PPE fundraiser receives huge support from celebrities

PPE fundraiser receives huge support from celebrities

Journalist & Photographer Rubina A Khan’s PPE fundraiser in Mumbai has been supported by industrialist Ness Wadia, businesswoman Natasha Poonawalla (Executive Director – Serum Institute of India, Pune), filmmaker Karan Johar (Dharma Productions), actor Amrita Arora, film costumer Ana Singh, art advisor Wendy A Coutinho, businesswoman Eesha Sukhi and jeweller Siddharth Kasliwal (Director – The Gem Palace, Jaipur) with generous financial contributions. The fundraiser has received contributions from Queenie Singh, art patron Shalini Passi and filmmaker Gaurav Chawla and 200 safety eyewear have been purchased from the money contributed by them. Ever since 53 press personnel tested positive for the Coronavirus in Mumbai three weeks ago, journalist and photographer, Rubina A Khan couldn’t stop thinking about the health risks the Mumbai media were being exposed to, reporting on the virus, whilst she stayed safely at home, in quarantine, on government orders. Everyone was lauding the first responders and medical teams, the police, the hygienists and the cleaners, and rightly so, but nobody seemed to be talking about the photographers, videographers and journalists that were bringing in the news and visuals of the virus and the heart wrenching devastation and strife across the world, every single day, by going out and reporting from containment zones, risking their own lives, and livelihoods. “A conversation with a photographer on Coronavirus news duty every single day since March 2020, impelled me into thinking about the health risks our media community faced, being exposed to the virus on the job, whilst I stayed safely at home, in quarantine and the lockdown, on government orders. On hearing about people I have known, and worked with, going out to work in red zones and containment areas for the coverage, I just had to do something that would protect them from the virus. I feel that the risks the media personnel are taking carrying out their duties on the job, which is their livelihood in this uncertain, broken economy, are not being recognised for the extremely important and essential role they are playing in this pandemic. Everything we know about the virus is through the eyes and lenses of the media as we are all in lockdown and quarantined at home – their photographs and stories are telling us how the new world looks and the steps that are being taken to contain the virus and flatten the curve. I spearheaded a fundraiser to purchase Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) as a preventive measure for Mumbai’s news photographers and media personnel covering the Corona crisis on the front lines, by reaching out to my network on April 23, 2020 for contributions as a collective, humane responsibility to shield them. I am ever so thankful to the people – from all walks of life in India – that responded empathetically towards the fundraiser with their fiscal largesse like industrialist Ness Wadia, businesswoman Natasha Poonawalla (Executive Director, Serum Institute of India, Pune), filmmaker Karan Johar (Dharma Productions), actor Amrita Arora, film costumer Ana Singh, art advisor Wendy A Coutinho, businesswoman Eesha Sukhi and jeweller Siddharth Kasliwal (Director, The Gem Palace, Jaipur). The PPE’s reached Mumbai and were distributed to the media personnel. These PPE’s are certified by SITRA – South India Textile Research Association, Coimbatore for fabric and garment – and are for one-wear only. Since then, the fundraiser has received contributions from Queenie Singh, art patron Shalini Passi and filmmaker Gaurav Chawla. The kindness of all the contributors should be highlighted and not go unnoticed as anonymous benefactors, because talking about them will go on to inspire many others to come forward in this crisis to help each other in our country. Every contributor has stepped up as a humanitarian to help our media community, and that is reason enough to laud any helping hand. All of them have made this little fundraiser of mine a bigger success that I ever envisaged it to be and we, the media community, are ever so grateful for their kindness. The PPE’s and safety eyewear bought with the funds raised so far have been distributed to the Mumbai media personnel and I am ordering the second round of PPE’s now. I intend to keep raising funds to provide the PPE’s for as long as they are needed during the pandemic.” [envira-gallery id=”9464″] PPE fundraiser receives huge support from celebrities

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 Pasta Masterclass and DIY Pasta Kits by Little Italy

