Thursday, May 24, 2012

Improve Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency


Be it UPA, BJP or any other acronym at the Centre, petrol prices will again head northwards. We can only feel helpless in the face of recurring and economy-driven price fluctuations.  Seeking measures to improve fuel economy is the only way to combat rising fuel prices. Do not disregard these simple guidelines; each little step can really start adding up to significant savings to your budget.
Do Fuel Quality/Types/Additives Help Mileage?
Petrol pump attendants often try to convince you to go for 'Speed petrol' or 'X-tra Mile diesel'. But this need not necessarily help improve your vehicle's fuel efficiency. Always use the grade recommended for the vehicle by the manufacturer. Higher octane fuel may not only be a waste of money but may harm the vehicle, as well. However sticking to one brand of fuel is always good for the engine. Know more about Octane Ratings
Keep the Windows Closed
Driving with your windows open considerably reduces mileage, far more than keeping the AC on while driving along highways. So preferably keep the windows closed and the AC on if you want to keep cool. Of course the air-conditioning decreases fuel efficiency considerably, so use it judiciously.Windows down or A/C on — which is more fuel-efficient?
Refill in the morning/late evening
During these times petrol is densest. Keep in mind - fuel pumps measure volumes of petrol, not densities of fuel concentration. You are charged according to "volume of measurement". [viaHowToAdvice.com]
Check Tyre Pressure
Keeping the tyres well inflated is one of the simplest things you can do to help improve your car's fuel efficiency. You can improve the mileage by about 3.3 percent if you keep your tyres inflated properly, according to the DOE.
Lighten Your Load
Empty out your boot of unnecessary items. For every extra 45 kg you carry, your fuel efficiency can drop by 1-2% in a typical vehicle.
S-L-O-W D-O-W-N
The faster you drive, the more fuel you use. Driving within the speed limit recommended by the manufacturer helps save fuel. Driving just 5mph over the speed limit can affect fuel economy by up to 23%. Likewise, quick acceleration consumes too much fuel; accelerate slowly and gradually.
Tune Your Engine
A well-tuned engine can improve fuel economy by up to 4%. So change your oil and follow your car manufacturer's recommendation on servicing.
Clean the Air Filters Regularly
Air filters keep impurities from damaging your engine. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve fuel economy by as much as 10%.
Don't Be a Clutch-Driver
Never keep your foot on the clutch while driving. When you do this, pressure is being placed on your clutch, and it not only reduces mileage, but also wears out the clutch plate, replacing which is not cheap.
Keep the Car in Showroom Condition
It's always prudent to keep the car in the showroom condition. Remember that any modification to the car, such as broad tyres, diffusers etc., will adversely affect the mileage.
Got another tip?
I'm sure there are more tips that you have tried and found to be productive. Please share them with others, too.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

What To Do If You Lose Your Wallet


Having your wallet get lost or stolen is certainly a distressing event. Following several precautions as a general rule in case of loss or theft can help to minimize the damages in case this unpleasant event happens to you. If you do lose your wallet, you should also take quick action so that you'll suffer fewer repercussions.
Cancel Your Credit Cards
To minimize thieves' opportunities to use your cards and rack up charges, you'll want to be particularly proactive when it comes to canceling your credit cards. Even though you may not be required to pay fraudulent charges that are made with your cards, you do have a responsibility to report the cards missing or stolen as soon as you realize that they're gone. Call the phone numbers for all of your credit card providers and report it to them. Remember to call the providers of your retail credit cards as well as your major credit card providers.

Report It to the Police
If you do find that fraudulent charges have been made on your card, you will definitely want to call the police immediately. Fraud is a criminal offense, and the police can take steps to intervene if someone is currently attempting to commit fraud with the use of your credit cards and personal information. Reporting the missing wallet to police is also wise in case your wallet happens to be turned in by an honest citizen. Be sure to get a copy of the police report as well. You may need the police file number when reporting the incident to other agencies.

