Friday, April 04, 2025

How to Have a Restful Sleep

 Little is better than a good night's sleep, and not sleeping well can take a toll on your health and well-being. As time progresses, the problem may worsen and symptoms such as moodiness, inability to concentrate and sheer exhaustion can affect our emotional well-being all the more. But this handy guide will teach you everything you need to know about a good night's rest!

sleep

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   


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posted by G S Iyer at 10:45 AM 0 comments

Microwavable Mitten Warmers

Step 1: Materials

These mitten warmers can be made quickly and easily. This instructable will show you several different methods so you have lots of options depending on your resources and abilities.

Here is a list of supplies you may choose to use:

Essential items:
- mittens (obviously)
- microwave oven
- dry, uncooked rice or lentils - but not popcorn, that's a bad choice.

Choice of cotton fabric:
- old dish towel
- old sock
- old T-shirt
- etc.

One or two of the following items:
- sewing machine
- needle and thread
- fusible webbing
- string
- rubber bands

Step 2: Option One

Option One Option One  Option One

Use a sewing machine to sew a small bag out of some fabric. These ones I made measure about 8cm (3 inches) by 5cm (2 inches).


Begin with a piece of fabric a little wider than you want the finished bag to be, and a little more than twice as long. The extra width is your seam allowance. By the way, you needn't fuss about with a whole lot of cutting, just snip the edge and rip the fabric. Next fold the piece in half with the inside out, and run them through your sewing machine to sew the two sides together. Then turn them right side out, and fill with rice. Tuck the remaining raw edges inside and stitch the opening shut.

Done.

The final thing to do with all these options, is to microwave your finished mitten warmers for between 30 seconds to a minute. The rice will likely have a fair bit of moisture in it so for the first few heatings, so expect the warmers to come out of the microwave a bit damp. If you use basmati rice, like I did, also expect it to smell delicious! You can pop them into your mitts right out of the microwave and enjoy you toasty fingers!

Step 3: Option Two

Option Two  Option Two Option Two

 What? You say you don't have a sewing machine? Well it doesn't take a rocket surgeon to figure out you can do pretty much the same thing as Option One, but do all the sewing by hand. I used a blanket stitch to close up the top seam on mine.

Step 4: Option Three

 Option Three  Option Three  Option Three

Now if you are like me, you're not a big fan of sewing. Well then, let's try to minimize the amount of sewing you need to do.


Find an old pair of socks that you've worn the heels through, but the toes are still in good shape... and make sure they're clean! Lob off the toes to make pockets with enough room to hold the rice. Fill rice into these pockets, and tuck in the raw edges, placing enough fusible webbing between to span the entire opening. Iron this seam together.

Since microwaving these bags will melt the fusible webbing, you need to stitch along the seam. Socks tend to be quite stretchy and the fusible webbing helps stabilize the fabric while you sew it, however you could do without it if you prefer.

Step 5: Option Four

Option Four   Option Four  Option Four

 Option Four  Option Four

What's that? You say you suffer from [http://www.phobia-fear-release.com/aichmophobia.html" aichmophobia] and don't want to sew anything at all? Try this: Either fill the toes of old socks with rice like the previous option, or make a satchel out of an old dishtowel or T-shirt.

One way to make a satchel is to take a square of fabric and push some of it down into one hand that you can fill with rice. Gather up the loose ends over top and tie off with some string. Try not to make the satchel too tight; keep it a little slack. Then just trim off the excess and use.

Step 6: Option Five

 Option Five  Option Five  Option Five

Option Five  Option Five  Option Five

So you never quite managed to learn the whole tying-string-together thing, eh? Not to worry, use rubber bands instead of string. Wrap the rubber band as tightly as possible around the open end of the sock, or satchel.

Step 7: Option Six

 Option Six

Still too complicated for you? (sigh...) Okay then, just put some rice in a bowl, heat it up in the microwave, and then pour it into your mittens.

Sure the rice will be loose in your mitts and you'll probably loose some if you raise your hand to wave at a friend, but this is absolutely the fastest and easiest mitten warmer I can think of to keep your fingers from freezing when you are outside.

