Basant Panchami 2018: All You Need To Know

Basant Panchami is celebrated by Hindus in India, Nepal and other countries with much enthusiasm and vigour. Basant Panchami, or as some say Vasant Panchami, marks the beginning of the spring season - Basant means spring and Panchami means "the fifth day". On this day, Hindus visit temples and pray to Goddess Saraswati, who is the goddess of knowledge, and celebrate the day as Saraswati Puja.

Basant Panchami is the first of the two spring festivals of Hindus - the other being Holi. The festival is celebrated every year on the fifth day of "Phalgun" (the eleventh month of the Hindu calendar).

In India, the festival is celebrated across the country in different ways.

In West Bengal, people worship goddess Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, education, music and art. The festival signifies that knowledge is supreme, and prevails over ignorance. Girls and women drape themselves in yellow traditional attires while men and boys wear clothes mostly in yellow.

Although there is no special time to perform Saraswati Puja, texts suggest that the goddess should be worshipped when Panchami Tithi is prevailing. According to experts, Saraswati Puja should be performed during Purvahna Kala - the time between the sunrise and the midday.

This festival is also celebrated in educational institutes - schools and colleges - where students and teachers, wearing new clothes, pray to the goddess of knowledge and organize various programmes of song and dance.

In Punjab, devotees celebrate by flying kites on their rooftops while in Rajasthan, people wear jasmine garlands on the day of the festival.

This day also marks the occasion when Parvati approached Kama to awaken Shiva who is in yogic meditation since Maha Shivratri. With all other gods and goddesses supporting Parvati, Kama agrees to bring Shiva back to do his worldly duties. He shoots arrows made of flowers and bees at Shiva to arouse him and draw his attention to Parvati.

In Kutch, this day is kindred with the emotions of love and emotional anticipation. Devotees prepare bouquet and garlands of flowers set with mango leaves as gifts. People dress in saffron, pink or yellow and visit each other. Songs are sung in praise of the Hindu deity Kamadeva and his wife Rati.

In Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh, people worship Shiva and Parvati and offer mango flowers and wheat.

In Bihar's Aurangabad district, the Deo-Sun shrine was established on Basant Panchami by the King Aila of Allahabad. This event is celebrated on this day as the birthday of the Sun-Deo God. The statues are washed and their old clothes are replaced with new ones on Basant Panchami. In ancient times, the festival was celebrated in the royal palace of Kamadeva.

Basant Panchami 2018 will be celebrated on 22nd January.

Daily revision of petrol and diesel prices! What exactly is happening?

Monday blues had taken on a whole new meaning on yesterday , when news broke that petrol and diesel prices had breached the Rs 70 and Rs 60 marks respectively. This morning brings more bad news-oil prices have now set a new record since August 2014, reflecting the sharp increase in international crude oil rates.

Mumbai is India's most expensive city for motorists with non-branded petrol selling at Rs 79.15 per litre while diesel is priced at Rs 65.90 per litre. In Chennai, petrol is going for close to Rs 74 per litre and diesel at Rs 65.23 per litre. The corresponding figures for Bengaluru are Rs 72.39/62.92 for a litre of petrol and diesel respectively, while Kolkata posted Rs 74/Rs 64.5 respectively. Delhiites are having an easier time comparatively with petrol priced at Rs 71.27 and diesel at Rs 61.88 a litre. That's a hike of 9 paise per litre of petrol in just one day in the metros, while diesel is up by 14-16 paise per litre.

You can blame the price of Brent crude, which serves as the Asian benchmark, for this state of affairs. Last week, it shot past the $70 per barrel mark, the highest since December 2014, which is alarming since India imports most of its crude oil. Prices may have eased some in the past couple of days but they reportedly remain on track to post a fourth straight week of gains. This explains the renewed calls to the government to cut excise duty and cushion the burden on the common man.

The BJP-led government has cut excise duty only once during its tenure-but raised it nine times between November 2014 and January 2016. In October 2017, when petrol price had reached Rs 70.88 per litre in Delhi and diesel was priced at Rs 59.14, the government had lowered excise duty by Rs 2 per litre. But the central levy on fuels, according to a Bloomberg report, was still twice of what was charged three years ago. In any case, the party did not last long-a cursory look at the price data shared on Indian Oil's website shows how fuel prices have been going up by a few paise every single day.

The daily price hike would have been far more marked had oil marketing companies not chosen to lower margins instead of increasing prices. After all, while Brent crude posted a 45% price hike in the past six months, petrol and diesel prices rose just 9-11% during the period.

But if you are waiting for the government to step in and make your wallet happier, don't hold your breath. Last week, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan responded to media queries on whether the Centre would cut excise duty on the two fuels by asking states to first cut VAT. He added that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has already written to the states seeking reduction in VAT.

How do you know you have a crush on him?

If you have a crush on a him,you do the following:


You will meet your friends in Pajama and hoodie, but when it's him, you ake sure to take shower in winters just to meet him.
You will be a chatterbox, but in front of him, you will practice 5 times in mind before saying a simple Hi.
Your heart will skip a beat everytime you see him.

You will think of him before sleeping and after sleeping.
You will be very moody and short tempered, but in front of him, you will be all calm and composed.
You will smile like an idiot whenever  you happen to see him.
You will check his status and dp every now & then.

My friend, if you do the same then CONGRATULATIONS, Your emotions will be screwed up just like the above said.

Tap To Unblock, Reply Privately In Groups Soon: WhatsApp

WhatsApp is testing new features for its over one billion users that include tap to unblock and private replies in groups, among others.

In the latest WhatsApp Android Beta version, spotted by the popular fan website WABetaInfo, “when you want to select a contact from the Contact List, you can easily chat to blocked contacts simply unblocking them using the new action: tap and hold the cell to unblock and send a message”.The Private Replies feature will let users reply privately to a person within a group. With this feature, you need not leave the group to reply someone.In Group Info, WhatsApp has added a new shortcut called Invite via link, very similar to the option you can find in the iOS app.

