Shiv Sangal's Blog, page 6

8 Toxic Ingredients Found In Your Lipstick

The insect of Holistic Living is still crawling my mind. I don't know, if it will ever leave now. A few days back, I watched a video on youtube in which they were discussing the harsh living conditions in which the miners of Jharkhand live. The miners are mostly child laborers. They are hired to cope up with the increasing burden for the yield of mica by MNCs. Mica is used in various modern cosmetics.Watching that video, I thought of checking out the ingredients of my mom's cosmetics, a few days back. My mom is a simple lady who doesn't like doing makeup. All the cosmetics that she has are no less than a decade old. Then rarely any emphasis was given to mention the background details. Even to this day, only branded cosmetics mention the ingredients on the label. Much of the local brands and chinese items lack this feature.I also used a lipstick in first two of my brand collaborations to look attractive, but I left the idea soon.So, I picked up a branded lipstick, my mom has to read the ingredients. Luckily it didn't have mica in it.It will be quite tedious if I mention every ingredient of the lipstick I used. I'm also not mentioning about the brand as it might account to libel. Before this, I also revealed the ingredients of  men's personal grooming products (particularly deodorants and shaving creams). If you want to read it, click here.  I caution you to do your own research along with doing this.1. Dipentaerythrityl HexastearateCAS Number-70969-57-2Hazards- This chemical is not directly harmful to humans, but it poses a threat to aquatic life.2. Ethylhexyl MethoxycinnamateCAS Number- 5466-77-3Hazards- This chemical is mutagenic. It leads to degeneration of skin in presence of sun.
3. Cetyl AcetateCAS Number- 629-70-9Hazards-  It doesn't cause any harm to dry skin but can cause havoc to oily skins as it weakens them and enlarges pores.
4. Lanolin OilCAS Number- 8006-54-0Hazards-   It is basically a waxy substance which is derived while processing the wool. Still some people argue that it isn't cruelty free as the same lanolin can be derived from the meat of the sheep.It doesn't cause any harm to humans, but if you have a fast or have resolved to be vegetarian, please don't buy products with this ingredient.
5. Lanolin AlcoholCAS Number- 8027-33-6
Hazards-  It is derived from lanolin oil itself, so all the hazards are automatically inherited by this chemical.
6. Titanium DioxideCAS Number- 13463-67-7
Hazards-  It has toxic effects on the brain and can lead to nerve damage. It is also carcinogenic.
7. Bismuth OxychlorideCAS Number- 7787-59-9
Hazards-  This substance shares its chemical composition with arsenic. It can lead to renal (kidney) damage.
8. Fragrance/Perfume/ParfumCAS Number- 
Hazards-   This is not any regular perfume or fragrance. It is government permitted code word used to represent 3000 chemicals out of which 900 are toxic.I've Been Using It Since Years, I didn't Find Any Harm.I found it extremely necessary to break this old notion. Prevention is better than cure. If you opt for any holistic alternative which is fractionally costlier than your regular toxic products, It will work on to save thousands and lakhs of money which you would otherwise spend on heavy medicines and surgeries. Whenever you opt for any unhealthy habit, you live on a credit card, your health has to pay for in future.Some people say, that I've used this product my whole life, it didn't harm me. But believe me, Rome wasn't built in a day. The toxicity is not digested in your body, It is concentrated. They later on cause havoc, usually when it's too late to take a step back.
You Don't Need A Lipstick AnywayEven if your lipstick doesn't have any of these ingredients, it's still not necessary. Count those women who wash their mouths before eating. No one. Lipsticks act as their flavor enhancers while eating.  Now, I hardly have any interest left, but three years back, I used coconut oil or petroleum jelly on my lips (I stopped using petroleum jelly later on as it made my lips feel heavy). You can add some color to it. It's that simple.

