Travelling is soothing for the soul but taxing for the body, especially your skin. The changed environment, different microbial flora (changes every place) , dry air of airplanes (especially if you are on a long flight), general adventure nature of the trip and so many other factors have an adverse effect on our skin in one way or the other. However if we are careful and take care of our skin diligently, we are able to indulge in our trip without having to worry about breakouts and all! Hence following a healthy skincare routine (Ayurvedic face wash, SPF, adequate moisturising etc) is a mandate. So here I am presenting a cheat sheet which would make our skin not only fuss free but healthier too!

1. Don't forget to wash your face!

We often are too tired at the end of the day (especially after a long day of exploration) to wash our face and go to sleep without washing our face. This leads to accumulation of dirt and dust and grime on our face ; which our skin readily absorbs during sleeping. Not to forget the caking up of make up that we slather on before any excursion. It's not called 'Beauty Sleep' without any reason. Our skin heals during those hours and it is our duty to nourish it as much as possible.

I highly recommend a natural face wash for the same; as natural products are devoid of harmful chemicals and stuff. I personally rely on an Ayurvedic face wash like the Vicco Turmeric Face wash. Turmeric is a natural antiseptic and an anti oxidant and plays a massive role in preventing acne and black heads. This Ayurvedic face wash with foam base is my favourite. It leaves my skin glowing and has such a pleasant fragrance! Also it helps to cure minor wounds and heals them, treats minor cuts and small injuries as well. Removes microbes and pollutants from the innermost pores leaving the skin fresh & tingling. I particularly love the fact that it is vegan and cruelty free.

Similarly when we take a shower in the morning, it is important to incorporate a face wash before we step out of the hot shower. A clear face glows more beautifully and also takes up make up more efficiently.

2. Hydrate. I can't stress on this point enough. Our skin needs water to drink more than we do (yes we consume in various other forms like drinks, fruits, etc) while our skin gets water from the glasses we chug down.

3. Cut down on alcohol and caffeinated drinks. We all love to indulge on a trip but we want perfect pictures for our albums too. So restrict your alcohol intake to one drink per day or just avoid it completely. Don't drink too much caffeine, it can lead to breakout.

4. Don't forget your greens on a trip. We all love to experience local cuisine but we should reserve one meal for healthy food. The easiest way to do this is to have a big plate of salad and a fruit at one time of the day.

5. Don't forget sun protection. Irrespective of the weather, you have to slather on SPF on all your exposed body parts and reapply it every four hours. Also carry a wide brim hat, sunglasses and scarf with you when you are visiting a sunny destination.

6. Don't forget your supplements! Correct nutrition may be unachievable during a trip (who's complaining anyway). So if you pop a vitamin everyday, you don't have to worry about your skin or hair!

After exploring 23 countries of different terrains so far, these are the tips that I have collected and happily pass them on to my readers and patients. Do let me know if you want to add more!

1/05/2021 13 comments

The last couple of 2020 are here and it's time to put those weird memories behind. The worst thing to suffer in 2020 (apart from our mental and physical health and finances) has been travel. And we simply can't wait to hit the roads again! I don't know about you but I haven't stepped out of my home in the past 10 months. I shut my clinic and have been giving my patients online consultation. No outings ,no events; only blogging and shooting at home. Although normal travel is yet to resume, we have to modify our habits accordingly. It's going to be more roadtrips and isolated stays. If you want to go abroad, then opt for lesser affected nations like Indonesia, Thailand, Maldives, etc. And yes, I would prefer Air B n Bs with 5 star cleanliness rating over commercials budget hotels.

According to me, a pool villa is the perfect way to unwind. Even if you are not a water baby, then too you can just relax on the loungers by the water. The pool villa we booked in Bali has been my favourite so far; both in terms of aesthetics and money. So here I am sharing a few tips what we kept in mind while doing so; I am sure we all are looking forward to a pool break soon!

So how to select the perfect pool villa on a budget?

There are many websites that offer homestays, but personally we have always booked on Air B n B. Make sure you use the filters properly. You can set the budget and amenities accordingly.

When you have a handful of properties to select for, start browsing the pictures. The ones with less number of images are rejected by me because I feel that they are not pretty enough.