 

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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posted by G S Iyer at 10:22 AM 0 comments

14 Uses For Rice That You Never Imagined

Rice is a staple, readily available food eaten the world over. In fact, there probably aren't many kitchen cupboards that don't house a couple of bags of this extremely useful basic food. Rice isn't just useful for cooking however, it has a number of fantastic properties that make it a fantastic problem solver around your home. Here are 14 ways you can use rice to solve common issues efficiently, and cheaply.

1. Stop stools from rusting
 rice-uses
 
Rust happens due to metals being exposed to the moisture in oxygen over a long period of time. As we know, however, rice is great at soaking up spare water, so adding a few handfuls to your toolbox can keep your spanners and hammers dry and rust-free for longer. 
 
2. Save Wet Electronics 
If your phone, tablet or other small electronic device gets a bit wet - don't panic. Remove the battery if possible, and then place all wet pieces of the device in a bowl of rice and leave it overnight. The ability of rice to soak up excess moisture, as long as the accident wasn't catastrophic, should be enough to save your precious electronic piece!

3. Clean glass bottles and vases
 rice-uses
 
This is a really simple trick that a lot of people don't think about, despite it solving a common issue that we all have - cleaning bottles and vases with narrow openings. How do you get a cloth, scrubber or your hand inside to scrub away grime? Well, rice might well be the solution you have been looking for! Pour a handful of dry rice into the vase or bottle, and swill it around in slightly soapy water for a few minutes. That will remove the muck and grime so you can simply pour it out. 
 
4. Soothe Your Muscles  
If you have some aches and pains from a hard day on your feet, or even a more serious muscle strain, then harness the power of rice to ease your discomfort. Simply fill a clean sock with rice, while being careful to leave enough room for the rice to move around and contort to your body shape. Tie the end of the sock with string, microwave it for one minute (you can pop it back in for longer if you need it hotter) and voila, your hot compress is ready! This works so well because rice is great at maintaining heat. 
 
5. Check if Oil Is Hot Enough
 
rice-uses
If you want to check whether your oil is hot enough before you use it for frying then just drop a few grains of rice into it. If the rice pops up to the surface and starts to cook, then you can be sure that your oil is good to go. This is actually a much more reliable gauge than a deep fry thermometer. 
 
6. Ripen Fruit Quickly 
Have you brought some fruit that's taking its time to ripen, but you want to eat it today? Speed up ripening time by popping the fruit in a container with a few handfuls of rice. This trick can work wonders really quickly, so be sure to check the container regularly to ensure the fruit doesn't over-ripen. 
 
7. Clean Your Coffee and Spice Grinders
 
rice-uses
Spice and particularly coffee grinders have a horrible habit of picking up plenty of dirt, grease and dust over time. Rice, however, rises to the rescue once more, because if you run half a cup through the grinder, it will remove any grimy build ups. You will need to grind the rice until it is pulverized - and as an added bonus it will help sharpen the edges of the blades too. 
 
8. Stop Salt from Clumping 
If you live in a humid country, sticky salt can be a particularly annoying problem and may create a battle between you and the shaker to season your food (the battle usually ends with you having to take the lid off and sprinkle it with your fingers). There is a good reason why restaurants put grains of rice in with salt - because it solves the problem, while costing next to nothing! 
 
9. Give Tarnished Silver a Shine
 
rice-uses

Keeping tarnish on your silver pieces to a minimum is a must if you want to avoid a hefty polishing job further down the line. You can help protect your cutlery and trinkets by keeping a small container of rice in the place where you store them. It will help draw the moisture away from the silver and keep it sparkling! 
 
10. Make a Pet Toy 
 If your cat is taking too much of a liking to your precious ornaments, then keep him or her distracted with a rice toy. Make a small satchel from spare fabric, fill it up with a mixture of rice and catnip and sew it back up. Throw it to the cat and watch it get batted around your home or garden with contentment! 
 
