The Doctor is In The House

Pets are a wonderful addition to any home, as they bring joy, love, and companionship. However, it's important to know they are a lot of hard work.

Before taking the plunge and bringing home a furry friend, there are some important steps you should take. A pet is for life, and you'll want to be as prepared as possible.

In this article, we are going to discuss five things that you should know before getting a pet. Sound interesting? Then keep on reading.

They cost a lot

Owning a pet is not cheap. In addition to food, toys, and grooming supplies, you'll also need to budget for vet visits, insurance and potential medical expenses down the road.

Additional costs such as grooming services or professional training classes will also add up over time. Be sure to check your finances before bringing making the big commitment.

You must do your research

When it comes time to select the right pet for your family, it's critical to do plenty of research so that you can make an informed decision. Learn about each breed or species before deciding on one that suits your family.

You'll also have to know what supplies to pick up! A pooch will need one of the best dog harnesses, fish will require a tank and a kitten will require a litter box. There are a lot of things you'll have to get sorted out before their arrival!

Consider your lifestyle

Different types of animals require different levels of care and attention. If you're an active person who loves to get outside and explore, then a dog may be the perfect companion for you.

On the other hand, if you have an office job that requires long hours away from home, then a small rodent may be more suitable. It's important to consider both your activity level and the amount of time available for caring for your pet.

Check that everyone is on board

Having a new pet in the house is a big adjustment. Before getting one, all members of the household must be on board. Otherwise, it could lead to tension and conflict.

Speak to your family and get their thoughts. You don't want to bring an animal home only to find that you aren't allowed to keep it.

Look into adoption

Lastly, instead of shopping at a pet store, adopting an animal from a rescue organization is a cheaper and better option! Check out local shelters near your area and learn about the required steps of the adoption process itself.

Researching online can also help uncover any current promotions or discounts available through certain shelters/rescues. You get to make a best friend, and potentially save their life too!

Final words

And that's it! Ultimately, owning a pet requires careful consideration beforehand if you want everything to go smoothly. By doing research ahead of time, you can ensure that getting a new furry friend will be nothing but a joyful occasion. Good luck!

You know the story. You know the twists.

Life isn't fair.

She lives in a land where women have no legal say.

Life isn't fair.

She is married before she crosses the age of 10. Her husband is 30 and a widower. She has no say in the wedding.

Life isn't fair.

She is 14 when she gives birth to a baby boy. A boy who will have more rights than her as he grows up.

The baby dies on the 10th day due to lack of proper medical care.

Life isn't fair.

Heartbroken but determined now, she wishes to become a doctor to heal others like her who have minimal access to medical aid. She learns new languages, leaves her hometown and applies to various schools. She is turned away by all. She is 15.

Life isn't fair.

Her husband - rough but broadminded - seeks the aid of foreigners to help her dream come true. Their words, written in the gardens of colonized India, find their way to an international magazine and are read by a woman in America awaiting her dental appointment. She is impressed and looks to help the girl attain her dream. This is not met favourably by the locals in India who persecute the wayward girl and her husband for dreaming of being anything more than subservient to society. She is not yet 16.

Life isn't fair.

The fever begins. It is accompanied by bouts of bodyache, headache and breathlessness. Her body is forsaking her.

Life isn't fair.

She addresses the community to explain why she needs to do this. How Indian women would respond better to a woman doctor. Her words touch the hearts of a few across the country but she remains ostracized by those around her.

Life isn't fair.

Years pass and her health continues to deteriorate. An opportunity arises and she takes it, leaving her home country and traveling abroad to join what was only the second women's medical program in the world. She is 18. Her ailment is diagnosed to be tuberculosis. Tuberculosis in a time where death is a certainty.

Life isn't fair.

She does not give up. She studies hard and surpasses everyone's expectations, graduating as a doctor at 21. She receives a grand reception on returning to India, the first Indian woman doctor of modern medicine. She is duly appointed the physician in charge of the women's ward at one of the country's most prestigious hospitals. Her dream to make the lives of women and children in India healthier has finally begun. She is 21. She is still 21 months later when she dies of tuberculosis.

Life isn't fair.

The set of cards dealt by life to Dr Anandibai GopalRao Joshi held no favours for the young girl. Every step was a struggle and there was heartbreak aplenty right till the very end.

