Sunday 31 May 2015

Welcome 2 Karachi: My Reviews & Thoughts

#welcome2karachi  #myreviews


Note: my review contains not a lot but some spoilers. You have been warned :)

Welcome 2 Karachi is one of those movies that you should go without any expectations. It is a humorous movie which is a typical no-brainer. If you wish to go for a movie which doesn't provoke any deep thoughts but just gives you simple laugh throughout, than this is the movie to watch today. 

Directed by Ashish R. Mohan it stars Arshad Warsi & Jacky Bhagnani and by default Arshad Warsi is the show-stealer. The acting and punches are awesome and there would be some instances where you might find your seat space too small to roll out in laughter.

Arshad (Shammi in the movie) and Jacky (Kedar) are two dim-witted friends who are good for nothing and are simply made of each other (maybe that's why there is no lead actress in the movie). Shammi is ex-navy office who sank a submarine and Kedar is a son of event organizer and is the stupidest man known. 

In the beginning of the movie, Shammi and Kedar find themselves stranded on the beach of Karachi and their journey to India begins from there. Not sure if its true or not, but in the movie every corner of Pakistan is filled with terrorists and guns. 
A big portion of the movie revolves around their escape where they are up against hoodlums, Chief Intelligence - Pakistan (including American dancer Lauren Gottlieb trying to act as a Pakistani), Taliban terrorists, American soldiers and corrupt Pakistan ministers. Their efforts to reach India are fruitless, all the time they are going in circles, picking up all wrong things and finding themselves in trouble always. By the end of the movie they are no close to reaching India, instead they are seen landing into a new trouble. 

There are many scenes in the movie which are undeniably funny, like Arshad Warsi tries to deliver a baby with a vacuum cleaner (inspired by 3-Idiots), where they are hired by Taliban terrorists to bomb India and instead they accidently bomb them, when Arshad Warsi gets emotional over India-Pakistan cricket match and trashes Pakistani players in Pakistan, or when they think they have crossed the border and have reached India, although they have reached only another part of Pakistan (i.e Punjab) or like I fakr (interpretation fu***r) you and many more. It was all hilarious...

After intermission, its starts to feel that they are overdoing a bit, they could have finished the movie much earlier but they introduced a new angle which could have been skipped. However, despite of the fact it felt dragged at some instances, you will not feel the shortage of laughter anywhere. Also, it is one of those movies which is not just funny throughout but also ends on a funny note. I am not sure if I saw anyone stepping out of the theatre who was not laughing

The movie is also a treat for my Gujarati friends, it includes many aspects of Gujarat and also has a song which is partially Gujarati. Another thing, although Kedaar (Gujarati character) is shown exceptionally stupid, but in reality Gujarati's are pretty intelligent.



My rating for the movie, actually for Arshad Warsi : 3/5.

Its likeable and enjoyable

Hope you enjoy it as well

Till then
Take Care




Wednesday 27 May 2015

Why is it important to have a Sleep Schedule?

#curewithoutmedicine


We all know that quality sound sleep is very important for a healthy functioning body but do we also know that by not sleeping properly and even sleeping excessive is extremely dangerous for our health?

On an average, an adult needs approx 8 hours of sleep, it may vary from person to person but majority falls in this bucket. There are people who can function perfectly if they sleep as little as 6 hours a day and then there are people like me who need 10 hours, which is rarely possible. Well no complains there, the main point is getting required amount of sleep.

Some people might believe that sleeping at odd hours, but sleeping appropriate hours is acceptable, but its not. If you sleep at different times on different days, you are disrupting your daily routine. Like you feel need at designated times during the day similarly your body needs sleep at its own time as well. When you sleep at 10PM one day and at 12AM another, you are not just disrupting your sleep, you are disrupting your whole schedule, your health and your hormones (especially in girls). Hence you should always sleep for the right hours at the right time. Also, sleeping extra on weekends is harmful too. You not just disrupt your sleep but you disrupt your entire routine which can have very dangerous implications in long run.

