Saba Irfan's Blog, page 34

Getting ready for #MyFriendAlexa!

So, it’s the first time for me! I am all nervous and confused and searching all those articles on Alexa rank and browsing through twitter with the hashtag, #MyFriendAlexa and literally spamming blogchatter team there with my queries! Thanks God their patient and didn’t block me for this!

[image error]

But I guess, I have got the main idea digested! It’s a blogging festival! A big one! That’ll eventually help me get a higher performance for my blog and not to forget getting the better ranking at its highness, Alexa. The lower I rank at Alexa, the higher I rank in the blogging world. Plus the interactions and genuine feedback’s I would be getting on my blog would be another positive factor to look forward to.

What’s more? For the love of reading, I get to read some varied works of numerous bloggers all so experienced and amazing writers because of this fest. A minimum of eight or many in one or many niches are welcome here too.

I guess, I should dedicate my September to a month full of variety of niches covered in this blogging fest. I would start a chain of blogs with genres and cover almost all aspects of lifestyle and other niches while we complete the fest. For example, my first blog would be on pregnancy stages while second can be on fashion styles. I can dedicate my third one for food and the fourth one for technology. Similarly, writing on travel for the fifth and finance for the sixth would be a great choice too. I am planning to let my seventh post be dedicated to food and eighth one for travel! Who knows I may even cross the eight figure and write more! May be the ninth one would be on parenting and tenth one can be on home decor ideas and I can even write an eleventh on fiction and more on parenting and more.

Let see if these ideas work and I can survive through this challenge after the A2Z challenge! Wish me luck and stay tuned for a month full of varied and exciting posts!

Fight belly fat smartly!

[image error]

Junks, untimely meals and stressed lifestyle! Your physic gets effected no doubt. The one thing for which you take pains to make it presentable gets the most effected and in the most weird manner by your unhealthy lifestyle practices. Who likes looking unshapely? But sometimes even lots of practices and efforts can’t get you the dream figure you desire for yourself. But for the remaining some, are these simple steps that can get you the desired body shape you want.

[image error]

We very well know walking and jogging and exercises gets your body toned. This inclement hips, thighs, arms and legs. But, the most difficult task of all is to get that belly fat out of your body. The one adamant part of flesh in your body that refuses to budge even with some really great efforts put by us. Let’s get reading those important tips to level your tummy.

Sitting position alterations!

Do you know your sitting position can effects your body shaping and toning the most? Yes, during meals or otherwise, whenever you sit, try sitting on the floor with your one leg folded and the other half folded as if it’s pressing your stomach in. This will gradually tighten your tummy muscles and help in contraction of the skin.

The sitting and standing workout!

[image error]

Remember during schools days we used to get punished to catch our ears and do the sitting up and standing action twenty times? Well, now you just have to do that. A daily ten minutes in this exercise can get your tummy tucked inside in its position really fast.

Stairs instead of elevators!

[image error]

The really simple yet tiresome workout that guards our daily lifestyle but can do wonders for burning those belly fats. As you keep going climbing those stairs and going down through them, you are actually bringing about a huge difference in your figure.

Cycling!

[image error]

A daily half an hour of vigorous cycling can do this incredible job of burning those belly fats within no time. The one exercise that can even your whole body at he same time and if continued for longer, helps in maintaining the same for years.

Green tea!

Cutting out those fats and cheese is what we usually do while we are on a diet or on a mission to reduce. But, adding this magical potion of green tea can actually help you loads in burning belly fats. Just two cups of green tea daily can keep your regime intact and helps in burning those extra fats from your body. Te-A-Me green teas are the best for working against belly fats where in the natural ingredients of ginger and honey leads to a gradual decrease in tummy fats.

[image error]

With these simple yet daily procedures to be included in your daily lifestyle, I am pretty sure you can see a drastic change in your tummy bulging within no time!

Thanks a lot to our sponsor TE-A-ME and hosts Sayeri from sayeridiary.com and Jhilmil from mommyinme.com , for having this fun carnival!

Unclog Your Baby’s Discomfort!

[image error]

Babies and blocked nose!

