From the roots to branches: I witnessed it all

My grandfather was diagnosed with diabetics in 1945 while he was serving as a Subedaar in the Indian Army. The whole family moved to Delhi after partition in 1947 from Rawalpindi, Pakistan. I remember him as a tall handsome disciplinarian who used to wear crisp clothes and starched turban. We used to accompany him for his morning and evening walks to a botanical garden near our house (in Lucknow) with small kashmiri baskets. We used to have fun picking up fallen off nimoli, gooseberries, jamun, amla, karonda and so many other parts of the plants. It was so exciting as we used to go back home and segregate the same, wash it dry , crush and grind it in pestle and mortar( we used to call it Langree Sota and we still possess it). Then it used to be transferred to a sieve and the powder was packed in labeled bottles. That’s when we learnt the effectiveness of herbal medicines.He passed away in 1975 and sustained himself through diabetics and other ailments with only herbal products which were home made. Our family and entire neighborhood relied on his home remedies for all the ailments. My mother was advised knee surgery in 1994 and the whole family was devastated. But thanks to Glucosamine from Amway , few months of consumption and she was up and about.
Endorsing herbal products comes genetically and naturally to me. Being a biology teacher in school I understand the specificity of DNA finger printing and thus choosing the specific species for a product. The “ Nine Step Approach” followed by the Nutrilite , preserves the active ingredients which supports sustainable hectic lifestyles. India is a land of diverse cultures, traditions and variety of demographic ecosystems which are a store house of unlimited flora and fauna. We connect to nature with a scientific approach and can well reason the benefits of herbal nutrition which are boosters in our stressed lives. The use of mint, turmeric, tulsi, neem, amla , mulathi, ginger etc are in the grandmothers home remedies for array of ailments.
Facing the challenges of rushed lifestyles today , we are at a backfoot and find it difficult to bridge the gap between natural well being and time. With global warming leading to climate change , the threat of unexplained immunity disorders looms over us thus depleting our energy and degrading our efficiency levels. The products from Amway hit the nail on the head and looks after our holistic well being thus filling in the gaps which we ignore. The nutrition supplements boost our well being thus lifting all our quotients. The latest products launched by Amway –Tulsi, Aswagandha,Brahmi and a blend of Amlaki, Vibhitaki and Haritaki have components which boost all the systems of our body.
In this world and age, we have to make smart choices. We have to remain rooted, be traditional in our thoughts and scientific in our approach.
Amway is the “way” to go as it has been certified for purity, safety and potency.

Cleanliness Can’t be Compromised

My recent visit to the ‘Basti Paathshaala’ during the Adolescent week was an eye opener. We had been working closely with these rural set ups and addressing issues of teaching –learning, menstrual health, aggression in boys, examination stress, mal nutrition etc since so many years. We had been ignoring a very important aspect of hygiene which was so basic yet so imperative. The unkempt nails were a house of multiple germs. Washing hands with water (source unknown) , role of soap, harmful effects of  germs and the diseases caused by it was a fact unknown  to this section of the society. The ignorance regarding the importance of washing hands is unfathomable.  

Savlon, ITC’s  leading hygiene brand appropriately launched a one–of-its kind campaign on this Children’s Day. The campaign is the epitome of innovativeness, concern,  and a reflection of a very effective road map to make India healthy and strong. The Swasth India Mission aims to inculcate hygienic habits in a playful way so that the essence is absorbed in a fun and entertaining manner.

Education is a dynamic field which encompasses holistic approach to the well being of the students who are a future of healthy nation. Through education, this campaign aims to disseminate information thus required to induce behavioural change. It is the constructive approach to equip the kids with the healthy habits which promote healthy survival.

Lets us act towards the cause which is imperative and spread the word to bring about a change towards making India a healthy pool of happy people. Let us create a ripple effect around us and join the Savlon’s Swasth India Mission and contribute in making our kids strong. #SavlonSwasthIndia

Video- https://youtu.be/A2XzZrF-ucA

Festivities Now and Then..!

