The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - The Tribune Lifestyle

Cut-pest
Ashima Sehajpal

If recent reports on organic food's nutritional value have aroused doubts in your mind, let these die-hard organic farmers assure you of their health benefits

All for the sake of posterity! Or, for Mother Nature! Their aim, however, is nowhere close to paganism. Just their sensibilities were humane, considerate, to realise how much the future generations will suffer, if the world went on as callously as it is now.

Harpreet Singh Mansiya

The picture then would have been, parched earth, people pining for a drop of water and feeding on food, nothing less than poison. Thanks to some visionaries who foresaw the perils and reintroduced the concept of organic farming. The world was taking on to it when a study funded by UK's Food Standard Agency (FSA) claimed 'organic food is no healthier or provides no significant nutritional benefits when compared with conventionally produced food', made people doubt the worth of organic food, costing 30 per cent more than the usual crops. Jaspal Singh, an organic farmer from Jalandhar, who also participated in the CII organic food festival, suggests something before a conclusion is drawn, "You don't need a study to prove whether organic food is better than food grown using insecticides and pesticides, all is required is a bit of common sense to judge. The hybrid seeds and harmful chemicals will of course affect us otherwise."

Into organic farming for the past seven years, he has observed how the condition of soil is worsening with the use of harmful chemicals. Referring to the Peter Thompkins book, The Secrets of the Soil, he says, "It is mentioned in the book that though America has food security, it is under-nourished as the food is artificially grown, a situation that India can face too."

Darshan Singh Rudel, based in Chandigarh, has his organic farms near Anandpur Sahib and is convinced that the study by UK's FSA has some hidden purpose. "How will the chemical and fertiliser companies mint money, if farmers stop using their harmful products? How will the capitalist nations profit from poor countries where the main occupation is farming?" he questions. Common sense at work! Darshan Singh took to organic farming 11 years ago when hardly anybody thought about it. The small number of farmers, who if at all followed him, did it in sheer fascination but gave up after encountering marketing problems. "The crop wastage is high in organic farming, since no chemicals are used to save it from insects and pests. The investment is more and profit returns less as compared to the conventional way of growing crops," reasons Darshan Singh as to why people prefer the usual way of farming.

As for him, the priorities were different, went beyond the profit yard. "I wanted to work in harmony with the nature. Green manure, natural nitrogen enriching products, crop rotation and desi seeds were used for crops, which didn't harm the soil," adds Rudel.

Inderjit Singh, a vegetable grower, took to organic farming seven years back. For him, the achievement is that he persuaded 300 farmers in his village to switch to organic farming. "Vegetables require a heavy dose of pesticides and insecticides everyday, the residue of which gets dissolved in them. Also, the productivity of soil was decreasing and I realised it's high time to switch over to organic farming."

He went to Bengaluru on a three-month course to learn organic farming. "Today, on 500 acres of land, organic farming is being done and then supplied to markets in Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar." An indication of growing popularity of organic food.

Harpreet Singh Mansiya from Patiala began organic farming on an experimental basis but resolved to stick to it for various reasons, "People are becoming health conscious and are now aware of the positives of organic food." Advantage organic!

ashima@tribunemail.com

Open your eyes to blind date
Jasmine Singh

Commitment and relationships are directly proportional to each other. If you commit, you land up in a relationship (pretty much automatically). If you are in a relationship, it is presumed that you are committed. Sounds alarming. Your take, boys! But before you get down to solving the most intriguing equation, here is what you could do. Take a detour to the 'no loss and no gain' path that is tagged with two simple words Blind Date.

But then there are some who believe in 'no commitment and no relationship'. The contestants who walked in for the auditions of Channel V's 'Dare to Date' knew this pretty well. No strings attached, they were heading for a safe territory. In fact, an exciting one! At ShivalikView-17 dressed just for the occasion (auditions), the contestants enthusiastically filled in the Channel V audition form an interesting assortment of questions.

