Super foods for a super you

Multitasking is an art which most women have mastered, but are you compromising your health in the process? Consultant Registered Dietician Preethi Rahul tells you how to get a boost from super foods to keep you going all day

Super foods are a special category of foods found in nature. By definition they are calorie sparse and nutrient dense. They are excellent sources of antioxidants and essential nutrients, nutrients which we need but our body cannot synthesise. Every super food is a real, unprocessed food. The following is a list of some of these super foods and ways to include them in your diet.

Apple
An apple contains a strong phytonutrient known as quercetin, which prevents oxidative damage caused by scavenging free radicals and prevents cardiovascular diseases, strokes, Alzheimer’s etc. The vitamin C content in an apple helps improve immunity. It also contains pectin, a soluble fibre which effectively lowers blood cholesterol.
Including in your diet: You can make apple sauce, apple and oatmeal pie or make a fruit salad with apple.

Beetroot
The dark pink colour of the beetroot is because of betacarotene and betacyanin, powerful antioxidants present in it. These antioxidants help in liver detoxification. It is also high in folic acid, a key micronutrient during pregnancy. Beetroot also helps the body to utilise calcium. It is therefore important for musculo-skeletal health and reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Beetroot is a great cleanser.
Including in your diet: You can make beetroot parathas, beetroot halwa, eat it raw or drink beetroot juice.

Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants flavonoids and can lower blood pressure. Its use in cancer is still under research. Remember one thing before getting too excited about chocolate. Always choose a chocolate that has 60% or higher cocoa content; the darker the chocolate, lesser the fat and sugar.
Including in your diet: Gobble it as such or add it to pies, brownies or cookies.

Egg
It is amazing to see something so small cramming in so many nutrients within its shell. An egg is an excellent source of protein. It provides good levels of iron, zinc, B vitamins and selenium. It also contains choline, cited as vital for brain function and memory.
Including in your diet: Hard boil it, make an omelette or whip it into your dressings.

Green tea
Green or black tea, the overall antioxidant power remains the same. However, green teas contain a powerful antioxidant known as epigallocatechin-3-gallate (ECGC). Research shows that ECGC has the ability to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. The polyphenols in green tea are 100 times more effective than vitamin C as far as antioxidant power is concerned. Green tea also helps lower cholesterol.
Including in your diet: Have it chilled or make green tea ice cream!

Oats
Oats are high in soluble fibre. They help in weight loss and also reduce cholesterol.
Including in your diet: Eat them in the form of cookies, pancakes or bars.

Omega-3 rich foods
Omega-3 fatty acids are one type of fatty acids which our body cannot synthesise but they have to be included in your diet. They reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, obesity, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, cancer etc. Omegas 3s prevent blood from excessive clotting. They are well known for their anti ageing properties as well. Rich sources include: cold water fatty fish like tuna, mackerel, sardines, walnuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, soy etc.
Including in your diet: Add one or two teaspoons of flax seeds to your everyday cooking, try popping in 3-4 walnuts, have a tuna salad, try making walnut flax seed cookies.

Soy
The nutrient profile of soy speaks for itself. It is high in fibre and protein, cholesterol free, and an excellent source of phytochemicals and minerals like phosphorus, potassium, calcium and iron. Soy is a heart friendly food, reduces the risk of colon cancer and strokes, helps in weight loss, prevents osteoporosis, and reduces menstrual pain.
Including in your diet: Add soya chunks to your pulao or biryani, have tofu instead of paneer or try flavoured soy milk as a snack alternative!

5 steps to a ruined career

Often, it's that one small mistake that ruins a perfectly good situation. And your actions go on and make it worse. Smita Singh lists out 5 professional mistakes that are sure to lead to a ruined career and are best not committed

1. Compromising integrity
From planting fake stories as a journalist to leaking details of your clients and company data, losing integrity is professional suicide. Even if you feel pressure from the top or from within to compromise in order to rise faster, throwing your code of honour to the winds will only speed you out of your current job with zero references and a lot of muck on your resume. You may never recover since news spreads fast and bad news faster. Go slow, steady, and strong on principles and you’ll have a long, fruitful career ahead of you. Keep it clean and ensure you have a great reputation built before that bank balance!