A happy baby is a happy you! And for the baby to be at their best moods, they require proper and comfortable sleep and regular meals. And what not does a mother do to keep her baby happy!  But those days when your baby gets affected with rhinitis, those are the most difficult days and nights for the parents and the babies. They tend to cry a lot at short intervals during night time because they can’t sleep as the blocked nose discomforts them then.

Effects on rhinitis on kids!

Well, we all know that babies and toddlers are obligatory breathers, this adds in to sleep deprivation during blocked nose. This in turn makes them cranky during the daytime too. And because of this blocked nose the kids fuss a lot while having their meals too. It’s often seen that the children start losing weight regularly when they face rhinitis as it effects both their sleep and meal cycle largely. Even older children seem to feel down when they have rhinitis. They end up with distracted study habits and lesser play time with frequent mood swings too.

Parent’s take on curing rhinitis!

As parents you turn your attention towards various home remedies and medication for your child’s comfort. Some of us trust the grandma’s all time solution of turmeric milk that relieves the cold hence ultimately the congested nose in some days. While some parents believe a saline water provides relief here too. Vaporisers are also considered as one of the healers for blocked nose.

Nasivion is good too!

One of these remedies that have proved effective and providing comfort in most cases of rhinitis is NASIVION® 0.01 % & NASIVION® 0.025 % which are Well-tolerable and provide efficacious relief from rhinitis especially for little ones. These drops when given in proper dosage, that is, Nasivion® 0.01 % nasal drops for infants up to 1 year of age helps in relieving blocked noses hence it’s a fast-acting decongestant. With Oxymetazoline being its ingredient, Nasivion provides relief to block nose issues in baby in the minimum of time soothing them mildly, thus giving them the innocent care they need. For children aged between 1 to 6 years only, instill 1-2 drops into each nostril 2-3 times per day can proof effective too.[image error]

Doctors first!

For all these blocked nose relievers you are using on your child, make sure you consult your doctor before the usage. They can even change the above mentioned dosage as per the age and health of the child. Don’t let rhinitis hinder your child’s growth and playfulness, provide them the gentle and effective care they need!

You can refer here or check the link here to know more!

The next generation Timezone- Malad!

Weekend- kids- fun! The ultimate goal at the end of each week that has to be fulfilled by every parent. As parents we tend to plan a unique outing each weekend for kids so that they explore better, enjoy more and grow with wider aspects of knowledge. But the growing generation nowadays are faster than we can think of. These kids grasp rapidly and act momentarily within seconds. The same old beaches and parks are refreshing no doubt, but exciting isn’t the word for them. While our kids need excitement each new day with each new holiday.

[image error]

That’s where Timezone saves the day! Our very dear Timezone has changed with changing time and generation and have upgraded itself for better. This next generation Timezone has everything power packed for our children. From exciting coin games to shooting targets. From spinning the wheels to building towers in virtual games. From dashing those cars to having a bowling match with family. Not to forget the 3D experience thrilling ride and multiplayer camel race. You just name it, they have it all planned and working out there, and just how!

[image error] [image error] [image error]

I visited Timezone at Inorbit mall, Malad with my three kids and I was overwhelmed with the joyous face with which we returned home. My older kids of 12 and 10 years of age had a blast experiencing the fun that went with dashing the cars, collecting the tickets after each challenging game, having a fun time riding a bike and racing hard to win the car driving races too. The family bowling section is one of the best as it involved even me and my husband to compete with our kids in the bowling match.

[image error]

The 3D show is a must try for all the kids of ages 6 and above. My son and daughter had a blast of thrill and adventure and were bubbling with excitement as they revealed the moments of tragedy and panic they felt along with the thrill when they had the 3D glass on. I just couldn’t stop my kids from getting out of the car driving and bike riding sections. They even spent an ample lot of time trying to collect the bundle of tickets from the ticket catcher games.

[image error] [image error]

My little one of five years old loved feeding the chicken and in return collecting the rewards for the same. She was overjoyed when she won hundreds of tickets by just pressing the huge bubble gum button thrice. The process of putting the ring on the necks of the hungry birds was tough, yet cute. Though we couldn’t win the teddy as a prize after doing so, but we still enjoyed the process.

[image error]

The cute slight moving comic rides and bikes for young kids are pretty enjoyable too. My baby shrieked with joy when she succeeded in grabbing a dairy milk chocolate from the winning machine game after so many efforts. And the excitement and satisfaction you get after smashing those evolving teddies is incredible too.