 
11. Make Your Skin Glow
Most us over-estimate the amount of water we need when cooking rice (too much is better than too little right?) Well, that leftover water doesn't need to be sent straight down the drain, because it can be put to very good use. Let it cool naturally, then place it in the fridge. Use the chilly water to wash your skin and leave it looking radiant. Brown rice gives the best results because it's rich in vitamin E. You should use the rice-water within 3 days. 
 
12. Make Rice Milk 
Rice milk is a fantastic dairy alternative and it's really easy to make. All you need is a cup of rice, 4 cups of filtered water and a couple of pinches of salt. Blend the ingredients together for about 1 minute (or until smooth). Store in the fridge and enjoy your delicious milk, cold. 
 
 
13. Keep Your Hands and Feet Warm in Winter
Cold hands and feet are one of the most maddening consequences of winter. If your home has non-carpeted sections of flooring, it can be really horrible to put your feet down during the coldest months, even if you are wearing socks. Never mind though, because you can harness the warming power of rice to help you! Making warming rice slippers and mittens is a great, fun craft project that could really help you this winter.
 
 
14. Keep Kids Entertained 
Are the kids or grand-kids at a loose end or driving you crazy? Not to worry, keep them entertained while also encouraging their creativity, with the use of rice. Take an empty container, ask the children to decorate it and then get them to fill it up with rice to make instant, DIY maracas! That will keep them entertained for a while.

NOTE- DIY Microwavable Mitten Warmers in next post

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   


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posted by G S Iyer at 10:02 AM 0 comments

Lemons Have More Health Benefits Than I Ever Realized

Lemons are some of the most common citrus fruits in the world, and most of us use them almost every single day. But how much do we really know about lemons? Are we fully aware of just how beneficial they are for us, and how many other ways there are to use them, besides eating? After reading these 15 facts and uses, you will definitely try to eat more lemons and use them in more creative ways. If you are the kind of person who never liked lemons, despite their strong taste, high vitamin C content, antioxidants, B-vitamins, calcium and more, this just might be the thing to change your mind!

1. Restore the pH levels in your body
 
lemons, health
The stress of modern life, junk food, pollution, lack of exercise, and other toxins we accumulate can throw our body off balance. Although lemons are very acidic, their nutrient content is alkaline-forming and thus, helps make our body more resistant to a number of health problems. A cup of warm water with some lemon squeezed in will help you start your day in a healthy way.

2. Help your digestion process
Lemons are powerfully antibacterial and as such, they destroy bad bacteria in your body and allow good bacteria to flourish. The good bacteria help with problems such as indigestion and constipation. A glass of water mixed with the juice of one lemon, or any other means of combining lemons with a large meal, will help stimulate peristalsis and the production of stomach acids that will aid the digestion process.


3. Helpful dietary aid
When you're on a diet, a lemon can be your best friend for a number of reasons. First, it contains pectin, a fiber that can help you feel fuller and eat less. Thanks to this, a glass of lemon tea before a meal can help prevent overeating. Second, lemon juice happens to be a natural diuretic. This means it helps the body get rid of excess water it doesn’t need through increased urination, this will make you feel less heavy and puffy.


4. Natural parasite killer
 Parasites and intestinal worms are very hard to get rid of, but there is a key element to getting rid of them that lemons contain. Parasites love acidic environments and drinking lemon juice or eating lemons will make your digestive system a more balanced environment, one that is hostile to parasites.


5. Natural mouthwash
If you have bad breath or canker sores, a lemon might be an easy, cheap and simple way to deal with them. Apply fresh lemon juice to the area or gargle just like any other oral care aid. If you have bleeding gums, you can massage freshly squeezed lemon juice to the problematic area and deal with the bacteria causing all the pain directly.


6. Relax and increase your attention
The gentle scent of a lemon has been scientifically proven to have a calming effect. The lemon's essential oil has the ability to increase your level of concentration and alertness while working or studying, just by enjoying the fresh scent it emits. 
 