And yet, this is a story of triumph... of a woman whose choices 137 years ago at a mere 14 years old changed India. This is the story of how Dr Anandibai GopalRao Joshi succeeded.

How India's first woman doctor successfully healed a country's mindset

Today, you don't think twice before walking into the OPD of a female physician. You don't hesitate when you see a female anaesthesiologist and surgeon come out of the operation theatre to talk to you. Female gynaecologists and radiologists? But of course! Dermatologists & ophthalmologists? Naturally. Microbiologists, pathologists, forensic doctors, urologists, neurosurgeons... there is simply no super specialty in India that doesn't have an Indian woman doctor. Each one of these women have faced their own individual struggles and earned their degrees alongside their male peers... something that means nothing to you today but was considered sacrilege here in India less than 5 generations ago.

And that is where Dr Anandibai succeeded.

Anandibai was an anomaly in the 1880s, the only female Indian doctor of modern medicine. Today, females constitute 50 percent of those joining the medical field every year. Every one of us - at some point or the other in our lives - have been treated or watched our loved ones treated by a female doctor.

That is where Dr Anandibai succeeded.

Hated by her own countrymen for daring to want to be more than just a child bride, when she died she was treated as a national icon by the same nationals for her courage. A 21 year old woman changed India's perception of what a woman could do.

That is where Dr Anandibai succeeded.

Many good men and women have fought their entire lives to change the way patriarchal society thinks. It's easy to say that 2023 is no 1883 and we live in a modern, free thinking society. Except we don't. Not in many parts of the world, not in many parts of our own country. You don't have to look too far to see the discrimination and belittling mindset that is still present in our everyday conversations.

Today, on yet another Women's Day, it is important to understand that this day isn't just about the colourful posts and warm greetings. It is about acknowledging the struggles that exist for women even today because of the unfair world around them and helping them rise to the best of their abilities, even if it means breaking rigid concepts, both around us... and often within us.

This fight for women to be considered equal in a world that regresses to traditional patriarchal concepts at the first sign of any change is a long drawn, often unfair one. But it is one that must continue, nonetheless, even if it seems futile to us right now.

Why? Because every time a woman successfully breaks down a stereotype, she inspires a million more to be better than they ever imagined possible. Just like India's first woman doctor did, nearly 140 years ago.

Having learned from, watched from afar as well as worked beside women doctors whose skills far surpass my own, I can honestly say that the country owes a debt of gratitude to Anandibai.

Dr Anandibai did not get to heal even a dozen patients before she passed away. But her strength against all odds made sure that crores of Indians since then have been healed by the kind nurturing hands and sharp minds of women doctors.

That is where Dr Anandibai succeeded... in healing a country's mindset.

Author's Note:

This post is part of Blogchatter’s CauseAChatter.

This blog post is also part of the Women’s Day Blog Hop, themed on She: A Tribute to Her, hosted by Swarnali Nath

Although it’s not mandatory by law to provide catering services for your employees, doing so is a nice gesture that makes your workers feel valued.

Offering a regular buffet for your staff can create a positive work environment that promotes teamwork and collaboration. Your staff can fill up on delicious food to fuel their workday and boost productivity.

You can even boost employee loyalty and reduce staff turnover rates by investing in ongoing catering services. Whether you offer a daily buffet for your employees or you treat them to a delicious lunch every Friday, you can boost your company culture and build a team of dedicated workers.

What Foods Should You Serve at a Work Buffet?

Figuring out what to serve at your work buffet can be tough. There is an endless number of dishes and desserts that you could serve, but you need to consider the dietary needs and preferences of your team.

Below, we’ve compiled a list of great foods to serve for your employees as part of your catering services. You can choose to serve all of the suggestions we’ve offered or select just a few. It’s good to rotate between different dishes every so often to keep your staff satisfied.

Sandwiches and wraps

You can’t go wrong with the classics! Sandwiches and wraps are the perfect lunchtime snack to serve to your employees. They’re inexpensive to make and there‘s a wide variety of fillings that you can use to meet the individual needs of your staff.

Make sure to offer a selection of meat-based, vegetarian, and vegan options to satisfy every one of your employees. Cheese and tomato, chicken mayo, tuna and sweetcorn, and BBQ tofu are just a few suggestions to consider.