Amenities definitely matter but some of them have to be compulsory. Like for us it has to be free Wifi, a kitchen (husband is a vegetarian; I cook for him), clean bathroom and of course a beautifully landscaped pool. Things like breakfast (complimentary or paid ) are secondary for us as I cook anyway.

Make sure you carry a variety of pool wear with accessories like hats and sunnies. If you can, carry some fancy tumblers too where you can pour your drink. I know memories mean everything but in this world of Instagram, our holidays have to be picture perfect; right? So why not put some efforts and reap stunning benefits?

Let me know about your post covid travel plans.

12/28/2020 1 comments

It's wonderful to be a woman but with every great thing comes its share of challenges. God has blessed us with beauty, endless options to dress ourselves with and the magical power of procreation. But he has also bestowed us with those 5 days every month which some us dread for various reasons.

Although having your period monthly is such a pain in the head; but not having regular periods is a worrisome issue for a female. Yes, regular periods is a sign of normal health and any irregularity should be dealt immediately and scientifically. There may be an underlying cause and it may be serious too.

First of all, let me acquaint you with the various terminologies associated with periods/menstruation. Sorry dearies, but being a medico, I can't help but jump into scientific terms.

Amenorrhea: Absence of periods is called amenorrhea. This can be of two types:

Primary amenorrhea: When a female has never got her period. This means the prepubertal phase (ie before menarche) and for some females delayed menarche (after age of 15)

Secondary amennorhea: This means stoppage of monthly periods after months/years of regular flow.

This is normal during pregnancy.

Abnormal because of various reasons:

Stress

Sudden weight loss and anorexia

Endocrinal/ Hormonal reasons: PCOS, Pituitary, Hypothalamus, Hypothyroidism, Sheehan's syndrome, Cushing's syndrome, etc

Tumors in Pituitary gland, Hypothalamus, ovaries etc.

Hypomenorrhea: Very light or scanty periods; lasting for a day or two.

Menorragia: Just the opposite of hypomennorhea: very heavy periods or long lasting flow. Causes can be tumors, Adenomyosis, etc

Polymennorhea: Frequent periods. Usually flow within 20 days.

Oligomennorhea: Delayed periods usually after 35 to 40 days. Commonest cause is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS.

Dysmenorrhea: Painful periods.

How to manage different menstrual irregularities without medicines?

Although any irregularity should be taken seriously and should be consulted with a gynae, some lifestyle modifications can play a huge role in regulating them.

Exercise. Weight gain has been a big reason in delayed periods. In fact 50% treatment of PCOS constitutes of losing weight scientifically. Also if there is drastic loss of weight, exercise would help in healthy weight gain.

Diet modifications: Refrain from junk and over processed food. Try consuming greens and legumes and a rainbow diet too. Items like chickpeas and yams are proven to be beneficial in female problems.

Stress management: Women have already been burdened with so many responsibilities that stress is an inevitable part of our lives. And with 2020 being a total disaster and this pandemic breaking hell on our lives, stress levels have gotten only worse. It has been seen that amenorrhea due to stress during this lockdown has increased many folds.

Although events like this pandemic are out of our control, we can control our stress levels to some extent like taking out time for ourselves. Going for short walks, meditation, mindful breathing, reading a good book, home facials and small things can help us combat our stress levels to a large extent. Remember you need to take care of yourself first in order to be able to nurture others.

Go the Ayurvedic way:

Ayurveda has answers to almost all bodily ailments in a scientific way. We should tap the magic of our ancient science in every way possible and Namyaa is doing a great job is doing so.

Namyaa has launched the Period Care Kit which consists of 3 essential products:

Namyaa Aarthava Kshaya- For PCOD and PCOS:

This pack consists of 60 tablets which is made from rare and certified Ayurvedic herbs, extracts and oils like, Sahastravedi, Pippali, Neem, Aloe Vera, Varuna, Kultha, Kanchnar etc. These are free from any kind of dangerous chemicals, harsh metals, pesticides, artificial fragrance, fertilizers, synthetics and any kind of added synthetics.

How does it work?

