Snoring - Why & How to Stop it?

Snoring - the biggest bedtime annoyance - is not only a male problem, it affects women too. It is found that around 42% of adults snore. What are the reasons for snoring and how to stop it? Explained here:

Reason No.1: Overweight is a main trigger for snoring in men, as they tend to put on weight around their necks.


Solution: Losing weight through diet and physical exercises will help in stopping snoring.


Reason No.2: Consuming Alcohol: Consumption of alcohol, sleeping pills and sedative medication can cause the muscles in the back of the throat to collapse which leads to snoring.


Solution: If consumption of alcohol cannot suddenly be stopped, it can be reduced and / or should be consumed at least 4 hours before going to bed.


Reason No.3: Smoking. Smokers are likely to snore more than non-smokers. The more a person smokes, the more likely he / she will snore.


Solution: If smoking habit cannot be stopped immediately, it can gradually be reduced and one should smoke at least 4 hours before going to sleep.


Reason No.4: Sleeping Position. Sleeping on back will lead to snoring. It is always better to sleep on your side because of the effects of gravity on the upper airway.


Solution: A well-shaped pillow will put the head in a slightly tilted position and will open the airway at the back of teh throat.


Reason No.5: Allergies such as hay fever affect 10-25% of the population and the nasal congestion can contribute to snoring.


Solution: Appropriate treatment and remedies should be taken for hay fever. Anti-inflammatory herbal spray will also help in overcoming hay fever and reducing nasal congestion.


Reason No.6: Mouth Breathing & Small Nostrils. Keeping the mouth open throughout the night and small or collapsing nostrils will make anybody snore.


Solution: Mouth-breathing device will help breathe through the nose. Wearing nasal dilators will also help in controlling snoring while sleeping.

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How to Overcome Fatigue (extreme tiredness) at your Workplace?

Fatigue is a major workplace hazard as it reduces your performance and output. Fatigue is lack of energy that does not go away even when you rest. Getting fatigued is usually a result of physical exertion, poor eating habits, emotional stress, boredom, lack of sleep or over-weight. Changes in your lifestyle will result in regaining viality and boosting your energy levels at your work.

Digestion is a calorie-burning activity and your body burns calories to digest the calories you eat. How to burn calories to beat fatigue?


Walk over to your office colleagues instead of using chat messenger / emails to communicate with them.


Use stairs instead of the lift if your workstation is not too high up in your office building.


Even the above small exercises / moves will make your body burn calories.


You have the habit of eating three big means a day? Break it up in to six to eight meals, and eat every two hours. Eating at longer intervals fails to give your digestion system a good workout.


Apart from breakfast, lunch and dinner, go for mini meals (a fruit or biscuts) during your mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack breaks.


Some foods, which will fight fatigue, are: Whole-grain crackers, Walnuts, Dark Chocolate, Pumpkin, Yogurt, Watermelon, Wheat bran cereal, Oatmeal, Green/Black Tea, Mushrooms, Milk, Sweet Potatoes & Eggs.


Never skip breakfast as it might even result in weight-gain and will have an impact on your productivity at your workplace.


Sleep deprivation will not only cause weight gain but also will make you tired very easily. Go to bed early and wake up early.


No time for physical exercise or for jogging / walking during weekdays? You can do the same during weekends / holidays. Jogging, Running, Spinning, Dancing, Playing football / tennis etc. will make you stay physically and mentally fit always.

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How to Combat Inflation?

We all know, inflation is always on the boil. Here are some useful tips for you to fight the price rise / price changes:-

Plan Shopping in Advance: Before you go to the market, check the inventory at your home. Make a list of items you will definitely need and stick to the plan accordingly. When you go grocery shopping, it is never ideal to go on an empty stomach as the same will tempt you to buy an extra pack of food items which will not require at all. Always use cash instead of credit / debit cards as cash payments will pinch more and will force you to be very careful when it comes to spending.