Pasta Masterclass and DIY Pasta Kits by Little Italy

Cooking is an act of love. Little Italy, the Italian restaurant has on offer DIY Pasta Kits which can be ordered through Swiggy or directly from all their outlets in the city. Each kit has 3 & half portions of pasta as per Little Italy servings. The kit contains 500 grams of pasta, sauces for two portions, recipe for third portion, sachets of chilli flakes and oregano. You will also be provided with a digital copy of how to make the pasta as well. Choosing Pasta Choice of pasta is very important and its determined by your sauce, some pastas suit better to carry more sauce for best flavour. Spaghetti for example is more likely to be eaten with an olive oil based sauce or creamier sauce as it can hold maximum of the sauce which a penne or fusilli couldn’t. Fusilli is great when you want to eat more sauce with your pasta as it holds the pasta in its l shape. Penne works perfectly for tomato based sauces as it can have sauce inside its cylindrical shape for a burst of flavour! Within penne also there are two types of rigate (furrowed) and lesce (smooth) the smooth version has a smooth texture and does not likely hold on to a chunkier sauce while the rigate has a rough exterior texture with some lines within its shape to hold on to more sauce. So once you have chosen your type of pasta and sauce you start with the processing of boiling the pasta which is one of the most important part of the dish How to make the perfect Pasta -Bring 1 litre water to boil. Add 10 grams of salt Chef’s tip: Salt in the water will help your pasta get a depth of flavour and also increase the boiling point of the water. -Cut open Little Italy penne pasta packet and add 150 grams of pasta to boiling water for each portion. Chef’s tip: Add pasta only once water is boiled because otherwise you will dissolve the starch and loose texture of the pasta. -Cook for 10-11 minutes (can cook for more time for softer pasta as per preference) Pasta cooked the traditional Italian way will always have a bite to it and won’t be as mushy and is called “Al dente”. However, Indians prefer cooking the pasta more for it to be softer. You can choose your preference. There is no right and wrong in cooking. It’s all about what you like and that’s the beauty of cooking for yourself you can customise it and develop new recipes along the way! – Keep in mind you are further going to cook the pasta with the sauce so don’t overcook while boiling it. Keep it al dente and finish it off in the pan with your choice of sauce – Strain the pasta and cool, drizzle little extra virgin olive oil on pasta. Chef’s tip: Olive oil helps the pasta not stick together. Boiling Pasta The Little Italy arrabbiata sauce is fresh homemade tomato sauce cooked with fresh garlic, herbs and chilli. This is the most simple classic tomato sauce recipe to which you can add vegetables, ragu, chicken or even have only sauce and pasta with Parmesan cheese! Pasta Al’ Arabbiata -In a sauce pan, heat 10 ml extra virgin olive oil. Add 125 grams of Little Italy’s arrabbiata sauce. Chef’s tip: Always use extra virgin olive oil for the best flavour in your dish. – Add boiled pasta, salt, pepper if required. Tear in some fresh basil leaves. – Can add some vegetable like mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini or broccoli to make your pasta healthier. – If you prefer saucier pasta add 1 cup of the pasta water that you have saved after straining the pasta and cook the pasta a little more. – Once you think the sauce has mixed well with your pasta and reduced to how saucy you want it to be you take it off the heat and its ready. – Garnish with lots of Parmesan cheese and basil and pasta is ready to eat! Buon Appetito! One of the most popular pasta dishes at Little Italy fondly called pink sauce, the Pasta del barone is made with our fresh with our tomato sauce, béchamel sauce, Parmesan cheese and chilli, this noble sauce is one of their signature dishes and can be enjoyed with all pastas! With this sauce if you want you could add vegetables (Mushroom, broccoli, zucchini). Chicken and bacon go well too! Pasta Del Barone -In a sauce pan, heat up your Little Italy’s Pink sauce. – Add your boiled pasta with 1 cup of your pasta water and bring to a boil. – Once the water is evaporated and the pasta has absorbed all the flavour, the pasta is ready – Garnish with parmesan cheese and parsley and its ready to eat! Buon Appetito! Pasta Aglio Olio E Pepperoncino Aglio olio is a simple olive oil and garlic sauce pasta which can be made easily. “Aglio” means garlic and “olio” oil. Always use extra virgin olive oil for best flavour. This classic Italian pasta sauce that can be made with simple ingredients available readily at home. – What you will need: Chopped garlic, Extra virgin olive oil, Chopped parsley, Black pepper, Parmesan cheese, chili flakes, spaghetti pasta. – Spaghetti is perfect for this dish. You can also make with other long pasta like tagliatelle or buccatini. – Once your pasta is boiled, in a sauce pan add extra virgin olive oil add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. – Add finely chopped garlic and on a low heat wait until the garlic is blonde – You could also add some vegetables while you roast your garlic in your pasta, some vegetables that work will with this recipe are zucchini, red and yellow bell peppers, broccoli. – Add in your pasta, – Add a tea spoon of chilli flakes, – Toss pasta with