How To Travel More With Less Time And Money: Prioritizing Your Bucket List

This post is basically an extension to two of my previous blogposts.
Our last expedition was really quick. Left in the morning from home, reached Prayagraj in afternoon, boated for an hour, reached Banaras at night. We covered Banaras' sightseeing in just four hours, the next morning and reached Deoghar that evening. After the morning darshan the next day, we left for Nepal.
So, the fact is that there is no definite standard or amount of time or money that you must have in order to travel.
That's why, in this article, I'm sharing, how to channelize your resources efficiently to travel amazingly.
1. Make A List Of Places, You Want To VisitInternet is a utility these days, with every piece of detail at your beck and call. Make use of this resource. Before leaving for any destination, research and make a list of all the destinations you would love to visit.2. Have a Schedule And a BudgetOnce, you've stepped out of your home, nothing is certain. For this, you might ask me, that why is a budget or time table needed?Look, you need a budget to have an idea of prospective expenses, you might make.You need a schedule, to allocate the destinations you want to cover to different times.Make both of them quite strictly, but not miserly . However, you can have a little bit of flexibility.3. Ask LocalitesInternet results are a mixture of good and bad options. Reviews are also a mixture of varied interests and experiences. Furthermore, there are chances of them being biased. You might feel influenced with the beautiful pictures of some places but might feel fooled later when you visit it, if the place proves not to be upto your expectations. Such experience can waste both your time and money.Though, it's not cent per cent possible to escape this shortcoming , you can grab the safe side by asking the localites about the place you're going to visit. They'll tell you both pros and cons of the place, plus they'll be highly honored for being asked.4. Get Up EarlyYou can escape a lot of traffic which would save your hours just by waking up early. Not even this, in the morning, you've the highest percentage of zeal in your mind, which won't tire you. You can save your energy to travel more throughout the day.5. Filter Your Bucket ListIt's worth knowing that not every place is worth a visit. Out of your wish list, you're supposed to figure out, which places are really worth it, which you madly want to visit. So here, I'm suggesting you with some tips on filtering your bucket list.~ParksWhen you come up with the suggestion of the parks, question yourself:  What is so unique inside this place which I won't find anywhere else? You must get the answer. Some parks may be just prosaic sights with coated layers of tourism promotion.If I must tell you, unique parks are as such, for e.g. they have some natural resources like special natural rocks, some special species of plants and animals etc.~MuseumsBefore visiting the museum, ask yourself the same question as in previous heading. But in this case, you're also supposed to run further inquiries. For e.g. Which articles are displayed? With which period of the history or the culture is this museum associated? These days, Museums are also a business. Some museums have nothing to display at all. They just hang pictures on the wall and you're supposed to visit pay fee, look at them and leave.Articles for display should be unique. Suppose, The sword and scabbard of His Highness XXX, The king of Kingdom ABCD; Original sketch of XXX, Belongings of XXX. Though, these are just suppositions, these are something unique. Come back to the first example. A person or group brings an old building and opens up a museum there. They just hang some pictures, which aren't unique. Why are you bothering to visit it. You can download them on the internet.~ ShoppingNot everything displayed out for shopping is worth purchasing. When we visited Goa, our taxi driver took us to a certain market, the name of which I don't seem to remember. All the shops were outlets of brands with global presence. But without stepping out of the car, we went away, because what we would have bought was not something that could capture the spirit of Goa. Moreover, such articles can be purchased even in our own city. The next day, we went to a local merchandise near the Calangute Beach. All the articles were made in Goa only. Though the prices were a bit higher, as the west part of India is not cheap; but we were happy to have something which was completely Goan and worthy of being called a souvenir of our expedition.Keep this in mind, when you shop while travelling, you should buy what captures and stores the spirit of the place, not what is found everywhere.~PilgrimageI guess, my words fade where the matter of faith comes, as only vibes arise then.I'm noone literally to specify the criteria of visiting any religious place as they're really matchless. Devotion is the biggest virtue of life. But make sure that you must try to visit the places of your faith so as to avoid any inconvenience,

Experience Shukratal's Ganga Ghat: A visual guide

Shukratal is just half-an-hour drive away from my home. This is not just a place or pilgrimage, it's a heritage. This place has it's own spirit of being. We make sure to visit this place at least three or four times in a year. Though, because, it's not possible to visit every place of this village every time we visit, I shared a blogpost of visiting it exactly one year ago when we visited atop the tila (The cliff where the Shukdev Ashram is based. That's where, the Bhagwat Katha was told for the first time. Eventually the whole area came to be known as Shukratal or Shukteerth.)If you want to read that article, click here.Click here to read other travel stories.This area falls under the Khadar region. The lands here are very fertile because they've alluvial soil.You know of Mahabharata. You also know that Gita is a part of Mahabharata. But I must tell you of an incident you might haven't heard of before. Before Mahabharata, Pandavas were hopeless and anxious. Their army was small. Their cousins were their opponents. They were to certain degree not confident about their victory.To cheer them up, Lord Krishna, brought them to the Khadar land, on the banks of Ganga river. Here, they did Yagyas and Yog Sadhana for a few days. A few days of isolation restored their energy and they were able to fight the war with more zeal.I personally feel that several renovations need to be done in this place. Tourism needs to be boosted. But even while having this thought, I'm caught in a dilemma. Tourism can drive revenue to the people, but can also severely damage the serenity of the place. Bhopa and Morna are the adjoining towns which have 1505 hectares of recognised reserved forests classified under Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary. Tourism can be boosted using this factor. Recently, in the Muzaffarnagar district itself,  Haiderpur Wetland was declared a site under conservation. It is a hub of migratory birds (62 species). Moreover, Gharials are also being planned to be released in Ganga River.Secondly, several policies should be worked out for the upliftment of residents of adjoining areas. Because of deforestation, several wild animals escape and run into these areas causing havoc. Even, I've seen. Once, while returning from Shukratal, our car was about to collide with a nilgai.  Now, Let me come to the Ganga Ghat itself. Many people complain, that the Ganga on the ghat is not actually the mainstream but just a distributory.I decided to write this post, because, yesterday, I was clearing up my PC's memory and suddenly, I found some pictures which I clicked two years back.Also the CM of our state (Uttar Pradesh) is going to visit Shukratal on 14th July 2019 on the occasion of death anniversary of Swami Kalyandev, a saint and social reformer. Thus, I'm writing this post in his honor. Shukratal's Ganga GhatThe Ganga Ghat at Shukratal is a beautiful one. It is less crowded and less polluted. In 2013, the local government, ran some tests of the Gangajal here and found it to be pure. Ganga is a free flowing river. I don't know why but, whenever, I see any water body, I seem to be lost in it. Rivers are free flowing, they never stop, they make their own way. They're pious. Sometimes, I feel that I must keep sitting to gaze at it. My mind waves. By looking at a lake or pond, I feel as if time has stopped. I feel relieved.In Shukratal, Ghat is only at one side of the river. At the other side, there is greenery; forests and farms. This is how I looked two years ago.
Some maintenance work was being carried out on the ghat that day.
The crowd on Shukratal's ghat is less as compared to other places.
You can also have fun through boating.