The pills help restore hormonal balance and also restore doshas imbalance, purifies the blood, improves fertility and immunity. Also promotes timely ovulation which regulates delayed and irregular periods and helps improve the metabolism by eliminating the toxins (Ama) that are known to reduce the rate of metabolism.

Price: 399 INR for a pack of 60 tablets.

Namyaa Anartava -For Delayed and Irregular Periods

This is an Ayurvedic syrup that helps restore the natural menstrual cycle to 28-31 days. It also helps promote timely ovulation, treats hormonal imbalance, removes toxins as it helps provide for blood purification.

It helps in balancing Vata and Kapha doshas,the ones involved in menstrual imbalances.

This syrup is formulated with the goodness of powerful Ayurvedic ingredients like, Aloe Vera, Pippali, Karanja, Krishna-Tila, Kultha and other rare and certified beneficial herbs and extracts. It is free from any kind of dangerous chemicals, harsh metals, fertilizers, pesticides, artificial fragrance and any kind of added synthetics or other additives.

Definitely a long lasting solution for delayed periods.

Price: 449 INR for a bottle of 500ml.

Namyaa ShwetKanika -For White Discharge

White Discharge or Leucorrhea is a common condition in females. While slight white discharge is normal during the ovulatory phase, prolonged discharge, heavy discharge, smelly or itching can indicate some underlying infection. It can be because of Candida, Ovarian cyst, Cancer, Bacterial infections such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea that mainly occurs due to unprotected sexual contact, Vaginal Atrophy, Trichomoniasis, cervical pathologies etc.

This comes in a pack of 60 tablets that contains the powerful goodness of rare and certified Ayurvedic herbs and extracts like, Ashoka, Daruharidra, Guduchi, Jeereka, Lodhra, etc.

Price: 399 INR for a pack of 60 tablets.

So hopefully you have got some fair idea about common period irregularities and their management. I am a registered medical practitioner but I highly suggest consulting your gynae before taking any medication.

For lifestyle modifications, feel free to drop your queries in the comments below!

12/11/2020 13 comments

The year 2020 has been difficult for every one; be it individuals, families, businesses and economies. Every sector has been suffering but the travel, leisure and hospitality have been hit the worst. The edible oil industry especially the palm oil have been affected quite adversely.

I have been to Malaysia thrice in my life and have loved every moment of it. During my first time, we travelled by road to Singapore from Kuala Lumpur and saw palm trees throughout our journey. The second time, we took the airport metro from KL Airport to Putrajaya and the entire route was lined by palm trees. Then in early 2019, I came to know about the story of the palm plantations. Yes, I attended my first ever conference with the Malaysian Palm Oil Council and learned absolutely myriads of things about palm oil. Did you know that Malaysia is the second largest producer of palm oil? Well Indonesia is the largest. And that explains the hundreds of acres of palm plantations that I have seen in Malaysia.

Last week, I had the privilege of attending a webinar by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council with Dr Bhavna Shah as the speaker; country head for India/Sri Lanka for Malaysian Palm Oil. The discussion was really eye opening with respect to the effects of COVID 19 on the vegetable oil industry; especially palm oil.

Dr Bhavna Shah

For the uninitiated, palm oil is the oil derived from palm kernels and is a widely used vegetable oil and cooking medium. It is rich in carotenoids (precursor of Vitamin A) and in tocotrienols and tocopherols (components of Vitamin E). Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant and is vital for healthy skin and eyes and so is Vitamin A. In fact Vitamin A is essential for immunity and is anti carcinogenic too. In fact palm oil has the highest quantities of tocopherols and tocotrienols amongst all the vegetable oils.

Palm oil is widely used as a cooking medium and is an important component of numerous items in our daily lives. It's used in chocolates in place of cocoa butter, ice creams, toothpastes, lipsticks, soaps, etc etc. It's widely used in the catering business and since palm oil has a neutral flavour, it's excellent for whipping up fancy dishes. It's rich in calories and hence great as an energy source.

Apart from all the above facts, Palm oil industry is an essential part of the economy. However Covid 19 has played an enemy in the export, packaging and transportation of Malaysian Palm oil.

The HORECA (Hotel, Restaurant, Catering) sector has suffered a huge blow owing to less number of people eating out and ordering in. Thousands of bakeries and kitchens have shut down and has a result the demands of palm oil have plummeted. As a result, imports had been reduced and the prices of crude palm oil have dropped in Indonesia and Malaysia.