[image error]

And do you know what was more exciting than this for my little ones The process of giving the ticket eater loads of tickets to eat and which gave them the points in return. These points than lead you to a room full of goodies where you can redeem your points to get your hands on some cool gifts like soft toys, chocolates, colours, tennis rackets and lots and lots of other tempting things for the kids.

[image error]

In the end, you won’t even believe that you have spent almost half of your day going crazy with your kids as they moved from games to games to enjoy more and explore more. Tired na, after knowing how I went about with my three crazy Musketeers cheering for them in each game, crazily collecting tickets in buckets and later feeding it to the ticket eater then again repeating the same. But you know what, in the end, it’s worthed!

[image error] [image error]

Well, my kids were reluctant to leave the place even after spending four hours and playing games continuesly in that time span. This next generation Timezone seem to be on their wish list for the next weekend too. And may be the next one after that and the next one. Phew! The next generation kids have finally got their next generation freak out destination!

“I’ve shared my experience at the revamped Timezone  Inorbit Malad  in association with BlogAdda“

Distinguishing between the symptoms of chikungunya and dengue!

Knowing chikungunya and dengue.

Mosquitoes borne diseases are on a high since the last decade in India and other Asian countries. Out of these, dengue is often fatal and chikungunya can also lead to death in various cases. The cause of them both is mosquitoes bites though their sources lie from different mosquito families.

[image error]

On the onset of these diseases, experts get confused mostly detecting whether its dengue or chikungunya because the symptoms of dengue and that of chikungunya are almost similar with mild differences. Hence, medication often gets mislead and the process of curing the illness takes longer than usual. Today, let’s get discriminating the symptoms of both the fevers so that we get a better understanding of them.

[image error]

Dengue symptoms

Sudden high fever
Severe headache
Pain in eyes
Body and joints pain
Vomiting
Stomach pain
Bleeding of nose.

[image error]

chikungunya symptoms


Rashes
Pain in joints with a slight swelling
Nausea
Headache and fever
Vomiting.

[image error]

Discrimination between chikungunya and dengue!

In dengue fever, the incubation period is of about 3-7 days and remains for about 4-6 weeks while in chikungunya fever, the incubation period is of 1-10 days and it remains for about a fortnight.
Dengue fever carries high fever with severe headache, rashes and joint pains. In chikungunya, fever is accompanied with extreme joint pain and mild rashes.
Muscle pain is mostly around the back portion of arms and legs and there’s a high degree of joint pain on shoulders and knees. While is chikungunya, joint pain remains on hands and feet with some swelling at the area.
Dengue symptoms in adults includes heavy bleeding sometimes from nose too.
Rashes are mostly experienced on the face in dengue while in chikungunya, the rashes can be felt on the face, trunk, lips, palm and face.

Preventive measures! While we know both of the diseases have no proper vaccines till recently, it’s important to follow the precautions religiously to avoid the onset of these dangerous diseases.

[image error]

Wearing of full sleeves clothes to avoid exposing the skin to mosquito bites.
Using of effective and skin friendly mosquito repellent creams like GoodKnight mosquito repellent skin gel.
When outdoors, keeping the kids safe by using mosquito repellent patches.
Closing off the windows after sunset or using the mosquito repellent machines at home.

Just remember being aware of these diseases and using preventing measures to avoid it and experiencing the pain of it and the painful efforts that goes in curing it!

 

Kolhapuri VS Mules- The Battle of Shoes

There is a quote which determines our love for shoes like no other, “Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world” by Marilyn Monroe. Shoes or ladies footwear whatever you call it, this has the same significance as the quote suggests. It is the fact that if you don’t pair the right shoes to your ensemble can look completely out of the place.  Nowadays there are so many types of shoes out there like wedges, Heels, flats, pumps and so on. The list is never ending and I would like to stress over two most trending shoes of this time.

Mules and Kolhapuri Chappals, these shoes according to me have been the most trending these days. Have you ever thought about handcrafted mules? I know you are surprised by yes, you heard me right! Modern contemporary shoes decorated with some traditional prints isn’t that amazing! Now the choice is yours, whether mules will win or our own traditional Kolhapuri will.

Let the battle of shoes begins!

