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Mom’s Today
DIAPER duties, sleepless nights and trips to the pediatrician — raising a baby is quiet a task. “Never mind, I can deal with all that. And I want to have at least one before I touch 28,” says Namita Singh, making no qualms about why she wants to plan a family early. “I want to be a young mother just like Britney Spears. She looks so cool with her babies. And I’m sure the kids would love to flaunt a mom like her,” she adds. Married for six months now, Namita is planning to start a family. Reason: She wants to be a young mother! Now, this is something you don’t hear often. But well, call it change in the mindset, a fad or waking up to biological facts, women want to make babies much before they hit the ‘dreaded thirty’. Reasons galore — It feels and looks good to be a young mother, I have all the energy to run around my child, let’s get done and over with, I have to restart my career as well, my in-laws are after my life, my biological clock is ticking... However, the most interesting one still remains — it’s fashionable to be a young mom. Ladies, what say?
You bet they are watching too much television. After all, tele is full of mothers who look younger than their kids, like young models walking the ramp with their kids. “It looks so good. A young 25-year-old mother walking to a party with a little kid in tow,” smiles 25-year-old Meenaskhi Sarin, who is planning to start a family. “Imagine the kind of compliments you get — “Oh! You look so young. And this kid, you look straight out of college,” she adds with a puckish grin. This, of course, is one reason. But Meenakshi also feels that a being a young mother is beneficial in more than one ways. “My kid would be able to relate to me as a friend. And I can share all their secrets.” As for 27-year-old Monica Walia, a dentist from Panchkula, the compliments that a young mother receives from friends, relatives and husband is not really a reason why a woman would want to start a family at an early age. “A young mom has all the energy to do the running around. Bringing up a child is a challenging full-time task, which means you have to quit or give up a career for a while.” So, does planning a kid early allow you to catch up with your career fast? “Certainly,” offers Shweta Chauhan, 26-year-old mother of two kids. “Career is equally important to some women and there is no harm in resuming it after the child reaches certain age. Also, she adds, “Our society expects a girl to start a family right after she gets marriage. And sometimes she just doesn’t have a choice.” Giving birth is a momentous life-changing event in any woman’s life. Which is why sooner or later a woman wants to experience it. According to Ambreen Virk, 28-year-old mother of twins, Aadi and Yuvi, “A women eventually has to start a family after marriage. When you are young, you have the age on your side too. You can be more involved in motherhood, run around, and manage your schedule better.” There are other reasons too. Adds Ambreen, “I still need my mom and dad. In the same way I want to be around my kids too. Lastly, some girls would want to get back to their career, which is why they plan their families early.” Motherhood indeed is a rewarding and enjoyable experience, irrespective of the reasons. And for the young moms, compliments like this are so normal — “This is your son, oh he looks like your brother.” Don’t you think this is good enough reason to make a baby at 25? jasmine@tribunemail.com
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Draw the talk Do you love scribbling in class or while talking over the phone? A carelessly drawn flower in the corner of a notebook, a man with a big head gnawing his teeth, lots of initials scribbled equally carelessly, any shape and size beyond one’s imagination. Welcome to the world of doodling. The favorite pastime, the only way to survive through those boring lectures, there are actually many ways to describe doodling apart from the theoretical definition of it being a type of sketch or unfocussed drawing while a person’s attention is occupied otherwise. It is something that even the learned and the erudite indulged in. John Keats drew flowers in his medical notebook. Erasmus drew comical faces in the margins of his manuscripts, while Ralph Waldo Emerson, as a student at Harvard, decorated his composition books with classical doodles such as ornamental scrolls.