There are so many aspects to this. There has been excess of palm oil in Malaysia which is because of reduced import to India. Pakistan offered to procure the excess oil but it could not buy at the same price. The demands continue to be low in India and unless the Corona situation gets under control, the HORECA sector would continue to suffer. International crude palm oil prices have dropped by 20%. Imagine the impact of this on the Malaysian economy.

Malaysian Palm oil is a superfood. We have been using it on a daily basis in one form or another. It's an integral part of our lives and the most sustainable of all vegetable oils. Let's just hope that the pandemic situation comes under control. Let the HORECA sector flourish again because what's life without good food?

You can find more information at mpoc.org.my Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

11/24/2020 18 comments

The winters in North India are right at our doorstep, which means it's time to get dressed for festivals and New Year! Which is your favourite season? For me, its definitely this time! Although we do not experience spring or fall here is Delhi but the rest of the things are spring like! The mornings are chilly and so are the late evenings and nights. There is nip in the air,slightly foggy mornings with winter blooms everywhere. There is a riot of colours wherever you lay your eyes upon!

When it comes to fashion, spring is my absolute favourite. This season signifies lovely colours which ooze warmth. While the richer colours carmine and brown may exude warmth, I am all for experimentation with lighter and brighter shades too for the party season! While browsing the web for latest fall essentials, I came across which had everything I wanted! The best part? They are having a fabulous sale right now!

Feelingirldress black friday on sale

is the best thing ever for a girl. Here are a few

essentials that I plan to stock up.

I wanted to shop so many things but I finally narrowed down to these fabulous items.

1. Sweater Dress : Its still chilly out there. You need a dress which would keep you not only warm but in style too. A cheap sweater dress will make you look sharp yet warm.

2. Sequin Pants: The holiday season is right around the corner which means you need sparkly outfits like this fabulous sequin pant!

3. Evening Dresses: Holiday season is incomplete without cute stuff right? You can choose from a wide range of cute and classy dresses in various colours and textures.

4. Body shapers: Winters mean you have to layer a ton of clothing which means more inches! One needs to have a perfect, bulge free body to get that layered look right and for that I highly suggest buying a good body shaper that would flatten your bulges and give that sophisticated look. There are some great wholesale body shapers that I really swear by.

So stock up your holiday wardrobe right now!

11/10/2020 16 comments

Anyone who has read history would be acquainted with James Cook. Yes he is the famous British navigator and explorer who was a part of the Royal Navy. He made three voyages to the Pacific Ocean and was the first European to establish contact with Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii. So it not a surprise that the Australians were game in bringing his home into their country.

The Cooks cottage is where James Cook lived with his parents in Yorkshire, England. It was built by his parents in 1755. The cottage was brought to Melbourne, Australia in 1934 by Sir Grimwade. The entire house was disintegrated brick by brick and each brick was numbered before packing them into barrels and shipping them to Australia. Hence this is technically the oldest building in the entire Australian continent.

Where is it located?

Fitzroy Gardens. One of the prettiest parts of Melbourne. Once you reach the gardens, You would be amazed as to how vast and green the entire area is; that too in the middle of the city! There are numerous small gardens and the Cook's Cottage is located in midst of the soothing greenery. There are wide roads lined by tall trees and flanked by naturally manicured grass patches.

How to reach: The Melbourne Tram Circle is very well connected to the attractions of the city. The tram drops you right across the road from the Gardens. Visit Yarra Trams for more information on the tram network.

What to do? Well you can laze around for hours or just pay a quick visit for just an hour (if you are on a time crunch) like we did!

The Cooks Cottage has entry fees of 6.7 AUD per person. We of course did not go inside and explored from the exteriors.

You can also dress up in Victorian style inside the cottage and get clicked. That would of course cost you extra.

No matter how quickly you want to wrap up the city tour of Melbourne, make sure to give this place a visit. Firstly because it's rare to see such history in such a modern city like Melbourne. Secondly, it's truly a Victorian cottage (very pretty) which is so rare. Thirdly, the Fitzroy gardens are such an idyllic respite from everyday life.