2. Being miss goody two shoes
Remember, the not-so-meek will get promoted. If you don’t rise to the occasion, take the credit, show your efforts, and celebrate your achievements, people will think you suffer from low self-esteem. And no one is going to promote someone with low self esteem, how will she lead a team? Humility is great, but you needn’t overkill it. In today’s competitive world, you need to work hard and make sure that those who matter know that you do. So don’t let that pushy colleague or that selfish boss hog the limelight. Step up and acknowledge your contribution and don’t be afraid to demand what is justly yours.

3. It’s office, not home
Surely you would like to carry a little bit of yourself to your work place, but if you move bag and loads of baggage to the office, it will reduce your concentration and hamper your productivity. Also, shrieking and screaming at people like you did at home when your kids overturned that table is a sure shot way of losing respect. Your boss will doubt your confidence if you well up with emotion every time she points out mistakes.

So keep your Kleenex handy, go to the washroom or hammer the wall, but come out composed and try to keep the lid on, most times. Furious, jumpy, miserable, and hypersensitive are definitely not the kind of people one wants to work with. There is a code of conduct at the work place that you are expected to follow and no matter who you are and where you are coming from, don’t carry your emotional baggage around - its heavy and you’ll be the only one holding it.

4. Taking on more than you can chew
Unintentional blunders can be forgiven but a reputation of being someone who bites off more than she can chew without delivering can quickly send you packing. Believing in your ability to achieve the impossible is great, especially when you are pushed to the wall, but risking your employer’s reputation, your company’s resources, and your own career to get that high is not worth it. More CEOs are fired for doing more than expected than doing less. So take that initiative, tackle that challenge, but don’t forget you are paid to do a job, not exercise your dare devilry at the cost of others.

5. Staying put
Yup! They can build a monument where you sat and sloughed for ages before they had to carry you out, but you won’t be seeing it in your professional life since it’ll be over before they build it! It’s one thing to be loyal to your company and sticking it out, but being afraid to venture out and try your fortune and skills in a more challenging and rewarding environment will not keep you stable, it will make you stale. So get up before you get fossilised and look for more challenging opportunities! Go on, live your best life!

Must-visit party places before 30

Chhavi Moodgal suggests some exotic party destinations you and your BFFs simply have to hit before you turn 30...Pack your bags and get partying!

Full moon party at Haad Rin Nok

This beach, located in Koh Pha Ngan region in Thailand, has been immortalised with its mention in Alex Garland’s 1997 novel “The Beach”. The story goes that in the 1980s a group of backpackers were amazed with the extraordinary beauty of the Haad Rin beach during the full moon and decided to throw a huge party to celebrate this celestial phenomenon. Every full moon of the month, more than 30,000 people celebrate all through the night with multiple stages offering the best of house, R&B, hip hop and trance.

Try the Floating Bar (quite literally on a Thai long tail boat!) for its exotic cocktails and freshly caught seafood produce. Make sure you also catch the spectacular fire show organized at the Cactus and Drop-In bars and party the night away with gallons of rum or Thai buckets! Don’t forget to get a Thai massage the next morning - after all that revelry, your body is going to need it!

Foam party in Ibiza

Renowned for its nightlife, the party island of Ibiza is also a terrific holiday destination for its gorgeous beaches, UNESCO heritage sites at the Ibiza port, delectable Mediterranean cuisine and myriad dance forms such as flamenco and tango. The party season in Ibiza typically begins in June with opening parties in the famous nightclubs Space and DC10. The closing parties typically end the season in October.

A visit to view the sunset at Café del Mar, one of the most famous night clubs in the world, is an absolute must. If you are lucky, you will get to attend a foam party at one of the swanky Ibiza nightclubs, so make sure you and your BFFs pack that bikini! A typical day for you in Ibiza would mean waking at noon, early evening massages, late night clubbing, and “disco sunrises” while enjoying the yummy sangria and the flaon!

Girlfriend cruise in the Caribbean

Looking for the ultimate gal pal vacation nirvana? Take a cruise with your girlfriends in the Caribbean. There is no denying that a cruise brings an unmatched sense of festivity and entertainment, and that too in the convenience of one large ship! You can customize the cruise to include as many locations and activities as you and your BFFs want. For those who just want to chill out, Jamaica with its laid back and relaxed culture is a fabulous place to enjoy the reggae, jazz, and blues festivals. If you are looking for more sophisticated celebrations, the carnivals and rum fiestas in St Lucia are an unforgettable experience!