Deli meat selection

For the meat lovers in your workplace, you can provide a wagyu assortment and a selection of deli meats. They can eat these meats in sandwiches or in a pasta dish for lunch, or on their own as a mid-afternoon snack.

Tomato chicken

Chicken is a favorite among meat-eaters. Although simple, tomato chicken is bound to go down a treat with your staff.

Tomato chicken is easy to make in bulk, so it’s perfect if you’ve got a large team of staff. You can offer some pasta, rice, or noodles for your employees to pair with it. Consider offering a meat-free ‘chicken’ option or switching up the sauce to create orange chicken.

Pasta salad

Pasta salad is another highly versatile dish that will meet the dietary needs of most, if not all, of your staff. You can add a number of different sauces and ingredients into pasta salad to create meat-based, vegetarian, and vegan options.

You can either serve a range of pre-made pasta salads to your staff or allow them to create their own from an assortment of ingredients. Ask your staff which they’d prefer so you can cater to their needs and wants.

Treating patients with burns requires rigorous care. Depending on the degree of the burn, substances such as chlorhexidine or sulfadiazine are used. However, more severe burns such as third-degree burns require more attention, as it is in need of being monitored in a hospital for daily dressings, bandage changes, and careful cleaning of their wounds. However, in order to improve this procedure, specialists with studies similar to Professional Master’s Degree in Major Burns have conducted research into making treatment more feasible for patients.

Treatment of burns can be expensive, which is why studies of Brazilian researchers have sought out more viable options and have found that the skin of fish, specifically tilapia, can be effective in treating these conditions that require specific attention and treatment.

Nile tilapia as a revolutionary measure

Obtaining human skin donors is usually a costly and difficult task, so it was decided to take alternatives to this problem. In this case, the solution was the tilapia, a fish native to Africa that breeds in both fresh and salt water, as in 2011, the plastic surgeon Marcelo Borges devised a treatment for burns in this skin, who would later share his idea with his colleague Edmar Maciel, who would begin to investigate it; since Nile tilapia skin has large layers of collagen, and is characterised by guiding and defining most tissues, as well as being a great biomaterial component, which enables biodegradability and biocompatibility, favouring its application, in addition, the skin of this animal is particularly known for being full of beneficial fatty acids, which help to retain moisture.

Before being placed on the affected area, the skin must go through a cleaning and sterilisation process, which consists of removing the scales, muscle tissue, toxins and, of course, the fish smell, which will be stretched in a press to be cut into 10 cm by 20 cm pieces, thus giving a similarity to human skin, as it is more flexible. The pieces are subsequently stored in a freezer at temperatures between 2° and 4° for up to 2 years.

In order to test its efficacy, the study was conducted at the Dr José Frota Institute's Burn Treatment Centre in Ceará, Brazil; 62 patients hospitalised for burns between October 2016 and September 2017 were selected in the centre.

According to research by João Pessoa University Centre medical student Anna Julie Medeiros Cabral, the following were assessed: the number of times there was an occlusive dressing exchange and days for wound healing, use of analgesics or anaesthetics, pain sensitivity and burn improvement on dressing removal.

Medeiros says the test subjects were randomly divided into two groups: those who were treated with tilapia skin and those who were treated conventionally with sulphadiazine. It is worth mentioning that these groups took into account certain factors such as age, gender, the person responsible for the accident and the segments burned.

The researchers found that patients with the group with severe burns who are treated with tilapia skin have less need for painkillers compared to the group who receive conventional treatments, wound healing is faster, and it benefits the healing process of burns, concretely in the proliferative phase, which increases cell migration and regeneration.

Note: the healing process is mainly divided into: coagulation, inflammation, proliferation and maturation.

Although this type of therapy is still under development, as it is a low-cost application with a guaranteed result, it could become an alternative for the treatment of highly supervised burns, Additionally, specialists are investigating the possibility of further uses in other branches of medicine, such as in gynaecology for endoscopy, and studies will be conducted to evaluate the differences in the treatment of burns between pig, dog, human and tilapia skin.

In conclusion

The Nile tilapia skin, although still in a testing and research phase, could become a revolutionary breakthrough in the world of medicine as it is composed of numerous proteins that bring benefits in the treatment of third-degree burns in particular, but also in other fields, being a more accessible and less painless alternative for its patients.