Devi Sureshwari Bhagwati Gange. Tribhuvan Tarini Taral Tarange.
Other Places To Visit In ShukratalI've already discussed about Shukdev Ashram in another post about Shukratal. Click here to read it.Let me tell you about other places.HanumatdhamIt has a big statue of lord Hanuman which has 700 crore names of Lord Ram. It has various small temples of different hindu gods and goddesses. They've also recently opened up a big kitchen where you can participate in bhandara. I'm not sure about the timings.
Ganesh DhamIt has a big statue of Lord Ganesh.  It's just in front of Hanumatdham.

3 Accounts To Follow on Instagram for Free Filters

In this digital age, everyone has a smart phone in his hand. So, everyone is a photographer. In addition to that, you've free photo editors, which means that you're an artist as well. You've got social media to network with people; which means, you're your own marketer. You've everything in your grasp. 80% of what you can do on internet within your reach is free.
Goals always matter. Some people are keen to strengthen the stake in their tribe, while some want to extend their reach to new audiences.
So today, I've come up with an interesting topic to amaze you.
These days, people are quite crazy in editing their pictures. You're on social media as well and you want to maximize your reach (It doesn't matter if the reason is personal or professional).
For performing well on Instagram, you need to perform well, both with the feed as well as with the stories. If you're busy, then you can negotiate with posts, but compromising with stories can be risky. So don't even think of it.
The stories you post should be creative. I too was confused with the 'why' factor in the beginning. But now, I've the answer. You've to deliver your audience something new.
Instagram filters are way too ordinary. Everyone tries them. What if I could tell you that you can use some unique filters on instagram. Perhaps many of you didn't know about it. Many of you might have just checked your phones right now.
But wait, I'm not done yet. There are several artists who make filters and provide it to people for free.
How To Use New Filters On Instagram?To use, the new filters on Instagram, find those artists' profiles who create filters (I'll discuss about such in later parts of this article).(Optional) Reach out to their highlights. Some of them usually provide trial versions there, which you can tap or swipe up and use.Follow those accounts.Now when you open your camera icon for story, those filters will automatically appear.Start using and share them in your story. Astonish people!Bonus! If you tag the creators when you share the story in their filters, there is good chance of getting a shoutout by them.3 of My Favorite Instagram Accounts For Free Filters1. Nahir Esper (@nahir.esper)She's a photographer, artist and filter creator.Favorite FiltersPastel ColoursFruit MakeupFlowerfulGemCollage

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Nahir Esper (@nahir.esper) on Apr 15, 2019 at 9:19am PDT

2. Philip Basler (@basphi)He's a visual artist, motion designer and filter creator.Favorite FiltersBasphiBanana

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Philipp Basler (@basphi) on Jan 8, 2019 at 11:43am PST

3. Juanpa Zurita (@eljuanpazurita) He's a filter creator and also has his own clothing brand.Favorite FiltersDia de los Muertos

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Juanpa Zurita (@eljuanpazurita) on Jul 4, 2019 at 2:13pm PDT

Filter creators are many. If you want to use more filters, once you follow them, many more accounts like these will come up in your recommendations.