Contact Your Bank and Insurance Companies
You definitely want to let any financial institutions and insurance companies you deal with know that your wallet's been stolen and that your personal information has been compromised. Your bank can note the incident on your account and help you to close any accounts that have been affected. You should monitor your bank accounts closely in the weeks and months that follow to ensure that your accounts are not being used without your knowledge. Also, you will need to change your PIN as soon as possible if the thief has somehow obtained it. Your insurance company may also provide some kind of protection against identity theft, so you should alert them to the incident as well.

Contact the Credit Bureaus
It is especially important to contact the credit bureaus if your credit information or your Social Security card was in your wallet, because you don't want to be the victim of identity theft. Thieves can use this information to obtain new credit cards in your name, thus damaging your credit rating in the process. The primary credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and Transunion) can place restrictions on your credit record so that if anyone attempts to apply for credit using your information, the creditor will have to contact you first to verify that it is you who is making the application.

Replace Your Identification
Since most people tend to keep their driver's license, health insurance information and a variety of other forms of identification in their wallets, you'll need to obtain new copies of all these documents. Report the loss of your driver's license to the Department of Motor Vehicles and obtain a new card. If you have any other forms of identification that were present in your wallet you'll need to obtain new copies of these documents as well. Government documents typically require you to go through a formal application process where you will have to provide proof of identity. The type of identity required depends upon the type of document you'll be replacing, so you should check with your state's guidelines on this. For this reason, it's a good idea not to carry all forms of identification in your wallet at the same time.

Take Stock of the Contents
Write a list of everything that was in your wallet. You probably have a number of store loyalty cards, membership cards and rewards cards. You can contact these card providers and ask them to issue new cards or membership numbers so that whoever has your wallet can't use them. Keep in mind that some cards may operate similarly to a credit card - such as a library card. Someone who obtains your wallet illegally can use your library card to borrow items from the library under your name, which you'll later be responsible for.

Before You Ever Leave Home
There are a number of things you should do before you ever leave home in order to ensure that if your wallet is lost or stolen that the process will be much less of an inconvenience. First and foremost, remove all unnecessary identification and store it in a safe place. Don't carry your Social Security card with you. This card makes it far too easy for dishonest people to take advantage of you. Also, remove any store credit cards that you rarely use. This way you won't have to report as many missing cards. You should also make detailed lists of the items you typically carry in your wallet, including card numbers and phone numbers to call should your card go missing. Making photocopies of cards and identification can make quick work of this process. Just bear in mind that you'll need to store copies of this information somewhere secure as well.

The Bottom Line
Being the victim of theft, any kind of theft, is stressful. Be smart about what you carry around in your wallet so that you can avoid unnecessary stresses. You should also keep your records at home complete and up-to-date so that you won't have to search all over the house for the documents and information you need to make all your reports and to obtain replacement copies of your lost identification. Keep in mind that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The more you do to prevent theft, the less likely it is to occur. Carry your wallet in a safe place - a pocket or inside a purse that's not easily reached into. Close any zippers and buttons to ensure that your belongings are as well concealed as possible. It only takes a few extra moments to put things away carefully, and those few seconds of time could save you hours of heartache and inconvenience in the long run.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

The other way to make good money

With increasing income, investments other than equity, fixed income and gold are gaining popularity, especially with high net worth individuals. The reason they look at alternative and exotic investments is diversification and increasing returns. While alternative investments also have the potential for substantial capital appreciation, often in excess of traditional investments, they have a larger probability of collapsing too, increasing the risk. However, some alternatives, such as commodities can hedge your portfolio in a market crisis.


ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
While almost anything that has tangible value can qualify for an alternative investment, a couple of ideas have become very popular among investors in the last 10 years.
Private equity funds are one of the most popular alternatives in India, with hundreds of domestic and foreign funds available to the Indian investor. PE funds are essentially a pooled vehicle for investing in unlisted emerging companies that have substantial growth potential, as opposed to mutual funds that invested in listed and more mature companies. PE funds take large stakes in their companies and often play an operational role and bear higher risk than equity mutual funds. Because of the additional risk, they should provide substantial additional return, 25-30 per cent a year, where listed equities return 15-20 per cent. Among financial assets, hedge funds—alternative strategies that use instruments such as commodities, currencies and equity derivatives to generate returns uncorrelated to the market—are also now finding favour in India. Film funds are also another unique asset class—pooled vehicles investing in selected film projects—and a number have already been launched and gained investor traction.
Among physical assets, wine is an asset that has been recognised as an asset class of its own, with the London International Viners Exchange setting up a benchmark for wine that tracks the top 100 wines. Wine, either bought as individual bottles and stored in cellars, or in the form of wine funds managed by a professional (available in the US and UK), has typically returned 10-15 per cent annually over the years, comparable to the performance of global equities. The return of course has varied greatly by fund and bottle vintage. A broader asset class of collectibles, such as stamps and coins, has also found favour with investors. Coin investing—picking up rare coins from around the world that have unique aesthetic value and will appreciate—is popular as investors look at coins in gold, silver, and other precious metals. Stamp collecting—collecting postage stamps that will appreciate over a 15-plus year period, has a 100-plus year history as a collectible asset class, with well-known strategies for stamp investing. Art—whether collected in individual form as unique paintings or sculptures, or in a pooled vehicle as a fund—has also caught on with investors, although the launch of the first art fund in India (Osian's fund by Neville Tuli) had left investors with a bitter taste.

THE RISKS OF ALTERNATIVES
Exotic investing is high on risk. For one, most physical and financial alternative asset classes are illiquid. It is virtually impossible to get your funds if (a) you suddenly need the money, or (b) there is a market crisis and the investment is not performing in the interim. Pooled vehicles have experienced this first hand; Osian's art fund eventually shut down for this reason.
Holding costs are also a challenge for physical assets. Wine, stamps, coins and art when bought in an individual capacity (rather than a fund structure) do not live in demat and fund form, and your inventories can quickly build up. Storage costs are non-trivial, and storage quality is very important. The right storage can make all the price difference for two wine bottles after a 15-year period.
Valuations and the lack of transparency in them is also a difficult issue with exotics. Unlike equities and commodities that have tradable prices, wine bottles, sculptures and two year old tech companies don't list on the NSE and, typically, bias gets in the way of their valuation. Moreover, there are no known benchmark like the Nifty to measure performance.
Finally, what influences the prices of these products is ultimately out of our hands. The coin market, for instance, can be drastically affected by the government's coinage policies—stopping putting silver in coinage or changing mintage policies—which we may have 
no idea about!