Though the true definition of doodling comes from hard-core lovers of this art form. The addicts of this habit are widely spread over continents. Student brigade rules though. As Mehak Sachdeva, fashion design student from Mohali, says, “It was my love for doodling which got me into this profession. I would sketch just about anything right from a fashion model to a flower.” Doodling for her is something, which she just has to indulge in everyday. Her passion is shared probably by millions. And there is no specific time for doing it. Some do it all the time, while others when there’s nothing else to do, still some others do it whenever they have a pen and a paper in front. Simran Kaur, B. Tech student, says, “It is the only way to survive through those torturous, unending and boring lectures. I love to do it all the time. The last dozen pages of my rough notebook are a testimony to the fact.” So, boring lectures and lecturers should be credited to the birth of this art. Doodling can also be made while talking on the phone if there is a pen and a paper available. Sukhpreet Sekhon, a housewife, says, “I scribble a lot while I am talking on the phone. This helps me concentrate and listen to the other person better.” She has a notepad attached to her phone table in which the miscellaneous drawings exceed the phone numbers! The reasons for doing it do not stop at passing time only. Doodle lovers also find it most therapeutic. As Harpreet Bawa, B.Sc IT student, says, “I doodle whenever I need to put perspective to my thoughts or while I am feeling low.” And literally anything can be doodled. Though flowers are the most common form, it is actually miscellaneous mish-mash of shapes, some mountain in between, a funny cartoon or an animal, to names to signature to anything. Popular kinds of doodles also include cartoon version of teachers or companions in a school. So, get creative. Doodle your way out of problems, doodle for good health, and join the league of Einsteins. Whatever is the provocation, grab a pen and a paper and do the best thing possible with them! lifestyletribune@gmail.com
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Wedding atop Everest Yana Banerjee-Bey The list of Everest records includes one which may not be a superhuman achievement but is still a record for what its worth – a young couple in love chose to get married on the summit. I met Pem Dorjee and Moni Mulepati later in Kathmandu and heard the story in their own words. Pem is a Sherpa boy while Moni belongs to the Newari community. As she says, “A Sherpa-Newari marriage is like a Hindu-Muslim marriage”. She grew up in Kathmandu, where her parents ran guest houses and a restaurant. Pem lived in his village, Chyangba, in the Solo-Khumbu region till the age of 12, when he came to Kathmandu and began learning the work of a mountain guide. The two met in 2004 as trainees in the Advance course in mountaineering. She was 24 and he a year younger. After the course, both went on separate expeditions. She climbed the modest Island Peak (6189 m) while Pem had a chance to go to Everest and stood on the summit on May 16, 2004. Moni’s father is a Rotarian and the Nepal Rotary Club decided to send the Rotary flag to the summit of Everest as a gift to Rotary International. Both Pem and Moni got into the team but, as Moni says, “He was sure he would climb it again, I was not sure I would make it. But we decided that, if we did climb it together, we would marry on the summit.” Fearing family opposition, they kept their plan a secret. She was a Hindu and he a Buddhist. Sindoor, pothe (beads) and a garland are part of Nepali Hindu marriage rituals and the sindoor and garland are also part of Buddhist marriage rituals. She shopped for the items, wrapped them in plastic and Pem carried the package in his rucksack throughout the expedition. The absence of a priest or lama was not a problem. Sherpas revere Everest as Chomolungma (Goddess Mother of the World) and Nepalis too look on Everest as Goddess Sagarmatha. “So we were getting married in the presence of the goddess herself,” the couple says. There was a witness who photographed the pair performing the rituals. Kami Sherpa, also a Rotaract member, was notching up his fourth ascent of Everest and was quite unprepared for what was unleashed upon him at the summit. “He knew nothing until then. He was totally surprised and then he was also very happy for us,” recalls Moni. The date was May 30, 2005 and the time was 10.30 am. The weather