5 Points Which Provide Bloggers An Edge Over Influencers

The world has gone digital these days. So many people have dived in this sea of infinite opportunities to try their luck. Not that, there's no return. Of course, there is a return certainly. But, I can predict of a recession that might approach in this creative industry in the coming years.
Before you must read further, I would like to confirm, if you've read my article about ban on TIKTIOK? If no, you must read it now. Though, the ban was lifted within a week, it would help you to know, how ephemeral and transient influencer marketing industry can be.
Nowadays, I see a lot of people these days calling them bloggers or influencers.
Before moving forward, it's extremely necessary to know the definitions of a blogger and an influencer and their analogy.
A Blogger is a person who has a blog and writes on it.
An Influencer is a person who 'influences' . An influencer extensively uses social media handles to influence people to do something. It might be a commercial cause or social cause.
Every blogger is an influencer, but not every influencer is a blogger.
I see many influencer using the title of blogger with them. Brands send the products to both the bloggers and influencers under the title 'blogger's mail' which leads to further ambiguity.
To qualify as a blogger, an influencer needs to have a blog.
If you must listen to me, if you aspire to be a part of this digital creative industry, have a blog along with your social media handles.
Let me tell you 5 points which provide bloggers an edge over influencers. 
1.Escaping RecessionWith the ever increasing number of influencers, it seems, that recession is not far. Brands are already exploiting the influencers. The biggest specimen of exploitation is working on barter basis.Some brands just provide you free products and expect you to provide free reviews on your social  must media handles in exchange.Is that all? But you must think of the value of content and services that you're providing. Don't you want to cover your costs. You should. You aren't a slave.If I must tell you the costs associated with me. My equipments (camera, tripod), I pursued a course for web designing four years back (HTML, MySQL and PHP), I've spent my five years in blogging industry which also holds a value. I've spent my valuable time in researching about content. I've also taken many online courses to polish my knowledge. My blog's custom domain also has a value. I spent a considerable amount on publishing my ebook as well.I've now considered so many costs which convince me very well that I shouldn't work on barter basis from now on. I've worked with some, some time ago.If someone asks you that you're just starting, so you should work for free, then, just ask them, if their brand ever gave away all their stock for free, just because they were starting out.If you've a blog, you'll sound bolder and can secure yourself away from this recession. Make a list of all the costs you've to cover up. You're supposed to convince yourself before convincing others.2. Safety During Ban or ShutdownIf I must again come to the reference of that point, at which tiktok was banned, you must note that how many influencers stake of livelihood was hurt. Brands too lost their interest, as the content they paid for was going to be lost. So, if you're just an influencer, you're in an unreliable industry.If you have a blog, buy a domain and host it properly. It will act as a backup of the content you post. It's your home on the internet (with a resale value).3. Showcasing The Talent In DetailOn one instagram post, I don't think that you'll be able to speak your mind with that proficiency as you'll be able to with an article on your blog. Most people follow one picture at a time policy on instagram. Hardly anyone looks at second image of the multiple posts if the first one is not appealing. Your entire caption except the first line hides in the see more button which noone would bother to look if the first line isn't impressive.If you're a good writer, you can overcome your flaws as a good photographer. If you're a good photographer, but an average writer; you can just make a photo blog with minimum written work (as a photo blog just requires a few captions of images). If you're an average of both the talents, it'll still work out as a great combination.4. Off-The-BeatI've already discussed about how unprofessional, working on barter basis is. Many people still choose to work with it as there's no associated long term professional goal. They're only driven with the temptation of getting free products.If you start blogging, then you're escaping a big crowd. You're definitely going to offer something new. Making a blog can certainly require some investment. I know coding, so I adjusted the template according to myself. If you wish, then you can outsource the task as well.  Because I didn't take any third party service except the domain and did all the work myself doesn't mean that I'm a good computer programmer. Indeed, I know, I'm not. I didn't get good grades in CS in school where the efforts were laid for cramming and students were asked to hire third party services for their practical projects.It's not everyone's cup of tea to be a blogger. A person can pose well for an instagram post but can necessarily not write 1000 word blogpost.5. Appealing To BrandsI recently worked with a brand (whom I don't find it appropriate to mention the name) to find the right bloggers for promotion. Our main criterion was to find a person with a well maintained presence on both a blog and Instagram. So, you see, If a person has a blog, he is considered to be way more professional than an influencer. The condition is that the blog should be well designed and maintained.After we found a blogger to work with and she delivered the expected deliverables, more than the inquiries for purchase, we got the enquiries for collaborations, many of which were just influencers, not bloggers.You might understand the difference. I'm not saying that being an influencer is bad, Some might be professional and work hard as well; but because of a nagging presence of many new 'so called' influencers, credibility is certainly at risk.Even, I've seen many cheap influencers who post weird pictures and cheap stories using abusive language and sharing vulgar memes. Is this what they're influencing people for? Some lifestyle influencers post stories of waking up at 10 am. Is this the lifestyle inspiration, they seek to provide?ConclusionBeing a blogger is safer than being an influencer, because in this way you can escape the recession of crowd striving to try their luck in this tempting digital creative industry. Social media handles are temporary and can shut down any time. At that moment, many influencers might lose their livelihood. You get an opportunity to showcase your talent on your blog in detail which is hardly possible on instagram. A blogger sounds more professional and is more appealing to brands.

7 Toxic Substances Which Shouldn't Be In Your Cosmetics

It's not literally late to awake. On 5th June 2019, I posted a picture on my instagram profile themed on environment's day. I captioned the picture with all the baby steps I'm taking these days to conserve environment. One of those which aroused the curiosity of most of my readers was 'how can I survive without using deodorants?' 
This is not a shocking idea. Deodorant is not something necessary for survival. You can survive very well without deodorant, very well.
Six or seven years back, a classmate of mine got a severe skin inflammation on his right hand because he continuously sprayed deodorant on that area to complete a dare given to him by his neighborhood friends while playing 'the truth and dare game'.
Isn't it absurd? You're feeding your skin with something so toxic.
I don't find people who put strong deodorants attractive or desirable and I mean it. Two years back, a friend of mine gathered a whim to wear a strong smelled deodorant. It might prove to be pleasing to others, but I'm never impressed. Whenever he met or hanged around me, it was unbearable; but I didn't say anything, because, it could prove to be an insult.
Scientists have predicted that Deodorants have CFCs (ChloroFluoroCarbons) in them which play a big role in environmental degradation.
As a child, I used to hide the spray nozzles of deodorants because I didn't like them.
What I've noticed is that men's personal care products are more stuffed with toxic chemicals that women's.
Do Your Own ResearchIn order to be safe, make a habit of doing your own research. You should know what you're consuming. And, in this scientific age, consumption is not just related to what you put in your mouth but the ingestion through your skin, eyes, ears and nose as well. You can't blame any particular brand for any negligence. Your ignorance is the one to be blamed. All the brands which are successful even after manufacturing toxic products are because of the support of people.Whenever, you go to any market for shopping, make sure you read all the ingredients and contents.So, I've done my own research at my own level and I'm sharing the outcome with you, through the CASRNs to enable you to carry out the research yourself. I've simplified the language used by many health department sites.Let me discuss with you 7 Toxic substances which shouldn't be in your cosmetics. 
1. DecamethylcyclopentasiloxaneCASRN (Chemical Abstracts Services Registration Number) : 541-02-6 It is normally found in many deodorants and shaving creams.Hazards: It is characterized by European Union as a substance of very high concern (SVHC). Substances which cause cancer, are mutagenic (lead to gene mutation) or cause reproductive problems are put under this criterion. This concept is also abbreviated as CMR. All such substances were banned in European Union from 1st January 2015. It has PBT (Persistent, Bioaccumulative and toxic substances) composition which means that this substance is not easily degradable and is toxic to the environment.2. HydroxyethylcelluloseCASRN : 9004-62-0Hazards: Its inhalation can cause chemical pneumonitis. Intake can cause digestive problems.3. Diethyl PhthalateCASRN: 84-66-2Hazards: It can cause hepatic (liver) and reproductive problems.4. Polyaminopropyl Biguanide (PHMB)CASRN: 27083-27-8Hazards: It is also classified as CMR by EU just like in point 1.5. Brilliant Blue FCFCI (Colour Index): 42090Hazards: This is basically a blue colored dye used in cosmetics. It can be directly absorbed in the bloodstream. It can lead to gene mutation.6. Parfum (Fragrance)CASRN: Not applicable as it is a mixture of many chemicals.Hazards: If you ever find either Parfum or Fragrance written in the ingredients of any personal care products, then don't take it lightly as it's not just a perfume poured into the solution. Indeed, it's a code word to represent a mixture of 3000 unrevealed chemicals out of which 900 are reported to be toxic. What could be the reason, that the list is not directly disclosed.7. Isopropyl MyristateCASRN: 110-27-0Hazards: It's not a CMR but it can cause clogged pores and acne along with itchiness and irritation. Referenceshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decamethylcyclopentasiloxanehttps://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+578https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/substances/toxsubstance.asp?toxid=112https://kemi.taenk.dk/bliv-groennere/banned-and-potentially-cancer-causing-substance-still-found-personal-care-productshttp://www.mayalsocontain.com/2013/01/http://www.beilichem.com/sale-9472953-cas-100-09-4-parfum-fragrance-ingredients-chemical-raw-materials.html

