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Living with Multiple Myeloma in Hyderabad , India . Random musings .

Category Archives: self help

self help


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3 Best Desi Ghee / A2 Ghee Online , in India

What is Desi Ghee :

Ghee is clarified Butter which is obtained from the milk of Cows and Buffaloes by a process of making curd , then churning the curd to extract butter , the butter is then heated to produce clarified butter/Ghee.

However, the best Desi Ghee is made from the milk of Native Indian Cows and is preferred as it has several health benefits.

Ghee from Native Indian Cows is called ‘Liquid Gold’ as this has a golden color. It is interesting to know that in ancient India, those with the most ‘Liquid Gold’ or more cows , were the richest.

With ‘White Revolution’ , a lot of Dairy farms started rearing Jersey/Holstein cows , as they produce a lot of milk . Not many are aware that these cows are a hybrid variety and not native to India.

Since ancient days , Native Cows of India are revered and treated like a family member.

Indigenous or Desi Cows in India
Native Indian Cows at an Organic Farm, that I visited, near Hyderabad , India.

Lord Krishna says that if one worships a Cow , it is as good as worshipping Him. Lord Krishna was a Cow Herd and loved cows and hence called ‘Go-Pal’ , one who rears Cows.

Lord Krishna , with Cows

What is A1, A2 Milk and why we should consume A2 milk products :

The Milk produced from Native Indian Cows is called A2 Milk , whereas the milk from Hybrid cows like Jersey, Holstein is A1 Milk.

Ghee prepared from A2 Milk of Native Indian Cows has numerous health benefits when consumed in moderation. For that matter everything should be taken in moderation.

The protein in A2 milk is good for our health.

It is observed that the incidence of Cardiovascular diseases and Diabetes is more in those who took A1 Milk products.

I am using Ayurveda Medications since almost 6 years. My Ayurveda Doctor prescribes 1-2 tsps of Cow Ghee per day for me.

Health Benefits of Desi Ghee :

Here are a few health benefits of incorporating A2 Ghee in your diet -Contains Butyric acid which increases the generation of T-cells in the body. It is these T-cells which improves the immunity in the body.

It is good for improving memory.

Lubricates the connective tissue and hence prescribed for Yoga practitioners

Ghee is a yogavahi—a catalytic agent that carries the medicinal properties of herbs into the tissues of the body.

Acts as a medium for absorption of all fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K .

Has antioxidant properties as it contains Vitamin E and Beta carotene and reduces inflammation in the body.

Induces Apoptosis in Cancer cells.

Slows the aging process

Enhances Digestion

Contains antiviral properties

Has high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids which is good for heart health

…and many many more

How is the Best Desi Ghee prepared and what is the price :

I have learnt from various authentic sources that to prepare 1kg of Desi Ghee, around 25-35 Liters of pure Desi Cow’s milk would be required. This depends on the fat percentage in the milk. Fewer liters of milk would be required if the fat content is high. I was told that the price of 1 liter of pure Desi Cow’s milk is Rs200/-.

This works out to a minimum of Rs5000/- for 1kg of pure Desi Cow Ghee. Any price which is drastically different from this is not a genuine product.

No wonder it is called ‘Liquid Gold’.

Where do I buy Desi Ghee Online :

My search for various sources of A2 Ghee began a few years ago , when my Ayurveda Doctor told me to use Ghee daily. I even spoke to a few folks from near by Villages, who worked in the city, if they could help me get Cow Ghee. Unfortunately, none in the villages are into A2 Ghee business as there is no demand .Basically, the knowledge of the wonderful properties of Desi Ghee is lost. Native Indian Cows give a lower quantity of Milk and also has lower fat content. Hence, most people prefer to rear Buffaloes.

Ghee adulteration is rampant and hence one should be aware of the source of the Ghee.

I then started searching for A2 Ghee online . Thankfully, now a days, there are several brands of A2 Ghee online. After checking the reviews , reading about the people who are behind the product and the method used to prepare ghee, I went ahead and ordered.

Klimom Desi Ghee :

Initially I used ‘KlimOm Ghee’. KlimOm is based in Hyderabad. I found it on Amazon and liked the product. The grass which is fed to the Gir Cows is grown in their farms without using any pesticides. Cows are not injected with any hormones and are milked using hands.

