Mood Uplifting Foods You Must Keep Handy

Mood Uplifting Foods You Must Keep Handy:

5 Mood Uplifting Foods You Must Keep Handy

Most of us have an emotional connection with food. Infact, we bond with others over food. When nothing works, we turn to food. Also when we feel low, we turn to food but end up eating junk food. Instead, why not eat exactly what will lift our mood and give us a boost?
Here are 5 such mood enhancing foods.

1)CHOCOLATE - Of course! This is the favourite amongst most people and an instant stress buster. It is not just psychological, but scientifically proved as well. A study has shown that eating dark chocolate every day for a couple of weeks; actually reduced the stress hormones. The antioxidants in chocolate do this. Of course, this doesn't mean one eats chocolate all the time. Overdoing it will show on the waistline. What is advised is to eat a piece or two of chocolate when you need to feel good.

2) Vegetables and Fruits - Beans, citrus fruits and dark green vegetables have folate, a vitamin B which is known to lift the mood. Asparagus also has the ability to make you feel better by giving your body the nutrients it needs to be healthy and happy.

3) Fish - Fishes like salmon, trout, tuna etc have high omega-3 which while is essential for us, is not produced by our bodies. Omega-3 affects our brain’s chemicals which specifically deal with our mood swings. So a dose of Omega-3 is what is needed when your mood needs a boost. Alternatively, one can also have Omega-3 capsules which are easily available in the market.

4) Coconut - It is said that smelling the fragrance of coconut has a very positive effect on one's mood. It relaxes the senses and makes one alert. A coconut scented candle in your bedroom or office is ideal to keep your mood lifted at all times.

5) Tea - Black, oolong or green tea are known to make the mind more alert, thus lifting your spirits in the process. For best results, it is said that one can have 5-6 cups of these teas, daily.

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Knowing Vipassana - watch gap between breaths

Vipassana - Watch the gap between breaths through meditation:

breathing is a very important door for learning meditation. your mental state is very deeply related with your breathing pattern. whatever is your mental state, it will have a corresponding breathing pattern. when you are angry, then your breathing is different. when you are sad your breathing is different and so on. each emotional state has a particular breathing pattern.

if you can change the pattern of breathing then you can alter your mental state. so, mystics down the ages have devised many meditation techniques around the breath. the meditation technique discussed here is breath watching.

breath watching meditation can be done any where and at any time. suppose you are standing in a queue and waiting for your turn to come, then you can simply do this breath watching meditation. breath watching is a very simple and effective meditation. best part is that no one will come to know that you are practicing meditation.

breath watching meditation can be divided into 5 parts:

1. watch the incoming breath. close your eyes and start watching your incoming and outgoing breath. first, start with the inhalation. watch from where the breath enters your nostrils and follow it right down into your lungs.
2. when inhalation is complete and exhalation has not started there is always a gap. watch this gap that follows at the end of the inhalation and before the exhalation. watching this gap is of immense valuebecause mind stops for a while in this gap. breathing and thinking are very much related. if you stop your breath completely then you can not think. watching this gap helps in developing the knack of awareness. between two thoughts also there is a gap but normally you are not aware of it. when you startwitnessing your thoughts then you become aware of this subtle gap. as your witnessing deepens then this gap between two thoughts also increases.. so watch the incoming and outgoing breath and also the gap between two breaths.
3. watch the outgoing breath. now watch whole process of exhalation from lungs to nostrils.
4. again when you have exhaled and not inhaled, there is a gap. watch this second gap too. do these four steps for 2 to 3 times – just watching the breathing cycle, not changing it in anyway, just watching the natural rhythm. you don’t need to alter the breathing pattern. remember, breathing happens on its own. it does not need your cooperation or any effort from your side. so, allow the breathing to be normal and do not interfere in any way. just watch the cycle of breath. i must mention my experience here. when i started watching my breath then despite knowing that i have to just watch the breath and not interfere with it…. then also my breathing was altered. slowly, with practice you will be able to just watch the breathing.
5. now start counting the incoming breaths. inhalation – count 1 (don’t count the exhalation, only inhalation need to be counted), inhalation – 2, and so on, up to 10. then count from 10 back to 1. sometimes you may forget to watch the breath or you may count beyond 10 or you may forget to count. when this happen then start the counting again, at 1. never feel guilty for losing awareness. instead just watch this guilt feeling and come back towitnessing immediately.