10 Easy Yogasanas To Take Your Lifestyle To The Next Level.

I decided to write on this topic as International Yoga Day is approaching tomorrow. You might meme on me that every day is yoga day, then why am I being opportunist. Yes, I agree that every day is Yoga Day, but we to encourage any practice or culture, we should designate any time period for it. At least the people who don't perform yoga daily would be able to do on this day.Yoga/fitness is not my niche, but I like writing about holistic living. I do my own research, am open for inspiration and write what I feel can be inspirational for you. Read all the holistic living articles here.21st June is the largest day of the year.I'm not a professional yoga trainer/instructor. I don't claim that I'm perfect. Still, we've been taught the most basic yoga in our school (what we were taught was filled with many errors, many of which I later rectified.) and later on I kept refining my basic knowledge into intermediate through various online sources and read the best of what I could lay my hands on. Yoga makes you more spiritual and you think of something beyond. You develop the power of not settling for less. That's why I've picked the easiest asanas for you.GuidelinesChallenging yourself is alright but the competition is with yourself, not others. Don't overdo.Start with small schedules.Maintain the discipline of doing yoga every single day.Yoga is different from gyms. It is quite versatile. You can plan different asanas for different days or stick to the same routine for everyday.Don't eat at least 1.5 hour before doing yoga and at least don't eat for half an hour after doing yoga.Don't do it on bed, use a proper yoga mat.After every asana, it's better if you perform Shavasana which would lead to your relaxation. I don't do it, because I'm habitual of all the asanas.1. SarvangasanaIn this Asana, you're supposed to keep your body straight from back to toes. In the beginning, you can start with just raising from hip to toe. This improves the functioning of liver. Liver is responsible for secretion of bile. More bile production digests fat molecules at a faster rate. 2. HalasanaI do it in continuation of Sarvangasana. Thus, you should perform this asana only when you're all perfect with Sarvangasana. Performing Halasana reduces the chances of getting backpain. It also corrects many spiral deformities. 3. MarichyasanaThis asana is one level up from being easy. You'll gain perfection in it only by practice. Stretch your right leg straight. Fold your left leg.Take your left hand behind through the knee.Join your left hand with your right hand.Try it your left leg. This Asana will strengthen your shoulders. But remember, don't stretch more than your capacity at the first instance. Patience is also required.4. DhanurasanaThis Asana is good all for your back, shoulders, thighs and knees. For this, lie down on your stomach. Raise your head and legs. Finally, hold your legs with your hands. 5. TolasanaNow, this is a really difficult asana. But, you'll be able to do it. I'm able to do it after four years of practice but till now The desired height to which by folded legs should reach is yet to achieve. Anyways, this is satisfying as well. This is an achievement to be mentioned. On last yoga day, my mom uploaded my picture doing this asana. An aunt in her list was astonished that how was I able to raise my entire body on my two palms.The steps to be followed are really easy but they're quite technical, so read them carefully.Fold your left leg and keep it on your right leg and shake it thirty times.Do the same with your right leg.Make Padmasana and keep your palms on the mat firmly.Try raising your body.It is difficult to be successful at the first instance but gradually improvement will come. You can omit 1st and 2nd step after you start seeing some results. 6. Viprit KarniThis is basically a wall stand. Keep the edge of your yoga mat well aligned with the wall.Touch your butts to the wall.Start raising your legs.Align your legs to the wall.
 7. TrikonasanaThis is the triangle pose. For this pose the process is-Stretch your legs away from each other as far as you can.Stretch your hands straight away from each other at the shoulder level.Touch the right leg with left hand. Meanwhile the right limb should be straight or at an obtuse angle.Do the same with right hand and left leg. 8. GaumukhasanaFor this asana-Sit in Vajrasana, Padmasana or you can simply stand. This asana can done even while sitting on the chair.Stretch your right hand to the back from above and left hand to the back from below.Join both of them.Do the opposite.Repeat.
9. Paschim Namaskar AsanaThis one is really simple. Bring both of your hands to the back and join them as if you're greeting someone 'Namaste'. 
10. MatsyasanaThis is the simplest of all Asanas discussed. Simply sit in a padmasana and gradually take your entire upper body backwards. This Asana is helpful in strengthening of thighs. 
 Bonus: Sheetli PranayamaEarlier, I was thinking of listing out pranayamas as well, but they're way too ordinary. All of us know about bandh, anulom vilom, kapalbhati and cycles of purak-kumbhak-rechak, so there's nothing extraordinary about them. But I've brought a special Pranayam in your knowledge which will light up your summers. It is known for providing cooling effect. I've felt it.Intake air through your mouth by folding your tongue.Close your mouth.Exhale through your nose. Which asana was your favourite? Did you find it helpful?  Let me know through the comments below.
 Though, the objective of this article was to introduce you with some basic asanas, still if you think, that you can upgrade yourself to the next level, you may also try Ushtrasana, Pawan muktasana and naukasana.

