State More States!!!!!!

                                  I had read there are only 24 states in India during my school days.Then during BJP’s regime they had created few more states for the sake of easier Administration.I still do not remember all the new states and their capitals.KCR from Telengana party came out of TDP since he was denied a cabinet post and started a party.He found a separate state issue ideal one to politicize.With mere 2 MP’s no one bothered about him.
            In YSR’s absence KCR thought of a chance to capitalise in Andhra poltics.He started fast undo death in gandhian way but not for any noble cause unlike Gandhiji.The latter was on fast to unite Hindus and Muslims.KCR is fasting to separate Andhra.Is KCR is really interested in development of Telegana.It is 100% true that Telengana is under developed.

Is separate state a solution?

What KCR or all other Telengana MP’s have done for the development of the region except for demanding a separate state.Have they tried to bring industry inturn bringing jobs!!! The answer is NO.Everyone wants to play politics and attain big in poliical arena.People need to understand this.Ajit Singh want to split UP,Gorkhas want Gorkhaland,Ramdas wants to split Tamilnadu.

A proper analysis must be done to figure out whether creation of states is really going to help.If the issues can be sorted out without creation of new state what is the point in creating it?

We know the mentality of some of these politicians.Atleast people should hold on to their senses and stop agitating.Hyderabad or any city for that matter will loose revenue and investors because of these agitations.

It is meaningless to argue that there are 50 states in U.S.A.Separate state should not be created to facilitate corrupt politicians to involve in more corruption in India.

Tourist friendly auto

                                     I had read the article about tourist friendly autos in Chennai, a TTDC  intiative.Now, I had a chance to see it .I contacted TTDC and got mobile number of the auto driver Purushothaman.He gave another contact person Ramnathan.He came all the way till Siruseri.He was so humble unlike any other auto driver.He recited his story that an Austrian lady gifted this auto to him.He was really tourist friendly.Also more such auto drivers are being trained.This is a appreciable initiative by Govt and TTDC.

This intiative will promote tourism and make India , Chennai a tourist friendly place.It will help foreigners to roam around and have the feel of India.

Contact Numbers:

Purushothaman -  9840073246
Ramanathan –  9840213201

9 crore spent on Liberhan Commission

The Central government on Wednesday said it has spent over Rs 9 crore on Liberhan Commission, which was set up to probe the destruction of Ram Janma Bhoomi-Babri Masjid structure at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992.
“An amount of Rs 900.02 lakh was spent on the Liberhan Ayodhya Commission of Inquiry,” Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Maken  told Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

The total amount of Rs 9.02 crore was given to the Commission during its 17-year long tenure.

A highest of Rs 89.77 lakh was given to the Commission during 2008-09, Rs 68.58 during 2001-02 and Rs 62.63 lakh during 2002-03.

“The Liberhan Ayodhya Commission of Inquiry was set up for the purpose of making an inquiry into a definite matter of public importance, namely, the destruction of the Ram Janma Bhoomi-Babri Masjid structure at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992,” Maken said. “The Commission was set up on December 16, 1992, and was given extension on 49 occasions and the tenure of the Commission expired on July 31, 2009,” the minister said. The Centre gave Rs 8.98 lakh during 1992-93, Rs 25.19 lakh in 1993-94, Rs 30.50 during 1994-95, Rs 36.61 in 1995-96 and Rs 38.43 in 1996-97.

People’s tax money is being wasted for a comission set up due to violence triggerred by a political party.Why should poltical parties involve in such actions?

As a tax payer, I have few questions….

Did I want temple or mosque to be bulit there?I want peace……

Did I want to set up an enquiry for that incident?

I don’t have proper road and infrastructure.I just want that.But I am being given all unnecessary things.

People should rethink before voting any such goons who indulge in destructing public property and inculcate violence.

How can we save energy?

                                We all have to start contributing from our end.The energy conservation by each citizen will lead to energy conservation of the whole country.

Electricity use: Besides, reducing your power bill, your usage will go a long way in cutting down the emissions that cause climate change.

Unplug electronic appliances: Even when electronic devices are turned off, they use energy. So remember to unplug these after use.Turn off lights and other electronic gadgets when not in use; don’t put them on standby mode.