was good, though a bit cloudy, and the three climbers spent 45 minutes on the summit. The bride and groom both wore down suits. “For 10-15 minutes, during the rituals, we removed our oxygen masks,” says Moni. She called her parents on the satellite phone. “I told them only that I was on the summit. Then I called a friend and told her everything and said she must convince my parents otherwise I wasn’t going home. She managed it. When I reached Camp II, there was a message waiting that I should call home. When I spoke to my father, he said it was fine and that he just wanted me home safely.” On the way down, “we were excited but also worried as most deaths occur on the descent”. They had left the South Col camp for the climb to the top at 11.30 pm the previous night and finally returned to the camp at 6 pm. Moni had removed her goggles during the wedding rituals and, because of the clouds, again on the descent. She was snowblind by the time they reached the camp. Fortunately, the snowblindness lasted only eight hours. “Everyone came to the airport when we landed in Kathmandu from Lukla. The tourism minister came right up to the plane. We were taken in a procession with a band round the city. We landed at 1 pm and I finally reached home at 1 am!” laughs Moni. (This column appears fortnightly) The writer has authored India’s first handbook of adventure sports and is available at y.bey@excite.com
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Forever young Brisk walks, pranayams and even hardcore gymming. Our senior citizens seem to have taken a cue from Stallone & Schwarzenegger and are pumping iron like never before
Look around and you will find that age no longer a constraint in achieving that perfect body. Grandpas and grandmas are dressing themselves up to go to the gym and work their age out. And their areas of functionality include weight training, aerobics, power yoga and many more. Yesteryears activities, a walk in the park or early morning pranayams, are still followed but gyming has become the in thing. We all know how important exercising is too keep age at bay. Especially in present times, when ageing starts at 30s, thanks to the hectic work culture and lifestyle diseases. “You can try all the magic potions and other anti-ageing techniques, but the best solution is still going to the gym,” says Suresh Bajaj, a 55-year-old from the city who is a regular at Club Fitness-9, Panchkula. She accompanies her daughter, who says that it was her mother’s motivation that led her to start. And that’s not all, Suresh adds: “Everybody wants to look good and if you are fit than you look younger than your age. Besides it develops a healthy mind.” Now, who says you cannot look stunning at old age. Think Hema Malini, Simi Grewal and evergreen Rekha. Their mantra to remain young is exercise. And what is the motivation behind exercising in old age? “One motivation can be preparing for the 50. You need to build your stamina as ageing weakens your immunity. When I started, I had blood pressure problem. Now, it’s been a year that I have been to a doctor. I concentrate on strength building exercises like cycling, running and cardio workouts,” says Ashok Singla, a senior manager with Punjab and Sindh Bank and a regular at Club Fitness. He spends two hours daily on his workouts and ensures that he doesn’t misses out on it. A recent study says by exercising one not only improves health but reverse the ageing process as well. And there is no bar as what to do. According to Madan, Planet Fitness-8: “We have many regular clients above 60. They do cardio, yoga, weight training and follow a strict diet routine. The intensity and duration of exercising may vary but the enthusiasm is the same.” And our elders are proving it. They are pumping their way towards a healthy ripe old age.
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What’s playing? English, filmi & remix numbers to peppy Bollywood music, city gyms play it all MUSIC, the one thing that makes the world go round. Look around and you are sure to bump into people walking dazed on the road, hooked to there I-pods. And then of course, you have music being played at every conceivable gathering. No wonder, gyms too consider it as an important part of their entity, like their fitness equipments. Fitness freaks believe that a fitness place consists mainly of three things — equipments, trainers and music. So, this calls for a recee at the city gyms to find what’s the most wanted on the music scene.
