Nice huh???

Still thinking of a good topic to post...in the mean time....jst enjoy these powerful quotes....more quotes to come soon

DESTINY IS NOT A MATTER OF CHANCE... IT IS A MATTER OF CHOICE... IT IS NOT SOMETHING TO BE WAITED FOR... BUT, RATHER SOMETHING TO BE ACHIEVED

Sometimes it's better to put love into hugs than to put it into words.

U DoNt fAiL iF U fAll,U fAiL iF U dOnT TrY tO GeT uP.

Be nice to people on your way up because you meet them on your way down...

"It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice..."

Nintendo Wii Fit

Wii Fit is a video game developed by Nintendo for the Wii console. It is an exercise game consisting of activities utilizing the Wii Balance board. The balance board measures a user’s weight and centre of gravity. The software can then calculate the user’s body mass index when told of the player’s height. The game has roughly 40 different activities, including yoga poses, push ups, muscle workouts, aerobics and other exercises.

Moreover, it is such a wonderful game and a lot more fun than going to the gym. So you are anyone like me, who hates the gym atmosphere then Wii fit is the one for you.

GI Diet

Before we think about why the idea of GI is valuable when you are watching your health or your waistline, we need to know what GI actually means.

The glycaemic index is all about what happens to your food once it’s left your fork. When you eat carbohydrates (such as bread, potatoes, pasta, cereals and sugary foods) your body digests it and converts it to glucose, which can be used for energy. As the carbohydrates get converted to glucose, the glucose level in your blood rises. GI is simply a ranking of carbohydrate foods based on the speed at which they raise blood glucose levels after they have been digested.

Eat the following food often – they are your best friends:

• Grainy breads such as multigrain, soya, linseed and softgrain white.
• Porridge and muesli
• Raw vegetables
• Fruits especially apples, pears, strawberries and peaches
• Basmati rice, sweet potato, couscous
• Beans – choose from baked beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils
• Lean meat, fish and poultry – eat egg, quorn, tofu and nuts if you prefer vegetarian meals
• Nuts – have a handful a day to help manage your weight and lower your blood cholesterol levels.

My first cake

I am so excited to share the picture of my first ever icing cake, I baked this for my husband as a surprise gift for our 12th Wedding Anniversary. Surprisingly, it tasted lovely and my hubby was quite pleased with the results...for me, am over the moon, since then I have baked chocolate cake and guess what...it came out soft and fluffy.....damn, I cant believe I have had a secret baking gene in me and only jusr discovered it. Results, I am going to start baking classes next month, looking forward and cant wait now. Sindhu's Cakes and Bakes...how does that sound for my bakery shop...lollls.

Aduki – The Weight Loss Beans

Aduki beans are small, reddish-brown beans with a white ridge along one edge. Cooked, they have a sweet, nutty flavor. They originated in China but are also popular all around the world now for its health benefits. Adukis are one of the highest protein and lowest fat varieties of bean. They contain high levels of potassium and fiber, as well as B vitamins such as thiamin, niacin, and riboflavin, and minerals such as iron, zinc, and manganese. According to traditional Chinese medicine, aduki beans benefit bladder and reproductive functions and the kidneys, and are therefore used to treat problems such as urinary dysfunction and bladder infections. Aduki beans are rich in soluble fiber, which speeds up the elimination of waste from the body, promoting regular bowel movements and preventing the body from absorbing harmful substances. Soluble fiber has also been shown to reduce levels of LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) in the blood, this amazing bean is also called as the Weight Loss bean, helping you to get rid of those excess fat. One cup of cooked aduki beans has as much iron as 4 ounces of lean steak, more folate than a cup of cooked spinach, and about as much protein as 4 tablespoons of peanut butter.

CALORIES 294
PROTEIN 17gm
FAT 0
FIBER 12gm
IRON 4.6m.g
POTASSIUM 1,224m.g
ZINC 4m.g
VITAMIN [B.sub.1] (THIAMIN) .26m.g
FOLATE 278mcg

Basic Cooking Instructions:
Soak 1/2 cup of beans overnight in ample water. Drain and simmer in 2 cups of water for 40 minutes to an hour. Alternatively, pressure cook the soaked beans in 2 cups of water for 5-9 minutes at high pressure. If you don't have time to soak the beans, pressure cook for 15-20 minutes. Once boiled, it can be used in Casseroles, stir fries, Chilli con carne with veggie mince.