two things which are important to be remembered is watching the breath and particularly the gaps at the top and the bottom. in this gap, mind is not there but our innermost core or being is there. this innermost being is always there. it is always calm, still, relax and watching.

second important thing to remember is to go on counting, but not more than 10. count up to 10; and then start the counting back to 1 and only count the inhalation. these things help awareness. in this meditation, if you are not aware, then you will start counting the exhalation or forgot to count or you will count beyond 10. so, you have to be aware of the inhalation, exhalation, counting etc. this helps tremendously in awareness. if you enjoy this meditation, continue it. regularity and sincerity in meditation is must. you can’t go deep in meditation unless you are total, regular and sincere in your meditation.

my notes on breath watching meditation:
1. there could be other variations of watching the breath meditation technique. techniques don’t matter, what is essential is to learn the knack of witnessing or become aware. so find the meditation technique which suits you and learn the knack of witnessing. once you know how to witness then you can drop the technique and start witnessing your thoughts, emotions and actions. always remember witnessing is the method and the key.

2. when i was practicing breath watching meditation then i don’t used to count. i was more focused on witnessing and was very sincere in it. i practiced it a lot during my office days when my friends are discussing office problem and i am silently watching my breath or the thoughts which comes in my mind. but i agree, that counting is another step in becoming aware.

3. since breath watching is a passive meditation technique. it will suit you more, if you keep your body active. if you are doing sedentary office work all day then breath watching meditation might make you sleepy. so add some physical exercise in your life like walking, jogging or yoga asana. the physical exercise should not tire you. so be moderate in exercise. this is to save energy for going deep into meditation. meditation needs excess (over flowing) energy to flower. lastly this rules applies to beginners only.

4. enjoy the meditation. don’t have any expectation. taking bath before sitting for meditation always helps.

5. mind will always resist the meditation and will always find a good excuse for not doing meditation. mind will do its job well of resisting meditation and your job is to watch/witness these excuses of mind. witnessing the excuses of mind is itself a meditation. as instead of watching breath you are watching your thoughts.

Plz dont laugh if you dont like the jokes for adults

Jokes for Adults:

There is a cucumber, a pickle, and a penis. They are complaining about their lives. The cucumber says, "My life sucks. I'm put in salads, and to top it off, they put ranch on me as well. My life sucks." The pickle says, "That's nothing compared to my life. I'm put in vinegar and stored away. Boy my life boring. I hate life." The penis says, "Why are you guys complaining? My life is so messed up that I feel like shooting myself. They put me in a plastic bag, put me in a cave, and make me do push-ups until I throw up."

2. It was Christmas Eve. A woman came home to her husband after a day of busy shopping. Later on that night when she was getting undressed for bed, he noticed a mark on the inside of her leg. "What is that?" he asked. She said, "I visited the tattoo parlor today. On the inside of one leg I had them tattoo 'Merry Christmas,' and on the inside of the other one they tattooed 'Happy New Year.'" Perplexed, he asked, "Why did you do that?" "Well," she replied, "now you can't complain that there's never anything to eat between Christmas and New Years!"

3. A typical macho man married a typical good looking lady, and after the wedding, he laid down the following rules. "I'll be home when I want, if I want, what time I want, and I don't expect any hassle from you. I expect a great dinner to be on the table, unless I tell you that I won't be home for dinner. I'll go hunting, fishing, boozing, and card playing when I want with my old buddies, and don't you give me a hard time about it. Those are my rules. Any comments?" His new bride said, "No, that's fine with me. Just understand that there will be sex here at seven o'clock every night, whether you're here or not."

4. There was an old couple laying in bed. The man turns and tells the woman, "If you want to have sex, pull on my dick once. If you don't want to have sex, pull on my dick one hundred times."