1. Designer Ajrakh mules:

[image error]

Absorbed in the bold elegance of Ajrakh, these block heels mules are the perfect round the clock sliders for women. This pair of shoe is my personal perfect as it is suitable for both casual and formal outings. The art of Ajrakh print enables the traditional vibe into the shoe but the classic finish and design of the shoe make it perfect for formal usage.

2. Pamir Rabari Kolhapuri Chappal:

[image error]

Pamir Rabari Kolhapuri chappal with Mirror Embroidery, tribal pattern embellished and bronze zari. Rabari the art on the chappal is inspired from the tribe in Gujarat. This chappal is suitable for traditional as well as casual outings. You can combine these with a lovely set of kurti and palazzo or jeans and top.

3. Beige Kalamkari Mules:  

[image error]

This heel is the true example of traditional art and modern contemporary design.  As per our normal routine, these are the most unique set of mules you can have.  Either you are going to work or for any casual outing, these are the perfect options for you.

4. Dabu Print Kolhapuri Chappals:

[image error]

The Kolhapuri chappal is a mirror image of contemporary beauty. Made with artistic grandeur and authentic leather. Decorated with wooden buttons and bright yellow tassels this chappal is nothing less than a piece of art. Pair these up with your favourite outfit and make an everlasting impression.

Now you can judge what you feel is best for you! None the less, these both are my favorites and I can’t make a choice between these beautiful pairs of Mules and Kolhapuri. Make these yours and let others go gaga over these stunning shoes.

Guest post written by Ananya Jain.

I grew up….

She felt the chill pass through her veins when the drop kissed her forehead! Then came another, one more and tip, tip, tip, the rain started. She veiled her face with her file and ran to the nearest small local cafe. People were already rushing to get saved from rains. Luckily, she caught a chair at a small table and ordered tea. She gazed out, sighed, it’s rains again, already! No wonder the scorching heat was unbearable but the rains, more nuisance. Stressed! She felt, deep in her thoughts, she gazed out.

[image error]

That feeling when the room went dark and she was sneaking out of the window to find the grey formation of clouds around and screeching with delight watching them,”Mummy, it’s going to start raining, yay! Yay!” And this catching a glimpse of dark clouds and crying out silently,” The trains are going to be late, shit!” She grew up!

Opening up her little palms, enjoying the kisses of those cold droplets on her hands, trying to collect them all in her tiny clutches and now wiping her hands as soon as they got wet from rains, she grew up!

[image error]

Closing her eyes, giving in herself to the sky, let the clouds get a better view of her face as they pour some rainy love on it to now shielding it with something so that her make up didn’t fade away, she grew up! I bet her wet innocence was more attractive than her dry make up!

Splash! Splash! One foot after the other and giggling loudly as she dashed through the paths after her friends to now double folding her denims and keeping each step lightly so that don’t even the slippers get some dirt of the rainy streets, She grew up!

Dancing freely to get more wetter than she already was to now hugging herself even more so as to avoid the drenched form, she grew up!

From enjoying the rainy long days from within the window to worrying about getting the washed clothes dry, she grew up!

A sigh passed her lips as she frowned thinking, the rains are the same as they were then, the grey colour of the clouds when it’s about to rain has been their tradition since infinity, the green grasses getting soft and muddy and the formation of those tiny puddles have been as it has been since years! Then what changed? Why can’t the rains now be the same as they were then?

what made her actually grow up? She glanced at the watch hanging, time? Time just passes, growing up is mandate, but time doesn’t restrict you from enjoying something that’s naturally beautiful! Then what? She saw the rush, she knew the answer already!!

The voices were clear even today, “wash off your feet, you splashed the whole puddle on your legs, wash them vigorously.” “Shhh! Don’t scream on just the sounds of the rains, so silly it looks!” “Why did you get drenched? You should have stood under some roof.” “Hey, change fast.You’ll catch cold otherwise.” These statements, these repeated commands, some way or another left a mark on her memory and ultimately her life.

It was the society! The society that forced her to grow up, the people around who created norms and broke them according to their conveniences and carved the same prints to the younger minds, just because they have been passed the inheritance of the same. This society which gradually changed the fun associated with nature into nuisance and the growing minds readily agreed to it and grew up defining it the same way to carry this tradition forward.

