Pregnancy - 8 Do's and Don'ts

Note : Do consult your physician before practicing these below activities

Pregnancy Do’s:

1. Visit your gynecologist regularly.

2. Get early and regular prenatal care.

3. Try to be physically active for 30 minutes till the doctor advises not to do.

4. Consult your doctor before taking any medicine.

5. Staying active might help you stay healthier.           

6. Get informed. Read books, watch videos, and talk with experienced moms.

7. Listening to pleasant, mild music, watching pleasant things, and doing things that you enjoy doing the most will keep you happy and generate positive vibes.

8. Spend a lot of time with your husband, for it's your child and you will certainly have plenty of things to discuss. After all, these are special moments in one's life!

Pregnancy Don’ts:

1. Do not take any decisions regarding diet, medication or exercise on your own.

2. Stop smoking, alcohol and drugs if you have such habits.

3. Avoid hot tubs or saunas.

4. Avoid X-Rays.

5. Do not empty the cat litter when you are pregnant, use gloves when working in garden areas used by cats.

6. Don't eat uncooked or undercooked meats or fish.

7. Stay away from toxic chemicals like insecticides, solvents (like some cleaners or paint thinners), lead, and mercury.

8. Limit or eliminate your caffeine intake from coffee, tea, sodas, medications, and chocolate. 

Foods to eat

Eat a healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, grains and calcium - rich foods.

Foods those are low in saturated fat.

Pregnant Women - Prevent Low Back Pain

With that expanding tummy, a pregnant woman's posture will begin to shift forward, changing her balance and putting new strain on back muscles. She may not notice that she is gradually adjusting her movements with compensations that might actually cause pain.

• When standing, work abdominal muscles to unload the back by pulling your belly button toward your spine. Avoid high-heeled shoes.
• When sitting, ensure that your chair height allows knees to align parallel with hips.
• When lifting, lower your body by bending at the knees and lift by pushing up with the thighs.
• When sleeping, lie on your side with knees and hips flexed and a pillow between your legs and under your abdomen.

Physicians advise that pregnant women may want to ask their doctors about a back brace or a special sling called a "sacroiliac belt." They can ease the tension on the spine by forcing the buttocks and hip muscles to contract in support of the pelvic joints and abdomen.

RISKS OF TATTOOING

Tattoos are multi-purpose. They can pep up your personality and provide permanent make-up. However, are they safe? Read on to find out.

A tattoo is an image created on the skin by inserting pigment. Tattoos have been around for long, from Japanese and Polynesian tribes to modernists worldwide today. Tattoos can also be used to camouflage medical conditions or skin diseases like vitiligo and loss of eyebrows due to alopecia. Granted, having a dragon sweep across your belly or a talisman inscribed on your arm may enhance your exotic allure. Nevertheless, have you considered the complications that may arise from tattooing?

Not Really Risky - Most of the horror stories heard about tattoos arise when you visit a parlour that does not follow the prescribed rules. In a sterile environment, with infection-control procedures, there is very little chance of your tattoo going awry. You may wonder about the exact chances. In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported only 150 cases of 'adverse reactions' in the United States.

When you consider that one in every four Americans aged 18 to 50 sports a tattoo, this statistic is quite heartening. If you planning to go in for a tattoo, choose a good parlour that has sufficient references. The tattoos that pose the highest hazards are the do-it-yourself ones. These are created using a pin and some India ink.

Skin Infections - Why do tattoos have so much potential to harm the skin? The answer lies in the very process of tattooing. Tattoos are imprinted using a tattoo gun, which operates like a sewing machine. There are many needles in this gun. Each needle pierces the epidermis, the first layer of the skin, to plant ink on the dermis, a more stable layer beneath. This means that it effectively breaches the skin's primary defence, which can lead to some problems.

When the body encounters material that it considers foreign, such as tattoo pigment, painful nodules known as granulomas, which are inflammatory tumours, may form around the foreign particles. Another danger is keloids, red, raised formations of fibrous scar tissue. If you are prone to developing keloids, a tattoo may trigger them. These scars can injure or traumatise your skin. If the tattooing equipment is contaminated (which generally will not be the case in good centres), you are at risk of infections from staph bacteria or diseases like hepatitis C, hepatitis B, tetanus, TB, and HIV.

