Weather Plays Havoc With Diet

Whenever there is a change in the weather there is a change in my children’s immunity system too.Whilst the adults try hard to put up a brave show and adapt to the weather changes,even supposing they sometimes may experience unpleasantness on the way,it is the children who really endure a lot, trying very hard to overcome the alteration of nature.As a matter of fact,due to extreme weather conditions,especially the switch over, from summer to winter,children become easy prey and end up with flu, a nasty cold or a strep throat.When this happens at home,I make every effort to take care of my children and get them back to good health sooner.I tend to ease their discomfort with simple and safe home remedies such as steam inhalation,soups with extra ginger and other warm beverages.All the same, at some point,I begin to fret,when they spurn food.Although I prepare everything from scratch and make the healthiest food so that they can regain the lost nutrients and fluids,they show little interest in the food.Thus causing me further worry.It really disturbs me when they refuse to eat at all.Most children at this stage, when they do not have proper meals for a number of days, will show signs of vitamin and mineral deficiencies.According to studies, even with most children consuming healthy diets,they will be deficient at least in one nutrient.It is during the flu season most children become picky eaters,so it is advisable to take the initiative to complete the children's dietary intake with supplements.All the same it's best to go for a kind they will truly enjoy and make it habitual.I have heard from other moms,that multi vitamin for kids, the gummy variety with an assortment of flavors, has become a favourite among adults and children.Each time after a visit to the doctor, my husband and I come home with an abundance of information.The doctor keeps stressing that it is vital not only for children but for adults as well, to take multi vitamins supplement if they don't get enough foods in their diet that are fortified with vitamins.I am glad we took his advice and have now  introduced  this  at home.

 

complete the children's dietary intake with supplements as well

 

 

December Is Here

December is upon us  and  I am astounded  at how the previous eleven months had flown by so quickly. I for once feel wonderful as I  have accomplished a few resolutions that I had imposed on myself the previous year and quite euphoric that this year I had the opportunity to fulfill a particular vision, a desire to lose a few pounds off my body. Oh! Yeah!  

The weather is cool and the children love the whole ambience that this month brings.As far as I can remember we are used to  correlate  December with cold weather and snow but for  most,December is a month of celebrating.Christmas,Santa  and presents are  primary reflections of a child.It’s  very distinctive with the children  getting all agog with  excitement as they wait for the year to end and usher in the new year.Children await December as it is a  month full of activities, surprises and fun ,even the adults wait with anticipation.With the cool climate setting in, my children’s  school has planned  a lot of sports activities and  field trips  for different classes  during this month.

Since the year is winding down ,we also should take time off our busy schedules  to remind ourselves how  blessed and fortunate   we are,having quality time with  the family,by sharing family responsibilities and  caring for  our loved ones and being united in times of dark days  thus  strengthening family ties.

On the other hand,now that it is  December,it  is  a tedious  month for spouses who are working in the Financial hub, as they  are very busy ,working non-stop to compare and provide  detailed statements of  their company’s performances. It is also the best times to  review your taxes and insurances.Like wise   if you are a tax payer,in the US you would be paying attention to 'irs forms'.

December always takes  me back to childhood.Back then we were not  endowed with technology to exchange with one another ecards,emails and digital photos of loved ones during times of celebration. Those days it was a common   scene on the streets and pavements to see people  jostling   in the last hour, to buy greeting cards,fancy items and seasonal decorations from the street hawkers,who  sold at a cheaper price than what was being sold in department stores. Life  is easy nowadays with the advent of  technology as  everything is  done at the push of a button. At the same time, the conventional way of sending  or receiving  greetings and wishes  have become a   rare occurrence .It brings nostalgic memories of the days gone by. Although it was time consuming we  always made it a point  to make cards and create  decorative  letters  during the festive season .It was with  a great sense of  importance that  I  used to   buy cards from the store  or scribble my wishes on a hand-made card and send them via snail mail   across to family and friends.Gone are the days....