What kind of person you would like to go out with? What is the craziest thing that you have done on date? Have you ever cheated on your boy-friend / girl-friend/spouse? Do you consider educational qualification and job while going out with them? Would you date someone who doesn't speak English? Would you date someone from a foreign country? Do you mind dating people younger/older than you?

Disha Sharma, one of the contestants and a city- based model, carefully filled the form. We quiz her on the same? "What Channel V is doing is interesting and exciting. I totally relate to the concept of blind date. Who wants to get into a relationship blindly? Blind date is your chance to explore the person before you decide to either dump or get going with." Going out with someone who can't speak English? She smiles, "English matter nahin karti, what matters is etiquettes and right attitude."

Hang on, what do we see. The auditions had someone interesting foreigners participating too. An audition where boys outnumbered girls, the concept of blind date did manage to pull lot of hunks, who wanted to check out what Dare To Date is all about. Also, blind date is acceptable and popular with the youth. As for Sukhjeet Kaur, another participant, more than her belief in the concept, it is the platform Channel V, which is important. "I would want to be a part of a reality show like this. I am clueless about the grilling session, though I am confident." And well, she is dressed up for this too!!

jasmine@tribunemail.com

The heat is on
Jasmine Singh

Taru Peshawaria
Photo by Parvesh Chauhan

Precisely 10 minutes for Mehak’s school bus to arrive. Papa is busy arranging her bag, and mummy hurries with a sandwich for her tiffin box. “I am hungry,” the seven-year-old declares in the middle of the commotion. Poor mummy is left with no choice, but rustle up a delicacy for the brat, who will settle for nothing less. “Here you are darling. See mummy has baked corn and cheese for you.”

‘Uff! I managed. The mother gives one affectionate look to her microwave. ‘It saved me today like other days,’ is the immediate thought.

Well, it sure has. Microwave, an invention in technology, has rotated conventional cooking to a 360 degree. You bet, not only homemakers, the entire family; the fussy and non-fussy eaters are reaping the benefits. Confirming this are the regional finals of LG’s Mallika- e- Kitchen at Hotel ShivalikView on Sunday, which promotes healthy cooking.

According to Abhishek Bhatnagar, marketing manger, “Two winners from the 12 contestants from Punjab and Haryana will contest for the national Mallika-e-Kitchen Cooking contest in Delhi. A contest like this will directly bring LG in contact with the customers. They can have a first hand experience in microwave cooking.”

Back to the regional final, the participants sure had some delicious innovations to offer, using less oil and ghee. Pooja Kandhari, a participant from Ludhiana, who walked away with second prize, whipped bhalla chat in a microwave! Interesting. “I haven’t used oil, not even in the bhallas, except a very little for garnishing,” she says. “I like to experiment with ingredients, and microwave cooking gives me perfect results. Besides, it leaves me with enough time to address to my two-year-old-sons whims and fancies,” she laughs.

Preeti Bhasin’s, a contestant from Srinagar, bread and apple pudding catches our attention. “You have to taste the pudding to believe that microwave retains all the flavours and goodness.”Ditto for Taru Peshawaria, from Amritsar, whose winning recipe of cake filled with carrots, dates and walnut validated the goodness of microwave cooking.

Says judge Sanjeev Verma, city-based chef and principal, Chitkara Institute of Hotel management, “It is interesting to see untrained homemakers and working women come up with different recipes.” The contestants were judged on texture, taste, presentation and innovation.

Bowled over

Mandira all praises for Akshay, post shooting of Khatron Ke Khiladi-Level 2

Popular actress and TV host Mandira Bedi says she got a chance to experience the huge aura around Akshay Kumar while shooting with the Bollywood superstar in South Africa for the forthcoming adventure reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi-Level 2. "He (Akshay) has a very huge aura about him. There used to be this deadly silence whenever he came in. Though he would joke and stuff with us, at the end of the day he was he and we were who we are," said Mandira.