However, no cases of HIV contraction from a tattoo needle have been reported in the United States so far. According to Dr. Anne Laumann, associate professor of dermatology at Northwestern University, tattoos do not seem to cause skin cancer so far. However, if a melanoma is located under a tattoo, it can make diagnosis difficult.

Allergies - Having an allergic reaction during the process of tattooing will not be the fault of the clinic or the equipment. It is just that some people are allergic to certain pigments. Allergies to red dyes are the most common. They can be painful and last for long periods. There have been mysterious cases of people developing allergies to tattoos they have had for long. Allergies can occur when illegal pigments such as printer's ink and automobile paint are used. This is however not likely in a professional parlour.

Tattoo Tingles - This is not actually a risk but it can cause you some discomfiture. Iron is often a constituent in black ink. During Magnetic Resonance Imaging test, the iron is magnetised. You may feel a strange but quite harmless tingling sensation under the skin due to this. In rare cases, it may cause swellings and burns. The FDA has also received reports of cases where the tattoo affected the quality of the scan image. This is possible with tattooed eyebrows or mascara.

Nothing Endures But Change - The brightness of tattoos can fade with time. If the tattoo artist inserts too much ink, you may end up with a blurred image. Cosmetic surgery and tattoos are not generally a good combination. Styles change with time and your tattoo may not compliment your skin tones or contours. Killjoys that are more serious include stretch marks, pregnancy, gravity, which may dimple the skin, and aging, all of which can make your tattoo less than attractive. Thankfully, there has been lot of advances in methods of tattoo removal, the main being laser treatments. Consult your healthcare provider about the best techniques for you.

Unknown Devil - 'A known devil is better than an unknown one.' New varieties of tattoos that have gained popularity are the UV or black light tattoos. The tattoos are made with inks that are only visible under a black light after healing. However, very little is known about their side effects. There are concerns as it employs radiant energy.

Blackheads - Prevention

These are temporary remedies, and blackheads will keep re-appearing unless you target the source. Make sure you keep your skin clean, by cleansing, toning and moisturizing it twice a day.?
Do not apply make up if your face is sweating. Always clean your face before applying make-up.?
Make sure you wash off all traces of makeup before turning in for the night. Never, ever go to bed with make-up still on, as it contributes to blocking pores, and will lead to pimples and blackheads.?
Avoid using oil-based make-up if you have oily skin and are prone to developing blackheads.

GLOSS IT UP!

Gloss is possibly one of the most versatile of all the cosmetics, and its many uses remain a closely guarded secret. Most of us dismiss gloss as part of a teenager?s make-up kit, and the only time we do apply it is over a lipstick.

Eyelids

Gloss adds a touch of shimmer to your eyelids, and makes eyes look bigger and wider set. It?s great for application during the day, or anytime when you want your eyes to look great without wearing any makeup. Apply a clear gloss or gloss with a touch of pink to your eyelids, and see how your eyes seem to ?open up?.

Similarly, if you dislike applying heavy eye makeup during the day but feel that you may look all washed out and drained, gloss is a great alternative. After applying a little gloss to the eyelids, you can follow up by drawing a thin line with black pencil, on your upper lid, very close to the lashes.

You could substitute the gloss with clear Vaseline if you prefer, but it will not shine like gloss does! In addition, if you apply mascara after applying Vaseline, the mascara is likely to run. Gloss, fortunately, does not make mascara run.If you are wearing eyeshadow, you could add gloss over your shadow for more shine.

Lashes

Apply a touch of gloss or clear mascara to your eyelashes as well to make them stand out without looking overbearing.

Eyebrows

You could also try applying a little gloss on your eyebrows. Never thought of that, did you? But then skip the gloss on your eyelids. Make sure you just apply a touch of gloss. Don?t layer it on like you would on your lips.

Arch

You could also skip the eyelids, lashes and eyebrows, and just apply a touch of gloss on the area below your eyebrows, to the angle of arch, and blend it outwards.