Traditional methods are used to prepare the curd from milk and churned to extract the butter. This butter is heated and then it gets converted to Clarified butter.


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A2 Ghee from Isha Vasyam :

I began searching for another product and bought A2 Ghee from Isha Vasyam. The quality is very good. Mr Vivek Sharma , founder of ‘Isha Vasya’ wanted a cure for his parents health issues and rediscovered the ancient vedic remedies for the current age health problems.


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Desi Ghee from Amorearth :

I am always on the lookout for Organic/Naturally grown produce. During my search I came across ‘Two Brothers Organic Farms’ . There are some videos about their farms that I watched on YouTube. They are into Natural farming and I am impressed by their farming practices. The brand name of their products is ‘Amorearth’ . They have free range Native cows, which are fed with Organic grass and other feed , from their own farms. The manure from the cows is used to fertilize the plants and the cycle continues. Cows are the basis for Natural farming and they have a symbiotic relationship. They also sell several other Organic products.

Currently , I am using A2 Cow Ghee from Amorearth.

       

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Time to switch to Desi Ghee :

It is high time , we revert back to our ancient way of living. Let’s do the best we can to access the healthiest food products. No doubt , such products are in shortage and the demand for these is slowly increasing. There is a shortage of supply, however, the more we purchase , the more will eventually be produced.

It is true that A2 Ghee is very very expensive compared to Ghee from Buffalo Milk. But, Ayurveda recommends 1-2 tsps of A2 Ghee to those who are keen on regaining their health. So, make sure the source is authentic and if you have access to a Goshaala or anyone who is rearing Native Indian Cows , then you are the luckiest.

Let’s spend our hard earned money to buy healthy food for our family. Nothing else is more important than healthy eating habits. Thankfully good products are available.

~ Jai Gomaatha~


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Best DIY Natural All-purpose Cleaner using Soapnuts

Hair shampoo , Detergent , Bath soap , Floor cleaner , Pesticide , Dish washing liquid , Jewelry cleaner , Mosquito repellent , Bath soap for Pets , Kitchen cleaner : Using Soapnuts , an environment friendly and sustainable solution given by Mother Earth.

After having experienced a life surrounded by chemicals and pollution , I have begun rediscovering all the traditional healthy practices that were followed in India since hundreds or thousands of years. In this journey , I have recently rediscovered Soapnuts. The most Eco-friendly , Natural All-Purpose cleaner .

My earliest memories of Soapnuts , also called Soapberries, are from my childhood days when my Mom would give us (me and my sister) a hair wash using the liquid extracted from Soapnuts .

Soapnuts or soap berries grow in India , in the Himalayas and in South India. They are light to dark brown in color when ready to pick and one to two centimeters in diameter with a hard black and big seed. When dry they are shelled and can be used like soap as they give a lot of lather as they contain Saponin which is a surfactant. Soapnuts are a natural cleaner given by Mother Earth.

I remember my late paternal aunt used to get a big sack, full of soapnuts whenever she visited us. She lived in a village adjacent to the Tirumala hills. The soapnut tree grows wild in the forests on the Hills.

Soapnuts for washing Hair :

Ok, So let’s go back in time, almost 3-4 decades ago , when shampoos were unheard of and the soapnut ritual took place every sunday at my home. Come Sunday morning , two big handfuls of soapnuts were broken by placing each one on the floor and breaking them open using a small round granite stone or placed in a Mortar and Pestle which was dedicated for breaking up the soapnuts. The big black seeds would be separated from the shells and the shells would be soaked in water .While the soapnuts were soaking , a copper water boiler would be filled with water and coals would be fired up at the bottom of the boiler drum.

The soapnuts would soften while the water got hot and they were squeezed with the hand to extract the juice from the soapnuts. The soapnut extract would be filtered into another vessel and more water was added to the remaining pulp. If required the soapnuts would be squeezed again.

This extract was the shampoo during those days. At times the liquid would get into the eyes and the eyes would burn and become red. We would sprinkle cold water on the eyes and get some relief. Very soon the eyes were back to normal.

