Make lunch matter

An anonymous blogger and public school teacher called Mrs Q recently embarked on a mission to draw attention to what children are eating at school in the States. She called her blog ‘Fed up with Lunch: the School Lunch Project’ and vowed to eat what children in public schools did, for every day in 2010.

Predictably enough, Mrs Q has had more than her share of fast food like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and chicken nuggets. “It’s very challenging to teach students when they are eating school lunches that don’t give them the nutrition they need and deserve,” she says.

Meals in school
With obesity on the rise, ensuring that children have nutritious meals in school is just as much of a concern in India. Steering your children to healthy eating habits should begin early on in childhood. Fried and fatty foods like wafers, samosas, vada pav and noodles are quick to whip up — and more likely to be popular with kids — but they have poor nutritive value and can lead to health consequences in the long run. So, it’s important to include healthy foods that are also appetising in your child’s lunch box.

According to dietician Jyoti Lalwani, “Nutrition for children is top priority as it enables proper physical and mental development. Any nutritional deficiencies in this period do affect the child in the long run.”

Lunchtime plays an important role in shaping a child’s eating habits and socialisation process. If a child makes healthy eating choices in childhood, chances are that he/ she will make similarly wise choices in adolescence and adulthood.

Healthy adults
Unhealthy eating habits could lead to the early onset of disorders like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and hormonal imbalances.

 “The first six years is when the maximum growth of the brain takes place. Milk, fruits and vegetables, eggs, dals, vegetables and cereals are essential in a child’s diet”, says Dr Sushmita Gupta, paediatrician at Apollo Clinic and Fortis Hospital. “Biscuits should be avoided in infancy as they contain soda and white flour.”

Nishtha Waghela, mother of five-year-old Nirvan, tells us how she makes sure her child is eating right. “Being a vegetarian, I have to ensure he gets sufficient nutritional intake,” she says. “In order to make his lunch box more palatable, I usually grate either some vegetables, soya granules or even paneer in the chapati dough to ensure that at least one of his meals is nutritious. Once, in a while I pamper him with his favourite junk food.”

Popular cookbook author Tarla Dalal, whose latest cookbook is called Tiffin Treat for Children, says, “On all the five school days, each meal should be different. Planning should be done beforehand, so that early morning preparations are quick and easy.”

Nutritionist Jyoti Lalwani shares some tips on how to get your kids to eat right:
* Replace chapatis and vegetables with stuffed vegetable, dal or paneer paranthas.
* Modify plain rice and dal to vegetable biryani and add some whole pulses like moong dal, chana and sprouts.
* Ensure that protein-rich foods like pulses, milk, soya or non-vegetarian food are included in meals.
* Children love snacking. Habituate your child to eat fruits and replace chiwda and wafers with low calorie, nutritious snacks or sandwiches made using brown bread.

Protein fix

Being a vegetarian is no cakewalk as the diet often lacks certain proteins and vitamins. Non-vegetarians can easily obtain these from meat, poultry and fish. “A complete balanced vegetarian diet has no deficiencies if it is well planned,” said consulting dietician, Jyoti Lalwani. “But most of the vegetarian diets we calculate in our diet history are relatively low in protein, especially of the first class quality, iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and calcium.

The ideal vegetarian diet
A vegetarian diet should be inclusive of all food groups like whole grain cereals, pulses, sprouts, dry fruits and nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables, oil, ghee, and milk or its products. Meat products contain additional vitamins and minerals. These may include vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B6, vitamin B12, Niacin, and Iron.

Meat substitutes
In fact, most meat substitutes are made from either soy protein, wheat protein (wheat gluten) or a combination of the two.

Soy protein has been shown to be equal to proteins of animal origin. It can even be the sole protein source. Proteins are used to make the body’s building blocks, called amino acids for the blood, skin, cartilage, muscles and bones, hormones and enzymes.

Milk and soybeans provide all the 9 essential amino acids.

Vegetarian diet tips
Here’s what you can eat to ensure your diet has the right quantity of proteins:
Besides brewers and nutritional yeast, good sources of vitamin B1 include legumes, whole grains, unrefined cereals, rice bran, seeds (sesame, sunflower), and peanuts.