She will be seen performing daredevil stunt on the show. She says Akshay’s presence was highly inspirational. "When I saw the first season of the show, I felt that there could be no better choice of a host than him. I enjoyed his sense of humour, I liked how he dealt with situations, how hea inspired the contestants. I was lucky to have experienced it." "He had a quirky sense of humour, yet he was motivational, so inspirational. He himself has done so many stunts and is actually very strong. So even when you see him, you just want to be better - in that sense, he is very motivating. I like him so much more after I have experienced it," she said. Khatron Ke Khiladi is the Indian version of internationally popular show Fear Factor. It requires contestants to perform a series of dangerous tasks and whoever does them all walks away with a cash prize. Mandira, who had bagged the title of being India’s first AXN Fear Factor winner, says she herself approached the producers of Khatron Ke Khiladi.

While watching season one, I used to wonder ‘Why am I not in this show?’ I was shooting something else that time but I really wanted to be a part of it. For the second season, it so happened I called Endemol (the producers) and said that my dates are free now. "I was probably the only crazy one to have called them and said: make me a part of this show. I think it’s just great to be able to do something that prepares you for any kind of situation in future," she said.

he show helped her in realising the biggest fear of her life. "I have come to realise that my biggest fear is facing failure - it is more than the fear of height, more than the fear of water and more than the fear of creepy crawlies, little animals, which I don’t like. And that’s what drove me to do the stunts," she said. There was one task that Mandira felt was a little too tough to handle, but she managed it well. "For one task, my head was put in a box which had breathing holes in it and it was closed. They put a nose clip, gave me goggles and gave me ear plugs and then they threw on my face Madagascar hissing cockroaches - they were the size of my finger. "It was disgusting. And they went psss...psss..psss. It was a very bad feeling. We had to try and get out of it after a long procedure. It was probably three-four minutes long, which felt like an hour. I did the task because I was determined to go down the show trying, not crying," she said.

Mandira will contend with beauties like Sushma Reddy, Carol Gracias, Shonali Nagrani, Shveta Salve and Anushka Manchanda among others on the show that premieres on Colors Sep 7 at 9 p.m. — IANS

Money over art

A diva in her own right, actor Sushmita Sen likes to live life on her terms but returning to the big screen after a considerable gap, the former beauty queen now wants to focus only on commercial films.

"One of the key things in my life that has been far more important than any commercial success or being in the right banner or the right film is that I never compromised on me. I never take things for granted," Sushmita said The 33-year-old actress, who has been missing from silver screen for two years barring the release of Karma, Confessions and Holi this year, which she disowned, says she is focusing on delivering some hits this time. "I am focusing on making sure that I do only commercial films. I had done art films too early in my career and I am glad that I did them because they helped me grow as an actor but I want to focus on commercial films and make sure that I have some hits to my credit," says Sushmita, who was last seen in Ram Gopal Verma Ki Aag in 2007.

The actress will next be seen playing Govinda’s wife in David Dhawan’s comedy Do Knot Disturb, produced by Big Pictures and Vashu Bhagnani’s Puja Films, which releases on October 2. The film, which centres around Dhawan’s favourite topic marriage, also stars Lara Dutta and Riteish Deshmukh. — PTI

Spice up
Grooming the groom
Shahnaz Husain

Looking good is not just a woman’s prerogative, especially on such the wedding day. It is true that all eyes are on the bride, but this is one time when the groom also shares a good part of the limelight. This is one occasion, when you are going to be photographed and filmed, you should look your best.

Clothes are definitely a part of good grooming, but that is not all. Grooming involves a total “top-to-toe” effort. It shows that attention has been paid to every detail and it certainly does not detract from masculinity at all. Since the wedding date has been set in advance, you should plan the outfits you will be wearing for the different occasions, in good time, so that you can give your suits to be tailored and have the time for trials and alterations. Last minute shopping only adds to mental stress and shows up on you.

Preparation time:

Looking good on the wedding day also entails weeks of skin and hair care, well in advance. If a total programme is followed for at least one month to six weeks before the wedding, it can really pay good dividends.