“In future, you will also be able to shake your device while you are in a chat to report something wrong to WhatsApp!,” the website has added.

This action will open the Contact Us section, where your logs can be sent to WhatsApp to help them to investigate.

In an iOS update, WhatsApp is also working on an option that will allow users to make a group call.

“You will be able, in future, to find a new section called Admin Settings, where there will be two options: Send messages and Edit group info,” the website said.

Another “Picture-in-Picture” feature will soon let users have a video chat with their friends and simultaneously message someone else.

As businesses widely use WhatsApp to communicate with their customers, particularly in Asia, the Facebook-owned service also appears set to launch a brand new app for them.

In a new FAQ published on its site, WhatsApp revealed more details about the upcoming Business accounts like how to identify verified Business accounts from non-verified ones.

“While chatting with businesses, you can check your contact`s profile to see which type of account they`re using. A verified account has a green checkmark badge in its profile,” WhatsApp wrote in the FAQ.

The much-talked-about WhatsApp for business app is currently being tested by a private group of testers and the company will introduce it as a WhatsApp Business` a standalone app.

What are some of the most secretive places that one can never visit in India?

1.Wheeler Island Odisha

 is an island off the coast of Odisha approximately 150 kilometres from Bhubaneswar. India maintains a missile testing facility on the island.Access to the test facility is by ship, as there is no bridge or airport connecting the island to the mainland. There is a small helipad, but missile airframes and all supplies, construction materials and heavy equipment arrive by ship.

  2.   North Sentinel Island, Andaman & Nicobar Island.

        A group of indigenous people, the Sentinel, live on North Sentinel Island. Their population is estimated to range from 50 to 400 individuals. The Sentinelese reject any contact with other people, and are last people to remain virtually untouched by modern civilization. The population faces the potential threats of infectious diseases to which they have no immunity, as well as violence from intruders. The Indian government has thus declared the entire Island, which is approximately the size of Manhattan, and its surrounding waters extending three miles from the island, to be an exclusion zone.

  3. Kongka La Pass

    According to the few local people on the Indian and Chinese sides, this is where theUFOs are seen coming out of the ground. This theory is given credence by the fact that in June of 2006, satellite imagery on Google Earth revealed a 1:500 scale detailed terrain model of the area in question on the Chinese side of the border.

  4. Challakere

  The facility, being built in Challakere (200 km from Bengaluru) in Chitradurga district, upon completion, will "expand the government's nuclear research, to produce fuel for India's nuclear reactors, and to help power the country's fleet of new submarines" the report said.The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) are two agencies involved in the construction of the military complex in Challakere.

5. Rambilli military base

The naval base called “Ram Beery military base” is located only 50 kilometers away from the famous port city Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh of India. The Indian eastern naval command, controlling one of the al fleet of the two main forces in India, is in Visakhapatnam. There will be piers and maintenance facilities for nuclear submarines. The reports claimed that the naval base, armed with high-tech equipment,will become India’s new nuclear submarine homeport. The port is strategically positioned at Andaman Islands in the South China Sea from where the Chinese naval activities in the Indian Ocean can be observed.

Best content writing strategies!

Content is your weapon and one should use it effectively so as to yield maximum results from it,

The best wining strategies-

1. WORDS- innovative content is nothing but power play of words.
2. Grammar- Good vocabulary and grammar is what makes your writing stand out.
3. Purpose- Before writing any content we should know what is the purpose and what objective we need to fulfil from it. Only then we can write a meaningful content.
4. Goals and strategy
5. Url
6. Keywords stuffing- It should be between 1 to 3%
7. Attractive title.
   

Milk masala powder: Stay healthy with this nutritious drink mix

What is milk masala?

Milk masala powder is a mix of roasted and ground nuts and dried fruits, which may be added to milk to make milk tastier, easier to digest and also full of flavour and health benefits. The masala can be prepared at home or bought in ready to mix packs available commercially. 

Recipe

masala powder for dhoodh(milk) is ready for this winter. 
Ingredients... 
Pepper 50gram..
Poppy seeds 100gram..
Elachi 50gram..
Clove 25gram..
Saunf 10gram..
Nutmeg 1
Cinnamon 1long stick... 
Haldi 200gram... (used organic haldi powder).. 
Palm sugar 300gram..

Dry roast well all the above ingredients separately in a kadai.
 Cool it and grind it in a mixer grinder all together 
Add a spoon of this powder with 300ml of hot milk and serve
Do not add sugar since palm sugar is added as a sweetening agent for this.

CTRL ALT DELETE your fat!

“You are so fat, WTF. How disgusting," "You cannot be confident with being that unhealthy” - unfortunately, these are some extremely mean things people who are on the heavier side hear at least once in their lifetime.

Fat-shaming is a sad reality. It's a struggle for those who are getting by this insult on a daily basis.

It is never too late! All that first you have to decide to do is run to drain away all the negativity surrounding you. A few months later, you are sure to end up on the road to transformation.

"The results that you see along with weight loss, how friends and family are so appreciative and supportive of the change, keeps you going. Moreover, It is one’s own burning desire that to fit into smaller size clothes, and that's what will keep us motivated.

Every morning, take a pledge to start with a minimum of 2-km run and evenings with indoor stretches and weight training.

"Never give up on things. Whatever you decide to achieve, just go for it because 'where there's a will there's a way!'