Vitamin B6 acts as a catalyst for the body’s chemical reactions. It is present in complex carbohydrates like whole grains, most vegetables, nuts, pulses, and seeds.

Soymilk and cereals help treat a vitamin D deficiency.

Cereals, nutritional yeast and soymilk, or soy analogues, provide vitamin B12.

Vitamin C-rich fruits enable easy absorption of iron and must be included in large portions.

Dried beans, spinach, brewer’s yeast and dried fruits are all good plant sources of iron.

The best sources of niacin or vitamin B3 are raw crimini mushrooms, asparagus, and collard greens. Other niacin-rich vegetables include mustard greens, carrots and raw tomatoes

The core of good health

Consuming the right amount of unsaturated fatty acids can be quite a challenge for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are healthy and considered essential, crucial for brain growth and development. A very good source of these fatty acids are edible seeds, and including them in your diet can protect you from illnesses and boost your immunity.


Healthy Seeds
Edible seeds are rich in nutrients and include all legumes, grains and nuts. They are part of the seed portion of the plant, and are in season throughout the year. They’re easy to store, and are great sources of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals.


“Sunflower seeds are rich in N6 fatty acids,” says dietician Pooja Makhija from Clay Wellness, Bandra. The benefits of these seeds are manifold as they are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and other antioxidants. “They can be sprinkled over cereals, salads and soups, mixed with vegetables, used on desserts, or eaten as a  snack,” says nutritionist Leena Mogre. Flax seeds also have a fortifying effect when given to patients of prostrate cancer.


“They cleanse the digestive system, and clear the skin of acne, pimples and pores,” Makhija says. Oilseeds include poppy seeds and sesame seeds. “Poppy seeds (khus-khus) are rich in calcium and play a vital role in strengthening the bones. They are especially beneficial for those who suffer from osteoporosis and women who have reached menopause,” says nutritionist Mehar Panjwani.


Sesame seeds (til seeds) contain high amounts of iron and zinc. They help ward off respiratory infections like flu, cold and cough. “Sesame seeds also have a high copper content, which helps ease the pain and swelling associated with rheumatoid arthritis. They are a rich source of mono and polyunsaturated fats, and help maintain a healthy cardiovascular system,” Mogre says. 


Eating Right
Vegetarians who don’t get enough proteins through their diet need to consume nuts and oilseeds with their regular food. An easy way to include these nuts is to use them in the form of oil, which also doubles as a healthy way to cook.


“Fenugreek seeds can diminish reactive hyperglycaemia in diabetic patients,” Mogre says. “The liquorice flavoured fennel seed is known to relieve digestive stomach upsets.” Moreover, they help reduce hunger and are effective in treating coughs, sore throats and respiratory ailments.

Why i Write

I always thought that anyone could write; that there was nothing special to be able to vocalize/verbalize oneself, and have that put down on paper. Things changed though, after I started writing.
It was like I had won a race; without having moved a step forward. That’s the gift of language.
What we feel, and how we vocalize those emotions completely gets channelized through mere adjectives, verbs, and nouns.

We can have, some of the best conversations through writing.
The physical absence of a friend; or relative can be bridged through communication.
Countless emotions are let on the loose through writing, emotions we never knew would surface.

I write as an instrument of expressing myself, and thoughts.
Expression of thought is the most vital things one needs to be comfortable doing.
One can’t bottle up one’s emotions to have it displaced upon another object.
It needs to be channelized through the right medium, in the right way.
Thus, by writing down my feelings I feel I’m able to better express myself. Writing comes to me instinctively and sometimes I am able to better express myself than through words.

Language also has the power within it to make us feel assorted emotions.
I started writing through the form of poetry.
Poetry was the pillar of support I leaned against, when frustrated, angry, happy or sad.
It was how I released my feelings; after all
“Poetry is a spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings that takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquillity.”