One of the things I love most about living in Kochi is the amazing array of cuisines that the city offers. Sure, you have your amazing local fare with its blissful splurging of (literally, every part of!) the ubiquitous Kerala coconut and spices in every dish but the gastric joy does not end with just a well-prepared local fish curry meal or beetroot thoran. Being a city that has embraced cultures as diverse as Portuguese and Arabian for centuries, the culinary mark of these foreign countries too is now an ingrained part of our cuisine and features prominently alongside our own traditional fare.

Exploring new dishes

That translates as much in my home cooking as it does in my online food delivery orders and restaurant choices, I realized, over the last few years. From Spanish paellas to Middle Eastern hummus and even American-Chinese dishes like orange chicken, I have been trying my hands on quite a few dishes, with pretty decent results, if I say so myself.

It was while discussing the awesome dishes from other cuisines available in restaurants here in Kochi with my fellow doctors that the topic of al-faham came up. For those who are unaware, al-fahams are a kind of Arabian grilled meat – usually chicken – that is quite popular in Kerala. Served with pickled vegetables, mayonnaise, a garlic paste and quboos (an Arabian bread), they make for a filling dinner option at a reasonable price. What makes it different from traditional grilled foods would be the mix of spices used.

Here, in Kochi, you have easily more than two dozen restaurants that make this tasty dish. My eye though was on a particular variant called Kanthari al-faham chicken. A popular Kerala version of the Arabian dish, this super spicy chicken is prepared by coating – and I do mean, coating – with a bird eye chilli paste that leaves not just your mouth but your eyes watering as well. While not as visually appealing as the traditional al-faham owing to this thick coating on top of the chicken, it was easily the tastier version in my book.

Recreating a traditional delicacy at home

“You better have the best microwave grill cleaner in town,” smirked my colleague when I expressed my desire to try and recreate the dish at home.

“The best microwave grill cleaner? You think so?” In my heart, I knew she was right though.

Cif Perfect Finish Oven and Grill Cleaner

The microwave would be my first choice for making this dish but it would not be without its drawbacks. There was a high likelihood of the marination sputtering all over inside the microwave oven and creating a mess. This had been a major deterrent in the past while creating some dishes. Things had changed over the last few months since I had gotten the Cif Perfect Finish Oven and Grill Cleaner that removed the toughest of stains and grease but still, that nagging worry lingered at the back of my mind.

Cooking a kanthari al-faham inside a microwave could get really messy and would challenge the best microwave grill cleaner in any kitchen. On the other side, the vision of that amazing home-cooked al-faham sitting on a pristine white plate and the bragging rights that I would get if I got it right beckoned.

“You know what? I’ll do it. I will make this dish. I have all the ingredients at home for a spicy Kanthari Chicken al-faham. And yes, the best microwave grill cleaner I have ever had to date in Cif. Let us see how it fares against this Kerala-Arabia jugalbandi.”

Gathering the ingredients for this dish proved to be child’s play in this city (something I am always eternally grateful for) and that weekend, I set about preparing the al-faham. The chicken was initially coated with a mix of Arabian spices, salt and pepper and left to marinate overnight in the fridge.

After I had prepared my bird eye chilli paste and my mise en place was ready, the chicken was placed in the oven and half-baked before taking it out. The chilli paste was now liberally lathered onto this chicken and then grilled to perfection once more inside the microwave oven. Even before I opened that oven door, the smell wafting throughout the kitchen and even into the dining room was absolutely tantalizing.

Of course, the constant peeps through the grill window to check on the chicken also gave me a glimpse of the tough stains forming inside. This had me go online to the Cif website as the chicken slowly rotated within, more to reassure myself than anything else, I guess.

“…scientifically formulated to cut through burnt-on grease, delivering 100% tough grease removal.” You better be, Cif. Because seeing the stains forming within the oven, I was counting on this being the best microwave grill cleaner indeed.

Of course, all those worries were pushed to the back of my mind once the chicken finally came out of the oven and onto the plate. The chicken was tender and came off the bone with the gentlest of touches. This contrasted beautifully with the big punch of flavours that the kanthari masala provided, leaving your mouth hot and bothered in the best possible way. Having a quboos (or really anything that soaks in that masala well, including rice, appams/ hoppers, idiappams/ string hoppers or rotis) is a must here, offsetting the heat from the chillies. Overall, the Kanthari chicken al-faham was a great success, loved by everyone who had it that night. Pleased with myself, I too retired for the night, content with both my effort as well as the result.