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 Ranga Shankara’s play streaming program Staged@RS starts today

Ranga Shankara’s play streaming program Staged@RS starts today

“Staged@RS”, Ranga Shankara’s play streaming programme will be laBackend Editorunched on Friday, 22 May, 2020. The programme will kick-off with some plays for children that have been staged under Ranga Shankara’s acclaimed AHA! – Theatre for Children. Six plays will be streamed, starting from 22 May till 27 May at 5 PM. The plays will go online on Ranga Shankara’s YouTube channel. They will remain there for a week after premiering. The plays have been chosen carefully to ensure the viewers get a variety in terms of age, language and format. All the plays are favourites of both children and grown-ups when they are staged at Ranga Shankara. The list of plays are: Fish Tree Moon, Circle of Life, Chippi the Chipkali, The Zapperdockel and the Wock, Robinson and Crusoe and The Garbage Mouse. “We have always recorded our plays with one camera positioned in the 4th row. In these times of lockdown, we thought it was a good idea to share these. We hope our viewers enjoy these while we all wait to get back to real theatre!” says Arundhati Nag, Artistic Advisor of Ranga Shankara. Fish Tree Moon An Indo-Korean production developed and presented in partnership with InKo Centre, ‘Fish Tree Moon’ is a magical tale about destiny, pursuit, friendship, fear, fascination and revalations. Inspired by Indian and Korean Folk tales and folk painting traditions such as Madhubani, ‘Fish Tree Moon’ follows an odd group of creatures – an old fish, a spirited girl, an eager boy, an ascetic and a Deer tree – making a long journey to the top of Mount Kailash so they can have their wishes granted. But here, on top of this mountain, the universe has other plans for them. What do they find and how do they find it? Circle of Life From childhood to old age, a human life goes through various stages – physically and emotionally – and each stage is a miracle in itself, with its own unique gift to offer. Life at every stage is precious, and each stage of the human life cycle must be nurtured and protected. Chippi the Chipkali Based on an Indian folk tale, ‘Chippi the Chipkali’ tells the story of Chippi, a baby lizard who loses her tail! The object of much ridicule owing to her missing tail, Chippi embarks on a long journey to find her tail. Will she ever get her tail back? Will she become beautiful again?   Zapperdockel and the Wock Zapperdockel is yellow, tiny, unsure and a cry baby. But that’s the way he is! Wock is blue, fat and grumpy. But that’s the way he is! Is there still a chance that both get along with each other, despite these differences? Robinson and Crusoe ‘Robinson and Crusoe’ tells the story of two soldiers, Robinson and Crusoe, who get stuck on an island and discover that they are from opposing war camps! With only one roof to share, the ocean all around and no common language to communicate in, will friendship prevail? The Garbage Mouse ‘The Garbage Mouse’ follows the story of Mullmaus, a little mouse, who suddenly finds herself homeless! With all her ingenuity and imagination, she creates a new life and lives happily until the scary and mysterious Picture Book Cat makes an entrance. How will Mullmaus face this battle? Ranga Shankara’s play streaming program Staged@RS starts today

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 Staying Fit – The Way Forward