If you have never tried Aduki, why not try making it, you will love the taste, and also extra benefits come with it too.

Fancy a cuppa? Try Green Tea

Green tea is made solely with the leaves of Camellia sinensis, that has undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Green tea originates from China and has become associated with many cultures in Asia from Japan to the Middle East. Recently, it has become more widespread in the West, where black tea is traditionally consumed. Many varieties of green tea have been created in countries where it is grown that can differ substantially due to variable growing conditions, processing and harvesting time.

Over the last few decades green tea has begun to be subjected to many scientific and medical studies to determine the extent of its long-purported health benefits, with some evidence suggesting regular green tea drinkers may have lower chances of heart disease and developing certain types of cancer.

The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:
• Lowers Cholesterol level
• Helps with weight loss
• Loaded with Antioxidants
• Can help prevent tooth decay

Why not introduce green tea as part of a healthy diet, drink green tea after every meal for a month and see the amazing results.

Relaxing Reflexology

Reflexology is a gentle healing art which dates back to ancient Egypt and China. It is the holistic understanding, study and practice of treating points and areas in the feet and hands that relate to corresponding parts of the body. Reflexology can act as a form of pain control. There are two ways that reflexology can do this. Firstly by encouraging the body to produce endorphins, this is the body’s own natural painkiller. By stimulating the pituitary gland reflex during the reflexology treatment it increases the amount of endorphins released into the body.

Reflexology is suitable for all ages and throughout every stage of life. This gentle therapy may bring relief from a wide range of both acute and chronic conditions.
Reflexology has been shown to be effective for:

Stress reduction
Improves blood and lymph circulation
Revitalise energy
Back Pain
Migraine
Infertility
Weight Loss
Arthritis
Hormonal imbalances
Menopause
Insomnia

Before your reflexology session you will have a consultation with your therapist to discuss your treatment. If you have a foot injury, blood clots, thrombosis, phlebitis or other vascular conditions, please speak to your specialist or GP before you have reflexology.

Creamy Cheese Cake

Packet of digestive biscuits
A little butter to bind biscuits
1 – 2 pots of Philadelphia Cheese
1 box icing sugar

Crush up digestives into small pieces (bash with rolling pin its great fun)
Melt some butter and mix into the digestives, press into a loose bottom cake tin or a shallow dish
Place in fridge for 15-20 minutes to set.

Mix Philadelphia cheese with sifted icing sugar, use as much Icing sugar to get the sweetness you want (this means testing the cheese mixture but NOT eating it J
Keep stirring until smooth and no lumps.
Once the digestive mixture is set, gently spread the cheese mixture on top.
Put in the fridge to set for a couple of hours

Then add the topping you want, you can use fresh fruit or tinned fruit. If using strawberries out of season, use both tinned and fresh as the fresh ones will not be very sweet.
If you want to use tinned mandarins/oranges you can always use chocolate digestives as a base.

Egg Sharing (Science at its best)

The egg-sharing programme brings together women who need IVF and cannot afford the cost of the programme and are willing to donate some of their eggs with other infertile women unable to produce their own eggs. Did you know that in 1994 an egg sharer and her matched recipient gave birth on exactly the same day but in different countries! Every attempt is made to closely match the physical characteristics between Egg-sharer and Egg-Recipient.

There are many women who have no hope of pregnancy without donated eggs. Their loss of ovarian function could be due to a genetic cause or to treatment for cancer. Premature menopause can be devastating and it can occur as early as the teenage years. To become an Egg-sharer HFEA (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority) guidelines state that unless there are exceptional circumstances you should be 35 and 6 months or younger at the time of initial consultation and have completed your treatment cycle by your 36th birthday, have been a non-smoker for at least three months, and have an FSH (blood hormone level) of less than eight U.I. (International Units). You should also be free of transmissible diseases and inheritable disorders, and should not suffer from severe endometriosis or have demonstrated previous hyper-stimulation. Certain initial screening tests are required prior to acceptance and these will be discussed at your initial meeting. Generally these include HIV, hepatitis B & C (repeated six monthly) and blood group.

Some clinics offer free IVF treatment if you become an egg sharer. I think this is an amazing opportunity for couples who cannot afford to have the IVF cycle. By becoming an egg sharer you are not only fulfilling your dreams but also of another childless couple. Now, what more could be more amazing than that?

