HOW TO OVERCOME HEAT THIS SUMMER

Summer season is the time for exams and in the holidays people go out on vacations. Time for trips, visit of relatives, hectic shopping. The risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke rises along with the temperature and humidity. Heat illnesses occur when the body’s cooling mechanism becomes overloaded.

To overcome exhaustion and the effects of summer heat simple steps can be followed.

• First and foremost Hydrate your body. Drink lots of water at least 10 to 12 glasses of water. Water is a natural drink with no sugars in it. Keep sipping water in intervals even if you are not thirsty. If you are feeling thirsty it is an indication of dehydration. Carry a bottle of water when you go out from home.
• Wear loose fitting, cotton clothes. Wear loose and full sleeved clothes to protect the body from the scorching sun. If you are working indoor then you can opt for short sleeve clothes.
• Use an umbrella when you go out in the sun. You can avoid the hot sun by selecting light color clothesand umbrella. Light colors reflect heat.  Dark colors absorbs heat.
• Use a cap or hat to avoid the heat. Possible cover the back of your neck. This is the area if neglected can cause disturbance to your health. Women these days are covering their faceupto nose completely toavoid the heat.
• Have fruits , fresh fruit juice. Have fresh slices of cucumber, it is cooling.  Do not skip breakfast or lunch in summer when your schedule demands you going outdoors.  Eat healthy food and maintain good diet.
• Wear sunglasses, helmets and women can wear gloves to preventsun tan.
• Use prickly heat powder to avoid sudden burst of rashes. Use asunscreen lotion to prevent redness, itchy feeling and sunburns.
• Take bath twice daily to remove all the salts settled due to sweating. Your skin becomes clear and you will feel relaxed.
• Avoid liquids that contain caffeine, alcohol, or large amounts of sugar.
• Preferably avoid outdoor activities if possible and try to complete the tasks before 10.30 am and proceed after 5.30 pm.
• Sweating is a way to keep body cool. Sweating leads to pungent odors. You can keep away the bad odor by using deodorants.
• Indoors use light color bedsheets. Keep the windows open to allow fresh air coming in.
• Avoid having chilled water from the refrigerator as there are high chances of catching cold due to the sudden change in temperatures.
• Consume coconut water.
• If you are not using filtered water then recommend using pre-boiled , cooled water for drinking.
• In many homes clay earth pots are used in summers. The upgraded version of clay pots with taps prevent water contamination.

Your health is in your hands. You can take care of your family near and dear ones by forwarding the tips. You can also understand How to overcome common Summer Health problems in the next article. Precaution is better than cure.

Read More

How to Overcome the Fizzy hair during Summer

To help Riya out, let’s first know what exactly is frizzy hair?

Many people are mistaken when they think that ‘Frizzy hair’ is a hair type! But frizzy hair is not a hair type rather it is a condition which mostly affects those with wavy or curly hair. It can occur due to many reasons such as excessive brushing of the wavy or curly hair with a comb that has fine bristles or due to constant washing as shampoo can dry out hair or because of the change in the humidity content of the air such as in summers and winters.

While there are plenty of such reasons that can explain frizzy hair, at the base of all these reasons is one common factor that we overlook i.e. Water! Most of us don’t know this, but drinking enough water throughout the day helps to hydrate the body and hair from within thereby preventing hair from becoming frizzy. Summer heat also tends to take away the precious moisture from hair leaving it moisture less, dry, dull, lifeless and not to mention frizzy.

Why does frizzy hair only affect those with wavy or curly hair?

To know the answer to this question, lets take a good look at the follicles (very small holes in your skin that contain the roots of your hairs. People with straight hair have straight follicles while those with curly or wavy hair have curved follicles that gives the waves or curls to their hair. Further while in case of normal hair, hair cuticles (the outermost part of the hair shaft tend to stay together close to each other,wavy or curly hair, due to its shape, forces the hair cuticles to lift or come undone, giving the hair a frizzy appearance! 

Is there any way to control/treat/get rid of frizzy hair?