Staying Fit – The Way Forward

Health. Fitness. Immunity. Important priorities as we move forward in the new normal of how we live. A necessary step in this direction is a need to overhaul our approach to fitness; starting from the kind of workouts we choose, to how we do them and where we do them. Health. Fitness. Immunity Fitness programs have increasingly come to be associated with some or all of the following – rigorous and extreme workouts, tired and sore muscles, bodies struggling with exercise-related injuries and stress. Your Commitment Staying committed to your fitness program long-term should be the first priority. The basic reality, irrespective of claims made to the contrary, is that there is no short-term solution to losing weight, getting stronger, toned, fitter, faster, better. Important Considerations Our bodies are a work in progress. We all have different lifestyles, strengths, limitations, goals, health concerns etc. The workouts we choose should reflect our varied needs and be able to address them accordingly. When deciding on your fitness program it is important to be realistic. Keep in mind the frequent changes that occur in our routines, be it weekly or monthly. These changes have an immediate bearing on our commitment towards the time, effort, and frequency of our workouts. Your fitness program should be able to maximise your efforts and have the flexibility to adapt and change to accommodate short-term considerations. Workout Choices A well-chosen fitness program enables you to become stronger, be fitter, minimise injuries and stresses, and build better immunity so as to be less susceptible to illness and disease. Unfortunately, far too often we see fitness choices based on currently trending workouts or enrolments in a number of varied classes, to keep boredom at bay. Personal goals and fitness levels don’t seem to be the determining factors. Your workout is not meant to entertain you; we watch a movie, read a book, meet friends etc for that. Fitness cannot be a one size fits all approach, in an assembly-line manner. Nor is there any one perfect set of exercises that will provide equal results for all of us. Intelligent Exercise Personal Training workouts can be an ideal choice to optimize your fitness goals. An experienced personal trainer provides you with the benefit of customised programming for your specific goals and fitness levels. You have your trainer’s entire focus of instructions, cues and corrections that help engage your mind to provide a much more effective workout. And, in these unprecedented times, Personal Training workouts also address important considerations of social distancing, safety and hygiene. Approach fitness in an intelligent, result oriented way with a focus on getting fit and building immunity – and not thinking of it as an unpleasant to-do or a means of socialising with friends. By Anjali Sareen, Co-founder The Zone Mind & Body Studio. Anjali is a Master Trainer Education – Fitness and Pilates and has been in the fitness and rehab field for 30 years. Get more information on thezonestudio.com  [envira-gallery id=”9497″] Staying Fit – The Way Forward

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 Cloudnine Group of Hospitals presents ‘Carenting’

Cloudnine Group of Hospitals presents ‘Carenting’

‘Carenting‘ is designed for working parents thereby enabling them on the need to manage and direct their careers during pregnancy, as they leave and return from family leave, and as they settle into their new lives as working parents. Are you ready to get back to work after your maternity break or are you a working parent expecting your first child in the coming months? Studies show the stress on working parents has always been greater. We’re living busier, more pressured lives, living further away from families and support systems. Working parents often have competing priorities, and the stress of trying to ‘do it all’ can lead to feelings of overwhelm, or even burnout. In its first of its kind initiative, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, India’s leading chain of maternity, childcare and fertility care group of Hospitals presents ‘Carenting’ webinar series – an exclusive series for working parents to ace parenting needs in these tough times. Designed with practicality in mind, their ‘Carenting’ series focuses on developing the skills and strategies new parents need to manage and direct their careers during pregnancy, as they leave and return from family leave, and as they settle into their new lives as working parents. Delivered via live webinar this is an opportunity for working parents and their families to engage with experts on Cloudnine on the challenges or questions they may have related to parenting. Entries and Registrations are Free. Session 1: Work, Womb & Lockdown- A complete guide for working couples, planning for OR expecting a baby Date: 22nd May, Time: 5 PM – 6.30 PM. Register here: https://bit.ly/3cBIpbE Session 2: Your job, your baby & the lockdown – Learn to balance work, life and a new baby in the current situation Date: 23rd May, Time: 3 PM – 4.30 PM Registration link: https://bit.ly/3fRJSwJ Cloudnine Group of Hospitals presents ‘Carenting’

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 Feel The Adrenaline Rush Sitting At Home

Feel The Adrenaline Rush Sitting At Home

NO SMALL ADVENTURE Welcome to Mammoth Lakes, where “no way” is never far away. Majestic in scale and awesome in its natural beauty, the year-round adventure land of Mammoth Lakes is one of those rare places that you have to see to still not totally believe. The name speaks to the size of the mountains, the expanse of the valleys, the incredible number of crystal clear mountain lakes and the endless opportunities for adventure just outside your door. But what makes this place really unique are the surreal storybook scenes that drop jaws, spark the imagination and make every moment feel like a brush with the truly incredible. Adventure is available year-round in Mammoth Lakes. In fact, there is a lot of debate about which season is best. During winter you can ski and snowboard Mammoth Mountain or take off into the wilderness on your cross country skis. When spring hits, you can ski and also celebrate the fishing opener in the same day. The summermelts away the snow, opening roads to Devils Postpile National Monument, 101-foot Rainbow Falls and the gateway to Yosemite National Park. Some claim autumn is the best season because you get all of the sightseeing of summer PLUS spectacular fall colors and fewer visitors. No matter what time of year you visit, there are plenty of things to do in Mammoth Lakes. Start your unreal journey by clicking here-  immersive 360-degree videos. Surround yourself with the unbelievable in these 360-degree videos. Adventure through the seasons, from snow-capped peaks to shimmering lakes and all the amazement in between. Make sure to keep an eye out for the seven unreal legends hiding along your journey. TIP: View the videos using your headphones or VR headset for the best viewing experience! Be sure to click and drag to look around in 360 degrees, and pause to explore your surroundings. [envira-gallery id=”9432″] Feel The Adrenaline Rush Sitting At Home.