Try the Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, and Haiti circuit for something a little different. In Puerto Rico, you can shop till you drop and enjoy the stunning beaches and nightlife. If you are feeling adventurous, take a mountain biking tour in St Maarten and in Haiti, try the longest zip line over water!

Action weekend in Reykjavik

Who could’ve thought that nightlife in a city could be sizzling hot in spite of the outside temperature being 5 °C? With a history of producing experimental musicians like Icelandic rockers SigurRó s and Bjö rk, it’s no wonder Reykjavik pays homage to the auditory-inclined. Teeming with bars, pubs and prized nightclubs like NASA (an auditorium-like space with live music all through the night), Iceland’s capital is a great place to party and enjoy various kinds of live music such as hardcore punk rock, indie, classical chamber music, and hip-hop.

Think you and your friends have stamina? Prove it by participating in Icelandic rüntur, a night-long, marathon-style pub crawl. Make sure you taste the beer - it supposedly tastes phenomenal in Iceland because the water is so clean! If the girls are in a mood for some adventure, try white water rafting or quad biking. For that extra adrenaline, get a ride on the X4 Super Truck, which will take you over mountain roads to Myrdalsjokull glacier. You could also try the snow scooter. End your action packed weekend with a splash in the hot tub, a barbeque meal of Iceland’s fresh produce, and a visit to the Blue Lagoon spa, famous for its in-water massages!

Femina makes the big 30 more exciting by associating with the film “Turning 30”. For more dope on turning 30, visit our facebook and twitter pages.

Rocking at 30

Is thirty that magical age when you're most comfortable with yourself and are raring to go? Sheetal Anand chats with 3 women achievers who've embraced the thirties with panache. Read on to find out how rocking their thirties are

‘Just as I turned thirty, I bagged the Commonwealth Games 2010!’
Meet Nivedita Saboo, gold medalist from NIFT, New Delhi, whose designs have been showcased at the Hong Kong and Pune Fashion Week. She designs for the likes of Kareena Kapoor, Neha Dhupia, Diana Hayden and for Femina Miss India and Grasim Mr India contestants. Nivedita was recently awarded the prestigious assignment of designing the entire apparel for the CWG Delhi 2010.

Her motto in life is simple. She says, “Believe in yourself. And success will follow! That’s the mantra I’ve been following ever since I began with a single machine 8 years ago. My design unit today employs over 90 skilled craftsmen. “

“But success does not come easy. The initial struggle was overcome with determination and thorough understanding of the trade. Today, as I have turned thirty, I feel very self-assured and confident to face challenges in the future.”

“I’m definitely not slowing down with age. Just recently, I finished shooting for an Amol Palekar film in Sikkim and am truly overwhelmed by the experience. Doing something different, even if not related to my profession, is what I think enhances the richness of life. What’s age got to do with it?”

‘At thirty, I found my purpose on earth’

Khushmita Sanghvi quit her corporate career last year to become a full time yoga instructor. This year, she turned thirty. That’s when she also completed a course in Laughter Yoga. She is living up to her name in doing her generous bit of spreading joy and happiness!

Khushmita says, “Suddenly, at thirty, everything fell in place. I knew I had to make that paradigm shift in my career. I knew I had to spread laughter and joy.”

“I started my own Laughter Club which was initially ridiculed and is now attracting larger participation with every passing week. I feel so blessed when people from all walks of life, executives, students, patients, the elderly, and the disabled tell me how their lives have been transformed. All I want to do now is infuse lives with positivity, energy and health.”

Looking forward to all these endeavours, she is confident of success. And what’s the secret? She says, “It is happiness at thirty where I found my true purpose of life. I am completely in tune with my inner self. I believe what’s inside reflects on the outside.”

‘At thirty, I feel like a bird out of a cage’

Meet Avanthi Hiremath, founder of www.ajency.in, a digital agency offering online solutions. Says Avanthi, “I experienced an early mid-life crisis in my twenties. A degree in microbiology, an MBA, and job stints at various organisations did not inspire me. I had to deal with disillusionment and disgust. I couldn’t see myself doing something that did not give me contentment or peace of mind.”