#MY2017! - Thanksgiving To All Demeaning Criticizers

In this last week of 2017, my news feed is filled with so many thanksgiving messages of my friends in the form of sharing their hangouts pic, stories, meme tag and post shares dedicating to their loved ones.
On scrolling through and liking all those moments, I wanted to share and dedicate my 2017 to someone who made it. Well! But whom do I tag for it? My husband or my family by mentioning their showering of unconditional love? Nope, I express my gratitude to them daily either verbally or by playing responsibilities with a happy face.
Then whom should I dedicate a thank you note? Well, after a contemplation I decided for whom should it be. Why a thank you note should always be to someone who has a good wish and has done good deeds for us? For a trendsetting, let me thank those demeaning criticizers and negative people who left a hardcore impact on my 2017.
In the start of 2017, because of them, my inner peace was completely doomed. The incessant complaints made me feel like I was living in martyrdom. It made me feel like forever it is impossible to escape from this negative spin. My happiest moments were turned to be a horrendous mistake. I could feel them enjoying my sufferings.
The negativity was so infectious that I found myself held captivated by their web. The negativity lingered in my mind even when they were not around. So, as with most unpleasant things, I decided to own up and step up to take responsibility for my own negativity.
We all have a time when we accentuate the positive and also the moments when we exaggerate on the negative. We are all connected in this inescapable cycle. I welcomed the situation as it was, opening up to the possibilities for change within me. I started developing emotional health by sculpting myself with more love induced thoughts.
I started inculcating more patience in me. I found more positive solutions that I can deal with. I began to see their perspective that made me more compassion than before.
At this point, I’d like to thank those criticizers and humiliators who have helped to bring a better human out of me! After all, compassion, kindness, and love connect us all.
#Farewell2017, #Greetings2018!

Guide on withdrawal procedure of PF and EPS money after leaving your job

After resigning from a job many individuals do not get their provident fund (PF) transferred from the previous employer to the new employer.

People do this mainly because the funds are safe with the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and it keeps earning tax-free returns.

Things, however, will not be the same from now on. In November 2017, the Bengaluru bench of the Income-Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) ruled out tax-exemption on the interest earned after an employee has quit. So, to avoid getting taxed, you will have to either transfer the PF balance to the new employer or withdraw the amount at the earliest after the exit.

After an exit from a job, even though no fresh contributions are made, such PF accounts remain 'operative' with the balance earning interest every year. The PF balance as on the date of exit from an organisation continues to be tax-exempt but interest earned on the balance thereafter will be taxable in the year of withdrawal, i.e., it's only the amount of interest earned during the out-of-job period which comes into the tax net. So, to avoid tax, one should get the PF balance transferred to the new employer.

If such a case pertains to you, you have two options: continue earning taxable interest or withdraw the PF balance. Let's see how you can withdraw the PF balance.

When can an employee withdraw PF balance?

According to the EPF Act, to claim final PF settlement, one has to retire from service after attaining 58 years of age. The total PF balance includes the employee's contribution and that of the employer, along with the accrued interest. In addition, he will be eligible to get the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS) amount as well depending on the years of service.

But what if someone decides to quit his job before reaching 58? Under the existing rule, employees who resign from a job before they turn 58 years of age can withdraw the full PF balance (and the EPS amount depending on the years of service), if he is out of employment for 60 straight days (two months) or more after leaving a job and then withdraw.

Along with the PF, one is also allowed to withdraw the EPS amount if the service period has been less than 10 years and not later on. Once this milestone is crossed, the employee compulsorily gets pension benefits after retirement.

To withdraw the PF balance and the EPS amount, the EPFO has launched a 'composite form' to take care of withdrawals, transfer, advances, and other related payments.

Before you start the withdrawal process make sure all your previous PF accounts are merged into one. The total service in the present establishment as well as previous organisations will be taken into account and therefore, it is advisable to merge your accounts.

The withdrawal process

The withdrawal process becomes simpler and less time-consuming if you have your Aadhaar number with you. Here is how you can initiate the withdrawal for both, with and without Aadhaar.

Withdrawing without using Aadhaar card number: If you don't have an Aadhaar, but have the PF number, use this form - Composite Claim Form (Non-Aadhaar).

You will have to furnish Permanent Account Number (PAN) if the total service period is less than five years and also attach two copies of Form 15G/15H, if applicable. In case the Universal Account Number (UAN) is not available, you can mention only the PF account number.

Withdrawing using Aadhaar card number: You can submit a Composite Claim Form (Aadhaar) directly to the concerned EPFO office without attestation of claim form by the employers. The payment of the PF balance will be sent to your bank account, so attach a cancelled cheque along with the form. Before proceeding ensure these things: You have submitted complete details in Form11 (New) to your employer, Aadhaar card number and bank account details are available on the UAN portal, and the UAN has been activated.

The withdrawal process will entail these conditions. See which one caters to you and choose the form accordingly.

1. Withdrawing PF balance plus EPS amount (for below ten years of service)

If service period has been less than 10 years, both PF balance and the EPS amount will be paid. To get EPS amount, in the Composite Claim Form (Aadhaar or Non-Aadhaar), along with choosing 'Final PF balance', also choose the 'pension withdrawal' option.

If you plan on re-joining the workforce, you may opt to get the 'scheme certificate' by furnishing Form 10C.

2. Withdrawing PF balance plus EPS amount (over ten years of service)

If you have already completed 10 years of service, the EPS amount cannot be withdrawn and only the scheme certificate is to be issued by filling Form 10C along with the Composite Claim Form (Aadhaar or Non-Aadhaar). Pension is to be paid from age 58 while a reduced pension can be paid from age 50. One may opt for early pension (reduced proportionately) after 50 years, provided one has completed 10 years of service.

3. Withdrawing PF balance and reduced pension (age 50-58) (over ten years of service)

You can only get pension after turning 50 years of age and have rendered at least 10 years of service. If your service period has been more than 10 years and you are between the age of 50 and 58, you may opt for reduced pension. For this, Form 10D has to be submitted along with the Composite Claim Form (Aadhaar or Non-Aadhaar).

4. Withdrawing PF balance and full pension (After 58)

After 58, you have to submit the same Form 10D to claim the full pension.

What you should do

It is advisable to transfer your PF balance when you change jobs as it is a form of forced savings. For those who are still in service and have not started their own business, it is better to transfer the PF balance to the new employer. The transfer process has been made automatic, click here to know about it. And if you have quit to start your own business, the entire balance in your EPF account can be transferred to the National Pension Scheme. 