Media is the main crux keeping people in this world thinking, aspiring and hoping for more.
It echoes the voice of not only those who can speak, but also those who hesitate to. I write so that I can voice my thoughts.
As soon as I feel anything strongly, I can always find solace through writing. I also write so that I can introspect upon myself, as I can always go back and refer to my writings.

When I don’t write I feel like I’m trapped in a vacuum. Emotions need to be released. More importantly I write because I love writing. I love the power of the pen, and the ability to let my imagination run wild at times.
The best part is that, in writing there are no judges... but always scope for improvement and I’m a constant apprentice when it comes to writing.

An Issue that Concerns me

She lay there on the road, eyes bruised and vision faded.
Cars were racing past her, and she couldn’t stand up to help herself. She muttered something to herself, something no one bothered to listen to or even understand.
Far from survival and so close to death her world was so limited. No one around saw the fear in her eyes, no one stopped to think of how she felt; nor did they see the pain she was in. No one understood her or what she said and frankly no one had the time to.
This is the condition of majority of the women below the socio-economic line in our country.
These are the women who suffer from mental disorders in our country, not due to any fault on their side but because circumstances have been unfortunate for them. Circumstances which could stem right from abuse from the family, husband or other situational factors.
Yet, we all live ignoring this marginalized section of the society- the people who need our attention.
Who is to blame? Is it their fault, or is it just destiny?
She bathes in depression, hangs over in sadness and disappears in silence. Her life is a vacuum, a vacuum where hope- the hope to live on is very little. Life is so unpredictable, and yet it is so difficult to differentiate between reality and illusions.
Tied up with one’s own life, it is difficult to fathom another one’s life. With progressive speed life pushes forward with advancements in technology, fashion and cinematography.
Where do these people fit in? Do words make any difference when heard? Is there away to remove mental illness from our society?
These are some of the questions that fill my head when I think of mental illnesses.
Sickness prevails in us all, and we suffer from it at some point of time in our lives. Minor health issues like fever, flu, stomach pains to acute ones like malaria, diabetes, epilepsy are some names we can associate ourselves with; but Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Mania or Anxiety disorders to name a few are not what we come across every day. These are much more severe.
Poverty, being one of the root problems faced in our country is intertwined and linked with mental illness. Those who do not have enough money roam the streets begging for alms; sometimes they get a meagre amount, at other times nothing.
With no money they cannot afford basic shelter, clothing or medicines.
They thus resort to finding their home at any place they stop at; pavements, sidewalks, in shanty-type shelter, under bridges, places where civic health is at its minimum.
Not protected by the climate or the unhygienic area these people start to develop diseases, diseases even they can’t fight back for there is no money to buy medicines.
Not being able to bathe properly on occasions in a nearby river where thousands like themselves also bathe leave them a bit clean but yet unhygienic and unprotected from the numerous infectious diseases.
This is a glimpse into their struggle for survival. With no amenities like soap, shampoo, etc it is not difficult to imagine what our poverty stricken friend looks like.
Poverty leads to Mental Illness. Mental Illness is a diversion of thought processes; a time when all hope has been lost and self esteem has become negligible.
It is the most severe stage when thought processes become completely deteriorated and the person becomes disillusioned.
Mental Illness cannot be cured, but it can be fought. Life can exist in the lives of those people who suffer from mental illnesses, and they can lead happy and productive lives.
It is only through this perception of hope that we can sow the seeds for these people and change the face of mental illness in our country.
Love, warmth and medical attention are all that’s needed. After-all they are human too; they laugh and cry just like you and I, and deserve a place in the society.
Tremendous efforts are made on behalf of various organizations across the country, but yet there is a lack of awareness, a lack of sensitivity towards this issue.
It is a common phenomenon to spot poverty in the country, but how often do we really stop, and think about their health? It’s common to brush these people away as life has become so individualistic and fast-paced in today’s times.
Mental Illness needs attention in our society and we need to fight for it. We need to get the government more pro-active on this issue and people need to pay more attention to this issue.
We need to brush away the stigma that is attached with it. Likewise we need to work on eradicating poverty- trying to work on upliftment of people who are living below the socio-economic line.
Life is a selfish game and we need to change the rules. We need to give more importance to issues in our society, rather than improving the lives of the middle-class and upper middle class. These issues lie right in front of our eyes as we live; issues that we have chose to brush away.
Mental Illness is not a taboo, nor is it a myth but it is a reality existing in our society. We need to draw forth attention and fight for its cause so that life becomes better not only for the mentally ill but for us as well.