Expressing With Emoticons

Surprisingly I happen to love Facebook and my electronic mail boxes  these days.Why this sudden interest you may ask me. It is not because of the buildup of strangers in my friend list who for reasons unknown would like to be my friend,or for the influx of nonsensical forwards that keep accumulating in my junk mail boxes but mainly  for the reason I  get a chance to be  creative and  expressive. Internet  users are being  enticed  to the maximum with  various kinds of emoticons to enhance their  communication  with different applications such as funny symbols and  cool animated pictures  to express  feelings and thoughts across to friends and family.Emoticons  have  become a popular internet mode  of expressing  thoughts and feelings to the one we communicate with  on social media. In the beginning keyboards symbols were used to express different moods, depicting  more of a shorthand method of expression. Now you can generate a variety of easy to use  new emoticons on Facebook, Gmail and other social media,by simply copying  the code to chat or inbox messages and mails which accordingly  transform into  appropriate icons.It was quite by chance that I stumbled upon a  fascinating website that offers  dozens of symbols and chat emoticons for free  which can be used on many social networking sites.You can download a whole lot of animated pictures and symbols from this site ,which of course  is for free.This website offers you a  free download of their application called ‘My Emoticons’ that enables you  to affix an assortment of  Gmail emoticons,winks and smileys  on your   face book page, gmail and on hotmail..

An  emoticon is a representation of facial expressions by means of punctuation marks, alphabets and numbers that is generally employed to express someone's feelings or mood when communicating via  electronic mails and messages. It is a fast growing  communication fad  in Cyber-land.Emoticons at present are  most popular among facebook, gmail and mobile phone users. On the other hand, it was frustrating , when I didn’t know how to interpret emoticons and had no idea what these signs were trying to tell me in messages that were sent  to me by friends. I was clueless about the whole thing. All I was able to do was scratch my head wondering what the heck the signs indicated.To me, at the beginning, they were meaningless, unnecessary and a waste of time. I assumed it as some sort of  a  decoration simply to impress the reader. Nonetheless with time ,I learnt to appreciate these tiny  symbols that  speak volume, as they  loud  and clearly express to the other person, on the other side of the line, our moods, thoughts and feelings  thus making it  possible  for the reader to exactly understand  what we are trying to convey. How cool is that!.

The Little Guy Who Stole Our Hearts

The past  two weeks went off so quickly.The children were at home as schools were  closed for Hajj.Hajj is an obligatory ritual performed by Muslims throughout the world. Muslims  from all over the globe come to the Kingdom, Saudi Arabia to perform this rite. During this period,offices,schools and other establishments remain closed. I had many things  planned for the break,but only a few materialized How so ever,they were all worth while.Since the boys were going to be at home I had already organized  some activities to keep them occupied.We got them some crafts and puzzles and kept them busy throughout.It was a relief  as I didn’t have to give ears to  squabbles and complains , as they were pretty much occupied with activities. While the children were engaged in  various indoor games ,I found ample time for myself too.And  it was during this time that a program that  my husband and I watch eagerly on television, came to its closing stages. The past  few months,a popular reality show telecasted  in an Indian  television channel,Vijay TV, kept my husband and I  spellbound. It wasn’t a family serial or a game show that usually kept most housewives entertained but a talent  competition. This was  aimed for aspiring  juniors with  a good voice.One particular youngster  mesmerized us right from the beginning and  a great  sense of  euphoria  settled  in when he was awarded the title after beating four other contestants in the Grande Finale.I was as surprised as my children when we realized,hubby dear,who otherwise was not a television enthusiast,was thoroughly enjoying this  program , all because of this  10 -year-old  who sang with such dedication and passion.Three cheers to Aajeedh!!! Hip hip hurrah!!

 

Digital Scrapping And Bits & Pieces

Why do some websites simply disappear within a short phase after surfacing on the internet.I was spellbound by the uniqueness of one particular site as it kindled in me my passion for scrapbooking but then left me in the lurch due to its abrupt departure.However,such sites boost up your hidden talents and motivate your creativity as they treat you lavishly with lovely tools  they feature on their sites. Along with that, they endlessly pester us  to become a member of their site.Apparently in the initial stages everything is provided for free.We often fall into the trap.Suddenly we feel secured on these sites.They become part of our lives. Once we are hooked to the site we wouldn’t even imagine interacting with  any other sites because we tend to become virtually attached to a certain website and depend on it for everything.When we have reached that point, we are lured again with their sweet talking to become a paid member so that we may enjoy a lot more cooler stuff.