Now, the cleaning bit! Best Microwave Grill Cleaner

Entering the kitchen the next morning, the first thing my eyes fell on was the mess in the kitchen sink from last night. Yes, I had soaked my dishes before going to bed but the microwave was a different matter altogether. The chicken’s revenge was there to see in all its glory within, stains having set upon the grill and window.

“Man, I certainly hope you are the best microwave grill cleaner, Cif, otherwise I am in big trouble here.”

Taking out my Cif Perfect Finish Oven and Grill Cleaner, I quickly perused the instructions at the back of the container. Frankly, the instructions made it seem so easy but then would it be as simple in reality? That was the million-dollar question now.

Making sure the surfaces were cold, I applied the spray all over until it was completely covered.

I took a half-hour break, utilizing that time to get dressed and prepare breakfast before returning to the scene of the crime. Using a clean cloth, I then wiped the surfaces properly and lo! And behold!

The burnt-on bits of food and stains were removed so easily that I was honestly dumbfounded. It is one thing to claim to be the best microwave grill cleaner but this Cif product had actually gone a step beyond, leaving behind a vibrant sparkle that made the oven appear brand new. Honestly, I did not even need to apply a lot of pressure to the grills to remove these stains.

Before and After comparison of Cif Perfect Finish Oven and Grill Cleaner

All I did was spray the Cif Perfect Finish Oven and Grill Cleaner, take a break and then wipe it down. The process was so simple and it removed the really tough stains so easily, that I can declare without a doubt that anyone can clean with Cif. If you want to try it too, you can buy the product from here.

Well deserved title - best microwave grill cleaner

Cif really does deserve the title of best microwave grill cleaner that it has earned globally. More than just leaving the kitchen spotless though, it inspires home cooks like me to keep testing our boundaries too, unafraid of the mess we create as we try our hand at new recipes.

As for me, Kanthari al-faham is done from my recipe list. Now, it is onto my next culinary challenge and I have my eye on a traditional Kottayam pork roast recipe. Yes, I already know it is going to be a mess inside that oven but guess what, I have the perfect recipe for getting back that 100% shine as well now, don’t I?

When was the last time you typed in a friend or loved one’s number into a phone from memory before hitting the dial button? I know it has been years in my case. And yet, I am old enough to remember an era before mobile phones existed when we used to pick up the telephone receiver and actually dial in each number individually (yes, kids! Such a world existed not too long ago.) Today, you just find the name of the person you wish to call in your contact folder, hit a single button and abracadabra, even though you don’t know three out of ten digits from their mobile number, you are connected to them every time instantly without fail. Just the thought of dialing ten digits every single time you want to make a phone call seems laborious now, does it not?

The simple fact is that technology improved as the years passed by and made our lives simpler in a million different ways. I remembered this earlier this week while helping my parents set up their accounts for purchasing items via online sites. While the sheer number of options at popular websites left them as giddy as kids in a candy store, there were plenty of doubts too. One key doubt which they had was, of course, related to payments online.

Was it safe?

Should we really type in our entire card number?

Can anyone else see our credit card data?

Websites store your payment details in a secure, convenient manner. Why tamper with that?

For a generation that has grown up on cheques and cash transactions during their heyday, the concept of paying by giving details of one’s credit and debit cards to a website can be unquestionably intimidating. More so when you tell them that the websites store your payment details.

PCI DSS

I get their apprehensions. It is a common fear for most of us. The best of these online portals deal in thousands of transactions an hour at the bare minimum. The trust the public has in these online transactions comes from the highest security that these websites offer. Globally, these portals follow the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) to ensure the safety of all data provided by their customers. It is their gold standard.

Do not take my word for it, of course.

Just as I know the curries from two different restaurants differ in taste and ingredients, so too I am aware that online portals too can be different. So while websites store your payment details, unsafe websites may not encode your information and yes, phishing sites do exist. It makes it all the more important to focus on the most trusted websites.

So how can you know which web portal to trust?

Go to the online merchant you use most frequently and find the link to their privacy statement page (usually at the bottom of the page). Read up on what data they accumulate, how it is stored and the standards they follow to protect the data you store with them. Take the time to understand how important they value your trust in them.