Growing up doesn’t means giving up joy and innocence, it’s rather a process to increase the same by passing it out to others. She stood up, smiled widely and knew what to do next!

The small crowd gathered near the cafe were smiling watching the lady who was enjoying rains with little kids of the area, as if she was one if them, as if she wasn’t a grown up!

[image error]

Book review- Bhumi by Tina Siquira

[image error]

About the book

This book celebrates womanhood in the most natural yet exceptional way! The range of short stories with different and unique personalities of females leaving a message at the end of each story, is really something that grips you throughout. Each story is entirely unique to others and is portrayed in the most beautiful manner. With each story, your curiosity to unveil the next one increases, hence you don’t even get a moment of a dull read as you go on reading.

My take on the book

I really liked reading through these stories and was impressed by the way the authors creativity took her to so much depths in bringing together these stories. The amount of creativity and thoughtfulness that went curating these is impressive. The endings are very well planned and the way she keeps the stories incomplete yet letting us know what the end will definitely be is amazing.

My favourite part in the book

I just loved the chapter dried leaves a lot. The message you get through it that not every arranged marriage is a dull one and a relationship is not always a hot and happening time spent with each other saying love you to each other thousand times.

Apart from this, the first story Amma, beautifully played by a father, the story of Saira bringing up herself after a broken marriage and two kids is great too.

The naked illusion is another story that gripped me well till the end and left me with an entirely new vision of a part of society, that we so much judge the wrong way otherwise. I must say, this is one story that you should read first when you start the book.

All the others are equally amazing and would open up your vision to society even more.

About the author

Tina Sequeira is an award winning author and blogger. She’s sure Alice from ‘Alice in Wonderland’ is her alter ego – ever curious and in quest for the truth. Tina loves words and mingling with people who she believes are living books.
Download the ebook by following the link here.

Poetry love!

Mein ladki hu badi aam si khas sa mujh me kuch bhi nahi Mein palke uthau to naa ye nazare,nikhre Mere muskurane se kaliya khilti nahiMein ladki hu badi aam si Khas sa mujh me kuch bhi nahiNa mere chalne se ye jahan chale Mere rukne se wakt thamta nahiMein ladki hu badi aam siKhas sa mujh me kuch bhi nahiMei hasu to bus khud hi hasu mere sath ye kaliya khilti nahiMere aansu bus mere hi haiGhatao se inki banti nahiMein ladki hu badi aam si Khas sa mujh me kuch bhi nahiNa meri surat me damakti chandni haiMeri seerat me bhi shaffaqi nahi Mein ladki hu badi aam siKhas sa mujh me kuch bhi nahiTeri wafa ne ranga hai mujhe in ranginiyo meTeri chahat,ne bakshi hai ye khubsurti WarnaMein ladki hu badi am siKhas sa mujh me kuch bhi nahi

Book review- Midnight Musings by Romila!

About the book!

Midnight musings, the names says it all! It’s all about the thoughts that occur to you during your midnight musings! This book brings about some of the best moments and thoughts of the author’s life in the form of haiku– A Japanese form of poems mostly written when you want to write about some beauty of nature or memories of your life in precise manner yet explaining it all deeply. [image error]HaikuThese three lines haiku written by Romila have got an explanation of three thousand words in it. I enjoyed going through the again and again and guessing those thoughts behind those deep lines.

About the author!

Romila is a passionate soul for literature, poems and books. She just loves writing and is a coffee addict too! For her great work in writing, she have been featured in Paycheck India project, Baggout, the dictionary of best Indian blogs, Blogchatter and more such famous sites.

The book!

The book is well organised, gives you an insight about what other readers loved in it in the start, has a brief word about the author and a detailed description of what haiku actually is and what you can expect in the book.

What I loved the most!

I loved those lines where in she have described mother so well. Sending her thanks for all that she have done for us! Then the depth in which she described beauty, of an old lady showing of her beautiful picture of yester years and the way in which she described the lights of moonlight and weather and seasons in nature.

Why read this one!

Read it to get a refreshing and rejuvenating outlook of nature, love, relationships and everything in your life. It’s a quick read yet stays on your mind for longer.You can buy it from amazon by clicking here https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07CVGGNVH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_V-rqBb22AHZM4