Swathy and Sky

Six Spices to boost brain

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Alzheimer’s is an incurable disease at present and can be onset even in your childhood but can not be detected until very late. So, take care good care of your brain as your children’s. Our kitchen is full of simple and powerful remedies. So, here’s is a list of six spices from the kitchen shelf which are strong anti-oxidants and keep you or your brain from getting aged. Make sure you include them in your subsequent meals.
  • Garlic: Brings a different flavor in the dishes and protects the nervous system. Promotes the growth of neurons (nerve cells), increases learning and memory capacity.
  • Rosemary: Lowers pulse rate and anxiety levels. May also help in improving memory performance.
  • Sage: Protects against injurious affects of the toxins on the brain cells. Can be substituted with basil leaves.
  • Clove: is the best source of anti-oxidants so you can start taking a clove or two per day.
  • Turmeric: Promotes removal of toxic metals from the brain.
  • Cinnamon: Promotes effects of insulin and lowers blood sugar levels preventing diabetes which might trigger Alzheimer’s.
In India, you do get four of these condiments pretty easily. Start sprinkling them in your food from today and enjoy the benefits. And, before I forget, let me again remind you, they are anti-aging agents too.

Sendha Namak – Indian Rock Salt Beauty Benefits

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I do not know how many of you are aware that Sendha namak is the pure rock salt of India and is a little costlier than the normal salt because it is found in very less quantities in the Indian sub-continent. The commercial salt available is iodized where as the rock salt is pure from nature, is more granular, has less salty taste as you would have already noticed and is not chemically processed. It is rich in lot of minerals and if used in regular cooking as a substitute of common salt, it can control all the health problems posed by common salt like high blood pressure, puffiness in the body or the eyes, is cooling for the body, helpful in digestion, relieves gas and soothes heartburn and helps in weight loss.
Not only health but many beauty benefits can also be acquired from rock salt.
  • Rock salt can be used as a body scrub. Since high in mineral content, it is a perfect substitute for spa standard products made at home.
  • Drop a table spoon of rock salt in your bath every time and enjoy a relaxing bath. It also detoxifies your body externally as well as internally. Eases stress and body pains.
  • Can be used as a teeth whitener or a mouth freshener. Also clears a sour throat if used for gargling.
  • Can be used as a foot soak, foot scrub or a hand scrub too. It is not drying on the skin.
  • Removes the yellowness under the nails and makes your nails shine beautifully.
  • Use it to cleanse your skin at night. Mix a table spoon of rock salt with your cleanser or face wash and rub it gently into the skin. Make sure to remove make up before this routine.
In Pakistan, there is a salt range of Himalayas, called the ‘Himalayan Salt Range’, which has the purest form of rock salt in the whole world. It is sold as ‘Himalayan salt’ but it actually is just a rock salt too. The only specialty of this salt is that it is pure and does not need any kind of filtering. So, those who have easy access to Himalayan salt or Pakistan rock salt, make sure you use it regularly in your food and beauty routines.
Do not forget to differentiate between Epsom salt and Rock salt. They have different mineral contents and Epsom salt is the best for skin. If you have access to Epsom salt, you can use it for

You can read about more uses of Epsom salt here.

We have always heard that salt is not good for hair but it is not so. The common salt is not suitable because it has many chemicals in it where as naturally occurring salts are as good for hair as they are for other parts of your body.

How to help someone to quit smoking?

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There has been a consistent increase in the number of people addicted to smoking year by year and it is not just restricted to men but also women and teenagers. Many start as fun and become enslaved to the nicotine. And, then, it can be hell to make a person quit it. Probably, the person might start hating you for battering him regularly on his habit instead of quitting. So, there are some habits which can help a person quit smoking. Encourage your loved ones in the right way and help them leave this habit. The first rule is always to make them want to quit the habit by themselves.
Habits which can help you leave smoking
  • Chewing peppermint or a menthol toffee as it makes your brain crave less for something hot.
  • Chewing a mint-flavored or other bubblegum keeps the mouth busy and keeps your cravings away.
  • Drink water or fruit juices very slowly at the time of cravings will make the craving go away by the time you finish the drink. A moment of weakness is enough to hook on to bad vices and a moment of strength is enough to develop new habits.
  • Eating grapes is a good idea at time of cravings.
  • Make sure that you do not smoke for 21 days and it will become a habit. It is said that it takes only 21 days for a habit to foster into routine so stick to your determination through thick and thin for just 3 weeks. Starting days are hardest but your will power should carry you through.
  • A very useful thing which I read in one of the comments is that think about the money you poured for the smoking habit just to help the companies let you die and what you could have done with that kind of money.
Give support to your loved ones to discourage their habit
  • If it is a relative who has this habit and you want him to leave it, this especially helps in intimate relations. Be honest with a person and make them understand you reasons for hating their habit. That will strike a chord somewhere inside.
  • Do not get angry with their habits and comment on them. This makes people more determined to stick to the forbidden habits.
  • Explain them your worries about their health. Be reasonable and not pushy. That will yield better results.
  • A psychological condition with the smokers is that they feel they would fail if they do not smoke. Understand this fear and work around it. Show them the strengths if they leave the habit. Tell them how their family would fare better without the smoke. Talk especially about small children.
  • Do not make them feel bad about their habit. Instead motivate them to work on their good ones.
  • Do not force. This might sound repetitive but this is the most common of the pitfalls one can fall into because of losing temper or patience. And, the results the opposite of what was intended.
  • Motivate them to seek professional advice. It easier to leave such habits while in a group of people who are undergoing same things instead of going through it alone.
  • Reward the person for their efforts. A special trip or something they wanted to have since a long time, any thing special would shift the focus towards the benefits of leaving the habit.
  • Do not give up or expect them to stop in just one day. It is not possible. It is a consistent effort depending on the emotional state of the person involved with smoking. Some smoke just for fun but smoke because it takes them away from their problems, many are trying to hide something behind the facade of smoking so understanding the psyche of a person is important when you want them to give up smoking.
  • Do not ever chide them for their weakness.
Instead of ignoring the bad habits of someone you love, work with them to lose such habits. The working would take time but a step how so ever small is a step instead of not starting at all. And, this fact would apply in any kind of a situation and any kind of problem you are trying to deal with in your life. Understanding the person, their fears, their strengths and weakness would help you help them.