Avoid Wasting Foods at Home: As all vegetables such as spinach, fenugreek etc. are not fit for bulk purchases, you should buy them in small quantities whenever you need to avoid wastage. But you can buy some vegetables like Potato, Onion etc. in bulk as you can store them for more than a week. While you cannot avoid wastage completely, you can curtail the waste by careful consumption.


Utilize your Saving Account Money in Investments: Amount lying in savings account idle is not only safe and also inflation will erode its purchasing power. Invest in Fixed Deposit or in a short term debt fund for higher returns.


Have Your Own Food at Office: Always take lunch from home. This will save around Rs.3000/- month. You save time, money and also protect your health as unhealthy food stuff is served at fast-food and eateries.


Don't be brand conscious: FMCG Companies spend crores of rupees for advertising their products which are recovered from consumers through high prices. You can get local branded products even with good quality. Just keep a strict control on the quality when you buy loose.


Take advantage of Sale Offers: Many hypermarkets offer heavy discounts on different items almost throughout the year. You can even buy online at cheaper prices with FREE Delivery service at your door stop. Just check-in to India's Top Online Need Providers from our this blog (reputed merchants' list provided on the right side. Just click and save lot of money).

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Choosing Good Coaching Center for IIT/JEE.

IIT/JEE and other exams after 10+2 not only test the students for the hard work they have put in but also for their situational intelligence. Most of the parents and students are puzzled over the matter of selection of a good coaching center for IIT/JEE etc. Following are the failure-proof factors to be considered for choosing a good Coaching Center:-

Track Record of Coaching Center: Parents / Students should know how old a coaching center is and their success records like number of students enrolled, percentage of students secured rank within top 100 or 500 or 1000. To know the truth, it is better to surf the internet and / or read latest issues of career magazines. A friend or relative whose ward has earlier cleared such exams may guide well.


Faculties & Their Qualifications: Parents should ask for a list of faculties and their qualifications. Institutes which has IIT-ians pool of teachers definitely have an edge over other institutes which do not have.


Fees & Refund Policy: Parents should ask about the options available in remitting the fees whether payable in instalments or entire fees to be paid at the time of admission and what about the refund if the students discontinue. Some coaching centers refund a percentage of fees depending on the period for which classes were attended. Parents should never get lured by discounts and special facilities unless they are genuine.


Quality of Classrooms: As health plays a vital role for competitive exams like IIT/JEE, both parents and students should visit the class rooms to know the comfortable seating / lighting arrangements, discussion rooms and other good sanitation facilities.


Study Materials: Parents should try to collect some pre-information about the quality of study materials (whether study modules are supplemented by a plentiful supply of solved / unsolved numerical and reasoning problems?). And the coaching centers have a good library of supporting reference books?


Travel Time to Coaching Center & Mode of Transport: Parents should ensure that the centers are not far away from the residence as the school-going students will be hard pressed to maintain the timings and perform well.


Class Timing Options: Centers generally provide weekdays or weekend options. However, parents should decide which option will fit in to their children's daily routine in the best possible way. Parents should also ask whether the timings can be changed, in case the ward does not like the timings selected.


Adaptability of the Institute: Exams like IIT/JEE change the pattern of question papers every year. As such, the coaching centers should regularly amend its techniques to coach students by conducting surprise tests, challenge sessions and non-conventional tests.

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Combating Diabetes with Power Foods

Certain foods definitely help fight diabetes. Here are they:-

Like oats, Barely is divine for diabetics with its soluble fibre beta-glucon to slow down the digestion and absorb carbohydrates and stabilize blood sugars / potassium which result in reducing blood pressure.


Apple is a good low calorie snack with antioxidant quercetin and fibre which steadies blood sugar swings.


A bite of Dark Chocolate with antioxidant flavonoids improves insulin insensitivity.


Dark Green Leafy Vegetables like Spinach, Cabbage, Green Mustards etc. are low in calories and high in nutrients which assists in combating diabetes.


Dairy Products like Milk, Curd, Butter Milk, Lassi, Paneer, Butter etc. have a deadly combination of of the dazzling due calcium and Vitamin D which help regulate sugars in blood.