Sure! There is hope for Riya and thousands like her. Frizzy hair can easily be controlled this summer by following a few do’s and don’ts,

Frizzy Hair Do’s:

• Cut down your hair’s exposure to the sun and its ultraviolet rays that can damage your hair by taking away the moisture from it, making it appear dry and lifeless with the help of a scarf or a cap or with an umbrella
• A good way to control frizzy hair is to deep condition it every time you wash it. An important thing to remember is that deep conditioners are different from normal conditioners that can be rinsed off 5 minutes after application; deep conditioners are mostly thick in texture and should be left on for at least 10-15 minutes before being rinsed off.

A great way of maximizing the benefits of a deep condition is to wrap your hair up in a warm towel after applying the conditioner, as the warmth of the towel will help the conditioner in better penetration into the hair shaft.

• Another good tip for managing frizzy hair is to give it the hot oil treatment. Using olive oil is advised as it moisturizes your hair better than regular oils. After oiling your hair (especially the ends of your hair), cover it with a towel or a shower cap to retain the heat of the oil which helps it to seep into the scalp and reach the hair roots, nourishing them Wash your hair after 15-30 minutes plus you might want to rinse your hair twice to remove all the oil as it seeps in quite deep.
• Drink water, plenty of water as your hair needs to be well hydrated for retaining its moisture, and what better way to moisturize your hair than from within!

Frizzy Hair Don’ts: 

• Don’t leave your hair untied or even tightly tied up when it becomes frizzy. A loose bun left resting on the nape of your neck is the perfect hairstyle for those summers when the hair gets frizzy. Don’t wash your hair everyday with shampoo, as it tends to dry out the hair. And if you can’t go without washing your hair every day, try rinsing it with plain water and using a mild conditioner afterwards.
• Avoid doing any chemical treatment to your hair, such as coloring, straightening, perming etc. These can cause considerable damage to your hair texture and give rise to conditions such as split ends and dry hair, that make the hair weak and frizzy
•  
• Do not dry your hair by vigorously toweling it or with a dry blower set on ‘hot air’ flow. Instead to dry your hair, wrap it up in a warm towel for 10-15 minutes or just let it dry naturally
• Don’t eat junk food, as, like our skin, our hair too requires nutrition for maintaining its health – shine, growth and strength.

If Riya, our worried friend follows these simple do’s and don’ts and gets an appropriate hair cut this season, she won’t have to worry a bit about her frizzy mane! 

Read More

How to Beat Boredom over the Summer

Summer is always a time of the year when things get boring. Need some help coming up with fun ideas this summer? Read on!