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 Safeguarding consumer safety, KFC to deliver right to your car or bike

Safeguarding consumer safety, KFC to deliver right to your car or bike

KFC is doubling down on its efforts to keep its team members and customers safe with the introduction of KFC to Your Car or Bike. An extension of contactless takeaway, KFC to Your Car or Bike is a first of its kind service in India with the food being delivered to your vehicle. Customers can place a prepaid order on the KFC App, website or Msite and arrive at the designated spot near the restaurant where their order will be delivered to them. The new service is being launched at select KFC restaurants across cities including New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Chennai, among others. Talking about this initiative Moksh Chopra, Chief Marketing Officer, KFC India said, “While delivery remains one of the easiest ways to access KFC, with ‘KFC to Your Car or Bike’, our aim is to offer safe and easy access to those who are already on the road for essential journeys or on their way home from difficult work shifts. It comes backed with our 4X safety promise – of sanitisation, social distancing, screening (of temperature) and contactless service. Through the use of the KFC app and digital payments, this service is easy, quick and completely contactless.” So how do you get KFC to Your Car or Bike? Simply place a prepaid order on the KFC App, Website or Msite under Takeaway and opt for ‘KFC to Your Car/Bike’ at checkout. Fill-in details as preferred time of delivery, vehicle number, etc. You will receive a call from the Restaurant Manager confirming the order, along with the restaurant address, pick-up time and place. Once your order is ready at the said time, the Restaurant Manager will call you again to confirm if you have arrived, and only then the order will be dispatched. Once at the designated pick-up spot, wait inside your car or on your two-wheeler. A KFC team member will reach the spot and place the order on the hood of the car/back seat of your two-wheeler. Once the team member steps back, you can then step out and collect your order. Thus, the order delivery is completed hassle-free and without any contact. Another option of availing contactless takeaway is collecting your order swiftly from a dedicated counter at the restaurant, with queuing as per social distancing norms. KFC has upped its existing operational protocols with its 4X Safety promise. Intensified sanitization at the restaurant includes all surface areas including tables, counters, doors, and door handles that are sanitized every 30-minutes. The delivery teams wash & sanitize their hands & bags after every order. All team members, including delivery riders, are regularly screened and undergo daily temperature checks, wear masks and gloves. With a limited menu on delivery, we are able to operate with a smaller kitchen team maintaining all norms of social distancing. Moving into a completely contactless delivery & take-away approach means no contact between the delivery executive and the customer, with online payments as a recommended practice. The food packaging is further secured with a tamper-proof seal to ensure that nobody has touched or accessed the food from the time it was packed until delivered. As quality is key at KFC, the food is prepared with utmost care and is it cooked at a high temperature of 170 degrees. KFC to Your Car/Bike will be available across select restaurants. Contactless Takeaway will be available across all restaurants in the country. Consumers can order their KFC favourites on online.kfc.co.in or through the KFC app. More details on KFCCareIndia.in Safeguarding consumer safety, KFC to deliver right to your car or bike

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 Five edtech platforms that are helping students learning at home