5. Three guys go to a ski lodge, and there aren't enough rooms, so they have to share a bed. In the middle of the night, the guy on the right wakes up and says, "I had this wild, vivid dream of getting a hand job!" The guy on the left wakes up, and unbelievably, he's had the same dream, too. Then the guy in the middle wakes up and says, "That's funny, I dreamed I was skiing!"

6. A trucker who has been out on the road for two months stops at a brothel outside Atlanta. He walks straight up to the Madam, drops down $500 and says, "I want your ugliest woman and a grilled cheese sandwich!" The Madam is astonished. "But sir, for that kind of money you could have one of my prettiest ladies and a three-course meal." The trucker replies, "Listen darlin’, I’m not horny – I’m just homesick."

7. Three brothers are traveling along a road, and their car dies. They all get out of the car, and start walking to a barn that's a little ways away. When they get their, the farmer comes out of the barn, and offers them a room for one night. He says to the first one, "You can sleep with the pigs," the second guy," you can sleep with the cows", and the third guy, "I like the cut of your jib. You can sleep with my 18 daughters." The next morning, he asks everyone how they slept. The first man said, "I slept like a pig." The second man said ,"I slept like a cow." The third guy said, "I slept like a rabbit. I jumped from hole, to hole, to hole."

8. A lawyer married a woman who had previously divorced 10 husbands. On their wedding night, she told her new husband, "Please be gentle, I'm still a virgin." "What?" said the puzzled groom. "How can that be if you've been married 10 times?" "Well, Husband #1 was a sales representative. He kept telling me how great it was going to be. Husband #2 was in software services. He was never really sure how it was supposed to function, but he said he'd look into it and get back to me. Husband #3 was from field services. He said everything checked out diagnostically, but he just couldn't get the system up. Husband #4 was in telemarketing. Even though he knew he had the order, he didn't know when he would be able to deliver. Husband #5 was an engineer. He understood the basic process, but wanted three years to research, implement, and design a new state-of-the-art method. Husband #6 was from finance and administration. He thought he knew how, but he wasn't sure whether it was his job or not. Husband #7 was in marketing. Although he had a nice product, he was never sure how to position it. Husband #8 was a psychologist. All he ever did was talk about it. Husband #9 was a gynecologist. All he did was look at it. Husband #10 was a stamp collector. All he ever did was... God! I miss him! But now that I've married you, I'm really excited!" "Good," said the new husband, "but, why?" "You're a lawyer. This time I know I'm going to get screwed!"

9. I was sitting on my own in a restaurant, when I saw a beautiful woman at another table. I sent her a bottle of the most expensive wine on the menu. She sent me a note, “I will not touch a drop of this wine unless you can assure me that you have seven inches in your pocket.” I wrote back, “Give me the wine. As gorgeous as you are, I'm not cutting off three inches for anyone.”

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10. A woman is having a hard time getting her tomatoes to ripen so she goes to her neighbor with her problem. The neighbor says, "All you have to do is go out at midnight and dance around in the garden naked for a few minutes, and the tomatoes will become so embarrassed, they will blush bright red." The woman goes out at midnight and dances around her garden naked for a few minutes. The next morning, the neighbor comes over to the woman's house and asks the woman if her tomatoes have turned red. The woman says "No, they're still green, but I noticed the cucumbers grew four inches!"

History and Architecture of Red Fort, Delhi

History and Architecture of Red Fort, Delhi:

History of Red Fort, Delhi:

The history of Red Fort Delhi cannot be summed up in words as its history is connected with centuries of Mughal rule in country. Mughal ruler Shah Jahan had varied needs of this fort and it was made according to those needs. The mammoth sized fort made a distinguished presence in the medieval time of India and is related to the time line of this country to this date.

In 1639, when Mughal ruler Shah Jahan transited his capital from Agra to Delhi, the construction of Red Fort was ordered by him in the north-eastern side of the newly founded city of Shahjahanabad. Shahjahanabad in present day is known as Old Delhi. The construction took nearly a decade to complete, and Yamuna water was used to feed the moat built all around the fort.

