DocDivaTraveller

Yesterday I got the priviledge to be a part of the Palm Oil Gourmet Delights Event. I got to attend a very interesting session about palm oil, organised by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council. Dr Bhavna Shah, country representative of MPOC India/Srilanka briefed us about the benefits of Palm oil. This event took place in Ardor 2.1 Connaught Place.

Did you know that everything you use after waking up in the morning has palm oil in it?

From packaged bread to cookies, toothpaste to detergent, margarine to chocolates, pizza to frozen desserts, almost every daily item contains palm oil. But palm oil is more than just an daily useful item.

It gives more yield than other vegetable oils, provides employment to lots of farmers which sustains the economy as well as the environment more.

So how does it help in economic and environmental sustainability?

Palm cultivation provides employment to poor people in the developing world especially Asia and Africa.

Not only that, it benefits importing countries too. It provides around 2.8 million jobs in importing countries like the United States, Europe, China etc.

It has contributed 38 billion USD growth in global GDP.

Palm Oil is a global product with global benefits.

How does it benefit the environment?

It's the world's most efficient oil seed crop.

It uses less land, less pesticides and less fertilizers than any other oilseed crop.

Also it has rich health advantages.

What are the health benefits?

Palm oil is rich in tocotrienols which has a big role in maintaining our health. Tocotrienol is one of the components of Vitamin E. Palm Oil is one of the richest sources of Vitamin E.

Tocotrienols help in hair growth.

Since it has anti oxidants, it prevents wrinkling. It also increases moisture and elasticity of the skin.

They are neuro protective, ie they protect our nerves.

They reduce cholesterol in humans and prevents the formation of atherosclerotic lesions.

Reduce oxidative stress. Prevent gastric ulcer diseases.

Prevents prostratic cancer.

Last but not the least, it boosts immunity.

After the amazing presentation, we went on a food Hunt where we were given clues and we had to locate the place and perform the activities there.

Our first clue led to Paandey Paan. We had a paan there which had palm oil in it. It was delicious.

Our second clue led to Punjabi By Nature. There we answered a quiz that was based on the Palm oil presentation.

Our third clue led to My Bar Headquarters. There we created a salad in which palm oil was present as one of the dressings.

After that we came back to Ardor 2.1 and had a blind tasting event where we had to guess the ingredients of the dish. The dish was cooked in palm oil. It was delicious! Then we had the winners announced and had a hearty lunch! What a great afternoon!

Are you ready to switch to palm oil?

1/15/2019 3 comments

What is it with women and their bags? A handbag is the most indispensable thing for a woman and its the most mysterious thing for a man. There are so many jokes surrounding a ladies purse. The commonest being calling a handbag equivalent to that of a 'Black Hole'! Well being a female myself I too can't move without a purse!
I almost carry everything in my purse. That is why I just cannot manage without a big bag. From my iPad to an extra pair of footwear to a book and powerbank and snacks, my handbag is kind of a mini home. Even my husband calls it a Black Hole as I never seem to find anything which I am searching for at the first attempt!

However I am worried about my gadgets in my bag whether they are safe and scratch proof. Though it's too a difficult task considering I am a mom, I still manage somehow. When you are carrying your infant, you either need to carry a separate bag or your handbag should be big enough to hold diapers, wipes, baby food along with all your knick knacks! A good iPad cover is perfect in such case.

A pretty bag should be able to carry your wallet, make up touch ups your phone and your iPad too. A blogger like me or any other professional in that matter need to be on their toes all the time. Also when you are frequently travelling, whether solo or with your toddler, you need your own mode of entertainment...all the time.
I always needed a cover for my iPad that serves both the purpose ie protection plus ability to stand for hands free entertainment and I found the ideal one at FYY!