Sizzling Lamb Chops

Hey all food lovers,

Summer’s here (well…you just have to agree on that with me), so thought of sharing this secret recipe to tantalise your taste buds. There aren’t many recipes out there for barbecue lamb chops so maybe there’s no demand? Well lamb is my favourite meat for the BBQ pit so I’m going to do it justice.

Ingredients:
Lamb chops
Yoghurt
Ginger, garlic, green chillie – paste
Barbecue sauce
Light Soy sauce
White wine vinegar
Red wine vinegar
Splash of tomato ketchup
Salt to taste

Mix above ingredients together, leave it to marinate for at least 4 hours (the longer the better). Barbecue over the hot coals turning the meat frequently! Use tongs to turn the chops to keep the juices in and avoid flare ups.
The chops are ready when the juices run clear.
That’s it, sit back and enjoy……………

Laser treatment for facial hair

Are you sick and tired of the pain from the regular waxing, threading and shaving.Then,this is an ideal treatment for all skin types and is a popular treatment for both men and women and for young and older skins.Yes, it is safe.Initially you will be given a consultation appointment with your laser nurse, where you will discuss your skin type, cause for the excess facial hair and will undergo a skin test to make sure your skin does not have any side effects. Most individual's permanent hair reduction will be between about 65 - 75% after 3 treatments. Most people need 4 - 6 treatments. Some touchups may be needed over time. The hair that is left on a treated area is usually much lighter and finer than the hair you had before the laser treatments.

-Do not tan the areas to be treated for 4 weeks prior to the treatment.
-Do not apply moisturizers or makeup on the area to be treated.
-You need to be freshly shaven on the area(s) your want to have lasered.

Make sure you apply lots of pure Aloe Vera gel after you hadyour treatment, to keep your skin cool.

Shop around, and always go to a laser nurse recommended by someone you know.

Happy hair free days....

Relationship between your two eyes!

The beauty of our eyes - They blink together. They move together. They cry together. They see things together and sleep together. But they never see each other.

Now, isnt that amazing.

Seasons's best choice

Nothing sums up to the taste of summer like a juicy melon. These fleshy fruits are great with savoury foods and are deliciously refreshing blended in juices and smoothies. Watermelons are more than 90 per cent water and their sweet juice makes them the perfect thirst quencher. Giant watermelons are perfect for barbeques. Watermelon is loaded with antioxidants and good source of vitamins and minerals. The watermelon was believed to be first cultivated in Egypt. It was a very sought after fruit in Egypt. It is thought that the watermelon was so heavily sought after in Egypt because of its high water content. Many people probably depended on watermelon as a primary water source. I enjoy eating this exotic fruit, and as a matter of fact, bought it today and enjoyed. It tastes nice when served chilled.

Learn how to lose weight and keep it off

A fun an easy way to lose weight without depriving yourself with the foods that you love is by joining weightwatchers online. Follow the plan completely online, at your own pace, on your own time.
They know we have a busy life, and Weight Watchers Online makes it easy to stay connected anywhere, anytime. It’s built on the proven approach to weight loss developed by the experts at Weight Watchers—it’s practical, liveable and sustainable.

Choose from two food plans that will keep you satisfied, and get guidance on incorporating exercise, becoming aware of your behaviour, and building a supportive environment.
The POINTS® Plan is based on making better food choices by tracking POINTS values.
The Core Plan™ focuses on eating nutritious, satisfying foods without counting or tracking.

It's simple, easy to follow and available at an affordable price. It worked for me, it has worked for many friends of mine, and it is working for thousands of people. So, why don't you try this effective and fun way of losing weight.

Kuselan -- Releasing on 31st July all over the world.

Kuselan - One of another Super Star's amazing movies, directed by P Vasu, his fifth feature film with Rajnikanth. V Prakash has scored the music and amost all songs have been shot including one in which Rajinikanth appears in 20 different get-ups. Super Star playing a guest role, along with Pasupathy, Prabhu,Meena, Nayantara, Vadivelu.Rajinikanth. The name is enough to evoke cheers and applause from movie-lovers.For more information, songs, wallpapers, please visit http://www.kuselan.co.in.

Have you all booked your tickets? I was hoping to watch it on the first day first show (I did with Sivaji, its an amazing experience), but unfortunately my hubby is working, but still will manage to watch it within the first week.

