight and those changes don’t have to be as big as you might think. However, each person needs to have a personal diet chart which is worked out after careful consideration of several factors,” says Dr Ahmed adding, “Nonetheless, if you are normally healthy, the diet chart given below, though general, will effectively and safely help you lose about two kilos over a period of ten days or may be less.”

Mandatory – Say “NO” to sugar (You may use sugar substitutes), rice, channa and rajma.

8 AM

2 glasses of water.

1 cup of Green tea without sugar.

1 phulka or 1 slice of bread with 2 egg whites or 80 gms of cornflakes with little slim milk.

9 AM

1 Fruit

2 PM

2 glasses of water.

1 bowl veg or non-veg with 3 cucumbers and 2 phulkas.

5 PM

2 glasses of water.

1 cup of tea without sugar

2 dates or 3 apricots or 1 fruit

7 PM

1/2 cup of slim milk or 1 fruit.

9 PM

2 glasses of water

80 gms sprout salad or daal with

1 bowl veg and 1 phulka.

“Remember, water is to be consumed before the meals, the dal ought to be devoid of heavy bagaar, and the veg/non veg dish must be prepared in little oil,” emphasises Dr Ahmed.

In conclusion, she offers a home remedy to lose weight, “A serving of legumes will help you to feel full more quickly. The rich fiber contents fill your stomach and causes a slower rise in blood sugar, staving off hunger for long and giving you a steady supply of energy, thereby helping weight loss.”

The scent of your sign

Aries
You dare to try new fragrances that make inspiring style statements. You need as much variety in your collection of scents as you do in life. The more exotic the fragrance, the better you like it. The aroma of honeysuckle tends to work well for your general well being.

Taurus
You have a great affinity with nature. No wonder, you find no other scent more intoxicating than that of wet earth. You find perfumes with natural fragrances very uplifting and are likely to remain steadfast in your choice of fragrance for years. Aroma of rose, violet and vanilla pleases your senses.

Gemini
Your signature scent may well be delicate, flirty, floral fragrances, as emotionally you prefer to keep things light and airy. Strong scents are off putting for you just as you feel thwarted and swamped when confronted by powerful passions. Because you are prone to nervous tensions and stress, the aroma of lavender is particularly beneficial for you.

Cancer
You are content and inspired by anything that harmonises with your cardinal water nature. Water translates into anything absorbing, deep, constantly moving, with an aura of mystery to stir the imagination. Little wonder then you are inclined towards fragrances that evoke a sense of curiosity and mystique like that of sandalwood and jasmine.

Leo
You are extremely artistic, creative and love is a very important part of your life. You are faithful and loyal and think that behaving in an untrustworthy or dishonest way is beneath your dignity. The sweet warming scents of amber and hina, rich spicy fragrance of myrrh, exotic aromas of rose, musk, bergamot, frankincense and neroli make a romantic and redolent collection for the royal Leo.

Virgo
You fare better when dealing with situations that require a logical approach. You feel out of sorts when involved in highly charged emotional scenes. Scents and perfumes with down-to-earth fragrance is what you would normally choose. Strong heady fragrances make you uncomfortable and sometimes ill with headache and nausea. Aroma of Lavender, lilac and lily is apt for you.

Libra
You have a touch of class. Your planet Venus rules the sweet things in life – including sweet smells. The fragrance of almond, rose, vanilla, violet or any other classy designer scents completes your style statement.

Scorpio
Intrigue is something that you thoroughly enjoy. You love a good mystery, being pretty enigmatic yourself. You are naturally drawn towards fragrances that seem to cast a spell of magic. Frankincense, clarysage, sandalwood, khus, make a fine choice of fragrances for you.

Sagittarius
Your sun sign rules the outdoors, philosophy, religion and foreign lands. Perfumes that rejuvenate, revitalise, refresh, have a sporty scent or whose aroma brings to your mind the splendours of the ‘great outdoors’, raise your spirits, improve your aura and complements your personality. You are inclined to opt for carnation, jasmine or myrrh.

Capricorn
Being an earth sign, you gravitate towards earthy fragrances. Natural floral and herbal aromas empower you even as they soothe and nourish your energy field. Fragrance of pine and wintergreen nourish your spirit.

Aquarius
Yours is a fixed air sign. Air transforms into anything, which is, in your case, unpredictable, unorthodox, unexpected, changing and involves the intellect. Novel, unusual fragrances stimulate your intellect and you tend to be quite adventurous in your selection of perfumes. Given a choice you would rather blend aromas to come up with your own personalized fragrance.

Pisces
Your sun sign represents secrets, the uncontrolled imagination, mysticism, intuition, dreams and all things hidden. You are very attuned to the atmosphere around you, which means you can absorb difficult energies, much to your disadvantage. Fragrance of lotus enchants you , but astrologically speaking, you are advised to protect your energy field with the aroma of Lavender.

Semolina-a health food

Semolina is also a good source of thiamin and folate, and a very good source of selenium. It is a product of wheat milling that is created when the wheat kernels are processed using corrugated cast-iron rollers. During this phase of wheat milling, the bran, germ and endosperm are separated and the endosperm breaks into coarse grains. These coarse grains are called semolina.

Again caution – this is not diet food in any way especially due to the high carbohydrate content. But the recipes given below are healthy choices as part of a normal, ‘eat sensible’ diet.

Semolina Dhokla

• 1 cup semolina
• 2 cups watery yoghurt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger paste
• ½ teaspoon fresh green chili paste (optional – can be removed for kids)
• 1 level teaspoon eno salt (simplest is to buy the small sachet)
• 1 teaspoon oil
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander to garnish

Mix all the ingredients to form a batter and keep for 5 minutes.

Oil the small plate fitting your steamer

Pour a thin layer of the batter in the oiled plate.

Put the lid on the steamer and steam for 10- 15 minutes.

Open the lid of the steamer and if the dhoklas are ready they will spring back when gently pressed.

Remove thali from steamer and let it cool. Cut dhokla into diamond shapes and garnish with fresh chopped coriander

Grilled mushroom and semolina (adapted from Food and Wine)

• 1 packet mushrooms sliced
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3.5 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 1 cup semolina
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 2 teaspoons of freshly grated cheese (optional)
• 1 tablespoons chopped coriander or parsley

Preheat the oven. Layer the oven pan with foil, toss the mushrooms with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 15 minutes. Stir the mushrooms once and roast for another 10 minutes until their liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are lightly browned.

In a large saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a simmer; season with salt. Whisk in the semolina in a thin stream and bring to a boil, whisking to prevent lumps. Cook, stirring, until thick and creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the butter and cheese and season with salt and pepper. Pour the semolina into a large bowl and top with the roasted mushrooms. Garnish with the parsley and serve.

This serves to actually replace creamy mashed potatoes, which have high starch content and need plenty of butter and cream to make creamy. It’s a great side to a nice piece of grilled fish or even tofu.

Pic: Wikipedia.org