For almost three years, I had been avidly active on this scrapbooking site which had also become my favourite surfing spot on the internet. This website made life a little more easier and a whole lot more enjoyable.I spent my pastime creating many picture blogs and cards using whimsical embellishments,stickers and background themes offered by them.This web site gave me enough opportunities to design and put together old photographs and make online digital scrap books and cards.How convenient it was when the children needed help with their school projects and assignments.Glad I was able to help them using the countless tools that was made available in this website.On every occasion,whether it was a birthday,anniversary or a festival,I never missed the opportunity to make beautiful cards for friends and family.I also made a lot of memorable digital scraps and cards under different topics and was very contented with my achievement.

But alas! I was thoroughly disappointed when the site closed down their network unexpectedly.I lost most of my creations which I had saved on my ‘personal page’ on their site.Although at that time  they alerted us about the closure and reminded us to download our creations as backups, I managed to save only a few due to time limit.On the other hand the few I had saved got deleted owing to a virus that invaded our computer sometime ago.

A number of times I have surfed the internet looking for comparable sites to fill the void. Regrettably,I have nt still  found one to stir up my creativity.In the meantime. I have found another technique to create cards for family and friends.Old photographs and random pictures from my desktop come to my rescue in this instance. All I do now is refill my printer with Canon MP560 ink cartridges and upload pictures from my desktop and get them printed. Other times I scan my children’s drawings and send them as greeting cards to family. I am simply amazed at the outcome. They are as good as cards from the store.However, refilling with Canon MP560 ink a few times will often cost more but since the finish product is exceptional, I would n’t think twice about replenishing my printer with ink cartridges whenever the need arises.

A digitally created card

 

.

 

Dealing With Diabetes

Even though I was feeling a bit keyed up,I was raring to get to the hospital quickly to collect my HBA1c glucose result.The week before, I was advised by my doctor to check my blood sugar readings for the previous three months.Uncertain what the outcome would be,I waited for my turn to be called in.I didn’t know why I was getting edgy since I very well know that I have totally changed my dietary habits and have been following a rigid exercise plan.Overall, my diet consists of  healthy portions of protein and  limited amount of carbohydrates and besides,I have stopped eating sweets altogether.

Last February,when I was first diagnosed with diabetes,my HB A1c reading was 7.8,since then I have come a long way.Just before I went on vacation I was asked again to do the A1c test and I was as surprised as the doctor,when the reading showed up as  5.5. This unanticipated evaluation kept me in high spirits throughout the summer holidays.Then came the month of fasting where I couldn’t resist the savouries that I prepared for my family to feast at the time of breaking the fast.Though I ate in moderation,there were a few times that I gave in to my cravings.When a craving set in for a particular food from the’ untouchable list’- the foods that I have been advised to clear steer of,I would uncontrollably ( not all the time) nibble bits and pieces of it. Walking down the hospital corridor to see the doctor,sent my heart racing.My mind was clogged with a lot of questions.Though I brushed them aside as unnecessary,I feared for the worst. ‘Will I have a higher reading this time’? ‘Will the doctor increase the medicine dose?or will I be introduced to insulin’.I knew I was,pointlessly tensed as ever.How so ever,after a couple of minutes,I got the most astounding news.I was so taken aback when the doctor, who with a broad smile on her face, congratulated me and said that my A1c was 4.9.( which is considered as normal range) Wow! Didn’t that bring a broad smile on me too!

She has even reduced the medicine to one dose a day.And she also mentioned if I continue with my present dietary and exercise plan, by next month, she would take me off medicines.I am,as a result,relieved that the strategy to keep the diabetes  under control is  working  for me.More than anything I am gratified that I was actually paying heed to the doctor.Regrettably, many usually don’t, when it comes to reducing sugar and starches.Most often its easy to pinpoint other things that lead to diabetes.We are so much to be blamed .We lead a stressful lifestyle and play an inactive role daily. We tend to eat at different times and shove into our mouths unhealthy food everytime our tummy rumbles.We treat our bodies like a thrash can, dumping all the superfluous and rotten stuff.Diabetes makes you lethargic,exhausted and inactive if you let it.I didn’t want that happening to me.So instead of being disturbed over this health issue I took charge and rejuvenated. Together with my go-getters: diet and exercise ,I was able to bring my sugar level to normal range.I also owe a big ‘thank you’ to Doctor Mark Hyman, for making available ‘The blood sugar solution',which has  provided readers with wonderful guidelines and an abundant of information.To me it was like a God send.I was so ignorant and uninformed about so many things related to diabetes and reading this book helped broaden my awareness about diabetes,diabesity and the consequences of the disease. I also learnt that reducing weight and sustaining healthy weight can help perk up insulin sensitivity and glycemic control.Incorporating life style changes is an excellent approach for diabetes control and management and also to improve ones state of health, both physically and mentally.