After washing the hair , it was time to dry the hair using towels and letting the hair dry naturally in the sun. We let our hair down and stood under the sun. Mom didnt let us use the Hairdryer which Dad had bought from Italy when he went there on Official work. She felt that the heat from the dryer would damage the scalp and make the hair brittle.

Once the hair is around 70% dried up , Mom would comb our long hair to disentangle the knots and then braid the hair into one or two plaits. All our neighbours envied our long hair.

This was the morning routing every Sunday morning.

It was this ritual which helped in the growth of thick long and healthy hair , soft hair , no dandruff ,no loss of hair and no grey hair.

Very soon , we starting washing the hair ourselves and found a short cut to extract the soapnut liquid. We simply put the soapnuts in a vessel, poured water and heated the water. While the water cooled down , the soapnuts would become very soft and it was very easy to squeeze and extract the liquid. Mom somehow didnt like what we did, and complained that we were too lazy 🙂

Soapnuts as a Body scrub :

I also remember Mom telling us to use the soft soapnut pulp to scrub the skin instead of using a soap. This natural cleaner is good for the skin as they prevent/heal skin problems like eczema and psoriasis. These nuts have anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties too.

Very soon we began hearing of shampoos and initially we used these shampoos once in a while when we were in a hurry and didnt have the time to soak and squeeze .

Didnt take very long for all to forget soapnuts and shampoos were here to stay. The comfort , convenience , instant solution for a hair wash was too good. What followed was dandruff, loss of hair, brittle hair , split hair and grey hair.

Having realised the benefits and advantages of soapnuts over shampoos , we are now scrambling back to the traditional methods.

Since a couple of years I had been searching the shelves in the supermarkets for soapnuts and didnt find any. I was surprised that they had disappeared.

To this day , I dont see them yet in the supermarkets, but glad they are available online.

Washing silks and woolens with Soapnut extract :

For my wedding , I had several heavy silk sarees and maintaining silk sarees is an art . While discussing as to how I should clean and maintain Silk sarees with Mom, she told me to soak my silk sarees in soapnut extract diluted in a bucket of water and give them a gentle scrub with the hands.

Delicate and expensive garments can thus be cleaned using natural soapnut extract so they last long compared to using chemical based detergents.

Cleaning Gold jewellery with Soapnut extract :

Mom also once told me to clean gold jewelry with this extract. I just soak the jewelry in the soapnut extract for a while and use an old toothbrush to clean them.

Soapnut extract as an Organic/Natural Pesticide for Plants :

I have been doing some kitchen gardening using Organic fertilizers/pesticides since one year and I watch videos on YouTube whenever I require some information. I also learnt how soapnut extract can be used as a pesticide spray for plants. This is a natural way to control pests.

Mother Nature’s Detergent :

Eco friendly products and sustainable solutions are the need of the hour and soapnuts are the Natural cleaner that Mother Nature has given to humanity.

The soapnuts can be used as a detergent to wash clothes in the washing machine. Tie around 4-5 soapnuts in a cotton pouch or put them in an old socks and toss it into the washing machine.

How to prepare and use Soapnut Extract :

Method 1 : Prepare soapnut extract by soaking the nuts overnight. Next morning , squeeze the soapnuts with your hand for the best results and strain the liquid using a strainer.

Method 2 : Boil the soapnuts in water for 15 mins. Let the water cool down. Now you can squeeze the softened soapnuts and extract the liquid. Strain the liquid using a strainer.

The extract can be stored in a refrigerator. If left outside it will begin to smell bad and has to be discarded.

Fresh extract is recommended.

Other uses of the Soapnut Extract :

The extract can be diluted with water and used for all the following purposes .

  • Dish washing liquid
  • Washing Fruits and vegetables
  • Floor cleaner
  • Mosquito Repellant
  • Glass cleaner
  • Hand wash
  • Glass, Tiles, Kitchen counters
  • Giving a bath to your pets
  • Shaving cream

The water that is left after all the washing, can be let into the water harvesting pit or used for watering the plants in the garden.

I have begun using soapnuts for laundry, washing utensils, floor cleaner, as a bath soap, washing hair, as a pesticide, washing silks and also as a hand wash.

Laundry detergent , Dishwash liquid , Handwash liquid etc are also available online.