Meet the humanoid 'Mitra' - which declared GES 2017 open

At the Global Entrepreneurship Summit being held in Hyderabad, the Indian Prime Minister and the US President's daughter will come face-to-face with Mitra - a humanoid.

Practice, not preach

Invento Robotics came into existence last year in October 2016 after the founders pivoted from their educational startup named Invento Makerspaces. "We wanted to change education with a maker-centric approach, but it turned out to be harder than we had anticipated," shares Balaji Vishwanathan.

It was in 2015 when a robot made by a team of Invento garnered much appreciation during a maker fair that made the founders realise that a proof of concept may work better to inspire.

The proof of concept can now be found walking in the corridors of Canara BankBSE -1.58 % and PVR Cinemas in Bengaluru, greeting consumers and telling them what they like best. Capable of face detection, face recognition, speech recognition, contextual support, and autonomous navigation; Mitra is a 5 ft tall humanoid.

"What Google does for the online world, we do for the offline world. The robot speaks to the customers, gets to know them and their preferences, and on subsequent visits makes contextual suggestions. Mitra can help businesses do better customer targeting. For instance, in supermarkets, Mitra is capable of collecting relevant data on your first visit and not only make suggestions on your corresponding visits, but also take you to that particular aisle," explains Vishwanathan.

"Hardware ecosystem in India is very nascent and thus will take time in supporting high-end tech-savvy hardware products. Naturally, the guidance we were seeking in running a hardware startup was not easily available. The investor ecosystem also was not primarily looking for hardware products - hence funding was hard," shares Vishwanathan.

Work hard, party harder

The founders are currently monetising via two streams - rental and sales. Priced at Rs 8 lakh, the company makes a majority of the revenue from renting out Mitra for corporate (Rs 25000) as well as social events (Rs 15-18000).

"People rent out Mitra for weddings and birthday parties. It moves around like a loud jukebox playing songs, takes pictures, also tweets those out if you want it to," explains Vishwanathan.

Rentals form a majority of the company's revenues at present, but the company is in the midst of overhauling their manufacturing process which is expected to increase the share of sales.  The company manufactures its robots from Bengaluru after issues cropped up with transporting their first prototypes from the global manufacturing hub, China.

Invento Robotics turned profitable two months back and will soon be launching a "female" version of Mitra, to be known by the name of 'Mitri'.

While Mitra comes equipped with a tablet, Mitri has been handed a tray.

If you think this is sexist, Vishwanathan puts your worries to rest with a simple explanation, "Most of the servers in India are men; there is no such thought behind the design." Rest assured; Mitri would be available to do your bidding in a few months.

5 Products You Should Never Use If You Have Skin Issues!

If you have sensitive skin, you know how quickly it can become angry, with symptoms like redness, dryness, and itchiness that can be difficult to soothe. And while it may seem like avoiding irritation is impossible, top dermatologists tell us that steering clear of certain types of products that notoriously inflame sensitive types can help your skin calm and happy—and you smiling.

Face scrubs

Also known as physical exfoliants, scrubs are too harsh for sensitive skin—no matter how gentle the beads purport to be. This also includes dry brushes and loofahs in addition to any exfoliant formulas with scrubby bits like sea salt and sugar. Instead, use gentle chemical exfoliants like lactic acid and fruits acids that help speed up cell turnover without the use of physical rubbing against skin.

Chemical sunscreen

While physical (mineral) sunscreen reflects sun rays to block harmful UV radiation from skin, chemical sunscreens work by actually absorbing the UV rays to prevent skin absorption. Stick to the two physical sunscreen ingredients only—zinc oxide and titanium oxide. Some sunscreens are a mix of both physical and chemical ingredients, to be sure to look at those ingredient labels closely.

 Sulfate shampoos

Americans are culturally known to be addicted to a good sudsing and "squeaky" cleanliness, but sulfates take it too far for sensitive skin types, says Chiu M.D., founder of The Derm Institute in Redondo Beach, CA. Sulfates are made of sulfur-containing mineral salts, and are strong detergent ingredients that are often used to create a lot of foaming action in products like shampoo. The most commonly used types you'll see on ingredient labels are sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES). Sulfates can cause chronic dryness and itchiness everywhere from the scalp to the face and body by stripping moisture as it rinses off, so Chiu recommends sensitive skin types always go for shampoos and conditioners labeled "sulfate-free".

Fragranced body lotions

"When the word 'fragrance' appears as an ingredient on the label, this hides many, many more ingredients that can cause irritation since companies aren't obliged to disclose their fragrance ingredients," explains Chiu. Opt for products labeled "fragrance-free"—or if you're craving a scent; choose formulations that add it through natural ingredients like essential oils. It's always safest to first patch test a new product for 24 hours for any potential adverse affects before applying it to your skin liberally.

Skin toner with alcohol

Whether you're cleansing or moisturizing, alcohol in products does the one thing sensitive skin needs the least: It sucks moisture right out of your skin. This can lead to bothersome itchiness, irritation, and discomfort, explains Chiu. On the other hand, fatty alcohols that aren't irritating, and could be okay, include cetyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, and stearyl alcohol. The safest bet for truly sensitive skin is to always go alcohol-free, says Chiu. 

Recommended Time To Eat Lightest And Heaviest Meal Of The Day!

Lightest meal of the day

When it comes to weight loss, we’ve heard so many different rules, it’s a little exhausting. Some people say you can eat whatever you want as long as you hit around 1,200 calories a day, others say throw out calorie counting, just eat whatever you want as long as the foods are “clean.” The diets get even crazier when you throw timing into the mix. We’ve been told to only eat carbs in the morning, or to try intermittent fasting, or to make sure we only eat certain snacks at night. It can all feel so contradictory and leave your head spinning.