 

I  snack on fruits not sweets

 

I eat plenty of leafy greens

My Inspiration

 

 

How To Detoxify Our Home

We all love a clean house. A clean house is free from odour and germs. And so  for the sake of keeping  our home immaculate we go to great extent in buying chemically made products which instantly remove dirt and stubborn stains from our favourite furniture, carpet or any other household articles. Using these kind of products may leave our home spick and span but at what cost?  Ignorantly  or fully aware of the fact that detergents and all purpose cleaning products pose a huge threat to our health, we  continue to depend on these ‘cleaning agents’ to help us maintain a spotless home.These products contain toxic ingredients or have irritants that can cause   severe damage to our body. Inhaling too much of air freshener, carpet cleaners and laundry detergents is the starting point to respiratory problems.Why should we jeopardize our health using toxic chemicals for cleaning when  we can find  non toxic substitutes that are extremely safe , right  in our kitchen cabinets. These   household components  which are accessible and affordable, help detoxify and clean our home. They work as effective as the chemicals but without any exposure to danger. Baking soda and vinegar are basic household products that we use for cooking on a daily basis. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate and has a number of useful constituents. Besides helping in diminishing the effect of acidity, it also acts as a   deodorizer to freshen homes and douse grease fires in the kitchen. It can also be used in the refrigerator and pantry cupboards to reduce the effect of odour. It soaks up unpleasant smell from carpets and upholstery and help in disinfecting the drains and sinks. In addition, it can also bring sparkle to old jewellery, porcelain, and stainless steel.

I do a lot of baking and there is always a tendency for spills. I avoid using harsh oven cleaning powder or detergents as the smell of the chemical triggers a nagging cough. To clean the oven  I wet the interior of the oven  surface and  sprinkle a fistful of  baking soda on the  sodden portion  and scrub with steel wool,which I can assure is strong enough to clear up any stubborn food deposits .The steel wool  also comes in handy whenever we need  to scour  greasy pots and pans. Tiles and floors could be cleaned by using bicarbonate soda with wet sponge and rinsing afterwards.Soured apple juice  is used, to prepare vinegar.Vinegar can get rid of greasy mold and can be used as a polish to clean floors. It can also revive your coffee pot, the tea pot and your cookware. Vinegar can be used in a solution with water or straight without diluting.

 

On the whole, without any doubt, it is extremely safe to use household substitutes like vinegar and bicarbonate soda to clean almost everything and anything in our home. In point of fact,these household products were utilized even during the time of our great –grand parents and they had been maintaining cordial relations with their immune systems for a long time unlike the present generation.Thus to be free from health hazards we need  to steer clear of  harsh chemicals  and consequently   switch over to  inexpensive substitutes from our ‘kitchen cabinet‘ to maintain an exclusively  hazardous free and  hygienic home .

 

 

 

Dealing With Computer Bugs And Viruses

Even though we knew something was wrong with our computer,it was  only after for a while  we   realized  we needed to  get our computer  upgraded. It had been giving us a lot of problem lately. Subsequently we decided to send it to an experienced person,who detected the issue and rectified. It was discovered  that too many viruses had invaded the  computer and nastily crashed the whole system. This left me wondering who could have possibly pushed or encouraged these virtual microbes into our computer.

After a lot of evasive answers my sons  eventually spilled the beans.The youngsters admitted they had downloaded some video games from some unreliable sites. I don’t know how this  could have gone passed the ‘security mama’s' eyes. I have always advised them to  stick to their regular game sites and have cautioned them to keep off sites that was not recommended. But somehow they had been lured in. Due to this unfortunate incident, I lost a large amount of my folders  stored under my ‘documents’, as most of the data  had  being swallowed by the bugs. Apart from that, some  important pictures which I had saved on the computer disappeared after we had the computer upgraded. Fortunately I had backup pictures saved on my Picasa  account. Wasn't that  some relief!