With COVID around , I began searching for a good product to sanitize fruits and vegetables, during the ongoing pandemic , I came across one good product named Bubblenut Wash which has soapnut as one of the key ingredients . I began using this before I started using soapnuts as it is very easy to use. Here it is –

Bubblenut Wash-Natural and Organic Fruits and Vegetables Wash :

There are other cleaning products sold by the same company .

Bubblenut wash Laundry Detergent :             

Bubblenut wash – Natural and Organic Laundry Detergent Bar :

…and many more

These products are especially very useful for those who have skin allergies and are unable to use the normal soaps/detergents.

Initially , it is very convenient to buy and start using them. Later on you can buy soapnuts and make your own Natural cleaner.

However, if you wish to buy the soapnuts and use them directly you can use them in the following ways :

  • Full berries can be used directly for Laundry , by placing a few berries in a pouch or old socks and tossing them into your Washing machine.
  • The extract of these berries after soaking in water can be used for washing hair, in the dishwasher, Floor cleaning, cleaning gold jewelry etc
  • The soap berries can be powdered and also used in the washing machine, soak in hot water and use as a shampoo
  • The left over berries from which the extract was prepared can be made into a paste in the mixer-grinder and used for cleaning kitchen counters ,sinks, stove etc

Feel free to experiment and you will not go wrong.

I recently bought the following product and started using them.


I now prepare a batch of soapnut liquid by soaking the soapnuts overnight and use it the next day for all my cleaning jobs.

Take the following precautions while using Soapnuts:

-If the soapnut liquid gets into your eyes while washing hair, do not panic. Just splash cold water over your eyes till you get some relief. There is no danger to your eyes. Your eyes may appear red for a while but do not worry , they will be back to normal soon. To prevent the liquid going into the eyes , just make sure that your eyes are tightly closed 🙂

-Soapnut liquid tastes bitter. It is not poisonous. However, just make sure it is out of reach of small children.

-Freshly prepared soapnut liquid has to be used within a day. Store it in the refrigerator if you wish to use it over a longer period.

Old is gold !!


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Quick fix for Stretched EarLobes at home without Surgery !

Almost all Indian women wear earrings/ear studs on a continuous basis .We love to wear different earrings/studs on different occasions and also prefer stuff which matches our outfits :).

Over a period of time the ear lobe usually starts stretching .

I am a victim of this problem.

Story of my Stretched Ear lobes :

One of my ear lobe began to stretch after I did a big mistake more than two decades ago. I wanted to wear big and heavy Earrings for a wedding and noticed that my ear hole was too small for them . As I was in a hurry I used some force to push it through and there was some bleeding too. I just ignored and went ahead without realizing what was coming up in the future. That incident cut one important tissue in the ear lobe which actually helps in holding the earrings and prevents stretching and tearing :((

Slowly over the years the size of the hole kept increasing.

I soon stopped wearing earrings. For a few years I used earrings which can be simply pressed on the ear lobes , thanks to my sister who got these for me when she went to other countries on official work. These type of earrings were not available in India during those days , sometimes they were too hard and painful or too loose for my ear lobes.

Whenever I came across a jewelry store I would ask for this type of earrings and sometimes I was lucky. Soon I started wearing very very light earrings but I found it very difficult when I had to attend events and wanted to wear heavy jewelry. Tried using buttons at the back of the ear lobe but they didn’t help. I was unable to wear my favorite and expensive jewelry sets. Sometimes I would use ‘Champaswaralu’ to hold the earrings up.

What are ‘Champaswaralu’ :

Indian jewelry which is like a chain that holds the Ear-ring on one end and the other end is hooked to the hair. This can be used to lift/hold the Ear-ring.

Simple and Effective Solution for Stretched Ear Lobes :

I was very unhappy and discussed with friends and colleagues about how to repair my damaged ear lobe and they suggested to go for a surgery but I hesitated.

Couple of years ago , I started looking for solutions on the Internet as to how I can close my torn ear lobe ,without having a a surgery . Was looking for a way of just sticking up the hole using some special Medical grade adhesive which is similar to the one used for healing small cuts and wounds without stitching up by using sutures.

It was then that I stumbled upon ‘Ear Lift’ .

I was amazed at the simple solution.

More about ‘Ear Lift’ :

These are small oval shaped transparent stickers which has to be stuck behind the ear lobe over the hole and these are available in different packs with 30 patches or 60 patches.