What I love about these:

These iPad covers are for the latest version, ie New Apple iPad Pro 12.9 inch 2018.
These are made of luxury cowhide genuine leather.
The interior is made of soft cloth which provides a firm grip and excellent durability.
The case is absolutely handcrafted.
These support Apple pencil charging.
Light and easy to carry. Ultraslim and hence fits in my bag perfectly.
Easy access to all the ports and controls.
Have excellent heat dissipation.
It has an adjustable stand with multi viewing angles which is perfect for video chatting and movie viewing.
Automatically wakes when the lid is opened and goes to sleep when it's closed.
Last but not the least, it's very fashion forward and suits my lifestyle to the fullest.
It's available in a variety of colours and is very reasonably priced.

Aren't you impressed? Follow FYY Facebook for more such designs!

1/10/2019 2 comments

Our crowning glory is our most prized possession. Whether its male or female, hair is one's greatest weakness. We spend so much time, efforts and money on maintaining our mane. Still we are seldom satisfied. The truth is that beautiful hair depends on so many factors. We do all the things to damage our hair: erratic lifestyle, unhealthy diet, stress, lack of proper hair care and so on. Being a physician who mainly deals with hair and skin, I handle hundreds of hair patients daily. And the numbers are on the rise!

For those days when we don't feel like styling our hair or we decide to give our hair a break, what is the solution? Should we step out of the house with bad hair? I would be rather caught dead than be caught in public on a bad hair day! I have found the answer to these kinda days..human hair bundles!

Brazilian Curly weave: I have pitch black hair. Sometimes I feel like having my hair color lightened or be ombre to be precise. But bleaching my dark hair would mean permanent damage. For these kind of situations you can opt for ombre bundles. These are made from 100% human hair. These are vetu chic and popular right now. They are not attatched to the scalp. Hence they do not receive the oil from the scalp which natural hair does. As a result, no need for washing frequently if you take good care of them.

Hair bundles with closure : Do you know how to under go a complete makeover? Go blonde! Yes, that is a total look changer. However if you have dark hair like me, bleaching can ruin your hair totally. So if you want a new yourself, opt for this style.

These bundles with frontal are made from Brazilian human hair. Virgin hair have been used. These are very natural looking hair. Full frontal gives a very natural hairline. You can opt for new hairstyles altogether.

The good news is that UNice is celebrating its 3 rd anniversary where you can get excellent virgin hair bundle deals at great discounts!

9th January to 14th January 10% off;code: UN10.

15th January 10% off +up to $100 off(Random reduce up to $100).

Isn't it awesome? So what are you waiting for? Change your look right now!

1/09/2019 No comments

'Self care is the first romance'. I first learnt about taking care of oneself above others was when I was doing my post graduation in Yoga sciences and Naturopathy. We were taught (in fact it was in the scriptures too) that the most important relationship in the world is that with our own self. Strange it may sound but it's terribly true. We may drain our entire life trying to please others but first we should pamper ourselves.

Nowadays, self care has become ubiquitous. For me, it's much more than the regular Epsom salt baths, charcoal face masks or salon treatments. The greatest pampering session we can gift to ourselves would be fitness. And for that we really need to keep moving.

Earlier, general public used to think that workouts were either for the models or for the overweight people. But that's so not true. I am a general physician and it's my daily routine to motivate my patients to workout regularly apart from my prescription. I explain them that it's a necessity, irrespective of your weight/ busy schedule. If we can take out time for eating and taking shower everyday, so can we do for at least half an hour walk. Most of the ailments are taken care of by simply working out regularly. Lifestyle diseases like hypertension, diabetes, hyperacidity, PCOD etc all these demand workout. Lifestyle management is equally important as medicines... both go hand in hand.

Now the question is how do we know what and how much of everything is needed for a fitter you? Thankfully the answer is very simple. It's a fitness band! We all know that we need to shed those 7 kgs to achieve an optimal BMI. We also know that we need to burn at least 300 calories per day to reach that goal. But how to track everything? A Smart Wearable band helps to do all of this.