Many new innovations have surfaced in technology. Though I  am not tech savvy, I am keen to learn new things about computers and everything  about them. Thanks to the various articles and information I get via the internet. Just the other day a  friend asked me If I had installed the blu ray burner on my computer.I was clueless.Later  I gathered  what it was all about.Blu ray disc is a video  compressed technology  very much comparable to a DVD.However,the quality of blu ray  is  much supreme  with  superior picture  quality.More over, they have  a good amount of storage than their counterpart DVD, allowing your storage  to grow higher.And for  someone who has just lost all the archives,it wouldn’t hurt too much if I  consider installing a  blu ray burner  on my computer.

 

 

 

 

Back To School



School  has  re-opened  after the summer  break.And to be honest it didn’t start  off well.We all ran out of patience  on the first day itself  since the usual van which takes the children to school didn’t turn up as the driver is still on  vacation.As a result,within a short period of  time,we took into service  an alternative  school transportation  to shuttle the children back  and forth to school.It wasn’t an easy task.

Though the long  break from school has  revitalized the kids,they are  still not ready to go into studying mode right away.I guess it will take  a few more days  to get adjusted to the swing of things  and get back to the customary  routine.Moreover,it’s just a matter of days before their summative exams start and I have no idea how to get them back on track from their present  frame of mind. Being away on vacation and from the hustle and the bustle of the morning mad rush,had a great impact on me as well.I had  totally elapsed the usual school rules and regulations.It had completely slipped off my mind that my youngest had to be attired in Scout uniform every Tuesday.Though he reminded me just before the school van arrived, there wasn’t enough time to run upstairs and change his uniform,so I had to do a bit of sweet-talk to cheer him up before  sending  him off to school.

I must admit that I  will  definitely miss  the daytime noise and the clamor,the fun and the frolic  and anecdotes of my children that re-energized me during the lazy summer  mornings.Hence,halfhearted and  reluctantly,I  unwind  and   bid  goodbye  to the  holiday vibes.
 

 

A Toast To Summer!

The family vacation maybe  over but the  holidays for the children is still on, as schools reopen only in September.Despite the fact that we all seem to be thoroughly exhausted in the company of summer,we are  in some way coping  the hot and humid weather.With the  prevailing  weather condition in this part of the world,there is n’t much outdoor  activities  to  get occupied  except take part in religious activities like  reading the holy book and offering   extra prayers as this is the holy month of Ramadan,which  by the way,will come to an end in the next few days.And soon, we can expect some fair weather.It is always the case during the latter part of summer time,when the holiday spirits begin to wear off and all that extra time that you hold so precious,seem to drift so soon.And almost immediately  you start to brood over the lost time.

Summer makes me wonder,ponder and  beyond.At the onset,as  much as the season brings with it  the  holiday spirit,goodwill and cheer, it also ignites a lot of physical strain on us during the closing stage.By the way  I am not  being unreasonable,I still  hope to enjoy the rest of the holidays in  optimism.

Looking on the bright side,it’s apparent that Summer has not  been very harsh on me.In addition to  the exhilaration of our three week vacation to the pearl of the Indian ocean( Sri Lanka),I am also ecstatic at some of the other  things that summer has freshened me up with.It has  enabled  me to  mentally remove a few  redundant anarchism and enjoy the rest of the season with a clear mind set.My sugar level  is  well under control and the daily exercising has  brought in  some good results.I have lost a few more pounds and have gained high  energy levels.So you can just  imagine  alongside the hustle and the bustle of summer,how contentedly I am marching around the house with equally energetic children.

This Summer I also tried my hands at new recipes catering to the family’s tastes buds.Some recipes came out quite well while a few didn’t turn out as expected.That didn’t give me a reason to sign.I gave the dishes  a new name and felt happy about my achievement.On the whole,Summer has taught me to approach things  in a positive manner and I am grateful for that.


Please feel free to take a peek at Summer Skies- pictures taken during the vacation

Celebrating Summer

Happy holidays-Have A great Summer!