I have been extremely happy ever since :).

Detailed instructions are mentioned on the package.

Advantages of ‘Ear Lift’ patches :

  • You can wear all kinds of Ear rings. Especially when wearing heavy jewelry for special occasions.
  • One can also have a shower without any problem. These patches are waterproof.
  • These stickers are transparent and invisible too.
  • Each sticker lasts for at least 10 days. The patch then slowly starts peeling off and then it is time to replace.
  • Very easy to fix behind the ear lobe. IT does take a few attempts to know where exactly to fix the patch. You can take the help of others to fix it.
  • Quality of Adhesive is very good. It does have a life , so they have to replaced once it starts to peel off.
  • This is an imported product.

Please change the sticker whenever you find that it begins to peel off or you find any discomfort.

Here is the product which I am using and is available on Amazon.

                                                             

Preventing Stretched Ear lobes :

Your Ear lobes may be perfect as on date , however , it is advisable to use these stickers whenever you are wearing heavy Earrings during special occasions. This will prevent any stretching of Ear lobes in the future.

Here are images of my ears ‘Before’ and ‘After’ using Earlift.

Before using Ear Lift

After using Ear Lift

I bought this product on Amazon.

Click on the below image if you are interested in more details of this product.

I am so grateful for this invention and for having stumbled upon this solution and so glad to share with you.


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Easy way to enjoy Grilled food at home |Assembling an Electric Grill | Grilled chicken

Whenever we like to have grilled food we usually head towards a BBQ restaurant. Grilled food is everyones favourite that everyone loves. So, we had this idea of having a grill at home.

Due to the Covid pandemic ,visits to Restaurants or takeaways have completely stopped. But ,the cravings for restaurant style food has not reduced isn’t it :).

After considering all the pros and cons of different types of grills , namely Coal fired , Gas fired and Electric , we decided to get an Electric grill.

Arranging gas supply at the place of grilling may not be easy. While coal fired grills generate a lot of smoke and takes a while to get the coals hot.

Whereas an Electric Grill is easy to assemble. Grill your favourite veg and Non-veg food at your home. Easy to grill in the balcony or in the garden or indoors too. This is a smokeless no hassle way to have a great time with your near and dear ones.

After checking Amazon website for various Electric grills , we placed an order on ‘Clearline Electric Grill’.

Here is the unboxing and Assembling video that I made.

Do watch the video for detailed instructions on how to assemble and make some grilled chicken. Took less than 10 minutes to cook one batch of grilled chicken.

Hope you found the video useful 🙂

~Happy Grilling !! ~


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Best Barbeque Grill for home : Electric Grill

Whenever we like to have grilled food we usually head towards a BBQ restaurant. Grilled food is everyone’s favorite that everyone loves. So, we had this idea of having a grill at home.

Due to the Covid pandemic ,visits to Restaurants or takeaways have completely stopped. But ,the cravings for restaurant style food has not reduced isn’t it :).

Also, there are times when we wish to have our own outdoor grill in the comfort of our home. All of want a no hassle and easy to use Grill at home.

Gas Fired Grill Vs Electric Grill Vs Charcoal Grill :

After considering all the pros and cons of different types of grills , namely Coal fired , Gas fired and Electric , we decided to get an Electric grill.

Arranging gas supply at the place of grilling , especially if it is to be placed in the balcony or in the open may not be easy. While coal fired grills generate a lot of smoke and takes a while to get the coals hot.

Whereas an Electric Grill is easy to assemble , it is compact and smokeless. Easy to grill in the balcony or in the garden or indoors too. This is a smokeless, no hassle way to have a great time with your near and dear ones.

Choosing an Electric Grill Online :

After checking Amazon website for various Electric Grills, I placed an order on ‘Clearline BBQ and Electric Grill’.

This is how the package looks-

Here is the unboxing and Assembling video . Do watch the video for detailed instructions on how to assemble this Grill and I will also demonstrate cooking some grilled chicken. Took around 20 minutes to cook one batch of grilled chicken.

Hope you found the video useful 🙂

The oil drip collection tray is not strong and has to be handled and cleaned carefully. Fixing this tray is a bit tricky , but once put in place it doesn’t move . To clean the tray easily , just pour a little water to soak in all the dried stuff and it comes off easily.