“Now that I have touched thirty, I am really happy about the way life is shaping up for me. On the personal front, I have found the best husband ever. And together, we are helping people with their digital needs. So, whether it’s an orthopaedic surgeon in Mumbai, an avid traveller in Florida, a consultant in Dublin or a financial group in Canberra, we have solutions for all.”

“I am enjoying every moment of being thirty. It is that age when you can listen to your inner voice even if it means having to defy conventional wisdom…and I just love it!”

Femina makes the big 30 more exciting by associating with the film “Turning 30”. For more dope on turning 30, visit our facebook and twitter pages.

Get dirty before 30

Nervous about hitting your thirties soon? Why not make a bucket list instead, of living life to the tee while you are still in your Tweeny Twenties? Here are 10 things we urge you to tick off before you turn 3 decades old.

1) Travel on two wheels: Travel, for one, is on top of the list, but taking a mundane package tour is so not on. Instead, we urge you to learn how to ride a bike, or better still, tame a Harley Davidson and take a trip up North. Plan it out with your girl pals and traverse the serene peaks of the Himalayas or soak in the sun as you ride along in the Swiss gullies.

2) Get art smart: Owning a genuine masterpiece and flaunting it on the hall wall is quite a thing to do. Moreover, it’s the most beautiful investment there is and if you manage to pull it off before you are 30, you deserve to feel proud of yourself. If you can’t afford a top artist, go for a not-so-expensive but a promising one and you will not be disappointed. Talk to art dealers to get started.

3) Doll-phins: Dolls like to swim with the dolphins. They probably are the only guys who are known to be the most obedient and friendly, so a trip to the Bahamas, Hawaii, Orlando or Western Australia to swim with the dolphins is something you really must make.

4) Do the Coyote Ugly: The women-run NYC saloon wants some crazy cats for comic yelling, bartending, playing the bouncer at the entry and cocktail waitressing. If you think you fit the bill for any, apply right away at http://www.coyoteuglysaloon.com/jobs.html or just book yourself there for enjoying the experience this hugely popular saloon extends.

5) Strip tease: Visiting a male strip tease bar and whistling away at the muscle display might not be a bad thing to do after all. And if it is, at least you will know how bad it is. Bangkok has some nice joints including the Gogo Bar. Las Vegas, Budapest, Paris have these too. Alternatively, you could hire a male stripper for your friend’s hen party and go full Monty right here in your own city!

6) Sail in the skies: A maiden hot air balloon ride in the pristine blue skies would be just the thing to do while your spirit of adventure and romance is soaring. Though it might cost a third of your pay, it will be a memory you will hold on to forever. Take the ride from Skywaltz Balloon Safaris in Rajasthan and choose your dream sky safari.

7) Challenge gravity: Want to fall like Newton’s Apple from the highest bungee site in the world? The Macau Tower in Hong Kong will get your screaming your lungs out. If not Hong Kong, find the next best bungee around town and take the plunge. Literally. But remember, this isn’t for the faint-hearted.

8) De-tox: After all that sinful stuff, you might want to take a breather and detox yourself mentally and spiritually. Take a ten-day Vipassana meditation course, one of the most ancient meditation techniques of India. Rediscover and concentrate on your inner-self. Set aside this time to focus, think and plan your life ahead. Visit http://www.dhamma.org/ for more details.

9) Rock it till you die: At least once in a lifetime, you must splurge on getting good tickets for attending your favourite rock band’s performance. Travel across seven seas for it if you have to, groove, go wild in the mosh pit and scream along as much as you like while your ear drums can still take it.

10) Ride a ship or pilot a plane: Speaking of woman power, how about taking a flying course at the Indian Aviation Institute, or learning to ride a cruise ship? Maybe you could qualify to ride the Gondola as well and sail the quiet waters of Venice by yourself.

30 tips for a healthy you at 30

Fitness expert Tushar Ramanan prepares you to face your thirties with 30 essential health and wellness tips to help you balance your mind, body and soul. By Trupti

1. Interval training is ideal to kick start your 30’s fitness routine. A non-stop mix of running, sprinting, jogging and brisk walking, it promises maximum results.