Cheekbones

Bet you never thought of applying a touch of gloss on your cheekbones! While we do everything for our cheekbones to stand out, we fall short of glossing them over. Make sure you apply the same colour over your cheekbones as the one on your eyes. Too many glossy shades looks like too much is happening, and the effect of subtlety you are trying to achieve, is lost.

Cheeks

To look like you?re glowing with health and happiness, apply a touch of gloss on your cheeks.A great trick would be to apply gloss on those areas light first hits the face. So apply it to the tip of your nose (only if you have a small nose though. If your nose is large, you want to draw attention away from it, and not towards it!) Apply it on your cheeks and on your brow bones as well.

Be careful not to overdo it, as you don?t want your entire face to be glossed over! Just a few areas, very subtly. The only areas you can apply gloss liberally to are your eyelids and lips. Otherwise, apply a very little, and pat it with your fingers.The transparent shine of gloss accentuates features naturally, without adding any colour.

The effect is light, ethereal and completely make-up free. And unlike when you apply colour, no contouring is necessary. Just layer it on, and leave it. The subtle but glassy sheen left by gloss is simply perfect for daytime wear.

BEAUTIFUL LOOK

BEAUTIFUL LOOK

Here are a few tips to get you looking your gorgeous best.
Apply foundation
Not only does foundation even out your skin tone making you look fresher, it also protects your skin from the heat, dust and pollution. Mix your foundation with a drop or two of water, or better still, apply it with a damp sponge, so doesn?t coat your face heavily. Foundation should be completely invisible.

Target lips or eyes, not both
There should be one area of focus on the face: lips, or eyes. Either apply a heavy eyeliner, or a dark lipstick, not both. Indian women usually have beautiful eyes, so make the most of them by lining them with kohl and layering on the eye shadow.

Apply mascara
Apply a quick coat of mascara to your upper and lower lashes. It opens up your eyes and makes them stand out some more.

Thread your brows
If you think you do not need to thread your eyebrows, think again. Clean, sharply defined brows really bring out your eyes, so if you have never threaded them, it is time you started. Keep a tweezer handy so you can clean them between threading sessions.

Stay away from bright colours during the day
Save those blood red and maroon lipsticks for after nightfall, and stick to pastels or neutral shades during the day. Light pinks and glosses look great in the day.

Get rid of fuzz
It never fails to amaze me when I see women walking around sprouting a moustache, when getting rid of upper-lip hair is so easy. Always, always remove fine hair on your upper lip, by waxing or threading it off. You could bleach it too, but this does not leave as neat a result as waxing or threading does. Similarly, if you have hair under your chin, remove it. If you have very few hair on your chin, pluck it instead of threading it.
Wax or shave regularly, to get rid of all unwanted body hair.

Groom your hair
Wash your hair three times a week to keep it clean and healthy. If your hair is dry and damaged, wash it less often, perhaps just once a week depending upon the extent of damage.
Keep frizzies at bay by applying a frizz-ease, or by applying 2-3 drops of oil to wet hair. Choose a hairstyle that complements your face cut, and trim it regularly.
Untidy hair draws from your looks, so keep a brush handy.

Experiment, experiment
Don?t be afraid to experiment. Keep trying out different looks and hairstyles. You?ll never know what looks good till you try it out. Checking out hairstyles on your photograph on some computer screen isn?t as good as the real deal. You have to get out there and try it out for real.

Don't stick to a look
So you found a great hairstyle or lipstick shade, and feel that this is THE one for you. Well, you could be surprised. Maybe it looks good, but then again, maybe you still have to stumble upon something that looks better! So even if you are happy with your present look, after a while, opt for a change.