Energy-efficient appliances: Go for energy-efficient electrical appliances. New refrigerators use 40 per cent less energy than models made just 10 years ago. Inefficient appliances waste energy, so buy new ones.Turn down your refrigerator setting; even a two-degree change results in significant energy savings.Use the fridge sparingly. Switch to clay pots to keep the water cool.

Shut your air-conditioner: When you go out of the house and turn it off. A tree or any plant that gives a shade to your air conditioner can improve its efficiency by up to 10 per cent. Clean or replace dirty air conditioner filters as recommended.Use fans, not the A.C. Cool your home with a terrace garden and external wall creepers, and you even enjoy fresh vegetables.

Computer: When you are not using it, you can shut off the screen. About 60 per cent of the power used from a computer is used by the display screen. Avoid printing whenever possible, read from your screen.

Lights: Use low energy consuming compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). A 15-watt CFL can supply as much light as a 100 watt incandescent bulb.

Disposing trash: Go for organic composting and recycling paper, bottles etc to cut down on gas emissions. When you recycle, less trash gets burned.  So there will be a drop in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Organic food: It is healthy and requires less energy to produce. Buy fresh food, frozen food uses 10 times more energy.Buy organic produce; remember manufacture of fertilizers spews greenhouse gases.

Cover vessels while cooking: this can help save energy. Use pressure cookers more frequently to save energy.

Go vegetarian: Being vegetarian can help save energy.

Eat local foods, rather than imported ones or un-seasonal ones, as their long transit and processing leave big carbon footprints.

Use the washing machine or dishwasher only when full: If you need to use it when it is half full, then use the half-load setting.Run washing machines with a full load — this saves water and electricity. Sun-dry clothes rather than spin-drying them.

Switch to green power

Choose clean energy generated by clean, renewable sources such as wind and solar wherever possible. Use human powered hcraging devices which save fuel.

Grow plants: Grow as many plants as possible. Make your environment green. Join groups that help in protecting forests and create awareness among people.

Use own reusable bags: Take a cloth/jute bag while going shopping; avoid plastic carry bags. Cut down plastic bags. Despite a ban on plastic bags, shopkeepers continue to give these bags.

Packing: Buy stuff which do not take much packaging as it can cut garbage by about 10 per cent.

Using cars Buy a fuel efficient car. Take a carpool when ever you can.

Tyres: Keep the car tyres adequately inflated. Check them monthly. Check your car’s air filter monthly. Under-inflated tyres hike fuel consumption by 5 per cent.

Switch off engine: Idling wastes money and fuel. Turn your engine off if you have wait for more than 30 seconds.

Driving speed: One of the best ways to save gas is to simply reduce your speed. As speed increases, fuel economy decreases. Fast driving in low gears can use up to 45 per cent more fuel. When traveling at highway speeds keep windows closed. Open windows reduce your mileage by 10 per cent. Sudden changes in speed wastes fuel.

Maintenance: Replace spark plugs regularly to avoid fuel wastage. Replace clogged air filters to improve gas mileage by as much as 10 per cent. A dirty air filter restricts the flow of air into the engine, which harms performance and economy.

Servicing: You must get the engine checked at regular intervals. A badly maintained engine can consume up to 50 per cent more fuel than a good engine.

Air Conditioner: Switch off the AC especially when the weather is good. Turn off the AC five minutes before you reach your destination and don’t keep it working until the last second.

Use public transport: Taking the bus, or the train, cut down on car travel.

Travel light: Don’t overload the car or keep unwanted things inside, the more heavy the car is, the more fuel it will consume.

How you can save energy at work:

Many offices leave air conditioners, computers and lights on all night. Wherever possible it should be kept off.

Buy energy-saving office appliances and equipment, like LCD monitors, printers and photocopiers. This will help save energy and money.

While commuting in the trains, switch off the lights and fans when not required.

For office meetings, try to avoid travel if you can talk on the phone or use videoconference. Air travel produces large amounts of emissions.

Don’t fly; airplanes leave massive carbon footprints.

A Date With Reality

Our teens are ill-equipped to negotiate new social mores.Its easy to visualise the Pune teenager who arranged to meet her boyfriend the day before Friendship Day recently. Just 15, she must have been flushed with excitement at the prospect of feeling special and desirable , and coming home later  in that delicious dreamy delirium that characterises the early days of a relationship.