An array of festivals marked by an ambience of fun, laughter and cheer is followed by the New Year which brings in hope, resolutions and the drive to make the year fruitful. But the lull that follows all celebrations also offers a period to ponder the evolution of festivals ,the celebrations, preparations and innovation in observing it. It somehow provides a window to visualise the spirit of celebration Now and Then..! While sharing nostalgic memeories with a childhood friend,Kashili, we discovered how much we had wandered away from the traditional practices to the modern ones. In agreement to our discussion , Kashili ,sent me her  thoughts beautifully explaining what Christmas celebration meant to her during childhood and how present trends in celebrating Christmas had faded the original spirit of the day. I was awestruck to read her thoughts and I sincerely appreciate her for spinning the yarn of words so beautifully that it makes perfect sense .She writes-

"My first memory of Christmas reminds me of the visit to the church along with my parents and siblings.Those days we had to carry our own cups ,plates, water in a bag, which wasn't stylish at all but was never a source of embarrassment. Basic food was served and fancy foods were never in the agenda.I remember decorating a tree ,not exactly a pine tree, but the happiness was multi folds.

To put up a star on the bamboo was mandatory for every house which was quite a task because the ready made ones wilted away soon in the dew.Slowly people became innovative and creative adopting red cloth or plastic to replace the delicate cellophane sheet.Children are the happiest every where and anywhere and the festive air is felt and sensed so deeply much before the Christmas day.Lights ,decorations, Carols,new clothes, home made cakes etc made it more exciting. Growing up as a teenager , the scenario changed completely and the celebrations observed a shift from family centered to friends centered and the desire to do something for the community used to drive us. Once me and my cousins, friends and two younger sisters cooked food and went galavanting in the colony to feed the less privileged ones. Oh what a pleasure it was! A sense of accomplishment and task well done ! Christmas meant spreading happiness in which ever way!However, when I got married the celebrations were Church and family centric. It was celebrating togetherness and thanksgiving in the church. But where did this all got lost ? Before I could say Jack Robinson, commercialism took over the sheen of Christmas.Going out for shopping in the town for christmas is a dread. Dimapur the favourite commercial hub of Nagaland is flocked by people from far and wide to pick up stuff for decorations and gifts.Traffic jams hit the roads and create havoc in normal lives. Exchange of christmas gifts and the category and variety takes on to a different level each year.It does not stop with creamy cakes or rum cakes or pork chops or steaks.Dry fruits, Nuts,green tea,fancy choclates, imported show pieces, sugar free cookies have raided the markets.Its a pity that the importance of gifts and the money spent on buying is not relished by anyone as each one has plenty in each ones house.Christmas has become a gift exchanging season more than anything else. The chaotic roads and the rising pollution levels cause unpleasant air all aound.The' Haves' have more and enough , the 'Havenots' wait for somebody's mercy or charity.Gifts or no gifts,new clothes or no clothes ,haves or have nots, everybody loves christmas-sitting around the fire , caroling, eating , drinking and dancing. Is this  christmas? A jovial fat man dressed as a Santa, distributing sweets and poking fun can never be the reason of celebrating christmas.

Christmas is Christmas-A celebration for Christ and with Christ which is easy to achieve in todays world when resources and means are unlimited. Lets trace back our path and find the true spirit and true fervour instead of following the crowd. Lets leave a legacy which will be cherished and taken forward in the true spirit."

We all have such memories and Kashili has given us a reason to sit back and ponder, Are we handing over the legacy which we received from our parents and grand parents with its originality being in place and intact? Be traditional, your kids will appreciate it.Think about it!

Pampers-A Benovolence for Babies

What is common to all babies around us? Undoubtedly, it is the  innocence, sweet smile, soft skin, baby odour and their irritating  wailing styles. And the thread that holds all these traits is "comfort". A mothers comfortable lap, timely diet, daily bath for freshness, a healthy body, a sound sleep etc ensures the happiness of babies and minimizes the parental discomfort. As a mother I was concerned about my child’s diet and enough sleep. A child’s overall performance( generally) in terms of being a happy-go-lucky kiddo, largely depends on five factors.

Good Sleep:   is the perfect measure of good health. Pampers ensure uninterrupted and comfortable sound sleep thus rejuvenating the skin.

The overall wellness of the baby depends on the good health of the mother too. Sound sleep of the baby also de- fatigues the mother as she gets good sleep too who is otherwise all hands full looking after the baby.

Good Diet: A well balanced diet rich in proteins, which is the nutrient which act  as the  building ,  is important and  good for the supple skin of kids .