The construction of Red Fort by the sandstone of red color in large scale gave it the name Red Fort. The majesty of the fort is the first thing to notice but the red color became an essential feature of the aura of the fort and is easily recognized with it. The magnitude of the size of the fort can be estimated by the fact that it took ten years to complete the fort. It has almost two and half kilometer perimeterwith tallest structure of 33 meters. The fort has become one of most sought after tourist destination in the modern time.  

History of Red Fort Delhi reveals that numerous sections were built in the fort according the specific functions and needs in mind. “Deewan-e-Aam” is hall built for general public to interact with the emperor. It has a string of columns made of Gold with rail that would mark the boundary between people and the king. “Deewan-e-Khas is another hall made up of natural stones which was used for privately held meetings of the emperor. Many other suchmarvels of architecture are present in the fort like the “Hammams” or the bath places specially built for the royal family. “Shahi Burj” is another place where the emperor’s office was built and the emperor spent time working privately. “Rang Mahal” or the Palace of Colors was a special place built for the wives of the emperor. It has a huge pool spot with beautiful crafted ceiling, having gold covered towers and a number of mirrors in arrangement.

“Naqqar Khana” is a place in the Fort where the musicians would play music specific to the particular time of the day. This place is situated at the very entry to the palace and visitors to the Place would disembark from their ride (elephants) at this place.

All the information about the history of the Red Fort Delhi is of the archeological importance or of tourist related activities. Red Fort being close to some other historical monuments also e.g., Jama Masjid and Raj Ghat gets large number of tourists every year. Also the Red Fort is used for addressing the nation on the Independence Day of India by the Prime Minister each year.

Architecture of Red Fort:

The Red Fort was built by Shah Jahan when he decided to transfer his capital to Delhi. He began its construction in 1639 and completed it in 1648 A.D. He held his first darbar in it on April 1648. The building of the Red Fort was supervised by Shah Jahan himself. It is said that about one crore rupees were spent on those days to build this fort. The Red Fort is built of red sandstone and marble on the bank of the Yamuna. 

The fort is in the form of a parallelogram measuring 930 metres by 495 metres. It is surrounded by a strongly fortified wall. The walls facing Chandni Chowk are higher than those facing the Yamuna. There are two gateways- Lahori Gate, which is the western gateway, was the main and the ceremonial entrance. Some of the prominent buildings in this fort are Diwan-i-Aam, the Diwan-i-Khas and the Rang Mahal. 

These buildings are decorated with pure white marbel and inlaid with precious stones. Nowadays, it is being used to house some of the military offices. 

The fort has an arrangement for continuous water supply. After the independence of India, the Prime Minister of India unfurls the national flag from the ramparts of the Red fort on the Independence Day. The Red Fort is one of the important historical monuments in Delhi. Its vastness, sense of proportion imposing structure and the magnificence of its execution reflects the grandeur of the Mughal architecture. The following Persian couplet which is inscribed in the Diwan-i-Khas aptly describes its grandeur: "If there is a paradise on the face of the earth, It is this, it is this, it is this."

Home Remedies for Gastric problem

Home Remedies for Gastric problem:

Although the production of gas is a natural part of the digestive process, many people dread the possibility of passing gas in front of others. 

An uncontrollable fart at an inconvenient time can make a person the butt of jokes for years to come. But problematic gas is no laughing matter.

Excess gas in the stomach can be caused by a number of things, such as excessive drinking, not chewing your food thoroughly, eating spicy and gas-forming food, too much stress, some kind ofbacterial infection, or digestive disorders.

Symptoms of stomach gas include flatulence, bad breath, lack of appetite, a coating on the tongue, abdominal bloating, belching and even stomach pain.

Here are the top 10 home remedies for gas.

1. Cinnamon

Cinnamon will soothe your stomach and also prevent further formation of gas.