Five edtech platforms that are helping students learning at home

Here is a list of some edtech platforms that are helping students to easily study at home or acquire a new skill: 1) Byjus –  Byju’s is India’s most loved learning app for anyone from the first standard to a higher education aspirant. Engaging video lessons, study material mapped to the syllabus, interactive questions and unlimited practice with in-depth analysis inculcates a fun-learning experience, keeping the interest and longer retention period intact. You may buy a course as per the personal requirement. This edutech platform makes the learning and understanding of concepts much easier for school kids. The subject focus of the platform is Maths and Science, and the concepts are explained using 12-20 minutes digital animation videos. 2) Next Education India Pvt Ltd – Next Education is an end to end K-12 solution provider backed up with 400 hours of video lessons, 2D & 3D animation to make learning experiential and fun, topic wise questions with solution, sample papers, a question from All India Test Series and detailed performance report. In case of doubt, the online question-answer forum helps you in getting a solution within 24-hours. In addition to this, Next Education provides next book, next mentor, next lab (robotics, English, Hindi, math, science) and pre-designed curriculum for facilitating better academic planning for teachers and students. It’s one space for all as it strictly aligns to the syllabus of CBSE, ICSE, IGCSE and 23 state boards in 8 languages. Next Education is growing every day with 66000+ digital classrooms, 700+ schools adapting hands-on lab, 240000+ teachers and 12000000+ students. Vedantu Learn Live Online is one of India’s leading online tutoring website that covers the whole syllabus ranging from CBSE, ISCE, NTSE, Olympiads, and even IIT JEE. Vedantu is offering free online classes on its website and through its app in order to keep students safe inside their homes. The website also offers free study material, apart from the online classes. The website has given a free access to all live classes and content of Vedantu for Grades 1 to 12, JEE & NEET. The online classes can be accessed via their website and on their app that is available for free on Android and iOS. 4) Brainly –  It is one of the largest online learning platforms, uniting students with fellow students, parents, and teachers around the world to help solve their academic problems and to facilitate knowledge exchange. It has an overall user base of over 20million in India. Here, it connects users to their peers to help strengthen their skills, from math to science, history and beyond for free. 5) Coursera – A platform where each subject is taught by top instructors from world-class universities and companies, giving people an opportunity to learn something new anytime, anywhere. Hundreds of free courses gives access to on-demand video lectures, homework exercises, and community discussion forums. Paid courses provide additional quizzes and projects as well as a shareable Course Certificate upon completion. It helps students aim for higher grades and perhaps some scholarship cash. The courses are very affordable, and the apps can be downloaded on both iOS and Android phones. Five edtech platforms that are helping students learning at home

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 Maintaining Fitness While at Home

Maintaining Fitness While at Home

Times are such that staying at home is not an option but a choice, not only for your well-being but for others too. However, this prolonged phase of lockdown does not mean that one should stay away from remaining fit. Even by staying at home, one can easily maintain his/her fitness. An online fitness coach, such as ChaseLynn Williams, offers a viable solution for those seeking guidance and support in their fitness journey. Through virtual platforms, coaches like ChaseLynn provide personalized workout plans, nutritional guidance, and motivational support tailored to individuals’ specific goals and circumstances. With the expertise of ChaseLynn Williams, individuals can embrace a flexible and accessible approach to fitness. Through virtual platforms and digital resources, coaches can connect with clients regardless of location, making it convenient for individuals to prioritize their health and well-being from anywhere. By leveraging the guidance and support of an online fitness coach, individuals can navigate the challenges of lockdown with confidence, maintaining their physical fitness and overall well-being in the process. Here are some of the ways how one can maintain their fitness levels while at home. Exercise Regularly Exercise every day for at least 30 to 45 minutes. You do not have to strain yourself from running or jogging but you must have some kind of moderate physical activity within your premises. If you want to maintain your weight, doing planks, push-ups, skipping would be a good idea. While you are at home for several days, make sure to do exercises such as dumbbells, yoga, or pilates. If you have sufficient space inside your home, you can also walk daily. Eat Proper Foods and Portions of Each Meal No matter how much your taste buds or stomach is telling you to opt for sweets or fried food over healthy food, try to avoid sweets as much as possible. Sugar from sweets will not help you remain in shape. Even if it is only a single candy bar, one will gradually lead to another. Fruits and vegetables are the best options to eat when trying to remain into shape. Apples, for instance, does a good job of making the stomach feel full for up to 3-4 hours. Green vegetables such as spinach, green beans, and broccoli keep the digestive system clean and smooth. Also, stick to chicken, paneer, and soya as they are great alternatives. These foods are a source of protein and have other healthy nutrients too which help to keep muscles fit and ready for workouts. Also, be sure to portion what you consume. Getting good metabolism comes from portioning meals. Try to plan eating 6 times a day and in smaller portions, rather than having 3 large meals in a day. This will also let you find yourself breathing smoothly when working out rather than struggling for air. This is due to the fact that when you have less food in your digestive system, more energy is needed for your exercise. Keep Watch on Calories and Food Consumption Every Day Keeping a watch how many calories you consume in a day will be helpful in planning your physical exercise. Ever thought why body builders’ body masses are so big? It is because they plan out their meals and take in healthy calories than the average person. On the other hand, reducing weight and striving for a skinnier physique will need more physical exercise than calories you ingest. Drink lots of water all through the day. By Avni Kaul, Nutritionist, Wellness Coach & Certified Diabetes Educator, Founder of NutriActivania. Maintaining Fitness While at Home