Steps

1. 
   1
   Beat the heat. If you live in an area where summers are hot, you can have fun and cool off at the same time! Consider these activities:
   • Go to the beach or the pool. Play Marco Polo and have chicken fights, where people sit on each other's shoulders and try to knock each other off. Or play a sport such as cricket, frisbee or football. You can have swimming races and do underwater acrobatics or dive for pennies.
   • Run through the sprinklers. Put on a swimsuit, or just wear some casual clothesyou can get wet. Play some of the usual games you'd enjoy outside (such as tag, hide-and-go-seek, jumping on the trampoline, or red rover) with the added challenge of having a sprinkler or two going in the yard.
   • Have a water fight. Fill up some water balloons, buy a cheap water gun at the dollar store, or find a hose attachment that sprays water further than before, and start a water fight! (Just make sure you don't hit anyone in the face or throw water balloons at breakable surfaces, such as glass.)
   • Make "Finally out of school" cards for friends.
   • Create some shade with a blanket fort. Using light sheets and blankets, put up a blanket fort using chairs, tables and couch cushions for walls. If you want, set up a fan at one end, grab a cold drink, and read a book or take a nap inside.
   • Make popsicles or ice cream. Experiment with different flavors as you get better at making them!
   Ad
2. 
   2
   Play night games. As dusk starts to fall and the temperatures cool off, gather a group of friends to play games like hide-and-seek, sardines, freeze tag or capture the flag in a large yard or park. Bring along a few decks of cards so that, as people start to get tired, you can sit down and play a card game instead.
3. 
   3
   Learn a new hobby. Is there something you've always wanted to learn, but didn't think you could? Now's the time! Here are some suggestions:
   • Learn to play a musical instrument.
   • Take up singing.
   • Learn to dance. Or, if you're already a dancer, learn different styles such as ballet, jazz, tap, or modern.
   • Develop your artistic skills. Practice drawing, painting, sculpting, or whatever else inspires you!
   • Photography.
   • Write stories, poems, plays, or jokes.
   • Make a film! Get some friends over and brainstorm some wacky fairytale ideas, then make bin bag paper mache costumes and improvisation, then have fun learning how to edit the movie, a bit of sepia there, some sound warping here, etc. A good place to start is by making a list of all the props locations and actors/willing helpers locally available, then develop a story using a storyboard to plan it . If you have a youtube channel this is even better!
   • Make a radio show. Get a tape recorder and a blank tape and some buds! Write up a list of things you want to include on your show like music, jokes, interviews, and advertisements.
4. 
   4
   Play a sport. Summer's a great opportunity to get outside and play! If you don't have a favorite sport yet, there's no better time to pick one.
   • Try riding a bike.
   • Learn to surf.
   • Play basketball, volleyball, tennis, football, or other team sports.
   • Start running every morning or evening, while it's cool enough outside.
   • Go wild swimming.
5. 
   5
   Hit up local events. Most areas host fairs, festivals, carnivals, or other fun events during the summer. A very good way of spending the summer is by volunteering or working at a festival. Check your city's calendar online, or ask your parents if they know what's going on. Attend with a group of friends and make an afternoon of it!
6. 
   6
   Do some crafts. Craft projects can take time and patience you don't have during the school year, but they're perfect for summertime! Here are some ones to try:
   • Make a heart fold. A heart fold is a piece of paper you fold in half and fill or cover with decorations and sayings and writing and pictures that represent you or make you feel good or happy or however it is you like to feel. Fold a regular piece of paper in half and fill it up!
   • Make wish flags. Cut out rectangular pieces of paper and write a wish in the center. Decorate around your wish and punch a hole through the top. Hang it on a string and string it up in your room or on your door or wherever you want!
   • Make rainbow crayons, or try melting crayons on hot rocks to make art.
   • Make your own slime. Use it for pranks or just to play with!
   • Make your own play dough. Create different colors using food coloring.
   • Make a Solar Hot Air Balloon. These balloons can travel hundreds of miles in a day, and are very easy to make.
   • Learn origami. You can figure out how to fold hearts, boxes, birds, and other great objects.
7. 
   7
   Try cooking. If you don't know how to cook or you don't know much about food, now you can learn! Ask your parents for fun recipes, or look online for things you can cook without a stove or oven. Here are some other ideas:
   • Make cold, refreshing smoothies. Try different, even wacky combinations. Make an afternoon out of it: Go to the supermarket and buy weird, interesting ingredients like ketchup and pistachios. Experiment. Make a gross smoothie and dare your friends to drink it.
   • Have a barbecue. Eat burgers, hot dogs, and iced tea. Play bingo on the porch. Have everyone bring in cool prizes that you can compete for.
   • Eat an interesting-looking foreign food. It's fun to try new things!
   • Count how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.
8. 
   8
   Make your own beauty treatments, there are hundreds of natural DIY recipes- mashed avocados make a great face mask! So open up your cupboards.
9. 
   9
   Get a summer job. It'll keep you busy, introduce you to new people, and you'll earn money for new stuff! Possibly the best option is to work at a festival.
10. 
    10
    Hang out with your pets. Take your pet for a walk, teach it a new trick, give it a bath, or just spend time relaxing together.
11. 11
    Start a band. By starting a band, you can make new friends and you can show off your skills.
12. 
    12
    Have a clothes swap. Invite all your friends over and tell them to bring a few pieces of clothing they don't wear anymore. Sift through what everyone's brought over!
13. 
    13
    Get in touch with your friends. If they're away, make new ones. Ask your friends if they know anyone who's going to stick around for the summer, get their numbers,call them up and say "I'm a friend of ______. He/she told me you were going to be around this summer. Wanna hang out?" And if you're too shy, try calling people you've lost touch with over the years — these are people you already know you can get along with. Plus, you'll have a ton to talk about, either catching up on what you've both been up to or reminiscing.
14. 14
    Make a Mentos fountain. Grab a friend. Both of you get a 2 liter bottle of Diet Coke. Both of you should put mentos in each bottle. When the fountain sprouts, see whose fountain goes up higher! (Make sure you each put the same amount of mentos!) Make sure to use mint mentos. They don't have a coating like the flavored ones do, so they explode better.
15. 
    15
    Volunteer. Helping your community will give you a good feeling about yourself and will also make good use of your time. Try something in the sun like a beach clean, or working with animals. volunteering also looks good on college applications!