You can simply set to an alarm of burning 300 calories per day. It would constantly remind you that you need to run 15 more minutes on the treadmill. You can also connect it with your smartphone through the app and can have a comprehensive idea of what to eat and not, based on calories. Not to forget that it becomes so much easier when you already know that how many calories are there in that submarine sandwich before you put it inside your mouth.

For eg we all know that 10000 steps is required every day. Your band will constantly remind you that you are falling short of these many steps, you should get moving to complete your daily quota. It's so much easier to #GetFitWithFlipkart !

As much as self care is a fitter and healthier you, it's also about pampering. Imagine walking into a Smart home that has lights on at the exact brightness as your mood and at the optimal temperature after a long commute in the bitter Delhi winters. Wouldn't your home truly be a heaven? Thankfully the days of Aladin and the magic lamp are back. With Google home, one doesn't even need to rub the lamp. You just need to say Google do this, and that would be done.

Or imagine you need to surprise your husband with his favourite song, on the morning of his birthday, without getting out from the blanket. You can just say 'Google, play 'O Sanam' and your better half can wake up blissfully from his special day slumber! Not to forget all the myriads of things you can do with your voice. Aladin had to rub the lamp, all you have to say 'Google do this'.

#SmartHomeRevolution is more than just self care...it is a lifestyle. Something that elevates our everyday life so that we have time and energy dedicated to doing more important things in life. One may wonder whether it makes us lazy. I would beg to differ. Your smart home would enable you to workout more efficiently because you won't be drained physically doing housework. And of course your fitness band would help track your fitness and motivate you to workout more. Let's make 'self care' our foremost 2019 resolution!

1/06/2019 2 comments

Fringed by high ridges on one side and vast open grasslands on the other, Gir is famous for being the home of the Asiatic Lion. The Gir National Park is the only place outside Africa where you can see lions in their natural habitat. The local Maldhari community has demonstrated that humans can coexist peacefully with animals, even ferocious lions.

Gir was a favourite hunting ground for the royalty and the British up until 1901, when the Nawab of Junagadh undertook one of the first wildlife conservation programmes in the world to save the lions from extinction in Asia.

While the Asiatic Lion could be a major attraction, there are several other things you can do while on a family vacation in Gir. To truly explore the place, you need to experience its culture. Visiting heritage sites is a good way to begin. Heading to the temples in and around Gir is also highly recommended.

Here are the top three temples near Gir that should definitely be considered while shortlisting places to visit in Gujarat.

Girnar Temple Complex

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Mount Girnar is home to 866 temples spread across five points. To reach the summit, you have to climb 10,000 steps, a true test of your devotion. The temples start to appear at the end of 4000 steps and continue until the top of the hill. The first five temples are part of a Jain temple complex. Other famous shrines include Amba Mata Temple (popular among newlyweds) and the Kalika Temple (famous for the Aghora ascetics who perform post-mortem rituals).

Timings: Start your climb early in the morning to take advantage of the pleasant weather. It takes 5-8 hours to reach the summit, but this will of course vary from person to person.

How to Reach: Girnar is about 50 km from Junagadh and is easily accessible by road or rail. Gujarat Tourism recommends travelling by bus as the best way to reach there. It takes one and a half hours to reach Junagadh from Gir. The nearest airport is Rajkot, 140 km away, and this is well-connected to major cities across India.

Kirti Mandir

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Built in the memory of the father of the nation, Kirti Mandir is more of a historical spot than a religious one. A haveli until 1944, the mandir was constructed at the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. Kirti Mandir represents six religions to commemorate Gandhiji’s ideology of treating all religions with respect. There is a small museum along with a temple where items used by him and his family have been displayed for the general public.

Timings: 9 am to 12 noon and 3 pm to 6 pm (all days)

How to Reach: The nearest railway station is Porbandar, which is well connected with Rajkot, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai. State transport and private buses ply frequently from Junagadh, Rajkot, and Ahmedabad. It takes around three and a half hours by road from Gir. The nearest airport is Porbandar.