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.
- John Lubbock-

Obesity In Children

Reading the book the ‘Blood Sugar Solution’ not only endowed  me with helpful information about diabetes,but  also opened my eyes to another serious disease that is progressing fast  all over the world. I was brought to my attention  that  Obesity  is one of the underlying cause for diabetes and also for  various other   diseases that could assault our body and bring significant harm to our system.What is even more alarming is that childhood obesity  is drastically on the rise especially among school children. Evidently it has become a cause of concern. A fad for junk food  or  fast food is increasingly  growing amongst children which  sooner or later will   bring  catastrophic results when  the diseases related to it sets in.Junk food may  tantalize our taste buds  but does more damage to our digestive systems.The extra fats  in them  not only make us gain weight but are  notable to  damage the liver and heart.Adults should start promoting and creating awareness about eating healthy food so as to encourage school children develop healthy eating habits.Children should be encouraged to eat more of cereals,green and leafy vegetables,fruits,milk,eggs and curds and yoghurt  as a part of their daily diet.Green salads have a lot of fibrous  elements  that will do good for our health.As parents, we must work effortlessly to  set  boundaries for  eating foods like  hot dogs,pizzas,burgers,sweets and candies,as they  are the culprits that cause obesity.Furthermore,it is n’t too  late to turn around  eating habits.To prevent  further destruction from this epidemic called 'obesity' ,the foremost thing we got to work on  our part is to  convince children  to indulge  in eating home cooked meals as foods cooked at home  are  packed with nutritious values and not as much of calories and fat.

Green Salads have fibrous compounds and are good for the digestive system

The Blood Sugar Solution

For the last couple of months I have been  deeply engrossed in  ‘ Doctor Mark Hyman’s  ‘Ultra Wellness blog’ and  have gathered so much of  information about ‘Diabesity’-a merge between diabetes and obesity. I also enjoyed reading all the rants and the reviews about his latest book.However,since recently,I  have not been able to  do so habitually due to a defect in the computer.I guess our computer system cannot handle more than one program in one go.The computer keeps crashing and I can no longer have several internet applications running at a time.However I am not  tech savvy  to  identify the  hitch.So until this  issue is rectified,I  have  to  patiently bear  with the  slow loading and the sudden crashes which  to some extent is disrupting my social networking.

On the other hand, to my surprise, a couple of  days ago,my dear hubby had  checked in at   the   bookstore in the vicinity   and got me the hard cover. Now I am all set to read….

And so, without further ado,let me  break away   from  the frustrations   generated by this   faulty tech system and the mayhem caused by  an equally faltered immune system and discover some techniques  to get things back to normal with the guidance   of the  ‘Blood Sugar Solution’ . 

Blogging, A Leisure Pursuit

Although people blog for varied reasons they  have one thing in common: an interest to convey freely their thoughts and opinions.Blogging is a tool for online networking.You can share your accomplishments,disappointments, rejoice your achievements and get feedback from your online friends.Being aware of the fact  that there's a  group of readers who show a genuine interest in the  posts you publish and leave you with compliments and best wishes,amplifly your  gratification further.However if criticism is in the offing, learn to take that in your stride as well.Productive criticism from readers should be encouraged so as to  further improvise  blog contents.A blog is typically updated on a daily basis.It is  up to the blogger what he/she wishes to write and it is  the blogger’s choice  again if he/she wanted  their  online diary   publicly shared  over the internet.

Blogging was first started in 1997, by an American  named John Barger.And since then  millions have followed suit.My journey into blogosphere started a little more than three years ago. My blog is my online memoir.Although I am not  up to date,I love browsing through web contents shared by various bloggers from all over the globe.It allows me to learn a diversity of topics and subjects from  people with different backgrounds and cultures  even though poles apart. Little by little with the upsurge of  readers  from across the world, a unique kind of friendship develops,even if it is only by way of commenting on each others blog posts. Reading interesting posts written by other  bloggers and reacting  favourable on their blogs, indoctrinates mutual  understanding  and trust between the bloggers.

Blogging is my leisure pursuit.I write what I am most passionate about: My home and everything around it, the funny anecdotes of my children,their activities and my gastronomic know hows.I have benefited a lot by blogging. Not only I have  gained  new friends but also the opportunity to  exchange ideas,opinions and recipes. Blogging keeps my  mind focused and helps  my writing skills from wilting.