2. In your 30’s, muscles can begin to atrophy but this process can be reversed with a smart weight training routine like circuit training to improve your strength.

3. Join a weight management or support group in networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. You can make likeminded friends and achieve your goals sooner than expected.

4. Mental agility is just as important as your physical strength. Indulge in games like Sudoku or crossword puzzles to keep your grey cells working.

5. It can’t get hotter than this! Yes, we are talking about hot yoga, an effective way to detox and lose those piling calories. A must try!

6. Dancing is a great stress-buster and with all those different styles out there, all you have to do is choose. Our current favourite is Zumba and contemporary dancing.

7. Every week get your share of laughs with laughter yoga. It will tickle your brain cells and create an atmosphere which is full of endorphins and loads of fun.

8. It is never too late to learn to self-defence. Join a martial training class; taekwondo or kick boxing are excellent options to stay fit and protect yourself.

9. Eating a balanced diet with vitamins and minerals should be the most important mantra in your lifestyle once you hit the 30’s, which means 5-6 smaller meals.

10. Every woman in her 30’s should drink adequate amounts of water. It effectively eliminates all the toxic substances from the body, improving organ functioning.

11. Power yoga is a very good form to practice in the 30s as it helps to maintain postures, improves flexibility, and increases stamina and strength.

12. Look forward to sattvic weekend retreats. Good food, good exercise, and the company of good people, it can’t get better than this!

13. Maintain a food diary and make it your BFF. It will help you identify your food patterns and help you make healthy choices.

14. Exercising can take a backseat while travelling but a resistance band or a travel ball proves to be really helpful when you are on the move.

15. Opt for outdoor exercises like swimming, badminton, tennis at least twice a week. It can do wonders for your metabolism.

16. Don’t compare yourself to a zero-size twenty year old and opt for crash dieting. Accept your shape and size gracefully and aim for fitness rather than thinness.

17. Join a hobby class like painting, sculpting, gardening, singing, and horse riding. It can be a great mood enhancer and add a creative dimension to your work and personal life too.

18. Your 30’s is the perfect time to explore your sensuous side. Learn pole dancing or belly dancing, it works wonders on your body and your sex life, so says Oprah!

19. Just before you’re turning thirty, run a marathon for a good cause. It brings about a great sense of achievement to your life.

20. Heard of adventure therapy? Activities like river rafting, rappelling, and bungee jumping are exhilarating ways to sit back and analyse your life in a different perspective.

21. Pamper your senses with an oil massage under a trained masseur once in a while. It’s great for your metabolism and also helps to revitalise your mind, body, and soul.

22. Once a while, head outdoors for isometric exercises or super exciting cardio like hopscotch, skipping, and hurdles with friends. It’s amazing fun.

23. Alternate your lifestyle with small changes. Take the stairs instead of the escalator and walk for shorter distances. In the long run, they’re very effective.

24. Strength training or gym workouts are integral but tend to get boring. Tag along a friend or opt for a personal trainer to motivate you towards maximum results.

25. Be as close to nature as possible by going for nature trails. It will not only help your fitness levels but the fresh air will also clear your mind.

26. Looking to lose weight, gain strength, and achieve Zen, try out the best boot camps and detox spas in the world. Portugal, Germany, and UK have some great ones.

27. Opt for alternative therapies like bibliotherapy, drama, music, and cinema therapy for mood upliftment and overall wellness.

28. Meditation that can be done in various forms plays a major role in reducing stress and creates a clear vision towards achieving your goals.

29. A woman in her 30s should have regular medical check-ups, including gynaecological examinations.

30. It is essential to relax completely as much as it is to exercise so that you can rejuvenate your tired and worn out muscles. So, sleep well and rest your body for a day at least.

30 hotties we wish were single

These gorgeous men are hitched and hooked but that has never stopped us from wishing they were single... Sigh! By Shruti Kothari

1. Arjun Rampal - Mehr Jesia is one lucky babe! When a man looks as delicious and Mills & Boons-y as Rampal does, we want him! Are you listening, oh unfair-Gods-in-heaven?

2. Shahrukh Khan - Faithful King Khan has the entire planet swooning over him but it’s only Gauri Khan who gets the best of him! If only wishes were horses…

3. Hrithik Roshan - The dreamy Duggu strumming the guitar by the seaside, a la Kaho Na Pyaar Hai, singing - Susanna, Susanna, I’m crazy loving you…while we get crazy jealous!