Combining SEO & SMO to optimise your website

In the web-dominated world that we live in, creating and maintaining a website for your business/company is an essential requirement for your business to grow. With the increasing usage and need for the internet, people spend a lot more time ‘ONLINE’ reading about business’s, companies, news, fashion, music, etc, rather than reading in the traditional style- newspapers, book, magazines, etc.

Having a website for your company/business is the most effective way of reaching out to your consumers.

Traditional forms of finding information online involves searching for information using various different search engines like Google, Yahoo or Bing,  a practice called Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

It includes making sure that your website gets better rankings  while being searched in the different search engines, and appears above others.

Social Media Optimization (SMO), the new method of gaining online publicity includes using various social media networking sites like Facebook, Orkut, Twitter, You Tube, Digg, Linkedin, Bebo, Google + , etc. to engage users to interact with one another or with companies/brands.

These social sites are online hubs where  people/communities or companies can interact with one another and get immediate feedback and interact on an ongoing basis. It thereby bridges the gap between people and makes communication much easier and cheaper. More importantly, if you have established your presence on social media networking sites, this will automatically appear on the various search engines when someone searches for your company/business. For eg. If you enter keywords like ‘travel’ you should be directed to web sites relevant to travel like Lonely Planet, Cleartrip, Makemytrip, etc.

SEO and SMO are thus the two most important  factors to help promote your business  in the digital media/website promotion.

Attaining prime visibility for your website is very essential to attract customers.  Marketing your product well through the various social media sites as well as getting good SERPS (Search Engine Results Page) will help you make a strong impact on any consumer’s mind.

SERP’s are basically a list of results on your search engine in relation to a query  that has been entered using one or more keywords.

Maintaining good online publicity through search engines sites as well as social media networking sites are key factors to increase the profitability of your business. The more people who come to know about your business the higher the chances are that they will start using/investing in your business.

Contextual links and back linking form an important part of SEO. They are the internal links on your web page.

Contextual links are basically the text that you enter in your search engine that you want to be associated with your website.This text should link you to a page pertaining to the keyword phrase that have you entered. For example: Corolla Altis should be able to link you to a page about Corolla cars of the Altis model.

Contextual backlinks refer to the incoming links to your website. They are very important for website optimization, especially for SEO.

Using both SEO techniques as well as social media sites to promote and enhance your website are very important for every business. It is essential for every business/company/person to find their place and promote their business/companies/services through Facebook and Twitter, etc.

Websites not only provide contextual links, backlinks, but also social media shortcuts directing you to the companies profile on Facebook, Twitter, etc.  The internet has become an indispensable part of everyones life where smartphones are the easiest way to stay connected. Almost every cell phone has social media networking sites and internet browsing options.

Combining SEO and SMO are thus essential tools for optimising your website.

The Psyche of a Mumbaiker

Rising to the sun’s rays, this cosmopolitan city never seems to lose its charm. Bustling with activity at all times of the day, the vibrancy on the streets of Mumbai echo out the spirit of a true Mumbaiker.

Forming one of the most populated cities in the world and claiming to brush shoulders with international cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Berlin, Mumbai is one of the Alpha world cities.

Being an island city, Mumbai is formed from seven islands – Bombay Island, Parel, Mazgaon, Mahim, Colaba, Worli and Old Woman’s Island (also known as Little Colaba). It has a natural deep harbour and is well known for its fishing activities by the Koli fishing community, where a large section of society finds their line of work. Formerly known by a variation of different names, Bombay was also known as Ancient Greek, but later modifications resulted in its final name as Mumbai signifying a true Marathi identity, named after a Hindu goddess- Mumbadevi.