SKIN CARE SECRETS

Did you know that there's a beauty parlour hiding in your kitchen???
Working women have it tough. In between rushing to work and back, juggling car pools, co-ordinating with baby sitters, cooking and house-keeping, they scarcely have time to take a deep breath. As far as visits to the beauty parlour are concerned, they are at the bottom of the priority ladder! But fear not, help is at hand.??
Take a look around your kitchen shelf. You'll be surprised at what you find. Did you know that tomato and lime are excellent bleaching agents? And this is just the tip of the ?ice? berg. Find out more as you read on.??
1. Unboiled milk is an excellent cleanser. Dip a piece of cotton wool in a little cold milk and rub it gently on your face. You will see a lot of dirt on the cotton. Keep cleaning your face in a circular upward movement until the cotton comes out completely clean.?
2. Ice-cold water is an excellent astringent and skin freshener and serves to close the pores that have opened while cleansing. It also tones the skin.?? ??
3.Cream or ?malai? is a very good moisturizer and it needs to be applied to replace the oils that are lost while cleansing and toning. It will keep your skin supple and young.?? ??
4. Equal quantities of corn flour, jowar flour (atta) and cream (malai) can give you an instant facelift. You need to make a paste and apply it on your face. Wash it off after it dries. While jowar atta will remove the dead cells, corn flour will tone up and tighten the skin and the cream will moisturize it.?? ??
5. Cabbage juice mixed with a little yeast and a tablespoon of honey is an excellent remedy for dry skin. Leave a thick paste on your face for about 15 minutes for best results.?? ??
6. Lettuce juice mixed with an equal quantity of rose water and a few drops of limejuice is an excellent remedy for oily skin. It should be applied for at least 30 minutes for best results.

20 WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT

20 WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT

• 1. Have you tried to give up sugar and haven?t succeeded? Instead of forbidding yourself certain foods - just eat less of them. If you must have sugar in your tea, cut it down from two spoons to one.
• 2. Ever notice how if you eat when you're ravenous, you tend to overeat? So try eating more regularly, even if it means more frequently. Eat an average of 5 small meals a day, instead of 2 or 3 large ones, where you stuff yourself.
• 3. Be conscious about what you eat. Keep a food diary and note down everything you eat. You may be shocked at the results.
• 4. Eat or snack only on the dinner table, not on the couch in front of your television. Once you make a policy out of this, you'll cut down on snacks tremendously. Don't get too comfortable while eating. It?s always better to eat on the go. Always sit straight on the chair.
• 5. Make rules for yourself. If you experience cravings, give yourself ten minutes before you attack the refrigerator. In most cases, the craving would just die down and you'd walk away.
• 6. Drink a lot of water. This reduces hunger pangs and gives you more energy.
• 7. When you decide to finally attack your weight problem, you want it gone by the weekend. But realise that that is just not a realistic approach. If you want it off permanently, you've got to take it slow. It may even take up to a year to get to your desired weight - that's fine, because you've got more of a chance of maintaining it.
• 8. Join an aerobics class. It's more disciplined and it's always better to work out in a group.
• 9. Stay busy. Don't just sit around wasting time. Chances are your mind will wander to that delicious chocolate cake? Partake in activities that are not conducive to eating. Join a singing class, take up oil painting or gardening - cultivate a hobby.
• 10. If you have to snack, try this. Put your hand in the packet of wafers and take out a fistful. Finish off whatever you get your hands on - and that's it.
• 11. Don't stack up on fattening yummy foods. It?s easiest to control food intake if you just don't have it around. If you feel like chocolate cake, buy a pastry so it doesn't hang out in the refrigerator all week till you polish it off. Similarly, don't keep tubs of ice cream in the freezer. Buy a cup or two and eat it when the mood strikes.
• 12. When you reach for the refrigerator, stop and question yourself. Are you just bored or are you really hungry? In most of the cases the answer will be the former.
• 13. Stick little post-it notes on the refrigerator saying, Stop! Or Reach for a glass of water.
• 14. Buy clothes a size smaller and work towards fitting into them.
• 15. Don't beat yourself up or lose heart just because you've slipped up a few times. You need to keep a positive outlook and keep encouraging yourself.
• 16. Visualize how you will look without those extra kilograms.
• 17. Take up yoga.
• 18. Find new and different ways to measure how far you've come. Don't just stick to the weighing scale. Scout around in your cupboard and try on old clothes that are big for you ? excellent motivation.
• 19. Find a partner to work out with or to support you. Enlist the help of a friend and go for activities that don't involve snacking. Take up tennis, go cycling? don't just meet friends over lunch or dinner.
• 20. Get motivated. No one is going to lose your weight for you. You're going to have to do it all by yourself, and if the motivation doesn't come from within you, no amount of friends and family pushing you to lose weight is going to help.