Well, if above reasons are not good enough to maintain a sound balance between waking & sleeping time, then below is the list of other well known reasons:
  1. Healthy brain and emotional state: By having good enough sleep you are allowing your body and brain to recharge itself for the next day. Sleep deprivation not just impacts your mood but also affects your ability to remember things, ability to focus and work in an efficient manner
  2. Better physical health: Sleep plays a vital role in your overall health. Sound sleep helps heal and repair body tissues and vessels. Sleep provides your body with an important ground where it replenishes and rejuvenates itself. By being sleep deprived, you stop your body from healing itself
  3. Daily performance and safety: Sleep deprived people are usually not able to give their 100% in their job, which in turn results in diminished performance. Also, if you are sleep deprived there is high chances of accidents, I myself have slept off once driving back from work just because I couldn't sleep properly for couple of nights, trust me its scary
  4. Insulin & Hormone balance: Good quality sleep helps maintain your hormones especially the ones that help you feel hungry and full. When you are sleep deprived you eat more which in addition results in weight gain. Sleep also helps regulate insulin in your body. People with low sleep levels usually have high sugar levels which is not good of course
  5. Helps improve immune system: Sleep has a major contribution to your immune system and many people don't know that. If a person is usually sleep deprived,  their immune system is generally weak and they are largely susceptible to common infections as well
  6. Helps you avoid depression: A sound mind with enough sleep is usually depression free in comparison to people who suffer from sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation and depression go hand in hand. If you are sleep deprived you will be bothered and irritated by tiniest of things. Sleep deprivations minimises understanding and acceptance levels which in turn usually end up in depression
  7. Helps burn calories: Its a popular fact these days, you burn calories while you sleep. However, another relation between sleep and weight loss is, you feel hungrier when you are sleep deprived, which results in weight gains, many people get inflammation in their body due to lack of sleep which results in weight gain, also sleep deprivations tampers with your body's fat storage and insulin mechanism which again affects weight gain. Sleep deprivation results in tiredness which in turn results in no exercise, again weight gain. Hence, it is important to sleep properly to not just have better health but also to have better weight
Given all the reasons above, now you should be motivated to have a nice goodnight's sleep. Well I am :). Work can wait, but your health and sound sleep cant. However if you still aren't motivated enough then wait till it catches up and then maybe you can start having a nice good night's sleep

Happy sleeping :)
Till then
Take Care






Friday 22 May 2015

Can't Make it? Then Fake it...



 #Thailand    #Miscellaneous

We all love shopping and personally whenever I am upset I shop... it naturally brings smile to my face... However what we all buy varies from individual to individual, some people like clothes shopping, some like shoe shopping, some go for some kindda gadget and people like me buy small things that may or maynot be useful in day to day activities... 
Shopping is bliss isn't it? But it turns into a misery when what you want doesn't sit in an affordable range. For most people (esp. in India) its not even about affordable range, usually people have money but we don't want to spend that much on something. We would rather settle for not having it, then spending too much... Isn't it?

When we shop we look for many things but apart from all the regular things there are many others that are aspirations, like you may want Rolex watch, or Louis Vuitton purse or many other things... These things are of course are just aspirations and not in everyone's affordable range... Market is flooded with so many things that most middle class can't even dream about them. There are so many shops in malls today that feel like money drain... so many manufacturers just put a label called 'brand' on their products and charge skyrocketing prices for them... There are people who can buy them but well most population can't afford! But do they need to satiate for non-branded things  or average products that doesn't make them happy? Well, thats not the case...

I have certain friends who own most premium products available around, be it sunglasses, watches, bags, etc. This luxury for a person with same earning range makes you wonder hence I asked them the source and the answer was in 1 word, 'Thailand'
We all know Thailand is one of the world's top shopping destination but what most of us don't know is what you buy from Thailand will not necessarily be real. In fact most products are fake and only the experts can tell the difference. I personally prefer proper branded products but for most people you know, dil hai ki manta nahi (the heart doesn't understands). If you fall in this category who doesn't care if the product is authentic or not, you can try Thailand. Well honestly, counterfeit is so popular these days that you may buy a thing at full price and never realize if its real or not, so maybe it's worth the try...

I am not saying that go to Thailand every time you want something,  but if original or fake doesn't
bother you and you have long list of desires (materialistic of course) then plan a trip to Thailand... by the way other desires are legal in Thailand but be very cautious because you never know who you might end up with...!!!
Coming back to original topic, going to Thailand is pretty easy for many reasons (in comparison to other countries)
  • It has visa-on-arrival policy so you don't have to go through long waiting process of Visa (which is a tedious process for Indians)
  • If you plan well in advance you can get a return ticket for as less as Rs.10,000 (Going to Kerala would be more expensive)
  • You can easily find a decent stay within normal range
  • And for most Indians, Indian food is very important (esp. if you are a vegetarian). In Thailand  you will get the second best homemade food ever (first being mom's food always)
Also, Thailand is a beautiful travel destination. At one time Phuket was considered to be the best honeymoon spot but now it's very commercialised. However, there are many other less commercial places in Thailand that can visited and enjoyed. Well checkout the image here, isn't it heaven...