For these e-commerce sites, your overall experience matters. In the end, they need you as much as you need them and they work hard to make sure you come back. They cannot afford to lose your trust with a goof-up and so even when these websites store your payment details, they take care to protect the data of their customers with the highest security possible. Irrespective of whether you do your purchase from a computer, mobile app or tablet, the security at the best online portals are geared to deal with ransomware attacks and malware.

When trusted online portals and websites store your payment details or save your credit card details, it should be seen for what it is – the next step in human convenience.

Stored payment information allows for a smoother transaction and checkout as opposed to constantly reaching into your wallet for the physical card every single time to type in the 16-digit account number and multiple codes that follow. In a world where time is money, being able to complete my purchase with one click of a button matters. It makes the entire process a positive experience and one that I would look forward to again in the future.

It also makes the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) recent stance short-sighted and arbitrary. The idea they are pushing for banning the storage of card data on e-commerce portals is a major step back for both the consumer as well as the sites, in my opinion. True, security matters but to punish all the sites including those who adhere to the highest global standards demanded by the PCI DSS is a gross unfairness.

Rules and regulations made must focus on the consumer as well as the e-commerce sites, offering a simple, secure, fast and pleasant experience. When websites store your payment details, it is for the convenience of the consumer. In banning the storage of data, the RBI instead ignores the safety measures taken by these portals while simultaneously affecting the consumer experience adversely.

Typing a 16-digit card number every single time one wants to purchase an item online will only drive the public away from these sites.

Having enjoyed a safe and satisfactory one-click purchase experience all these years at these trusted websites, to go back to typing 16 digits is as big a leap backward as going back to the era of dial-up telephones once more. This is a generation that walks out of a store leaving their grocery carts if they see long queues at the cash counter. Why would we ever want to create an online version of that?

Especially considering how much we hype our Digital India goals, steps like this need to be scrutinized more carefully and course corrections should be taken at the earliest. In a world where digital payments are now the norm, large-scale restrictions should be imposed only when there is no alternative available, which is not the situation here. You do not cut your nose to spite your face.

Frankly, the very purpose seems unclear at this point. If you claim this is about safety, then the standards set by the PCI DSS are globally acknowledged and accepted and India should be no different. If instead, it is about websites accessing the data stored by customers, then that is a matter for India’s data laws which are still in the process of being finalized. So then what was the need for such a step, at all?

'Tokenization'

The solution offered by the RBI is ‘tokenization’ of payment which basically means that these e-commerce sites would have to team up with card networks that will issue them ‘tokens’ linked to an individual card number, tokens that cannot be used by anyone else. The tokenization will create problems for returns/exchange as also for buying goods on EMI, it is not a fool proof system but a work in progress approach which the industry has to work together to fine tune it to make it workable. Any solution that gets tested on the public will create chaos and wholesale disruptions.

Does this in any way sound convenient and simpler to you? It certainly does not to me. Why fix something that is not broken… and end up actually breaking it?

At the end of the day, we want an easy, convenient and secure checkout process when we go in for purchases. The best online portals currently functioning in India all offer that. This is easily verifiable.

One can only hope better sense prevails and the powers that be review their decisions and choose to make the lives of citizens better instead of crippling the digital e-commerce industry with no discernible solution in mind.

Source: unsplash.com – Drew Jemmet

If you don't like the taste of plain water, tea is another healthy beverage alternative. There are numerous studies that demonstrate the health benefits of drinking tea and it's still a nice refresher whether it's hot or cold. While green tea is becoming increasingly popular, oolong is a spectacular alternative that can also benefit your health.

What is Oolong tea?

Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea produced from a plant called Camellia sinensis, which is known to also produce green and black tea. The distinction lies in the way the tea is prepared. Oolong tea, like black and green tea, provides a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Although all authentic tea originates from the same plant, the harvesting and processing methods differ. Black tea is

completely fermented, whereas oolong tea is only partially fermented.

What’s the benefit of this tea?

Assists in boosting your metabolism which promotes weight loss

Oolong tea boosts your metabolism for up to two hours after you consume it, which would help you burn fat faster. Oolong also comprises polyphenols, which can inhibit fat-producing enzymes. This indicates that oolong tea can help with weight loss if you don't add any processed sugar or artificial sweeteners to it. If you prefer sweet tea, try adding a little bit of pure honey, stevia, or agave syrup—all of which are low-glycaemic-index sweeteners.