Right from Hindi, English, Latin to peppy dancing numbers to Instrumental, they play all kinds of music. As Savita Chauhan, front desk person at Planet Fitness-8 says, “We generally play few fast-track numbers both English and Hindi, including other types as well.” She adds, “Fast music goes well if you are exercising on a treadmill. The songs of Jannat are also a hit these days.” In case there is a request for some old numbers they are provided to but the remixed versions. Now, that’s like customising music to your needs. After all, music is important and it is one of the main factors that draw in customer. No wonder city gyms not only play the latest music but also change it regularly. At Ozone-9, it is anything from Trans, Hindi to English numbers, depending on the exercise and the demand from the clients. As per Shruti Rawat, guest relation executive, “It actually depends a lot on the exercise. For cardio section we have trans and Hindi masala tracks, but for spinning and body sculpting exercises we play specially designed music consisting of beats.” Any track that rules? She adds, “The English songs like Usher’s Arabic Rave, Avril Lavigne’s songs, 1 2 3 club mix.” And yes, they play remixes on request too. The music at the city gyms keeps changing. How often? “It depends on the popularity of the song. But yes it’s changed before people get bored”, smiles Shruti. “We change music after every 10 days”, offers Jasbir Kaur, owner Oceanic fitness center. She tells, “Music is a big headache. I personally get the assorted CD’s. Right now, we have a collection of about 40 –50 such CDs. Anything from English to Punjabi to Hindi rules as long as it is on a fast track. Currently the songs of Race are a hit,” informs Jasbir, who is of the view that the choice of music changes according to the timings. Puts in Jasbir, “There is a huge difference in the music that is played after nine in the morning. After nine it’s mainly the homemakers and they like old songs.” But very soon we would have gyms that would advertise themselves as ‘a gym that plays a particular genre.’ So, music played at the gym’s is equally important. After all this is the place where sweat and work hard to look good.
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Work is passion Neha Walia Like father like son. Bappa Lahiri, son of Disco king Bappi Lahiri, is ready to take his father’s legacy ahead. This young and talented music director, who has been assisting his father for years turned independent music director last year with Sanjay Gupta’s multi-starrer ‘Dus Kahaniyan’. And not many would know that Bappa is a jack-of-all-trades. This Gen-Y musician can play tabla, keyboard, arrange, programme, compose and sing as well. And now he is ready to make his television debut as composer and singer with the title track of Star One’s new reality dance show Zara Nachke Dikha. Tell us about your TV debut. Zara Nachke Dikha’s title track is a foot tapping number and I am really excited and eager to see the audience’s response. I have always focused on composing and now I make my debut as a singer with this track. It has come out really well. How has your journey in this industry been so far? It feels great to be a part of this industry. I began with the title track of Jimmy, and then came along Dus kahaniyan, which was my first independent venture. It’s been a learning experience so far. I am also thankful top my father who made sure that I prepared well before I made foray in this industry. About your association with Sanjay Gupta. Sanjay is like a family. It has been an honour to work with him. He showed faith in my work and this continues with Alibaug and Acid Factory. Alibaug is the closes to my heart. What is your style of music? I don’t have a particular style. It depends on lot of things, like the script and audience’s acceptability. In Alibaug I am doing a rock song with Sanjay Dutt whereas my forthcoming movie Flat is a supernatural thriller. Is it easy for a star son to make a mark in this industry? It is more difficult because of the comparisons. It gives an initial push but then you really have to work hard. At the end, it’s the talent that counts not the name. What is the difference between composing for TV and films? It’s difficult to compose for television, as you have to grab the audiences’ nerve in a brief time. The idea has to be conceptualised in less time. On the other hand, films give more space for creativity and experimentation. Tell us about your future plans. I haven’t planned anything yet. I hope to remain passionate about my work and deliver good music.
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Flawless skin Pammy Kaul Having spotless skin does not come easy. You have to keep your skin happy right from your teenage years. But teenage years always bring along with them acne and pimples, much to every teenager’s horror! Here are some ways to battle with acne. Acne does not happen due to one particular thing. It’s a condition of multiple things going wrong at the same time. Here is what helps flare acne up: Stress happens to be the biggest culprit. It is not just a psychological thing, but physiological too. Your body, constantly locked in a mode of mild agitation, can cause serious problems. It causes excess body chemicals that normally shouldn’t be there. This leads to acne.