How to travel in Thailand?
There are many options available, like taxis, tuk-tuks (auto-rickshaw), public buses, canal and river boats, motorbike taxis, the Skytrain (BTS) and underground (MRT). Given the traffic in Bangkok, boats and trains are good option. However, do try river boats, they cover many historic places of Thailand and it is a great way of sightseeing

What security measure to take in Thailand?
Well, all normal travel rules apply in Thailand as well. It is pretty safe however it is recommended not to flaunt money or other products. Also make sure to take care of your belongings while you shop, if you leave something behind or in taxi, its very unlikely that you will find it again

Let's talk about places in Thailand that you can go & shop.
Image of Patpong Night Street
We already know the reasons to come and shop in Thailand, however, one should know (and I re-iterate) they all are counterfeit products, be it Ray Ban, Monte  Blanc, Guess, Rolex, Prada and even Apple products etc. Name it and claim it... :). Also I can bet my money on fact that if you put original and Thai product together, you can't tell the difference (well unless you are an expert)
There are many places to shop and you can get similar stuff everywhere. However, find a street market as you can there bargain heavily (don't be rude like people are in India, use smile & polite approach, prices will go down). Only malls, supermarkets etc have fixed price, rest all is bargained. I would recommend asking hotel guys to tell you which place to go and shop so that you have convenience. However there are many markets like Train Market, Platinum mall, MBK Mall etc that you can visit. My friends recommend night markets as they are very popular. Some good night markets are,  Khao San Road, Patpong market etc. 
One word of caution, when you shop make sure the product you buy is in good condition and is of good quality. You don't want to end up with used or damaged product.

Anything else?
Lets see, we covered travel to Thailand, food, travel within city, security measures & shopping destinations in brief. The only two things I can think of are popular lying Buddha temple and some translations.

Lying Buddha temple i.e. Wat Pho temple is one the most famous temple of Buddha in Thailand. It has the largest reclining Buddha and largest collection of Buddha images. There are 108 bronze bowls in the corridor indicating the 108 auspicious characters of Buddha. People drop coins in these bowls as it is believed to bring good fortune, and to help the monks maintain the wat. The shopping area of this temple is also pretty awesome...

Language translations
Thai people speak Thai, they know English only a little so it is important to know all important slangs, below is list of a few...

Hello - Sawasdee ka / krub *
I'm just looking - Pom / chan kae duu **
Let me have a look first - Kor pom / chan duu kon **
That's pretty - Seuy dee na ka / krub *
How much? - Tao rai?
Too expensive! - Pang maak na ka / krub! *
Can I have a discount? - Lod dai mai?
Do you have other colours? - Mee see eun mai?
Do you have a bigger size? - Mee yai kwaa nee mai?
Do you have a smaller size? - mee lek kwaa nee mai?
Is this from Thailand? - Tam nai pra ted thai rue plao?
No thanks, I'm not interested - Mai aow ka / krub *
Thank you very much - Kob Khun maak ka / krub *
You are so sweet! - Khun na rak maak!
* 'ka' if you're female, 'krub' if you are male
** 'pom' if you are male, 'chan' is used for both sexes


I hope this articles helps you get through Thailand when you plan to visit. 

Till then
Take Care

Tuesday 19 May 2015

The Following Series... My Thoughts and Reviews

#TheFollowing     #MyReviews

For those who haven't yet watched this series, my review contains spoiler. 

The Following is a crime thriller which has a strong following of its own. It is one of those psychopath killer mystery that makes you wonder about its script writer i.e. how could a normal person write the extents that are shown here, yes it means it goes to that extent.

Just to give you a quick summary of the show, it is based on a psychopath serial killer Joe Carroll, played by James Purefoy, who is fixated on and is obsessed with an ancient writer Edgar Allan Poe, who wrote in 1800s. He is that charming professor in a college on whom every girl has her eyes on, however, being a professor was not just his profession, he also liked part-time killing job. In his obsession he murders 14 innocent women in most gruesome way and shows no remorse whatsoever. If you cannot tolerate murder shows, the description itself will give you nightmares, hence wont write here. 
Ryan Hardy, played by Kevin Bacon, is a retired FBI agent who catches Joe initially and now is reinstated in Bureau after Joe's escape. Its Ryan's job to catch Joe again, as he understands him best, however it should be noted that they both share a different relation in Joe's head which is not of cop & criminal, instead it is of friends and best buddies ever.