4. Farhan Akhtar - With three women (read wifey Adhuna and daughters Shakya and Akira) in the house, how is this sizzler expected to have time to mend our broken hearts…?

5. Mahendra Singh Dhoni - This sexy cricket captain left us stumped with his hurricane wedding but our tears have not dried up yet. MSD - you owe us one!

6. Abhishek Bachchan - When you are married to Aishwarya Rai, there is little else to say. But would it be wishful thinking if we too could have a piece of his royal hotness? Get the idea, Sirji!

7. Aamir Khan - We heart you, Aamir. Qayamat se Qayamat tak… Seriously! Because yeh Dil Chahta Hai only you…

8. Imraan Khan - If only we could Kidnap this Khan and whisk him away to an Avantika-less, strawberries and cream heaven!

9. Sachin Pilot - Had someone warned us that the babalog of this country could look this good, we would have been prepared! But alas, Sarah got the better of us!

10. Sachin Tendulkar - While he made cricket history, Anita Mehta made personal history with him, leaving us with no story whatsoever!

11. Sabeer Bhatia - How can we not be interested in this USD 200 million portion of hotness! If this Hot Male wasn’t already Tania’s, we would come knockin’!

12. Ajay Devgn - With an aircraft at his disposal and Kajol on his arms, this shotgun leaves us with no option but to drool!

13. Akshay Kumar - The khiladi of khiladis, Akshay Kumar seems to become more and more handsome each day. Please tell us how you do it, Akki. We will gladly lend an ear (and anything else too)!

14. Omar Abdullah - Perhaps we should officially not take a panga with this General saab’s son-in-law. But since when is salivating a crime?!

15. Leander Paes - This Kolkata knight got cosy with Rhea Pillai in the blink of an eye! Who is paying for this blunder!?

16. Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia - The babalog brigade couldn’t get better looking than this! Wait! This plus ‘Royalty’ - how can our hearts not skip a beat or two!?

17. Chetan Bhagat - Something about men who can write…the mystery, that’s what keeps us interested.

18. Rahul Dravid - The hottie on the Indian cricket team, Rahul Dravid’s unassuming charm tickles our senses like noone elses, when he’s on the cricket ground.

19. Imtiaz Ali - Had we met this ‘Jab We Met’ director before his marriage, life would have been a lot sweeter!

20. Shaan - Shaan’s voice could transport us into another realm altogether. Now, if only Radhika would give us the entry code to that realm.

21. Ayaan Ali Khan- Ayaan’s lineage claims to have invented the Sarod! Neema is holding on tight to this one but allow him to strum a bit for us!

22. Purab Kohli - This Channel V jockey’s cute smile can break a million hearts. We only wish it was breaking ours instead of Yamini’s.

23. Baichung Bhutia - Doesn’t take much to be wanted if you are a footballer! Madhuri should know…we can only hope to find out!

24. Homi Adajania - Homi’s myriad talents are enough to catch our attention. Oh but wait! Anaita has already caught it.

25. DJ and MTV VJ Nikhil Chinappa - Nikhil doesn’t seem to age and neither does his sense of humour! DJ Pearl should keep him in a cage, lest, we get naughty!

26. Vishwanathan Anand - With his meteoric rise in international chess, Vishwanathan left us astounded at check mate. Oh! Let’s check with his mate Aruna first!

27. Shekhar Ravjiani of Vishal-Shekhar - A trained classical singer and a daughter named Bipasha, this dreamy composer sure hits the right notes with his female audience at Zee’ popular show ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’. If only he wasn’t married!

28. Rajdeep Sardesai - We’ve seen him a hundred times on T.V but to sit and debate with him over a cuppa would be ideal. Sagarika, you listening?

29. Naveen Jindal - This charming tycoon could sweep us off our feet…we will gladly oblige. But alas, that task has already been done and here we are, still waiting!

30. Vikas Oberoi - Real estate billionaire with beautiful wife Gayatri Joshiin tow…need we say, we feel left out!

Femina makes the big 30 more exciting by associating with the film “Turning 30”. For more dope on turning 30, visit our facebook and twitter pages.