How To Get Your Driving License in India in 2019

Before applying for my learning license, I thought that it would be nearly impossible to get my learners' license without the use of any third party service/ broker or without paying any bribe.But, hell yes! This is possible. Actually, brokers are not bad. I mean to say, they're of two types in my sense- Legitimate and Illegitimate.Legitimate And Illegitimate BrokersLegitimate brokers are those whom you'll find near the RTO (Regional transport office). They just help you with paperwork and you're supposed to do the rest of the office work yourself.Illegitimate Brokers are those which usually have a setting with the officers of RTO and after charging a certain fees they enable you to qualify for a license without giving the test.
Should You Think Of Hiring Any Broker?The question is upon you. If you are so busy so as not to afford an expenditure of two hours or if you can't step out of your comfort zone to face the crowd, then you can think of hiring a broker as he will make it easy for you.It was my craze that I must do everything on my own; but if I must be honest in a decent regard, it's not everyone's cup of tea.It's upon you, what you want. If you want convenience and comfort, you'll need to spend money. While if you want to save money, you'll need to step out of your comfort zone.There are many other factors to determine the answer. For example, I won't even think of my sisters facing that heavy crowd that I've faced. Though, they're bold, but still it's an unbearable thought.A cousin of mine recently got his driving license, he had to spend, 2000 rupees while it costed me just 1000 rupees.If you might want to know how the RTO of my city looks like, here you are. How To Get Your Learners' License On Your Own?The advent of internet has been a blessing for all. Registering for your learners' license is as easy as signing up for your facebook account. Visit the sarathi parivahan website. In the column of apply online, select New Learners' License. Fill all your details, after finishing the first stage, you'll get an application number. This is really important to continue. You'll get it texted on your registered mobile number as well. You must use only that mobile number which you can carry to the RTO.At my time, I registered my mom's number and it created a mess at the time of my screening at the RTO as an OTP was supposed to arrive at the registered number which was with mom at home.Well! It all cleared up.Anyways, upload the requisite documents next. Then pay the fee. I selected for two basic classes -Motor Cycle with Gear and Light Motor Vehicle which are applicable for bike and car respectively. So the calculated fees were INR 350.After fee payment, you book the slot right then.Documents You'll NeedThis is the topic where most of the people fail. As it's not clearly mentioned in the Sarathi's website that what documents you should carry. Well! I'm here to help you out.1. Aadhar CardYou should keep with you both the original and photocopies of Aadhar card with you. You have to submit the photocopy along with other documents. Original is just to show to the officer.2. 10 Passport Size PhotosThe pictures automatically printed on your online generated form are not enough. So, you should keep at least 10 passport size photos for emergency.3. Payment ProofYou should download and print the receipt of payment. This is also a required document in your license application.4. Undertaking FormYou won't find this document anywhere on internet. I don't know why. You can purchase it from any shop around the RTO itself.5. Envelope and StampsIt's better if you carry an envelope and stamps worth INR 50 with you beforehand. Write your name, postal address and phone number followed by 'to'. Stick the stamps.6. Acknowledgement ReceiptThis is basically your appointment letter stating the date and time of slot booked.7. FormsThere are two forms automatically generated which you'll have to get printed.8. 10th marksheetThis is required for an additional layer of verification.
Note- Keep some stationery with you, for e.g. Gum, stapler, pens etc.How To Pass The Learners' License Test?To pass the test, preparation is the key. If you are already aware of road signals, traffic signs etc. It's good, but I personally suggest you to prepare. In the Sarathi Parivahan Website, Under LLTest(stall) option, you'll be able to find a mock test which will guess suitably where you stand. It also has a downloadable PDF document having hundreds of questions. The learners' license test is made out of only those questions; there's no outside matter.If you pass, the learners' license will be posted shortly after screening and will reach to you in around one month. If you fail, pay INR 50 fine and try again.How To Get Your Driving License On Your Own?Disclaimer: I haven't yet got my driving license yet. I gave my driving test yesterday.
Getting your driving license is easier than getting your learners' license. But getting a learners' license is mandatory. After its date of issue, you can apply for driving license after 30 days. the learners' license is valid only for six months.The process is similar. Visit the sarathi parivahan website and fill in your details. But note it, this time they'll ask for your learners' license number. Basic details will automatically appear.If you're also appearing for the same class of vehicles like me, the fee is INR 1000. Book your slot and you're done.I won't dive into details of what you'll need as I've already covered many things in Learners' License Heading. Like you need to have your Aadhar Card, 10 passport size photos, payment proof, acknowledgement receipt ,the forms and 10th marksheet. You won't need undertaking form or envelope and stamps this time. But they'll ask for Learners' license (original) to be submitted. Buy a cardboard office file beforehand as you'll need to submit your documents by assembling them in it.Note- Keep some stationery with you, for e.g. Gum, stapler, pens etc.Driving License TestAfter your documents will be verified, all of them will be kept. Only your payment receipt will be signed by the concerned officer and will be returned to you. You'll be allotted a schedule of their testing space. My verification process was completed at 11.30 am. I was asked to appear at Transport Nagar, Bhopa Road to qualify for the driving test. I went there with my driver (gratitude! he taught me and was quite supportive during the entire process). Only five applicants were there. I got to know, that instead of appearing for test, many applicants just bribe through their brokers to get the license. After making us wait for 15 minutes, two officers arrived and asked us to be placed on our respective car seats and fasten our seat belts. We were further asked to keep the front two windows open.I read on internet the day before that it would be a 50 yard test. It must have been happening in metro cities, but in my city, it wasn't. Every applicant was asked to make a u-turn, apply brake on an inclined plane and take a reverse gear. Bingo!The receipts were taken from us. Officer told that the results will be announced after three days through a text on registered mobile number.
Note- I took our own car for test. You might do this as well. But if you can't arrange the car for the test, yoh can pay INR 760 after which the car would be arranged by the RTO.