Book tickets online:
http://www.sathyamcinemas.com
http://www.cineworld.co.uk

Njoy the movie...


Sindhu

Isle of wight, UK

The Isle of Wight is the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing break, at any time of the year. It is a stunning Island with unspoilt scenery and a wealth of fascinating attractions. For the energetic, there are plenty of activities to enjoy, including windsurfing, sailing and paragliding. And for those who wish to escape the modern world, we're sure you'll leave the Island having found exactly what you were looking for.

Mesmerizing Malaysia

Malaysia is located in the heart of South East Asia. I visited Kaula Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, luckily I was there for their 50th Independence celebration and Shopping Festival. Yes, got back with lots of bargains!. I was amazed by the beauty of Twin Tower, words cannot describe it. I also visited KL tower, Suriya shopping complex (take your credit cards with you…lots to shop for), Batu Cave Temple (a good workout walking up the cave), Zoo and lots of shopping. Food in Malaysia tastes so good, not to mention the exotic fruits that you only find in certain parts of the world. Also pamper yourself to a Malay Foot and body massage, after all the running around a perfect way to end your day. There are lot of places to see in Malaysia, to name a few are Langkawi, Penang, Kelantan, Malacca, Sabah, Terengannu.

For more details about KL, please visit www.kualalumpur.gov.my or www.tourism.gov.my

South Indian Temples

I love travelling, specially when it comes to my Lovely Tamil Nadu. I've added some pictures from our latest visit to few temples specially Tanjore Temple by Rajaraja Chozhan, and Gangaikonda Chozhapuram by his son Rajendra Chozhan, my two beloved Chozha Kings. Damn I love them so much. Please try to visit them whenever you have a chance, you will never regret it. for more details, please visit www.tamilnadutourism.org

Chozha Dynasty

There is very little information available regarding the origin of the Chola Dynasty. The antiquity of this dynasty is evident from the mentions in ancient Tamil literature and in inscriptions. Later medieval Cholas also claimed a long and ancient lineage to their dynasty.The Chola Dynasty (Tamil: சோழர் குலம்)was a Tamil dynasty that ruled primarily in southern India until the 13th century. The dynasty originated in the fertile valley of the Kaveri River. Karikala Chola was the most famous among the early Chola kings, while Rajaraja Chola, Rajendra Chola I and Kulothunga Chola I were notable emperors of the medieval Cholas.

The Cholas were at the height of their power continuously from the later half of the 9th century till the beginning of the 13th centuries.Under Rajaraja Chola I and his son Rajendra Chola I, the dynasty became a military, economic and cultural power in Asia.During the period 1010–1200 CE, the Chola territories stretched from the islands of the Maldives in the South to as far North as the banks of the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh.Rajaraja Chola conquered peninsular South India, annexed parts of Sri Lanka and occupied the islands of the Maldives in the South to as far North as the banks of the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh.Rajendra Chola sent a victorious expedition to North India that touched the river Ganga and defeated the Pala ruler of Pataliputra, Mahipala. He also successfully raided kingdoms of the Malay Archipelago.
The power of the Cholas declined around the 12th century with the rise of the Pandyas and the Hoysala, eventually coming to an end towards the end of the 13th century.

The Cholas left a lasting legacy. Their patronage of Tamil literature and their zeal in building temples have resulted in some great works of Tamil literature and architecture. The Chola kings were avid builders and envisioned the temples in their kingdoms not only as places of worship but also as centres of economic activity. They pioneered a centralised form of government and established a disciplined bureaucracy.


I am very proud to be able to say that my ancestors are Chozhas, are you? If you are then tell me what you know about this great mind blowing dynasty.

Subramaniapuram

Subramaniapuram is director M Sasikumar’s movie, in every sense of the word. An assistant to Bala and Ameer, this is his first directorial venture.A former associate of directors Bala and Ameer, Sasikumar reportedly has put in an inspired effort to weave the tale of five educated and yet jobless youngsters in the Madurai locality of ‘Subramaniapuram’. The world of these doting youth is heavily influenced after a girl comes into their lives. Do they still remain friends or does selfish desire make them fall apart? This is the crux of the story. The youth are played by Jai (of ‘Chennai -600028’ fame), Ganja Karuppu, new faces Mari, Visithran and the director himself. Swathi plays the heroine and director Samuthirakani has been showcased as the villain.Did you enjoy the movie? share with me!