For the ease and comfort of grilling with your family in the convenience of your home , I found that price is quite reasonable.

Here is a pic of the heating Element when it is ready for Grilling –

Enjoy the experience of Grilling and having a party in your Balcony , patio or garden using this simple and easy to operate grill.

This is the Electric Grill that I had bought. I find it easy and convenient to use.


~ Happy Grilling !! ~


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My Ayurveda Doctor, to me: According to me, you are Cancer Free !!

I have been taking Ayurveda Medication for Multiple Myeloma from my Ayurveda Doctor every month. I have been prescribed several types of medicines with different dosages during the day .

This month too my medicines were delivered , but I opened the parcel only after a few days of receiving it. You know the virus thing and not to touch parcels for a few days and leave them outside the door thingy 🙂

When I opened the parcel I found that the required dosage of tablets/capsules was missing from a couple of medicines. I then messaged my Doctor informing the same. He said I should be reducing the dosage of medicines. I refused to accept what he said and said that I prefer to continue the same medication for ‘some more time’ .

He then said that I should reduce my dependence on Medicines and that I should be more confident and do meditation also.

I said OK and then …..

My Ayurveda Doctor : According to me, you are Cancer Free !!

I couldn’t believe those words. Those were some very precious words that any patient would love to hear from a Doctor. I was feeling overwhelmed and my eyes were welling up.

While it is true that my last test reports , few months ago , were all normal , I didn’t want to rush and reduce the dosage.

I do believe that my new ‘Natural Lifestyle’ along with Ayurveda is doing wonders for my body. I do feel good and able to manage most stuff on my own at home and at work too !! . I do get a lot of help from hubby and son 😛

Its been more than 5 years since I started taking Ayurveda Medication and No chemo since then.

And its been 5 months since I started following the Diet prescribed by ‘Natural Lifestyle’ . Surely the combination is working for me 🙂

Thanks to the Almighty for showing me the right path.

I hope and wish more and more people give up wrong eating habits and spend more time on improving their health by eating wholesome food that comes directly from Mother Nature, by exercising, Meditation and most important to have a free mind by letting go , being grateful, by forgiving self and others , giving up resentment and being compassionate to all .

~Love U Life ~


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My current Diet – “Natural Lifestyle”

I had mentioned about my new diet in one of my earlier posts. I am currently following the Diet recommended by an organisation named “Natural Lifestyle” .

I read all about the founder Shri Acharya Mohan Gupta and his Gurus. Watched a lot of videos on their youtube channel. I got convinced to follow the diet prescribed by him.

The diet recommends Intermittent fasting for 16 hours every day. Most of the food is eaten raw and only one meal during the whole day comprises of cooked food.

The diet is based on the belief that ” One who eats once a day is a Yogi, who eats twice a day is a Bhogi and who eats thrice a day is a Rogi “

In the above statement the food that is eaten is food that is cooked.

The aim is to eat just one cooked meal in a day and Raw food / juice during the other meal times.

This diet helps in cleansing the body and to treat diseases.

Here is my diet on any normal day :

Pre-Breakfast : 8 am – one glass of Ash gourd juice

Breakfast : 10am – A plateful of Raw vegetables with a few slices of coconut

Lunch : 1-2pm – 3 Composite Rotis with lots of vegetable curry

Dinner : 6-7pm – A plateful of fruits (any one type of fruit) with a few slices of raw coconut

This has been my diet for the last 5 months.

I do cheat once in a while and eat a little bit of regular food like rice with curry or vegetable fried rice or breakfasts like upma , dosa and junk food like noodles too 🙂

I have lost a lot of weight after following this diet. My family and colleagues do comment on my appearance but I am happy as long as i am healthy.

I am able to carry out simple tasks like cooking , going to work and spend some time in my garden. Not doing much physical work .

So far so good.

It is a bit cumbersome to follow this diet as my diet is different from the diet of family and this requires more cooking time. Hubby and I plan our meals and so we are comfortable.