REGULATION OR THE LACK OF IT
One of the biggest challenges with alternatives is the lack of regulation around the asset class. Financial investments such as private equity funds, for instance, are regulated under the Sebi Venture Capital Regulations or the Portfolio Manager Regulations, as are some hedge fund-like products, but reporting standards are hazy at best.
The proposed Sebi Alternative Investment Fund regulations is likely to correct many of the problems and create clear structures for PE/VC/Hedge Fund investing.
The situation for physical asset classes is even more complex. Like Osian's now-defunct art fund, wine funds and stamp funds, too, are completely unregulated. Besides the problem with both financial assets, such as PE funds, and physical assets, such as wine, the underlying asset (not the fund) is also not regulated. In these, you are really investing on faith!
SHOULD YOU INVEST?
With all the risks and rewards known, should you invest in exotics? As usual, it depends your investment sophistication. If you have not covered basic asset classes such as equities, debt and commodities, it is too early to start thinking alternatives. However, if you have got the basics in place, you should start, with a couple of caveats in mind.
The most important is start small. Only invest what is purely excess risk capital that can be tied up at least for 5-plus years (don't expect multibaggers in two years) and with which you can take serious risks. Finally, alternatives should be no more than 5-10 per cent of your total portfolio.
INVESTMENT PLANS
As with a traditional investment, it is important to have a strategy and do the right due diligence.
Focus on quality. Wine, art, stamps and unlisted companies are already so exotic that, within this pool, one should focus on quality. Invest in a few quality assets, particularly if you are buying in the physical form as a large numbers of assets add to storage costs and pare returns. Stay clued into the investment market. With physical assets, find the right storage options.
Buy from reputed dealers, agents and distributors. With financial assets, ask the private banker for all the due diligence and with a physical product, do a check on ethics, past history and track record. Beware of large upfront fees, and check the prices and commissions. If it seems too high or too low, there is probably an issue. Portals for wines, stamps and collectibles can give you an idea of prices.
When choosing a fund, look at its track record, particularly during tough times. Check how carefully 
performance is calculated and ask for audited numbers; see if the fund has returned money back to investors on time. With private equity, check the exit track record of the manager because mark-to-market return means little. Check on fund size, and invest in funds that have the right size for an asset class. Assets of `1,000 crore may be too much for a venture fund, while `1 crore too little for a film fund.
Alternatives are definitely a worthwhile space to pursue, when done in the right quantity and with the right approach.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

5 beauty bummers an how to beat them


BRITTLE, DISCOLOURED NAILS

WHAT CAUSES IT: We often think that leaving on nail polish too long can lead to yellow nails, which are also easily breakable. While that is true, the biggest culprit that causes yellow brittle nails is a fungal infection. "Nail discolouration could be due to fungal infections, trauma, calcium deficiency and other hereditary nail disorders. In most cases, discoloured nails are a result of infections with common fungi that can be found in the air, dust and soil. Chronic medical conditions like diabetes can also affect the appearance of nails," says Dr Simal Soin, dermatologist, Three Graces, New Delhi. "Brittle nails or nails that are prone to breaking show vitamin and mineral deficiency. It can also be due to a long-term habit of nail biting," adds Dr Indu Tolani, dermatologist, Clinic Dermatec, New Delhi .

TACKLE IT: Proper hygiene is very important to fight against fungal nails. It is also recommended not to apply polish to nails suspected of infection. In case of severe problems it is better to consult a doctor rather than stick to home remedies. Dr Soin advices that if nails get brittle as well as discoloured, see a doctor for prescription medicines. Agrees Tolani, who suggests that you need to treat the infection first. "Oral calcium and Vitamin D3 supplements and oral antifungal medications can be prescribed. Locally nail lacquers are used to improve fungal infections," adds Soin.

QUICK FIX: If you have brittle nails that are prone to breakage, then you can camouflage this by opting for artificial gel. UK-based nail and hair expert Pammy Kaul suggests that gel-based artificial nails are the best solution for women with nails that refuse to grow. "The gel nails are easy to apply and you have the option of deciding on your nail length. They are also gentle on the nails. In fact we have found that people with nail-biting problems actually forget to bite their nails once they start wearing gel-based nails." To strengthen the
nail bed of brittle nails, Tolani suggests that you apply coconut oil every night on your nails. During the day, keep the nails shiny and strong by massaging
in Vaseline.



DRY, DARK KNEES AND ELBOWS

WHAT CAUSES IT: The skin around the knees and elbows is thicker by comparison, and tends to have more pigment than the rest of our body. But constant rubbing and dry skin conditions can actually make the areas darker, drier and harder as time passes. "Many women also get dark pigmentation around their neck, along with their knees and elbows, which is caused by sun exposure, and sometimes it can be due to an allergic reaction to the hair colour that you use. For many, it can also be due to atopic dermatitis, where you will notice thickening and scaling of the skin," explains Tolani.