Shri Swaminarayan Mandir

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Part of a worldwide network of temples under the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Sanstha (BAPS), Shri Swaminarayan Temple in Junagadh is a must-visit for the spiritual soul. There are five aartis held through the day, with the first one starting at 6 am and the last one at 8:15 pm. The temple complex also serves delicious food.

Timings: 6 am to 9 pm (Closed 10:15 am to 11:15 am, 12 pm to 4 pm, and 6 pm to 7 pm)

How to Reach: Junagadh lies on the Ahmedabad-Veraval and Rajkot-Veraval railway lines. It is two hours away from Veraval, two and a half hours away from Rajkot, and seven and a half hours away from Ahmedabad. Bus or private car is recommended. Junagadh is one and a half hours away from Gir by road. The nearest airport is Rajkot.

Make your trip more enjoyable by booking a stay at the Club Mahindra Gir Resort in Gujarat. Equipped with all modern amenities along with comfortable and spacious rooms, it is sure to make your vacation memorable. Foodies will be thrilled by the local dishes served in the in-house restaurant.

A Club Mahindra membership allows you to enjoy all this and more. Get one at the earliest if you haven’t already. Check out the Club Mahindra reviews online for more details and personal accounts, and make reservations at Club Mahindra Gir Resort. You can be assured of a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

1/01/2019 5 comments

The first time I ever caught a glimpse of the trulli was when I was ten I think. I was watching my favourite show on Discovery Kids: My beautiful house which featured cultures from a different country in each episode. The show had three parts: Music, animal and home of that respective country. The day featured Italy. That was the very day when I fell in love with Venice, its carnival, spaghetti and of course trulli. I never knew that half an hour of television during childhood would affect me so deeply.

When we were planning our Italiano viaggio, we were in a fix as to what all to include in 14 days. I could spend a month in Italy and still not be satisfied. My partner had a different agenda, while I was adamant on few places (with a few common cities like Venice, Florence and Rome). He insisted on Naples and Amalfi Coast while I was stubborn on Cinque Terre. However there was one place which hubs was dead against (because of odd location) and I was very sure of: Alberobello...The land of Trulli. After watching the melodious song of the movie Bachna E Haseeno, I was dead sure that I had to visit it.

Alberobello is a tiny town in the Puglia province. It was far from all the places we were visiting. The only way to reach there was to go to Bari, the capital of Puglia and then take a train to the land of trulli. It took 10 hours to reach Bari from Venice. That evening we explored Bari, which seemed a different world than rest of Italy. The next morning, we took a train to my dream land.

Trullo is a small hut built of stone, the roofs of which are made of loose stones. The plural is called trulli. These huts were used to store grains. Sometimes they were used for living also, the stone walls and roof provided coolness during summers and warmth during winters. It is believed that the Apulian people built these to evade revenue. Whenever there used to be a raid for taxes, they could dismantle the entire trullo and go somewhere else.

The trulli are found only in Alberobello in entire Italy. Now its a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I am really lucky that I could fulfil my wish of visiting this place.

There are two villages mainly: Riene Monti and Aia Piccolo. Riene Monti is larger and is bustling with tourists. If you want solo pictures, you have to be really early to reach there. The views from Aia Piccolo of Riene Monti are spectacular. I could spend an entire day there but we had a flight to catch back to Rome. So we had lunch quickly. I could not enjoy my grilled sea bass and had to rip it off with my fingers for faster devouring. Others were staring at me in shock! We Indians eat fish with hands only!

It was the best possible conclusion to our Italian Trip!

Skirt: Forever 21

Top: Forever 21

Blazer: H n M (Italy)

Purse: Jabong.com

Sunnies: Forever 21

12/29/2018 9 comments

If you are anything like me, then you can't be glued to the television all the time. In fact, no one can be! We all are working professionals and we have a definite niche of what we watch on TV. Like I love to stick to travel, fashion and lifestyle with occasional Bollywood. So why should I pay for the entire package?