Lower the risk of cancer

There is a well-established association between tea consumption and a reduced risk of cancer. This is

because the presence of polyphenol in oolong tea causes apoptosis which would destroy any cancer cell growth. This polyphenolic compound can also be used as a chemo preventive tool to help prevent the development of other malignancies.

Increases your alertness

Source: unsplash.com – Rajat Sarki

As oolong tea also has caffeine, this soothing hot beverage is proven to improve cognitive alertness and performance. If you're sensitive to caffeine, try to stick to one lightly brewed cup of oolong tea per day or several times per week.

Encourages hair growth

Oolong tea can help prevent any unwanted hair loss due to its high level of antioxidant contents. All you have to do is just simply make a tea rinse out of all the leaves and rinse your scalp with water. As a result, your hair will appear thicker and shinier. Another best part of this is that it could also soften and make your hair look more radiant and healthier.

Reduces dental plaque and help prevent tooth decay

Consuming oolong tea before and after a meal may aid in the maintenance of healthy teeth. Fluoride is found in oolong tea, which effectively prevents tooth decay. Fluoride is a component found in water and most meals that helps to restore tooth enamel. It's a popular ingredient in toothpaste. The tea can also keep you from getting cavities by decreasing the acidity and managing all the bacteria in your mouth.

The best way to make oolong tea?

Source: pexels.com – Evalina Zhu

Fill a tea kettle halfway with water and heat it on the stove to approximately 200°F. If you do not own a thermometer to measure the temperature, just boil the water normally and set it aside for at least 2 minutes. Alternatively, you could also pour some ready-made hot water from your water dispenser.
Fill the teapot or cup with a bit of boiling water to heat the cup. Dump away the water after the pot or cup is warm enough. Use around 1 teaspoon of oolong tea if the tea is rolled into balls or 2 tablespoons if it is made up of large and open leaves.
Place the tea leaves straight in the pot or cup and pour some of the hot water. Afterwards, cover the teapot with a lid and let it sit for about 1 to 5 minutes depending on the types of tea you’re using. It takes less time for the tea to infuse if you use leaf-style tea instead of rolled-style. After 1 minute of letting it seep, taste the tea once in a while till it's up to your preference.
Remove the leaves as soon as the tea is ready with a strainer and serve with your favorite cup.

A recent health scare that left me hospitalized a few months ago ended up having a side effect that I did not anticipate and ironically had even hoped for a very long time. Before you let your imaginations run wild, allow me to just lay it out on the table – I lost over six kilograms in just over a fortnight, a feat that I probably could not accomplish over the last six years.

Being slightly less obese than usual should have been a cause for celebration, right? It was not. There were days when I could feel my limbs trembling just doing basic household chores like lifting a bucket of water. Cooking a simple omelette would leave me exhausted and hunting for the bed to take a break and lie down.

One saving grace was that I did not have to leave the house during this time to purchase essentials. Unlike a decade ago, now everything can be purchased online and delivered directly to our doorstep, making life easier. Using Activated You deals helped me save a few valuable rupees during this phase.

Yes, other organs and even my immunity were affected by the disease but my muscle health took a major beating during that fortnight. There was visible loss of muscle mass as well as strength and the challenge for me now lay in not simply regaining my lost weight but instead strengthening myself both from within as well as outside.

As we age, we need to take extra care of our nutrition

The reality is that our muscles are often older than we are, ageing more rapidly. Muscles account for 60 percent of our body’s protein stores and progressive loss of muscle mass and strength – medically termed sarcopenia – can result in increased likelihoods of adverse outcomes ranging from physical disabilities to poor quality of life. As you can imagine, this gets worse as one ages making it essential that one focuses more acutely on their nutritional intake with age in India.

A health scare can compromise one’s immunity as well as weaken these muscles further.

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There are multiple aspects to staying ahead of the ravages of ageing and muscle mass loss. In my case, the focus in the days following my discharge from the hospital were on maintaining an active lifestyle, doing quite a bit of resistance exercise and most importantly, altering my diet to include a better protein rich diet while also keeping in mind the need for other nutrients that aid in muscle and immunity building.

