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How to Deep Condition your Hair?

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As I have repeatedly stressed on the point of Hair conditioning, it should come as no surprise if I embark on a really elaborated ritual of homemade deep conditioning treatment. This is a variant of the regular egg or yogurt mask only. Just that there is one more ingredient – Honey. Nothing great about this recipe itself. You are well aware of the properties of egg and honey for the hair.

Dry Hair needs protein treatment so use egg and if you have oily hair, you would do better with yogurt or milk. Apply the conditioner and keep it as long as you can (as long as you can stand the smell of egg) !! Now, before applying the mask, prepare your hair a little just like you would prepare your face for a face mask.
  • Comb your hair and get rid of all the tangles.
  • Brush it once or twice to make sure it is free flowing.
  • Now, steam your hair. Take a bowl of water or the appliance/ saunas available for taking steam for your face. I know its kind of difficult to direct steam to your hair so you have to juggle a little with the appliance. If you are using a bowl of water, juggle with yourself or you would end up burning. Carefully, direct steam to all parts of your head. You can even divide your head in 5 parts: top, back, left, right and middle. Middle is the most difficult to get your steam to. For back and middle, bend backward on the bowl or sauna. So, place the bowl/sauna at a comfortable position. And, remember, steam is very hot and you would not be able to bear it more than a few seconds on the more sensitive portions of your skull so keep the steam time to a minimum. Once you try this, you would get used to it. Do this for at max 15 minutes. That would be enough to let the scalp absorb the mask well. Switch off the fans and AC in your room or you will end with a headache due to the temperature differences.
  • After opening the hair follicles a bit, apply the mask by massaging it into your scalp. Start from one side and end with the other or part your scalp in 5 parts again. That makes easy application of the mask. After covering the scalp, part your hair along its length and dip them into the mask and spread it evenly. Keep maximum at the ends.
  • After whole of the hair is covered in mask, massage it a little for 10-15 minutes and cover with a shower cap.
  • If you have a drier, set it to warm setting and direct the flow of air evenly on your scalp to provide warmth for better absorption. Or, wet a towel and heat it in microwave for 30 seconds and wrap it around the head. You can repeat the towel wraps as many times as you want reheating it after it has cooled.
  • Now, wait for as long as you can. Preferably, do this treatment in the evening because there is more to come.
  • Go and rinse your hair after your tolerance is over. Do not shampoo or condition. Just rinse with lukewarm water and get all the egg out of your hair. Egg tends to stick to hair.
  • Come out of the shower. I know you are smelling nasty !! So, let your hair air dry first.
  • Now, comb your hair and untangle it. Now, take a cup of your favorite oil and warm it a little so that oil is tolerably hot to touch.
  • Apply the oil to your hair and massage well. Yes, a hot oil treatment after a homemade deep conditioning treatment. Massage your scalp gently but firmly for 30 minutes. It really helps.
  • Leave the oil overnight and wash off with a mild and nice smelling shampoo the other day. You would not even need to condition it but you can apply a little to the ends if you want.
Tips:
  • Use any hair mask in place of egg+honey mask. You can even use the commercially available deep conditioning treatments.
  • Use a strong smelled oil for hot oil treatment so that it will mask the smell of egg. Coconut is great for that but only unrefined.
  • You can add vitamin E or Evening Primrose Oil supplements to the mask and oil as well for extra nourishment and shine.
  • You can also use a homemade herbal shampoo which is just a variant of your favorite shampoo.
  • You can end this hair pampering session with one of your favored hair rinses too. They would give extra bounce to your hair.
  • Do this once a week to counter the effects of the whole week abuse of your hair.
  • Results: Hair would be softer and shinier for days together. This treatment will take care of your hair till the next treatment 🙂

Health Benefits of Buck Wheat (Kuttu ka Atta)

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Did you know that this ‘Kuttu ka atta’ is really very nutritious. It is a fruit not a grain as you all must be aware of. But, it is equally rich in the nutrients it possesses. Buck Wheat is especially high in fiber.

Fiber is important for our body to clean out all the toxins making detoxification of body easy and weight loss. More fiber, better digestion and better we look.

Fiber also helps in curbing our cravings. If you eat an appropriate amount of fiber in all your meals, you tend to eat less in between your meals and you would likely not munch on junk foods any way.

Not only that, buck wheat is very rich in its proteins content and B vitamins apart from minerals like phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper and manganese.

The good news for all is that Buck Wheat is also rich in essential fatty acids for our body which keeps our skin soft and glowing from the inside. It lowers blood pressure, cholesterol and manages diabetes as it is low in glucose.

Buck Wheat has been known to reduce haemorrhaging in people with high blood pressure due to the presence of a chemical which straightens the capillary walls in the body.

Detox while fasting this Navratra

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Wish you all very Happy Navratras.
Navratras are touted to be the most auspicious days of the year. Many people are used to fasting for either all the nine days or tend to opt for specific days like the pair of first and last, even days, odd days and many other combinations whichever suits them. Whatever your choices be, you need to look your best on these days too. The general norm is to eat once in the evening or at night. And, the food is not the regular grains and rice but made from the flour of a fruit which is called ‘Kuttu’ in hindi. And, it is extremely tasty. No doubt  about it. So, since you would be sticking to a  diet which includes no junk and additives, you can as well take this time off to get a detox session for your body. You do not have to try hard to do anything. There are only two scenarios: one is if you eat only the evening food and abstain from everything in whole of the day or other is if you take fluids whole of your day.
  • If you are among the category to abstain from everything until evening dinner, not only your stomach will get the much needed relief but also your liver.
  • If you are among the category who indulges in fluids all time in the day, keep on drinking appropriate amount of water and fruit juices. Keep away from heavy fruits like banana and papaya. Citrus fruits and berries are the best. Or, watermelon, pomegranate and apple juices will also do a good job.
  • If you can indulge in vegetable juices, stay away from fruit juices as they have high sugar content and may cause blood sugar spikes. Spinach juice, tomato juice, carrot juice are among the best to fill you.
  • Stay away from dry fruits as they are heavy for your body.
  • Buttermilk is a great way to go about.
  • You can also drink coconut water as it is extremely healthy and filling for the body.
  • Now, during your evening food, eat as much as you can. Take a lot of yogurt. Do not bother with sugar and salt. Generally, it is only ‘sendha namak’ which is used but some people are used to having yogurt with sugar. Avoid that. Another tip is to replace whole potatoes with baby potatoes. Baby potatoes are rich in many vitamins which the big ones miss and they are not very heavy on carbohydrates too. And, of course, they are much more tasty than their counterparts.
  • Avoid fried items like kuttu pakodas and puris. Stay with kuttu parathas made with less or no oil and sabudana khichdi which requires no oil. Use oven to make the parathas.
  • Do not forget to overfill yourself with parathas or whatever you are having because it helps curb your cravings as well as hunger.
Following these guidelines for all days you fast will help your body to relax and throw away as many toxins as possible. And, do not become a couch potato in your fasting days. Stay reasonably active without overtiring yourself. A little activity as getting up from one chair and sitting down in another after every half hour also helps.Another issue which I want to address is that people tend to overeat a lot during fasts which is absolutely normal and will not affect you if you eat properly. But, many restaurants and stalls are offering ‘vrat ka food’ these days which includes a whole range of delicacies from kuttu ka pakoda and puris to desserts acceptable during fasting. This whole menu adds up to more calories than you should eat in a day which ends up making you fat rather than helping in cleansing your body and overtaxes your system also. A home made food is always healthy and delicious so stick to it and make your fasts worthwhile.