TACKLE IT: If your dark knees, elbows and neck are due to dryness, try this: use a good body scrub and spend a little extra time during your shower sloughing off the dead skin layer. Do not rub too hard. Pat the area dry and apply rich body butter. Another useful home remedy: mix lemon juice with olive oil and fine sugar granules, apply on the dark, dry areas, rub gently and wash off with tepid water. This works both to lighten the area and moisturise it. When heading out in the sun, you can apply whitening body lotion to ensure that your skin is protected from the sun and extra pigment production.

FIX IT: Tolani says that it is not always possible to completely wipe away pigmentation, but you can lighten it with whitening peels. Always consult a dermatologist if you are planning any treatment. In case of atopic dermatitis, your dermatologist will be able to prescribe the right treatment depending on the stage of your condition.



PATCHY SKIN, UNEVEN PIGMENTATION

WHAT CAUSES IT: Uneven melanin deposition under the skin leads to patchy skin or pigmentation. Pigmentation can appear on your face in two different forms-big patches or as small brown spots. In most cases, the sun is the biggest culprit. Photo damage to the skin leads to melanin getting concentrated in one area. Pigmentation, especially the patchy kinds, is caused by hormonal imbalance. During pregnancy, many women get dark patches on their face and body due to increased hormone levels. In most cases, this kind of pigmentation subsides once the baby is born. However if the pigmentation persists even after delivery, it is important to check with a doctor. 

TACKLE IT: First and foremost you have to protect your skin from the sun, and then use products that have melanin inhibitors so that your skin can get even toned, advises Dr Belliappa BR, consultant dermatologist Apollo Hospital, Bengaluru. You have to protect your skin from the harmful rays as your first line of defence. You can use skin brightening creams which have sunscreen and melanin blockers. While the cosmetic products show results to a certain extent, for real effectiveness, try medicated anti-pigment lotions and creams as they have a higher ingredient potency. 

FIX IT: Besides using concealers and camouflage make-up, check with your doctor for the actual cause of pigmentation on your face. Belliappa says that laser treatments are a good option to wipe away patchy skin. He also suggests going for lightening peels which can help you deal with pigmentation to quite an extent. In case the pigmentation is very strong, check with your dermatologist for prescription pills.



HAIRY FACE, CHEST, NECK AND BACK

WHAT CAUSES IT: Hirsutism or excessive hair on your face, chest, neck and back is often caused by hormonal imbalance. Informs Soin, "Strong and excessive hair growth on the chest, back and neck could be indicative of a medical condition called idiopathic hirsutism. The excessive hair growth can also occur due to polycystic ovarian disease." 

TACKLE IT: The easiest way to tackle excessive hairiness, especially on your face, is to go for regular threading sessions. It can be a painful affair. If your hair quality is thin then you can also bleach the area. However Tolani suggests opting for laser hair removal for long-term results.

FIX IT: It is advisable that you seek the help of a doctor if the growth is dense or you notice a gradual increase in hair density. "In the case of idiopathic hirsutism, the treatment must aim to stop or at least slow down the formation of new terminal hair growth. Generally, the treatment procedure includes three steps, androgen suppression if it involves androgen excess problem; peripheral androgen blockade; and mechanical or cosmetic removal and destruction of unwanted hair," advises Soin.


CELLULITE OR ORANGE PEEL

WHAT CAUSES IT: Cellulite has very little to do with being thin or fat. Cellulite is the orange peel appearance of the skin on the thighs which has to do with hormonal, hereditary and postpartum causes.

TACKLE IT: The best plan to minimise the appearance of cellulite and stop its proliferation is to strengthen the fibres of the connective tissue so that no more fat can permeate into the dermis," says Soin. Some positive changes in lifestyle like a diet comprising salads and fruits over fried snacks, and keeping oneself well hydrated may also help to manage cellulite. "Regular exercises that help drain toxins from the body is also important in dealing with cellulite," adds Tolani.