Diet plays an important part. Stay clear of fats, soda, potato chips, and cheese. have plenty of water, fruits and whole wheat bread. Your skin will thank you for it. Cleanliness counts. Little things can make a difference to your cleanliness routine. For instance touching the door knob that has never been cleaned in its lifetime or your sweaty hands going up to wipe your face leaving behind a trail of bacteria. Stay away from harsh scrubbing products. Just let the foam and bubbles do the job for you. Have a stack of clean face towels on your bathroom shelves. Q&A
I have been suffering from acne and pimples, but lately my face is covered with pimples all over and I feel very depressed. Please help. Kamaljeet Kaur
Sekhon, via email Sometimes we overdo with our skin by using over-the-counter product or prescribed medicine, which only helps in making it dry. Oily skin in this situation releases sebum, which results in pimples. While applying medicine don’t forget to keep your skin moisturised, it helps to heal scars. Remember to cleanse, tone and then moisturise. Keep your skin hydrated by using an oil-free moisturiser that has an SPF. Detox your body by going on a three-day fluid diet with grape juice and soup. Tea-tree oil when dabbed on pimples and steamed works wonders. Apply plain yogurt. Honey mixed with lemon and almond oil and milk results in acne-free skin. (This column appears fortnightly) Pammy Kaul is a UK-based beauty therapist. E-mail queries to lifestyletribune@gmail.com or write to The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh |
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Gwyneth Paltrow & her heels
If you thought that celebrities are comfortable wearing high heels than here's something that you should know -Gwyneth Paltrow and Liz Hurley apparently struggled to get about in skyscraper heels at a PR event to launch a perfume. Paltrow donned gladiator-style sky-scraping heels that laced up to the ankle while Hurley opted for a more conservative approach with a pair of classic black peep-toe stilettos, reports the Mirror. The 35-year-old mum-of-two, who donned Giuseppe Zanottis, had to hold on to the fixtures to steady herself as she tottered to the centre. Then, Hurley looked just as uncertain as she followed in her Fendi peeptoe stilettos at the Estee Lauder-sponsored do.When the two finally made it on to the stage, at Bloomindale's store in New York, they looked as if they were sharing tips on how on earth they were going to get down again in safety. Aniston hurt over beau’s old letters
It seems John Mayer can't let go of the memories from his past relationships. The singer's latest girlfriend, Friends star Jennifer Aniston recently found "a batch" of love letters from his ex-girlfriend Jessica Simpson in his guitar case.
After seeing the mushy letters, Aniston was left furious but more than that she was hurt, said a source. "Jennifer was more hurt than angry at the discovery," the New York Post quoted a source. "The letters surprisingly were very touching and well written," the source added. Aniston appeared to be fine after Mayer smoothed things over, the source said. The actress' rep, however, called the tale "completely fabricated."
— ANI |
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Want to intensify your weight loss regime? Well, just maintain a food diary, suggests a new study, which found that by keeping food records, people can double their chances of losing that extra flab. The study from Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research was one of the largest and longest running weight loss maintenance trials ever conducted. In the study, large percentage of African Americans was recruited as study participants (44%). African Americans have a higher risk of conditions that are aggravated by being overweight, including diabetes and heart disease. In this study, the majority of African American participants lost at least nine pounds of weight, which is higher than in previous studies. “The more food records people kept, the more weight they lost,” said lead author Jack Hollis. “In fact, those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records. The act of writing down what you eat encourages to consume fewer calories,” he added. In addition to keeping food diaries and turning them in at weekly support group meetings, participants were asked to follow a heart-healthy DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low-fat or non-fat dairy, attend weekly group sessions and exercise at moderate intensity levels for at least 30 minutes a day. After six months, the average weight loss among the nearly 1,700 participants was approximately 13 pounds. Keith Bachman, MD, a Weight Management Initiative member, said: “Keeping a food diary doesn’t have to be formal. Just scribble down what you eat. It’s the process of reflecting on what you eat, helps us become aware of our habits, and hopefully change our behavior.” — ANI