Vegetables like Broccoli & Beans are rich chromium, vital for insulin formation which helps in maintaining normal blood glucose. They are low fat protein packed with fibre and are a good source of anti-stress minerals.


Avocado is a buttery fruit and has high fat content but its good fats cut sugar spikes as it delays the transit of food in the gut, leading to slower absorption of carbs.


Fish like Sardines & Salmon improve insulin resistance. They are a good source of omega-3, high quality protein, magnesium, potassium and selenium.


Having 2 tablespoons of Vinegar before meal is beneficial to blunt blood sugar rise after meal consumption.


Antioxidants in Green Tea help in improving serum insulin levels & increase fat oxidation.


To lower blood sugar and to cut high blood glucose, half-to-one teaspoon of Cinnamon each day will be ideal.

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Healthy Cool Foods for Hot Summer.

Maintaining a healthy diet in summers is very important to keep our bodies healthy, hydrated and cool. During summer season, we should avoid diet sodas, ice cubes and cold liquids as having these end up increasing the body temperature.

Summer is the season of a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables. Below is an insight to the secrets of summer diet:-

As Tomatoes are rich in lycopene that may protect the skin from sunburn, we must eat plenty of tomatoes.


Watermelon is 90% water. It is a good food to keep our bodies hydraed and cool during summer season.


A tall glass of Iced Tea refreshes as it contains full of plant pigments. Flavonoids (plant pigments) lower the risk of Alzheimer's and diabetes and also promote bone, teeth and gum health.


Eating Curd helps increases the stomach-friendly bacteria in the intestines, as intestinal infections such as cholera and typhoid easily surface during summer.


As Coconut Water is packed with minerals, simple sugars and electrolytes, it replenishes the body. Most of us are unaware that sweating leads to loss of water and many essential mineral from the body.


Sugarcane Juice is best for those who exercise or work out during summers. It cools and energises the body.


Raw Mango consumed in any form helps to prevent summer stroke and typhoid.


Cucumbers, Bell Peppers & Lettuce are naturally watery foods. They prevent urine from being acidic in summers.


Carrots, Mushrooms, Spinach, Parwal, Pumpkin & Doodhi are easily digestible water-based vegetables for the summer.


Vitamin A & Vitamin E rich foods like Papaya, Mango, Flaxseeds, Egg Whites & Sprouts prevent damage to skin and hair due to high temperatures.


Foods To Be Avoided: (i) Caffeinated or Carbonated Beverages (ii) Chilled Liquids (iii) Minimising intake of Dried Fruits, Hot/Spicy/extremely Salty Foods & (iv) Cutting down / Minimising intake of Fried Foods.

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Students! Preventing Eye Strain While Studying.

Sitting at a desk or a computer screen for hours on end can be stressful for the eyes. Eye strain can simply be explained that it results when the eyes focus on a single-close-up object for extended periods of time. Here are some useful tips to prevent eye strain:-

While studying, take breaks in between and look at objects that are far. The eyes must be able to relax for distant and near objects. You can also relax your eyes by facing a corridor or by sitting next to a window.


As a regular routine, it is ideal to take at least 5 minute break after every 40 minutes of study.


As the eyes get tired of being anchored in a fixed position for any prolonged periods of time, you can step out of your room and take in some fresh air.


Schedule study sessions starting early in the morning will be better. It is found that studying in daytime is better with a far better reproducible memory.


Always make sure your room has adequate ambient lighting as studying in dark room leads to eye strain.


Some specific Blink frequently whenever you study for long periods of time. Constant blinking helps to keep eyes moist. When eyes dry up, it make you feel more tired.


The outcome If you need to study using laptops / computers, position it in a way so that you are not looking at the screen straight on. The top of the screen should not be higher than your eyes.


The brightness of the computer screen should be the same as the intensity of the lighting in the room. If needed, increase the font size for easier reading and for preventing eye strain.


Before the exam starts and during exam times, have the habit of having small meals, preferably non-oily ones at regular intervals. Avoid coffee and / or tea. Consumption of multi- vitamins, specially Vitamin B1 will be good for your eyes and boost your memory power.

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