It was just a matter of 5 minutes.After this test, I climbed up on Highway, cut through the Roorkee Road, took another Cut to Gandhi Colony and came back home.I hope you liked it. I expect that you might love to do this on your own. I'm not a broker, but just your brother. If you face any problem in the license process, either comment or email me at shivsangal@gmail.com. I'll try my best to help you.

Bloggers / Influencers Need To Be More Professional, If They Want To Make It Their Profession

Though, blogging to me is still a side hustle (as I'm a student), still, I've researched on various bloggers and influencers who make it their full-time profession. It sounds fancy, but it isn't. It has a lot of dedication and hard work involved. I started blogging in 2014 and got approved by brands for collaborations (barter basis) for the first time in 2018. So you see, there's a gap of 4 years here.
There are some bloggers who are able to avail sponsorship from brands within months of entering in this creative industry.
How some bloggers are successful, while some aren't?It might be because, those who've just started thinking it to be their full time business, they've generally sacrificed something, like job or any other financial opportunity. This means they're more willing to take the risk. Taking risk increases the chance of profit and so of losses. If they're able to succeed, they win the fortune of big sums of money otherwise, they've nothing left (in terms of financial security). Though, working on it as a side hustle can ensure your financial security and you can make it full time when you've stability of earnings in this field, but generally, such blogs grow at slow pace.
Requirement of NetworkingAnother factor which can be considered is Networking. You can do it both on the scale of offline and online. In online context, it is easier, but is risky as well (for your personal safety). Anyways, I sometimes leave comments on some credible blogs which are a bit known to me.
As I'm a blogger based in Muzaffarnagar (Don't expect me to tell the whole postal address, I'm not kind enough), it's not feasible enough for me to maintain my offline networks with fellow bloggers. I guess, I'm the only professional blogger of the city ( Many people keep on trying, I'm not counting them; I'm talking in context of the level of monetisation and keeping aside the big news websites etc.)
For networking, you need to be in contact with other bloggers and know about what they're writing about, the scenario and trends.
 Many brands organise meets to encourage networking in lieu of promoting themselves. Many media companies are on the same track these days but they're usually in big cities. I'm not interested in store launches anyway. I was once invited to a bloggers' workshop in Meerut and I even remember the date, it was 21st July 2018. I was desiring to attend that. But, do you know what, it wasn't feasible. Meerut is 57.7 km away from Muzaffarnagar, which means around Rs.500 spent on fuel and Rs.500 was the fee of workshop. So it's not easy for a small town blogger to maintain offline networks.
Brands I would love to work with If I must tell you what my friend asked me a few days ago, he asked if I would like to work with luxury brands; I denied as I wish to work with holistic or eco-friendly brands or at least some brands which have an off-the-beat concept. I often see the products of same brands with many bloggers which have ditto stats like mine. Look! There's no uniqueness of content. I really don't know why but I have a craze for holistic living. You can see my instagram profile in which I've shared several holistic changes which I've made in myself in the past few months.
Yes, earning money is the motive of this blog as without it, it might be a disgrace to your talent, but when I started blogging, this wasn't in my mind. So what I want to tell you is that I won't like to show what I ain't. I would like to review only those products, I would approve of.
If you're a brand or a representative and you think that you meet the criteria, you can email me at shivsangal@gmail.com for business.
Case1: A established unprofessional blogger.I followed a blogger on twitter around two months ago. She posted a tweet stating that she would like to get her ebook reviewed. I posted an enquiry. She immediately emailed it to me. Let me tell you, that was a cheap ebook, with literally no theme ( she discussed her favourite things in A to Z sequence), still it was gracefully written.
 It was agreed, that I would provide a blogpost, a tweet and a review on Goodreads. After tweeting and giving a review on goodreads. I asked her the price of the ebook before writing the blogpost as it was required to be mentioned.
She said it was free. I was literally mixed with the emotions and laughter. Should I really write the reviews of free products? Why would we review those products which are so easily available for free? I immediately replied that I won't blog about it as I only review paid products which hold some value.
She said, she has another ebook to offer for review (which was free as well). I replied again that I review only the products for sale. I further said that I can review her paid paperback books (Got to know from her profile) if she likes.
She said that to review them, I must buy them. Man!! I was astonished that a woman who is blogging since 2004 (it's one and a half decade) can be so unprofessional.
If I were supposed to supposed to review her paid book, she was supposed to send it to me for free and get the deliverables in exchange or she should have sent some monetary fees if required.
But this is worth thinking, why would I bother to buy that book, if I was supposed to review it. Even if I buy that book, why would I bother to review it as I'm not paid, neither in the form of money nor with any other deliverables.
Difference between a blogger and an influencerTo all the bloggers/influencers out here, I want to tell you something. Blogger and influencer are two different terms. Influencers are those people who make use of social media handles to share their opinions. While, Bloggers are those who make use of a blog or website to share their opinions.
An influencer with a blog can be called a blogger. A blogger with a good hand on social media can be called an influencer as well.
Think about why are brands willing to collaborate?Bloggers must understand that there are a lot of costs involved by the brand; The cost of product, profit margin, packaging and postal expenses to name a few, while some bloggers have no regard to it. They just think of it as a free product.
If you see every other person on instagram becoming an influencer, this must be the reason. They're tempted for free products.
What all of the people must realize is that brands are not collaborating with bloggers just because they've got money and stock in excess so that they must dispose it off in some way. It's because they're attracted by a certain blogger's profile and they find him capable of delivering good content so as to promote the prospective product to the predefined audience.
So you see, in this online creative industry credibility, stability and honesty are a must for everyone.