• Add one-half teaspoon of cinnamon powder to a cup of warm milk. Stir it well and then drink it. You can also add some honey.
• Alternatively, you can make cinnamon tea by adding some cinnamon powder to a cup of boiling water. Let it steep for a few minutes and then drink it.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar, used in the treatment of indigestion, can also help with gas. This remedy will soothe the stomach and give you instant relief. If apple cider vinegar is not available, you can try regular vinegar.

1. Add two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to a glass of warm water.
2. Allow the water to cool to room temperature, and then drink it.

3. Ginger

Ginger is an effective indigestion treatment and is also great for relieving a gas problem.

• Take equal parts of ground ginger, fennel, and cardamom. Mix them thoroughly. Now, take a cup of water. Add one teaspoon of this mixture and a pinch of asafetida (hing) in it. Drink this once or twice a day.
• Alternatively, you can consume a little ginger juice mixed with a pinch of asafetida.
• To prevent gas from forming, chew a fresh piece of ginger regularly after meals. You can also add small amounts of dried or fresh ginger to your food.
• Drinking ginger tea can help control the formation of gas in the stomach. Boil one tablespoon of ground ginger in water for a few minutes. Drink this tea two or three times a day.
• Another option is to add a few drops of ginger essential oil to any kind of base oil and rub it on your stomach.

4. Buttermilk

Buttermilk, especially when combined with carom seeds and black salt works as an excellent Ayurvedic remedy to relieve gas and flatulence.

1. Mix one teaspoon each of carom seeds (ajwain) and black salt in a cup of buttermilk. If you do not have carom seeds, use celery seeds.
2. Drink this solution.

5. Baking Soda and Lemon

One conventional home treatment for gas is the use of lemon and baking soda, which combined makes an effective antacid.

• Put the juice of one fresh lemon in a glass and add some baking soda to it. This will cause fizzing. Add some more baking soda and a cup of water and stir it well so the baking soda dissolves completely. Drink this slowly.
• For instant relief from stomach gas, you can add a small amount of baking soda to a glass of water and drink it on empty stomach.

6. Garlic

The pungent heating quality present in garlic helps stimulate the gastric fire and thus offers relief from stomach gas.

• Try some garlic soup to reduce gas and help with proper digestion. For best results, use fresh garlic.
• You can also boil some ground garlic in water for a few minutes, adding a small amount of black pepper and cumin seeds. Strain it and let it cool to room temperature. Drink this two or three times a day to see results in a few days.

7. Asafetida

Asafetida is also an effective remedy against gas. It has anti-spasmodic and anti-flatulent properties.

• Just add a pinch of asafetida to a glass of warm water, mix it well and drink it two or three times a day.
• You can also make a paste of asafetida by adding a little water. Apply the paste on the stomach and allow it to dry for a few minutes. Soon your gas will dissipate.
• You can also put a small amount of asafetida into a ripe banana and eat it. Do this twice a day.

8. Fennel

Fennel is surely the best ingredient for fast relief from bloating and gas.

• Add a few fennel seeds to a pot of hot water and let it simmer it for five minutes on a low temperature. Strain the solution and then drink it.
• You can also chew fresh fennel leaves if you can bear the taste.
• Alternatively, you can mix fennel, cardamom and mint leaves and boil them in water to make a concoction that can help with stomach gas.

9. Peppermint

Peppermint can be used in different ways to treat a gas problem.

• Make tea by adding some fresh peppermint leaves to a cup of boiling water and letting it steep for a few minutes. Strain it and add some honey. Drink the tea two or three times a day.
• You can also chew some peppermint leaves for quick relief.
• Alternatively, you can put two drops of peppermint oil in one-half cup of cool water and drink it once or twice daily.

10. Cardamom

This is another common kitchen spice that can speed up digestion and give you relief from stomach gas.

• Simply add some roasted cardamom powder to vegetables, rice or lentils before cooking to prevent gas.
• You can also chew whole pods of cardamom two or three times a day to relieve stomach gas.
• You can make a tea by steeping a few pods of cardamom along with a small slice of fresh ginger and one teaspoon of fennel in boiling water for several minutes. Drink this tea warm, several times a day.

The next time you have stomach gas, just try any of these natural remedies. However, if you suffer from this problem on a regular basis, keep a close eye on your diet and, if needed, see your doctor.