While we're at it, here's another question for you: Which meal should be the smallest of the day? Are we better off eating six small, similarly-sized meals throughout each day? Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day? We’ve been told the French eat lunch as their longest and heaviest meal of the day and they look pretty great. We set out to find an absolute answer, consulting both experts and research. Here's what we found:

What The Research Says

Have you ever had a crazy day at work that involved a skipped breakfast and skimpy leftovers at your desk? After a full day of activity and little eating, you come home completely ravenous and feel as though you could eat your entire kitchen. That pattern of consuming all your calories at night can leave you feeling awful, and for good reason, according to science.

According to one study, those who eat most of their calories in the evening hours, during a delayed lunchtime of approximately 4 p.m., may have poor blood sugar metabolism, which could over time lead to insulin resistance issues and weight gain.

Another study published in Pharmacological Research found that participants who ate more calories at breakfast experienced greater weight loss than those who ate the majority of their calories at dinner. Researchers concluded from the observational study that there was a “negative impact of later meal timing and calories distribution on body weight and metabolism.”

Additionally, many reviews suggest that “light” and “heavy” meals can be categorized beyond mere calorie count. One review suggests that consuming 20 to 40 grams (where you fall in the range depends on weight) of high-quality protein every three to four hours is the most supportive of muscle protein synthesis, a process that aids in muscle repair and growth. Additionally, this type of eating promoted improved body composition. As we’ve learned before, a body composed of more muscle and less fat is more likely to have a higher metabolism, which would help with weight loss.

This sentiment was echoed in a study from the journal Steroids that suggested your “heavy” meal of breakfast should contain both protein and carbohydrates in order to support a healthy weight.

What The Experts Say

“I think the rule to follow is that your heavier, in terms of caloric value, should be prior to the most active times of your day so you have energy for your workout or whatever your activity is,” says Albert Matheny, R.D., C.S.C.S, nutritional advisor to Promix Nutrition and co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab.

The reasoning behind this is that food is designed to give you energy, he says. This energy can be used to fuel activity or recovery from activity. However, if you eat in excess of these needs, it will only result in an increase in your blood sugar and then excess calories will be stored as fat, he says.

Agreeing with the research, Matheny says that it’s extra important to make sure you are consuming enough protein post-workout to keep your metabolism functioning well and aid in muscle recovery, as these are keys to long-term health and weight maintenance/loss.

This is not to suggest eating only before a certain time or to stop eating after half the day has passed, but rather to eat meals that are increasingly less calorie dense as the day goes on. That doesn’t mean you can’t have your dark chocolate in the evening—you should if you want it—but it’s how much you consume that makes the difference.

The Bottom Line

Of course you should listen to your body and eat when you’re hungry, but research and experts agree that eating a huge meal right before bed doesn’t make much sense since your body won’t be burning anything off while you’re sleeping. Instead, stick to nutritionally balanced meals that get smaller as your activity level lessens.

Paleo diet tips. Things you should know!

If you take a look back at the Paleolithic era—we’re talking 10,000 years ago here—you’ll find that our ancestors had some pretty solid eating habits. The hunter-gatherers of the Stone Age obviously didn’t have sugary cereals, frozen dinners, or processed snacks to nosh on, so they naturally ate lots of meat, eggs, vegetables, and nuts instead.

That’s essentially what the modern-day “paleo” diet is. Processed foods are out and whole foods that require basically no prep are in.

Dairy, legumes and beans, alcohol, sugar, and even some starchy vegetables are off the table, too. What’s left is pretty much the healthiest kind of grub around, which is why some research touts the diet's benefits.

One study, published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, compared the effects of the paleo diet to a low-fat diet and concluded that those who went paleo lost nearly three times the amount of weight than people who ate little fat. Another study in the journal Nutrition Research found that going paleo may also benefit your cholesterol levels, a health marker that's been linked to diabetes and heart disease.

YOU WON’T ALWAYS LOSE WEIGHT

Don’t be surprised if going paleo doesn’t immediately help you drop pounds. While the diet does emphasize lean protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates in the form of fruits and vegetables, it is possible to gain weight at first, says Eliza Savage, R.D., a nutritionist based in New York City.

The amount of calories you're eating still matter when it comes to weight loss. Healthy fats in particular pack a surprising amount, so watch your portion sizes there, she says. For reference, half an avocado will get you 182 calories, so just take that into account with the rest of your meal if you're trying to shed pounds.

Plus, if you're going paleo strictly to lose weight, keep in mind that the fad diet mentality doesn't really work, especially when it comes to keeping the weight off.

YOU’LL WANT TO TRANSITION SLOWLY

Any diet that eliminates common foods is difficult to just jump right into. Bread, peanut butter, and coffee are staples for lots of people, so going cold-turkey might just set you up for insane cravings. Focus on making a few changes at a time to give your body time to adjust, suggests  Adams, Ph.D., founder of Eat Right Fitness.

For example, cutting out all grains at once might feel like a struggle, so give yourself some wiggle room for the occasional serving of rice or corn while you eliminate things like oats, wheat, and quinoa. Over time, you can slowly fade out the rest.

YOUR MEALS MIGHT GET REPETITIVE

“Most people who follow this diet eat in what I call a very ‘elemental’ way, which means very few recipes or combining ingredients,” says Adams.

Most of your plates will involve some form of protein and a pile of vegetables. But this simplicity has the potential to backfire.

“The diet can be very boring if you don’t challenge yourself with different cooking techniques and food varieties,” says Adams.

YOU MIGHT FALL SHORT ON SOME NUTRIENTS

“While the paleo diet has plenty of protein and fiber, it is sorely lacking in calcium and vitamin D, mainly because of the omission of dairy products,” says Adams, which can weaken your bones and immune system over time. Make sure you load up on paleo-approved calcium sources, like almonds, broccoli, and dark leafy greens.