Skin –the first line of defense must be pampered with soft clothing, accessories and   essentials to avoid bruises,  scratches , allergies and thus avoid infections to tender skin. Pampers bring the softest pampers premium care pants . Its cotton like softness is #softestforBabySkin and allows it to breathe , thus keeping baby’s skin

soft and healthy, and your baby happy.

Effective skin cream and moisturizers –which act as a shield to protect the skin and restore moisture, thus providing the best conditions for the effective use of pampers.

Exposure to sunlight during early hours of the day, should be in the routine to ensure absorption of Vitamin D. Skin can be protected from UV rays by application of an effective SPF lotion.

Skin is the largest organ of the human body and one of the sense organs which feels the sensation of touch – cold or hot. It rejuvenates fast and encounters all attacks by microbes and deals with infections on the epidermis if any. Care taken during the early years sustains the glow and health of the skin for lifetime which gives confidence and boosts the self esteem of any individual. Good skin is the reflection of good skin care during childhood. Pampers proves to be a comfortable solution for a long term investment which is good skin. Pampers save  mothers  from hassles of the messy instances.

 Go for Pampers, lead a carefree life and gift your kids soft smooth skin!

Cyber Evolution: From Hacking, Crimes, Bullying,Snooping,Spying...

During the PTM , I am usually bombarded with a variety of  FAQ’s but majority revolve around internet abuse. How much is too much(time)? What is good or bad? How to help kids refrain from abuse ? So typical of any type of  addiction!  Late to bed, late  to  rise and a lethargic day in school followed by poor academic performance is a matter of concern for the parents and the teachers. Dealing with it requires a two pronged approach so that there is no room left for excuses and untoward incidents. 21^st century generation has easy access to gadgets like smartphones, tablet etc. We cannot capsulate our kids or keep them in a cocoon. Exposure to latest technology is mandatory to learn  the latest . Our duty as adults in their life is to show them ’direction’ which is missing in their lives.

Epitome of technology being misused! The latest threat which school kids are getting hooked to- cyber snooping for a mere five hundred rupees. Snooping (or cyber stalking) and downloading messages, pictures, emails etc for few hundred is picking up fast and requires quick and early intervention. It gives me goose bumps to see what these kids can do confidently. The wi-fi password is changed every week in our school with the view to safeguard the important data. It is time to tie loose ends and set ground rules for knowing the right from the wrong, pull the kids out of grey areas. I was developing this article since the time I attended the Intel Security event on Teens, Tweens and Technology, but Delhi Times edition of Sunday ,November 8, 2015, fostered my views on the subject.(link: http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Delhi-students-turn-cyber-detectives-for-quick-bucks-08112015137033)

But the challenge which we face is when parents refuse to accept the addiction which is reflected in their wards. Parents provide latest gadgets to their kids but unfortunately do not guide them through the operations, alerts and threats associated with it. Right use of technology does not lie only in its operation but requires correct guidance to know the repercussions associated with abuse of internet liberty. Our kids emulate us parents and  therefore we need to be role models and help them to know the  right from the wrong by being alert. We must develop confidence in our kids and   maintain good rapport with them so that our kids can share with us the good , bad or the ugly. Internet abuse may lead to cyber bullying if mishandled. Talking about the case by knocking the right door to seek help prevents unnecessary tension. Its important to maintain privacy and be careful about sharing credentials on the social platform. The use of powerful social tools is a boon if used sensibly . Immediate reporting to the customer care cell of the digital platform provider proves very helpful.

As parents  its important to keep abreast with the nuances of technology and learn to fire fight the situations. Expand your knowledge and widen your horizons – after all no one other than you can help your child . Bond with your child , be friendly but do not become their friend!