Best diet for optimal health

Diet for weight loss and weight gain:

Being overweight or obese leads to many health problems and thus, controlling your diet to reduce fat and weight can help you get your life back.

However, one the other side of the spectrum, being too skinny can also be unhealthy.

You could also be clinically of a proper weight, but might want to put on some muscle.

Diets for both the sides will thus vary greatly.

Diet for weight loss:

1. Include more of dark leafy vegetables in your diet: These vegetables are store houses of many important nutrients, such as vitamins, proteins, fibers and antioxidants and also contain no fats.
2. Cereals and grains: It is important that we replace refined flour and fried foods, such as parathas or poori and replace them with whole healthy grains. Some examples of these grains are whole wheat bread, brown rice, rotis and oats.
3. Lean meats: Certain forms of meat, which have been prepared without too much oil and spice are good as weight loss diet ingredients. Chicken, turkey, sweet-water fish among others are good choices.
4. Fruits: Fruits are also a good option as they have natural sugar within them and can provide a boost of energy without requiring processed sugars. Melons, Oranges, berries, guavas are all good examples as they also help in regulating body functions.

Diets for weight gain:

1. Peanuts: This ingredient is a good source of protein and unsaturated fats, which will help you build muscle and put on some extra weight. If you are working out at the gym to gain muscles peanuts can provide you with the required calories and protein to put on weight.
2. Bananas: This fruit is not only a source of potassium, but also a source of good sugar which can easily be converted into energy within the body and can help build muscles and thus enable you to put on weight the healthy way.
3. Eggs: Eggs, especially egg yolk is known to be rich in protein and fats and can help you gain weight quickly. However, it is advised not to eat multiple eggs and limit its consumption to three or four eggs weekly as it can contribute to bad cholesterol within the body.
4. Chocolate: Some amount of chocolate in your food also helps you to put on weight although excessive consumption may lead to elevated blood sugar levels. However,CHOCOLATES in moderation and regularity will help you put on weight healthily.

Related Tip: "Are Detox Diets Good For You?"

Why drinking buffalo milk is an healthy idea?

Why drinking buffalo milk is an healthy idea?:

Mothers, universally, have been faithful torchbearers of the benefits of milk.

Cow, buffalo, camel or soy, milk happens to be an indispensable part of your diet.

Instead of taking age old conventions for granted a little bit of thought into your food can improve your health. Usually, most households consume cow milk.

While cow milk is definitely favorable for one's health, adult and child all the same, buffalo milk has its plus points too. Your subjective case might profit from buffalo milk.

Read up on the advantages of drinking buffalo milk to choose better.

Buffalo milk will help you in these many ways:

1. It will bring down your cholesterol levels: Bad cholesterol levels or LDL is detrimental to one's health. Buffalo milk helps to bring down bad cholesterols. It is low in cholesterol and should therefore, be a great supplement. A glass of this milk every day can keep your heart in order.
2. If you want your child to put on weight, feed him or her Buffalo milk: Being skinny or rickety could be a worrying problem. In comparison to cow milk, buffalo milk has a huge amount of fat content. It can help you increase muscle mass adding strength to your physique. If you are an adult facing issues related to lower muscle mass, you should start drinking buffalo milk. Children gain energy through regular consumption of this kind of milk.
3. Befriend vitamins by drinking this milk: Buffalo milk has a rich creamy texture. It can deal with your want for vitamins. Thiamine, vitamin A and vitamin C are present in this milk. It also has a good amount of folate, vitamin B6 and niacin. This milk is rich in vitamin B12, which can prevent you from heart attacks and strokes. Buffalo milk also contains riboflavin.
4. It is also rich in protein: Two glasses of buffalo milk each day accounts for 19g of protein. It is known to contain all nine kinds of amino acids. If it is part of your daily diet, your immunity and resistance are being taken care of.
5. It will make up for your mineral deficiency: Calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus are some of the minerals this milk contains. It helps to strengthen your bones and teeth thus, protecting you against osteoporosis.