In recent months, TRAI are facing an ongoing battle with the Broadcasters, especially with the people of Star group. Now, the Supreme Court dismissed the appealof broadcasters and cemented Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) tariff order for pricing and packaging of TV channels.As per the new tariff order, broadcasters were required to declare the MRP and nature of all the channels.

So basically, they would have to put it up on their websites and social media that they are following the order by TRAI and submit a list of paid channels and grouped channels online. What TRAI is trying to do is give the consumer more options, and the broadcasters are affected as the prices for channels have been dropped marginally, giving us the option to choose only the channels we want to watch, and not the entire package.

Does it benefit the Consumer? Maybe!

It is debatable, although TRAI claims its basically keeping in mind the consumer’s choices. But we are still to find out the long game TRAI is playing. Some of their mandate is mentioned below -

• A-la-carte offering -Now the broadcasters are required to offer all their television channels on an a-la-carte basis. So that we can exactly select what we want to watch.

• Spreading the news out-Now the broadcasters are required to publish a reference, which mentions the maximum retail price of a pay channel per month and the maximum retail price of a bouquet of pay channels per month.

• Maximum discounts -Since channels will be provided on a a-la-carte basis, it would be cheaper instead of buying the entire package. Such a win, ain't it?

Conclusion -

The Supreme Court, by keeping the validity of the Regulations and the Tariff Order, has changed the broadcasting game in India, as this will certainly have an impact on how consumers are offered television channels and essentially allowing more flexibility and true choice to consumers in relation to the channels they want to subscribe to and pay for.

I am not sure how this would play out at the end of the day, however, I hope that the consumers get a chance to choose their options rather than the operators choosing it for them. Hopefully, next year would be a year for consumers, and not money makers. We have to #StopTheLoot

12/26/2018 1 comments

So you are blessed with a new born. You are elated. Motherhood is a blessing indeed and you are immensely grateful. But it's also the toughest role in the whole world! That tiny, wriggling, helpless soul is entirely dependent on you for its well being. And you are hell scared as to how to fulfill your role as the perfect mother.

A new born needs to be kept clean all the time. Bath is just for once a day. But what about those other times? The new born baby burps milk numerous times and poops at least twice or thrice a day! You can't use water and cloth every time... it's not practical! For these occasions you need wipes..but are they safe to be used on a neonate?

Mother Sparsh has come up with 99% water wipes. #SensitiveBabyWipes

Ingredients:

There is nothing safer than pure water for babies...is there? So these water wipes are certified absolutely safe for new born babies. They don't contain any alcohol or parabens or sulphates or even fragrances! The cloth is of medical grade and is made from the finest quality of natural plant fabric. #MedicalGradeCloth It is three times thicker than other wipes, making it absolutely safe for neonatal sensitive skin.

Fragrance Free:

Also since they are 99% water based wipes, free from any kind of artificial fragrances, they can be used multiple times on a baby's skin... including neonates. #UnscentedWipes .Since they are made of natural plant fabric and of the optimum thickness, they are non allergic and non reactive on baby's skin. These cotton based wipes can be used to wipe all the parts of the body like face and hands and not just baby bottoms. They are hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested, so you can be assured of the safety of your baby. These wipes provide all round protection to your little one. In fact it's the best gift for neonates and infants.

Travel Friendly Packaging:

The biggest problem with cloth and water is that they cannot be carried or are absolutely impractical during travel.That is why wipes are so handy. But the problem is that they often dry out after repeatedly opening the pack and pulling out few wipes daily. This is where Mother Sparsh 99% water wipes again scores over. These come with a protective plastic lid that locks the moisture and freshness of the wipes. The lid also prevents entry of dirt and germs.

100% Biodegradable:

Last but not the least, these are 100% biodegradable wipes. It's very important that we care about mother nature too. If we don't, then a day would come that this earth won't be suitable for survival. It's important to use everything responsibly and when you are using biodegradable consumables, it's one of the little steps that you take for mother nature which makes a huge difference.
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