Electricity saving Tips - At Office

- Change your laptop's display setting for an optimum brightness; with full brightness the electricity consumption increases, hence the battery drains out quickly & need to recharge it increases. Same thoughts apply to mobile phones as well as your computer's monitor

- Switch off your monitor while leaving workplace

- Similarly, if you're listening to songs on your system, ensure to close the application (or put the currently playing song on pause) if you've to move away from the system for a while. The idea is minimum amount of hardware should be in use (preferably zero), when the user is not around

- If possible, preferably shut down your PC when leaving office

- Instead of keeping your laptop connected to main power supply continuously, do it only when required

- Same concept applies to charging your mobile phones also

- Whenever not using, shut down the PC or laptop; instead of putting it in sleep mode

- If you've to come to office on a holiday, then avoid bringing up the central air conditioning system (if feasible)

- Similarly, on a holiday, switch on the lights of only your area. I've seen people switching the lights on of entire hall, even during daytime

- Instead of using automatic hand dryer or paper towel in washrooms, go traditional - bring and use your own handkerchief

- Avoid lift, use stairs. Good for health also & might reduce medical bills as well :)

Water saving tricks

Well, there are plenty of tricks available; here a few that I found interesting (& use them myself):

- Take 1 or 2 plastic bottles (that are to be thrown as garbage), put cap on them tightly & throw them in flush. That way the amount of water to be used with each flush would reduce significantly. Experiment with no. of bottles suitable for your flush

- Use bucket for bathing instead of shower

- If you must use shower, then use the 3-minute rule: i.e. the shower should be in use for maximum 3 minutes. Water should not be wasted while you're applying soap / shampoo etc. If you feel that 3 minutes is too small duration for you then figure out the minimum time suitable for yourself (but keep in mind, lower the time used, lesser would be the water wasted)

- If you intend to use bathtub, then fill water only upto 1/3rd level

- Keep the taps closed while shaving / brushing your teeth. Open them only when you actually need water

- Don’t throw away the water after washing vegetables & clothes; use it in the garden

- Use washing machine / dishwasher only when they're loaded to full capacity. This would help with your electricity bill also

- Similarly, if you're changing water from your aquarium, use the old water for your plants

- Use bucket for cleaning your vehicle (i.e. don't wash your car/bike using hosepipe). Use body covers for car so that you won't need to wash the car daily

- Go for rain water harvesting or water recharging in your home (very very efficient way of sav
ing water). I know this because I live in a place where water is scarce; and after I got this system installed at my home 3 years back, I haven't faced any water shortage

- Teach kids about the importance of saving water. Kids could be very effective sources of wasting as well as saving water :)

Self Care - Constipation

This has been long pending. Many people have asked me if I've any tips related to constipation. So, here is a small list; compiled from various sources (including grandma's tips).

First, some of the common causes of constipation:
- Irregular eating habits
- Lack of physical exerices
- Inadequate water intake
- Lack of roughage in meals
- Regualr intake of spicy food, junk food
- Mental tension

Now, some techniques to help in constipation:

- Increase your water intake

- Increase roughage in your meals

- Have at least 2 glasses of lukewarm water in the morning; then walk for few minutes

- Soak a teaspoon cumin seeds in water for 10-12 hours; boil the water, strain it & drink (when it becomes lukewarm) in the night before going to bed

- Drinking hot milk with honey in night also helps

- Isabgol husk can also be taken with warm milk / water before bedtime

- Grapes also help in constipation. Alternatively, soak few kishmish (golden raisins) for few hours; later chew them and drink the water in which those were soaked

- Have Amla (Goose Berry) during its season to get rid of constipation

Self Care - Breathing Therapy

This one came to me via a forwarded email:

The nose has a left and a right side and we use both to inhale and exhale. Actually they are different; the right side represents the sun, left side represents the moon. In other words, right side belongs to 'hot', so it gets heated up easily; whereas left side belongs to 'cold'.

During a headache, try to close your right nostril and use your left nostril to breathe. In about 5 mins, your headache would be gone.

If you feel tired, just reverse, close your left nostril and breathe through your right nostril; after a while, you will feel your mind is refreshed.