The series attraction point is the cult that Joe creates even while he is in prison. He has numerous followers which neither FBI or any other agency is able to comprehend. Although their loyalty is worth noting, the factor that haunts the viewers is the fact that all his followers have murdered at least once and they take pleasure in doing it. In few episodes they even  describe which is the way they like murdering best, is it stabbing, strangling, suffocating or something else. One of the dialogues of the show is, 'I like killing, Killing is what I do...'. Kindda scary hey!

The show has 3 seasons so far and in each season the writer introduces a next level psychopath. The first season it is Joe Carroll, who is charming professor who kills women to satiate an undefined need to kill. Next is Lily Grey & her twins who are obsessed with Joe Carroll and their psychopathy is even beyond him. The latest is Theo Nobel who is a genius, ghost, excellent hacker and kills just to have fun. Throughout the show many other psychopath killers are introduced as well, some of them are so aggravating that they will chill you to your soul and make cases like 'Suitcase murder' (not that I should compare with real life incidence) look like child's play

You might wonder why would someone watch such gruesome show, and the reason is, it's simply awesome. It is one of the only murder shows where FBI is short-handed and criminals are at least 10 steps ahead of them. They play, lure and kill agents and officials as if only they are trained to get murdered at hands of these killers (well apart from our 3 lead FBI agents Ryan Hardy, his niece Max Hardy played by Jessica Stroup and her boyfriend Mike Watson played by Shawn Ashmore). 
Apart from awesomeness, the show presents excellent thrill which keeps you on edge of your seat and always makes you wonder what will happen next. However, it is a very 'heavy on mind' kind of show and the one that you cannot watch just by downloading or ordering a CD or Netflix. After an episode, you need a break, although I didn't do that and had a Following marathon weekend, trust me and don't do that, I got worse nightmares.

The show also teaches us something very crucial. It teaches us that we should always be on guard because a psychopath doesn't show traits of psychopathy in his/her usual behaviour. The most charming person you know, your neighbour, person behind you in a queue and even your partner can be a psychopath. Not saying that you stop trusting people and start accusing everyone, but its always good to stay on guard so that you are safe at all times.

My rating for the show and creative psychopathy is 4.5/5, however, don't watch if you can't tolerate shows with ruthless killing and murdering for pleasure kind; It is not for weak-hearted people. However if you can watch all this and like a good thrill and mystery then its is must watch and don't think watching & liking this show will make you or show  you as psychopath. I love this show and hey, I am not one.

The show just finished airing season 3 and I would have loved to see it come back for season 4, but unfortunately, much to my and all other fan's discontent, FOX has cancelled Following.  They always do this with good shows!!!

Anyways, all in all, it was a good watch, if you catch on running on your TV do watch, else grab a copy, you are missing on something really good.

Till then
Take Care

Monday 18 May 2015

Poem - Hey Mom, I just wanna say...

A mother's love is the bliss of life
Evermore you may get, but it will never suffice
It's you who is thunder, the spark of her life
She made you a flower, but also a knife
Hey Mom, I just wanna say
Thank you for making me this way
Your love, your blessings is all I want
For it's our bond, I'll always flaunt

It's you, with whom a mother shares her soul
Without you, she is never again so whole
Day-in day-out she takes care of you
Your toys, your books are now her crew
Hey Mom, I just wanna say
Thank you for keeping me in your heart this way
I may not be perfect for world's attire
But in your eyes, I shall never retire

A mother's 'yes' is always your choice
It's your smile that makes her rejoice
Even if she ever tells you 'No'
Its for your best, your heart should know
Hey Mom, I just wanna say
Thank you for preserving me everyday
For I was silly and never understood
The devils that ensnared my childhood

It's your mom, you should always cherish
For it's her love, that shall never perish
Its her heart that reflects your dreams
Even if her own are muffled in screams
Hey Mom, I just wanna say
Simply thinking of you makes my day
But hey please, live up your dreams and smile
For seeing you happy, is what makes my life worthwhile

Cherish her, hold her, love her while you can
For once she is gone, you would do nothing but plan
Soon it would be your chance to give it in return