 
7. Exfoliate and renew your skin
The vitamin C in lemons has a beneficial effect on your skin as well as your body. Many skincare products are high in vitamin C because it stimulates cell renewal by gently exfoliating your skin. By using a slice of lemon as a facial scrub, you will remove stubborn dirt and dead skin from your face and reveal the fresh, clean and healthy layer underneath.

 
8. Take better care of your liver
 lemons, health
 
Herbalists and naturopaths claim that the sourness of lemons signals the body to activate the liver and kidneys and that the antioxidants in the lemon help enhance kidney and liver function. This enables them to better detoxify themselves and the rest of the body. As previously mentioned, lemons are also a mild diuretic, so they encourage your body to release stored, unused water along with the accumulated waste products flushed out by your liver. 
 
 
9. Lower your blood pressure
The pectin in lemons can help lower cholesterol that causes high blood pressure. Flavonoids, as well as vitamin P, also serve to strengthen the blood vessels themselves and lower the risk of them being damaged by high blood pressure. 
 
 
10. Keep a dandruff-free head
A simple way to treat dandruff by yourselves is to make a hair mask using lemon juice and other natural ingredients like coconut oil. Use this mask to moisturize your dry scalp, but don't use it for too long or too often as lemon juice can also lighten your hair color. 
 
 
11. Take better care of your feet
The solution for rough and scaly feet might be right inside your kitchen. The citric acid along with vitamin C in lemons can take off dead skin, enhance skin renewal, and brighten dark skin areas. Simply soak your feet in some hot water mixed with the juice of 2-3 lemons, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and ¼ cup of milk for about 20 minutes. Your feet will not only be softer than ever but will also smell much better!

 
12. A home-made cure for fever and chills
 
lemons, health 
 Lemon tea and lemon juice have long been used as home-made remedies to help lower fever. A cup of lemon tea with honey every few hours should help subside any chill or fever you might have. Of course, if the fever persists - go see a doctor. 
 
 
13. Get healthy glowing skin
Lemons aren't just used to repair damaged skin, the high levels of vitamin C found in lemons are used by your body to make collagen and elastin. Both are tissues responsible for giving your skin a glowing and youthful appearance. Simply start eating more lemons, or apply lemon juice to your skin, and after a short while you will see the effect. 
 
 
14. Pain relief
The oils found in lemons create an aroma that relaxes blood vessels and reduces inflammation, both key factors in pain relief. If you suffer from sore joints or other inflammatory diseases, drink a glass of lemon water every day to help ease your symptoms. Lemon extract can even help alleviate pain caused by sunburn if applied to the skin with water and gently rubbed on the painful area. 
 
 
15. A treatment for varicose veins
Lemons have the ability to strengthen blood vessels, and so can be used to reduce the appearance of varicose veins, making your legs look younger and healthier. Add a few drops of lemon essential oil to a moisturizing oil of your choice (like jojoba or avocado oil) and rub the mixture onto the affected area. Doing so on a regular basis will slowly make the veins disappear from the top of your skin.

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   


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posted by G S Iyer at 9:04 AM 0 comments

4 Subtle Signs of Emotional Unavailability to Look Out For

Chances are, you may have already experienced a few signs of emotional unavailability without even realizing. Perhaps you’ve fallen for the classic commitment-phobe  who has you constantly second-guessing where you stand. Or you’ve run into cases of people building walls and detaching after getting hurt in the past.

At its core, “being emotionally unavailable means you have difficulty expressing your feelings and being open or intimate in your relationships,” a Therapist SELF. But just because someone closes themselves off doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t care about you. Rather, they might not know how to show it. Some folks are also better at sharing their feelings than others, whether it’s because of how they were raised or simply due to different communication styles. In certain cases, though, holding back can be a subconscious defense mechanism—your mind’s way of protecting you from being let down, Lurie says. (The less you know, the less “exposed” they are to getting their heart broken.)

“It can be really scary to be intimate with others, and it takes a lot of courage and bravery to do that,” Lurie points out. However, authentic, secure relationships—where you’re loved for your true self—are built on trust, openness, and vulnerability. Without those, it’s nearly impossible to experience that kind of fulfilling connection.