It's important to also note that your body actually needs enough vitamin D to properly absorb calcium in the first place, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Lots of people, paleo or not, lack vitamin D, but eating foods rich in it, like paleo-approved fatty fish and mushrooms, can help.

Still, if you don't feel like you eat a ton of those foods and you live in a less-than-sunny area—think Midwest in the dead of winter—talk to your doc about it. He or she can run a test to make sure you're truly deficient. Then, if necessary, can talk to you about taking a supplement.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT EATING TOO MUCH PROTEIN

Protein helps keep your hunger in check and makes your muscles grow. With the paleo diet, lean meat and fish will likely make up a big portion of each of your meals.

But that isn't really something to fret over, says Adams. As long as your kidneys are functioning properly, it’s quite difficult to eat too much protein. “There is plenty of current research that shows a slew of benefits to consuming a high-protein diet with little-to-no negative side-effects,” he says.

However, that means other important macronutrients, like fat and carbs, might get pushed to the side if you're not careful. To ensure a balanced plate, make sure you're fueling up with fruits or vegetables and foods that contain healthy fats, like nuts.

Five reasons why car buyers can put off their decision and wait for electric cars

Petrol and diesel cars are on their way out. India is zipping ahead on its path to embrace electric cars as automakers as well as the government are gearing up to bring electric mobility to the country, and fast. Next year, a number of electric cars will hit the road and you will get to see more charging stations.

Government leads the way 

Though M&M is already selling electric cars in India, one swallow does not make a summer. Electric mobility requires a big push. And that push has already happened. The government is placing orders for 10,000 electric cars with private companies. First phase of bidding is already over. Tata Motors will supply 250 cars and  M&M will supply 150 in the first phase. State-run firm Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL), which has placed the order, seeks to push adoption of electric vehicles in India by this mega order. The government order is expected to kickstart the market. EESL will lease out these vehicles to government departments. Within a few years, the government might replace a large part of its fleet with electric vehicles.

Infrastructure cropping up 

The biggest problem in the way of electric mobility in India is lack of charging infrastructure. That's why the leader M&M could not bring in the revolution despite hard attempts. Adoption of electric vehicles requires mass-level efforts. The huge government order followed by more such orders in future will necessitate building of charging stations. India has nearly 56,000 fuel stations but only a little more than 200 charging stations. The change has already begun. Recently, Indian Oil Corporation became India's first oil marketing company to set up a charging station at a petrol pump in Nagpur. More such charging stations will crop up next year.

The leader joins the race 

Japanese automakers Suzuki Motor and Toyota Motor have finalised an agreement to manufacture and sell electric vehicles in India within three years. Suzuki sells one in every two passenger vehicles in India through local unit Maruti. If such a mass-production company starts selling electric vehicles, adoption will be quick.

The industry trend 

Honda Cars India Limited (HCIL) is readying an electric vehicle strategy aligned with the needs of the Indian market. HCIL, the Indian subsidiary of the Japanese carmaker, is evaluating developing country-specific battery electric vehicles addressing the issue of affordability and its suitability under Indian traffic conditions. Honda globally expects as much as 65% of its sales to come from electrified vehicles in 2030. It has already established with  in Honda R&D (Japan) an Electric Vehicle Development Division—a specialised team which is in charge of developing the entire vehicle including the powertrain and body—to increase development speed of EVs.

Honda joining Suzuki and Toyota in India's electric race means more automakers will be compelled to join and electric vehicles will soon become the hottest industry trend in India. Korean car maker Hyundai is already evaluating its green mobility solution for the Indian market.
Expect these companies to launch activities to promote widespread acceptance and use of electric vehicles in India. These will include setting up of charging infrastructure, human resource development including training for after-service technicians and systems for appropriate treatment of end-of-life batteries.

The policy push 

The government has set an ambitious target of having only electric cars by 2030. And it has shown it has no intention to sleep on its plans. In September, Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari warned automakers that he could even use coercion to meet the target. This means the government will try to disincentivise production of petrol and diesel vehicles every way it can while incentivising electric vehicles. This is necessary to make the transition faster.

5 Face Care Tips You Need to Follow In Winter

Any extreme weather condition–be it hot or cold can damage your skin. However, I think winter is particularly hard as the dry wind, and chilly weather can make your skin dry up leading to flakes. And a regular skincare regimen would hardly help in such times. Your skin needs more than just pampering to keep it healthy and glowing.

And to help you achieve that, here are a few simple winter care tips for your face that you can follow to avoid excessive dryness and dead looking skin.

1. Cleansing, The First Step To Healthy Skin

No matter which product you use, cleansing is a must-follow first step in skincare. This has to be followed through the year irrespective of the season. In winters, you can limit the number of times you wash your face from 3 times to 2 times and alternatively cleanse your face with cold milk and cotton ball to prevent excessive dryness.

2. Scrub, Exfoliation Is The Key

You can enhance your scrubbing experience by making your own scrub using natural ingredients available at your home. Here’s a sample fruit scrub for you.

2 tbsp. mashed ripe banana
2 tbsp. of a mashed apple
1 tbsp. honey
2 dollops of your Mild scrub.
Mix all the ingredients and gently scrub your face for 2 minutes in circular motions. Washing it off with warm water and pat dry with a soft towel.

3. Toning To Tighten The Skin
First things first, always use a mild toner that suits your skin rather than one loaded with chemicals. A harsh toner could disturb your skin’s PH levels. Toning will remove the post-cleansing residual dirt from your face. Toning not only tightens your skin but also prepares it for the moisturizer, night serum you are about to apply to the face.

4. Moisturizing For Soothing

Moisturising is not just essential for very dry and flaky skin, but regular skin type must indulge in this routine too. If you are not for chemical-laden products, then you could go for any of the natural moisturizers— almond oil or extra virgin olive oil. Alternatively, you can mix the oil with your normal cold cream or lotion too. Gently massage this into your skin till it absorbs and leave it on.