For you'll be a parent soon and it will be your child's turn
It's her soul with them you'll share
Now it's your turn to show a mother's care
But hey Mom, I just wanna say
Thank you again for making me way
It's your love, that I cherish everyday
For if it were not for you, I would be nothing
I owe you my life and more and everything...


~~~ By Kritika Rajat Sharma









Sunday 17 May 2015

The Miracle called Water...

#curewithoutmedicine

There is a reason why God covered 3/4 of the Earth with Water. And not just Earth, 90% of human body too is made of Water.
For me, Water is the holy ale that is the cure to any and every problem that a human has (unless one is suffering from a dangerous situation like water filling in lungs etc.)

If you drink the required amount of water per day (i.e. 2-3 liters at least), you can benefit immensely. However, if you skip it then firstly you'll be thirsty throughout the day (which is unhealthy and irritable) and secondly you will start getting various issues in your body from top to bottom which will range from medium to very serious. 
There are so many issues I can list down but I don't want to delve into what happens when we don't drink enough water, instead would like to focus on benefits of drinking water...

Like said, Water is holy ale and let's start from top:



















  • Hair: Water provides required nourishment to dry scalp and prevents dandruff and dry, sticky & smelly hair in long term
  • Head: Dehydration and fatigue often result in headaches. Drinking ample water in a day will help you avoid headache (at least because of these reasons)
  • Face: Drinking enough water keeps your skin hydrated and glowing. It also helps you prevent wrinkles and pimples (however pimples are also result of bad diet, so watch out for that). Drinking sufficient water daily also reduces acne scars and keeps your complexion fair
  • Breast (for women): Drinking plenty water helps breast pains. Also, it improves the milk quantity & quality in nursing mothers
  • Stomach: Most importantly water aids in digestion by helping dissolve fats and soluble fibre
  • Liver, Intestine, Kidneys: Water helps all these and other complex systems in our body to function properly. It prevents the risk of UTI, constipation, stones and other failures
  • Legs: Water helps reduce cellulite and gives you slimmer legs. Also water gives your muscles enough strength to walk out the entire day. It also help restless legs, fluid retention etc.
  • Overall body: 
    • Water aids weight loss as it regulates entire body's movement and also it keeps you full
    • Water helps you avoid certain kinds of cancer (like bladder, colon, breast cancer)
    • Water keep your joints mobilised, hence prevents various problems
    • Water keeps you energised to go through your day
    • Water keeps your skin fresh & glowing 
    • Water helps reduce hangover (in some people at least)
    • Water keeps you active and happy
Its not just drinking water, soaking in warm water is one the effective remedy for body pain, stiff neck, swollen ankles etc.

It should also be noted that timing of drinking water is very important as well. One might argue that I drink 5 liter a day but still have problems and simple reason could be the timing... If you drink gallons of water in 1 go and not during the rest of the day then you are not doing any good. Instead, you are just pressurising your bladders. One should drink ample water with sufficient gaps at right time to make it work...


Lets look into benefits of drinking water at various times of day:
  • Early morning empty stomach (preferably lukewarm): Drinking water first thing in the morning, empty stomach, has many benefits, such as:
    • Aids in constipation and improves bowel movement
    • Removes toxin from blood which results in smooth skin
    • Helps cure acne & scars
    • Aids in weight loss
    • Prevents many other diseases like diabetes, high BP etc
  • Before a bath: Drinking water before a bath helps control your blood pressure
  • Before a meal: Drinking water 30 mins before a meal helps in digestion. Also if you are prone to eating more when hungry, which results in weight gains than drinking water before meals make you full enough to eat only required amount. However it should be noted that water is not a substitute of food and one should eat necessary amount each day
  • After a meal: Drinking water an hour after a meal allows your body to absorb necessary nutrients which is very useful
  • Before a workout: 30 mins before workout allows your body and muscles to get more serious with it. You can stretch and stress more if you have water pumping in  your body
  • Before sleep: There are multiple benefits of drinking water before bed. However one should drink in limited quantity else your peaceful sleep will be disrupted because of bathroom visits. The benefits are like:
    • Helps replenish any essential fluids that were missed/consumed during the day
    • Helps burn calories. It is known fact that we burn calories while we sleep, and drinking water boosts that calorie burning exercise
    • Helps you sleep: Water balances all ingredients in your body which in return relaxes you and help you sleep
    • Helps in morning bowel routine
    • Helps clear out toxins from body which result in clear skin, weight loss, better digestion and overall health