A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed

It’s back to school for the children after a short break.To go through the entire morning without them is mind-numbing.The hushed atmosphere is felt  more than ever as they continuously kept me engaged during the morning hours chattering  nineteen to the dozen. And as a matter of fact, given that I am immune to this kind of  noisy environment,I find it  a bit uncharacteristic to be  in the midst of silence.Currently,I am  trying every possible means  to muddle through  the tranquillity. So to chuck  away  the sense of  being bored, I have actively  turned to my  most dependable companions: Books.

Reading books is a pleasurable experience.They have kept me happy and contended during dark and dull moments.Above and beyond,they cheer me up with their wide range of heartening words.Above all, books  are the most sought after ‘acquaintances’ to  fill in the void and  help me break free from monotony.I am persistently drawn toward them. Unquestionably,they straighten out my mood swings.Time after time,books come to my support when I am in  need  of some driving force to lift my spirits high .

Books are a source of inspiration.They are filled with an abundance of entertainment, information,and references.As grateful as I am,to modern technology,which sets up  a complete library  in front of the computer screen with only a push of a button, I  still  prefer the old fashioned way of enjoying a good read in black and white.There’s nothing  to beat my habit of sitting in a cosy corner with a  paper back  to hold on to and be intensely engrossed in it.

Although the perception of reading books,for many,is slowly weaning off, the magnetism still remains in me.Books teach us a variety of subjects.They give solutions to our problems and stimulate us in every aspect. Inevitably they instigate reading skills and give confidence  to children and young adults.I am forever in awe of the diverse styles and expressions  documented in books by different writers and authors.The other day while looking  through  a  textbook  belonging to my daughter,I found something quite notable.It was a well defined piece of writing. Needless to say, I was fascinated by its characterization that I totally forgot time.

Dear readers,now allow  me  pass on to you something  inspirational I discovered  from that particular book. 

‘Success,real success and happiness come to those who have a bread-making attitude.Those who are willing to knead the dough,wait for hours for it to rise, only to punch it down and knead some more, wait for another couple of hours for it to rise again, then bake it before it is ready to be eaten.Nothing is instantaneous.For every endeavour whether in the area of career academics music, sports,relationships,physical fitness,or even in spirituality-it is a long arduous journey.’

Wouldn't it be commendable if we all adapt the  'bread making' attitude

Toward Healthy Living

To be healthy,eat healthy.That’s exactly what I am doing  since my high sugar diagnosis. My daily consumption of food is a combination of all the nutrients like proteins, fat  and carbohydrates in smaller portions.Thanks to my dietician who  helped me with  a balanced  meal plan which I  got to follow on a regular basis.Having a tete-a-tete with  the  dietician and carefully considering  the pros and cons of certain foods and the harm some food could cause long term,heightened my aspirations,to make changes in my dietary habits.

I have already lost a couple of kilos in the first few weeks of  starting my ‘weight loss-sugarless’ journey. As I am  advised to keep fit and be on the move for at least half an hour everyday,I have made it  mandatory to go on a  walking ‘spree’ for about 20-30 minutes a day. Aside  avoiding everything  which contains sugar, I have also  drastically curtailed salt intake so that the organs in the body will not malfunction.I can no more nibble as I desire  on  nuts and savouries but instead allowed  to  snack on fruits: though  advised to skip mangoes, bananas and avocados, which could spike my sugar levels and who knew my favourites: carrots, potatos and green beans fall in the same category that set off the  sugar elevation.

Drinking plenty of water,possibly seven to eight glasses per day would help flush all the wastes and toxins off the system and also makes one feel full,thereby curbing the  hunger pangs.And with that in mind,without any hesitation,I have now made it a priority to respectedly  drink  the recommended amount of water each day.According to studies,stress is also a major cause  for the sugar swings that lead to type 2 diabetes.So a ‘good night’ sleep facilitates a great deal in diminishing all forms of stress related symptoms and  dampening mood swings thus enabling one to be in peak conditions.

All in all,I am left with  no options but follow this dietary chart and  I  bet  this food diagram will also ward off  my cravings for those occasional treats.Although the task of implementing the guidelines is challenging, I have wholeheartedly accepted to significantly make adjustments in my  everyday life  for I believe this is a good  ‘bargain’ toward a hale and hearty living. 