5. Essential Face Packs For Winter

There are hundreds of ingredients in your kitchen which can help keep your facial skin soft and supple in the harsh cold season. Here are a few face packs that you can make use of.

Banana Face Mask

Mashed ripe banana is a great moisturizing agent. Take 4 to 5 tablespoons of mashed ripe banana and massage it on the face. Wash off after 10 minutes and give your face some massage with honey, go in circular motions for that extra moisturizing feel. Do so for at least 10 minutes and finish off with a toner.

Buttermilk Pack

Use malai or fresh buttermilk with a pinch of turmeric, let it stay on the face for about 10 minutes before washing off with lukewarm water.

Aloe Vera

Known for its incredibly moisturizing properties,  aloe vera can be used on the face as a moisturizer; It is an ideal way to relieve your face from dryness and enhance its texture.

Borrowing is easy like never before through peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform

What is P2P lending?

Similar to e-commerce websites such as Amazon and OLX, a P2P platform is a marketplace for money lending activities. "Individuals can lend money to others where the lender and the borrower are matched using online services. Lenders can go through profiles of people looking for money and offer an amount to whichever individual or business that they find most promising.

The borrower can either be an individual or a legal person requiring a loan.

Who does P2P lending suit?

While banks and non-banking finance companies (NBFC) are the readily available sources for loans, who does the P2P platform cater to? "Unfortunately, banks in India follow mediocre credit assessment policies which are suited only for borrowers who can offer collateral or have an impeccable credit history. In practice, majority of the borrowers lie in between these extremes. Therefore, majority of Indians can borrow on P2P platforms.

One of the main reasons that borrowers go for P2P lending is the fact that they may get financing which they wouldn't have gotten approval for by standard financial institutions. The middleman is removed from the process. The application process is also easy and quick unlike banks and NBFCs which take 4-7 working days to disburse a loan.

How is the interest rate determined?

Unlike in a bank, where the interest rate is largely a function of the cost of funds of the lender, in a P2P platform, the borrower's profile decides the interest rate at which the money can be borrowed. Pricing is determined based on risk associated with the borrower and so we determine the interest rate for a loan based on our proprietary scoring and pricing parameters. Every platform will have its own pricing and scoring pattern for the borrower. Therefore, compare rates across P2P platforms before finalising where to borrow from.

Who is eligible to borrow?

The eligibility norms may vary across P2P platforms but they mostly restrict it to individuals with earn a salary. Having the salary credited to bank account, having an email account, and a mobile number may just be some other pre-conditions for borrowing on these platforms. Check the minimum income criteria and the borrowing amount before you proceed.

Credit score

Credit score has become an important tool for banks while disbursing loans. However, those with no credit score or a low score could face issues. Banks take a very narrow view of 'good' borrowers, i.e., CIBIL score of 750+ and have a category A, category B and category C list of companies. This has left a large part of individuals not able to access credit. P2P lending websites, therefore, offer a platform to those with low credit scores.

Even those with high credit scores may take advantage of these platforms.  Borrowers with good credit profile can borrow as low as Rs 25,000 even for 6 months and could prepay the loan without any penalty. Banks don't offer such flexibility.

A high credit score of say closer to 900 means that the borrower has serviced previous loans and credit card dues properly, so that the lender feels that you are a safe borrower. Thus, you can get a higher loan amount at a lower rate. A borrower with around 800 or more credit score, needing a Rs 7.5 lakh loan would be better of approaching a bank than a P2P lending platform.

What are the restrictions?

RBI has put a cap on the amount that can be borrowed and lent. The aggregate exposure of a lender or the maximum that one may borrow at any point of time, across all P2Ps, shall be capped at Rs 10 lakh. Even the exposure of a single lender to the same borrower, across all P2Ps, shall not exceed Rs 50,000 and the maturity of the loans shall not exceed 36 months. More clarity from RBI is expected on how the regulator intends to monitor the compliance of this aspect and how it will fix the responsibility.

What are the charges?

Make sure the charges are clearly defined and are stated in the tripartite agreement between the P2P platform, lender, and the borrower. Some of the charges could be:

Lender fees:

o Account opening fee

o Entry fee

o Investing and reinvesting fee

o Repayment collection fee - A percentage of monthly repayment collected from borrower

o Exit / withdrawal Fee - A percentage of the amount withdrawn from escrow account

Borrower fees:

o Registration fee

o Listing fee / account opening fee

o Borrower fee - A percentage depending on one's rating

o Prepayment charges

o Loan processing charges

Risks for a lender

Since this is an unsecured loan where there is no face-to-face interaction, a P2P lender needs to be aware of the risks involved. All investments involve risk. However, in comparison to equity or commodity market investments or real estate, P2P lending has lower risk as it is addressed by on-boarding high quality borrowers. Further, lenders are suggested to create a diversified portfolio of loans.

Risks for a borrower

For a borrower who intends to default, it is definitely not a good idea. Defaulting borrowers can end up hurting their credit scores thereby lowering their chances of securing loans in future. Plus, there can be steep penalties for delaying or defaulting on the payment and it may involve a long drawn litigation process.

In case of default

As a lender, one would want the P2P platform to help in recovering the amount lent in case the borrower defaults. "Since the borrower is abided by a legally enforceable contract, he or she can be sued in the court of law. He adds, for an additional fee, P2P platforms can offer you third-party legal opinion. The P2P platforms try to recover the defaulted amount, including steep penalties charged thereon by deploying their own human resource.

Finish Line

P2P lending is a new mechanism and if properly conducted can bring in a huge amount of unorganised lending and borrowing into its fold. Further, a large chunk of borrowers with no credit history can be catered to by these platforms.

For the benefit of this industry and the individual bowers and lenders, the regulator needs to keep a close watch, track and take necessary action especially in the initial days to keep the unscrupulous activities out. The advertisement and promotional messages of P2P platforms needs to be strictly monitored and standardised. Those who are promoting this business on the lines of 'assurance', 'capital protection' etc may damage the reputation of the industry even before it takes off. A case in point is the life insurance industry marred with rampant cases of mis-selling especially in the initial days of the sector being opened up for the private sector.