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 Stars Pledge to Protect the Planet

Stars Pledge to Protect the Planet

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Simone Khambatta of Mama Says brings celebrities together who tell us how they want to heal the world for their children and the future. While the human race is facing the toughest time dealing with a worldwide lockdown, our Mother Earth is healing and reinstating herself. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, while each one of us is hoping for a better and brighter future Bollywood celebrities did not forget their social responsibility. India’s leading parenting and motherhood blog, ‘Mama Says’ has brought together these celebrities who have pledged to ensure that our planet continues to thrive when we enter the world again- in its present state with clean air, blue skies and beautiful oceans stays that way, and teach their children how to protect their home, i.e. their planet earth. The video features Karan Johar, Neha Dhupia, Soha Ali Khan, Esha Deol, Tusshar Kapoor, Pragya Kapoor, Kunal Khemu, Amrita Arora and Neelam Kothari along with Simone Khambatta, Co-Founder of Mama Says. With the world’s biggest lockdown in place, these celebrities came together to spread the message and pledge to heal the world for their children and their future. Simone Khambatta, Co-Founder, ‘Mama Says’ and one of India’s top Mommy Bloggers said, “We as parents are responsible for our kids’ well-being and as humans responsible for the well-being of our planet. The pandemic has made us realize many things with the most important one being that we need to care for Mother Earth! We don’t have to do big things; we have to small things but have to do it together. I am so grateful for all the amazing likeminded parents who have come together to spread this powerful and important message. I hope everyone who watches this chooses to make their own pledge too.” Tusshar Kapoor said, “I agreed to be part of this initiative to pledge my support for our planet, simply because I’m very passionate about saving animals from cruelty and firmly believe that humankind must protect the biodiversity of the planet in order to protect themselves!” “It’s a wonderful message that’s told at the most perfect time. With the current situation we all are in, there couldn’t be a better time to spread this message “A new world”, when we as parents need to secure a safe healthy future for our children to live in and most importantly it’s the small things that matter the most! So, start today in your own little way and make it happen Now! Let’s enjoy and nurture our planet!” added Esha Deol. Karan Johar said, “All of us are very proud parents, we all love our children. And it’s very integral that we give them all the love, the attention and the care. We also really make their home feel beautiful, we make them love their home, we make them feel like home is where the heart is. But we sometimes miss the point, we sometimes pretend that their home is just their residence, but that’s not true. our planet is also our home. There are few things that I have done with my kids at a very young age apart from the emotional encouragement that one has to always give them about making sure that they don’t fall into stereotypes. The other thing that I do is I tell them about plastic, single use plastic and about how it’s important not to consume single use plastic, because you know that it’s a big deterrent to our planet and we must be very careful. So, say no to plastic is the one thing that I’ve been actually inculcating within their sensibility.” “Apart from all the other conscious work that we are doing, I also pledge that we continue buying wooden toys for our daughter Mehr, try and keep her away from plastic toys as much as we can. And more importantly we are totally open to hand me downs. Mehr has got a lot of friends who are six months or a year older and we believe in hand me down toys, clothes, books, all of it. It’s great on the pocket and more importantly it’s very good for the environment. We are doing our little bit and I think you guys should do yours too just so that our planet can accommodate our beautiful children in the future,” added Neha Dhupia. Soha Ali Khan also said, “I pledge to use a reusable water bottle with me every time I step out of the house instead of buying plastic bottles because I care about the future of our children and our grandchildren on our planet.” A pledge to enter this new world with mindfulness, compassion, wisdom and a whole lot of love: [/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/E0s-PeqAR18″][/vc_column][/vc_row] Stars Pledge to Protect the Planet

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