Mumbai is a city known for its “Never say Die” Attitude and ability to restore itself even after the biggest tragedies. The media and people never cease to stop praising how wonderful and tolerant the city is.

But, underneath this crust lays the reality that Mumbai’s success as a global city is from the fact that it is an insensitive and intolerant city. Life here has to keep up at a rapid pace and people are churned into this cycle. In constant momentum, this individualistic nature of the city sets pace for all strata of the society.

Whether it is the white-collared professionals or the blue-collared ones the rat race towards survival and getting work done in Mumbai is immense. En-wrapped in one’s own work and personal life, it is this very obsessive self- interest attitude which reflects on the Mumbai culture.

Right from school years one is constantly preoccupied with oneself. As age increases it is only the mere activity which changes, where the attitude remains the same. In this dog-eat-dog world, every day is a day of test and trial.
Trapped in this vicious rat race of life, the average Mumbaiker finds himself racing against time. His dilemma stems from running from pillar to pillar, post-to-post; mentally absorbed in his own life. Whether it is a middle class man, or an elite business man or those who are from lower class or below the socioeconomic line, the situation is the same; it is only the quality and standard of life that is different. Competition is present on all sides.

People here, are thus left self-cantered coping with their own busy life. Interaction occurs only between those people you encounter with in daily life and no one has the time to think or care about anything happening around them.

People thus tend to become cold, detached, emotionless and impassive towards larger issues that arise. However, a true Mumbaiker pulls up his socks to stay in the game, and this is what rightly describes the spirit of a Mumbaiker.

Cell phones play an even increasing role here, as their usage leads to disembodied relationships which in turn lead to a virtual life. Instead of developing fulfilling relationships, people are even more interested in making their lives more solitary, where communication extends to mere verbal or textual form. Thoughts too get crunched as average Mumbaiker’s converse through shortened sentences and one’s ability to freely express in entirety gets limited. This constant preoccupation over one’s life, work and socializing runs through youngsters and adults forms the major psyche of a Mumbaiker.

Medical Tourism

Traveling for the purpose of business, has gained immense popularity as more & more businesses have become much more global than they were before.

With foreign investment markets opening up in India, and the liberalization of global economies; corporate /business travel has taken a major leap forward in the field of tourism.

Corporate travel insurance, made for both domestic as well as overseas travel covers all the aspects a general travel insurance policy would cover. It may cover areas such as medical expenses, medical evacuation, lost baggage, flight cancellation, and any other impending danger during the business travel.

Saving you from stress and anxiety, corporate travel insurance often overlaps with medical tourism.

Providing “cost-effective” private medical care in collaboration with the tourism industry for patients needing surgical and other forms of specialized treatment is the chief aim of medical tourism.

What is Medical Tourism?

Medical tourism, also known as medical travel /global healthcare/health tourism is a practice whereby healthcare providers travel internationally to deliver healthcare.

This also extends to specialized surgeries such as cardiac surgery, dental surgery, cosmetic surgeries and join replacement (knee/hip) surgeries.

Other types of health care included are psychiatry, alternative treatments, convalescent care and even burial services.

The providers of medical care and customers generally depend on informal channels of communication- “connection contract” for inter-communication.

Over 50 countries including Greece, South Africa, Jordon, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore, along with the new entry of India are actively promoting medical tourism.

This recent trend in the privatization of health services is a result of the globalization of a consumerist culture which feeds upon the aspirations arisen out of this culture.

Personal Branding

Emerging as a brand comes effortlessly for few, but with hard-work, determination and self-packaging personal branding has become an easy-tool to enhance your business, and gain more publicity.

For example, Sachin Tendulkar, world-famous for his batting ability is a strong brand associated with cricket. ‘Consistency, good performance and his dependability’ have carved a niche for this Master Blaster in the field of cricket. His extra-ordinary abilities in batting have led him to be appreciated not only by cricketers, but also by different international sports persons across the globe.

In a very similar manner, you need not depend merely on your profession to brand or market yourself. By simply broadcasting you’re area of expertise, you will be able to position yourself in the professional sector and attract more and more potential customers.