Make sure to check GST 'discounts' If planning to buy these groceries!

From Wednesday, consumers would do well to check their shopping bills closely. A host of packaged products such as chocolates, toothpastes, shampoos and shaving creams – with the maximum retail price printed on them – is set to become cheaper following a steep reduction in the goods and services tax.

Some companies manufacturing these products have asked traders to pass on the tax cuts to consumers immediately, without waiting to put revised maximum retail price stickers on them or printing new packs, both of which would take time.

A watch company and a printer maker plan to inform customers about the price reduction through newspaper advertisements. Still, consumers should be aware that not all companies may implement the price cuts right away.

The changes will affect a large number of products that are already in stores or on their way there. Pasting stickers with revised prices can be done only after the government gives the go ahead. Apart from taking time, some companies said pasting stickers costs the same as printing packs with the revised prices.


The maximum retail price of a product includes taxes and unless a company increases the base price or raises the margin for distributors and dealers, these products should become cheaper. The government is yet to issue fresh guidelines on pasting stickers with the revised prices.

The GST Council reduced the tax rate on about 200 products, of which 178 were moved to 18 per cent from the 28 per cent slab, at its 23rd meeting on November 10. The new rates are effective from midnight Tuesday, with both the states and the Centre issuing notifications.

“However, given the paucity of time, most companies have not been able to reduce the MRP of products but have communicated to dealers and retailers that prices should be brought down.” Consumers need to be aware about what prices are likely to come down and by how much, irrespective of the MRP printed on the product. Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, which makes Amul, the country’s largest dairy brand, has told distributors to sell its products at the revised prices.

Dabur, the maker of Real fruit juices and herbal and ayurvedic products, said it has not informed its trade channels about the revised prices.

Some companies may not cut prices and instead increase pack sizes.

“When the tax slabs went up in July, we did not increase prices. Now that they have been revised downwards, we may not drop prices. We will wait and see how the market dynamics play out before taking a decision,” said the head of a large cosmetics company. Consumers should keep a tab on restaurant bills, too.

Fight Against The Pressing Issue: Depression!

When you were in school how often did you hear about depression or any other mental illness for that matter?

Gone are days when mental disorders were a rare thing. More people are becoming victims of depression and anxiety, and you can blame it all on technology. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 5% of the world’s population suffers from depression. That’s a whopping 350 million people. 

Why the rise?

If you date back twenty years from today the number of people suffering from depression would be not more than 0.5%. To begin with, the reason for the increase in depression is the gradual change in the thought process of the people.  In fact, research shows that depression begins with negative thinking.

How does it start?

It ‘s okay to have negative thoughts when you have a setback, but the problem starts when your whole thinking pattern becomes negative. You fail to see the good and start picking out the negatives in each and everything. This habit becomes a way of life, and that’s when depression creeps in.

Depression is seen as a major threat today because it has the power to deteriorate our entire life. Its old news that our thoughts reflect our actions. So having depressive thoughts will automatically have an impact on our daily lives. The increase in the rate of suicide is also strongly connected with depression.

Getting rid of depression

As I already mentioned, the root cause of depression is negative thinking. To treat depression, you have to get started by getting to the root of the issue, which is your thinking pattern.

Practicing Positive Thinking

Positive thinking cannot be taught in a day. It takes time and effort, but one fine day it will eventually pay off. The first step is to transform every single negative thought into a positive one. For example, let’s say that you have recently lost your job. The first negative thought which will hit you is that getting a job is extremely difficult. Get started on this very thought. Start thinking that getting a job is very easy because you have the right skill set and experience.

Tips To Beat The Toxic Delhi Engulfing Smog!

After Indian Medical Association declared a 'public health emergency' in Delhi on Tuesday, schools decided to shut till Sunday. The National Green Tribunal also banned the construction and industrial activities in the City till November 14.

While people are on high alert, there are certain things one needs to keep in mind when dealing with this major crisis in the city.

Tips To Beat The Toxic Smog

1. Avoid cardio workout 

Many experts and doctors have suggested staying indoor during this crucial time. Breathing heavily during cardio workout will draw pollution deeper into the lungs, increasing the chances of respiratory ailments. "Avoid outdoor exercise at least until levels drop below the prescribed limit. Even allergic cough and breathing problems in little children can be averted by spending the evening indoors.


2. Get the right mask 

It is crucial to find the right mask to protect yourself from the repercussions of the polluted air. Avoid surgical and comfort masks as they don't provide adequate respiratory protection to the wearer. Currently, Delhi's air has increased levels of particulate matter (PM2.5 - particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres). Hence, get a respirator that is rated N95/N99/FFP3 or is 'NIOSH Approved' that filters out more than 95% of particles (larger than 0.3 microns).

3. Stay Hydrated

Health and wellness expert Dolly Kumar, and founder of GAIA, suggested keeping the body hydrated and drinking more water than usual during this time. One can also consume vegetable and fruit juices.

4. Don't ignore sustained symptoms 

Keep the allergy kit ready with required medicines, inhalers and nebulisers if you have a family member with respiratory illness. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Signs You Need To Show To A Doctor 

Breathing in the poor air quality can have severe health implications in the short and long term. We tend to develop more mucus in our lungs when we inhale smog. It further holds the toxins making us feel sick or asthmatic.

Exposure to bad air quality may lead to initial symptoms like coughing, irritation in eyes and nose, sore throat, asthma or wheezing, and tiredness. But prolonged exposure may have serious consequences on health causing stroke, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and even lung cancer. Pathak advised consulting a doctor immediately if these symptoms persist.

Asthmatic patients should carry their inhalers at all time. They can also increase their medication after consulting with their physicians if their symptoms worsen.