Read More

How to Make the Most of Your Summer Vacation (for Teens)

School is finally over, but what are you going to do now? The excitement of getting out of school can quickly turn into boredom and frustration about having nothing to do. Don't let this happen to you. Read on to find out how to make the most out of your summer vacation!

Steps

1. 1
   Clean your room. Throw/put away or destroy (rip) anything you don't need this season. Homework, bulky Christmas sweaters, etc. Clear out your clutter for a fresh, clean start this summer.
   Ad
2. 
   2
   Get outside! You've stayed inside all winter, get out your bike and go for a nice, long ride. Grab a friend or two and go hiking. Go to the beach, lake, ocean for an afternoon of swimming and tanning. Go jogging or even just for a walk in the park or on the side walk. Walk your dog (or your neighbor's dog if you don't own a dog yourself). Go rollerblading! It's great exercise and fun. Use your imagination!
3. 
   3
   Go camping. Gather some friends and go set up a tent somewhere. A yard, open field (if you're allowed), or a camp site are great places to set up camp. Make sure you have the necessary equipment so you're not stranded in the rain wearing shorts and sandals with nothing to do. Try to set up camp by a lake for a lovely view and easy access to swimming grounds! Camping and swimming. What's not to love?
4. 4
   Make a scrapbook of the summer. Buy several disposable cameras in the beginning of summer and carry them around with you. When you go out with your friends, take a few snapshots. Buy some cheap stickers, glue sticks, glitter, etc and have fun.
5. 5
   Go to the mall. The mall is crowded with teens during summer. It's a great way tomake new friends too. Hang out around the mall with your friends. Enjoy yourself even if you don't have enough money to buy anything.
6. 6
   Stay indoors once in a while and be alone. Take a nice bath, put on some pajamas, and curl up on the couch with a great book and a snack. Rent a movie or two and spend some time with yourself.
7. 
   7
   Buy a kiddy pool. Sure it's meant for toddlers and children, but it can be great fun with a few of your pals. Slather on the sunblock, pop on your shades, crank up your music and lounge in the pool. It's a fairly cheap way to stay cool in the sun.
8. 
   8
   Buy, borrow, or rent a Slip N Slide. Remember these? They're yellow things you spread on the lawn and spray with the hose. It's a great way to entertain you and your friends. Fire up the hose and go sliding. Don't forget to take pictures!
9. 
   9
   Play in the water. Go get out the hose or the sprinkler if you don't have access to a lake, river, or pool. Who says you can't be 10 again?
10. 10
    Invite some friends over and have an overnighter. Grab your favourite drinks, snacks, movies, video games, magazines, and books to have a night full of fun.
11. 
    11
    Use your imagination and waste some time! Pretend that you're in a magical world and that you can do anything you want to do there!
12. 
    12
    Go to a camp for a few days! After all, camp is a great place to meet new friends. Plus, there are a lot of different camps out there to choose from!
13. 
    13
    Go to a yoga class. Yoga is a great way to keep calm and be patient. Round up some of your friends and try out a yoga class. You don't have to go to yoga classes; you could also find a book or search in the internet to practice and try out basic and easy yoga skills.
14. 
    14
    Get membership at your local library. Spend some time there reading books that you like and are interested in. Novels, magazines, encyclopedias, non-fiction books, etc. and lot more are all there for you to read for free. Pick what you like and read on. Lots of libraries also have summer reading clubs, so consider joining one of those if you enjoy reading.
15. 15
    Learn how to cook. Cooking is a fun and delicious activity to try. Take some classes, ask your family members for help, or find a book or search in the internet for easy cooking recipes.
16. 16
    Visit places. You don't have to go anywhere exotic, just visit somewhere in your country, state, or even in your town. Go on a road trip with your family, or go with a few friends to a local place you've never been to before.
17. 
    17
    Listen to your favorite songs. Music will calm you down and make you feel happy. Make a summer playlist of all of your favorites to listen to while you exercise, go to the beach, or just relax at home.
18. 18
    Grow a small garden. You can grow small plants in flower pots or grow a small vegetable or fruit garden.
19. 19
    Watch your favorite movies. Watching movies with friends is a good way to spend time with them. But don't watch more than two movies in a week.
20. 20
    You can also relax barefoot out side with mates