But the boyfriend brought along three friends for some fun and they raped her in turns. The following day, the girl hanged herself. In their tragic interplay, I imagine she was seeking love while he wanted sex. Her humiliation and death reveal how the dating game in India is going horribly wrong because boys and girls are playing by different rules.

Girls are eager to explore their newfound social freedom to experience the headiness of loving and being loved. Physical desire is obviously an important part of this exploration because the hormones of a teenage girl are fizzing just as furiously as those of any young male. But girls venture into this new world almost utterly defenceless so girls are filmed undressing by their boyfriends. The MMS clips are sent to friends or used for blackmail. Girls who end relationships have acid thrown on them. Girls who reject boys advances are stalked and threatened. In the West, young girls absorb vast amounts of information about relationships before acquiring their first boyfriend.

From TV programmes and debates, magazines, playground gossip and conversations with mothers and elder sisters, they develop a sixth sense for detecting a false note or a whiff of aggression that could endanger them. More than information, certain ideas have entered their minds. The theories of the feminist movement from the 1970s onwards in the West made women aware of the power dynamic between men and women.

This process has been absent in India where such debates have been largely confined to womens groups.Here, girls plunge into the dating game intellectually blindfolded.They could not discriminate between genuine and fake interest.Also no help from their mothers and elder sisters being into arranged marriages themselves.The new freedom for the sexes to mix is so new that society has barely woken up to its implications. Whereas in the West, relations between the sexes evolved gradually, over decades, in India, the process has been squeezed into 10-15 years, jumping from Jane Austen to Paris Hilton in the blink of an eye.Exacerbating their vulnerability is the desire for male attention that virtually consumes girls at this age.

Not all young men, of course, are hell-bent on abusing their new access to women. Plenty of them treat their girlfriends with respect. But many, just like the girls, misread the cues. They see a woman in a bar wearing attractive clothes as available because they have never been educated by literature, films, books and newspapers to grasp the notion that a woman can be drunk, dressed revealingly and behave suggestively but if she says no to sex, it means no.

They too are confused. All the old familiar rules have gone and its a free-for-all . Just the other day, at least in some circles, they were taught to believe that any woman who displayed pleasure during lovemaking, even with her own husband, was a whore. Now they have to learn that women can pose semi-naked , smoke and drink and yet must be treated as respectfully as they treat their mothers.Many culprits after teasing girls give girls attire as a reason for this misbehaviour.

India has moved from segregation to mingling between the sexes without any of the attendant debates on sex, feminism and contraception. There has been no transition. Many men have leapt from believing that women should be sequestered inside the home to expecting their girlfriends to take responsibility for contraception. Girls pop the morning after pill casually, rather than as an emergency measure. The boyfriends are happy to be carefree and few even bother to find out whether there could be repercussions on the girls health.

Young Indian women need to realise that many of the new sexual freedoms that were hailed initially as liberating in the West (such as the availability of the pill) turned out to carry a heavy price. When neither side knows the rules because the rules are still being worked out, the dating game becomes potentially lethal.

Build up your immunity

• Drink at least two litres of water a day to build up your immune system.

 

• Cold viruses can be warded off with a diet rich in vitamins and minerals, reports the Technical Inspection Authority (TUV) of Cologne in Germany.

 

• Long walks can also boost circulation. However, be sure to stay warm, which also boosts the immune system.

 

• An immersion bath or a trip to the sauna can help.

 

• Good hygiene can also ward off infection. Viruses are common where people congregate — places like offices or public transportation.

 

• Additionally, hand shaking and greeting with kisses can also lead to virus transmission.

Fat Facts

Fat makes you fat. It is as simple as that.

Fat is loaded with calories and you can only lose weight if your calorie “input”, which is your food consumption, is less than your calorie “output” — which is the calories you burn off through the day. I know how hard it is to cut out the fried stuff.

In a weak moment, that fried jalebi looks like it is begging to be consumed. Or a pack of chips seems like the answer to life’s problems. Believe me when I say it is simply not worth it. Tell yourself you could consume a delicious, sweet juicy fruit, and be just as happy. Well, almost.

Whenever you pass up the medu vada for the idli, congratulate yourself. Once you make the effort, you will find it becomes easier to spurn the samosas and ditch the desserts. But don’t just stop there. Go buy yourself a trendy accessory. Try out a new perfume. These little things work as huge morale boosters, because not only did you say no to fat, you did something special for yourself.