PERFECT BODY FIGURE

So you want to look sexy?

Well, you're going to need more than a little black dress. How many times have you heard people say ? it?s not what you wear, it?s how you wear it that counts?

Personality Plus
The way you carry yourself says a lot about your personality. If you squirm and slouch your way around, it shows your lack of confidence. And if you don't think you're any better, then why would anyone else? So stand tall. Pull your stomach in, hold your head high and throw your shoulders back. (But for heaven's sake, don?t stick your chest out!)

Health Benefits
Not only does a good posture work wonders for personality development, it's good for your health too. If you slouch, you can bet that you're more likely to have back problems than someone who doesn't. Not only that, but you're not breathing right either. Ever think about how every time anyone asks you to take a deep breath, you straighten up? No? Well, think about it now. You don't stand straight, you're not breathing all the way to the bottom of your lungs and your body is not getting the oxygen it needs.

Practice, Practice
Changing your posture and the way you walk is not easy. You may straighten yourself in front of the mirror before stepping out but somewhere along the way you lose track and before you know it, you've got back your slouch. Remember, it has to be a conscious effort. And it takes practice. So switch on the music and get moving. The best way to practice walking straight is by balancing a couple of books on your head. This sets your body into alignment, controls the bounce and gives your walk grace.
Pull your stomach in and you will automatically straighten out. At times, when you try to straighten your shoulders you may tend to push them up instead of back, so push them down. Get your shoulders right by crossing your hands at your back and holding on to the opposite elbows. Don't listen to anyone who tells you to place one foot directly in front of the other, unless you're practicing to be a model. Draw an imaginary line on the ground beneath your feet. Your footprints should fall on either side, as close to the line as possible.
Toes pointing outward, not inward. This gives the impression of being knock kneed - unless, of course, you ARE knock kneed in which case you need to see a professional. Move as little of your upper body as possible.

DON'T
Bob your shoulders up and down or back and forth. Move your neck forwards with every step you take. Swing your hips too much unless you are on a catwalk! A slight, barely-there swing does the trick. Lead with your head. Take too large or too small steps.

Say Grace
Okay, now just because you don't slouch doesn't mean you've got it made. Ever notice how your eyes are sometimes drawn to a person simply because of how he or she carries herself? Grace is the keyword here. Think Grace Kelly. Just a photograph of her standing straight would speak miles of her grace. It was the way she carried herself - ramrod shoulders, squarely held chin... the personification of elegance. She was recently voted as the most elegant woman ever, with Audrey Hepburn a close second. And elegance is something you can achieve, even if you are not born with it. All it takes is determination. And practice, practice.

TRIMMING LEGS

All the oils, waxes and massages cannot make stocky legs look slim. You have to exercise. Here are a few simple exercises to improve calves, thighs and leg muscles.

1. To improve calves ? stand absolutely straight with your hands on your hips and your legs together. Now keep your spine straight and bend only the knees until you assume a squatting position. Hold it there to the count of four and rise slowly, keeping your spine as straight as possible. Repeat this exercise at least ten times.

2. To slim your thighs ? firstly lie flat on the floor and then draw your knees up towards your chest. Now push your legs up in the air and keep them as straight as you can. Slowly start moving your legs as if you are riding a bicycle. Do this about 5-6 times and then repeat the movements at a fast speed for another 5-6 times. Repeat the whole routine 5-6 times, including the slow and fast movements.

3. To improve leg muscles ? firstly sit straight in a chair. Your back should be absolutely erect. Keep your feet on the floor and slowly stretch your legs out as far as is possible. The feet and knees should be together. Now raise your legs until your feet are off the floor and your knees are completely straight. Keeping this position, bend the feet towards you, pushing your heels out as far as possible and then point the toes down as much as you can. Do both these movements about six times each. Now relax. For the next step, raise your feet once again, and keeping them together, turn them outwards until the soles support each other. Then turn them inwards until the ankles and big toe joints touch each other. Repeat each of these movements six times and relax.

Before you know it, you will have the best legs in town