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Aditya’s fitness mantra
Promising good time
Punctuality personified
WHILE every other day we hear about starry tantrums and nakhras, here is one guy who believes in the saying “Time is money” —musical maestro Shanker
Mahadevan. In spite of making an abode at New Bombay, the ace musician keeps a time check on everything he does. Recently, he
stunn-ed by reaching before the call time for a shoot. Wonder what Mr Reshammiya would have to say, considering the fact that he belongs to the category of people just opposite to
Shankar’s. New beginning
(This column appears fortnightly)
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Health Tip
MOST injuries are caused by adopting improper method to lift objects. The way an object is lifted depends on its size and weight. For heavy objects, the right way is to lift from the front. While picking up small objects like a spoon, it’s important to be careful for any back injury. Twisting the back in two directions at once may strain the disks that cushion the spinal vertebrae. Repetitive trauma built up over a long period can weaken the spine. If the back is already weak, one wrong movement could easily trigger an injury. Proper method: Facing the object, squat, keeping the back straight. Knees should never be lower than hips as this puts a lot of stress on the meniscus of knees. Hold the object and bring it close to the body to reduce the force. Keep the chest up with a straight back and tighten the abdomen muscles. Lift the object by using
the thigh and butt muscles. — Dr Ravinder Chadha |
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WHAT is common between Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger besides their toned-up bodies and action flicks? They both are still pumping iron at an age when most people stay in bed because of arthritis or loss of memory. And following their footsteps is our city’s older generation. At an age, which people usually associate with illness and puja-paath, our seniors are turning health freaks. They can weight train, do circuit exercises and follow a strict fitness regime. 
ADITYA Narayan is no more a kid around the block. The Zee TV Sa re Ga Ma Pa anchor has grown up and is rather taking his career a bit too seriously. He has got into a fitness regimen as Vikram Bhatt has reportedly offered him a movie. The lad is following a special diet these days and is quite religious at it even during the rigorous shooting schedules. The onlookers on the sets claim that he munches on something only every three hours and absolutely nothing in between. Not even water. And no matter how tempting an eatable is kept around him he would not even eye it. Also, his dietician recommends a minimum of eight hours of sleep. So even if the call time of the shoot is 8a.m, the boy won’t budge till his sleep is complete. So much for a lean body and to hell with professionalism!
STAR One’s Zara Nachke Dikha, beginning July 14, promises to put an end to the age-old battle of the sexes on the dance floor in true Bollywood style. While judges Chunkey Pandey and Malaika Arora showcase their dancing talents to the tunes of Pretty Woman, contestants will give explosive performances on some of Bollywood’s most popular tunes. Ali Asgar will emulate Govinda while the rest of the boys will court danger with some adventurous antics. Gaurav Chopraa will descend from the ceiling on a rope while Vikas Sethi and Manish Goel make their entries on a life size microphone and an elevated camera stand, respectively. Proving that they’re no less than the boys, the girls will give some equally daring performances. While Karishma Tanna makes a slick entry on a bike, Narayani Shastri enters in true Bollywood style through breaking glass and fire. Bringing elegance to the women’s team would be Rupali Ganguly, making a grand entrance on a paalkhi and Mouni Roy emerging from a spider web. Tune in every Monday and Tuesday.
SAHARAONE’S show
Woh Rehne Waali Mehlon Ki has successfully tagged more than 750 episodes and is now geared up to revisit the original essence in its new storyline. The show will bring in a breeze of freshness by introducing Rani, as Pari’s daughter who will portray the symbol of all the virtues that Pari has stood for, her whole life. A doctor by profession, Rani’s happy world gets threatened by her past when she comes to know that she has to marry a stranger & live with his three brothers because her late parents had fixed her marriage to him when she was a toddler.
Woh Rehne Waali… right from its inception has canvassed the struggle of a woman in adjusting with situations and people at every stage of life. It is this touch of virgin originality and essence that has been revisited in the new storyline, starting Wednesday, July 16. The newer take will showcase the journey of a highly educated girl Rani laced with life’s harsh realities.