Facial Treatments: Weekly facials are recommended to refine and revitalize the skin. The salon will give facial treatments according to skin type. Professional deep cleansing, with exfoliation, toning and massages help remove the dead skin cells, stimulate circulation and nourish the skin. The skin becomes much clearer and more translucent. Nowadays, specialized facials are also available, like the Aromatherapy facial.

If the skin is oily, or if there are eruptions, treatment must be taken in good time, so that surface oil is reduced and the condition is controlled. Clinical treatments, consisting of ozone therapy and the application of medicated lotions and ointments help to control the condition. Treatment is also given to minimize scars, pigmentation and blemishes. The earlier you start with such treatments; like six weeks to two months before the wedding day, the better will be the results. For blemishes, Thermoherb treatment is given. It is like a mini face-lift. For scars, a course of vegetable peeling is recommended.

Hair care: Weekly henna conditioning at the salon, for a month before the wedding, is advised, to improve the health and look of the hair. Henna adds strength, body and luster to the hair. A programme of clinical treatments for the scalp, for a month or two is advised. These can be taken two or three times a week and include stimulation of the scalp with ozone therapy and the application of specialized hair tonic. For hair problems, like dandruff and hair loss, clinical treatments are recommended, once or twice a week.

Essentials for the Wedding Day:

If you think you may need a haircut around the date of the wedding, do not wait until then. Have your haircut at least two weeks in advance, so that your hair and the style have settled by the wedding date. Your hair should have a well-conditioned, manageable look. You can buy a good conditioner or hair rinse. The basic job of a conditioner is to disentangle the hair and make it smooth. It also adds body, life and vitality to the hair. During the dry season and for dry hair, a creamy, rich conditioner is better. For oily hair, it is better to use a rinse, like a lemon or tea rinse.

If you like, you can use home ingredients to condition the hair. Egg white, for instance, or beer also makes a good hair rinse. Do not wash the hair with water after the lemon or beer rinse. Used tealeaves can be boiled in enough water, cooled and used as a rinse.

Like every other day, you will definitely have your shave. But, on this special day, you should have another one, just before you start getting ready. It will help you look fresh and bright. After using your after-shave lotion, apply a little liquid moisturizer if the skin feels dry. A sandalwood after-shave cream is ideal, as it protects the skin and also prevents dryness.

Keep more time for your bath, because this is a special day. Pay special attention to the hands and feet, scrub the heels. You should have a facial the day before the wedding, complete with facial mask. In fact, go in for a body massage too, as it is ideal for removing fatigue and making you feel good. On the day of the wedding, cleansing and toning should be enough.

If your eyes look dull and tired, put a few drops of eye lotion. If you have some time to spare, soak cotton wool pads in rose water or rose-based skin tonic. Last, but not least, try to get to bed early for the two nights before the wedding. Have all your bachelor parties before that, so that you have enough time to recover. You should feel relaxed and confident as you go forward to face your future.