As we get further into this chapter, you will fully understand why fat is the single most important factor that leads to a dieter’s downfall. One gram of fat equals 9 calories. One gram of carbohydrates or one gram of proteins equals 4 calories. As you can see, compared to proteins and carbohydrates, fats contain more than double the calories — it is obvious why dieters must severely restrict their fat intake! Limiting fat in the diet automatically brings down overall calorie consumption.

Visible fats such as oil, butter, ghee and margarine are easily identified. But there are hidden fats present in almost all foods, in varying amounts. For example, cheese could have milk fat up to 70 per cent. Oily fish such as tuna or sardines also have a high fat content. Even certain fruits, such as avocado for example, are high in fat. While some amount of fat is required in your diet, it has to be kept to a minimum. In fact, dieters should cut their fat consumption to roughly 15 per cent of their daily calorie intake.

 What happens when supply exceeds demand? If you put extra petrol in a car with a full tank, the tank overflows. In the same way, once your body has had its daily requirement of, let’s say, 1,700 calories, and you insist on stuffing in 2,000 calories, the extra 300 calories “overflow”.

This overflow turns into fat and is stored in your fat cells. However, if more and more fat keeps coming in, the cells are forced to expand. There comes a point when the cells expand so much, they can no longer store any more fat, so they multiply, to make room for all the additional fat that is coming in.

 When fat intake is reduced, fat cells shrink in size. But once fat cells have been formed, the number of fat cells does not decrease. Fat File Did you know, even with a reduced fat supply, your fat cells never disappear? They merely shrink as the fat is depleted, and will expand again if the fat supply increases!

The writer is a certified Clinical Exercise Specialist, Lifestyle and Weight Management Specialist.

Trip to Sabarimala

I started fasting longback but wore the mala 18 days before.On 2nd December morning I got ready to leave for temple.We left to the temple in our Maruti Swift.

I reached temple, waited for few others from our troop to join.Later we started Irumudi(A bag with rice, ghee coconut to offer god).After Irumudi, we had lunch.Since everyone bought a different type of food, got to taste different items.Finally it was time for us to leave for Chennai Central Station.

We had to leave early because of auspicious time.Our time will depart at 3:25 p.m.So it meanet more than 2 hours of waiting.We then boarded train.Within no time people started eating Poori.I was shocked howcome they were feeling hungry.In the night we had home made Kanchipuram Idli.

We woke up in the morning at 4 to get down at Kottayam.Our van driver deceived us and we took another van after wasting nearly an hour.The van driver drove madly and took us to Pamba from where we had to walk.We took bath in the Pamba and started walking.I was climbing gasping for air.I did not attempt to sit and kept on walking.The sun was scorching above the head.We reached Sarangutthi and waited for few other members.From here the path was not steep but rough.I did not walk barefooted so faced some difficulties.

 We then reached cages where the path was better.We waited in long queues and some wild people pushing and breaking the queue.My footsteps inadvertently led me to the top, despite my legs were aching.After a real long painful wait, I climbed the sacred 18 steps and I reached near the deity to see the closed entrance.I was really depressed, had to get down and wait for another 4 Hrs for the temple to reopen.In the meanwhile, had food at the Annandanam centre.

We stood in the queue again to see the god.This time I saw the god and retuned to Lodge.We had very horrible food and slept.We woke up in the morning,took bath and started to descend from the mountain.You always need less energy to descend.It would be little painfull being barefooted.We came down in one and half an hours time.

We got into the sumo and stopped for having breakfast.I had Kappa Kuzhu.I founded it tasty than idli and dosa they were selling.We then came to Kottayam and had our lunch.We reached station and had to wait for our evening train.All the seats were not confirmed, so we had to adjust and somehow reach chennai. Eventhough tiresome and painful it was a very pleasant journey.

Bend over…backwards!

 

Backward bends are exhilarating movements

Standing backward bends (1, 2 and 3) / Reclining backward bends (4, 5, 6 and 7) / Sitting backward bends (8 and 9)

In our everyday lives, we often bend forward and not backwards. This is the reason we are more comfortable with the forward bends and uncomfortable with the backward bends. The back of the body becomes the unknown part and that is why backward bending asanas are difficult. Many experience stiffness and pain, resistance and fear. But with the right attitude, guidance of a competent teacher and the use of props such as wall, table, chair, blocks and cushions we can overcome the resistance. Repetitive practice will create deeper awareness, better inner adjustments and more stability and comfort. There will be no rigidity or fear.