 

To start breaking down these barriers, you first have to understand what emotional unavailability looks like. Here are a few major signs.

1. They’re sending mixed messages.

It’s easy to mistake emotional unavailability for someone just not being into you, but they’re not the same thing. In other words, a person can genuinely want to be with you yet still have trouble opening up—kind of like how they can be very in touch with their feelings…just not with you.

To figure out the difference, a licensed therapist in Boca Raton, Florida and author, tells SELF to look for inconsistencies in their behaviors. For example, maybe this person is typically quick to text back or call you when they say they will. But once the conversation turns to deeper subjects (about their past relationships, mental health struggles, or next steps in your love life), they pull away, becoming less responsive or offering short, curt, and uncharacteristic replies.

In these situations, emotional distance is likely at play, experts say. Whereas if someone’s simply not looking to date you, you’ll know it’s a lack of interest because there’s zero effort being put into the relationship, even with shallow stuff. Speaking of which…

2. They keep conversations surface-level.

You’re probably not going to dive into your complex childhood trauma or deepest insecurities with just anyone. But with your partner? You should be comfortable sharing those parts of yourself (eventually).

With an emotionally closed-off partner, however, they may be reluctant to talk about their upbringing, for instance, past breakups, or relationship insecurities, instead fixating on lighter subjects. (Think: TV shows, sports, and work—things that don’t require you to be so raw and exposed.)

3. They withdraw during your moments of vulnerability.

How a person responds when you discuss deeper topics can tell you a lot about their emotional availability…or lack thereof. To be fair, “developing intimacy within relationships takes time,” Lurie points out. “It’s not uncommon to be uncomfortable at first.” But as you get to know each other better, you should ideally notice early healthy signs of engagement and support, like them actively listening. You may even get a response that signals empathy, like, “I really appreciate you sharing that with me. Actually, I know how you feel because….”

On the flip side, signs of emotional unavailability might look like a partner who changes the subject when things get too “serious.” According to Lurie, they may revert back to flirting and jokes to dodge those topics. Or, when you do gently nudge them to open up, they might even get defensive (“Why are you trying to make this about me? This is your issue, not mine”).

4. They’re reluctant to “define” the relationship—or acknowledge long-term potential.

Their actions might resemble those of a committed partner, spending tons of time together, meeting your friends, doing all the things any couple would. But the moment the conversation shifts to “What are we?” (whether it’s hard-launching on social media or a casual mention of the future), they panic.

Even if these next steps don’t seem like a drastic transition to you, the sheer concept of rigid labels can feel like a pressure point to others—one that comes with more expectations, responsibility, and a level of intimacy that can be intimidating for some. And, to be fair, both experts agree there are valid reasons one might hesitate: Maybe they need more time to process a messy breakup, or their personal life at the moment is too chaotic to take on anything serious.

That said, “if you want commitment and you’ve been with that person for a decent amount of time, you’ll certainly have to talk about it at the very least,” Feuerman says. And if they keep dodging the conversation—or offering vague, flaky answers (“I don’t know, let’s just see where it goes”), it might be worth considering whether you're truly compatible..

What to do about an emotionally unavailable partner

Letting someone in—really in—isn’t going to happen overnight. Like any skill, though, it’s one a person can work on, so long as they’re willing to put in the effort…and you’re willing to be patient. You can’t force a notoriously tight-lipped lover to let their guard down. Expecting that kind of change is mentally draining; not to mention, it’s not your job to do the heavy lifting for them.

What can help, though, is creating a safe, supportive space for honesty, whether that involves helping them reflect on past trust issues, say, or expanding their emotional vocabulary. That way, they can name what’s really going on (“I need more reassurance from you sometimes, but I don’t want to come across as clingy”) instead of shutting down. (For more tips on encouraging your SO to open up, read this.)

It can be terrifying to put your heart out on the line, especially since it comes with the risk of getting hurt. That's why it may help to remind your partner that being with someone who sees your fears, dreams, and everything in between—and loves you anyway—is what makes vulnerability well worth the risk.


This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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posted by G S Iyer at 8:31 AM 0 comments