There are many other benefits as well of drinking water and I have listed here only a few.

I hope this will motivate you drink more water each day which in return will give you healthy and happy life

Till then
Take Care





Poem - Holding Hands...


Holding hands gave me life
Since the day I became your wife
You are mine and I am yours
And there is nothing that's more than sure

Holding hands give me smile
I have longed for this quite a while
Your love for me I so much adore
And I never knew life had this for me in store

Holding hands makes me whole
For it's our love that touches my soul
You always beside me is what I want
And it's our love we may always flaunt

Holding hands gives me comfort
You always smile is forever my effort
Your passion, affection is what I desire
And it's our love that the world admire

Holding hands makes me secure
Its with you I am getting mature
You always protect me for I am sometimes so fool
And it's your love that even make it sound so cool

Holding hands give me calm
To all my troubles it acts as a balm
For it's your voice that gives me console
And piece by piece it makes me whole

Holding hands has given me a perspective
In my heart I will hold you as captive
You may wonder will my love suffice
But should you know, I would love you eternal, even after my demise

-- By Kritika Gupta Sharma

Saturday 16 May 2015

The Vampire Diaries Series... My Thoughts and Reviews

#thevampirediaries     #myreviews

For those who haven't yet watched this series, my review contains spoiler. 



The Vampire Diaries, a teen drama which has a great number of followers and when it comes to supernatural vampire related drama, it is one of my favourite shows. My interest in fantasy stuff introduced me to the novel series 'The Vampire Diaries' by LJ Smith and soon I was introduced to this show as well. As I progressed with the show I realised the novel just doesn't do justification to the title. The show is very interesting and engrossing. Also the effects they bring its scary but simply awesome. And unfortunately enough it does include some pretty lame stuff but apart from that, its quite good.


As the name suggests,  the show revolves around vampires. Basically, it revolves around a human girl who is torn between 2 vampire brothers who are 163 years old. Sounds kindda lame, isn't it and it always has to end up around a girl. Well yes, that is the main story but it also does has other characters and some side stories which make the show whole. Also it not just has vampires but also has werewolves (no vampire story is finished without them) and witches. In few seasons the show also has the original vampire family (the 1st vampires ever) which is pretty awesome.


Moving back to main plot, Elena (the human girl) played by Nina Dobrev is loved by 2 immortal brothers, Damon & Stefan played by Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley respectively. Stefan is a good kind vampire who doesn't feed on humans and tries to protect them, whereas Damon is the worst kind of Vampire who not only feeds and kills humans but also preys on them, manipulates, and uses them. 
Damon & Stefan are shown to have pretty interesting history, where they loved same girl as their human selves and now the history repeats again, as they again love same girl as vampires, i.e. Elena. 

Elena, she is the epicentre of everyone's life and she is also their doom. Its she who draws vampires back to Mystic falls, its her doppelgänger (a double of a living person), who brings havoc to everyone's life, its she after whom the worst of all original is, it is she due to whom her friends suffer and its she who tries to control everyone. Well said that, she is also very loving, caring and compassionate character. She tries to protect everyone and always tries to do the right thing. Yes, she is complicated but that is the purpose of the whole show.
In the beginning of the show she is madly in love with Stefan, with Damon conspiring to get her. But as Damon changes for her, she falls for him and after becoming a vampire herself she chooses Damon, leaving Stefan heartbroken. Yup, most of all viewers hated that part but between Damon & Stefan, one will always choose Damon

There are other characters as well who surround the story, like Jeremy, Elena's annoying drug addict brother who eventually turns into a Vampire Hunter (ironic given his sister is a vampire). Bonnie is best friend of Elena and is a new witch. She is forced to sacrifice again and again for Elena but eventually turns into a very powerful Bennett witch. Caroline, an uptight, control freak character who actually improves when she becomes a vampire (most people turn dark, but she got positive). Alaric is a high school teacher but also is a Vampire Hunter, who is trying to solve mystery of his wife's murder. Tyler, with werewolf gene who is kind of an ass as human but gets better when he turns in a werewolf and many others. 

There are many antagonists in the series as well. My favourite is Klaus Michelson who was born in 10th century and is a hybrid (i.e. born werewolf turned vampire). He is ruthless, manipulative yet has the best heart of all. He is seen in Season 2-5 in Vampire Diaries where he plots to kill Elena and is successful (though Elena doesn't die because her father sacrifices himself for her). Klaus is peculiarly interested in Caroline and moves to New Orleans when she rejects him. There is a spin-off series called the Originals which revolves around lives of the Original family. Apart from him there are other antagonists as well and the one in recent season Kai (a psychopath Gemini witch) is kind of weird and interesting. He is one of the few villains whom most of his viewers loved a lot.