When you gain this type of identity you will be able to place yourself on a platform, whereby you will feel much more confident, assured and self-reliant.

“Your identity is contingent to your strengths, abilities and capacity to perform.”

‘Social media’ plays a very strong role in personal branding, & various social networking websites like Twitter, Face book, LinkedIn, Blogs, TravBuddy, & MySpace have helped to raise a global community for new businesses, and to empower former businesses.

These sites are means by which an individual can create their own public space that is accessible to the public; a place which helps to directly interact and communicate with the audience.

Personal Branding DOES NOT LIMIT success achieved in one’s profession, but also signifies one’s overall worth/ability as an individual.

It helps to create a better perception of yourself to others. This makes it easier for people to locate you & become aware of your business abilities.

In today’s times it is very important for an individual to separate themselves from the crowd and create a niche for themselves which will also increases their visibility and preserve their reputation.

Personal branding is important for businesses in this fast-paced society, as each one is trying to out-do the other, and leave an imprint on the corporate world. Professionals, entrepreneurs, investors and businesses are all trying to grab hold of the maximum number of eyes.

The ‘brand’ can directly interact with consumers all across the globe & receive immediate feedback about their likes/dislikes, etc, thereby making the world a much more global place whereby communication is far easier.

Personal Branding helps to make an individual acquire ideals like creative, responsible, innovating, consistent, motivating, innovative and innovative; and aspire to uphold them. One becomes their own ‘brand’ and ‘self-image’ is raised.

Can Facebook replace traditional business websites?

With digital penetration on a high all over the world, social media sites and trends have paved way for not only personal branding but also for companies and businesses to turn to this platform to reach out to customers.

This use of ‘web-based’ and ‘mobile technologies’ in order to turn communication into an interactive dialogue has taken form through various tools such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Flickr, Foursquare- to name some of the most popular social media networking sites.

These social networking sites are now NOT ONLY a means to reach out and connect with friends and relatives, but also a potential way to advertise and promote small/large businesses.

It is an excellent solution for money-making and is currently a very important source for sharing and transmitting information. So the question that may arise is whether Facebook can work as a potential ‘STAND-ALONE’ Web Presence for entrepreneurs and small businesses across the world.  

Most potential businesses and companies have already realised the importance of placing their ‘foot in the door’ on Facebook- it’s an easy way to reach out to customers, advertise their products and interact with customers… in a FUN and appealing manner!

Not only this, but creating a Facebook Page is far easier than a website as they do not involve coding and HTML skills. Also, it’s far easier to keep a track of your business’s growth and monitor and optimize it by viewing the number of likes and fans on the page. Facebook pages are far easier to optimize, now with the addition of ‘Facebook Insights’ –a powerful tool to track and monitor the growth of your Page.

Not only this, but the content can easily be edited. It is an easy and fast way for people to get your contact numbers, addresses, etc.  By creating applications offered by Facebook like a Discussion tab, Reviews tab, Contest tab, a Games Tab, Sweepstakes, EasyPromos it is easier to engage with customers and people on a global scale. Besides this, a Facebook Page is a common place where people can get information about what the company does, their presence on any other social networking sites like YouTube/ LinkedIn/Twitter, etc.

It is thus one of the ‘Engaging Channels’ between the business/company and the customers. 

Facebook has thus helped to create a new trend of shopping- 'Facebook Shopping'; also known as F-Commerce (e-commerce on Facebook) - a concept that has emerged barely three years ago.

An individual can directly purchase products through Facebook. Many companies have already created f-commerce stores where people can shop online through Facebook like- Apple to give an example. 

How successful F-Commerce is, is yet a debatable question that many marketers may pose questions to.

While a Facebook Page may boost the interaction levels between the company and the customer, a central online hub to gather information from- (a website) is generally the most effective option for any business.

While many prefer incorporating a holistic approach with a combination of all commerce strategies- mobile commerce (m-commerce, e-commerce, Facebook commerce, real-world (in-store) commerce, and e-mail commerce)… many small businesses could tremendously benefit from using Facebook's dynamic pages to reach out to customers.

What do you think… should Facebook replace business websites?