For me as well as colleagues of mine who contracted the same illness, this involved adding supplements like Ensure to our daily diet, knowing that it provided over 32 nutrients including not just proteins but also calcium, Vitamins A, C, E & D, folic acid, selenium, iron, and manganese. Other supplements, such as natural testosterone boosters like Testogen help reduce the steady state of decline of the body which can be extremely beneficial as we age.

What was the end result of struggling so hard to ensure the right balanced diet and supplements were a part of my diet, you may ask?

Well, I joined back at work (yes, into the very same ICU where I got the dreaded disease from) a lot earlier than anyone expected me to, for starters. While I have not gained the lost weight, my muscle mass has increased and I feel healthier within too. More importantly, I do not feel exhausted even after a gruelling night shift and have not picked up secondary illnesses in the months since.

We can neither stop the ageing process nor completely avoid getting diseases in our lifetime. But what we can do is provide ourselves with the best fighting chance to not just survive but stay strong both mentally as well as physically as the years go by.

Take the muscle age test to check your muscle age today.

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Final words

And yet, this is a story of triumph... of a woman whose choices 137 years ago at a mere 14 years old changed India. This is the story of how Dr Anandibai GopalRao Joshi succeeded.

This fight for women to be considered equal in a world that regresses to traditional patriarchal concepts at the first sign of any change is a long drawn, often unfair one. But it is one that must continue, nonetheless, even if it seems futile to us right now.

Dr Anandibai did not get to heal even a dozen patients before she passed away. But her strength against all odds made sure that crores of Indians since then have been healed by the kind nurturing hands and sharp minds of women doctors.

What Foods Should You Serve at a Work Buffet?

Sandwiches and wraps

Deli meat selection

Tomato chicken

Pasta salad

Nile tilapia as a revolutionary measure

In conclusion

Exploring new dishes

Recreating a traditional delicacy at home

Now, the cleaning bit! Best Microwave Grill Cleaner

Well deserved title - best microwave grill cleaner

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So how can you know which web portal to trust?

When trusted online portals and websites store your payment details or save your credit card details, it should be seen for what it is – the next step in human convenience.

Typing a 16-digit card number every single time one wants to purchase an item online will only drive the public away from these sites.

'Tokenization'

What is Oolong tea?

What’s the benefit of this tea?

Assists in boosting your metabolism which promotes weight loss

Lower the risk of cancer

Increases your alertness

Encourages hair growth

Reduces dental plaque and help prevent tooth decay

The best way to make oolong tea?

What was the end result of struggling so hard to ensure the right balanced diet and supplements were a part of my diet, you may ask?

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They cost a lot

You must do your research

Consider your lifestyle

Check that everyone is on board

Look into adoption

Final words

And yet, this is a story of triumph... of a woman whose choices 137 years ago at a mere 14 years old changed India. This is the story of how Dr Anandibai GopalRao Joshi succeeded.

This fight for women to be considered equal in a world that regresses to traditional patriarchal concepts at the first sign of any change is a long drawn, often unfair one. But it is one that must continue, nonetheless, even if it seems futile to us right now.

Dr Anandibai did not get to heal even a dozen patients before she passed away. But her strength against all odds made sure that crores of Indians since then have been healed by the kind nurturing hands and sharp minds of women doctors.

What Foods Should You Serve at a Work Buffet?

Sandwiches and wraps

Deli meat selection

Tomato chicken

Pasta salad

Nile tilapia as a revolutionary measure

In conclusion

Exploring new dishes

Recreating a traditional delicacy at home

Now, the cleaning bit! Best Microwave Grill Cleaner

Well deserved title - best microwave grill cleaner

PCI DSS

So how can you know which web portal to trust?

When trusted online portals and websites store your payment details or save your credit card details, it should be seen for what it is – the next step in human convenience.

Typing a 16-digit card number every single time one wants to purchase an item online will only drive the public away from these sites.

'Tokenization'

What is Oolong tea?

What’s the benefit of this tea?

Assists in boosting your metabolism which promotes weight loss

Lower the risk of cancer

Increases your alertness

Encourages hair growth

Reduces dental plaque and help prevent tooth decay

The best way to make oolong tea?

What was the end result of struggling so hard to ensure the right balanced diet and supplements were a part of my diet, you may ask?

Posts Godyears is Famous For Over the Last 18 Years

Topics I've Written On Over the Last 15 Years

Fancy Some Genuine Sunshine?

Hi...

Total Pageviews