The season 6 of the show recently ended and so did the tenure of Nina Dobrev with show. As per news she has quit TVD, which is heartbreaking for many TVD fans but I for one is happy because she was way too overrated. Her exit should bring a complete new twist and excitement to the show. 
We all loved the bad Damon, who became good because of her and with her gone, writers predict he would go bad again. I am very much interested to see that.


All in all, if you are watching the show, you know why I like it, and if you are not and like supernatural fantasy, do watch it, you will love it. It gets so engrossing at few points that you won't be able to leave screen in anticipation. And if you are comparing all vampire drama with Twilight movies, then my friend you are making a huge mistake... it is nothing compared...

I would rate the show as 4.25/5 and seriously hope that it gets higher in upcoming seasons.

Till then
Take Care

Thursday 14 May 2015

Green Tea & Its Benefits

#curewithoutmedicine

Green Tea, also known as the Camellia sinensis, is the healthiest beverage on our planet Earth, after of course our beloved water. It is one of those drinks that benefit you from each sip and you don't even realize it. It originated in China long ago and now is spread all over the world because of its benefits.

Green tea is full of natural antioxidants and nutrients that have very positive effect on our body, however, just like everything else, the excessive consumption of this drink too will cause harmful side-effects. Hence, just like everything, the key is to understand when to take and how much to take.

Before we get into when and how, lets talk abut 'Why'? Lets start with benefits of Green Tea. The health benefits of this drink is etched across internet, but let's focus here on the most important ones:







  • Most important, which has actually resulted in popularity of Green tea is that it aids in weight loss. It specifically targets the belly fat which is literally  the most difficult fat for weight loss. Drinking it regularly not just allows your to lose on extra Kgs/Pounds but also allows you to stay slim and fit in long run
  • It improves brain health and how it functions. Daily consumption of green tea will help you become smarter. It also aids your brain in old age and minimizes the risk of Alzheimer’s and other diseases. Alzheimer's is the most common neurological disease that results in dementia (i.e. memory loss) 
  • It promotes overall health and boosts immunity. Being rich in antioxidants it helps you get healthier and more active
  • Controls bad cholesterol in your body and improves the ratio of good cholesterol
  • It controls sugar levels in your body which doesn't allow diabetes and insulin resistance. Women with PCOS can benefit majorly with this.
  • Multiple other but very important benefits are:
    • it reduces the risk of cancer
    • reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease
    • reduces chances of high blood pressure
    • prevents depression 
    • strengthens bones 
    • improves oral health
    • prevents hair fall
    • improves skin health
    • fights off various allergies
    • boosts eyesight and etc

We saw above the benefits but to leverage these benefits upto mark we also need to know how much to take, when to take and know the possible side effects (you know, better safe than sorry)

Lets start with how much.
1 cup a day for an adult body is not sufficient to see so many positive effects. One should take 2-6 cups a day. Some might say that you can drink up to 10 cups a day, but when it comes to health, I prefer not to push limits. 

However, if you are a women who plans to conceive or is pregnant, you should not drink more than 2 cups per day because green tea absorbs Folic acid from your body which is essential for your baby's development. However, given each pregnancy is unique, I would strongly recommend consulting with your gynae before taking this

When to drink Green tea?
Ideal time for this ale is at least 30 mins before a meal or at least 2 hours after a meal. Drinking it empty stomach or right before or after meals will not have any significant good effect on your body. It will either be a waste or will only have adverse effect

How to drink Green tea?
Green tea is the zero-calorie caffeine drink hence it's perfect  for weight loss. 
You can drink it by simply putting tea bag in boiling water and making a nice cup, but it tastes horrible and you need to adjust your palette to its taste. After drinking it for more than a month, I was able to adapt. 
To improve its taste you can add lemon drops or honey. However, don't add any sweeter as it will only defeat the whole purpose

And finally, now lets look at possible side effects.
Although it's a perfect ale for healthy life, consuming it in high quantity can result in following side-effects:
  • Constipation: very common side effect of drinking green tea regularly . I have seen some anti-constipation green teas in the market but never tried it myself so can't comment on their success. If you feel constipated, either give them a try or try some other remedy to prevent constipation
  • Heartburn or acidity: Green tea is high caffeine drink hence some people suffer from acidity after drinking it. Try drinking ACV, it is by far the best natural home remedy for acidity. Click here for details.
  • People with extreme caffeine sensitivity can also suffer from following:
    • insomnia
    • anxiety
    • nausea
    • irritability etc
  • Also, you need to consult your doctor before consuming it if you have any kind of major health issue like heart disease, kidney issues, liver problems etc.

After reading this if you are motivated to try, then there are various types of Green tea available in the market and I would strongly recommend taking best quality to see better and quicker results. If you are still confused, drop me a message, I am always happy to help

Till then
Take Care

Wednesday 13 May 2015

Jane the Virgin Series... My Thoughts and Reviews

#JaneTheVirgin  #MyReviews

For those who haven't yet watched this series, my review contains spoiler. 

Jane the Virgin, as name suggests is based on a 23 years old virgin in United States, which from the show looks like a big deal. Unlike India, they don't believe in waiting till marriage... well, don't want to delve much into that so let's talk about the show.

Jane the Virgin is based on Venezuelan telenovela Juana la Virgen. Telenovela meaning Indian version of Spanish shows, it's just that telenovelas don't stretch more than a year and our Indian shows... well suffice it to say if they last less than a year, they are not considered successful :)

Jane the Virgin caught my attention on rottentomatoes.com. It has 100% rating with 48 reviews (compared to other shows it's good) so I started to watch and instantly liked it. It is not like any comedy, mystery or thriller,  it's a simple drama which contains up's and down' of lives of its characters especially Jane.








Jane Gloriana Villanueva, played by Gina Rodriguez is, like said, a virgin but is artificially impregnated with Rafael's sperm. Rafael Solana, played by Justin Baldoni is a rich hotel owner who recently had cancer and this is his only sample. By the way I must add Rafael was also a very handsome playboy and very often he is shown shirtless to get girls to drool over him. 
Well, look at the pic, isn't he gorgeous & drool worthy ;)

Jane, who is upcoming writer, high school teacher and a waitress (yes too many jobs for a pregnant woman), has a perfect life. She lives with her mother, Xiomara "Xo" Gloriana Villanueva & grandmother Alba Gloriana Villanueva. They both are typical moms' if I may say. Xo is little too modern but she loves her daughter incredibly. Also sometimes the fight between these Xo & Alba get on your nerves but it's the affection between 3 generations (4th soon to come) that steals the show

In the beginning of the show, Jane is in love with Michael Cordero played by Brett Dier and they plan to get marry soon. But everything turns upside down in their relationship when Jane decided to keep the baby and falls in love with Rafael. I know this makes her sound like a bad person, but she is not, the writers of the show have written it brilliantly. During the course we do feel bad for Michael, he is pretty good guy but weighing options between Rafael & Michael, Rafael will always win. ;)

The highlight of the show and the best thing is the Spanish narrator who speaks in the background. It is thoroughly enjoyable and he won't let you forget who was who, and what happened when. Also the sarcastic punches he throws in between are usually hilarious. 

The low-light of the show is Jane's father, Rogelio de la Vega played by Jaime Camil and Rafael's ex-wife, Petra (Natalia) Solano played by Yael Grobglas. Where former is innocent yet incredibly irritating character, latter is a villain who is a fraud, cheat, liar and most manipulative person in the show. I know the show won't be complete without these to annoying tag-along characters but still...

There are various other things and side stories that fill up the gaps and mood in the show but best that I like is how Jane goes through various stages in her pregnancy. Unlike other shows where the focus is on relationships and pregnancy is just on the side, here the show revolves around how relations change with pregnancy and what a woman goes through. We all have heard being pregnant is difficult, this show proves it but in a very gentle way. I for one have learnt a lot of things that could go wrong and could go right, not sure about others :)

This week the season finale was aired on The CW and honestly the ending way far too stretched. They have unnecessarily added a new twist. Well just to write in 1 line, Jane had a beautiful baby boy and he is kidnapped. The whole show revolved around that baby from day 1 and after 5 mins of his appearance he is doomed. I am sure writers will write an exciting plot in season 2 but with all the drama and other things, I am disappointed. They could have ended season on at least 1 happy note...

Anyways, apart from the stupid far-fetched ending, I like it and would rate it 4.25/5. And if you get a chance do watch it, if you like light dramas with no vulgarity or ruthless actions, you will like it :)

Till then
Take Care