Bowling -- a family day out

Ten-pin bowling is a competitive sport in which a player (the "bowler") rolls a bowling ball down a wooden or "synthetic" (polyurethane) "lane" with the objective of scoring points by knocking down as many pins as possible.The bowler is allowed ten frames in which to knock down pins, with each frame being composed of up to two rolls. The tenth frame may be composed of up to three rolls: the bonus roll(s) following a strike or spare in the tenth (sometimes referred to as the "eleventh" and "twelfth" frames) are "fill balls" used only to calculate the score of the mark rolled in the tenth. Since being brought to the United States from Europe, ten-pin bowling (thought to be descended from the game of skittles) has risen in popularity as its technology has improved. The sport is most popular in the United Kingdom and the United States.

It is an exciting and interesting family sport which gets the 2 year old to the 70 year old getting involved. Share your bowling experiences here....good or bad..

PCOS – Not living with it, we are born to fight it.

PCOS, the dreaded Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is found one in every 10 women, hence the doctors simply use the excuse “you will have to live with it, there is no permanent cure for this”

The most common agonising symptoms are:

Weight gain / difficulty in losing weight
Irregular periods
Heavy bleeding
Excess growth of facial and bodily hair
Mood swings
Infertility
Hair loss or Alopecia

No one will better understand the pains of a PCOS sufferer other than the person who is already going through it.

If you are anyone like me, suffering with almost all the above symptoms mentioned above, and then I am sure you are sick and tired of the doctors telling that your irregular periods, Infertility, Hair loss are all linked with your Obesity and you need to lose weight for the hormones to sort them out by themselves. It is also very difficult to make them understand that no matter how hard we try to lose weight, the PCS will make it difficult for us to do this. It is simply like talking to a brick wall, instead there is a doctor who is refusing to help you. I admit, some PCOS suffers are blessed with helpful and understanding doctors.

As the doctors say, I know weight loss will play a very important role in curing the other symptoms of PCOS. (PCOS patient has more chances of getting diabetics, stroke, heart diseases etc.)

If your family do not understand what you are going through, talk to them and make them understand what you are going through. Nowadays, there are so many websites providing a host of information on PCOS. But trust me, if you talk to them you will make them understand and who knows they might stop ordering that tempting take away when you are strictly counting calories.

We do not want more scientific jargons on PCOS, we know it makes our life a living hell, so there is no need to discuss on this more. What we will do is, discuss, motivate, share tips with all the sisters, so we know by end of 2008 we have kicked one of the important factor OBESITY out of our lives and look forward to welcome a slimmer, healthier, happier us for 2009.

Enough is enough, we all know that we have PCOS, and heard zillion times from our doctors that we need to seriously lose weight and get into a healthy BMI. What have we done about this? Yes, we all have tried, but hand on your heart girls, have we given our best 100% towards it. I admit, I haven’t, I try for few weeks, feel depressed after weighing myself because I have literally survived on rabbit food, but still not managed to lose any weight, so binge on my favourite comfort food chocolate (sometimes my only best friend).

You can get more information and support about PCOS on:

www.verity-pcos.org.uk
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

I am starting my own personalised diet (Yes, if you are anyone like me tried and tested all the diets under the sun from weight watchers to Watermelon diet, then you will be the best dietician you can recommend anyone to) from Sunday 13th July 2008. I currently weigh 13 stones and hoping to get just under 11 stones 7 lbs by 21st August (for my Wedding Anniversary). I know it is slightly over the healthy weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds a week, but I tend to lose more on my 2nd and 3rd week usually, so hope it works now too.

Sindhu xx
Only you know if you want to do it, and if you decide to do it, only you can stop yourself from doing it.

Kolangal --- Mega serial finally making its way to a happy ending??

Some recently graduated students say that this mega mega serial started even before they entered College, but they all have graduated and the serial is still going on on and on. Abinaya (devayani) has made the come back and will be returning to chennai soon only to find out that her whole family has kicked out her best friend Tholkaappiyan out of his share of business, thanks to Aarthy's wicked plans. DO u think that this most popular tv serial is going to have an exciting challenging ending or as with all serials, some sort of "kadhai mudinja podhum" ending..share ur thoughts........



Ungal Kolangalukkaga kaathu irukkum Sindhu xx