Very difficult to control the senses of taste and smell :). There are times when I feel, what is life if I am unable to eat all that I would like to. But I console myself that i have to do anything and everything to stay alive and this keeps me motivated to continue this diet 🙂

~


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Lock-Down Dairies – 7 June 20 : Rural India turning into hotspots for COVID, sowing seeds for the first time using cocopeat , Plastic shield in our car.

Migration and Reverse Migration of Migrants :

As the migrant workers move back to their villages from the cities, they are carrying the virus along with them. Having lost their jobs and clueless as to the future, they have begun going back to their roots.Hopefully they have the immunity to fight the virus and dont infect the locals there.

Almost 23 million migrants have left the cities. There is now a shortage of skilled workers in the construction businesses and the builders are flying back the migrants to the cities.Cost of labour and construction material has already gone up.

My First Date with Cocopeat :

For the first time I used cocopeat for preparing seedlings. Was nice to see the block of cocopeat that I bought online , soaking up all the water and turning into a soil like mixture. I added some sand and red soil and mixed everything well. I then sowed Brinjal and Tomato seeds. Looking forward to the seedlings 🙂

Installation of Plastic Shield inside the Car :

I had ordered a plastic curtain online which I wanted to use as a plastic shield in our car. As I have a Driver to drive me to office , I wanted to be safe by fixing a Plastic sheet between the front seats and the passenger seats at the back. This was one important suggestion given by my Ayurveda Doctor when I asked for his advise whether I can go to Office once the lockdown was removed.

I have uploaded a very small video clip of the final installation. Here is the link :

~Sarve Janaaha Sukhino Bhavanthu~


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Lock-Down Dairies – 2 June 20 : Covid-19 and 6 feet distance inside a car with car driver , separate plastic shield and A/C vent for every seat in the car, received my package with a plastic curtain today

I have been going to work since last 15 days. I have a car driver who drives our car. One important precaution to take during the current COVID situation is to wear a mask and also maintain 6 feet physical distance. How is this possible inside a car.

As of now , the windows of the car are lowered and we wear masks and also a face shield. This arrangement is not easy during summer ,as it is very hot and suffocating.  With the windows open ,the car interiors would get dirty too.

But I have no choice.

I am now thinking as to how I should manage during the coming monsoons when it would be difficult to open the windows.

I had ordered a plastic curtain online and received the package today.

I will be setting up this sheet as a shield inside the car. Surely the whole setup is going to spoil the car interiors  with all the sticking that is mandatory. 

This arrangement would be suffocating too, when it rains and the windows have to be closed. Our car doesn’t have A/C vents at the back seat and I am going to have a tough time during the monsoons too.

Hopefully ,all the cars in the future would mandatorily be designed and manufactured with a shield for every seat. Just like the curtains in the ICU for each bed in a hospital.

Not just a shield, but also a separate  A/C vent for each seat.


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Lock-Down Dairies 30 May 20 : Restaurants , Religious places , hotels and shopping malls to be open, my first Bhendi / Ladies finger ,  organic seeds online, unboxing a Jet water spray gun

New Lockdown guidelines in India:

All Restaurants ,Religious places, hotels and shopping malls to be open from 8 June onwards.

Opening of Schools, colleges, congregations ,intra state and interstate movement , international travel, cinema halls will be decided in the next phase.

Got to wait and watch what  is in store for the population in India ,now that the monsoons are also arriving.

My first Bhendi :

After several buds drying and falling off ,my first Bhendi successfully survived :).

It is very exciting to see the life cycle of a growing plant, especially something that we have personally tended to.

Organic seeds online :

I had a few vegetable seeds at home but they were not sprouting . I didn’t know where to get good ones and googled. Decided to buy online. I ordered a packet with 15 varieties of seeds and received them today. These are the seeds that I received.

Will be sowing a few of these soon.

Jet water spray gun :

A few weeks ago , we had a lockdown party with my brother’s and sisters families in our cellar/stilt floor. Since it is open and dirty ,we decided to wash the whole place. It took almost one hour for the three of us to wash the whole place . It was then that I decided to buy a jet spray gun . Received the package today and unboxed it.

However, we found that the hose pipe we had at home didn’t fit into the gun. A clamp is required to fit the pipe to the gun. We are hunting for a clamp. I am looking forward to do some good cleaning of the windows on the first floor too, which has been difficult.

Will review once I start using it.

~ Swasthirasthu~