	Yogart Ashima Sehajpal Yoga is no longer tying yourself up in knots and relaxing. New forms like dynamic yoga, Iyengar yoga and Bikram yoga are full of energetic movements So, yoga has found another fan in Rani Mukerjee. The actor has lost 8 kg to support a new svelte look for her upcoming flick Dil Bole Hadiappa. Shilpa Shetty and Kareena Kapoor swear by it for their toned body and so does 55-year-old Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Rita Wilson and Halle Berry. With yoga gaining immense popularity, it seems gyms will soon be a thing of the past. Agrees most of the yoga instructors in the city too. Here they update us on the most popular forms of yoga and their benefits. Dynamic yoga Yoga has evolved for better. Informs Anoop Debnath, yoga instructor, Ozone, "It is no more about static aasans. You don't hold on to one pose in this form of yoga and a lot of movements are involved. It isn't monotonous as yoga is thought to be." One can experiment with this form by combining various aasans, as per the benefits one is looking for, "If done properly, it can improve body flexibility, blood circulation and strengthen cardiovascular system." Iyenger yoga It is a contemporary form of yoga invented by US-based yoga guru V.K.S Iyenger. It is practiced using a lot of props like a cloth, band, pole, using which one can do stretching exercises. "This yoga mainly comprises trikon aasan, in which one has to stand in a fixed position, with legs widened at specific angels. It helps strengthen the lower body part; internal organs and also helps lose fat," says Anoop. Bikram yoga It is the latest craze in the West and is picking up gradually in India as well. Anil Juneja, a city-based yoga expert and owner of FNY, defines this form as the combination of medical science and conventional yoga. "Relatively fast movements comprising 26 various aasans are done in hot and controlled environment where the temperature goes up to 42 degree Celsius." The benefits of it are plenty. The yoga form warms up the body, which in turn helps in loosen all joints and the muscles. "It proves highly useful for people suffering from joint pains. The heat helps release toxics through a lot of sweat from the body," adds Anil. However, one has to be careful while practicing Bikram yoga Critics say it leads to severe body dehydration. Anil suggests, "It should be done in a well ventilated room. Closed environment can cause infections." Yogalatis A combination of yoga and pilates was introduced by Anoop in the city. The positive aspects of both the exercises form are combined to suit the interest of people who has long hours of sitting job. As Anoop says, "It makes lower back strong and can treat cervical if done properly." Iron yoga In this lightweight dumbles while doing various aasans that tone up the arm and leg muscles. Power yoga One of the most popular forms of yoga these days, it involves a high intensity work out. Nalini Mahajan, a city-based yoga instructor tells us about the procedure, "It begins with a warm-up session that raises the body temperature, followed by rhythmic aasans, breathing exercises and is concluded with a shav asan that brings the body temperature and heart beat rate back to normal.
	In the fitness of things Naked truth After power yoga, it is now nude yoga. Do you think these fancy nomenclatures are just a gimmick? Nude yoga is the worse thing anyone can do to yoga. It's a gimmick used by the people who wish to earn cheap publicity through it. Yoga shouldn't be experimented with, not to the extent that it ends up being just a fad. Nude yoga is a mindless conversion of yoga that wouldn't serve any purpose and should be discouraged. Dolphin Bakshi, Student, Class XII I don't think there are any difference in the benefits of nude yoga and the usual yoga we do. Nude yoga is mere spicing up of the usual yoga. Just taking off clothes while practicing yoga would not ensure any additional benefits in the fitness. Nude yoga is an adulteration of original yoga, done to mint money. Manish Verma, Student, B.Tech Nude yoga is similar to selling any Indian content in the Western package. Yoga is a part of Indian culture and the Western world should not hamper with it unnecessarily. Yoga has a definite advantages, I don't think doing it without clothes would make any difference. It is a cheap publicity gimmick and should be criticised. Jatin Takkar, B.Com final year Readers write Do you think it is right to believe all the health studies that are published? If yes, will you alter your diet chart and life style according to it? Please email the responses along with a photograph to lifestyletribune@gmail.com or mail on In the fitness of things, Lifestyle, The Tribune, Sec-29 Chandigarh.