FIX IT: While you cannot ever banish cellulite from your body, you can try cellulite treatments such as mesocellulite, LPG, Triactive laser and thermage. Both Soin and Tolani stress on the point that the anti-cellulite treatments should be done by a trained person-the treatment can help reduce cellulite by about 20 per cent. Both the doctors also say that creams selling the anti-cellulite dream do not work because they cannot penetrate deep under the skin. "Because of its structure under our skin, cellulite can recur after treatment, and in most cases never go away," explains Soin. So stay informed and make the right beauty choices.

Monday, April 2, 2012

How To Remove Pimples Fast



Whether you choose to call it acne, zits, pimples or spots, know that you're not alone. Over 80% of teenagers will experience an outbreak of pimples at some point, which means science and reason have worked overtime to devise ways to treat them as quickly as possible (the demand is certainly right up there).

Before we begin looking at how best to deal with them, a few must-know facts are in order. Below the surface of our skin, the sebaceous glands produce sebum in order to lubricate our skin and keep it moist. Sometimes they can become overactive and block the pores of our skin and cause -- you know it -- pimples. It is important to realize that while not every treatment may work, and outbreaks can re-occur and become persistent in certain individuals, they are neither dangerous nor contagious.Removing pimples fast, therefore, becomes a question of aesthetics (which is also undoubtedly important) rather than a health concern.

Our Plan Of Action
 
There are many ways to treat acne, from home remedy tricks to commercial products. We'll deal with them all briefly and work our way to long-term solutions to keep them off.
Home Remedies 

 Salt water method - Take a bucket or container and fill it with warm water. Once it's almost full you're going to add a copious amount of salt to it. When I say copious, I mean a lot. Keep going until it's really salty, then add a little more simply because you can't go wrong. Dip a cotton ball into the solution for a minute or so and then apply it gently to the pimple in question and hold it there for several minutes (patience is the key). When you remove it you may be surprised to find that it may have discolored somewhat, great! But we're not done yet. Now dip two more cotton balls and flatten the spot by pressing firmly from either side of it.
  • Garlic - Garlic contains natural antibiotic properties that can take care of zits. Rub a clove of garlic on the spot in question several times a day, avoid doing this on date-night for obvious reasons!
  • Cucumber - Covering the spot in question with grated cucumber for fifteen minutes can be used to treat and prevent pimples. Especially good at removing post-zit removal marks on the skin.
  • Lemon and orange peel paste - Break down lemon and orange peels and mix it with water, flour and honey to make a viscous paste which can be applied to any part of the body which houses pimples.

    Commercial Remedies

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This article isn't about advocating any commercial solution over another, I may mention one or two names in passing, but my focus will be on active ingredients rather than brand names.
  • Benzoyl peroxide - Is a substance which directly attacks the bacteria that causes the breakout (propionibacteria acnes).
  • Proactiv® - A very popular treatment that involves three distinct steps (you can read more about their pimple removal steps here).
  • Laser Treatment - If speed and severity are key, laser treatment can level the playing field after a week or so. I only really recommend this if it's a bad outbreak since it can be horribly expensive as well as mildly annoying.
  • Sulphur Based - Commercial products based on sulphur products try and catalyze removal of dead skin, thereby freeing the clogged up pores. Not a rapid solution, but a natural one.
  • Acupuncture - If taking medicine of any kind isn't really your thing, acupuncture has reported some success over the course of a handful of session.


    Antibiotics - Some people may be prescibed oral antibiotics such as Tetracycline in order to combat acne. I have some personal reservations about this -- but they are personal.


    Types Of Pimple
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Know thy enemy. There are various kinds of pimples, learn to tell them apart!
  • Whiteheads - Flesh colored and minute.
  • Blackheads - Often confused with dirt.
  • Cysts - Painful and contain pus.
  • Papules - Pink solid and round.
  • Nodules - Akin to papules but bigger.
  • Pustules - Visibly contain pus on top, red below.