Vitamins & their functions

Here is a small ( & incomplete ) list of main vitamins and their main functions in human body:

Vitamin A (aka retinol):
- Good vision
- Hair growth
- Healthy skin
- Acts as anti-oxidant
- Guards against bacterial & viral infections
- Lowers blood cholesterol level

Vitamin D:
- Maintains levels of calcium & phosphorus in blood
- Helps in developing strong bones
- Prevent Rickets


Vitamin E:
- Powerful antioxidant
- Helps in smooth blood flow

Vitamin K:
- Essential for blood clotting
- Helps in absorption of calcium

Vitamin C:
- Helps in repairing of body tissues
- Helps in treating cold
- Reduces risk of getting certain kinds of cancer
- Helps in preventing cataracts
- Can regulate blood sugar to some extent thus helping in diabetes


PS: Please keep in mind that I'm not a health professional, this is the information that I've come to know about during normal day to day life. Please consult a qualified professional before making any decision. Also, if you find that any information mentioned here is inaccurate, please leave a comment & I will take necessary steps.

Vegetables, fruits & their names in Hindi

Amarnath Leaves - Chaulayi
Apple - Seb
Artichoke / Colocasia - Arbi / Ghuiyan
Ashgourd / White gourd - Petha
Banana - Kela
Beet Root - Chukandar
Bitter Gourd - Karela
Bottle Gourd / Marrow - Lauki
Brinjal / Eggplant - Baingan
Broad/Butter Beans - Sem
Cabbage - Patta Gobhi
Capsicum/Bell Pepper - Shimla Mirch
Carrot - Gajar
Cauliflower - Phool Gobhi
Chilli - Mirch
Cluster Beans - Gawaar Phali
Cow peas - Lobhia / Barbati
Coconut - Nariyal
Colocasia / Artichoke - Arbi / Ghuiyan
Coriander / Cilantro - Dhania
Corn - Bhutta
Cucumber - Kheera/Kakdi
Custard Apple - Sharifa
Dates - Khajoor
Drumstick - Shahjan
Dry Plums - Aloo Bhukhara
French Beans - Phali
Fenugreek - Methi
Garlic - Lasan
Ginger - Adrak
Goose berry - Amla
Grapes - Angoor
Green Berry - Ber
Green Chillies - Hari Mirch
Green Mango (Raw) - Ambi / Kaacha Aam
Guava - Amrood
Jackfruit - Kathal
Jambu Fruit - Jamun
Kohlrabi - Ganth Gobhi
Lady Finger/Okra - Bhindi
Lemon - Nimboo
Lettuce - Salad ke Patte
Lime - Nimbu
Little Gourd / Ivy Gourd / Gentleman's toes - Kundru
Lotus stem - Kamal Kakdi/Bhein
Mango - Aam
Maskmelon/Cantalope - Kharbooja
Mint Leaves - Pudina
Mulberry - Shahtoot
Mushroom - Khumbi / Kukurmutta
Mustard Leaves - Sarson ka saag
Olive - Jaitoon
Onion - Pyaaz
Orange - Santra
Papaya - Papita
Parsley - Ajmoda Ka Patta
Pear - Nashpati
Peas - Matar
Pineapple - Ananas
Plantain (green) - Hara Kela
Plantain Flower - Kela Ka Phool
Plum / Prune - Aloobukhara
Pomegranate - Anar
Potato - Aaloo
Prune / Plum - Aloobukhara
Pumpkin - Kaddu
Radish - Mooli
Sappotta - Chiku
Spring Onions - Hara Pyaaz
Spinach - Palak
Sweet Potato - Shakarkand
Sweet Lime - Mausambi
Star Fruit - Kamrak
Tomato - Tamatar
Turnip - Shaljam
Water Melon - Tarbooj
Water Chestnuts - Singhara
Yam - Jimikand
Zucchini - Torai / Turayi / Taroi

Self care - Tips for maintaining Immune system

- Be active; walk, work, play, exercise.... try to involve some amount of activity in your day to day life

- Get sufficient amount of sleep

- Eat fresh

- If you eat junk food, then limit the frequency (although ideal situation would be to give up junk food entirely, but that doesn't sound much feasible). For e.g., if someday I consume junk food, then I try to ensure that at least for next 1 week I stay away from junk food.

- Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day

- Avoid touching items available for public usage. For e.g., instead of using a towel in restaurant's washroom, carry your own hanky.

- Avoid taking anti-biotics every now and then; instead switch to natural products

- Take breaks during a stressful day

- Keep a positive attitude