Benefits: Backward bends, refurbish and energise the body and mind. On the physical level, they correct a double chin, a hunched back, drooping shoulders, sagging breasts, back pain and respiratory problems. On the mental level, they eliminate fear, anxiety and depression, and improve alertness and confidence. The spine is properly aligned and strengthened, the lungs and heart are expanded and energised, abdomen and pelvis are stretched and nourished and the brain and endocrine glands are stimulated and refreshed.

Beginners can start their practice with standing backward bends and gradually move to the reclining and sitting backward bends.

Ask Shahnaz

How can I get rid of lice and nits? — Subha

Apply vinegar on your hair and scalp. After an hour, comb your hair with a fine-toothed lice comb and have the nits (eggs) removed manually. Vinegar loosens the nits, making them easier to remove. Then wash your hair with a mild herbal shampoo. After this, add two tablespoons of vinegar to a mug of water and use it as a last rinse. Then comb your hair again with the lice comb. Do this daily for a week. Have weekly henna treatments. Add 4 teaspoons each of lemon juice and coffee, 2 raw eggs, one teaspoon of methi seed powder and enough tea water to the henna powder, mixing it into a thick paste. Tea water can be made by boiling used tea leaves again in enough water, and then cooling and straining the liquid. If your hair is dry, add two teaspoons of oil. Apply the henna on your hair and wash it off after an hour.

The ends of my hair are becoming dry and rough. I’ve tried applying oil daily but it has not helped. — Anamika

Check if you have dandruff, in which case the scalp may be oily and the hair dry. Twice a week, heat olive oil and apply it on your hair. Apply it on the ends too. Then dip a towel in hot water, squeeze out the water and wrap the towel around your head like a turban. Keep it on for 5 minutes. Repeat the hot towel wrap 3 or 4 times. This helps the hair and scalp absorb the oil better. Use a mild herbal shampoo. Use less shampoo and rinse it off well with water. After shampooing, apply very little leave-in conditioner or hair serum only on the ends. Applying curd or egg half an hour before a shampoo wash may help soften the hair.

I have open pores and my skin is oily. Suggest a remedy? — Anusha

After washing your face, wipe it with an astringent lotion or a skin tonic suitable for oily skin. These will be available in a cosmetic store. Or, mix lemon juice and rose water or cucumber juice in equal quantities and apply this on your face. Wash it off after 15 minutes. Twice a week, mix oats with egg white and apply it on the areas with open pores. Wash it off after it dries. Mix multani mitti with rose water and lemon juice into a paste and apply it three or four times a week. Wash it off after it dries. It can be applied daily if the skin is very oily.

Can I use liquid foundation before applying compact powder? I have oily skin. — Deepthi

Yes, you can apply foundation and then apply compact powder, if you wish. For oily skin, use a water-based foundation. It should not be too creamy. Or, add a drop of water before applying it, to give a lighter coverage. Your foundation and powder should be of the same tone.

Can aloe vera be directly applied on the skin without any other treatment? — Ramya

Stabilised aloe vera gel is used. However, if you have aloe vera plants growing in your garden, the gel or juice may be applied directly on the skin. It helps moisturise and heal the skin. Aloe vera gel is the leaf pulp or mucilage found in the inner portion of the leaves. The juice is found just beneath the outer skin of the leaves. The leaves should be washed well before extraction of the gel or juice.

I sweat on and around my lips after I apply gloss. Should I use lip gloss before applying foundation? — Arthy

Lipstick or lip gloss is usually applied last, after applying foundation. You can apply foundation on the lips too. Wait for a few minutes and then apply lipstick or gloss. You should not perspire after applying the gloss. Perhaps, there is too much glycerine in the lipstick which is the reason for the moisture. Change your brand of lip gloss and lipstick. Or, use a matte (non-shiny) lipstick.