Festivals and Sustainability

Festivals and Sustainability

“No! No! No! I hate to go out “ cried Aditya when he was just three years old. As a mother I was perplexed as Diwali, Dussehra, Holi  etc used to be an indoor affair for many years. The unending sound of the crackers and choking air during Diwali,  the itchy colours during holi  was nothing less than a horror movie. When did the transition of fun and laughter turn into a nightmare? Signature campaign in schools,  petition drives, street plays, skits, walkathons etc have no meaning because we elders are a spoil sport and buy crackers and colours and gift it to the kids . Dichotomy in thoughts and actions keep us and our kids on different pages and hence act as stumbling block towards a constructive  clean approach.  My childhood memories of festivals were  so different - there used to be a de-clutter drive at home, buying new clothes,upholstery, preparation of sweets like mathri, shaker paaras,besan ki chakki, bhujia, gujias, dahi bada, kachori etc for distribution to the neighbours  place and for taking to school for teachers and friends. Making rangolis and decorating the house in various ways was planned well. There was no concept of exchanging gifts ,  no recycling of gifts and no wastage of paper for wrapping or wastage of fuel and time for shopping and distribution of the same. How systems and traditions evolve is beyond comprehension. I remember one Diwali, my Mom had to be away for some work and my Dad and my two sisters celebrated Diwali. When mom returned she asked us as to how we celebrated Diwali. My elder sister (who was 14 yrs old) said she was reading the specialities made by Liberty Sweets( mentioned on the box), I was 11 yrs and said that I was reciting “Hanuman Chalisa” in my mind and my little sister( who was six years old ) said she was reciting –Our Father in Heaven ,Holy be Thou name....( that’s all she knew from school), till Dad finished his silent prayer. A couple of sparklers were all that was bought to create more light. It was so simple yet an enjoyable affair. Pollution was never a menace.

Usually it is the bursting of crackers during Diwali which contributes to the most evident and observable air pollution but water pollution due to idol immersion (and tons of floral offerings along with it) ,poor quality colours used during Holi, noise pollution caused by loud speakers, thermal pollution due to burning of effigies , etc are some evident instances which cannot be ignored either . There are other silent pollutants that form bulk of the trash post festivals which go unnoticed . Packaging material like chocolate boxes, sweet boxes, fancy fruit baskets, dry fruits containers etc etc;  form major chunk of trash. Who is going to alter the trend? Are we waiting for some government policy or blindly convinced to follow the rat race? Be the change – its actually disgusting to listen to the kids when they come to school and tell us how their parents and  relatives pamper and load  them with all this stuff ( their way of showering  love). Education and action has no age- for once think about the repercussion on the flora and fauna( which is our life line) and eventually about the imbalance which is created in nature. The circle of life goes for a six due to these anthropogenic actions. Who will take the responsibility? The government, schools, NGO’s or some Alien from space?

This festive season lets be innovative and change the trends for a better living  by being traditional  and celebrating  all the festivals with happiness and cheer. Let us exchange smiles and culture, let us guide our kids and leave a meaningful  legacy . Keep it simple and bond with each other. It is not difficult - try out this time and focus on spending quality time rather than running around distributing gifts. Check out your carbon footprints and promise mother Earth an extravaganza of  green festivals.

Wishing you all a happy and joyous festive season!

How safe are the indigenous snacks for our kids?

Safety Standards for Indigenous Snacks...Escaping Attention!

All time hot favourites,  a samosa or a kachori , cannot boast of meeting  food safety norms. All praises to the Indian stomach, which is an epitome of ‘high degree tolerant zone’, may it be microbes, spices, trans fats etc. What are the safety standards that are set for indigenous snacks? A ‘bidi’ bud, a stapler pin, a match stick, hair, insects and other contaminants make the food substandard and unsafe for consumption. All this and the hygienic parameters or measures observed around eating joints cannot be ignored. A lot goes unnoticed or conveniently ignored. So, are we compromising with the most important issue? For whom? For what? One has to take a call and give a thought to develop the norms inorder to ensure food safety and hygiene , not ignoring to keep the foodie culture alive. Indian snacks offer wide range of snacks but the vendors lack nutritional know how. The awareness regarding trans fat, reuse of pre-heated oil, maintenance of optimum temperature is all Greek to the most successful vendors. They are doing very well for themselves but who will take the responsibility of our health. Which door to knock incase of an adversity? A wake up call to all concerned –  Maggi, Cerelac, Kelloggs are under scanner , why not these ever popular favourites too? The much sought after street food of Delhi is the craze of the foodie community.  The survival of street food culture calls for awareness and involvement of all stake holders. Food safety is the key to good health and cannot be compromised. As an informed citizen and a mother,  raise voice against this unnoticed issue. Train your kids to choose the best and to be aware of the existing but hidden hazards of our all time favourites. It is disheartening to be a witness to the prevailing times- though being a foodie myself  it does call for a  lot of responsibility in terms of action!