Healthy option-  baked  vegetables

A Healthy Dose Of Laughter

Children  make the world go round and thus, undoubtedly, make the  adults twirl ,twist and go dizzy as well.More often they spin into their own  world full of fantasy and make-believe.However much these children bubbling with mischief and giggles bring  pandemonium in the home, they  are a blessing to every parent.They sparkle our lives with great joy, happiness and love.All the same they can be unpredictable with their moods,attitudes and opinions  altering  from time to time.One day they can make our hearts go pit-a-pat and  swell with pride and  the next day  our heads  spin  like tops.

There  are  number of adjectives coming into my mind when describing children.The most common that deem fit to portray the brood in my abode would be:  mischievous,bouncy,cheerful, carefree ,happy,funny  and a lot more .

Repeatedly I have been  amused by their anecdotes which  have quite unswervingly acted  as stress relievers.With the  children  away in school every morning ,I am revitalized by  these anecdotes.They  help  lift my spirits higher,calm my nerves and make less burdensome my moods. Here are a few which I have already shared a couple of times with family and friends  and also  with some of my readers in another blog.These are small blessings that make my day .

  

1: A dialogue: with my sons  Scene : Home

I was helping my seven year old with his class assignment.The  lesson was 'What do the following young ones grow into..And thus we continued ..
 I posed the questions and  as usual he bellowed  with  the answers..

Me: ‘An owlet becomes

He: -an owl!

Me; ‘A cygnet becomes

He - a swan!

Me: A kitten becomes

He:  a cat!

Me: A joey becomes

He:  a ....?

Before he could  open his mouth to answer this one , My  ten-year-old,who was seated on the other end of the room blurted out, 'Joey becomes a Friend'

( He was obviously referring to Joey -the character from the TV sitcom  'Friends)

Seeing my seven –year –old  looking very  confused by the big brother’s   response ,I   burst  into  a loud laugh.

However    regaining  my composure  after a while ,I quickly  said, 'Joey becomes a kangaroo'.

Tut! Tut! Now  both my sons  eyebrows are raised..

What a confusion!!

 

2 : Mistaken identity

Ask a ten year old anything but politics.Recently in my son’s class during the General knowledge period, they were questioned on current affairs.They were shown  a picture of  the recently humiliated Libyan leader and asked to identify.They all  seemed to know the answer and  very confidently responded  in the midst of loud  giggles; ‘That's Mr Bean! ‘

Weather the weather,Whatever the weather

Since the past week it has been unusually cold and it has constantly kept me speculating. Here I was thinking it was time to put away the jackets,mufflers and everything woollen ,back into their appropriate places. However I had to unwillingly reverse my plans due to this climate which is playing havoc.I suppose no one except Mother Nature can foretell a change in the weather who by now has probably planned quite a few tricks up her sleeves and would unleash them whenever she deems fit.

More often than not, by this time, we all envision the colourful blossoms,green leaves and a gentle breeze,a picture perfect Spring,but instead,we are repeatedly sprayed with dust from the sand storms and jolted off the beds by terrifying howls from the fierce winds.A frequent occurrence during the break of dawn.What a bizarre climate!
Generally,going outdoors during the weekend is something the children look forward to,but now except for my sons,the two girls are somewhat hesitant to go out merely for the reason they have to wear double padded clothing.

Despite the uncertain weather conditions,the children’s school had planned to go ahead with the schedules organized by the school’s Scout Association.Regardless,my fifth grader who is an ardent member,was all agog as he was about to embark on his very first Scout outdoor activity.However in the last minute due to harsh weather they had to re organize the program indoors.The parents of the participants were also invited to witness a few activities later in the evening.

As much as I enjoyed the children’s wonderful program at school,I also immensely benefited from an experience on our way back home. Amid the dusty roads,polluted atmosphere and the indistinct surroundings,I was amazed at what was unfolding.We were very fortunate to have witnessed  the sunset.While  a bunch of fluffy clouds ( not visible in the picture) looked as if they were reluntantly letting her go.All the same,slowly and steadily they parted ways.An awesome moment! A glorious sight! And as soon as 'Her Majesty' disappeared,darkness approached.What a panoramic view!
Although on earlier occasions I had witnessed atypical view,I was never able to record it.I am glad I got the opportunity this time albeit it was clicked through our moving vehicle.In the midst of the nit-picking and the whimpering about the bad weather,I am grateful the day ended magnificently.

                                            

A Panoramic View -Look at the contrast !This end looked all dark.

                                  

The sun  was slowly disappearing and  the street lights began to flicker.