I have oily skin, pimples and dark spots. What should I do? I use neem soap. — Mohana

Wash your face with neem soap twice a day. Then apply astringent lotion, using cotton wool. Mix a little rose water with sandalwood paste and apply it on your entire face, washing it off after 15 minutes. Mix cinnamon powder with a little lemon juice and a few drops of honey into a sticky paste. Apply it only on the pimples daily, leaving it on for at least an hour. Once daily, at any time, mix one teaspoon each of honey and lemon juice and apply it on your face. Wash it off after 15 minutes. Mix multani mitti with rose water and lemon juice into a paste and apply it on your face two or three times a week. Wash it off after it dries. Avoid creams and moisturisers. Use only oil-free products. Include fresh fruits, salads, sprouts and yoghurt in your daily diet. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water daily. Add the juice of a lemon to a glass of water and drink it first thing in the morning.

I have straight hair which I recently cut short. Apart from perming, is there any way of making my hair permanently wavy and curly? — Ankur

Use rollers to curl your hair. They should be fixed on partially damp hair and left on. The hair must be parted into sections and each section rolled. Use a hand held hair dryer to dry your hair. Large rollers will make your hair wavy, while small rollers will make it curly. Or, use a dryer and a round brush to make the hair wavy. Part your hair into sections. Roll the ends of each section around the brush and dry your hair. Then comb it. You may need a little practice to get it shape you want. But these are temporary methods and their effect will last only till the next shampoo wash.

My hair is very dry. I am also losing hair. — Sara

Twice a week, heat pure coconut oil and apply it on your scalp and hair. Avoid massaging your scalp, if there is hair loss. Dip a towel in hot water, squeeze out the water and wrap the towel around your head like a turban. Keep it on for five minutes. Repeat the hot towel wrap 3 or 4 times. This helps the hair and scalp absorb the oil better. Use a mild herbal shampoo. Use less shampoo and rinse it off well with water. Apply very little leave-in conditioner or hair serum after shampooing your hair. Once a week, give your hair deep conditioning treatment. Mix together one egg, one tablespoon of pure almond oil, the juice of a lemon and one teaspoon of pure glycerine. Apply this on your hair. Wear a plastic shower cap and keep it on for an hour, before washing it. Diet is important for healthy hair. Eat a small bowl of sprouts daily and include fresh fruits, salads, leafy green vegetables, soy bean and curd in your diet. Ask your doctor to prescribe vitamin and mineral supplements.

How can I get rid of acne? — Thavaneswary

Wash your face twice a day, morning and night with a medicated soap. Then wipe it with an astringent lotion, using cotton wool. Boil neem leaves in water over a low fire. Cool and strain the liquid. Make a paste of the neem leaves and apply it daily on your face. Leave it on for 20 to 30 minutes, before rinsing it off. Apply sandalwood paste daily on the acne and leave it on. Once daily, at any time, take two teaspoons of curd, add a pinch of turmeric and apply it on your entire face. Wash it off after 15 minutes.

Mix multani mitti with rose water, sandalwood paste and lemon juice into a paste and apply it on your face two or three times a week. Wash it off after it dries. Use only oil-free products. Include fresh fruits, salads, sprouts and yoghurt in your daily diet. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water daily. Add the juice of a lemon to a glass of water and drink it first thing in the morning. 

I have got dark patches on both my cheeks. I used a cream but it has helped to fully cure the condition. — Viji

Apply a sunscreen with a high SPF before going out in the sun. Mix rice powder with curd and use it as a facial scrub once or twice a week. Apply it only on the dark patches, rubbing the skin gently with tiny, circular movements. Leave it on for a few minutes and then wash it off. Mix honey and lemon juice in equal quantities and apply it daily only on the dark patches. Wash it off after 15 minutes. Twice a week, apply a face mask. Mix 3 teaspoons of oatmeal with one teaspoon each of honey, curd and lemon juice, or egg white. Apply this on your face, avoiding the lips and area around the eyes. Wash it off after half an hour.

My hair is thin. What should I do to make it grow faster and thicker? — Lakshmi

The average rate of hair growth is half an inch per month. This may be influenced by hereditary factors. To improve volume, apply curd or egg half an hour before a shampoo wash. It helps add body to the hair. Henna treatments also have this result. Add 4 teaspoons each of lemon juice and coffee, 2 raw eggs and enough curd to henna powder and mix it into a thick paste. Apply this on your hair and wash it off after an hour. If you do not wish to use egg, add more curd.