	BODY wise Jumping Jacks Sachin Kalra Everyone knows trampolines are fun, but not everyone knows that there are many benefits of jumping on a trampoline. Jumping on a trampoline is a great workout. It provides exercise that is easy on the joints, very low in stress, and great for the body. This easy and fun form of exercise takes no special skill and can be performed by anyone. Both adults and children can benefit from regular exercise on a trampoline. Trampolines are small enough to fit in most homes and are light enough to be handled. They are easily available and can be used both indoors and outdoors. The fitness benefits of trampoline exercise can be felt with just a few minutes of use per day. The many benefits of jumping on a trampoline are: Strengthen your endurance and heart: Jumping gets your adrenaline going and pumps your blood faster. This increases the blood flow to your vital organs making them healthier. The prolonged period of exercise and jumping on a trampoline will also help to build endurance in a way that is not strenuous or unbearable. Strengthen your muscles: By jumping on a trampoline, you can tone and sculpt your muscles. Continuous jumping helps to strengthen the muscles in the legs and back and also improves overall muscle tone. It also helps to strengthen your core. Weight loss: The combination of cardiovascular exercise and the strengthening of the muscles contribute to weight loss. As muscles strengthen, they aid in the increase of the metabolism, which helps to burn fat. The cardiovascular workout burns calories. By jumping on a trampoline for 20-30 minutes 3-4 times a week, weight loss can occur. Improved Flexibility: Jumping on a trampoline strengthens and lengthens muscles improving flexibility. A low impact workout: A trampoline takes nearly 80 per cent of the stress off the joints, which can get jarred with many other forms of exercise. This means that trampolining protects your joints whilst exercising your muscles. Development of balance and coordination: Balancing on a trampoline is unlike balancing on the ground. The trampoline floor is constantly moving. The balance learned on a trampoline helps improve balance in other activities. Improved posture: Along with improved balance, jumping on it can improve posture. Development of motor skills: The brain is forced to function bilaterally when a jumper is in the air. Both sides of the brain and both sides of the body must work together to maintain coordination and balance when on a trampoline. This increases motor skills. Stronger immune system: Rhythmic bouncing has a powerful effect on the lymphatic system. When you bounce on a trampoline, the lymphatic system works to pump out toxins in the body by squeezing them out, which in turn builds a stronger immune system. Fun factor: The sheer fun factor of jumping up and down will make you smile, make you laugh, make you feel really happy. The act of bouncing can bring out the child in us. While we're bouncing it's hard to ignore the glee of defying gravity. When you consider all the positive benefits that you receive when you complete a trampoline workout, it is hard to come up with a reason not to give it a try. kalrasachin@hotmail.com
	Play with care High school football players and wrestling athletes suffer the highest rate of severe injuries, according to a new US study. The study conducted by researchers in the Centre for Injury Research and Policy (CIRP) of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital showed that these injuries accounted for 15 percent of all high school sport-related injuries. Moreover, males were the most likely to experience severe injuries. In directly comparable sports, such as soccer, basketball and baseball, females sustained a higher severe injury rate. "Twenty-nine per cent of severe injuries occurred to the knee, making it the most commonly injured body site," said the study's co-author Christy Collins, CIRP research associate at Nationwide Children's Hospital. "The ankle accounted for 12 percent followed by shoulder at 11 per cent," Among the most severe and common injuries 36 per cent accounted for fractures, 15pct complete ligament sprains and 14pct incomplete ligament sprains. However, commonly fractured body sites included the hand and finger , ankle and wrist. "Severe injuries negatively affect athletes' health and place an increased burden on the health care system," said study co-author Dr Dawn Comstock, CIRP principal investigator at Nationwide Children's and a faculty member of The Ohio State University College of Medicine. The study appears in American Journal of Sports Medicine. — ANI
	On record Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra, who is on cloud nine after the success of Kaminey, is now looking forward to her next venture Anjaana Anjaani where she will be sharing screen space with Ranbir Kapoor for the first time. "Anjaana Anjaani is directed by Siddharth Anand, produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and stars Ranbir Kapoor and me. I will begin shooting for it by October," the 27-year-old actress wrote on her Twitter page. In an earlier post, the former Miss World had revealed her excitement to be a part of the film. "Hey guys. Just got out of a script discussion for the next film I’m starting. It’s called Anjaana Anjaani!! Super story. Excited!"The actress wrote on the micro-blogging website. Priyanka is also awaiting the release of her next film What’s Your Rashi opposite actor Harman Baweja who has been previously linked with Chopra. The film will see her donning 12 different characters, which has made her a possible entrant in the Guinness Book of Records. Earlier, Sanjeev Kumar had played nine characters in the 1974 film Naya Din Nayi Raat and Kamal Haasan portrayed 10 characters in his magnum opus Dashavatharam last year. — PTI