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Friday, March 30, 2012

12 Poses to Stay Youthful Always


1. Namaskar Mudra: Stand straight with your feet together, hands by the side. Now, bring your palms close to your chest in namaskar mudra and breathe normally. Benefit: Pose 1 and 12 help retain balance and strenghtens your back, neck and shoulders.

2. Back bending Chakrasana: Inhale and raise your hands. Now, arch your back and stretch your arms upwards as much as you can. Once in this position, breathe normally. Benefit: Pose 2 and 11 help with digestion and tone the arms and spine. They also make back and hips more flexible.

3. Padahastasana: Exhale and bend forward. Touch your toes without bending your knees. Look downwards and breathe normally. Benefit: Pose 3 and 10 increase blood circulation and stimulate the lymphatic system. They also tone abdominal tracts.

4. Ashwa Sanchalanasana: Inhale and place your palms on the floor. Now bend your right leg (between your hands), at a 90degree angle from the floor. Stretch your left leg backwards and arch your back. Then look upwards and breathe normally. Benefit: Pose 4 and 9 help build hand and wrist muscles.

5. Santolasana: Exhale and place your right leg behind you, aligned to your left leg. Make sure your hands are aligned below, with your shoulders. Your shoulders, back and hips should be in a straight line. Once you're in this posture, breathe normally. Benefit: Pose 5 and 8 strengthen your heart and relieve shoulder ache.

6. Shashtanga Mudra: Bend your elbows, chin, chest and knees towards the floor. Tuck your elbows on the sides and close to the body. Then, raise close to the body. Then, raise your hips and breathe normally. Benefit: Pose 6 strengthens your arms and legs, increases flexibility in the neck and shoulders and helps release tension in the neck and shoulders.

7. Sarpasana: Inhale and raise your upper body up to your elbows, your chin raised upwards. Bend your shoulders backwards. Your waist should touch the floor. Breathe normally. Benefit: This asana stimulates circulation in abdominal organs, aids your digestive tract and stretches your body.

8. Parvatasana: Exhale; raise your hips pushing the upper body, keeping your heels on the floor. Keep your knees straight and face downwards-with your eyes on the navel region. Once in position, breathe normally. Benefit: See Pose 5. It stimulates blood circulation and helps strengthen arms and wrists.

9. Ashwa Sanchalanasana: Place your left leg forward, in between your hands and inhale. Now arch your back, raise your chin and keep your palms flat on the floor. Breathe normally once you are in this posture. Benefit: See Pose 4. It also exercises your spine and arms.

10. Padahastasana: Bring your left leg forward (towards your right leg), keeping your knees straight. Touch your toes while keeping your neck relaxed. Once you attain this posture, breathe normally. Benefit: See Pose 3. It also stretches your back and leg muscles.

11. Back Bending Chakrasana: Bring your palms together, inhale, raise your hands and upper body and arch your back. Breathe normally once you attain this posture. Benefit: See Pose 2. It helps tone arms and shoulders. 12. Namaskar Mudra: Come back to the starting position slowly, while exhaling. Benefit: See Pose 1. It also stimulates the respiratory system.

Surya namaskar is a sequence of yoga poses that counter the many effects of ageing. Apart from physical benefits, it helps with the digestive and nervous systems.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Childhood Memories


Truly awesome one!!!!!!!


If you have Played this game.. You had an awesome Childhood

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Something that a school kid has always Dreamt of.. :D
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You must have definitely done this in your childhood :D
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Pen Fighting..
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Still remember these 'CANDIES'..
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That Mini Heart Attack Moment :P
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Hey Mario..!! Remember me..??
I wasted my childhood saving your Girlfriend.. :P
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Color man Color man What color do you want :P
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Can't Forget This moment !!!!
Childhood Hair Cutting in Sunday morning !!!
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Bundoo se bana hua choota sa samundar, Paani se bheegi choti si basti, Chalo dhoond le baarish me Bachpan ki yadoon ko, Haath me lekar kaagaz ki kashti. !!
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