Apply a herbal hair tonic daily on the scalp and leave it on. Apply pure coconut oil once a week, the night before you shampoo your hair. Eat a small bowl of sprouts daily and include fresh fruits, salads, leafy green vegetables and the required protein in your diet.

The area around my eyes is puffy. — Arelica

If the problem is chronic, consult a doctor first to ensure your kidneys and sinuses are functioning well. Seek dietary advice too. Do not leave make-up or cream on around your eyes at night. It can cause puffiness. Try these simple home remedies. Apply a compress of iced water or cold milk directly on your closed lids, leaving it on for 15 to 20 minutes. Or soak cotton wool pads in chilled rose water and let them rest beneath your eyes for 10 to 15 minutes. Lie down and rest while you do this. Grated potatoes or potato juice, applied around your eyes will also help reduce puffiness. So do tea bags. Steep them in hot water, allow them to cool and use them as eye pads.

I have normal skin.  But it turns pink when exposed to the sun. I was told that using moisturiser when going out in the sun turns the skin pink. What should I use? — Hema

Your skin may be sensitive to the sun’s UV rays; that’s why it is turning pink.

Apply a sunscreen with SPF 15 or 20, 20 minutes before going out in the sun. Carry your sunscreen with you. If you stay out in the sun for long hours, then re-apply the sunscreen. Most sunscreen lotions have built-in moisturiser. So, applying a sunscreen helps moisturise it too.

I am getting small lines on my forehead. After a facial, my skin becomes dull and dry. — Suman

Apply moisturiser during the day. Massage your face with nourishing cream every night, using outward and slightly upward movements. Use both hands and start at the bridge of your nose and go slightly upwards, and then on either side towards the temples. For dry skin, mix together 3 teaspoons of wheat bran, egg yolk and one teaspoon each of curd, honey and ground almonds. If you do not wish to use egg, add more curd. Apply it on your face, avoiding the lips and the area around your eyes. Wash it off after 20 minutes.

My skin is dark and oily. What can I do to have a lighter complexion? — Siddharth

Use a facial scrub two or three times a week. It helps remove dead cells, unclog the pores and brighten the skin. Since your skin is oily, wash your face and then apply an astringent lotion or a skin tonic. Mix multani mitti with rose water and lemon juice into a paste. Apply it on your face and wash it off after it dries. If your skin is very oily, this pack can be applied daily. It would help make your complexion fairer.

My neck, knees and elbows are dark. — Sridhar

Rub the areas with pieces of lemon daily. Wash it off and then massage your skin with sesame seed oil. Make a paste of gram flour, curd, lemon juice and a little turmeric. Apply it on the dark areas at least three times a week. Wash it off after half an hour. You can also apply a cream containing lemon and turmeric daily. For your neck, apply til oil daily and the besan pack three times a week.

How do moisturisers help in skincare? What should I do to treat oily skin? Can I have a facial every month? — Selva

Moisturisers help prevent dry skin. A light moisturising lotion can be applied on oily skin, if the weather is dry. Or, mix one teaspoon of pure glycerine with 100 ml of rose water. Keep it in a bottle in the fridge. Use a little of it daily on your face to moisturise the skin. For the hands, apply cream immediately after using soap or detergent. You can also massage your hands with pure almond oil or sesame seed oil daily. Facial massage should not be done on oily skin. However, you can go to a beauty salon and have a facial and clean-up, since your have oily skin, at least twice a month.

My 15-year-old son has acne only on his forehead. How can it be prevented? —Fatima

Check whether your son has dandruff or an oily scalp, as these two conditions can lead to acne. He can wash his face and then apply an astringent lotion on the acne-prone area with cotton wool. Boil neem leaves in water on a low flame. Cool the liquid and strain it. Make a paste of the leaves and apply it daily on the area. Leave it on for 20 minutes. Mix cinnamon powder with a little lemon juice and a few drops of honey into a paste. Apply it only on the acne and leave it on for at least one hour. Mix multani mitti with rose water, sandalwood paste and lemon juice into a paste and apply it on his forehead three times a week. Wash it off after it dries. He should wash his hair four times a week, using very little shampoo. After a shampoo, he could add the juice of a lemon to half a mug of water and use it as a last rinse.