Swathy and Sky

What do you like on Television?

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So, I was at home last week and saw a LOTTTTTTTT of TV. Yup, not that great an idea but television is like always on at our house whether anyone watches it or not!! And, I watched literally everything.

Star Plus is always running on here, same was the case there. And, our Tata Sky doesn’t have english movie channel package 🙁 Even Harry Potter was coming in Hindi and there was a real hilarious translation 😀 Ok, lemme narrate that to you!!

It was Harry Potter – The Goblet of Fire movie when Harry and Ron end up fighting because Ron thinks Harry went and dropped his own name for the Triwizard Tournament without telling Ron about it. The fist test was fighting with dragons which Ron comes to know through his brother Charlie and wanted to convey the message to Harry but since they are not on speaking terms, he uses Hermione. Hermione gets confused and ends up conveying only the last part of the intended message and when Harry tries conveying his message back, Hermione shouts back so this is what she says in Hindi!!
Hermione : Main ullo nahi hun (I am not an Owl).

I don’t know you found that excerpt funny or not but it was damn funny while watching it 😀 Anyways, what I totally love watching is Crime Patrol. Whoa, you should have seen the Euthnasia case which was aired a few days back.

It was an acid burn case resulting from eve teasing and it was heart wrenching. They air all the real police cases – solved or unsolved. And, it really makes me thankful for the safe life I have led whether alone or with parents!!

Have you watched it? If yes, how do you like it?

5 tricks to sleep quickly and deeply {Five Series}

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So, I have so much trouble sleeping sometimes that the regular tricks have stopped working. So, these are somethings which I have tried and not so much tried but some ideas which might really help with sleeping better. But, first let us review the regular tricks:
  • Drinking a glass of warm milk induces sleep. 
  • Lavender water or Essential Oil also helps relax and soothe mind and sleep.
  • Reading a book. 
  • Closing all electronic devices an hour before bed calms the mind down. 
  • Dim the lights of the room and relax.
  • Meditation, yoga and light exercises can also help.
  • Regular exercises helps regulate the body mechanism. 
  • Eating a light dinner two hours before bed helps too. 
  • Avoid lot of fluids in the evenings. 
These are the regular tricks which help but now I have some more to add to. So, check them out 🙂

Chanting

Hinduism has so many chants and hymns and almost all children are supposed to learn some of them. Similarly, all other religions would have their own prayers. When you are ready to go to bed, lie down and chant or say those prayers. It really helps. I have been trying this since three four days and its been helping me more or less. 
Reading
Yes, I have mentioned it above. But, I have also noticed that an exciting book can in fact be a deterrent to proper sleep. So, the trick is to read really boring philosophical books or some thing which is interesting but doesn’t keep you thinking what happens next. 
I am reading a book right now on thought processes and thinking mechanism of humans. Its damn interesting but I can sleep over it. Another trick which I am borrowing from Tine’s blog is listening to audio books or reading really boring subjects. 
Well, listening to audio books is not high on my list coz having any electronic device at that times causes chaos in my mind. But, yes, reading a really boring book is an anti-dote. In fact, recently, I laid down my hand on a book which is very negative and pessimistic and trust me, I am hating it so much that I sleep 😀
Lights OFF
Yes, I have mentioned it. But, don’t underestimate the power of darkness to induce yourself to sleep. Sleeping with eye masks on is also a great idea as it forces you to close your eyes and drift gently. Well, I have not tried it yet so can’t really say how much it works. But, yup, its a trick which I will try soon 🙂 Btw, darkness thing works!!

Massage
Oh my gosh!!! This is so relaxing. Switch off the lights, take a bottle of oil or lotion and massage your legs or hands or whatever and you will feel sleepy. It really works like a charm. And, keeps the skin really soft and moisturized. So, added benefits 🙂


Candles
Ok, not candles exactly but a warm room really helps a person sleep. So, you might want to adjust the temperature of your room if you have a thermostat. But, I would say, instead, light a candle because it harmonizes a place. A tea light candle would also do.

So, these are my tricks which really help sleep. Btw, lavender thing doesn’t really work for me. But, you can always give it a try!! So, what are your tricks to sleep easily???

pH level and Citrus Fruits {Skin Care}

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Citrus Fruits are one of the most loved fruits for DIY because they lend freshness and cleanse the skin really well. But, they are also very harsh on the skin because of their acidity so one should use them in moderation and also, they make the skin photosensitive. 
So, why should we really bother ourselves with these fruits? Well, because not all citrus fruits have the same level of acidity. Some are gentler on skin and can be used by sensitive skins as well. pH level is the measure of acidity of the fruit. Any chemical is either acidic or alkaline in nature and generally, fruits are acidic.

Some are alkaline as well. But, right now, we are talking about citrus fruits and they are acidic so let us look at the pH values of some widely available fruits to know which can be used safely on skin and which should be avoided. Though, lemon is the most loved citrus fruit. 
Most Acidic Fruits
Tangerine – 3.90, Grapefruit – 3.38, Lime – 2.40, Lemon – 2.30
Least Acidic Fruits
Mandarin – 11.50, Orange – 4.35, Kumquat – 3.95
Also, remember that as the fruit ages, its acidity decreases.(Source)
Now, the pH level of the skin around 5.4 so if you use orange instead of lemon, its more gentle on skin. Even I was surprised to know that mandarin is alkaline and not acidic. When I was writing this post, I was reminded that I prefer tomatoes to lemon so checked its pH value as well. 
pH value of fresh tomato ranges between 4.3 and 4.9 (source). In fact, potato is also considered to be great for skin. Its pH value lies between 5 and 6.5 which is relatively very less acidic and more gentle on skin. So, you can now customize your home remedies according to the pH levels of the ingredients 🙂