Do You Wear Denim? Leave It Now, It's TOXIC

So, finally I've made my mind that I'll never wear anything made of denim again. I think I should have taken this decision long ago. But then, it was just a feeling; today it is a decision.How All This Began?Three years back, when I was fifteen, one summer day, I felt, why was I feeling the urge to itch my legs the entire day. I checked that a patch of my skin had caught fungal infection. I applied an anti fungal cream and changed my clothes. I felt more comfortable then.That day I was wearing jeans but I knew that that was the reason only when the infection kept recurring and hurting. Finally, I decided to bring a change in my clothing.I opted for cotton shorts for most of my casual purposes; but jeans still played its part in formal events. if you might know, jeans is not formal (still what the people in the society around me consider formal is 'Bhare poore kapde' no matter what)In the winters of that year, I bought some soft trousers and pajamas.My height has grown hardly five to six inches in the past five years. So most of my clothes are same, though some faded or torn clothes have been replaced.That year, I had around fifteen pair of jeans. I decided to retire them, but after some time I decided to just keep four pairs in case they're needed in future.But just day before yesterday, I just took them out of my cupboard after I researched a lot on denims. In this article, I'd like to quote a few other articles as I'm not a scientist but just a person who is crazy over holistic living.Do You Really Need To Wear Denim?In nineteenth century, denim jeans was discovered by Levi Straus for gold miners. It proved to be quite versatile as the people didn't need to change it again and again. The fabric is strong enough.But if you're able to wear hygienic clothes, you certainly don't need to wear denim. Wear light and natural fabric which suits your body really well. You're a gift of god to the nature.As I've already experienced, wearing denim can cause fungal infection, as it neither absorbs sweat nor lets it come out. I've also experienced that it can hamper your blood circulation.Just try it at home. Wear a pair of shorts and do any physical activity. Then wear a pair of denim jeans and do the same physical activity for the same time. After wearing which outfit did you feel more tired?Harms Your Dear Denim Jeans Is Causing.As per an article written by Priyadarshini Muduli on www.mostinside.com, Wearing jeans can be a cause of Nerve Damage, Yeast Infection, Blood Clot, Abdominal Pain, Infertility/sterility and back pain.If you might be wondering that you don't have any of these diseases, I don't suggest you to wait for these symptoms; instead leave it right now.Harms Wearing Denim Jeans Can Cause To The Environment.According to an article on Youthkiawaaz.com  by Isha Chitnis, "That trending distressed, denim-wash look blue jeans have is the result of several chemical-heavy washes. Fabric printing and dyeing involves heavy metals like cadmium, sulphur, lead and mercury, which are chemicals you wouldn’t usually want to deal with. These chemicals from washing, along with the blue dye which is used on a monumental scale (remember the 2.5 million pairs of jeans a day?) is let untreated into the rivers nearby."
According to another article on Greenpeace.org which gave a coverage to the Chinese textile towns of Xintang and Gurao, " Xintang is famous as the "Jeans Capital of the World" - it produces over 260 million pairs of jeans a year, equivalent to 60% of China's total jeans production, and 40% of the jeans sold in the US each year."
ConclusionWhat we know as jeans was just made for those people who are engaged in professions where they don't need to change their clothes everyday, for e.g miners, travelers (read my travel stories here). But, If we're able to live in a healthy environment, we should opt for sustainable clothing. Denim jeans are a cause of many diseases, Nerve Damage, Yeast Infection, Blood Clot, Abdominal Pain, Infertility/sterility and back pain to name a few. Apart from this heavy metals like cadmium, sulphur, lead and mercury are used which are an additional havoc. They end up in water bodies as well which deprives the right of the people of associated areas to clean water.Related Posts-4 Ideas To Promote Holistic Health Through School CanteensHow I Stopped Using Toothpaste? (Yes! I Exist)11 Ways Stopping Watching T.V Helped Me.5 Ways To Dispose Old Books