Read More

How to Get Clear Skin in 1 Week

Most people have a phase of their life when their skin doesn't look its best. Not everybody can afford a dermatologist, and commercial products may take too long to soften your skin. If you wantclear skin cheaply in one week, then keep reading. These tips may not help everyone, so don't get discouraged if it doesn't help you. There are plenty of other solutions.

1. 
   1
   Run a wash cloth under hot water and immediately press it onto your face.The water and steam will really help clean the dirt from your pores. This also opens your pores, making it easier to clean them. Be careful that the water is not too hot when doing this.
   
   
2. 
   2
   Wash your hands well with an antibacterial soap. You can't wash your faceeffectively with dirty hands. You're merely putting all the germs on your hands onto your face. If you have a cleanser (or just some good antibacterial soap), wash your face after you remove the cloth. This time, apply the cleanser without wetting your face first. Make a tiny "puddle" in your hands, squirt the cleanser in the puddle, put your hands together and wash your face. Don't rinse your face in cold water afterwards, just rinse in warm water and pat dry, but not completely dry. This is your cleansing part. If you don't have cleanser, then just use plain water. .
3. 
   3
   Get 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons of water. Stir so it's like a thin paste, and add one more tablespoon of sugar. Stir again and drain out some of the water. Then get your hands wet and then rub them on your face so you have a little bit of water on your face. Then scoop up the sugar and water and put it on one of your cheeks. Scoop again and put it on the same cheek. Then rub the sugar in circular motions on your cheek for 60 seconds. Then rinse off and repeat for the other cheek and forehead. This is your exfoliator.
4. 
   4
   Get about ten drops of lemon juice on your hands after you wash your face.Smear on your face for ten seconds, but be careful. Lemon juice is strong and if it burns only keep it on for three seconds. It breaks down the dirt in your pores that the cleanser missed. This is your "toner".
5. 
   5
   Splash cold water on your face or rub an ice cube on your face. The reason this is last is because if you weren't following the directions earlier and splashed cold water on your face, your pores will have closed. The water is like a key to your pores; hot water unlocks, cold water locks. Doing all of these steps with open pores will get almost all of the dirt and bacteria out, thus keeping your skin clear. Doing this everyday for a week will bring you happy, healthy, pretty skin!

6. Tips

   • Even when you get clear skin, its a pretty good idea to stick to this routine every night so you can be sure that you'll keep your skin clear. After a while the routine doesn't seem like much (it really isn't) and you'll be looking forward to it!
   • If you take really warm/hot showers that give off steam then that will open up pores too.
   • Don't forget to moisturize your skin - especially if you are prone to dry skin, or depending on the weather. Use an SPF of 15 or higher whenever possible. Your future, younger looking self will be thankful.
   • Never use herbal products before or after using any chemical containing cleansers or scrubs. It causes skin to burn and itch.
   • Don't use toothpaste, it will only make a scar appear on your face once the spot is gone, so there is no point, really.
   • Don't over wash your face. You don't want it to go dry or else it will hurt and you feel roughness. And you will probably regret this. Just make it circular motions. Or just leave the face towel to your face for 30 seconds to avoid harm to your skin.
   • Don't pick on your face too much while having pimples! This can cause scars and create more spots from the oil on your hands.
   • Get enough sleep at night, as the skin renews itself while you are sleeping.
   • Don't touch your face when you don't need to. That transfers bacteria which can increase the amount of spots you get.
   • For smooth skin, smear olive oil as well as plain yogurt on your face once a week.

Read More